We love sleep, but unfortunately it doesn’t always love us.
Despite devoting enough hours for a full night’s rest, we sometimes wake up the next day feeling like we spent the last 8 hours on an all night bender, not lying comfortably in our bed.
So why is this happening?
It turns out there may be a variety of reasons we’re not getting the sleep we need and they aren’t always obvious!
Check out 7 reasons for poor sleep and how to improve it below!
Sleeping poorly and waking up with a bad taste in your mouth, otherwise known as “morning mouth”, can be a signal of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or asymptomatic heartburn.
Studies have shown up to 25% of people who report sleeping poorly without a diagnosed cause have sleep-related acid reflux, which causes the body to partially awaken from sleep, even when there are no symptoms of heartburn.
To avoid “silent reflux”, follow treatment suggestions for heart burn. Don’t eat for at least 2 hours before bed, avoid acid-causing foods during dinner, and don’t take painkillers before bed. Sleeping on the left side is known to reduce symptoms, while sleeping your right can worsen symptoms because acid takes longer to clear out of the esophagus in that position.
Tossing and turning or waking up to use the bathroom may be signs of “nocturia” — a condition that causes frequent nighttime urination. The National Sleep Foundation estimates that 65% of older adults are sleep deprived as a result. As we age we become less able to hold fluids for long periods because of a decline in antidiuretic hormones.
To avoid unwanted overnight bathroom breaks don’t drink liquids three hours before bedtime. Perhaps more importantly, get checked by your doctor for any urinary problems including overactive bladder, urinary tract infections, incontinence, and cystitis. In men, an overactive bladder may be a sign of any number of prostate problems too!
If your jaw clicks, pops, or feels sore, or your teeth are wearing down you may be suffering from the subconscious neuromuscular activity known as bruxism, or more simply, teeth grinding! The disorder causes tensing of the jaw muscles and interferes with the relaxation necessary for deep sleep as a result.
Avoid chewing gum during the day to limit habitual chewing that may occur at night. For the best advice, go see a dentist who may prescribe a mouth-guard-type device such as a dental splint.
Moving all over the bed or waking up tangled in the covers may be a sign of restless leg syndrome or periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), which can can prevent you from sinking into deep sleep or wake you during sleep.
This behavior may be a symptom of larger problems including diabetes, arthritis, peripheral neuropathy, anemia, thyroid disease, and kidney problems, so go see a doctor to discover the underlying cause.
Iron and folate deficiency have been linked to restless leg syndrome so perhaps try including more iron and B vitamins in your diet.
If you wake up with a dry mouth or horrible morning breath, you may be a snorer! The condition can interrupt sleep because you’re not getting enough air to fully relax, but may also indicate a more serious problem with obstructed breathing during sleep.
This may be a great excuse to lose weight because studies have found that losing even just 10 pounds can eliminate the problem. If you’re not up to the fitness challenge, try snore-stopping nose strips, available over the counter at the drugstore, or use saline nasal spray to irrigate your nasal passages.
Sleeping fitfully, feeling exhausted all the time, and waking up with a sore throat or neck pain is a sign of obstructive sleep apnea. The disorder affects 20 million Americans, but a whopping 87% are unaware they have the problem!
Obstructive sleep apnea prevents sufferers from getting enough oxygen during sleep because the throat closes and cuts off airflow. If you’re breathing is interrupted by intervals of ten seconds or more, go see a otolaryngologist, who will examine your nose, mouth, and throat to see what├óΓé¼Γäós interrupting your breathing and how to fix the problem.
If after a full night’s sleep you still feel groggy all the time or get sleepy while driving, you may be simply suffering from irregular sleep patterns. Darkness triggers production of the hormone melatonin, which tells the brain it’s time to sleep, while light shuts off the melatonin production and sounds a silent alarm to wake up.
If irregular sleep patterns are a problem, the simplest solution is to stick to a regular pattern throughout the week that resembles the natural cycle of night and day, such as 10pm to 6am. Reset your internal clock by forcing yourself to get up in the bright hours of the morning for a day or two and you’ll be more likely to fall asleep at night.
[Image via AP Images.]