Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for health, both mental and physical. If you’re not sleeping enough or are sleeping poorly, you’ve probably noticed that your mood has worsened and your body feels exhausted. Sleeping poorly on a regular basis can even increase your chances of heart disease and diabetes. Here are four common causes for a lack of sleep – and tips to help you solve the problem.
1. You’re Worried
Stress, worry or anxiety can affect anybody, and it’s very common for these problems to prevent sleep. If you go to bed feeling tired but your mind starts to race as soon as you’ve turned off the light, stress or worry could be the problem.
How to Solve It
If you’re worried about a specific problem – a work problem or a family issue, for example – your sleep problem should resolve itself once the issue is settled.
If your worry is more general (i.e. you’re not worrying about anything specific), you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder. You should talk to your doctor to address this issue, but in the meantime, try meditating once a day, ideally before bed, to see if this calms your mind. Some people also swear by the powers of CBD, so consider taking this as a supplement before bed.
2. You’re Too Hot or Too Cold
For many people, sleep is only possible if your body is at an ideal temperature. If you’re too hot, you’ll be restless as you struggle to get comfortable. If you’re too cold, your body will be working overtime to keep you warm, and it will be too hard to drop off.
How to Solve It
The ideal room temperature for sleep is 16–18°C. Consider turning your thermostat down before you go to bed, or tweak your radiator’s temperature. In the summer months, try opening a window or even having a fan on to cool the room down.
3. You’re Uncomfortable
Nobody likes sleeping with tatty old pillows or on a rock-hard mattress. If your bed isn’t comfortable, you won’t be able to relax enough to fall asleep .
How to Solve It
Make your bed as comfortable as possible. Quality Pillows can make a big difference, as they’ll support your neck well. If this doesn’t work, consider buying a new mattress or a new bedframe.
4. Your Partner is Snoring
If you share a bed with a partner and they snore, it’s likely that your sleeping patterns are being interrupted regularly. Trying to fall asleep or stay asleep when somebody next to you is making a lot of noise is incredibly difficult.
How to Solve It
There are numerous ways to prevent snoring, including over-the-counter medications and devices. Ask your partner to try some anti-snoring sprays or nose strips.
Snoring is also more common in overweight people, so consider going on a diet together to shed a few pounds. Sleeping on the side also reduces the chances of snoring, so tape a tennis ball to the back of their pyjamas to prevent them from rolling onto their back.
Try these tips to see if you get a better night’s sleep. If nothing seems to be working, it’s always worth talking to your doctor to see what they recommend.
'This is a collaborative post and the author's views do not necessarily reflect those of our blog. We may receive monetary compensation for our endorsement and or recommendations'.
