4 ways to overcome insomnia in autumn
[이데일리 이순용 기자] Autumn is a period when insomnia symptoms worsen. This is because as the amount of sunlight decreases, the secretion of melatonin, the sleeping hormone, decreases, and sleep disorders such as restless legs syndrome occur a lot. Lack of good sleep at night and lack of sleep can lead to dementia, a study has found.
Researchers at the Marque Polytechnic University in Italy discovered that lack of sleep activates more astrocytes, so-called ‘scavenger cells’. “We observed for the first time that astrocytes actually eat a part of a synapse when there is a lack of sleep,” the research team said.
In Korea, there are 4 million people with insomnia. As the number of patients with insomnia is rapidly increasing, interest in how to overcome insomnia is also increasing. Especially in the changing seasons like these days, it is necessary to correct the lifestyle for sleeping.
When exposed to sunlight in the morning, the secretion of a neurotransmitter called melatonin, a sleep hormone, increases at night, helping to sleep and sleep. Melatonin plays a role in regulating circadian rhythm, and it is important to see sunlight in the morning because it is secreted 15 hours after exposure to strong light.
Han Jin-gyu, director of the Seoul Sleep Center, said, “In the fall season, when the amount of sunlight decreases, the number of insomnia patients inevitably increases.” .Regular exercise also helps sleep. However, it should be done at least 5 hours before bedtime. If you exercise too much before going to bed because it is difficult to fall asleep, your body temperature rises, which actually interferes with sleep. Taking a foot bath or half-body bath 2 hours before bedtime also helps to get up and sleep.
You should avoid using your smartphone or laptop as much as possible at night. Blue light from smartphones, laptops, and TVs interferes with sleep because the brain perceives it as sunlight. When exposed to blue light, arousal hormone is secreted, which naturally reduces the secretion of melatonin, which disturbs sleep and wakes up.
Finally, do not intentionally try to sleep. As this behavior itself becomes stressful, stimulant hormones are secreted, and as the body temperature rises, it makes the person fall asleep. If you keep looking at the clock while checking the time you need to sleep in the evening, your brain releases cortisol, the stress hormone, to wake you up. Therefore, it is good to get into the habit of going to bed when you are sleepy without checking the time. If you habitually look at your watch, you should put it away altogether.
Director Han Jin-gyu said, “If insomnia symptoms persist for more than 3 weeks, they become learning and cannot be improved by lifestyle modification alone.” No,” he emphasized. Currently, polysomnography due to insomnia is also covered by health insurance, so it is helpful to check and test it through advance treatment.
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