Having A Sleepless Night? Here are 7 Things You Can Do To Sleep Better

How long have you been experiencing a sleepless night?

Lying on your bed for hours trying to catch some sleep can be very frustrating. You toss and turn from side to side hoping to fall asleep yet you are wide awake.

This can be even more annoying if you are with someone who falls asleep as soon as their body hits the bed.

 

Well. If this has been your experience, then this article is for you. Here, we have provided you with tested and proven methods that will help cure your sleepless night

 

Let’s dive in!

Why You Have Sleepless Night

There could be several reasons why you are a sleepless night

 

Some of these reasons include; stress, travel or work schedule, poor sleep habits, eating too much food late at night, mental health disorders, medication, Medical conditions, sleep-related disorders, Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. Just to mention a few

 

Let’s go through each of these factors one by one.

 

• Stress

This could be a major  reason why you having a sleepless Night. Worries about work, school, health, money, or family can keep you up at night, making it difficult to fall asleep. Stressful situations like losing a job, going through a separation or divorce, or dealing with the illness or death of a loved one can also cause insomnia.

 

Tips To Help You Overcome Stress

1. Get active: Almost any form of physical activity can act as a stress reliever

2. Eat a healthy diet:  Eating a healthy diet is an important part of taking care of yourself

3. Connect with your community or faith-based organizations.

4. Avoid drugs and alcohol.

5. Laugh more

 

• Travel or work schedule

Your body has an “internal clock” called circadian rhythms, which control your sleep-wake cycle, metabolism, and body temperature.

 

Insomnia can occur when these rhythms are disturbed. This can be caused by jet lag from traveling to different time zones, working late or early shifts, or frequently changing shifts.

Tips For Getting A Good Sleep After A Long Day at Work

 

1. Minimize your screen time; this includes TV, phones, and tablets

2. Turn the light off

3. Do a relaxation exercise before going to sleep

 

• Poor sleep habit

Not having a regular bedtime and wake-up time, napping, being too active before going to bed, and having an uncomfortable sleep environment will lead to a poor sleep habit.

 

Additionally, bad sleep habits also include working, eating, or watching television in bed. Using electronic devices like computers or smartphones, playing video games, or watching television right before going to bed can disturb your sleep routine.

 

Tips To Improve Your Sleeping Habits

1. Have a regular bedtime and wake-up routine

2. Ensure your room is conducive enough for you to sleep in. The room should be well ventilated and your bed should be neat

3. Keep your devices away from your bed

4. Take a shower before you sleep. This will help relax your nerves.

 

• Eating Too Much or Too Little Late At  Night.

It is fine to have a small snack before going to bed. However, overeating can make you feel uneasy when you lie down.

Some individuals may experience heartburn, which happens when stomach acid flows back up into the esophagus, the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. Heartburn might make it difficult for you to fall asleep.

Also not eating well before going to bed may also cause insomnia. Try as much as you can to eat well before going to sleep

 

• Mental Health Disorders.

Insomnia commonly happens alongside other mental health issues.

Anxiety disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder can interfere with your sleep. If you wake up too early, it might be a sign of depression.

 

Tips To Help You Feel Better

1. Eat healthy, regular meals, and stay hydrated.

2. Make sleep a priority.

3. Try a relaxing activity.

4. Set goals and priorities.

5. Practice gratitude.

6. Focus on positivity.

7. Stay connected.

8. Exercise regularly

 

• Medication

Several prescription medications, like certain antidepressants and drugs for asthma or high blood pressure, can disrupt sleep.

Additionally, over-the-counter medications, including some pain relievers, allergy and cold medications, and weight-loss products, may contain caffeine and other stimulants that can disturb sleep.

If you’re experiencing this, kindly see your doctor. Let them know about your sleep problems and they can probably offer a solution. If it’s a supplement or over-the-counter drug, you can stop using it or try taking it at a different time of day

 

• Medical conditions.

Insomnia is often connected to various health conditions such as ongoing pain, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, GERD, overactive thyroid, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Go for  regular check-ups

 

• Sleep-related disorders.

Sleep apnea makes you stop breathing occasionally while you sleep, which interrupts your sleep. Restless legs syndrome gives you a strong urge to move your legs when you are trying to fall asleep, which can make it difficult to fall asleep or go back to sleep.

 

Tips To Help You Minimize Sleep Apnea

1. Try weight loss techniques.

2. Make healthy lifestyle changes.

3. Try Side sleeping.

4. Raise your head off the bed.

5. Playing a wind instrument or singing.

6. Wearing oral or dental appliances. Click here to learn more

 

• Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.

The following drinks can keep you awake if you have them in the late afternoon or evening. They are; Coffee, tea, cola, and other drinks with caffeine

 

Nicotine in tobacco products can also disturb your sleep. While alcohol may make you sleepy initially, it can lead to waking up in the middle of the night and prevent deep sleep.

 

Reduce or avoid taking any of the above if you want a good night’s sleep.

 

The Relationship Between Your Age and Insomnia

As you grow older, insomnia sets in. This may be as a result of the following:

 

• Change in sleep patterns

As you get older, you may find that it is easier for noise or other disturbances in your environment to wake you up during the night.

 

Also, your body’s internal clock tends to shift forward with age, causing you to feel sleepy earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning.

 

Despite these changes, older individuals generally still require the same amount of sleep as younger individuals.

 

• Change in level of activity.

As you grow older, you may not be as active physically or socially, which can affect your ability to sleep well at night. Being less active can lead to taking more naps during the day, which in turn can disturb your sleep at night

 

• Health Challenges.

Continuous pain from conditions like arthritis or back issues, along with feelings of depression or anxiety, can disturb your sleep.

 

Conditions that increase the chances of waking up to use the bathroom at night, such as prostate or bladder problems, can also disrupt your sleep. Sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome tend to occur more frequently as you get older.

 

Lastly, Older individuals usually take more prescription medications than younger individuals. This increases the risk of experiencing insomnia caused by the medicines.

 

7 Easy Things You Can Do To Help You Sleep Better

Nearly everyone has an occasional sleepless night. But if yours is becoming more common, then you should consider looking at some of the factors stated above.

 

A good sleeping habit will help prevent sleepless night. Follow the tips below and you’ll see and experience amazing changes.

 

• Make sure to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.

• Be active,  keep moving. Being active regularly can help you have a restful sleep at night.

• Limit naps or do not nap at all.

• Limit or do not use caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.

• Do not eat large meals or drink a lot of fluids before bed.

• Make your bedroom comfortable for sleep and only use it for sex or sleep.

• Create a calming bedtime routine, like enjoying a soothing bath, reading a book, or listening to gentle music.