Reasons of trouble sleeping can be many. Because of stress or an underlying medical condition you might find yourself among the millions of Americans who are asked: “Are you having trouble sleeping? Are you waking up during the nights and having trouble sleeping again?” If you are asked these questions often from those who know about your sleep problem, know that you are not alone. However, there are many small steps that you can take to improve your overall sleep environment and program your body to give itself the sleep that it craves.
If you are having trouble sleeping, it might be because there is too much stress in your life. The stress is an underlying cause of sleeplessness and should be dealt with separately. However, you can work to reduce your stress level prior to bedtime and keep it low even if you wake up during the middle of night. As bedtime approaches get into a comfortable routine.
You might want to get into your comfy pajamas, drink a small cup of tea, and read one chapter in a book before turning off the lights. If you do the same routine every night, you will train your body to fall asleep on a regular, easy schedule. The same thing should be done if you wake up in the middle of the night. Breathe slowly and steadily, keep your mind clear, and don’t turn on bright lights. If you are having trouble sleeping, you must stay as relaxed as possible until you can drift off to sleep.
You should also consider altering your daytime habits to get a good night’s sleep. For example, regular exercise tires out your body in the right way and allows you to get the sleep that you need. You should also regulate your caffeine intake. You might not know it, but caffeine can affect you for almost twelve hours after you ingest it. That means a morning cup of coffee is okay, but if you are having trouble sleeping you should stop any caffeine after lunchtime. Alter your eating and drinking habits if you are waking up during the nights and having trouble sleeping again. If you are eating rich foods too soon before bedtime you can make your stomach upset or create acid reflux that can keep you awake. Similarly, if you are drinking too much before bed, even if it is tea or water, you can trigger lots of nocturnal bathroom trips that will keep you waking up during the nights and create trouble for sleeping again.
Consider having a small, calcium-rich bedtime snack. Calcium contains tryptophan, a chemical that helps you to sleep. You can even make yourself a small snack of yogurt, warm milk, or cheese if you are waking up during the nights and having trouble sleeping again. Just don’t eat too much or you will train your body to wake up hungry during the middle of the night. As you can see, there are many small and simple fixes that you can implement if you are having trouble sleeping and waking up during the nights and having trouble sleeping again.