It is extremely frustrating when you either find it difficult to fall asleep at night or when you wake constantly throughout the night and never seem to get a good night’s sleep. Sometimes you will get up in the morning feeling groggy and more tired than you were when your head hit the pillow the night before. So what could be causing these sleep problems? Moreover, is there anything that can be done about it?
Exercising
Exercise is a key factor in getting a good night’s sleep. If you are not getting enough exercise, you might find it hard to sleep properly. However, if you are exercising too close to bedtime or are doing intensive workouts, you might find that when bedtime rolls around you are lying there wide awake. Try to get some exercise every day but do not head to the gym late in the evening.
Drinks at Night
If you are drinking too much caffeinated coffee, you could struggle to fall asleep. Caffeine blocks the adenosine chemical the brain produces. It is this chemical that makes you feel sleepy. Coffee late in the evening can mean you find it hard to drop off. However, do not be fooled into thinking that a small alcoholic drink is any better. Alcohol may help you to fall asleep initially, but you are likely to have an interrupted sleep and wake up feeling less than rested.
Room Temperature
The temperature of your room can play a role in how well you sleep. You might like to be warm but if the room temperature is too high, you might wake up frequently during the night. It is better to sleep in a cooler room and use the bedding to keep yourself warm.
Eating Late at Night
If you eat a large meal late at night, you could struggle to sleep. This is because the food you have eaten is sitting on your stomach as it has not had time to digest. This could then mean that you feel uncomfortable and bloated. The food you eat can also affect your sleep. If you eat cheese, bacon, or nuts in the late evening, your sleep could be adversely affected by a chemical they contain that is called tyramine.
Smart Devices
Using smart devices before bed has been found to negatively affect sleep. The blue light emitted by the screens on smart devices affects the body’s internal clock. It is recommended that you avoid screen use for at least an hour before you head to bed. Also, do not charge your devices in your room overnight as the light from the charger or the phone can affect your sleep. Furthermore, if street lights outside are also a problem, try investing in some blackout blinds.
What Can You Do?
Lack of sleep can affect your mental and physical health, so it is important to deal with the issue as soon as possible, according to the good people at KIYA Longevity, specialists when it comes to natural healthcare treatments. They suggest trying some sleep supplements to help regulate your sleeping pattern.
There are also other things you can try to help you establish a healthy sleeping pattern, such as trying to go to bed at the same time every night and setting your alarm to go off at the same time every day, regardless of whether it is the weekend or not. Your lie-in at the weekend could be affecting how you sleep during the rest of the week.
And if you are feeling stressed or worried, try meditating before bedtime, or perhaps do some yoga or stretching to help you unwind.
