5 Things You Never Knew About Insomnia

Posted on Aug 1, 2022 | 0 comments

Almost all of us have trouble sleeping from time to time. Think about those times for a second, when you struggled to fall asleep, stayed up most of the night, kept waking up for one thing or another. How did you feel the next day?

Now imagine that happening at least 4 times a week (if not every night) for over 3 months…

That is insomnia and for the more than 70 million American adults who live with this condition, it affects many areas of our lives. The thing is, we are basically running on empty. It’s hard enough to get the sleep our bodies require in todays fast-paced lifestyle, add in insomnia and it is almost a surefire recipe for illnesses ranging from obesity, depression, to brain fog and forgetfulness, to a higher risk of heart disease and other physical ailments.

Why do we need sleep?

Our bodies have an incredible capacity to heal themselves. We are built to survive – if we take care of ourselves properly. Sleep is an important piece of that puzzle. Sleep is vital for our well-being. You can read about all the cool things science has shown us about sleep and what goes on during our sleep time here.

If our bodies do not get the sleep you need, it can not build up our defenses therefor becoming quite weak.

This is what makes insomnia so dangerous. The exhaustion one lives with, the brain fog, the confusion and never feeling fully awake is brutal and wreaks havoc on our lives.

I know, because I have chronic insomnia.

I always have. I don’t remember a time where I was able to sleep peacefully.

But I don’t talk about it often, because I always get one of 3 same responses. Have your tried a sleep routine (oh yes, I am the high priestess of sleep routines – even my kids have them); have you tried medication (yes in my 20s, it was awful); have your tried meditation (everyday, about 50x a day!!). The thing is, unless you go through it, it is hard to relate to and understand.

So I thought I would share some little known facts about insomnia and ways you can talk to the people in your life about it – to spread some understanding!!

5 Things You Never Knew About Insomnia

It is not all in one’s head. I’ve heard this plenty of times too. But it is real, just like migraines and rosacea. Sleep is a result of hormones being released in our bodies. Sometimes this is way off, our bodies over or under produce the necessary hormones at the right times. Until we know about it, we can not control it, leaving one extremely frustrated and icky feeling all the time. Read more about that here.
It’s important to enhance sleep while you are awake. Meaning, in order for our bodies to produce the proper sleep hormone at night, we need to use the proper wake hormone during the day. We can do this by eating right, exercising, journaling, meditating, volunteering, working, studying, any and all of the above. Insomnia is a physical manifestation of a problem your body is having and must be addressed.
Insomnia can be hereditary. About 35% of reported insomnia suffers also have parents and family members who suffer from insomnia as well. In fact, teens of parents with insomnia are more than twice likely to suffer from insomnia as well.
Chronic insomnia left untreated increases risks of alcohol and drug addiction in adults. It also increases the risk of depression and major physical health issues.
Chronic insomnia can be a sign of unhealed childhood trauma. Click here to find out if trauma is affecting you.

When talking to someone about insomnia, it is important to listen to them, validate them and ask appropriate questions. Understanding the root cause is key to discovering which lifestyle changes are necessary. By addressing out true selves and our needs, we can find a conscious way of dealing with insomnia, together.

Click this button to take the first step in creating awareness around your life. It’s free and only takes 2 minutes!

Cheers to peaceful nights!

Malibu Mama Loves

PS – join our chat here on Conscious Straight Talk as we talk more about insomnia and sleep solutions!