Poor sleep at night in an adult: causes and what to do

Internal Prerequisites

The prerequisites for the occurrence of insomnia (insomnia) may depend on the condition of the male body:

• Hormonal background. Testosterone, the male hormone, is responsible not only for reproductive function and the ability to establish yourself as a tough macho in bed. It affects the duration of deep sleep. After 30 years, male hormonal levels begin to change due to a gradual decrease in testosterone production, and the duration of the deep phase decreases. Insomnia in men over forty years of age occurs for this reason in 50% of cases.

• Prostate adenoma. It most often occurs in middle and old age, but is sometimes diagnosed in young people. In addition to sexual dysfunction, this disease is accompanied by the inability to fully go to the toilet when needed; the patient has to urinate frequently and in small portions. Repeatedly getting up to go to the toilet at night due to the urge to urinate does not provide the opportunity to get a full night's sleep.

Also, experts in the field of neurology attribute neurosis, certain cardiovascular diseases, and damage to the area of ​​the brain responsible for alternating states of wakefulness and sleep as the causes of insomnia.

Diagnostics

To confirm the suspicion of chronic insomnia, a psychiatrist must analyze the patient's condition. Certain criteria are taken into account to help identify the disease.

The chronic form is diagnosed when the disorder lasts more than 3 weeks. At the same time, the structure of sleep changes significantly, and a violation of the basic functions of the body occurs.

During the daytime, memory disturbances occur, increased drowsiness occurs, and attention decreases.

At the same time, the patient has enough time to get a good night's sleep. That is, there is no such thing that he cannot rest at night due to a lack of free hours. Problems arise precisely due to the fact that it is not possible to fall asleep quickly, as well as to get a full night’s sleep. In such a situation, it is imperative to start treatment.

The main diagnostic method is polysomnography. A sleep study is being conducted using computer technology. Also, the doctor must examine the patient to detect the presence of depression and neurosis, as well as somatic diseases. Based on the results of the research, it will be possible to draw a clear conclusion about what we are dealing with, as well as how to cope with the disease.

Features of education

A man is a breadwinner and must be strong. However, it is very difficult to live up to expectations: to earn enough money to support your family and prove that you are the best. Often thoughts about how to take a more prestigious and paid position or how to come up with a way to earn extra money are the cause of chronic male insomnia.

USEFUL INFORMATION: What is sleep apnea?

In boys and young men, despite adequate production of melatonin (the sleep hormone), sleep disturbances occur due to worries about how courageous they look in their actions.

Main symptoms

First, let's clarify that 2-3 nights spent without sleep is not insomnia.
And most men, unlike women, do not attach too much importance to this phenomenon. On the one hand, this is good - a tired body eventually switches off and rest begins. On the other hand, this makes it difficult to identify the problem in time and eliminate it, and increases the risk of developing insomnia. It’s also bad that often men, even realizing that they have obvious problems with sleep and do not get proper rest, are embarrassed to consult a doctor, considering insomnia a typical female disease that develops from excessive impressionability.

There is undoubtedly some truth in this. But men react to some situations even more emotionally than women, while holding back the expression of these emotions and exacerbating stress. So the question of which of them is in greater need of qualified help remains open.

No matter what a man thinks about himself, a consultation with a neurologist will be useful if three or more of the following symptoms are present simultaneously for a month:

• prolonged falling asleep, which lasts more than an hour;
• frequent night awakenings (2-3 times per night);
• waking up too early, after which it is not possible to fall asleep;
• feeling of morning weakness, heaviness in the body;
• slow reaction, inability to concentrate;
• irritability, nervousness, outbursts of unreasonable aggression;
• decreased performance, increased fatigue;
• difficulty or altered driving style;
• regular headaches, dark circles under the eyes.

It is noteworthy that a man may not remember about frequent awakenings at night. This happens in people with obstructive sleep apnea. But at the same time, the normal alternation of sleep phases is disrupted, dreams are often absent, and the nervous system does not rest. It seems to a person that he slept all night, and all the signs of insomnia are reflected on his face and well-being.

Overwork

To lead and command is the main desire of the male psyche. A male executive does not part with his phone even at night, keeping it on his bedside table and fearing that he will miss an important business call. Insomnia in men holding leadership positions occurs in almost 100% of cases. It does not matter that the position held is not very high and in the evening you can relax with your family, a responsible person will still keep himself “combat ready.” Few representatives of the stronger half of humanity manage to differentiate between work and rest, which is why such men suffer from insomnia for years.

Traditional methods

It is also useful to use traditional methods for the prevention and treatment of chronic insomnia. Most of them work great on their own, but in combination with exercises they give faster and more noticeable results:

1. Herbal tea, which should contain: lemon balm, hop cones, mint, rose hips, rose petals, oregano, motherwort, valerian. These plants quickly calm the nervous system and have a mild sedative effect. Herbal teas to improve sleep can be bought ready-made at the pharmacy or made yourself. Add honey if desired.
2. Warm milk. Promotes rapid sleep due to its soft enveloping effect, which helps relax the smooth muscles of the larynx and the walls of the esophagus and the high calcium content, which stabilizes the nervous system. It is best to use evening fresh or pasteurized (not boiled!) milk for these purposes. You can also add honey or a few drops of valerian tincture to it.
3. Alcohol tinctures. There is no contradiction in this, since they use only 15-20 drops, dissolved in 100 ml of warm water or milk. The fastest way to help you fall asleep are tinctures of valerian root, motherwort herb, and hop cones. The product is not suitable for pregnant women - even such an insignificant alcohol content can harm the baby.
4. Apple cider vinegar with honey. An excellent remedy for those who cannot fall asleep for a long time. Dissolve a tablespoon of vinegar in a glass of warm water and add a teaspoon of honey. Stir and drink in small sips while lying in bed. Not recommended for those suffering from peptic ulcers and gastritis with high acidity.
5. Lavender pillows or bags with dried flowers of this plant, hung at the head of the bed, quickly soothe, relieve stress, improve the quality of sleep and significantly speed up falling asleep. This remedy can be used even during pregnancy if there is no allergy to the plant.

A worthy alternative to folk remedies are modern natural preparations, for example, Sonilyux sleep drops. Manufacturers included in its composition extracts from 32 medicinal herbs, as well as such unique biologically active components as lofant, beaver stream, alishan gaba.

Treatment with such means is absolutely safe - it is not addictive and has virtually no contraindications. Only if you are pregnant, you should consult a doctor before using it.

The biggest plus is ease of use. It is enough to take a measuring spoon of the drug from a convenient package. The product is indispensable on the road, long trips, and business trips.

But no treatment for insomnia will give a noticeable effect unless you give up bad habits, properly structure your daily routine, and change your diet to a healthier and more varied one. These are the basic rules for preventing and eliminating sleep problems of any etiology. If there are serious chronic diseases, their treatment will have to be added to the list. And if insomnia is caused by mental problems, you may need to consult a neurologist or psychotherapist.

Sedentary lifestyle

Most representatives of the male half of humanity are busy with office work.
Constantly sitting at a computer during a working day is complemented by home “relaxation” in front of the monitor screen, when unnecessary sites are visited or a person simply has fun playing computer games, trying to relieve stress. All this overstimulates the brain and, together with physical inactivity, when the body does not receive enough physical activity and experiences oxygen starvation, contributes to shallow sleep. When you wake up in the morning, you may feel tired and have difficulty concentrating. USEFUL INFORMATION: About the dangers of lack of sleep: the consequences of chronic lack of sleep

Treatment of insomnia

Any therapeutic measures aimed at eliminating insomnia in men are prescribed based on the causes, symptoms, and condition of the person. Initially, you will have to “dig into yourself”, try to understand what irritant is so significant that it prevents you from falling asleep normally.

If a man is over forty years old and the cause of insomnia is a lack of testosterone, this problem can be eliminated with medications. You need to see a doctor who will recommend the most appropriate medications.

Insomnia can be effectively cured by giving up bad habits. They have a particularly negative effect in the evening. It is advisable not to drink strong coffee and tea, replacing these drinks with herbal infusions, warm milk with honey.

If the cause of constant lack of sleep is pain, you should immediately consult a doctor. Some diseases are treated with medications that make you constantly want to sleep. Perhaps in this case the doctor will reconsider the prescription and prescribe other medications.

If it is not possible to restore the rhythm of sleep without pills for psychological reasons (stress, anxiety), the doctor may recommend taking sedatives. Usually, herbal-based medications are prescribed (Persen, Novo-Passit). In complex therapy, folk remedies for insomnia can be used in addition to drug treatment.

Medical recommendations

Male insomnia is much more dangerous than female insomnia, because beautiful ladies naturally have the possibility of lack of sleep when bearing and feeding children. Men do not have such a “safety margin”, therefore, in order to avoid serious health problems, it is recommended:

• Separate between work and rest. Things can wait, and if the man is not the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, then it is better to leave the phone in another room at night.
• Avoid sitting at the computer in the evening. It has long been proven that monitor radiation disrupts natural biorhythms and interferes with falling asleep.
• Quit alcohol and smoking. It will be difficult at first, but then your overall well-being and quality of sleep will improve significantly.
• Don't go through sexual failures alone. There are many methods of treating such male troubles. It is better to seek treatment from a doctor than to lie awake at night worrying about your inferiority.
• Move more. Strength exercises are undesirable, but an evening family walk in the fresh air will saturate the body with oxygen and give positive emotions.

• If you have trouble urinating, seek medical help immediately. In the early stages, prostatitis can be treated quite successfully.
• Don't eat at night. If it is difficult to sleep on an empty stomach, then cottage cheese, milk, dates and walnuts will not only create the illusion of satiety, but will also help you fall asleep, because these products contain melatonin in small doses.
• Don't take on excessive responsibilities. Of course, a man must protect and provide for his family, but if this becomes the main priority in life, then the risk of developing nervous disorders and chronic insomnia is very high.

It is not recommended to immediately resort to drug treatment. The correct tactics will include searching for and eliminating the causes of insomnia and the use of folk remedies.

It is good to always want to be the first and the best, but in moderation. In most cases, insomnia in the stronger sex occurs due to the desire for primacy, and only then, in second place, are male diseases. The stronger half of humanity needs to learn not only to work, but also to fully relax, otherwise sleep problems will lead to serious health problems.

Causes of insomnia

There are many reasons why such serious sleep disturbances occur in men. Often such changes occur due to hormonal imbalance. Already from the age of thirty, men begin to gradually suppress the synthesis of testosterone, which is responsible for reproductive function, as well as the slow phase of sleep. Accordingly, the night's rest becomes shorter.

In addition, bad habits and improper diet management can lead to such changes.

You should stop drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking. Under the influence of these factors, the quality of night's rest decreases. You should also avoid overeating before bed. If the stomach is overloaded, then falling asleep will be quite problematic.

Incorrect mode

Insomnia often appears due to improper organization of the daily routine. The following factors can cause sleep disturbances:

• stress;
• depression;
• excessive physical activity;
• alcohol and nicotine abuse;
• strong personal feelings;
• strong tea or coffee drink drunk before a night's rest;
• neuromuscular pathologies;
• a change of scenery;
• poor nutrition;
• overeating before going to bed.

Improper preparation for a night's rest

The factors that cause men to often wake up and simply cannot fall asleep are not only personal experiences that stimulate brain activity, but also hormonal imbalances. Often such violations are provoked by non-compliance with the rules of preparation for vacation. The following factors negatively affect the quality of sleep:

• doing physical exercises before bed;
• the temperature in the bedroom is too low or too high;
• excessively bright lighting;
• insufficient air humidity;
• uncomfortable sleeping place;
• presence of sound stimuli;
• watching TV for a long time.