Do you find yourself tossing and turning and tossing? Don’t worry—insomnia is treatable. Let’s learn the common causes of insomnia and tips for a better night’s sleep!
Cleveland Clinic tells us that about 10% of people are suffering from sleep disorders worldwide. While a restless night now and again might be typical for any of us, if it’s happening often, it’s time to find the root cause before it causes trouble.
Sleep deprivation can affect:
- Memory
- Response time
- Mood
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The above symptoms can be amplified if sleep deprivation continues for more extended periods. It can also cause more problems, like:
- Difficulty speaking
- Impulsivity
- Hallucinations (visual)
What’s Keeping You Awake?
Stress, Stress, and More Stress
Are you fixated on that thing you said? Do you worry about your future or the health of your loved ones? Perhaps you lay awake thinking about everything you need to do. While your to-do list is important, so is your sleep!
Consider keeping a bedside journal to jot down your concerns or to-do lists. Write them down, count some fluffy sheep, and return to slumberland!
A journal can help you save the issues for later or be something to share with your therapist or medical doctor. Even if you have excellent solutions to your thoughts in the middle of the night, they’re unlikely to happen in the middle of the night. Putting them in writing can help you pick up where you left off without wasting all the time you’ve dedicated to sleep.
If your thoughts are a bit more heavy, therapy could be the answer to help you find ways to cope with your thoughts. Mental health problems like anxiety and depression can be causes of insomnia, and so can stress. You don’t have to face insomnia or mental health issues alone. If you need a starting place to find help, consider contacting NAMI or the National Alliance on Mental Illness at 1-800-950-6264.
Chronic Pain
Perhaps you’re suffering from past injuries, or the complexities of aging can also impact sleep. It’s important to see your doctor to find out what’s causing your pain so you can find solutions.
Physical and occupational therapies might be prescribed to help you heal and get back to sleeping soundly.
Medications
Both prescription and over-the-counter medications and their side effects can disrupt sleep. Diuretics can keep you going back and forth to the bathroom, and falling asleep is not always easy. If your medications are the culprit, talk with your doctor to see if there’s an alternative dose or time of day to take them.
Caffeine
Consuming foods and drinks with caffeine too close to bedtime can keep you up. Look at the sneaky tiny print on the side of your teabag or midnight snack wrapper to see if it contains caffeine. Be sure to check the labels of what you’re drinking and eating before bedtime and adjust your enjoyment time if it’s caffeinated.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol can also impact a decent night’s sleep. While it might initially make you tired, it can affect rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. REM sleep is the most important part of sleep and helps you feel rested. In short, it’s the sleep cycle when most people dream.
Breathing Problems
Sleep apnea can repeatedly cause people to stop breathing during sleep. Those who snore loudly and feel groggy during the day should discuss this with their doctor. Clinicians may order a sleep study to monitor breathing during the night.
Allergies and common colds can keep you awake. Try propping your head up with a pillow, using over-the-counter saline nasal rinses, or talking with your MD to develop a long-term strategy for relief.
If you’re of retirement age or 55+ and want to hear how you can get an amazing night’s sleep at Edgewood, we have a variety of services available that will reduce your stress levels so you can rest easy! From independent living to memory care to on-site physical and occupational therapies, we have strategies that can help. Questions? Check-in with us at info@edgewoodhealthcare.com
