Article by:
Amelia Grant
Poor sleep at night (insomnia) can lead to various complications. Insufficient sleep can cause headaches, inattentiveness, poor productivity, and low energy levels. If you suffer from insomnia, it can significantly affect many aspects of your life, worsen your general health, and even lead to accidents. To improve the quality of your sleep, it is essential to define the underlying cause of your insomnia. In this article, we have gathered six common culprits of poor sleep at night you should know about.
1. Stress
If your mind is filled with various problems, to-do lists, and concerns, it is not surprising that you may not want to fall asleep in time. Stress can cause a lot of issues including poor sleep at night. But you should understand that the combination of stress and insomnia can affect your general health. That’s why it is extremely important to cope with stress. You may benefit from stress management, yoga, meditations, aromatherapy, etc.
2. Uncomfortable mattress and/or pillow
An uncomfortable mattress and/or pillow can also make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night. If you have noticed that you can’t find a comfortable pose to fall asleep in and your bed seems too tough or soft, it’s high time to change your mattress and pillow. You should understand that mattresses and pillows lose their ability to support your spine and head over time. That’s why it is important to replace them in time. Both mattress and pillow should be either excessively stiff or too soft.
3. Coffee addiction
People who drink too much coffee can also suffer from insomnia. The point is that coffee contains caffeine that is a central nervous system stimulant. If you drink coffee in the evening, it can make you stay awake even till the morning since the effect of caffeine can last up to 10 hours. If you want to drink something hot in the evening, try to choose herbal teas instead of coffee or black tea that is also rich in caffeine.
4. Back pain
Back pain is a common issue for many people especially if they maintain a sedentary lifestyle and have poor posture. If you experience back pain, you may also have poor sleep, gain changes, and many other complications. You should understand that back pain can be caused by various factors from simple tiredness to spinal issues. That’s why it is better to contact a pain doctor to define the exact cause of your back pain and undergo proper treatment.
5. Artificial light
Excessive artificial light can also negatively affect your sleep. For example, if there is a lot of light in your bedroom, the production of a sleep hormone called melatonin can decrease. That’s why it is better to unplug devices and hang blackout curtains. Additionally, you should turn off your TV, computer, and phone at least an hour before going to bed. The point is that melatonin production boosts in darkness. So if there is too much light from gadgets, streets, or TV, your body may produce an insufficient amount of melatonin.
6. Eating too much in the evening
Indeed, there is no need to suffer from hunger in the evening. But it is better to have a light snack. Eating too much before going to bed may cause physical discomfort while lying down. Additionally, you may experience heartburn. This condition means an irritation of the esophagus that occurs when stomach acid travels up towards the throat. That’s why it is better to have a light meal in the evening or eat at least three hours before going to bed.