Cure Your Insomnia

One night of inadequate sleep can put a real damper on how you feel the next day, and long-term sleeplessness can impede how you feel physically, emotionally and mentally every day. 

We at Valhalla Medical & Wellness Centers know all about the negative results of chronic insomnia. It’s a widespread problem that haunts more than three million Americans. Common consequences of sleep deprivation are cantankerousness, anxiety, depression and debilitating fatigue. 

Here are some common causes for this frustrating condition.

Poor pre-bedtime habits. Drinking alcohol may help you get to sleep, but it probably won’t help you stay asleep. It’s a temporary fix (falling asleep) to a longer-lasting mission (dropping into a deep restful state).

Intense exercise: Whether it be a long run or a rigorous weight-training session, hard-core exercise ups your body temperature and discharges endorphins (also known as the feel-good hormone). To the contrary, to begin a good night of shuteye, your core body temperature and endorphin levels must drop. It’s best to exercise before 6 p.m. 

A big meal: Your body wants to digest most of that food before you turn in for the night so you don’t suffer from indigestion and heartburn. Gravity isn’t your friend in that situation because it prevents stomach acid from staying in your stomach.

An erratic sleep schedule: Napping during the day and sleeping well into the morning are sure to throw off your biorhythms. 

Certain medications: Antidepressants (such as Prozac® and Zoloft®), beta blockers, decongestants and statins can keep you from getting drowsy. 

A lack of exercise: The human body wants to and needs to expend a certain amount of energy every day. If you have an inactive lifestyle, then that pent-up energy will never get burned off and will extend to bedtime, leaving you fidgety when you turn out the lights. 

Persistent physical pain: Nagging discomfort will prevent you from relaxing enough to start your slumber. It becomes particularly unpleasant if the location of your ache won’t let you find a comfortable sleeping position. 

Valhalla Medical & Wellness Centers’ treatments for insomnia consist of improving sleep habits, behavior therapy, and identifying and treating underlying causes. We want you to get a good night’s sleep as much as you do! We encourage you to come in for a consultation to discuss our approach to your care

By Valhalla Wellness & Medical Centers

December 29, 2020