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Why Can't I Sleep? Causes and Remedies For Restless Nights

Why Can't I Sleep? Causes and Remedies For Restless Nights

There is something singularity devastating about not being able to get some much-needed beauty sleep. You toss, you turn, and toss again, you fluff your favorite pillow countless times -- all the while getting more and more worried about feeling tired the next day. And as a result? The struggle to close our eyes is even harder. 

If this frustrating feeling is all too familiar, you’re not alone: around a whopping 25 percent of U.S. adults experience symptoms of insomnia, while roughly 10 percent chronically struggle with it. 

But shut-eye doesn’t have to remain elusive, night after countless night, as there are a few tips and tricks that can do wonders for a more restful slumber.

So, are you ready to get your zzz’s on? Read on to learn more.

What is Restless Sleep? 

Before we dive into all the awesome remedies to call the Sandman over sooner than later, what exactly is restless sleep in the first place?

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (a.k.a. the sleep experts), restless sleep has no concrete definition and is not an identified sleep disorder, which means that its true meaning is actually subjective. 

Despite this, there’s a general sense of what it feels or looks like to have restless sleep. And while restless sleep is in the eye of the beholder, how it’s perceived depends solely on whether you’re the one trying to snooze or if you’re observing someone else trying to snooze.

If you’re the one trying to get some shut-eye, restless sleep may involve the following issues:

  • The annoying feeling of being only half-asleep or that you’re not in a deep slumber. 
  • Tossing and turning to try and get comfy and settled.
  • Constant stirring because your mind is racing a mile a minute. 
  • Not being able to fall back asleep immediately after waking up unexpectedly.
  • Frustration with the inability to sleep peacefully and soundly.
  • Feeling extremely sleepy, sluggish, or mentally off the following day. 

If you’re observing someone who is experiencing restless sleep, you may notice the following:

  • Frequent tossing and turning.
  • Notable movement of the limbs, getting out of bed or even sleepwalking. 
  • Talking or shouting while still sleeping. 
  • Teeth grinding.
  • Loud snoring that involves choking or gasping noises. 

What Causes Restless Sleep? What Are The Remedies? 

There are dozens of reasons why you might notice that you aren’t able to doze off to dreamland. Below, we went ahead and put together a list of the most common reasons you can’t sleep and how to fix them. 

A Rumbly in Your Tumbly 

Ah, to eat, or not to eat? Now that is the question! Some nervous individuals might shy away from the late-night munchies solely due to the fear of weight gain, but sleeping on an empty tummy could have some negative effects on your health. 

When you sleep without any food in your stomach, your body will naturally keep you alert with hunger pangs. This leads to an unsuccessful night’s rest. And when you deprive your body of catching some zzz’s, it reduces your metabolic functions and can cause muscle mass breakdown. 

In fact, according to some studies, sleeping with an empty belly can slow your body’s ability to convert proteins into muscle -- which is not good for those who like to pump iron at the gym for some serious gains!

To combat this, make sure to eat during the day to avoid pesky hunger pangs at night. 

If you’re trying to lose a little bit of weight, stick to eating small meals during the day to allow your body to obtain energy from fats at night. Stay away from heavy meals within two hours of bedtime, and stick with small healthy meals a couple of hours before hitting the pillow to receive a better night’s rest. 

It’s also not a bad idea to start taking a multivitamin like Daily Love, to make sure you’re fueling your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to support a healthy snooze night after night.

You Drank Booze Too Close To Bedtime 

Even though that cocktail you’ve been sipping on will initially make you tired, the truth is that alcohol disrupts our natural REM sleep cycle, which could leave us feeling pretty restless. 

Thankfully, the fix is really simple: don’t drink before bed. However, if you’re going to have a couple of glasses of wine with dinner or a quick nightcap with a friend, keep it to 1 to 2 glasses. 

Generally, this amount shouldn’t really affect your slumber as much as three or more glasses of wine. Also, make sure to drink enough H2O before bed as alcohol can dehydrate you, which could cause you to wake up in the middle of the night in desperate need to quench your thirst. 

You Can’t Stop Thinking When You Lay Down 

You hit the sheets, and all of a sudden, you swirl into three different levels of anxiety. You try to quiet your racing mind and fight the urge to think about all the issues you’re currently facing. But when you get stuck on the worry train, you can expect to stay away much longer than intended. 

All of us wake up at random times throughout the night, and the first thing that usually pops into our heads is a big problem that we’re worried about. 

The best thing we can do when this happens is to stop ourselves from going down that slippery slope and redirect our thoughts to something less stressful. 

It might also be helpful to recruit the help of a sleep supplement like Sleeping Beauty from Love Wellness, which combines clean ingredients to do more than promote restful sleep -- it also promotes relaxation to calm a racing mind. 

Your Bedroom Has A Constant Glow 

You’re busy throughout the day and you enjoy catching up on your favorite binge-worthy TV shows while you relax in bed. You’re also checking work emails on your tablet and responding to texts on your smartphone. 

All of these things expose your eyes to light. The problem? Artificial or even natural light can trick your brain into reducing the all-important sleep hormone melatonin, which can disrupt your natural circadian rhythm

Thankfully, this is also an easy fix. Simply turn off all screens one hour before bedtime. This includes tv screens, cell phones, video games, tablets, electric books, and so on. You can even turn off your alarm clock that sits on your nightstand if it emits too much light. 

When it comes to getting your beauty rest, light is the enemy! If it’s sunny outside, hang up some blackout curtains to block out the natural sunlight and get yourself into bed. 

You Keep Getting Up To Pee 

Another reason why you might not be getting great sleep is because of surprise nighttime bathroom trips. Most people wake up during the night to relieve themselves, but if you stay awake for too long after, it can disrupt your sleep cycle. Causes of this annoying phenomenon range from simply drinking too much H2O to more serious complications, including diabetes. 

If your bladder wakes you up in the middle of the night, first try to cut down on evening fluid intake. Avoid drinking anything two hours before hitting the pillow -- especially alcohol or any caffeinated beverages (yes, put the java down). 

Also, if you’re on a diuretic medication, like the ones commonly used to treat blood pressure issues, this could be the culprit behind your frequent nighttime bathroom trips. 

Additionally, frequent urination could also be a symptom of a UTI. If you think a UTI might be the cause, consider taking UTI Don’t Think So from Love Wellness. This powerful supplement is made with a cranberry fruit extract clinically proven to maintain urinary tract health, which could solve your late-night potty issue. 

When in doubt, check with your doctor. 

A Final Word

If you’re anything like us, you love sleep, but sometimes, getting to sleep can be hard -- and staying asleep is even harder. Restless sleep is not something new and affects millions of people all over the globe. Thankfully, there are some great tips and tricks that can help! 

If you’re struggling to get some shut-eye, consider taking a supplement like Beauty Sleep from Love Wellness, which is designed to promote sleep and a sense of calmness. Then, stop drinking fluids two hours before bedtime and turn out all the lights. Good night!~

 

Sources:

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm

https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-101

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6700255/

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