Troubled sleep?
[This is a 7 min read but if you have sleep problems, it is a worthwhile read.]
Sleep maintenance insomnia happens when you can’t stay asleep. It may be caused
by health conditions, such as illness, some medications, or stress.
The infuriation of interrupted sleep
You wake up — who knows why — and immediately stress about how cruddy
you’re going to feel the next day if you can’t fall back asleep fast enough.
Having just one episode is bad enough, but if it keeps happening, you’ll probably
want to figure out why and what to do about your insomnia. Yes, not being able to
stay asleep is actually a type of insomnia, and various factors, from your lifestyle
to an underlying condition, could be to blame.
Maintenance insomnia?
Insomnia is commonly thought of as simply staying up all night and not being able
to get to sleep, but that’s just one type of insomnia.
Being unable to stay asleep is a type of insomnia, too. It’s referred to as
maintenance insomnia, sleep maintenance insomnia, and, sometimes, middle-of-
the-night insomnia.
If you can’t stay asleep at least three nights per week for three months or longer,
your insomnia is considered chronic.
Why you can’t stay asleep
Here are some of the most common causes why you may struggle to stay asleep.
Stress
Stress is one of the most common reasons for insomnia. The cause of stress can be
all kinds of things, from lifestyle to medical conditions.
The real kicker with maintenance insomnia is that stress from not being able to
stay asleep can keep the cycle going, making your insomnia worse and leaving you
feeling pretty lousy.
Sleep apnea, asthma, or other breathing problems
Respiratory disturbances at night are common if you have asthma, sleep apnea, or
any other breathing problem, like allergies or even a cold.
If anything disrupts your breathing, even just for a second, it can wake you up and
make it hard to fall back asleep.
Pain
With some conditions, like fibromyalgia and arthritis, pain can flare up at night and wake you up.
If you have an injury or pain that’s worse with movement, turning over can hurt
and wake you up, too.
Illness
There are several illnesses associated with sleep issues. While not an exhaustive
list by any stretch, some common ones include:
neurological conditions, like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
cardiovascular conditions
diabetes
other sleep disorders, like restless leg syndrome
Mental health disorders like depression or schizophrenia
Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep is a common side effect of mental health
conditions, like anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. On the flip side, poor sleep
can also worsen symptoms of these conditions.
Certain medications
Some over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications can cause side effects
that wake you up at night, like excitability, frequent urination, and vivid dreams.
These are some possible culprits:
diuretics
cold and allergy medications
corticosteroids
anticonvulsants
antidepressants
beta agonists
External issues, like worries about work or your social life.
Got stuff on your mind?
Worries about things like work or relationships can impact a full night’s sleep. You
can even experience nocturnal panic attacks if you’re under a lot of stress or
feeling anxious.
Hot flashes or hormone fluctuations
While anyone can experience hormone fluctuations that can mess with sleep,
women are more prone to hormone-induced sleep issues because they may
experience fluctuations during periods, pregnancy, perimenopause, and
menopause.
Hormone fluctuations can trigger sleep-disrupting symptoms like anxiety, hot
flashes, and night sweats.
Acid reflux
There’s nothing quite like stomach acid and other contents making their way up
into your esophagus and mouth to wake you up.
Lying flat can make acid reflux worse and even lead to choking.
Jet lag
Jet lag happens when there’s a mismatch between your circadian rhythm and the
time of day.
While your body’s clock is still anchored to another time zone, you can have
trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.
Poor sleep environment
Yep, your environment could be to blame for your inability to sleep through the
night.
As comfy and cozy as your bed may be, environmental factors, like bright lights
outside your bedroom window, street noise, or the incessant humming of an air
conditioner can wake you up throughout the night.
Blue light
Like to scroll your social feeds in bed? Your screen time and exposure to blue light
could be the reason why you can’t stay asleep.Blue light suppresses melatonin secretion, affecting sleep. It can also increase
alertness, which is the last thing you need when it’s time for sleep.
Age
As we age, our sleep patterns change. Nighttime arousal, shorter periods of deep
sleep and fragmented sleep has become very common for older adults.
The risk for chronic conditions also increases with age, adding to the stress that
makes it even harder to stay asleep.
How to stay asleep
Here are some common suggestions for making sure your sleep is restful.
Relax
No duh, right? Relaxation may be hard to come by when you’ve got a lot on
your mind and are stressed about your sleep issues to boot.
Here are some relaxation techniques that can help:
meditation
yoga
deep breathing
Talk with your doctor about your medication
If you’re taking meds, ask your doctor if insomnia is a known side effect.
They may recommend taking your medication at a different time or swapping it out for another one that won’t interfere with sleep.
Give yourself a bedtime
Strict bedtimes work for toddlers and can work for you, too. Aim to go to bed
around the same time every night so you can get your body used to sleeping at that
time. This bedtime consistency is all part of practicing good sleep hygiene.
Avoid caffeine later in the day
Caffeine later in the day could sabotage a good night’s sleep. In fact, research
suggests stopping your coffee intake 8-9 hours before your bedtime.
Here are some common caffeinated beverages to avoid:
coffee
black tea
energy drinks
soda
Avoid alcohol
You might find that alcohol helps you unwind and can make you drowsy enough to
fall asleep. But it won’t help you stay asleep.
Avoid smoking
A systematic review concluded that people who are cigarette smokers are
significantly more likely to experience sleep disturbance.
Exercise, just not before bedtime
Exercise can improve your sleep and reduce stress and anxiety that can be messing
with your slumber. Just don’t do it too close to bedtime, or you’ll risk perking yourself up when you should be winding down.
Don’t eat or drink before bedtime
Limit eating or drinking 3 hoursTrusted Source before going to sleep.
Going to bed on a full stomach can interfere with sleep and cause nocturnal
heartburn and reflux. Drinking too much or drinking too close to bedtime will
make you more likely to have to get up to pee.
Limit blue light exposure
This means no screen time 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. Swapping out a nightlight
for a red bulb and investing in some room-darkening curtains can also help.
Improve your sleep environment
Keeping your room at a comfortable temperature or investing in earplugs, a good
mattress, and bedding can all contribute to a full night’s sleep.
Don’t nap during the day
Napping can feel oh-so-good on a lazy afternoon, but even a short nap can prevent
you from staying asleep all night.If you really want to lie down during the day, make it earlier in the day and keep it under 20 minutes.
Change your sheets weekly
Dirty sheets can trigger or worsen symptoms if you have allergies or asthma.
Change your sheets weekly to prevent a stuffy nose and other sleep-busting
symptoms.
There are many reasons why you might not be able to stay asleep. There are many
lifestyle changes and sleep hygiene practices you can implement to improve your
sleep quality.
If you are still having trouble staying asleep, consider talking with a healthcare
professional to understand the underlying cause of your sleep challenges and
explore treatment options.
