Problems sleeping through the night: These simple measures will help

Lying awake late, getting up too early, waking up often: There are many different types of problems that disturb your night’s sleep – and damage your health.

Trouble staying asleep is one of the most common reasons for lack of sleep .

In this article you will read the most common reasons & a few effective measures with which you can significantly improve the quality of your night’s sleep.

Healthy sleep – why is it so important to us?

Getting enough sleep is essential for us. Because only in the deep sleep phase can our brain recover and process the experiences of the previous day.

Restful sleep affects our entire life.

Sleep also benefits our mental and physical fitness.

  • After a strenuous workout, the body repairs fine tears in our muscle fibers while we sleep.
  • Good and deep sleep leads to mental equilibrium, a strengthened immune system and better organ and metabolic functions.

And don’t forget: increased and better mental performance.

Tip: Here you can read more about the different phases of sleep – and what role they play for our well-being.

Difficulty staying asleep – when the nightly rest is disturbed

Sleep problems are no longer isolated cases. Around a third of Germans suffer from insomnia.

Occasional restless nights

Occasionally having trouble falling asleep – that is what each of us has struggled with.

Because inner restlessness caused by stress, a stroke of fate, exams, fear, great anticipation, etc. ensures that our brain does not come to rest and that it is therefore particularly difficult for us to fall asleep.

  • Illnesses also make it difficult for us to fall asleep. A stuffy nose doesn’t let us breathe properly and we wake up often.
  • Unfamiliar surroundings can also contribute to the fact that sleeping does not really work out.

But all of these are only temporary obstacles that quickly subside.

The disease is healing, the new pillow is inserted, the exam is over …

And we can quickly go back to our usual and relaxing sleep rhythm.

Sleep problems – when do I have to see a doctor?

Occasional problems falling asleep are not necessarily worrisome.

However, you should always keep this in mind.

Medical professionals speak of chronic sleep disorders that require treatment if you have problems falling asleep more than three times a week for more than a month and feel exhausted and drained the next day.

Even if there doesn’t seem to be a tangible trigger for it.

Do you think you are sleeping well but still feel powerless, irritable and uncomfortable? This can also be an indication of a disturbed night’s sleep.

Note: In this article you can find more information about: Always tired – what helps?

Of course, sleep problems are not the only cause of discomfort. You may also have a vitamin deficiency or illness.

This is why the following always applies in the event of long-term weakness:

Consult a doctor to rule out serious causes.

Sleep disorders – where do the problems come from?

As soon as you see a doctor, they will first try to find out the cause.

Only then can he suggest a suitable therapy. Here you will find the most common reasons for problems sleeping through the night:

Stress

Something big is imminent: an interview, an exam, a date or a lecture.

Through these situations we intertwine ourselves into a carousel of thoughts that does not allow us to fall asleep.

Or we wake up sweaty at night and stay awake because our thoughts are circling and our brains are running at full speed.

illness

Physical exhaustion and an active immune system caused by an illness put our organism under physical stress.

This releases stress hormones, which prevents deep sleep.

Poor diet

A very high-fat diet forces the body to run at full speed. Because breaking down fat requires a lot of energy.

meal that is eaten too late before bed can also have the same effect. Digestion works and deep sleep suffers.

Medication

Some drugs disrupt the natural sleep rhythm with their side effects.

  • The chronic use of sleeping pills also causes sleep disorders. This sounds paradoxical, but it has been proven.
  • Sleeping pills make it easier to fall asleep, but the restful deep sleep phase is much shorter.

And only in the deep sleep phase does the body come to complete rest.

Therefore, even after a very long sleep, you still feel exhausted and tired.

alcohol

Moderate and occasional consumption of alcohol is not yet harmful.

  • There are even studies that show that a glass of wine a day strengthens the immune system, extends deep sleep and prevents cardiovascular diseases.
  • However, high alcohol consumption disrupts the natural sleep rhythm. As with sleeping pills, alcohol makes it easier to fall asleep, but the deep sleep phase is shortened.

That’s why it’s normal to wake up completely exhausted after a wild night, even if you’ve slept for a long time.

Tip: Read more about the effects of alcohol on sleep here .

Drugs

Using drugs like ecstasy, heroin or cocaine prevents the brain from calming down. Euphoria spreads and you are wide awake.

In addition, the quickly developing addiction ensures that all thoughts revolve around these drugs and the next use.

Withdrawal symptoms make sleep problems worse.

Nocturnal breathing disorders

In sleep apnea syndrome, breathing stops briefly during sleep. As a result, the person concerned wakes up several times a night and has great problems getting into the deep sleep phase.

Also sleeping with his mouth open can reduce the quality of sleep. In addition: Dry mouth occurs , which can damage the teeth.

Mental illness

Mental illness occurs when there is an imbalance between the hormones dopamine and serotonin in the brain.

Depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and autism often cause sleep disorders.

But diseases such as dementia, a previous stroke, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s are also associated with it.

Sleeping environment and habits

A quiet and familiar environment is one of the pillars of a good night’s sleep.

But also unhealthy habits such as shift work, intensive exercise shortly before bed, irregular bedtime, smartphones in bed or the like have a negative effect.

Tip: Here you will find all the important information about the right pillow – one of the fastest & cheapest ways to improve your own sleep.

snorer

The noise usually doesn’t bother snorers themselves, but their fellow sleepers all the more.

They often find it difficult to fall asleep or they wake up because of snoring.

Idiopathic sleep disorders

Often there is simply no apparent reason why one suffers from insomnia.

Then doctors speak of so-called idiopathic sleep problems.

The cause cannot be clearly determined, but you can still improve your sleep with the measures in the next section.

How are problems staying asleep treated?

First of all, you need to develop a good sleep rhythm.

Regular sleep times

One of the best ways is to keep track of your bedtime.

  • Go to bed at the same time each day and wake up at the same time the next day, including on weekends.
  • As a result, the body gets used to sleep and begins to “shut down” its functions beforehand.

This is particularly effective in conjunction with a sleep routine:

Sleep ritual

Start with a good sleep ritual that you repeat every day.

  1. How about a cup of chamomile tea before going to sleep ?
  2. And a few pages from your favorite book?
  3. Or a relaxing herbal bath?

Your body quickly knows that it is going to bed after the ritual and gets used to it.

The body functions slowly and you get tired.

Move

Bring exercise and sport into your everyday life.

You don’t have to be a bodybuilder right away. A 30-minute walk after lunch will do the trick.

Just be careful not to have a lot of physical exertion just before going to bed, as the stress hormone will be released and it will take longer to fall asleep.

Balanced nutrition

Eat a good and balanced diet. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and avoid a large and, above all, very fatty meal just before bed.

Alcohol and caffeine

Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine whenever possible.

Be careful not to drink coffee too late as the caffeine will keep you awake.

Wake up at night & stay calm

When you wake up at night, instead of brooding, try to focus on your body.

Breathe in and out slowly. Think about falling asleep. Try to avoid stressful thoughts.

If you cannot fall asleep at all, get up briefly and try some autogenic training or meditation (studies have shown that both improve sleep quality).

psychotherapy

Often the cause is psychological and deep-seated. A heavy loss, a breakup, unemployment …

All of this puts the body in constant stress. Psychotherapy can help identify and treat these causes.

Group therapy

Especially with problems with drugs and alcohol, it is extremely helpful to know that others feel the same way as you.

Group meetings help you recognize your own addiction and learn to deal with it properly.

acupuncture

Chinese medicine offers help in many areas. Acupuncture has often been shown to help improve sleep problems.

Try it once! You don’t always have to resort to conventional medicine to see success.

Medication

If your sleep problems do not improve despite all of the above tips, your doctor will advise you to take medication.

 

Sleeping pills or psychotropic drugs are recommended.

  • However, you should be aware that this is not a permanent solution and that it often makes your sleep disorders worse.
  • Try to find the cause and work on treating it rather than just fighting the symptoms.

You must also pay attention to your sleep hygiene in the case of medication. Otherwise, there is a risk of relapse after stopping the pills

More tips about sleeping

If you’re interested in improving your sleeping habits, then do a little browsing and start getting a good night’s sleep today.

 

At sleepwithjoy.com everything revolves around sleep: from advice on how to sleep better, to tips on furnishing your bedroom , to the latest findings from sleep research .

Simply click on one of the links to get to the respective article overview.

Hope this article has been useful. Please recommend it to others in order to support as many people as possible in improving their sleeping habits.

I created Sleep Knowledge to share my interests and experiences on healthy sleeping with others. On this page I am therefore dealing with interesting questions about the optimal night’s sleep & everything else that goes with it.

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