Sleep disruption is a problem facing millions of people every night. Separate from insomnia, sleep disruption is less a chronic issue as it is a repeated interruption to your sleep by circumstances out of your control. Sometimes, this is as commonplace as a noisy neighbor at night, and sometimes the problem is a little closer to home.
Finding the cause of this problem and resolving it is the quickest way to get back to sleeping well. So, to this end, we’ve put together a list of the most common reasons for sleep disruption, in the hopes that one of them stands out to you and you can get back to your deep, peaceful rest.
Mattress Problems
First and foremost is the surface you’re sleeping on. There are many things that make a mattress good, and many things that make a mattress bad, but recognising whether or not you have a good mattress is key in taking a step toward better sleep. While it’s fast and easy to simply buy mattresses online, it’s also important to know why you’re replacing your mattress, and how to tell when it’s time to upgrade.
Old mattresses have metal spring surfaces inside, making them bad for your back and poorly supported all round. Many newer mattresses are made of a special kind of rubber known as memory foam, which takes on the shape of your spine; using your body weight as a way to impress your shape into the foam. If your mattress is more than 10yrs old, it’s time to get a new mattress, and this could be the start and the end of your sleeping problems right here.
Back Problems
If your mattress is new enough and good for your back, you’re probably reading on to see what else could possibly be the problem. Your back, as it occurs, could be the problem you’re experiencing that’s keeping you awake. Back problems can originate from many different things; a strain from lifting incorrectly, a bad twist, a fall, or even just sleeping on it oddly one night can all be causes of ongoing back pain.
Lower back pain and neck pain are common among people aged 18-34, and if you experience an ongoing pain in your lower back the best course of action is to see a chiropractor or an osteopath. These professionals can help to identify and correct any posture problems and get you back to snoozing cruisily.
Noise Disruptions
In the night, your sleep can be disrupted by something as simple and common as night sounds outside. Noisy neighbors, cars racing up and down streets, a vixen screaming in a nearby park, these are all things that can not only wake you up, but startle you.
When you’re startled awake, your body can often release adrenaline into your brain to wake you up quickly, in case of any physical danger that might be present. This is a downside to this otherwise handy evolutionary trait, because once the adrenaline has kicked in your heart will be racing, your nerves will be heightened and you’ll be wide awake. This is bad news for your good night’s sleep.
Try to minimise the amount of noise penetration that makes its way into your room if possible. Heavy curtains are good at muffling the sounds of the outside world, so investing in a set could mean the difference between sitting wide awake with a racing heart at 2am and dozing peacefully until your alarm goes off.
If any of these causes you to sleep poorly, don’t put off doing something about it. The longer back pain goes untreated, the worse it gets; the longer you lose sleep over foreign sounds the more exhausted you’ll be during the day, and the longer your old, misshapen mattress is in use the longer you’ll toss and turn every night.
