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The Night Owl's Dilemma: Embracing Your Insomnia | how insomnia affects the body | can insomnia cause high blood pressure | how insomnia occurs | can insomnia be cured | what insomnia mean | what insomnia does to your body | when insomnia hits | where insomnia comes from | insomnia who to see | why insomnia happens | will insomnia go away on its own | will insomnia from effexor go away

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Surviving the Day After a Sleepless Night: Tips and Tricks

🧠 Early Modern Medical Case: Moonlit alertness/Sleep dysfunction

The first clinical description of insomnia as a distinct condition resembling the modern understanding may be attributed to:

Thomas Willis (1621–1675), an English physician and anatomist, who studied brain function and described “watchings” or persistent inability to sleep in patients. He believed it was due to overactivity of the nervous system.

Etiological factors in insomnia/sleep stealers

  • Stress (work, finances, relationships)

  • Anxiety disorders

  • Depression (early morning awakening is common)

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

  • Grief or emotional shock

  • Chronic pain (arthritis, fibromyalgia)

  • Asthma or breathing disorders

  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

  • Hyperthyroidism

  • Neurological conditions (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s)

  • Menopause or hormonal shifts

  • Irregular sleep schedule (shift work, travel)

  • Excess screen time before bed

  • Lack of physical activity

Stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, increasing cortisol (stress hormone), which interferes with sleep onset and quality.

It also causes racing thoughts, worry, and increased heart rate, keeping the body in a "fight-or-flight" mode — not ideal for sleep.

Napoleon Bonaparte: Slept very little—reportedly 3–4 hours a night—and likely had chronic insomnia, though some debate whether it was physiological or due to high stress and ambition.

How  we can handle/intervention/care plan:
Earlier treatments were:

  1. Warm baths before bed.

  2. Use of aromatic pillows (lavender, rose, hops).

  3. Dietary adjustments (cooling foods like lettuce, barley water).


👨‍⚕️ Notably:

  • Thomas Willis, who was ahead of his time, viewed insomnia partly as a neurological issue, especially in relation to overexcitement of the brain and nerves.

  • 🛁 A tepid bath of chamomile and rosemary water, before retiring (to ease the limbs and quieten nervous stirrings)

First-Line Treatment: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)

  • Gold standard treatment, even above medication.
    Sleep hygiene education

    • Stimulus control (e.g., only using the bed for sleep)

    • Sleep restriction (limiting time in bed to consolidate sleep)

    • Cognitive restructuring (challenging sleep-related anxieties)


✅ Over-the-Counter:

  • Melatonin supplements

  • Relaxation techniques: Deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation

  • Mindfulness or meditation apps

  • Acupuncture, aromatherapy (e.g., lavender)

  • Yoga or Tai Chi

  • chamomile tea – mild sedative, calms the nerves

  • Valerian root – helps reduce sleep latency (time to fall asleep)

  • Passionflower – reduces anxiety and promotes relaxation

  • Lemon balm – soothes digestive system and nervous tension

  • Warm milk with nutmeg – classic Ayurvedic remedy

  • Ashwagandha – adaptogen that reduces stress and improves sleep


Military Sleep Technique / quick sleep hack

  • Face: Relax your forehead, jaw, tongue, and the muscles around your eyes.

  • Shoulders: Drop them as low as possible.

  • Arms: Let one arm go limp, then the other.

  • Breathing: Exhale deeply and slowly. Breathe naturally.

  • Clear your mind

  • Repeat silently: “Don’t think, don’t think, don’t think” for 10 seconds.


Diagnosis Tools

  • Sleep diary

  • Polysomnography (if other disorders suspected)

  • Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)

  • Most preferred techniques

  • CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) – often via apps like Sleepio or with personal therapists

  • Guided meditation apps – Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer

  • Yoga Nidra / Breathing techniques – promotes deep relaxation without grogginess

  • Most executives prefer a “clear next-day mind” approach


In sleepless nights, the mind finds flight,

Exploring stars that hide from light. ✨

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