How to Fall Asleep with the Help of Olive Oil
Ah, insomnia.
"With insomnia, nothing is real; everything is far away, everything is a copy of a copy of a copy" — Chuch Palahniuk, Fight Club.
Chuck should have consumed a bit more olive oil, but then we wouldn't have had the masterpiece that is Fight Club. Also, olive oil can't magically cure insomnia, a byproduct of mental health issues. But it can help you have better quality sleep and other things. What are these other things?
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that makes it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. You may still feel tired even after waking up due to low-quality sleep. Insomnia affects your energy levels, mood, health, work performance, personal relationships, and mental health. It's a tough one.
Causes of Insomnia
Stress
Isn't stress pretty much the cause of almost everything? School, work, finances, your love life. Whatever is happening to you can keep your mind active and prevent falling asleep. Traumatic events almost always lead to insomnia or hypersomnia (a whole different set of issues).
Schedule
All-over-the-place schedule can cause insomnia because your body doesn't know anything anymore. It doesn't know when it should be sleeping or when it should be awake; it's all very chaotic. Graveyard shifts disrupt your circadian rhythm, and travel and jet lag mess up your internal clock.
Habits
Irregular bedtime schedule, too many naps, using your bed for work, eating, watching TV, staring at your screens the whole time. 50% of insomnia cases are solved by just changing your habits. You probably know this, but you still stare at your phone in bed. You are probably reading this in bed, on your phone.
Eating Late
You know this too. Having a snack before bed is ok. Eating a bowl of spaghetti bolognese with garlic bread forces your body to work. It needs to process what it just had. You're not going to sleep anytime soon.
Serious Causes of Insomnia
If you eat too much or watch too much TV, you can work on your habits and solve your insomnia. However, sometimes, insomnia is a symptom of a serious issue.
Mental Health
Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, etc.
In these cases, insomnia is just one of the symptoms of a deep issue that requires professional help.
Medications
Prescription drugs interfere with sleep. Antidepressants, cold and allergy medicines, and weight loss products can all be causes of insomnia. If you can't find any other reasons, try switching your medication.
Sleep Disorder
Sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome can cause insomnia and wake you up throughout the night. If you suffer from these symptoms, visit your local sleep clinic or a health provider.
Medical Conditions
Cancer, diabetes, heart disease, thyroid problems, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's can cause insomnia.
Addictions
Caffeine, drugs, alcohol, nicotine, and sugar - are all causes of insomnia. Some drugs are designed to keep you awake, so this is a no-brainer. Alcohol can help you fall asleep, but it prevents deeper stages of sleep, and you will notice if you recently stopped drinking how you're struggling with falling asleep.
How to Fall Asleep
Knowing and working on the cause of insomnia will accelerate your path to a healthy sleep schedule. So if you know you watch too much TV, you should change that habit to reading a book. Everyone is aware of the things they should do. However, creating these habits is where the problems arise.
Here is a good routine to try and follow if you have trouble falling asleep:
Tire Yourself Out
Sometimes you can't sleep because you have too much energy. Rarely do you hear athletes or farmers having trouble with insomnia. Because they lead active lives during the day, their bodies know they need sleep and follow through. Of course, not everyone can lead such lives, so we do our best with what we have. Try working out more and moving around; you won't need to do all of the following by night. It will come naturally.
Set a Bedtime and Stick To It
Always try to go to bed and wake up around the same time. This is repetitive advice for everyone trying to fix their sleep schedule. It's always there because it works. So, set your bedtime an hour before your set bedtime, and start getting ready.
Prepare Your Bedroom
Your bedroom should be the designated place to sleep and maybe do like one more other activity, but you shouldn't be working, eating, watching TV, etc. Lower the temperature in the bedroom as your body is more comfortable sleeping in colder rooms. That doesn't mean freezing. Just normal. Make sure your bed is made and tidied up. Something about a clean room makes us comfortable and cozy, so if you haven't - clean up your room.
Get Off The Electronics
The old and repetitive "no screen time before bed" rule that no one follows. If you don't want to read a book, maybe you can listen to music, take a long shower, play chess, learn Korean, anything but the mindless staring at the screen that overstimulates your brain and lowers the quality of your sleep and your life.
Have a Cup of Decaffeinated Tea
A warm cup of tea will cozy up your body to go to sleep; time the tea after a nice hot shower or a long warm bath, and you'll prepare your body and mind for a good quality sleep.
Have Some Olive Oil
Olive oil, the liquid that will change your life, as we know, is great for exercise, weight loss, and general health. But how does it combat insomnia? Well, olive oil is anti-inflammatory, so it can reduce any problems you might have after a long day or a strenuous workout. It controls your heart rate, so the effects of an overstimulated body and mind won't affect you as much. Olive oil brings balance to blood sugar levels, helping you stay asleep for longer.
Journal and Write a To-Do List
We are often awake because things are bothering us, and we keep replaying the to-do list in our heads. The brain knows there's a problem, and it's doing a rerun of your thoughts until you solve this problem. That's why we write down our problems and release them before bed. Once you release these problems, it is easier to fall asleep, and the next day is productive!
Breathe and Meditate
There are about a million YouTube and Spotify playlists where you can practice sleep hypnosis, meditation, breathing, and overall mind-calming exercises. These help you control your brain and body and teach you the techniques that can help in any stressful situation, not just to go to sleep.
What if None of this Works?
If none of it works the first night, it's fine; it's a learning process. Don't stay awake staring at the wall for 6 hours, counting how many hours you can sleep before you need to get up. Do whatever you want to do, but always wake up at the same hour. No matter how hard it is in the morning. After three or four days of this, you will pass out.
If you still suffer from insomnia, your problem might be serious, and it's time to go see a doctor or a mental health specialist. If it's not that serious - Place your order of Selo Olive Oil today. Get yourself a bottle of the finest Croatian extra virgin olive oil sent straight to your doorstep.