Jennifer Aniston's insomnia: what to do when bedtime turns into a nightmare

• Rest Why do you wake up at 3 in the morning and have such a hard time going back to sleep?

It embodies like nobody else the freshness and that healthy aspect that is so highly valued in the days of the cult of wellness.

However, Jennifer Aniston has just confessed that she limps from one of the pillars of that well-being that she so well represents... in appearance: rest.

What's more, the actress has revealed that

and that she has only managed to mitigate them thanks to yoga, stretching and meditation.

Why does insomnia occur?

Sonia Montilla Izquierdo, Clinical Neurophysiologist and member of the Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology Service of the Sanitas La Moraleja University Hospital explains it to us.

"There are

that can cause poor quality sleep. Medical illnesses that cause the need to get up, such as

that cause difficulty in maintaining sleep due to lack of adequate oxygenation It is also very common for problems to arise when you suffer from any illness accompanied by pain that prevents you from adopting a proper posture to have a comfortable sleep."

Marta Campo Ruano, head of the Psychology Service at the Sanitas La Zarzuela University Hospital also adds "the influence of other types of causes such as

ones (mood disorders, stress, anxiety, etc.),

ones (those lifestyle habits that can affect the quality of sleep, such as the type of diet, the consumption of stimulants, physical exercise, etc) and

(everything related to the place of rest, such as the amount of light or noise, the temperature of the room , decor, quality of bed and pillows, etc.)."

How do we know if it is insomnia or simply a mild and transitory disorder?

Dr. Montillo Izquierdo clears up our doubts: "Chronic insomnia is when we sleep less than we need for more than three months with repercussions on the patient's quality of life, such as daytime tiredness, poor work performance, work or traffic accidents , changes in mood, etc.

For people who suffer from it, as Aniston has confessed, the time to go to bed can become a real nightmare.

"Indeed, it can be, but the important thing is

," says Montillo Izquierdo, who reminds us that "staying in bed without falling asleep can generate greater anxiety that, in turn, makes it even more difficult for us to plus sleep conciliation.

These are Campo Ruano's recommendations to deal with that moment: "

; do not use the bed or the bedroom for any activity other than sleeping or having sexual relations; establish a ritual to carry out all the nights before going to bed to, in this way, create a healthy habit that promotes sleep.

And, if despite all that,

both doctors advise us to "get up and have a glass of hot milk or take a relaxing shower".

Of course, "the calculation of those 20 minutes must be approximate, since, if we are watching the clock to control them, we will feel more anxiety",

Just like the protagonist of 'Friends', if we insist on tossing and turning in bed, sooner or later, we will fall into the trap of obsessive thoughts.

To control them, Sonia Montilla Izquierdo proposes "the use of cognitive techniques, aimed at modifying thoughts and beliefs that may be influencing the onset and maintenance of insomnia."

Among them would appear: "

, used when the fact of sleeping has become a task and, therefore, creates a pressure on the patient who, by forcing himself to do so, achieves the opposite effect;

, used to reduce, modify or eliminate recurrent or dysfunctional thoughts that may be appearing and generate anxiety;

and

, aimed at intervening on the worries that the patient has in his day to day and are causing him difficulties to sleep for not being able to solve them"

Campo Ruano gives us his recipe: "Sometimes, before going to bed, it helps to make a list of specific tasks that we have pending for the next day and, in this way, we will be able to "get" obsessive thoughts or concerns that surround us. It can also be useful to

that can lead to discomfort (eg: "it will never change"), write them down and try to find a more logical and flexible alternative thought to replace it".

RITUALS

It also points out the rituals to follow to have a healthy sleep.

"Do not drink exciting substances such as coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco, etc., especially during the afternoon or at the end of the day;

exercise but not late in the day, since that activates the body: avoid long naps (no more than 20-30 minutes); maintain regular sleep schedules;

; and do not perform tasks that involve mental activity (read, watch TV, use a computer, etc.) in bed".

And it reminds us that it is essential to maintain "a

. You should try to have a suitable temperature, avoid noise, use relaxing colors, a comfortable bed, etc."

If necessary, "a ritual can be performed before going to bed that includes relaxing behaviors such as

, brushing teeth, a warm shower, etc."

The old trick of

can also work in some cases: "It is a routine activity that can cause boredom and help to reconcile. However, for some people it can be counterproductive if it requires concentration that makes it difficult to relax."

In this mission, sometimes almost impossible, are infusions of any use?

"All those that have relaxing components can be of great help avoiding stimulants with theine or other exciting ones", points out Montillo Izquierdo.

And

?

"It is also of great help, especially in those patients who suffer from insomnia due to changes in the circadian cycle", although, according to her colleague Campo Ruano, "it should only be taken when recommended by a specialist".

In this sense, both emphasize that "

" and advise that "when the disorder has a significant impact on the patient's quality of life, disrupting their personal and work relationships, with risk Even if you suffer accidents, go to a specialist".

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