Introduction
Many folks are wrestling with subpar sleep, and it's messing with their mojo more than they realize. It could be a lack of hours under the covers or maybe a touch of insomnia. Let's break it down.
So, got insomnia? It sounds all official, but it's not a disease; it's more like a bunch of issues with various triggers.
Insomnia is like that annoying friend who overstays their welcome—biological, mental, and social, it's got its fingers in every pie. In a nutshell, it's when you're in bed, but the Sandman is a no-show.
The red flag? Feeling like a zombie during the day—worn out, cranky, forgetful, and not winning any productivity awards.
Now, let's unpack the types and reasons behind sleep problems.
The 3 types of insomnia
The first cause isn’t really insomnia. It’s simply a lack of sleep due to going to bed too late and not spending enough time asleep.
No big deal and no medical problem there, it’s just a timing thing. There is only one remedy for that: go to bed earlier or wake up later.
For me personally, I try to always set my alarm clock 8h after I go to bed, like this I’m sure to spend enough sleep.
Second, you have trouble falling asleep. That is called sleep onset insomnia, and we're about to dissect it in the next article.
Third, you wake up during the night or too early in the morning and are or not able to fall asleep again. This is called sleep maintenance insomnia and will also be addressed in the following article.
Each type has its quirks, but fear not! First things first, figure out your problem, what's causing it, and then plot your sleep revolution.
The secret
But here's the secret sauce: Before you embark on your quest for better sleep, figure out your sleep sweet spot – aka how much sleep you need.
Weekends (or even better, holidays) are your test labs. Hit the hay at a decent hour, ditch the alarm, and let nature take its course.
. Yeah, it might be tricky with noisy neighbors, work stress, or mini-me's running around, but a few experiments will reveal your sleep magic number.
Once you've cracked the sleep code, fixing the first issue—too little time in dreamland—is a piece of cake. Stay tuned for the sequel, where we tackle the other two sleep ninjas. Until then, sleep tight, dreamers!