Are there days when no matter how you toss or turn, sleep just does not come, and you end up staring at the ceiling? Worse, you might hear your alarm clock buzz to signal that another morning has broken, but you have not yet even dozed off for a bit – again.
If sleep deprivation is affecting how you live your life – you are not alone in this. According to a study by an insurance provider, Canada is the third most sleep-deprived nation on the planet. Almost 31% of Canadians complain about not having enough sleep daily.
Insufficient sleep is often associated with a variety of diseases like type 2 diabetes, depression, obesity, cardiovascular problems, or injuries. Your lifestyle and other external factors can also cause it. You may still endure a sleep-deprived routine now, but continuing this standard of living can have a profound effect on your body, mind, and overall health.
Do you know why you are not getting enough sleep? Here are some reasons:
1. What you eat or drink
Your diet can affect how you sleep. Late-night snacks and eating spicy foods too close to your time of sleep can cause heartburn. Drinking a lot before you go to bed will make you use the bathroom in the middle of the night, disrupting your slumber. To avoid sleepless nights, try eating two hours before your bedtime. Keep your dinner light and easy to digest to prevent heartburn and lessen your fluid intake.
2. Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder characterized by abnormal breathing during sleep. A person suffering from sleep apnea may snore or have pauses in breathing while asleep. If you have this condition, you may find yourself suddenly waking up in the middle of the night gasping for air. Some people may not know they have this, but one indication of this condition is disruptive sleep and feeling sleepy during the day. Consult a specialist for this disease. If you are hesitant to go directly to a hospital or your family doctor, you can look for an online doctor Canada first for initial diagnosis and treatment.
3. Coffee or any caffeinated drink
This is a more obvious reason why you have sleepless escapades. Some people have developed a love for coffee more than a love for sleep. If you are one of those people who cannot function well without coffee, having one at the start of the day is okay. But drinking it after lunch will keep you wide awake in the evening. It takes six hours for your body to eliminate only half of the caffeine in your system, so take the coffee drinking easy.
4. Lack of exercise
Surprise, surprise. Being more active actually compliments sleep. Adopting a sedentary lifestyle will leave you with unspent energy after the end of the day. If you do not feel tired at night, you will have difficulty sleeping. You will toss and turn, but your mind will still work full-time. Avoid this by having a morning exercise regime. Jogging or brisk walking every day for 20 to 30 minutes will help you spend that excess energy. Before sleeping, you can do yoga, meditation, or stretching exercises to keep your body relaxed and help you enjoy a night of uninterrupted sleep.
5. Stress
Stress is something that you need to minimize in your life. Canadians may experience high stress levels after a day’s work. The presence of a global pandemic even worsened the situation, adding to both the physical and emotional burdens most people undergo. What’s wrong with too much stress is that it makes your body release the hormone cortisol, putting your body and reflexes into a fight or flight mode. This allows your system to stay alert even at night. If you are expressing severe stress, try to seek professional help to make you focus on more important things, decompress, and let go of your stressors.
6. Artificial light exposure
You are living in a digital world, and every day, you expose yourself to several gadgets. You may face computers at work. At home, you watch TV. Most of the time, you use your mobile phone. Your life may be surrounded by screens that you are having difficulty to avoid. The bad news is, these screens usually emit artificial light, which can affect how you sleep. To prevent this, make it a habit to stay off digital screens 30 minutes or one hour before bedtime.
7. Poor sleeping habit
Old habits die hard. You may be experiencing sleep deprivation because your lifestyle allows it. Staying up late at night to binge on Netflix or Youtube will certainly not help you get the slumber that your body needs. If you are making your bedroom as your dining room, your sleeping area might give you a vibe that is far from relaxing. If you are serious about getting those snoozes, implement a change of schedule in your life. Do relaxing activities 30 minutes to one hour before bedtime. Keep your bedroom a haven only for sleeping or sex. Avoid bringing food on your bed (unless you are sick) so that you can keep the area clean and conducive for snoozing.
These are just seven reasons why you might not be getting enough sleep. But what if you followed the instructions on how to avoid these causes and still end up sleep-deprived? This means you need the help of health professionals who can advise you. Consult a sleep specialist or an online doctor immediately.
