Sleeping should be a relaxing activity that gives you the energy you need to get through the next day. However, many people experience sleep problems and insomnia, which has a major impact on their entire life.

What are sleep problems?

Sleep problems have a bad influence on your lifestyle and can have serious consequences such as insomnia. In the first 3 hours of your sleep cycle you are in a deep sleep. At that time we produce growth hormones. However, in children with a lack of sleep this can cause a disturbed production of the growth hormone and that can have consequences such as dwarfism.

Sleep problems increase the risk of obesity and diabetes in adults. Waking up at night causes stress, because you produce more adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol. This increases your risk of high blood pressure and can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Recent research has also shown that poor sleep affects your immune system, which increases your risk of diabetes and colon cancer.

How do sleep problems arise?

There are a number of causes that can influence sleep problems:

• Tension/worrying: constantly thinking about everything makes your head and body tired, which prevents you from sleeping.

• Alcohol and caffeine: Alcohol consumption makes you fall asleep faster, but your night's sleep is less deep and you sleep much more restlessly. Caffeine stimulates your breathing, nervous system and heart rate, which makes it harder to fall asleep.

• Stress: Stress causes tension and your body produces adrenaline, which makes your body alert and awake.

• Blue light: Using your mobile phone, laptop or TV before going to bed can affect your sleep.

• Physical problems: these include sleep apnea, pain, shortness of breath, having to urinate at night, palpitations, hot flashes, muscle and joint pain, hormonal changes, toothache, coughing and itching.

• Medication use: some medications can affect your sleep. Always read the package insert before taking a medication.

• Eating habits: a tasty hamburger or spicy Indian food can be tasty, but it can disturb your sleep. You start to sweat more and can have stomach problems.

• Depression: Do you suffer from depressive thoughts? Then there is a good chance that this disturbs your sleep.

What is insomnia?

Insomnia can be a long-term consequence of sleep problems and hinders your daily functioning. Someone suffers from insomnia if they sleep badly more than 2 times a week and if you lie awake for more than half an hour before you really fall asleep. This can make you feel tired, without energy, sleepy and/or irritable.

Insomnia can have serious long-term consequences. Think of high blood pressure, depression, hallucinations and obesity. It is important to make an appointment with your GP if you suffer from insomnia.

Complaints you may experience due to insomnia

• Sleep apnea: Breathing stops for more than 10 seconds at night and it happens more than five times an hour.This means that you are sometimes (un)consciously awake and this disturbs your night's sleep.

• Restless Leg Syndrome: A numb feeling or tingling in the legs.

• Hyperthyroidism: phenomenon that occurs when you have an overactive thyroid gland. This can be accompanied by heart rhythm disturbances, tremors, sweating, diarrhea, restlessness and weight loss.

• Disrupted biorhythm: it is important to always go to sleep at around the same time so that you have a smaller chance of sleep problems. You increase the risk of a disrupted biological clock if you work irregular night shifts, suffer from jet lag and/or take naps during the day.

• Parasomnias: waking up without being 100% alert. Think of sleepwalking.

• Narcolepsy: If you suffer from narcolepsy, you fall asleep during the day while doing your activities and wake up several times during the night.

A good night's sleep is crucial

A bad night's sleep can have many consequences, both in the short and long term. So try to intervene as much as possible where possible, so that you do not get insomnia in the future. Suffering from a bad night's sleep? Svensson offers a sleeping package that you can alleviate problems.