An estimated third of the population is not getting enough sleep, and the share that isn’t getting good quality sleep is even greater. But thankfully, there are always ways to remedy the situation, as long as you get to the root of the problem. Here are 4 possible reasons why you’re not getting the best sleep. We’ll discuss not just the reasons that you may not be sleeping well but we’ll address possible solutions as well.
Stimulants
One reason why you may not be sleeping well is that you’re still affected by stimulants when you try to go to sleep. And when we’re talking stimulants, we aren’t simply talking about coffee or energy drinks, but mental stimulants as well. Your brain responds to bright lights like TVs and computer screens as if it were exposed to daylight; it tries to return to daytime, active mode. The solution here is to turn off the TV, the computer, and the smart phone at least an hour before bedtime, if not two.
Depressants and Pain Relievers
You may not be sleeping well because you’re depending too much on sleeping pills or other depressants. Once dependent, you may not be able to sleep without them. If this may be contributing to the problem, you should consider consulting with a physician.
A Bad Environment
Sometimes the root cause for our sleeplessness is our environment. It may take the form of a room that is too bright, whether you have neon lights from the nearby store streaming in, headlights regularly disrupting your sleep or too many glowing screens in the room.
The solutions here may be blackout curtains that block outside light like those found in hotels. It may be turning off devices while they charge or closing doors to other rooms. If your room is too hot or cold, it can also be hard to sleep well, so make sure your room is of optimum temperature.
Physical Discomfort
Sometimes the reason we cannot sleep well is physical discomfort. If you’re overheating on a memory foam mattress, you’ll sweat, toss and turn and wake up to adjust the blankets. If your bed is too hard, it creates painful pressure points that cause you to toss and turn, and the discomfort will impact the quality of sleep even if you don’t wake up enough to shift positions.
Blankets that are too thin will leave you cold and unable to sleep well. If your pillow interferes with your breathing, this will certainly hurt your quality of sleep. And a pillow that is too low or too high, leaving your neck at an awkward angle, will cause discomfort that makes it impossible to sleep soundly. if you want to find a pillow for your body size or preferred sleeping position you can check out retailers like Threel.co.uk which have a large collection of pillows you can choose from.
Don’t dismiss concerns that you aren’t sleeping well. Your quality of life during the day depends in part on how well and how long you sleep at night. Any changes in lifestyle or investments that improve your sleep are worth it.
