What can I do to improve my sleep?
A third of the population has experienced trouble sleeping at some point in their lives, and for an unfortunate few it becomes a serious problem. Insomnia in most cases is short-term and can be brought on by many external factors, once these factors are dealt with the insomnia subsides. It is common to experience stress related sleeplessness, where you find yourself unable to sleep. Your thoughts won’t quieten down and your brain is racing with the days events. The problem is often made worse by the fact that you know you can’t sleep, but you also know that time is passing and soon it will be time to get up again. When your mind finally gives up racing and you drift into a light sleep, it won’t be enough to help you wake feeling refreshed and ready to face the day, more than likely you will wake feeling grumpy and tired.
Most people turn to over-the-counter insomnia cures to get them through periods like this. It is common for this cycle to continue until the external stresses have gone, such as a big project finishing, or maybe even just getting to the weekend. For a few, this is not so. The cycle of poor, broken sleep and struggling to get up in the mornings becomes part of an insomniacs daily life. In these cases it has been proven that social interaction suffers, as does family life. People suffering from insomnia are often thought to be short-tempered and anti-social, which isn’t their fault. The right depth of sleep is necessary to keep people functioning on a normal level. Thought processes are muddled and decisions seem a hundred times harder to make. Lack of sleep can cause physical side effects too such as bloodshot eyes, sallow skin and some people find they over eat in an attempt to gain lost energy.
Along with stress, factors such as sleeping environment contribute a major part to insomnia. Seemingly small things that we aren’t necessarily aware of such as a lumpy bed, poor blinds or a noisy house can all lead to our sleep being disturbed. Consuming alcohol before bed, or eating a heavy meal before bed can also lead to bad quality sleep. If you are waking feeling unrefreshed after a nights sleep, then look at your sleeping environment. If adjusting your sleeping environment doesn’t seem to help, it may be a physiological problem that is interrupting your sleep, such as sleep apnea.
Tags: insomnia cures, interrupted sleep, sleep apnea, sleeping environment, stress distrupting sleep