8 reasons why you’re struggling to sleep at night

8 reasons why you're struggling to sleep at night 

Sleep is one of life’s essentials, and while some people love to hit the hay after a long day, it’s a lot more challenging for others. At some point or another, at least 30% of adults will experience short-term insomnia.

The good news is that if you’re one of these individuals, you should be able to get back into a regular schedule. You just need to look at some of the different factors that contribute to a great night’s rest.

Below, we’re going to talk about eight reasons why you may be struggling to sleep at night. Are you interested in learning more? Then let’s get started.

Uncomfortable bedding

If you find that the rest you’re having is interrupted, it could be because you’re uncomfortable. For example, incorrect support can cause neck and back problems, preventing you from staying asleep throughout the night.

It’s worth investing in some good-quality pillows and a hybrid mattress that is long-lasting and effective. What is a hybrid mattress exactly? Check out the link for more information.

Lack of routine

As much as we may not think it, humans are creatures of habit. Routine helps our bodies function correctly, improving our well-being, productivity and mindset.

If you don’t follow a regular schedule, especially at bedtime, it can significantly impact your sleep quality. This is because your body follows an internal clock, even at the weekend.

It’s also vital that you maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. Burning off some of that energy during the day will make it easier to fall asleep at night.

Poor eating habits

The food that we put into our bodies can also have an impact on our sleep. If you’re eating too close to bedtime, you could find yourself struggling with things like indigestion, heartburn and reflux.

It’s also best to avoid caffeine and lots of alcohol too. Both can reduce sleep quality and lead to potential health complications.

Temperature problems

Above, we talked about bedroom comfortability; temperature also plays a role in this. If you’re too hot or too cold, it’s not uncommon to wake up feeling unwell.

Try to plan in advance so that you prevent any unnecessary wake-ups. This might include changing to lighter bedding, wearing warmer pyjamas or even setting a programmable thermostat.

Stress and anxiety

Two of the biggest causes of insomnia are stress and anxiety. You may already know how difficult it can be to switch off your brain when you’re worried about a situation or reliving your most embarrassing moments.

To manage your stress levels, there are various relaxation techniques that you can try. However, if you feel like you can’t get on top of it, it’s worth speaking to your doctor about finding other solutions. Your feelings could be the result of a deeper issue.

Frequent napping

Having a nap throughout the day can be the perfect pick-me-up when you’re feeling a little fatigued. Although, sometimes, it can do more harm than good.

Frequent napping will prevent you from sleeping at night, and it may end up making you feel groggy rather than productive. Therefore, it’s best to keep them short at around 10-20 minutes for optimum benefit.

Noise

A snoring partner, car horns, aeroplanes and dogs barking – sleeping at night certainly isn’t easy when there are so many distractions. If you want to get those ZZZs, try and eliminate them as much as possible.

You can find some tips to reduce the noise levels in your home here. With a few changes, you’ll be able to sleep soundly without fear of being disturbed.

Sleep apnoea

Finally, while all of the above are prevalent factors to take into consideration, you shouldn’t rule out a health condition or disorder such as sleep apnoea. This is where your body briefly stops breathing throughout the night due to upper airway obstruction.

If you believe this is the cause of your disruption, it’s important to seek the advice of your GP. There are special devices that can be used to assist with the condition.

Other disorders you may want to look into further include:

  • Insomnia
  • Restless legs syndrome
  • Parasomnias
  • Narcolepsy

Final words

And that’s it! These were eight reasons why you might be struggling to sleep at night. Now that you know what to watch out for, you can start taking steps to get improved rest. With the proper sleep, you won’t just feel better physically, but mentally too.

[disclosure*]

Sleep tight with the S+ by ResMed

Win an S+ by ResMed | H is for Home

Three of my all time favourite things are wrapped up into one with the S+ by ResMed – tech, stats… and sleeping!

Boxed S+ by ResMed | H is for Home

I was sent a sample to review and another to give away to one of our readers. As you may have seen in a previous post recently, I’m really interested in tracking my fitness levels and the quality of my sleep. I’m up for trying out any gadget that can help on either or both of those fronts.

Unboxed S+ by ResMed | H is for Home

As ResMed explains:

The S+ measures movements using ultra low power radio waves (less than 110 of Bluetooth®). The basic principle is similar to the echo location system used by bats to hunt insects. The S+ transmits a short pulse of radio waves at 10.5 GHz and then listens for the echo of the pulse. As you move, the phase of the echo changes and is converted into a signal that reflects your movement.

S+ by ResMed set up at my bedside | H is for Home

It may be ultra high tech, but was very easy to set up. Firstly, I plugged in the device, then downloaded the app to both my iPhone and iPad, I then linked them to the S+ by ResMed via Bluetooth. The app asked a few questions… height, weight, do I sleep on my back, front or side; do I sleep with a partner or pet; the size of the bed; type of mattress and pillows etc. I registered on the S+ website and then went through a dry run whilst lying on the bed in the dark. Just look at the difference between my breathing patterns on left and right!

S+ app monitor | H is for Home

The app works continuously throughout the night to record breathing and movement to analyse the night’s sleep.

S+ app showing my sleep history | H is for Home

Not only does it show all the different stages of sleep (and any disruptions) it reports – every 20 minutes – on the temperature, light level and any noise in the room. It also works out how much body & mind have been recharged overnight.

My nightly sleep details via the S+ app | H is for Home

It scores a night’s sleep out of 100 and shows where ‘points’ have been lost. On the night in question, it took me a long time to fall asleep, I had a coughing fit and I also had a mild case of restless legs which really didn’t help. I just didn’t get enough REM or deep sleep.

My sleep score | H is for Home

Each night before setting the app, it asks questions such as how many caffeinated or alcoholic drinks had been consumed during the day. As you can tell from the scores on the following night, my sleep improved by 7%. Was it due to the couple of glasses of wine I consumed? Perhaps it was because the dog didn’t wake up, circle around and reposition himself, crashing into the side of the bed as he does most nights.

My sleep history recorded by the S+ by ResMed device

I’ve been using the monitor for less than a week so far, but I’m already totally hooked. I knew that for years I’ve been waking up each morning feeling exhausted, but not recalling the disruptions in sleep that have clearly been happening. The S+ mentor gives pointers as to how to up your score and, in so doing, improve your sleep.

The S+ Mentor

ResMed is offering an S+ sleep monitoring system to one of our readers. Just leave a comment telling us what keeps you awake at night.

S+ sleep tracking system by ResMed

Shared on: Superluckyme | The Prizefinder | Loquax | U Me and the Kids