4 Underlying Reasons For Poor Sleep Quality
When considering sleep problems, most of the focus is on insomnia. However, poor sleep quality can be equally detrimental and often goes unnoticed. If you think you get enough sleep each night, but wake up feeling tired, there may be several reasons you did not consider.
Uncomfortableness
If you suffer from any form of chronic pain, the pain likely affects your sleep. However, simply being uncomfortable can reduce your sleep quality. In both situations, you may not realize you toss and turn frequently throughout the night, unless you often wake up with your bedding scattered. Memory foam mattresses or mattress toppers are a useful addition to any bedroom. Not only is the material less likely to create pressure points when you lie down, but it returns to its original shape. The resiliency of memory foam increases its lifespan before it begins to sag like traditional innerspring mattresses.
Your Bedroom Environment
Various aspects of your bedroom can make it difficult to achieve a good night's sleep. The temperature of your bedroom is a common problem. Although everyone has unique preferences with regard to temperature, in general, your body prefers to be cool as it sleeps. If you typically like a higher temperature when you sleep, consider keeping the room slightly cooler to determine if you notice any changes in your sleep quality. Switch from traditional cotton bedding to a fabric that remains cooler, such as satin or silk.
If you experience indoor allergies, be vigilant about reducing allergens inside your bedroom. You should vacuum your bedroom more often than other rooms of the house and change your bedding frequently. Hypoallergenic bedding can help keep dust mites at bay and reduce allergens on items you may not wash, such as pillows.
Use scented products sparingly inside your bedroom. Although scented candles and incense can be relaxing, strong fragrances inside your bedroom can contribute to irritation. If you have allergy and/or sinus problems and you frequently experience nasal stuffiness after going to bed, try nasal strips to help keep your nasal passages open. Since they are not a medication, you do not have the risk of a rebound stuffy nose that can occur from frequent use of decongestants.
Eating Too Close To Bed
Avoid eating within two hours of lying down. Your body uses energy to digest food, which can interfere with the ability to sleep soundly. Furthermore, problems with heartburn or acid reflux are more likely to occur if you do not give your food adequate time to move out of your stomach. Although you may not have a heavy meal before bed, some beverages can cause similar problems. Carbonated beverages, coffee and even a nighttime glass of wine can potentially cause problems. Although wine and other forms of alcohol are used as a nightcap to wind down before bed, alcohol actually contributes to more sleep problems.
Poor Mental Health
Problems with stress, anxiety or depression do not suddenly disappear while you sleep. Insomnia is often attributed to problems with mental health, however, many people sleep a normal amount of time or sleep too much. If the amount of time you sleep is seemingly normal or excessive, you may be less likely to notice that daily problems have affected your sleep.
When your mental health affects your sleep, it often manifests as bad dreams or nightmares, which you may not recall upon awakening. In extreme cases, stress can contribute to parasomnias, such as sleepwalking or talking. If you notice a correlation between stressful events in your life, or changes in your mood, and waking up feeling tired, this may be the underlying problem.
Your environment, behaviors and mental health can play a critical role in your ability to achieve restful sleep. If changes in your sleep quality become a frequent occurrence, you need to determine the underlying reason to regain control over your sleep quality. If your lack of quality sleep is interfering with your everyday life, you may want to contact a medical clinic that specializes in treating sleep disorders.