Did you know that 50% of people have a hard time sleeping? On top of this, one-third of adults do not get the seven hours of sleep they need, a night. It doesn’t matter whether you have endured a single, restless night or whether you have a hard time falling asleep on a consistent basis, because you may be desperate to get to the root of the issue.
Changes in your Schedule
Changes in your sleeping schedule and having an irregular bedtime can easily disrupt your circadian rhythm. This can lead to you getting poor sleep quality, which is the last thing you need. If you want to help yourself, then you need to try and find out what has changed. Do you feel as though you have more demands at work? Maybe you are dealing with more schoolwork or increased social activity. Either way, if you suspect that the disruptions to your schedule could be compromising how well you sleep then it could be worth trying to hit the reset button.
Room Temperature
The temperature of the room will directly influence how comfortable you are. If your sleeping environment is too hot or too cold, then this can disrupt your sleep more than you realise. You can use bedding and clothing to try and warm up if the room is too cold, but if you have a sleeping environment that is too hot then this can make it harder to cope. You may find that you have a hard time with wakefulness and that you also experience poor sleep quality. If your room is too bright, it could be wise for you to buy some blinds for it.
Screen Time Before Bed
So many people watch TV at night or spend a long time on their cell phone before going to bed. If you happen to be one of them then screen time could well be the reason why you are having a hard time sleeping. Screens from electronic devices tend to emit blue light waves and this can cause problems with falling asleep and staying that way. The main reason for this is that blue light happens to slow down the production of melatonin, which is a sleep hormone. The body releases this when it’s dark. If you do need to use your device, then using some blue light glasses could help as it will reduce some of the exposure.
Stress
When the events or the conditions of your life cause a lot of stress, it can be difficult for you to sleep well at night. Sometimes stress is the result of a very isolated event, such as having a tight deadline with work or even getting stuck in a traffic jam. Ongoing stress, however, which can stem from relationship issues or even financial problems can be a major issue. The human body responds to stress by actively releasing chemicals that boost alertness and your heart rate. This is an automatic response, and it can be beneficial if you need to solve an issue or escape danger. The downside, however, is that it can make it incredibly difficult to sleep.