The Surprising Causes of Disturbed Sleep
People have issues with sleep more than ever before. Unfortunately, the 21st century appears to be the age of insomnia with work-related stress, hectic lifestyle, terrible eating habits. These habits and activities all contribute to sleep deprivation and chronic fatigue.
Although you might have grown desensitized to buzz phrases such as ‘reduce stress’, ‘limit caffeine intake’, ‘avoid blue light’, and many others, it is true that there are a lot of alternative treatments out there that can improve your lifestyle and tackle insomnia.
However, there is usually a lot more to each of these tips, not to mention some truly surprising causes of disturbed sleep. A surprising number of individuals aren’t properly informed about how to combat them accordingly.
Mouth breathing
Do you feel as if your nostrils are obstructed whenever you lie down? You’ll almost instinctively start breathing through your mouth, which can lead to some egregious issues with sleeping. Most notably, you’ll end up snoring, having bad breath and a sore throat, and you’ll wake up more tired than you were before going to bed.
Covering your mouth with tape will work like a charm for some individuals. Now, this might sound like another wellness fad that has no basis in science, but solid research has gone into this method of curing disturbed sleep, and the results are quite promising.
However, some people have actual physical issues with their nostrils, and this is often solved through various methods – some medical, others practical – before ultimately going for corrective surgery. But remember, going under the knife is the last option that should be only considered if nothing else works.
Stealth caffeine insomnia
We love our coffee, don’t we? So many people consume coffee religiously, sometimes even more than three times a day. And as you may have gathered, countless people have trouble falling asleep due to caffeine-induced agitation and wakefulness.
However, the matter of caffeine-related insomnia is not as clear-cut as it might appear initially. The thing is, you’ve also probably noticed that some individuals drink up to five cups a day without manifesting any sleeping issues. This is because each metabolism behaves differently; it is also important when you drink it and in what form – not merely how much.
Obviously, drinking a cup too late isn’t a good idea if you want a good night’s sleep. But there are less obvious ways to stimulate your brain: consuming caffeine through iced tea or chocolate, for example, can lead to stealth caffeine insomnia. The best way to fight this is by learning about products that contain caffeine and avoiding them. It sounds simple enough until the presence of some products on the list shocks you.
Believe it or not – alcohol
There’s a widely held belief that alcoholic beverages, especially if taken before bed, can induce better sleep. This belief was so prevalent throughout history that many people turn to a nightcap as one of the med-free solutions for their insomniac woes.
As you may have guessed, it’s a myth. While it holds that a glass of light wine or beer relaxes you and might even help you fall asleep, research has shown that the process of sleep itself becomes lighter and fragmented. This is especially the case with the second half of the night. Drinking too much leads to dehydration and a hangover of varying degrees which, coupled with light sleep, leads to a general feeling of exhaustion and nausea in the morning.
In other words, if you want to give your ‘nightcap’ a chance, avoid spirits at all costs and don’t go beyond a singular glass of wine, possibly a half.
Allergies
When people face a chronic allergy or two, they usually adapt to it rather easily. A few antihistamines and regular physical activity typically improve quality of life to such an extent that you rarely feel any issues while you’re awake. Sleeping, on the other hand, may pose an issue.
Nose congestion and itchy eyes can turn into a real problem once you lie down, and while your antihistamines can reduce the symptoms, the nasal issues usually persist in some shape or form – which brings us back to the first cause of disturbed sleep on this list.
Still, nasal problems are only a symptom in this case. The root cause is the allergy itself, especially if you are particularly sensitive to allergens such as dust, pet hair, mites, and mold. The solution, in this case, is rather simple but it requires a lot of physical work. You’ll have to do a thorough cleaning of your bedroom more often than people do on average (2 or 3 times a week).
Lastly, don’t forget the basics of proper sleep hygiene. The key, in general, is to keep your pressure lowered, your body calm, and your mind as Zen as possible around bedtime. It may sound simple, but proper discipline is hard to ascertain, so you’ll simply have to ‘push through’ the initial period.
Treatments for disturbed sleep and chronic insomnia are always within reach. That is good news. However, there is no denying that you’re in for quite a long ride to recovery.
It sometimes takes half a year to reach the desired results, even when you apply several methods simultaneously and diligently. In other words, you have to arm yourself with patience and ride this one out in full faith that tips, such as the ones mentioned above, will work their magic.
