Do you experience disrupted sleep?

While the professionals explained that it is completely normal to wake up in the middle of the night, we still can’t help ourselves but get frustrated at our inability to sleep through the night.

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It’s fine if you’re able to go back to sleep, but it’s a completely different story if you find yourself wide awake and unable to fall back into dreamland. Read on to find out the 5 possible reasons why this is happening to you!

1. Your bladder feels full

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If you wake up about 2 to 3 times a night to visit the toilet, you probably suffer from nocturia (the need to urinate at night). Try to limit the amount of water you drink in the evening or add some unprocessed sea salt to your drink. A pinch of salt is important to help balance out the water and electrolytes in your body. If your body contains too much water but insufficient salt, it may try to reduce the water level in your body. This triggers your desire to pee in the middle of the night, disrupting your sleep.

2. Your body is too warm

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Your room temperature, the thickness of your pajamas and the warmth of your beddings can all affect your sleep quality. If your body is feeling too warm, your sleep will be affected and you’ll find yourself waking up at odd intervals. Keep your room temperature between 15 to 18 degree celsius, which is the most optimal temperature for your body to sink into deep sleep. Otherwise, you can take a warm bath before bed. After your bath, your body temperature will drop, and your brain will associate this as a sign of bedtime.

3. Your phone is messing with your sleep

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We all know its bad for our eyes when we use our phones in the dark, but sometimes we just can’t help but engage in a little mobile entertainment in bed. Tune down the brightness of your device’s screen when you use it in a dark room, and hold it at least 30 to 60 cm away from your face. This is because our bodies stop producing melatonin, the hormone that induces sleep, when our eyes are exposed to light.

4. Your alcohol intake

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Alcohol may help to induce sleepiness as it has a sedative effect. However, after knocking you out for a few hours, alcohol actually causes sleep fragmentation after it is metabolized. If you have to drink before bedtime, make sure it happens a good few hours before you sleep, so that your body has the time to metabolize everything before lights out.

5. You’re stressed out

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Stress can keep you wide awake throughout the night and also act as the underlying reason for the rude awakenings in the middle of your sleep. Try to engage in activities that will alleviate your moods, and practice meditation or yoga before bedtime to help calm yourself down. Those suffering from severe stress should seek professional help.

Cover Image: Huffpostarabi.com