Insomnia is characterized by very short periods of sleep, interspersed with frequent periods of waking up and all this at regular intervals, that is to say at least three times a week over a long period of time. Suffice to say that it is exhausting and above all that it becomes dangerous for your health! Unfortunately, Mom's solution of counting sheep has long since ceased to work. It is therefore sometimes difficult to find a solution to regain restful sleep and we then find ourselves in an impasse. Here are some ideas, complementary to the essential oils we talk about on the first page of this guide.

This article was updated on 04/12/2023

What solutions in the event of illness?

To find the “workable solution” to an insomnia problem, you must first identify the cause! Otherwise how do you know how to deal with the problem? Because insomnia is rarely harmless, it is often the result of an underlying problem. And in fact, we now know that an illness can be the cause of sleep disorders. It is therefore absolutely necessary to take care of yourself! And in this case, everything is possible: classic medical solutions or natural solutions such as aromatherapy or herbal medicine. Everyone has their own techniques! It is still best to consult a doctor. If the illness is the cause of your severe insomnia, once it is treated, you will see that you will quickly return to the arms of Morpheus.

In case of psychological factor?

Psychological disorders such as depression must also be treated to regain peaceful nights, because this type of pathology is responsible for half of the cases of severe insomnia. We strongly advise you to consult a psychologist, who is best able to diagnose possible depression, what type and above all what are the solutions to this particularly difficult problem. Some medications are suitable for this type of problem even if they make many people skeptical about the side and long-term effects. Don't forget that there are also natural solutions like essential oils to cleanse your mind. Psychological follow-up is essential if you want to sleep again.

A good sleeping environment

Severe insomnia is also very linked to our environment and our lifestyle, two things we can really have an influence on and even better: two things we can change.

Every evening, pay close attention to your environment, especially that of your bedroom:

  • Adjust the room temperature. Contrary to popular belief, we sleep better with a fairly low temperature around 18° - 20°. The heat could slow down your time falling asleep.
  • Although music may seem like a good way to soothe you to sleep, it will actually disrupt your sleep, along with all other noises. So we try as much as possible to sleep in silence and we forget the headphones or the TV to fall asleep!
  • Light is also not recommended for insomniacs. The best environment for deep sleep is complete darkness.

A healthy lifestyle

Finally, consider changing your habits. To be complete, sleep cycles must benefit from a healthy lifestyle. So it is absolutely necessary:

  • Avoid taking naps that are too long during the day.
  • Doing sport: we then secrete hormones that will help you sleep at night! But be careful, you should not do too much sporting effort just before sleeping, this would have the opposite effect...
  • Obviously alcohol, coffee, energy drinks and drugs should be avoided if you suffer from severe insomnia.
  • We try to establish a daily routine. Indeed, our internal clock is very sensitive to changes in times for getting up, going to bed and eating.
  • Poor diet can also be a factor in poor sleep. So make sure you eat a balanced diet, at fixed times, and absolutely avoid large meals in the evening if you don't want the digestion process to prevent you from sleeping.

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Bibliography

Work : de la Charie, T. (2019). Treat yourself with essential oils. Why and how does it work? Editions du Rocher.

About these tips

This aromatherapy article was written by Théophane de la Charie, author of the book “Treat yourself with essential oils”, accompanied by a multidisciplinary team made up of pharmacists, biochemists and agronomists. 

La Compagnie des Sens and its teams do not encourage self-medication. The information and advice provided comes from a reference bibliographic database (books, scientific publications, etc.). They are given for information purposes, or to suggest avenues for reflection: they should in no case replace a diagnosis, consultation or medical follow-up, and cannot engage the liability of the Compagnie des Sens.