If you also suffer from restless sleep and have trouble falling or staying asleep, then read on. Here you can find everything about the signs, causes and possible measures for a more restful night’s sleep.
The number of people who suffer from restless sleep is increasing.
- The permanent availability and the cell phone bear a major debt.
- But it starts earlier: Many small children and babies already sleep restlessly.
Here you can find out why this is so and how you can counteract it.
Index
The most common signs of restless sleep
In order to solve a problem, it is helpful to know it well enough:
Do you often lie in bed and want nothing more than to fall asleep quickly after a stressful day, but then lie in bed for a time that you don’t want to pass?
- Do you often toss from one side to the other and can’t stop your thoughts in bed?
- Do you wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble getting back to sleep even though you are tired?
- Come the morning because of these sleep disorders is difficult to get out of bed and suffer from daytime sleepiness ?
These are all signs that you are sleeping restlessly & maybe even not getting enough sleep .
Don’t let that bother you. It is better to try to get to the bottom of the cause of the restless sleep – because this is the only way you can sleep normally again in the long term.
How you can eliminate the causes and what you should do you will find out in the following chapter. Below I will go into tips for restless sleep in babies and toddlers.
Causes of a restless night’s sleep
The causes of restless sleep can be varied, but it is often the case that the most important prerequisite for healthy sleep is missing – relaxation.
The lack of relaxation & stress
Relaxed people fall asleep faster and overall also calmer and better.
Things that prevent complete relaxation and thus also promote restless sleep are:
- Take your work home with you
- Brooding and thinking in bed
- Definitely want to fall asleep
If you find yourself thinking about the work of the next day in bed often, then you should specifically “turn off” these thoughts. (More on this below).
It becomes dangerous when the lack of relaxation degenerates into permanent stress – restless sleep is usually only a symptom of deeper health problems.
Other reasons for a restless sleep
In addition to the lack of relaxation, there are many other reasons that can lead to restless sleep:
- Kafee- & Alkoholkonsum
- Shift work & jet lag ensure disturbed sleep phases
- TV or mobile phone in bed (article: Smartphones & our sleep )
Some of these things (like work) cannot be changed quickly. With others, however, you can start today:
Immediate action against restless sleep
Avoid playing games on the PC, watching TV or chatting on your mobile phone in bed until just before you go to bed.
The bright, bluish light from the screens lowers the melatonin level. A lack of this sleep hormone promotes restless sleep.
All of these things do not directly lead to chronic sleep deprivation, but they can reduce the quality of the night’s sleep – and promote difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep.
A rule of thumb: If you regularly need more than 20 minutes to fall asleep, this can be an indication of poor sleep habits.
What you can do about restless sleep
If you worry too much about work at home, institute a daily ritual for targeted relaxation .
- You can do this right after work – to finish off work for the rest of the day.
- This allows you to draw a clear line between work and your private life and it is easier to leave your job alone.
That’s easier said than done. It is best to combine this ritual with another activity such as jogging. Movement relaxes and frees the head. If the body is exhausted, falling asleep is easier in the evening.
Specific exercises for your own thinking are also recommended (especially right before going to sleep):
Relaxation exercises and a sleep routine help
Retain your attention on activities that do not allow your mind to drift away.
This works best with relaxation exercises like
- Autogenic training to fall asleep
- Progressive muscle relaxation exercises
- Mediation & Yoga
A routine before going to bed also helps the body prepare for sleep ( e.g. drinking a napkin or fluffing your own pillow ).
It is advisable to integrate the relaxation exercises into this routine.
Insider tip for problems falling asleep & restless sleep
If you think and brood frequently in bed, get up and leave the bedroom.
Then continue your thoughts in another room. Over time, the body learns not to take thoughts with it to bed.
Without any conscious effort, you will internalize that your bedroom is only there to sleep and not to worry about.
Don’t force yourself to sleep
Follow all these tips and then lie in bed in the evening and want to fall asleep with all your might, this is exactly what leads to restless sleep.
- You are putting the body under pressure and the entire relaxation is then in vain.
- The fear of not sleeping through the night again leads to tension.
So do not try to fall asleep compulsively, but rather think of a nice trip or a vacation, imagine a fantasy story.
This distracts and makes relaxation easier. You should also avoid constantly checking the clock, as it puts you under pressure again.
More tips for better sleep
Since we spend a third of our life in bed, it is worthwhile to take a closer look at your own sleep.
With the tips on this website you can create a better quality of life – regardless of whether you are suffering from restless sleep or not.
Very few of us give much thought to our own night’s sleep – after all, we have already got used to routines that usually go back to childhood.
- Perhaps you sleep in the wrong sleeping position and therefore wake up with tension and shoulder pain .
- Or you eat before bed in the evening and your body cannot relax properly during the night because your stomach is working.
So browse through the other sections on this page and find out which measures you can take to improve your sleep today:
- General tips & strategies for a healthy night’s sleep can be found here: Sleep better .
- The bedroom category provides helpful tips on how to best furnish your bedroom .
- In the next section you will find more information on common sleep problems and sleep disorders .
- We explain current studies (understandable for everyone) in the category of sleep research .
In the following chapters, I’ll cover restless sleep in children – and what you can do about it.
Restless sleep in babies and toddlers
Many children suffer from restless sleep. Especially at a young age, they are more sensitive to environmental influences and fear separation if they do not feel the closeness of their mother or father.
This is a reason for a restless sleep, especially in babies.
Restless sleep of babies
Newborns were completely tied to their mother in the womb for 9 months during pregnancy.
That is why they always seek to be close to their mother in the first few months and years.
If the baby sleeps in a different room than the parents, this can lead to stress and sleep disorders .
Separation anxiety causes babies to sleep restlessly
It has been proven that when the baby sleeps in the same bed, parents’ sleeping habits are passed on to the baby.
It senses the closeness and when it realizes that you are sleeping soundly, the baby will lull itself into safety and sleep more soundly.
Tip: Even if your baby only sleeps in the same room, your presence has a calming effect on sleep.
Pay attention to disturbing influences from the environment
Babies are of course more sensitive to environmental influences such as
- Noise, light & smells (tip: noise protection curtains help)
- Temperature & humidity in the bedroom
- But also things like hunger & a full diaper
Make sure to keep the disruption caused by these influences to a minimum.
The right sleeping environment
Many of these tips seem obvious, but many stressed parents forget about them anyway:
- Turn off sources of noise and avoid exposing your baby to intense odors such as perfume or hairspray.
- Make sure there is sufficient humidity and a comfortable temperature so that your baby does not have to sweat or freeze at night .
- If the child cannot move enough, this can also lead to restless sleep.
It is completely normal for a baby to wake up at night because of hunger during the first 6 months. The baby’s stomach is even smaller and therefore needs to be fed more regularly.
Note: General tips for a healthy night’s sleep can be found here: How to optimally promote your child’s sleep .
Restless sleep in children
Even at the age of several years it can still happen that many children sleep very restlessly and therefore wake up more often at night.
- Here it is important that the children have an evening ritual that allows the body to calm down.
- In this way you specifically promote faster falling asleep and it is easier to sleep through the night without problems.
However, the ritual shouldn’t consist of stimulating activities like watching TV – by now you probably know that something like this is counterproductive.
Rather, read the children a story that is not too exciting or talk about what the child experienced that day.
Homeopathy & medical advice for restless sleep
The use of globules against restless sleep can also be very helpful and homeopathy is also suitable for babies.
- The globules against restless sleep of the baby or toddler should only be taken with consideration of all symptoms.
- Be sure to monitor sleep deprivation symptoms closely and see a doctor if necessary. Tip: Babies need this much sleep .
Always discuss the intake and use of the globules with the relevant specialist.
Closing word
Restless sleep can have very different causes for you, your babies and children.
It is important to recognize the signs and avoid the causes. You can ensure a significantly more restful sleep with just a few simple means and behavior changes.
It’s best to browse through the other articles on this page to learn more about healthy sleep .
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.