Many of us have experienced restless sleep at some point in life. It’s essential for our health. Various factors contribute to restless sleep. This article explores some things that may help calm restless sleep, how restless sleep varies in different age groups, and what causes it.
Things That May Help Calm Restless Sleep
If you find yourself having a hard time sleeping after waking up during the night, there are some things you can try doing before going to bed or even after experiencing restlessness in your sleep.According to research, the following 4 things discussed below are bound to help you have a calm sleep:
Check Your Sleeping Environment
A healthy sleeping environment should be unlit, silent, and cool. Lights may hinder melatonin production, a hormone produced by the body to aid in sleeping. You can use an eye mask to cover your eyes while sleeping to keep away light. Avoid having electronic gadgets in the bedroom, such as television and phone. If noise hinders your sleep, or you get awakened by the slightest noise, consider getting some earplugs or a white noise device.
Keep a Regular Sleeping Pattern
Your biological clock works well where there is steadiness. Therefore, when you practice regular sleeping and wake-up patterns, you will experience less restless sleep. Make sure your pattern grants you the required hours for your body to rest.
Relax Before Going to Bed
Allow your body to detach from the day’s work by relaxing. Take a soothing shower to enable you to drift into sleep easily. You can also carry out meditation exercises to shun any stress or anxiety you might be experiencing. Reading a novel can also help with relaxation, and remember to take a light meal a few hours before going to bed.
Practice Reset Whenever You Wake up in the middle of the night.
If you find it hard to fall back asleep after waking up during the night for a couple of minutes, get out of bed and engage in activities that will help you feel calm. Avoid lying down. You are supposed to do so only when you start falling asleep.
How Does Restless Sleep Vary Among Different Age Groups?
Scientific studies show that people face different levels of restless sleep depending on their age group. Older people are more prone to restless sleep because heavy sleep decreases as we age, and you find yourself waking up a couple of times during the night. Restless sleep affects adolescents because they are at a stage where they are undergoing some natural biological changes which come with the varying sleep routine. Children also experience restless sleep, a condition termed pediatric sleep disorder. Adults experiencing restless sleep could have some form of sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome, among others. They may also be undergoing mental issues such as stress, depression, or anxiety. You should consult a medical practitioner if you notice regular restless sleep patterns.
What Are the Factors That Lead to Restless Sleep?
There are various causes of restless sleep. These factors are discussed below:
Stress and Anxiety
Chronic stress can overwhelm someone leading to having a restless sleep. You may spend a lot of time thinking about life problems such as lack of a job, financial instability, maybe someone in the family or a close friend diagnosed with a chronic disease. Thinking about all these issues may make you stressed, give you anxiety or even drive you into depression. When you allow these thoughts to overpower you, you have a restless sleep. It is critical to seek professional help, such as seeing a counselor, if you get frequent restless sleep due to stress and anxiety.
Way of Living
Some of our lifestyles may lead to having a restless sleep. When you spend most of your time watching at night, your sleep routine might be interfered with. If your profession entails working during the night, you need to maintain healthy sleep hygiene by allocating some hours during the day for resting so that your body may get the required amount of sleep. You will be productive in your work and perform your tasks without feeling drained off.
Faulty Sleep Hygiene
Sleep hygiene entails setting and following a certain routine to ensure you allocate enough time for resting. You should also check your sleeping environment to make it convenient for sleeping. Sleep hygiene is vital in every person’s life. Once you wake up in the morning, your sleep hygiene kicks off. It includes all the activities you do and what you expose yourself to. For instance, light, taking caffeinated drinks, alcohol, how you keep your body fit, and the condition of your sleeping area.
Every being has a biological clock, which helps your body know when to be active or inactive. Therefore, you should plan your daily routine according to your circadian rhythm to get enough sleep and ensure you have a low sleep debt. Sleep debt is the amount of sleep your body has not had. It makes it hard for your body to perform well during the day. Sleep debt causes occurrences such as poor metabolism, attention, or even the immune system. It may expose you to heart disease, an increase in weight, and other long-term diseases in the long run.
Conclusion
Restless sleep can make it hard to fall back to sleep. You should find the root cause of restlessness and address the issue by seeking help if the case is severe or following healthy sleeping hygiene, guaranteeing you get enough sleep. You will also manage to be lively and productive during the day.
References
Urponen, H., Vuori, I., Hasan, J., & Partinen, M. (1988). Self-evaluations of factors promoting and disturbing sleep: an epidemiological survey in Finland. Social science & medicine, 26(4), 443-450.
Lund, H. G., Reider, B. D., Whiting, A. B., & Prichard, J. R. (2010). Sleep patterns and predictors of disturbed sleep in a large population of college students. Journal of adolescent health, 46(2), 124-132.
Spiegel, K., Leproult, R., & Van Cauter, E. (1999). Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function. The Lancet, 354(9188), 1435-1439.
Sleep specialist
Using the acquired academic and professional experience, I advise patients with various complaints about mental health - depressed mood, nervousness, lack of energy and interest, sleep disorders, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts and anxieties, difficulty concentrating, and stress. In my free time, I love to paint and go on long walks on the beach. One of my latest obsessions is sudoku – a wonderful activity to calm an unease mind.
- Chickpeas vs. Garbanzo Beans: What’s the Difference? - April 19, 2024
- How to Manage or Improve Anxiety - September 21, 2023
- The birth of a company - July 29, 2023
