4 Things Your Inability To Fall Asleep Could Be Telling You
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Student Life

4 Things Your Inability to Fall Asleep Could Be Telling You

Maybe it's time to sit down and think about this

Mac Veh
Nov 26, 2018
Michigan State University
414
4 Things Your Inability to Fall Asleep Could Be Telling You
Acharaporn Kamornboonyarush

Everyone has nights where they lay in bed and toss and turn until their alarm goes off, telling them that it's time to start the day. Everyone has nights where they wake up two or three times because they have a stress dream or something of the sort. Basically, what I'm saying is that everyone has nights where they can't sleep through the night or even fall asleep. But if this occurs more often than not, there could be some other reason behind your inability to sleep. I'm not saying that these are for sure what's causing your insomnia, but it's just a possible explanation for it.

1. Experiencing physical pain

I think the most common example of physical pain would be a part of your body cramping, like your back or your legs. A severe cramp could be so painful and stimulating that it wakes you up from any level of sleep. While many people believe the solution to a muscle cramp is to eat a banana or other sources of potassium, there are other causes for cramps, such as dehydration and muscle overuse. So, if you're woken up by a cramping leg, get up and drink some water, and maybe skip the gym tomorrow.

2. Medical issues or medication

With winter starting and people becoming more susceptible to illness, we have to be cautious about how often we clean what we touch and who we share things with. If you do happen to catch a cold this winter, it could be the culprit for your lack of sleep. A serious cough can be connected to the common cold, and a significant coughing fit in the middle of the night could wake you up from your sleep. Over-the-counter cold medicine can also have an effect on how you sleep, and while some may be nighttime medicine, there could be something in your medication keeping you up.

3. Psychiatric disorders

You may not know it, but you could be struggling with something like anxiety that's causing you to have trouble falling asleep. I'm not saying that because you have sleeping issues, you have a psychiatric problem. But, if you're stressing over an exam, or you had experienced the death of a loved one, or you have just recently moved, you could be anxious about the change in your life, which can lead to a difficult time trying to fall asleep. I would suggest watching a video or listening to calming music to relax your mind and body before going to sleep.

4. Environment around you

You might have trouble sleeping because of the environment you're in. If you're trying to sleep in a room that's too hot or too cold, you will most likely have trouble getting comfortable, and eventually, have trouble falling asleep. Too much light in a room might also make it difficult for you to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night. Lastly, if there is too much noise in the room you're sleeping in or the area around the room could keep you up throughout the night, and prevent you from falling back asleep.

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