The actress has revealed that she is 30 years old - there is nothing there - battling a few problems to reconcile sleep which she has only managed to mitigate thanks to yoga, stretches and meditation
She embodies like no one else the freshness and that wholesome look that so highly covets in the wellness cult times. However, Jennifer Aniston just confessed that she limps from one of the pillars of that wellness that she so well represents… in appearance: rest. It is more, the actress has revealed that she has been battling her problems for 30 years to reconcile sleep and that she has only managed to mitigate them thanks to yoga, stretches and meditation.
Why does insomnia occur? Sonia Montilla Izquierdo, Clinical neurophysiologist and member of the Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology Service of Sanitas University Hospital La Moraleja explains. "There are multiple motives that can trigger poor sleep quality. Medical illnesses that trigger the need to get up, such as urological disorders, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, or neurological pathologies that cause difficulty maintaining sleep due to lack of adequate oxygenation." . It is also very common that problems arise when one suffers from any ailment accompanied by pains which prevent one from adopting a proper posture to have a comfortable sleep."
Marta Campo Ruano, head of the Psychology Service at Sanitas La Zarzuela University Hospital adds also "the influence of other types of causes such as psychological (mood disorders, stress, anxiety, etc), behavioral (those life habits that can." repercussion on the quality of sleep, such as type of diet, consumption of stimulants, physical exercise, etc) and environmental factors (everything related to the place of rest, such as the amount of light or noise, the temperature of the stay , the decor, the quality of the bed and pillows, etc.)".
How do we know if it is insomnia or, simply, a mild and transient disorder? Dr. Montillo Izquierdo takes us out of doubt: "Chronic insomnia is when we sleep less than we need for more than three months with an impact on the patient's quality of life, such as daytime fatigue, poor work performance, work or traffic accidents , changes in mood, etc".
For people who suffer it, such and as Aniston has confessed, the moment of going to bed can turn into an authentic nightmare. "Effectively, it can be, but the important thing is to take appropriate measures to prevent this from happening," assures Montillo Izquierdo who reminds us that "staying in bed without sleep can generate greater anxiety that, in turn, makes us even harder plus the conciliation of the dream."
These are Campo Ruano's recommendations for dealing with that moment: "Don't go to bed until you've fallen asleep; don't use either the bed or the bedroom for any activity other than sleeping or having s*x; establish a ritual to perform all." nights before bed to, in this way, create a healthy habit that favors sleep."
And, if despite all that, 20 minutes elapse without us managing to reconcile the sleep, both doctors advise us to "get up for a warm glass of milk or take a relaxing shower." That yes, "the calculation of those 20 minutes must be approximate, since, if we are slowing the clock to control them, we will feel more anxiety," he said.
Just like the 'Friends' protagonist, if we indulge in giving twists and turns in bed, sooner or later, we will fall into the trap of obsessive thoughts. To control them, Sonia Montilla Izquierdo proposes us "the use of cognitive techniques, aimed at modifying thoughts and beliefs that may be influencing the onset and maintenance of insomnia." Among them would figure: "The paradoxical intention, employed when the act of sleeping has become a chore and, therefore, creates a pressure on the patient which, when forced to do so, achieves the opposite effect; the cessation of thought and restructuring." cognitive therapy, used to reduce, modify, or eliminate recurrent or dysfunctional thoughts that may be occurring and generating anxiety; and problem-solving therapy, aimed at intervening on concerns that the patient has in his or her day-to-day and are generating difficulties to sleep for not getting to solve them"
Campo Ruano gives us his recipe: "Sometimes, before we go to bed, it helps to draw up a list of concrete tasks that we have pending for the next day and, that way, we will manage to "get" the obsessive thoughts or ones out of the head preoccupations that surround us. It may also prove useful to identify the 'mistakes of thinking' that may lead to generating malaise (eg: "it's never going to change"), write them down and try to find a more logical and flexible alternative thought to replace it."
RITUALS
It also points us to the rituals to follow in order to have a healthy sleep. "Avoid exciting substances like coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco, etc., especially during the afternoon or late in the day; eat a light dinner and wait an hour or two to lie down; engage in physical exercise but not at the last hour of the day, anymore." which activates the organism: avoid prolonged naps (no more than 20-30 minutes); maintain regular sleep schedules; avoid exposure to bright light late in the afternoon and evening; and do not perform tasks involving mental activity (read, watch tv, use computer, etc.) in bed."
And he reminds us that it is essential to maintain "an appropriate environment favoring and maintaining sleep. Attempts should be made to have an appropriate temperature, avoid noise, use relaxing colours, a comfortable bed etc."
If necessary "a pre-bedtime ritual that includes relaxing behaviors such as listening to quiet music, brushing your teeth, a temperate shower, etc" can be performed.
The old trick of counting sheep can also serve in some cases: "It's a routine activity that can provoke boredom and help conciliate. However, for some people it can turn out to be counterproductive if it requires concentration that makes relaxation difficult."
In this, at times, almost impossible mission, are infusions of any use? "All those that have relaxing components can be of great help avoiding stimulants with teina or other stimulants," points out Montillo Izquierdo.
What about melatonin? "It is also of great help especially in those patients who suffer from insomnia due to changes in the circadian cycle," although, according to apostille her colleague Campo Ruano, "it should only be taken when recommended by a specialist."
In this sense, both emphasize that "medication should never be taken without a doctor's recommendation" and advise that "when the disorder significantly repercuts the patient's quality of life, disturbing their personal and work relationships, with risk , even, of suffering accidents, he goes to a specialist.
