9 reasons you keep waking up in the middle of the night

A bad night is a nightmare because it carries a drowsy head and fatigue to the following day. Call it stress, anxiety or something else, more and more people have begun to suffer from interrupted sleep or insomnia. If it is a medical situation which needs attention, you must visit your GP. However, interrupted sleep can also occur due to easily modifiable reasons. Here we list nine such situations which are causing your forty winks to become twenty.

WRONG TEMPERATURE: Your room could be too hot or too cold for your body to get its required hours of sleep. Either the setting of the room is such (a factor that’s largely unmodifiable) or you are setting the air conditioner or the fan at wrong setting. Your body temperature needs to dip a bit in order to sleep, however, it doesn’t mean that it needs to be freezing.

How to fix it: The National Sleep Foundation states that the ideal temperature for a good sleep for an adult is 60 to 67 degree Fahrenheit, while for a baby, it is 65 to 70 degree Fahrenheit. Try to stick to this range.

ITCHY SKIN: If your skin is so itchy and irritated that it disrupts your sleep, chances are that you got Eczema, an irritating skin disorder. In Eczema, the itch worsens as you hit evening and can bring about changes in your inflammatory response and immune system that can affect your sleep quality.

How to fix it: Consult a skin specialist to start your treatment for the disorder.

RESTLESS LEGS: Restless Leg Syndrome, or better shortened as RLS, is a sleep-related problem that is very common, with almost one in every 10 Americans suffering from it. If you have it, your legs are likely to be twitchy and you will have urges to move them while you are at rest.

How to fix it: You must consult a doctor to seek treatment for RLS. RLS symptoms can also worsen due to certain allergy medication and also by sedating antihistamines, like Benadryl. You can also try the soap bar method. Read about it here.

FIRM MATTRESS: We are often told that firm mattresses are good for sleep, however, if the firmness is too much, it can worsen your sleep quality. If it is too firm, it can create pressure in your hips, shoulders and lower back.

How to fix it: One must invest time in finding the right mattress. Go for companies which allow you a test period and don’t settle for any till you are satisfied.

EXCESSIVE URINATION: Medically known as Nocturia, night-time urination can be a big bummer if it is too frequent and wakes you up multiple times while you sleep. Urine production is low when you are asleep but for some people, this may not be the case.

How to fix it: Avoid taking too many fluids from evening onwards till you sleep. Avoid diuretics such as tea and coffee. If the problem still persists, it could be due to a more serious underlying issue such as urinary tract infections, kidney problems, an enlarged prostate or diabetes. However, you must note that it is a quite common occurrence during pregnancy which should stop as soon as the woman delivers.

LATE-NIGHT BOOZE: While drinking alcohol will make you sleepy, it also disrupts your sleep. When you sleep drunk, you can go to sleep quite easily. However, as your body metabolizes that alcohol in a few hours and you reach the second phase of your sleep, your body will not be able to reach the REM – rapid eye movement – part of your sleep, which is more relaxing and healthier.

How to fix it: Avoid drinking just before your sleep hour. Give your body the time to metabolize it while you are still awake.

STRESS: Stress is one factor that can have innumerable repercussions, one of them being interrupted sleep.

How to fix it: If you think you are stressed out (check out these symptoms if you are unsure), you must try mindfulness meditation. You can listen to de-stressing music or try progressive relaxation before sleep. If you think that your stress levels refuse to get low, you can consult a psychotherapist.

SLEEP APNOEA: The condition of sleep apnoea can cause your airways to be blocked, choking you up while you sleep. Because you are not able to breathe properly, the oxygen level in your body drops and your body’s survival instinct jolts it awake.

How to fix it: You need to consult a doctor if you are facing such a condition. They should give you an airway pressure device which you need to put on your nose and mouth while you sleep. This should allow a gentle airway passage while you sleep.

GERD, also known as acid reflux, is a condition in which stomach acid travels upwards towards your oesophagus rather than going down, especially when you lie down. This causes an interrupted sleep and night-time symptoms.

How to fix it: Consult a doctor and stick to what he says. Avoid lying down immediately after meals and avoid alcohol or caffeine before sleeping for up to eight hours.