There’s nothing more enraging and tiresome than disability to sleep and at night and then feeling like a feeble rag all day. One of the main causes of insomnia is stress. Insomnia and fatigue are a debilitating result of long-term stress. You never feel rested when you wake up in the mornings, you slump in the afternoons, and feel tired again in the evenings; you seem to lack energy to do anything.

People who can’t sleep at night often take in sleeping pills. Instead, try some fresh juices to calm yourself down and smooth your stress. Juices contain lots of nutrients, vitamins, magnesium, calcium and they really have a great effect in fighting fatigue and insomnia.

Each recipe makes approx. one 8fl oz/230ml glass of juice. Adults can drink up to three glasses daily, but do vary the juice combinations for maximum benefit (for children see page 186). Dilute with water if you prefer. Juice each ingredient then blend using a spoon.

4oz/125g beansprouts
4oz/125 cauliflower
2 large carrots

or

3 stalks celery handful of watercress

or

1 grapefruit
2 guavas

or

1 orange
6oz/175g raspberries

These vitality-rich juices will help you bolster up your energy levels. They are a great insomnia treatment.

We’ve learned so much about insomnia by now. There is a great deal of studies about this sleeping disorder as it is very annoying and frightfully popular. And it’s true, many of us know it from our own experience. But in case of hypersomnia only few of us have hardly heard the word.

Hypersomnia is characterized by excessive amount of sleep. Hypersomnia patients (or hypersomniacs) generally have prolonged sleep at night, as well as they strongly tent to sleep during daytime. They often complain of sleepiness and irresistable fatigue. Quite often these symptoms are combined with anxiety and fear, or, on the contrary, depression and indifference towards everything that’s going on around them. Insomniacs usually have an insuperable inclination to fall asleep suddenly at any time of the day.

There are two kinds of this sleeping disorder. Short-term hypersomnia is just a temporary disorder that is caused by recent stress or emotional strains, as well as it can accompany some general diseases, for example, flu, intoxication, etc. Long-term (or chronic) hypersomnia can develop in course of many years and, as a result, is very difficult to treat.

However, hypersomnia is mostly caused by serious brain damage, uremia, fibromyalgia, brain tumours that can lead to high intracranial pressure. It can also be and also can be the consequence of clinical depression, abuse of somnolent preparations, some forms of encephalitis.

Insomnia, or sleeplessness is a common sleep disorder that is characterized by inability to fall and stay asleep. People suffering from insomnia can be easily recognized: tired or even worn-out look, swollen face, red eyes, high irritability and dissipation of attention, etc.

There are three stages of insomnia (or sleeplessness). The first of them happens when you have trouble while falling asleep. The second phase is when you can’t keep your sleep permanent: you awaken and fall back asleep for short periods all the time. The third phase is connected with early awakening with no subsequent sleep.

The causes of insomnia are various. It can be the result of stress, chronic emotional conflict or some somatic disease. Quite often insomnia is cause by psychostimulants, coffeine, disturbed or unstable regimen, etc.

Development of chronic insomnia is promoted by various factors, including emotional conflicts, incorrect (non-adaptive) reaction to stress, fear of bad dreams and anxiety.