Is it insomnia or just an unhealthy sleeping pattern?
Many people in the UK regularly suffer from sleeping problems. If you have trouble falling asleep, waking up feeling exhausted or feeling consistently sleepy throughout the day, you may have a sleeping problem that needs resolving. Often, if left unchecked, these sleeping challenges can result in something more severe like long term insomnia.
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A sleeping disorder is a condition that impacts our ability to get enough sleep. Whether you struggle to fall asleep, wake up multiple times at night or find yourself waking up early and not being able to go back to sleep, these are all problems that, if experienced regularly, could be a sign of a sleeping disorder. These challenges can take a serious toll on both our physical and mental health so getting them resolved as quickly as possible is the key to leading a healthy life. But what could be causing your sleep problems?
What could be causing your unhealthy sleep pattern
Unfortunately, it can often be difficult to pinpoint our sleeping problems individually and usually; we will need the support of a trained professional who can assist in identifying the issue and helping us to resolve it. It could be something as simple as an issue with our physical health due to uncomfortable working conditions – quickly resolved by purchasing high-quality secondhand office furniture. It could also be something more serious and underlying such as undiagnosed stress or a health condition. Here are some of the most common reasons why we cannot sleep at night:
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- Stress – whether at home or in the workplace
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- Travel
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- Illness
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- Snoring or sleep apnoea
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- Chronic pain
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- Nightmares and night terrors
If you are experiencing any of these things and it’s affecting your ability to sleep at night, speak to your GP or a trained professional to get the support you need.
Time to improve your sleep for good
Alongside speaking to a medical professional, there are some things we can do at home to help us get a good night’s rest. Start simple by cutting out the caffeine later in the day and sticking to herbal tea or water. Try not to nap during the day, as this will affect your ability to sleep at night. You could also try to increase your light exposure during the day and decrease it at night. This could include staying away from your phone before you go to bed, keeping the lights on a low setting, and avoiding watching television late at night. Bright light can stimulate our brains, stopping us from slowing down and getting a restful night’s sleep.
If you plan to go to your local GP for support with your unhealthy sleep pattern, why not try to keep track of your sleeping habits to show the professional. Include sleeping and waking times, any dreams you may have had and what happened that day that could be the reason for your lack of sleep. All these elements are incredibly important when trying to understand what is going on and finding a way to combat it in the future.
