Another freight train night….. you know the kind, random thoughts, crossed your mind ALL NIGHT. The haphazard notions, flitted around your brain denying you entry into the world of dreams. It felt like the night would go on forever.

Suddenly the alarm clock shrills ………….. jolting you awake, it’s time to get up. You’re exhausted.

You look awful and feel really GRUMPY. You’re on course for a LONG DAY.

Why can’t you sleep ? Why ?

Insomnia is more than a sleepless night

Suffering from insomnia is exasperating, because your night feels like a wild rollercoaster ride. It feels like you can’t find the off switch…

But if you’re suffering from insomnia, your days may not be smooth sailing either.

Research from the University of California suggests, insomniacs brains are perpetually scrambled. They’re not just buzzing all night, they’re buzzing all day. No caffeine required !

The off switch is missing – period.

Scrambled brain patterns

When researchers compared the MRI brain scans of good sleepers (25 people) and bad sleepers (25 people), as they performed a memory task, two distinct brain patterns emerged.

The good sleepers were able to access more and more resources , as the task got harder. This was accomplished by systematically dialling down the parts of the brain that entertain “idle” thoughts.

The brain’s of poor sleepers, had to keep juggling it all, because the “idle” thoughts kept on popping up. They still managed to complete the task, but EISH……….. they had to work hard.

The off switch never triggered.

Flicking the off switch

At this stage – no one really knows why the off switch fails to trigger.

But… it is not a problem that is only happening in the middle of the night, the freight train runs 24/7. I know, I know… this is not especially comforting.

A run away train is not an easy thing to STOP, at any time.

Stopping a freight train

But realizing the train runs all day, as well as all night, opens up new avenues to tackle the problem. The battle is not restricted to the middle of the night.

Could a morning meditation or a walk in the park, work just as well as a sleeping tablet ? Maybe it is time to take the battle into the day light.

Maybe……

Further reading

Looking for a drug-free prescription for a restful night’s sleep ?	It takes a cool brain to sleep	If you want a good night’s sleep, you NEED a corner office

Sleepless in……………….. Seattle, Johannesburg, Timbuktu ?

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Did you learn something new or do you have a different perspective ? I’d love to hear from you so post me a comment below