There are often patients who ask for help in the long winter without the intention to sleep. How can I get a good night’s sleep in the cold winter?
What is insomnia
Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, resulting in insufficient sleep . Also known as sleep onset and sleep maintenance disorder, it is a common disease caused by various reasons, such as difficulty falling asleep, too short sleep depth or frequency, early awakening, insufficient sleep time or poor quality.
The impact of winter on sleep
1. The cycle of sleep and awakening changes: the weather is cold throughout the winter, the yang qi is sealed inside, and the lifting is weak, which will make people feel weak and fatigue.
2. Emotional changes: with the change of seasons, most people’s emotions will be affected by the changes of the four seasons. Depression syndrome manifested by too much breath and emotional restlessness, resulting in insomnia.
3. Difficulty falling asleep due to dry air: In winter, the weather is cold, and the indoor heating and other factors make the moisture in the air very small. Over time, it will consume the yin fluid of the human body, and the dry evil will invade the human body and cause coughing. This in turn makes it difficult to fall asleep or sleep soundly, and using a humidifier at night in winter can avoid the seasonal effects of disturbing sleep.
4. The influence of eating habits on sleep: “Su Wen” has a cloud that “if the stomach is not in harmony, lying down” refers to the disharmony of the spleen and stomach, the stagnation of phlegm and dampness and the internal disturbance of food, resulting in disturbed sleep and sleep, and after dinner Fullness can increase the burden on the stomach and cause you to wake up multiple times during sleep.
5. The influence of habits before going to bed: The behavior of reading before going to bed will increase the excitability of the brain, and the mood cannot be peaceful during sleep, and the quality of sleep will inevitably be affected.
How to ensure a good sleep in winter
The weather is cold in winter. If you want to get a good night’s sleep and add points to your health, you need to pay attention to the following details:
△ Expose more to the sun, so that the yang energy of the human body can be lifted by external force, reducing people’s sense of fatigue and fatigue, thereby further improving the quality of sleep.
△ Pay attention to mental adjustment, avoid excessive excitement, tension, anxiety, anger and other negative emotional stimuli, maintain a comfortable mood, and treat sleep with a relaxed and natural attitude.
△Life rules, proper physical exercise, enhance physical fitness, and participate in some cultural and artistic activities that are soothing, but strenuous exercise should be avoided before going to bed.
△During the cold winter, the indoor heating is warm and dry. Using a humidifier at night in winter can avoid the seasonal effects of disturbing sleep.
△ Dinner should not be too hungry or too full. It is advisable to eat light and easily digestible food, and do not eat too much or eat indigestible food before going to bed.
From: Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Source: Jilin 12320