If you can't sleep at night, what should you do? What are the solutions?

 You may not be able to sleep, or you may wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to go back to sleep.

Insomnia is a problem that may affect many people at some point in their lives, but for some people, insomnia is not a short-term problem, but a serious one. There are many causes of insomnia; such as aging, the need to urinate at night, menopause or the cessation of menstruation in women, or changes in work hours or shifts.

The MKD News Officials Health insider team has gathered a group of experts to share their advice on this.

Important points from the expert's point of view:

Dr. Fatt Orchard, professor of psychology at the University of Sussex, says: "When I can't sleep, it's usually because my mind is busy and I'm thinking too much. So I pick up a book and start reading, to calm down a little".

When I can't sleep, it's usually because my husband is snoring or snoring in his sleep, " so I use the sleep divorce technique and go to another room," says Dr Ellie Hare, president of the British Sleep Society and a sleep medicine specialist at the Royal Brampton Hospital in London.

When I can't sleep, I usually get out of bed and go back to bed to reset my system, says Colin Aspie, a professor of sleep medicine at the University of Oxford. It's because my mind is busy with something. I think a lot of people have this condition.

Professor Aspi defines insomnia as: "If one bad night turns into several nights, then several weeks or even three months or more, we call this condition chronic insomnia.

Dr. Fat Orchard, professor of psychology at the University of Sussex, says: "We usually think of insomnia as a problem with falling asleep, but the truth is that insomnia is about falling asleep and staying asleep. when some people wake up in the middle of the night and then try to go back to sleep but can't. or wake up in the early morning and can't get back to sleep, this is a symptom of insomnia".

Dr. Ellie Hare says that insomnia symptoms are very common, with nearly 50 percent of people experiencing them

If you have trouble sleeping for more than three months, more than three nights a week, and it is affecting your should see a doctor.

Dr. Ellie Hare says that insomnia symptoms are very common, with nearly 50 percent of people experiencing them.

If you have trouble sleeping for more than three months, more than three nights a week, and it is affecting your daily life, you should see a doctor.

He suggests that you start with your local pharmacy to solve this problem, then visit a doctor, and also get help from reputable resource on the internet related to improving sleep.

What happens in the brain that causes insomnia?

According to Dr. Orchard, two processes help us fall asleep and wake up. “These processes include sleep hormones that promote sleep, and stress and fatigue that occur during the day,” he says. For good sleep, these two processes need to work in harmony with each other. If this coordination is disrupted, for example, if we are distracted by thoughts in the afternoon or at night and fall asleep briefly, this can lead to sleep disorganization and make it more difficult to fall asleep.

"What happens with insomnia is that external factors or causes, such as stress, may be involved," he adds.

Dr. Ellie Hare says that some illnesses can also affect insomnia: "I'm not saying that one specific person is the epitome of insomnia, but we know that people with chronic illness or chronic pain have problems with sleep. "We know that insomnia often co-occurs with other disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems."

Professor Aspi says that age can also be a contributing factor: "The sleep system changes with age, and the body's biological clock system also changes. The sleep system depends on the amount and depth of sleep, and the body's clock system depends on the time of sleep. As we age, sleep naturally becomes somewhat fragmented and fragmented."

What should you do if you can't sleep?

What should you do if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep?

Professor Aspi says that trying to sleep creates a paradox: "By morning, the desire to sleep decreases and you may start to think that you can't go back to sleep. This thought is one of the enemies of sleep. I don't think anyone can be forced to sleep. Only you can force yourself to sleep. When you try to sleep, you stay awake, which is part of the problem."

He says, believe it or not, the best solution is to decide to stay awake. You can resist falling asleep and then fall asleep naturally.

Dr. Hare also says: "If you wake up and realize you can't get back to sleep, get up and do something else for half an hour, then go back to sleep."

What can medicine help with?

Dr. Hare and Professor Aspi are not in favor of using medication at all and say that the best way to deal with insomnia is 'cognitive behavioral therapy' (CBT). This psychotherapy helps people solve their problems by changing their own thinking and behavior. This approach is one of the best solutions for treating insomnia.

"The best evidence-based treatment for insomnia is psychotherapy," says Dr. Hare. "It's 70 to 80 percent effective, and up to 50 percent of people see a complete recovery from their insomnia."

Some people believe strongly in the effects of magnesium, saying that taking it before bed helps them sleep better. But Dr. Orchard says that there isn't much research on this and the available research is limited.

"The results of the study are what we call small effects, and we don't see a big change in sleep after using magnesium. That's why we say the evidence is not conclusive," he says.

What effects can melatonin have?

This medication is available over-the-counter in most countries, while in some countries it is available only with a doctor's prescription.

"The magnesium issue is very similar to the effects that some people report, because sleep is largely influenced by suggestion," says Dr. Hare. "That's why many of these supplements have a strong placebo effect."