Better Sleep

It happens more often than you might prefer. As soon as your head hits the pillow, you move around in bed until you find a comfortable position. After a short time, you’re off to dreamland. But rather than sleeping throughout the night, you suddenly find yourself wide awake at 3:00 a.m. You try your best to fall back asleep, but your mind starts racing, and sleep remains elusive.

Nightly sleep interruptions can leave you feeling unfocused and moody throughout the day. A pattern of poor sleep, especially in midlife, has been linked to an increased risk of developing dementia later in life.

So, rather than staring at a dark ceiling and increasing your risk of a health disorder, sleep experts say it’s best to get out of bed if you have been awake for 20-30 minutes.

“If, after 30 minutes, you can’t fall asleep, your brain is too activated, and you need to change the environment,” Dr. Myro Figura, a Los Angeles-based anesthesiologist and medical school educator, said in a TikTok video. “Go to another room and do something boring in a low-light environment—things like knitting, reading, staring out of a window. You need to restart the secretion of melatonin by your pineal gland.”

Other sleep experts recommend:

• Listen to music or audiobooks.

• Do deep breathing exercises

• Avoid paying bills

• Avoid turning on your TV, laptop, tablet, and phone.

• Do not watch the clock. Worrying about the time will keep you awake.

When you start feeling drowsy, Dr. Figura says it’s time to go back to bed.

To improve your sleep quality, the National Health Service (NHS) recommends maintaining a consistent routine, eating healthy foods, exercising during the day, and making sure you have a comfortable sleep environment.

The NHS recommends visiting your doctor if:

• Changing your sleeping habits has not helped you with your insomnia

• Your daily life is affected by your insomnia

Are You Exhausted in the Morning?

It’s ideal to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start your day. But for many people, including those who sleep for eight hours, instead of feeling renewed, they feel exhausted.

According to sleep experts, several factors may leave you feeling tired when you get up. For one, many people are out of sync with their circadian rhythm, the body’s 24-hour clock that regulates essential functions, including the sleep-wake cycle.

One analysis of 54 sleep studies conducted worldwide found that people in small, non-industrialized societies better align with their circadian rhythms than those in larger industrialized societies. The analysis also suggested that people in non-industrialized societies are exposed to more natural light and are less engaged with electronic devices in the evening.

To feel more energized in the morning, sleep specialists interviewed by HuffPost UK recommend maintaining a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and getting up at the same times each day. Getting outdoor morning light when possible and turning off electronic devices a few hours before bed may also be helpful.

Is It Time To See a Doctor?

Considering the numerous factors that can interfere with sleep, it’s not surprising that 50 to 70 million Americans experience sleep-related problems, according to the American Sleep Apnea Association.

Sometimes it’s more than just an upset stomach, too much caffeine, or too much screen time before bed that keeps you up at night. It’s possible to have a sleep disorder or an undiagnosed health condition that is causing a sleep disorder.

“Most people will realize their sleep was disrupted when they feel excessive fatigue the next day, but it’s often difficult to trace this excessive fatigue to symptoms such as congestion, digestive issues or pain,” Dr. Janice Johnston, co-founder and chief medical officer of U.S. health care plan Redirect Health, told HuffPost. “Instead, people may misattribute these feelings to a lack of caffeine, a late night or daytime stress.”

Health professionals suggest visiting your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms:

• Gasping for air.

• Snoring. Khan explained that snoring occurs when there is a narrowing along the airway, either in the nose or the throat, and the tissue begins to vibrate and produce a snoring sound. Snoring can be caused by a number of factors, such as:

• Sleepwalking. This sleep disorder occurs “during the deepest stage of non-REM sleep when the brain is interrupted and is in a state between sleep and wakefulness,” Khan said. It can be caused by sleep deprivation, stress, anxiety, and fear. It can also be caused by certain medications, such as hypnotics, sedatives, or those that treat psychiatric disorders.

• Sleep talking. While this may be common, its cause is unknown, sleep specialists say. “It’s more frequent in people with mental illnesses and can be associated with sleepwalking and nightmares,” Khan said.

• Chronic nightmares. Sleep specialists say anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and changes in your schedule that disrupt the amount of sleep you get are some factors that can trigger nightmares. “Chronic nightmares can cause extreme adverse health effects, such as an increased risk of suicide, heart disease, and obesity,” Dr. Johnston said. “Those suffering from chronic nightmares should seek treatment and advice from a medical professional.”

• Nocturia. Waking up to urinate in the middle of the night is commonly caused by the natural aging process and by drinking too much liquid close to bedtime. Khan said frequent urination can also be caused by a bladder or urinary tract infection, diabetes, an enlarged prostate gland, or chronic kidney failure.

• Teeth grinding. Also known as sleep bruxism, teeth grinding occurs when you clench or grind your teeth while you sleep. Dr. Janice Johnston said it can also be caused by stress and anxiety, but it is more likely caused by an abnormal bite.

• Falling Asleep Too Fast. It prevents you from tossing and turning, but it could be a sign of sleep apnea or narcolepsy, a condition where sleepiness comes out of nowhere and can result in you falling asleep instantly (better known as sleep attacks).

If you have these or other symptoms that keep you from getting a good night’s rest, sleep experts recommend seeing your doctor, especially if you have a chronic health problem that is interfering with your sleep. You may also benefit from visiting a sleep specialist, who can diagnose disorders by taking a thorough medical history and ordering a sleep study.

Source Links:
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/cant-get-back-to-sleep-3-am_uk_67a5e732e4b0e94f7d1327d6
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/what-to-do-if-you-cant-fall-asleep_uk_67b33a8fe4b0c6b4a5049bf2ht
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/why-am-i-always-exhausted_uk_67c180bae4b00bae0887eedf?ncid
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/how-to-easily-improve-sleep_uk_67b499afe4b046fcb34095eb?ncid
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sleep-signs-health-problem-goog_l_6973ba08e4b0a02ab3a11ead