The lack of quality sleep can be a natural consequence of changing your lifestyle, whether you have a baby or a new job. But then, it is more common for people to fail having a thorough sleep because of small things they do during the day. Here are some of the main reasons why you are not sleeping through the night and the most popular solutions.
Sleeping Apnea
Most people assume that men are more likely to suffer from apnea, yet women have the same issue. Reasons could be quite diversified – a narrow jaw or a change in the muscular tone. As long as the oxygen is unable to reach your lungs, your sleep will suffer. There is a decent chance that snorting is not the main reason for your tiredness if you do not have apnea, yet you will notice you are very tired throughout the day.
Get in touch with a specialist and seek advice. You can ameliorate apnea with a few small changes, such as weight loss or sleeping on one side.
Unhealthy Dieting
What you eat can and will affect your sleep. Spicy foods will cause burning sensations in the stomach. Heavy meals make you feel full and uncomfortable, as well as obesity. Too much caffeine will also keep you awake, even if you have your last coffee in the morning.
Have dinner at least a few hours before sleep and opt for a light meal. Stay away from alcohol, fat and spicy foods.
Lack of Physical Activity
Sleep and physical activity are complementary. Regular physical activity will help you sleep better, while a good sleep will give you more energy for your workouts. It is a win-win situation.
Ideally, you should exercise on a daily basis. Try doing it in the morning. It does not have to be an intense workout program. Aerobic gymnastics is more than enough. You can also do it before sleep, but avoid intense workouts because they will have an opposite effect – you will be wired up and unable to fall asleep. Instead, stick to yoga or stretching exercises.
Painful Sensations
Any kind of pain – especially joint pain – will prevent you from having a restful sleep. On the contrary, the lack of sleep will also intensify your pain. It is a vicious circle that you will find it hard to escape. Fortunately, there are quite a few solutions out there.
Apart from the pain remedies recommended by your doctor, try using an electric blanket or having a warm bath before sleep. Such a treatment will calm your painful joints and muscles. If you use a body pillow, you may also try different positions.
Restless Legs Syndrome
Women are two times more likely to develop this syndrome – an affection that brings itchy sensations and movements that simply cannot be controlled. This affection is often caused by hormonal changes that might appear during puberty or pregnancy, yet it can persist for many years. It is not just uncomfortable, but it can also lead to depression.
Try performing light exercises on a daily basis or taking warm baths before sleep. Massage your feet and give up on things that can aggravate the issue, such as tobacco and caffeine. If these measures have no beneficial effects, your doctor could recommend you a medical treatment to clear the symptoms.
Depression
Depression is a factor that can compromise sleep in no time. Again, it is more common in women than in men. Depressed women tend to sleep more than normally, but their sleep is restless. Moreover, some medications will also interfere with sleep.
The solution involves getting in touch with your therapist and asking for some changes. If this issue is about antidepressants, ask for different medication. If you are not on any medications, your therapist will try a different type of counselling.
Stress
You might think that a busy day will put you to sleep in no time. Wrong! You are so wound up that you might be awake for many more hours once home. It is because of the stress associated with it. Finding a moment of silence and relaxation is not easy, especially when you cannot put daily tasks out of your thoughts.
Set up a relaxation time then. Engage into a chilling and relaxing activity before sleep – something that does not involve a screen. Talk to a friend or a family member, sew or read a real book – not one on a tablet. Just give yourself a few quiet moments and avoid sleeping with the smartphone next to you.
Conclusion
As a short final conclusion, different people fail to sleep through the night for different reasons. Identify the causes and you will have no problems in sorting the right solutions out. It might take a while to do it, but it is definitely worth the effort.
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