Last updated on May 15th, 2023 at 08:38 pm
Everyone goes to bed wanting to get a good night’s rest. When you’re able to sleep soundly for seven to eight hours, that’s when you’re likeliest to feel refreshed and recharged the moment you wake up. But oftentimes, getting enough hours of sleep—and moreover, getting enough good-quality sleep—is easier said than done, especially if you lead a busy lifestyle.
If you’re having trouble getting uninterrupted sleep every night, it’s wise to buy women sleepwear online and make other small adjustments to your sleep routine. It will also help to examine certain factors that may be complicating your overall health and well-being and carrying over into your sleep.
Below are five factors that may be affecting your current sleep quality. See if any of these apply to you and try to get to the root of the problem on top of adopting better sleep hygiene.
Body Pain
It’s difficult for anyone to sleep properly when they’re bothered by pain. Whether this is caused by joint pain, muscle pain, or a severe headache, the discomfort you’re feeling when you’re in pain will get in the way of the rest and relaxation your body needs.
There are several things you can do to try to alleviate your body pain symptoms. Take over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce the pain caused by headaches, sore muscles, and other run-of-the-mill aches and pains. You can also upgrade to a memory foam mattress with optimal support to help align your spine and reduce back pain. For best results, try to be mindful of your posture and the position you’re in before falling asleep.
If the pain persists, however, don’t be remiss in contacting your doctor. You’ll need to be properly diagnosed and receive the right medical care to address the root cause of the pain and improve your sleep.
Mental Health Issues
Mental health issues can also bleed into your sleep quality. When go to bed with anxious thoughts, for example, you can experience episodes of nighttime anxiety that will result in either choppy sleep or not being able to fall asleep altogether. High anxiety levels can also induce disturbing dreams or nightmares, which may be the reason why you wake up in the middle of the night.
If you’ve been diagnosed with a condition like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or if you suspect that you have mental health issues, please seek help from a mental health professional. They’ll be equipped to help you figure out what condition you have and why its symptoms are prevalent during the evening. They can also prescribe you the right medications, administer interventions like therapy, and offer tips for coping with a mental health condition with regard to sleep and other day-to-day matters.
Sleep Disorders
A sleep disorder may also be preventing you from getting enough shut-eye. These disorders specifically affect the qualityand duration of one’s sleep, and people who suffer from them sometimes barely get any sleep at all. Some sleep disorders can be caused by physical or lifestyle conditions, while others are caused by neurological issues. The most common sleep disorders are insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, parasomnia, and circadian rhythm disorders.
When dealing with sleep disorders, it’s always in your best interest to consult a doctor. This way, you can get an exact diagnosis and receive the right type of care to help you manage the disorder. A doctor will also be able to prescribe you maintenance medication and make recommendations for your lifestyle so that the quality of your sleep can improve.
Stress
Stress is one of the biggest contributors to sleep deprivation in adults. Whenever you’re stressed, your body heightens its production of cortisol, which is also known as the stress hormone. High cortisol levels can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, causing your body to produce more adrenalineas part of its natural stress response. When your cortisol and adrenaline levels are both high, your body won’t be able to relax, and that will make it even more difficult for you to sleep.
Fortunately, you can do a couple of things to shake off the stress before bedtime. Taking a nice warm bath, for example, can help your body produce endorphins or feel-good hormones. A bath can also help calm your central nervous system as well as ease physical pain like headaches, putting your body in a relaxed state as a result.
Another thing you can try to mitigate your stress levels is tomeditate before bed. Allowing yourself to revel in the silence will relax your body and clear your mind. Meditation also increases natural melatonin—the hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycles—while decreasing cortisol production.
Finally, you can turn your bedroom into a stress-free sleep environment by keeping things cool, dark, and quiet. Decreaseyour screen time before bed, invest in dimmable lights, and use blackout curtains. You can also wear earplugs to block out noise from your appliances like the fan or air conditioner. This will ensure complete silence, which is conducive to restful sleep.
Consuming Certain Types of Food and Drink Before Going to Bed
The type of food and drink you consume before bed can also contribute to keeping you awake at night. Alcohol, caffeine, super-sweet treats, and oily or fatty foods can cause discomfort in the evening, thus affecting the quality and duration of your sleep. Drinking copious amounts of alcohol, for example, mayinitially make your body feel relaxed, but too much alcohol can also lead to obstructive sleep apnea and loud snoring. Heavy foods, on the other hand, take a while to digest, and they may cause indigestion and heartburn in the middle of the night.
With this in mind, make it a point to consume foods and drinks that promote better sleep. Chamomile tea, turkey, and almonds, for example, are lighter in the stomach and good to eat in the evening. Some of these foods can also help lower your anxiety while increasing your melatonin levels.
By being more knowledgeable about the factors that affect your sleep quality, you’ll be better equipped to find the root cause of your poor sleep quality and address it as soon as you possibly can. Improve your physical health, mood, cognitive function, and immunity from disease by making it your priority to achieve deep, restful, and restorative sleep.
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