Sleep disorders affect more than 1 in 3 people in the UK every year. Insomnia, trouble staying asleep, and other sleep disorders can have a major impact on physical and mental health. Everyone has a sleepless night once and awhile, but chronic trouble sleeping or staying asleep can be a big problem. When people don’t get enough sleep, it can cause weight gain, trouble focusing, irritability, and many other problems.
Sometimes there is a physical cause for sleeplessness like a health condition, or side effects from a medication taken for a physical health problem. The overuse of phones and tablets, especially at night, can also cause sleeplessness.
Many doctors recommend that people who are having trouble sleeping turn off their phones, tablets and computers at least an hour before they want to fall asleep. That can be effective, but it doesn’t work for everyone. For most people chronic insomnia and sleep disorders are caused by mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
Anxiety and depression have reached nearly epidemic levels in the UK over the last few years and the number of people suffering from anxiety and depression is growing each year. Economic instability, stress, and other factors contribute to generalised anxiety and depression. That anxiety and depression can cause insomnia and sleep problems. Talking to a private psychologist in London can help alleviate anxiety and depression and make it easier to get the restful sleep needed to be healthy. Look here for more information.
How to Get Better Sleep
One of the most often recommended ways to battle insomnia is to make sure that your bedroom is a place of rest. If you can you should leave your electronics like your phone, tablet and laptop in another room at night. If you are using your phone as an alarm clock stop doing that and get an actual alarm clock instead.
Invest in making your bedroom a restful sanctuary. Get comfortable pillows, nice sheets, and cosy blankets. If you are sensitive to light and sound try sleeping with a sleep mask and ear plugs. Or get some light blocking curtains in order to make the room as dark and restful as possible. Some people find that a fan, a white noise machine, or a fountain provide gentle background noise that can be soothing.
When to Talk to A Professional
If you have made changes to your bedroom to make it more relaxing and you’ve already tried turning off your electronics at night and you are still having trouble sleeping most nights of the week it’s time to talk to a private psychologist or a mental health professional nearby.
This will help you understand depression and anxiety and find effective treatment methods that will enable you to get the sleep that you need to be healthy. Depression and anxiety are real conditions that need treatment – taking action now could have far-reaching benefits for your well-being and physical health.