Could the causes of insomnia be related to gender? Yes they can. In addition to the physiological characteristics of the structure of the male body, many external factors are associated precisely with the psychology of the stronger sex and the characteristics of upbringing. Let’s consider the main causes of insomnia in men and find out how to deal with it.
Why do men sleep badly?
All reasons can be roughly divided into external and internal.
Internal prerequisites
The prerequisites for the occurrence of insomnia (insomnia) may depend on the state of the male body:
- Hormonal background. Testosterone, the male hormone, is not only responsible for reproductive function and the ability to establish yourself as a tough macho in bed. It affects the length of the deep sleep phase. After 30 years, male hormonal levels begin to change due to a gradual decrease in testosterone production, and the duration of the deep phase decreases. Insomnia in men over forty years old in 50% of cases occurs for this very reason.
- Prostate adenoma. It is more common in middle and old age, but sometimes it is diagnosed in young people. In addition to the disorder of sexual function, this disease is accompanied by the inability to fully go to the toilet for little need, the patient has to urinate often and in small portions. Multiple night rises to the toilet due to the urge to urinate prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.
Also, experts in the field of neurology attribute to the causes of insomnia neuroses, certain cardiovascular diseases, damage to the area of the brain responsible for the alternation of states of wakefulness and sleep.
External causes
There are many different reasons for this group.
Features of education
A man is a breadwinner and must be strong. However, it is very difficult to live up to expectations: to earn enough money to support the family and prove that you are the best. Often, thoughts about how to take a more prestigious and paid position or how to come up with a way to earn extra money are the cause of chronic male insomnia.
In boys and young men, despite adequate production of melatonin (the sleep hormone), sleep disturbances arise from worries about how courageous they look in their actions.
Sexual failures
Men are very sensitive to the fact that they could not please their partner. Often, a fiasco in bed makes them worry for several days, making it difficult to sleep at night.
Bad habits
Smoking and drinking alcohol is more inherent in the strong half of humanity. But the relaxing effects of nicotine and alcohol are deceiving. Both of these psychostimulants negatively affect the activity of the nervous system, making sleep intermittent and shallow due to the suppression of melatonin synthesis.
Overwork
Leading and commanding is the main aspiration of the male psyche. A male executive does not part with his phone even at night, holding it on his bedside table and fearing to miss an important business call. Insomnia in men in leadership positions occurs in almost 100% of cases. It does not matter that the position held is not very high and in the evening you can relax with your family, the responsible person will still keep himself on the alert. Few representatives of the strong half of humanity manage to distinguish between work and rest, which is why such men suffer from insomnia for years.
Improper nutrition
I ate well and went to bed – unlike figure-watching women, men believe that a hearty dinner will provide a restful sleep. But the heaviness in the stomach and the inability to relax are a hindrance to getting a good night’s sleep, especially if the evening menu consisted of fatty or smoked foods.
Sedentary lifestyle
Most of the male half of humanity is busy with office work. Constant sitting at the computer during a working day is complemented by home “rest” behind the monitor screen, when unnecessary sites are visited or a person is simply having fun with computer games, trying to relieve stress. All this overexcites the brain and, in conjunction with physical inactivity, when the body receives less physical activity and experiences oxygen deprivation, it contributes to the fact that sleep will be superficial. Waking up in the morning is likely to cause fatigue and difficulty concentrating.
Medical recommendations
Male insomnia is much more dangerous than female insomnia, because for beautiful ladies, nature has inherent the possibility of lack of sleep when carrying and feeding children. Men do not have such a “margin of safety”, therefore, in order to avoid serious health problems, it is recommended:
- Distinguish between work and rest. Things will wait, and if the man is not the head of the Ministry of Emergencies, then it is better to leave the phone in another room at night.
- Avoid sitting at the computer in the evening. It has long been proven that monitor radiation disrupts natural biorhythms and interferes with sleep.
- Give up alcohol and smoking. It will be difficult at first, but then your overall health and sleep quality will improve significantly.
- Don’t go through sexual failures alone. There are many treatments for such male troubles. It is better to seek treatment from a doctor than lying awake at night worrying about your inferiority.
- Move more. Strength exercises are undesirable, but an evening family walk in the fresh air will saturate the body with oxygen and give positive emotions.
- In case of urination disorders, seek immediate medical attention. In the early stages, prostatitis is treated quite successfully.
- Do not eat at night. If it is difficult to sleep on an empty stomach, then cottage cheese, milk, dates and walnuts will not only create the illusion of satiety, but also contribute to falling asleep, because these products contain melatonin in small doses.
- Do not take on excessive responsibilities. Of course, a man must protect and provide for his family, but if this becomes the main priority in life, then the risk of developing nervous disorders and chronic insomnia is very high.
It is not recommended to immediately resort to medication methods of treatment. The correct tactics will include finding and eliminating the causes of insomnia, using folk remedies.
It is good to want to be always the first and the best, but in moderation. In most cases, insomnia in the stronger sex arises from the desire for superiority, and only then, in second place, are male diseases. The strong half of humanity needs to learn not only to work, but also to fully relax, otherwise sleep problems will lead to serious health problems.