If you’re having a particularly difficult time sleeping, it is certainly not going to be a secret to you. Spending long nights awake, staring at the ceiling and wondering why you’re not sleeping can be both memorable and frustrating. Unfortunately, many of us experience this difficulty and we have no idea we are experiencing it!
If you tend to wake up groggy and feel like you need to go back to bed a few hours later, you may be wondering what is going on at night. After all, getting a good night’s sleep should leave you feeling refreshed, so if you feel any different, it may be a sign that something is going wrong. Here are 7 reasons why you may wake up feeling poorly and tired.
1. Poor Sleep and Waking up with A Bad Taste in Your Mouth
Why: If you wake up with a bad taste in your mouth, it may be a sign that you are suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This is a problem that may affect up to 25% of people who sleep poorly.
How: When you suffer from acid reflux, it may awaken you partially from sleep. You might not have any noticeable symptoms of heartburn if it is “silent reflux.” The fact that it is not letting you get the deep sleep you need can cause problems.
Solution: There are a number of treatment options for heartburn, and you may need to try one, even if you are not experiencing any of the classic symptoms. Avoid eating 2 hours before bedtime and avoid any foods that typically cause heartburn, such as chocolate, alcohol, spicy food, tomatoes and citrus fruit. You might also try sleeping on your left side or losing some weight.
2. Nocturia/Bruxism
Why: Waking up frequently to go to the bathroom is a problem that may affect up to 65% of older adults. Frequent nighttime urination can lead to sleep deprivation.
How: Obviously, having to get out of bed to go to the bathroom multiple times is disrupting your sleep. For some people, it may take hours to get back to sleep after a trip to the bathroom.
Solution: There may be some things you can do to reduce the problem. These may include avoiding drinking fluids 3 hours before bedtime. Reduce your tea or coffee intake, as it can irritate your bladder.
The last thing you should do before you go to bed is go to the bathroom. Make sure you relax long enough to completely empty your bladder. If it continues to be a problem, it could be a sign of an overactive bladder, a problem with the prostate or even diabetes.
3. Jaw Popping
Why: If you grind your teeth, it is a condition that is known as bruxism. Although it is done subconsciously, it can affect your sleep and it can also affect your oral health. Jaw clenching is another form of bruxism. Not only may you feel tired in the morning, it could result in neck pain or stiffness.
How: Since you quench your jaw if you suffer from bruxism, it can interrupt your sleep cycle.
Solution: If you have this problem, talk to a dentist. It might also help if you stop chewing gum during the day, because it could lead to habitual chewing that continues at night.
4. Restless Leg Syndrome
Why: Restless leg syndrome can lead to movement through the night and the discomfort can interrupt your sleep.
How: Although it is not exactly know why people suffer from this problem, it is known that it can lead to a lack of sleep. The restlessness you are experiencing may keep you from getting into a deep sleep or muscle jerking can partially arouse you from sleep.
Solution: If you suffer from this problem, talk to your doctor. Getting a proper diagnosis can help to eliminate the possibility that there is an underlying problem, including arthritis, diabetes, anemia, kidney problems, thyroid disease and peripheral neuropathy. Dietary changes may also help and some people benefit from supplementing with magnesium.
5. Waking up with Dry Mouth or Bad Breath
Why: Snoring and mouth breathing during the night can dry the inside of the mouth and lead to bad breath. Drooling on the pillow or having it in the corners of your mouth can be a sign you are experiencing this problem.
How: Breathing through your mouth or snoring can keep you from getting the deep sleep that you need to feel wide-awake the next day. If you snore but also are gasping for air or have interrupted breathing, it could be a sign of a more serious problem.
Solution: One thing you can do is to train yourself to breathe through the nose. Try nose strips, which can help to keep the nasal passages open. Changing sleep positions may help, and there are some exercises which may help to reduce your snoring. Avoid alcohol or heavy meals before bed and drop some weight.
6. Sleep Apnea
Why: A problem with obstructive sleep apnea can interrupt your sleeping pattern throughout the night. It is a problem in which you stop breathing periodically. Most people are unaware that they have the problem and may consider it just to be a snoring problem.
How: If you have obstructive sleep apnea, it will wake you up enough to get a breath but not enough to be fully conscious. You never get the deep sleep that you need and it can cause many health problems, including low blood oxygen levels, high blood pressure and dangerous daytime drowsiness.
Solution: You may need to have a sleep study done and use a continuous positive airway pressure machine (CPAP), to force the air through your airways. Studies have also shown that certain exercises that help to strengthen the muscles of the throat may help in a similar way.
Losing weight may also help if you are overweight and for some individuals, a problem with sleep apnea may disappear as their weight optimizes.
7. You Sleep All Night but Still Feel Groggy or Are Sleepy While Driving
Why: This type of an issue may be a matter of being out of sync with the normal sleep-wake cycle, your circadian rhythm. It may often happen to individuals who switch shifts regularly, or those who work on computers or electronic devices before going to bed.
How: When it starts to get dark outside, the hormone, melatonin, is naturally produced. This triggers your body that it is time to go to sleep. When light is seen, melatonin production is shutdown and you wake up. If there is any ambient light in the room or if you must sleep during the daytime, it can mess with your circadian rhythm.
Solution: If at all possible, stick to a regular sleep schedule throughout the week. It is typically recommended that you go to bed by 10 or 11 and are up by six or 7 AM. Taking a brisk walk in the morning daylight may not only help you to wake up in the morning, it could also help you to sleep better the following night.
If possible, remove all electronic screens from your sleeping areas and avoid them at least one hour prior to going to bed. If you must use a reading light, be sure that it is indirect light and don’t let it shine in your eyes.
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