There's nothing worse than facing the day ahead when you've not slept well. We've all experienced it- a fuzzy head, low mood and irritability, it can even make you more hungry and prone to overeating due to imbalanced hormones. But it gets much worse than just this, lack of sleep long term can lead to life threatening diseases from heart disease to diabetes, mental health issues and so much more. So it's important to resolve any sleep problems you're having for both your mental and physical wellbeing. Here are some potential reasons you're not able to drift off at night.
You're dosed up on caffeine
People under estimate how potent caffeine can be. It's a powerful stimulant with affects that can last for up to twelve hours, particularly in people that are sensitive to it. You might not think much to having an afternoon cup of coffee but if you can't drop off that evening then this may well be the cause. Caffeine isn't just present in coffee, there are also relatively large amounts in tea (including green tea), cola, energy drinks, even chocolate. Over the course of the day this can add up in quite a big way. Try switching to decaf drinks after midday, or even eliminate them completely for a week or two and see if this makes a difference. Keeping a food diary or at least being mindful of the caffeine you're getting from other
You've constantly got the sniffles
Do you get into bed and find your nose is blocked, runny (or both) and you're sneezing a lot? Maybe you're waking up numerous times throughout the night with a dry mouth, caused from sleeping with your mouth open where you cant breathe through your nose. It can be quite a significant issue when it comes to sleep, and if it's leading to a broken nights rest night after night it will really affect your mental and physical wellbeing over time. There are a few things to consider here, the first is the cleanliness of your bedroom. You might keep it clean and tidy, but issues like dust mites (which can be hidden in duvets, pillows and gather behind the bed) can cause respiratory issues in lots of people. Pull out your bed and vaccum behind it. Clean your bedside tables, and replace your pillows and duvets if they're more than a couple of years old. Use the mattress attachment on your vacuum cleaner which can get rid of lots of the nasties in there. You could try sleeping with a dehumidifier at night, and if you currently allow your pets to sleep in your bed with you then consider putting them in another room. They're all things that can significantly help. If you're still struggling then speak to your GP, or a specialist ear nose and throat clinic like 150 Harley Street ENT. They will be able to diagnose issues from a deviated septum to swollen adenoids or a hundred other things that might be the cause. From there you can go about getting the right treatments.
Your mental state is poor
It's been well established by science that the mind and body are much more interconnected than we originally thought, and so if you feel bad mentally this can have a huge impact on the way your body functions physically. Are you struggling with depression or anxiety? Do you have low levels of everyday stress that never seem to let up? Often it's not huge life events that impact our mood the most, but the daily worries and hassles so don't overlook the importance of these things. Speak to your GP, or take steps to make changes in your life so you'll feel better. If you're constantly rushed for time for example, perhaps writing to do lists or scheduling out your week could help. If you're always losing things or feeling disorganised, decluttering your home and finding new storage solutions means everything has a place and is easy to both tidy away and find again. Sometimes just taking a step back and working out what's bothering you in life can be useful, as then you can go about making positive changes. Find healthy ways to cope such as meditation and exercise which will relax the body and promote better sleep.
Your bedroom is lit up like a Christmas tree
Lights are powerful signals to the brain that tell us 'wake up!' Back in our ancestors days when there were no artificial lights, clocks or anything else, it was the sun coming up in the morning that signalled us to wake up, and the light fading at the end of the day that signalled sleep. In terms of our physical bodies that hasn't changed, and light and dark patterns affect the way different hormones and chemical messages are sent in the body to either wake us up our wind us down. This day in age, lights can be problematic because they're everywhere. We might get ready for bed by turning off the lamp, but then shine a bright phone, tablet or tv screen in our faces which can inhibit melatonin being released. Without this hormone the body struggles to switch off and it can lead to sleepless nights. It's the reason you might find yourself dozing off during the day and be wide awake again once you get into bed and you've been looking at your phone. Turn off technology ideally an hour before you sleep, including screens, blinking LED lights on computers and chargers and anything else that shines brightly into your dark bedroom.
Have you ever struggled with poor sleep or insomnia? What did you do to resolve it?
