There are numerous reasons why people have trouble sleeping and some help, too

Sleep should come easily and naturally. Yes? No? Not for everyone.

Wakefulness, tossing, turning and staring at the clock are night-time routines for many people. There are numerous factors that can be cited for why people have trouble sleeping. There are also many solutions: some that work for one and some for others.

If a room is too hot, this is not conducive to forty winks. Keep your thermostat set lower at night, and use a ceiling fan to aid in air circulation.

 If the room is too bright, this disrupts snoozing. Something as tiny as a lighted clock can be a distraction. Look for solutions: if the street light outside the window is bothersome, install black-out curtains or blinds. If lights inside your home disturb you, use a sleep mask.

Drinking too much alcohol before bed or eating too much keeps the zzzzz’s away. Alcohol initially serves as a sedative but does a 180 degree turn in a matter of hours and becomes a stimulant. A belly full of food, particularly spice stuff, is going to keep you awake. Set a time after which you will not eat or drink things that inhibit your restful slumber.

When a person’s regular schedule gets out of whack this wreaks havoc on the brain’s ability to shut down and get some shut-eye.Try to maintain a habitual schedule.

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Shift Work Sleep Disorder

When working nights or frequently changing shifts, a person may end up with this disorder. If deprived of rest, people don’t think, perform, remember or react as well on the job as a rested person does. Accidents happen and absenteeism increases.

Shift workers are a higher risk for acquiring ulcers, heart disease, insulin resistance and metabolic
syndrome.

Slumbering when it is daylight outside is contrary to what the body wants to do. Those who must snooze during the day often have circadian-related sleep issues. The circadian rhythms are the internal clocking telling people when to be awake and when to snooze. The rhythms are controlled by an aspect of the brain impacted by light.

The individual has to train himself to slumber during the day and be awake at night. He must stick to a strict sleep-wake routine and should not be disturbed when snoozing during the day. Use black-out curtain or blinds, wear a mask over the eyes. The darker the room, the better. Turn off the phone.

RLS

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) causes a person’s legs to jerk and twitch. This condition may be the result of incorrect absorption of iron. It is considered genetic, likely inherited from one or both parents. RLS causes nightmares, which does not equal a restful night of slumber.

Snoring and Apnea

If your bed partner snores, this does not lend itself to rest, for either one of you. In fact, it is torturous. When someone has apnea, they stop breathing for periods of time, which is frightening for the bed partner who may need to nudge the person to get his breathing started. Worrying about a partner wreaks havoc on a person’s rest. Encourage the snorer or apnea sufferer to see a doctor.

Mattress

Is your mattress too hard? Too soft? Too lumpy? If the mattress you lie on is old or just plain lousy you cannot rest comfortably. Put some real thought, time, effort and money into the purchase of a quality mattress. It pays off. Your back won’t ache and your neck won’t be stiff in the morning. You will snooze like a baby.

Pillow

Do not underestimate the impact a pillow has on your ability to rest comfortably. The right pillow makes all the difference. Buy one based on the type of sleeper you are? Back, side, or belly.

Color

Is the bedroom painted a garish lime green or bright orange? You may want to re-paint it in a more soothing and subtle shade. Color has a tremendous impact on human senses and can either stimulate or soothe. You do not want stimulated when you are trying to catch some shut-eye.

Naps

If napping too often or much during the day, odds are that konking out when you are supposed to isn’t going to happen. Back off on the napping or do not nap for so long.

Electronic shutdown

This refers to preparing the bedroom for the night siesta an hour or so before actually going to bed. Turn off the lights or turn them down. Turn off the computer and TV. Engage in something quiet, such as reading. This creates the ‘sundown effect’ enabling the brain to get prepared for slumber.

Not a Myth

Drinking warm milk does encourage forty winks. Why? Milk contains calcium, which is relaxing. It also contains tryptophan (like turkey) which turns into serotonin when it enters the body. Serotonin is a native hormone, making a person groggy.