To solve our individual sleep problems, we first must understand what is sabotaging our zzzzs. Consider whether any of these reasons account for your trouble.
Are you a night person? Do you accomplish the most in the evenings and at night, so going to sleep is actually counterproductive to your being successful in your life and profession?
Do you party too much? People who eat and drink too much, and stay up late socializing often don’t get enough sleep.
Do you exercise late in the evening? Exercise increases the production of hormones that keep us awake. While exercising in the morning or even as late as four hours before bed is beneficial to sleep, exercising late in the evening is detrimental to having a restful night.
Do you take a lot of medications? People with chronic illnesses often take many medications, and the doctors who prescribe them rarely communicate with each other. As a result, medication interactions frequently occur and sleeplessness and sleep disorders may strike.
Are you depressed or stressed? Stress often causes depression, and sleep problems can accompany depression. Do you wake up in the middle of the night worrying about things in your life and feeling unable to turn your mind off? A majority of people suffering with sleep disorders often experience this. Antidepressants and other psychotropic medications people take for these problems unquestionably affect sleep patterns and often not for the better.
Are you experiencing hormonal issues? Are you a woman going into menopause or a man entering andropause? As we enter our mid-40s and later our hormone balance changes. As women’s estrogen and men’s testosterone levels drop, so does the ability to hit the pillow and fall asleep. Most women complain of changes in sleep patterns as they enter perimenopause. The most common pattern is successfully falling asleep but waking up at 2 or 3 a.m. and not falling asleep again for hours.
Is your bedroom conducive to sleep? Practicing good sleep hygiene, such as keeping the television and other electronics out of the bedroom, is the simplest solution to sleep problems.
Is your regimen of supplements revving you up at night? Many people take lots of supplements without a professional’s advice or care. Supplements, just like medications, interact with one another and may cause you to lose sleep.
Have you experienced recent losses or major changes in your life? Sleep is invariably the first to go when something dramatic or tragic happens. The change doesn’t have to evoke feelings of sadness to work against good sleep; any kind of upheaval can cause insomnia.
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