Why can't I sleep? Five common sleep problems solved.

April 05, 2015

Do you find yourself tossing and turning at night or have trouble falling or staying asleep? Whether it' insomnia, a full bladder or an anxious mind, here are five common reasons why you can't sleep and how to solve them.

1. Your room is too light. According to the National Sleep Foundation, bright light directly inhibits the release of melatonin , the hormone that our body produces to prepare us for sleep. Exposure to light during the night tricks our brains into thinking it' time to wake up and reduces the production of melatonin.
2. You're a worrywart. We've all woken up suddenly in the middle of the night worrying about tomorrow' big presentation or if we remembered to close the garage. If you do wake up because of anxious thoughts, try not to let yourself continue to worry. If you do, you'll only be awake longer. Some experts suggest writing down a physical list of your worries prior to going to sleep.
3. Your partner snores. People who sleep next to a snorer are reported to have higher levels of fatigue and sleepiness and may even be at higher risk for hearing loss. Try having your partner sleep on his or her side as one solution to minimizing snoring.
4. You have allergens. If you find yourself constantly waking up in the middle of the night with allergy symptoms and it' not allergy season, you may be sharing your bed with other allergens, like dust mites. In fact, the average bed is home to anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million dust mites, which can trigger allergy symptoms. Washing your sheets once a week in hot water can help. Mattress encasements and pillow protectors, like the AllerZip® Smooth Mattress Encasement and AllerZip® Smooth Pillow Protector, can help. They're designed specifically for allergy sufferers to provide a protective barrier against dust mites, bacteria and other allergens.
5. You sleep in on the weekends. A little extra sleep on the weekends can't be bad, right? Wrong. Studies show that sleeping in a few extra hours on weekends actually disrupts the body' internal clock so much that it makes you even more tired on Monday morning.

  Still can't sleep at night? Consider starting a sleep diary to help you learn about your sleep patterns and issues that may be caused by your sleeping habits. Also, be sure to evaluate your current bedding situation. The right cooling memory foam mattress or supportive pillow will transform your sleep for the better.

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