Common Sleep Disruptors - Sleep Well

Common Sleep Disruptors

Not sure why you can’t fall or stay asleep? Here are some likely causes.

Sometimes, there’s a major obstacle standing between you and a good night’s sleep — such as caring for small children, chronic pain or discomfort, or a job that requires you to work at night. 

Otherwise, if you struggle to fall or stay asleep, it’s likely that one or more of the factors below are infringing on your shuteye. Read up on the factors that may be impacting you, and what you can do about them, starting tonight.

Which sleep disruptors might be affecting you? Which could you potentially change?

Using Digital Devices Before Bed
Watching TV or using your phone at night can feel like a harmless, entertaining habit, but it may be keeping you awake. Using devices distracts you from sleep, and light emitted by digital screens may suppress melatonin, the hormone that regulates your sleep cycle. 

To sleep better, consider shutting down your phone, your laptop, your tablet, and your TV an hour before bedtime — polls show that people who use devices 60 minutes before bed have the hardest time falling asleep. Make sure everything is in do-not-disturb mode so you won’t be woken up by pings, chimes, and suddenly bright screens. 

Drinking Alcohol at Night
Drinking before bed may help you doze off faster, but can lead to low quality sleep later in the night, and cause you to wake up more often. The neurochemical effects of alcohol prevent your brain from transitioning into the deeper, more restorative stages of sleep. 

And because alcohol relaxes the muscles of your throat, drinking also makes you more prone to snoring and sleep apnea. Lastly, you’re more likely to wake up because you need to use the bathroom. 

If you drink at night and wake up tired, aim to have your last drink at least 2-3 hours before bed.

Eating Foods that Trigger Acid Reflux
If you struggle to fall asleep because of a burning sensation in your chest, or wake up coughing or choking with a sour taste in your mouth, it could be due to acid reflux (aka gastroesophageal reflux). Acid reflux is a digestive issue that occurs when stomach acids flow backwards into the esophagus. It’s one of the leading causes of disturbed sleep among people ages 45 to 64.  

The main causes of acid reflux include increased pressure on your abdomen due to excess weight, certain medications (talk to your primary care provider, PCP, about whether something you’re taking could be contributing to acid reflux), and smoking or inhaling secondhand smoke. 

If you experience acid reflux, you may be able to control it by: 

• Avoiding greasy and/or spicy foods, as well as alcohol, coffee, peppermint, and tomatoes/tomato products
• Eating smaller meals
• Finish eating 2 - 3 hours before bedtime
• Staying upright 3 hours after a meal
• Wearing clothes that are loose around the waist
• Raising the head of your bed by 6-8 inches (by putting blocks under the bedposts)
• Losing weight 
• Quitting smoking/avoiding secondhand smoke
• Taking over-the-counter medication to reduce stomach acid

Consuming Caffeine Late in the Day
You know caffeine makes you more alert and less sleepy, but you may not realize that the chemical stays in your system for up to 6-8 hours after you consume it. That means having a cup of coffee or a caffeinated soda later in the day could be keeping you awake at night. 

Note that different people can be more or less sensitive to caffeine (and caffeine sensitivity can increase as you get older). So if you struggle to fall asleep and can’t pinpoint a reason, it’s worth reducing or cutting out caffeine to see if it helps. 

Taking Certain Medications
Many medications can disrupt sleep. If you’re not resting well at night, ask your PCP if anything you’re taking (whether prescription or over-the-counter meds) could be keeping you up or interfering with your normal sleep cycles. 

Even if you think a medication is making it harder for you to sleep, do not alter or skip doses without talking to your PCP. 

Being Stressed, Anxious, or Depressed
If you have chronic stress, anxiety, or depression, you may find it more difficult to fall asleep. Even when you do drift off, you may sleep lightly, missing out on the benefits of more restorative phases of sleep. (If you’re on antidepressants and aren’t sleeping well, talk to your PCP about whether the medication could be affecting your sleep.) 

A relaxing bedtime ritual may help you counteract stress before bed. 

Smoking Before Bed
There are many health-related reasons to quit smoking. Add getting a better night’s rest to that list. Nicotine is a stimulant, so smoking within one or two hours of bedtime is likely to keep you up. 

Nicotine has also been shown to disrupt normal sleep and contribute to sleep apnea, leading to chronic sleep deprivation. Heavy smokers may also wake up too early due to nicotine withdrawal. 

A Bright, Noisy, or Overly Warm Bedroom
To facilitate sleep, your bedroom should be like a cave — dark, cool, and quiet. Next time you turn off the lights in your bedroom, consider how dark it really is. Many electronics have small, bright lights that you can’t turn off. Consider covering them with thick, black paper or electrical tape to achieve a darker room. 

If you live in a noisy building or neighborhood, get a good set of earplugs or use a white noise machine, fan, air-purifier, or soft, instrumental music to drown out other sounds.

To allow your body temperature to drop at night (a natural sleep precursor), keep the thermostat at a comfortable temperature and wear light, breathable pajamas.