What is Insomnia?

Other than being the reason as to why you're constantly falling asleep in your 8 a.m., or 12:30 class - no judgment, insomnia is a diagnosed sleeping disorder. Insomnia is defined as having difficulty falling or staying asleep, even if it's all that your body wants to do in that moment.

I'm sure we've all had late nights, tossing and turning for no apparent reason, asking ourselves why? Well, insomnia can be the answer you've been looking for. But have no fear, you're not alone. About 40 million Americans experience symptoms linked to insomnia each year.

These symptoms include: Excessive drowsiness, anxiety, irritability, lack of energy, and difficulty in learning, remembering or completing simple tasks.

Bad sleeping habits, such as staying up late to finish an assignment that's due at 11:59, or constant stress over poor time management, can contribute to symptoms of insomnia. We're basically turning ourselves into nocturnal beings because we'd rather binge watch Netflix when we could be doing homework. Waiting until the very last minute to do our work is costing us our valuable sleep and ability to function day-to-day.

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What can you do about it?

Thankfully, there are different ways to overcome sleep deprivation.

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1. Spend Less Time in Bed

Wait, what? I know this sounds confusing, but hear me out. The more time we spend in our beds scrolling through Instagram, or using it as a desk, the more we disassociate our bed as a place of slumber. To get rid of your insomnia, you should try and recondition your body to recognize your bed as a place for sleeping, not conscious daytime activities.

2. Do your work ahead of time

If slacking off is a big part of your struggle for sleep, complete your work on time. I know it's hard to get motivated and stay on task when there's a million other fun and exciting things to do, but do yourself that favor. Trust me, keeping an efficient schedule can go a long way in curing your insomnia.

3. Meditation & Relaxation

There are so many meditation techniques that can help you find your zen, and catch some z's. A lot of the time, there can be a lot of tension in your muscles preventing you from experiencing full-body relaxation. Gradually releasing tension from head to toe, and utilizing exercises to regulate your breathing can make you sleepy.

4. See a doctor

If symptoms persist or progress, it's best to see a professional. There are different types of insomnia that require special treatment. There's also a ton of over the counter medications your doctor can recommend if you are indeed suffering from insomnia. Not to mention, therapy sessions can be of equal help.

Sweet dreams!

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