Are you having trouble sleeping? Sleep is essential for living a healthy life. It’s during your nighttime slumber where your body restores itself by emitting growth hormones that repair bones, muscles, and tissue. On top of that, sleep helps you feel alert and refreshed and keeps your immune system in check. Lack of sleep can cause a host of health problems, which, let’s be honest, no one wants to face.
If you’re tossing and turning every night, it’s time to take control of your sleeping habits so you can get a better night’s sleep.
Take a look at the top five reasons why you’re having trouble sleeping and how to fix them below.
1. Sleep disorders
There are a variety of sleep disorders that can keep you up at night, most notably sleep apnea and insomnia. Sleep apnea is where your breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night. Common signs of sleep apnea are loud snoring and feeling fatigued even after a full eight hours of slumber.
Insomnia, on the other hand, is a sleep disorder where you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. While we’ve all experienced restless nights here and there, chronic insomnia can be detrimental to your health. Insomnia can be caused by a variety of factors, such as anxiety, depression, pain, and certain medications.
Potential fixes: For sleep apnea, invest in a sleep apnea machine that delivers steady air pressure through your nose or mouth at night. Those suffering from insomnia might benefit from a sleep supplement that can help calm nerves and keep you relaxed.
2. Pain
Pain is another leading cause of sleep deprivation. Whether you suffer from arthritis or a recent injury, sleeping at night can cause further pain from applied pressure on your joints, bones, and muscles, making managing chronic pain difficult. However, a lack of sleep can also cause further pain, as your body won’t be able to heal itself, creating a catch-22. So, if you’re experiencing pain, finding a balance where you can get comfortable without putting more stress on your body can help you get some shuteye.
Potential fixes: If you’re sleeping on an old or uncomfortable mattress, consider investing in a memory foam mattress that relieves pressure off of your neck, back, and shoulders and matches the contours of your body. Or, sleep with a heating pad or electric blanket to soothe achy joints, or try CBD before bed to help reduce inflammation. Remember—always follow your doctor’s recommendations for pain relief remedies.
3. Lack of exercise
When you increase your heart rate and exercise, your body’s temperature rises. Once your body begins to cool down, it promotes sleep and helps reduce anxiety and arousal. If you’re not exercising regularly, it can result in restless nights and leave you feeling alert and awake.
Potential fixes: Exercise at least two hours before bed—anything less can leave you restless and alert. Exercising in the morning or early afternoon is a great way to jumpstart your day and feel sleepy at night. You can also consider getting a gym membership or doing at-home workouts with a virtual trainer.
4. Stress
Long workdays, family emergencies, trying to figure your life out—there are a lot of stressors that can be keeping you up at night. And, with the current state of affairs, including the coronavirus and Black Lives Matter movement, your mind might be racing day in and day out. Creating a calm and relaxing sleep environment for you to shut off the weight of the world is a great way to relieve stress and unplug from the demands of the day.
Potential fixes: Unplug from social media an hour or two before bed, read a book, light fragrant candles, turn on an essential oil diffuser, and meditate or practice yoga. There are a variety of natural stress remedies that can help you unwind before bed.
5. Poor sleep hygiene
Sleep hygiene refers to the habits you partake in before bed. Poor sleep habits include drinking coffee or alcohol before bed, staying up late binge-watching Netflix, and having an irregular sleep schedule. Any of these habits can make it a challenge trying to fall asleep at night.
Potential fixes: Create a solid sleep schedule where you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, create a cool and dark sleeping environment with no distracting blue lights emitting from your TV, laptop, or cellphone, and use your bed for sleep, and sleep only—no working from home in bed!
Wrapping up
Catching quality Zzz’s at night can be difficult if you’re suffering from any of these sleep problems. From insomnia and pain to stress and poor sleep hygiene, these are just some of the reasons you may have trouble sleeping at night. With these quick fixes, you’ll be on your way to clocking in a full eight hours of sleep every night.
