Are you struggling to sleep at the moment? Struggling to work out why? You’re not alone. Insomnia is a big kicker for a lot of people at the moment and it’s often hard to work out the cause. Louise Mumford, author of Sleepless, is here to save the night with 10 reasons you might not be sleeping right now.
1. Are you stressed and anxious?
If thoughts keep whizzing around your head late at night perhaps try writing down a list of the things that need to be done the next day, or whatever it is that is troubling you. Obviously, that won’t solve the issues, but you will feel slightly more in control.
2. Is there too much light in your bedroom?
Try blackout curtains to keep your room as dark as possible and switch off any lights coming from gadgets and phones. Speaking of phones…
3. Are you still on your phone at midnight?
Put your phone away at least an hour before bed and don’t keep it in the bedroom. The blue light disrupts your sleep pattern, and, anyway, you don’t need to know what Tilly from Instagram is doing at 3 a.m. in the morning.
4. Do you have the wrong bedding?
Choose breathable cotton fabrics, a good pillow that is not a thousand years old and the correct tog duvet for the season. Too hot or too cold completely disrupts sleep.
5. Are you eating a heavy meal too close to bedtime?
Make sure you eat your evening meal at least three hours before bed so your body can digest it before sleep.
6. Are you drinking too much alcohol?
That glass or two of wine might make you feel sleepy, but it will disrupt your sleep later in the night and it certainly won’t help how you feel the next day. And speaking of drinking…
7. Are you drinking too much caffeine?
Try to limit your caffeine after about midday, to give your body a chance to relax. Switch to green or herbal tea, milky drinks or plain old water and remember most energy drink include caffeine too.
8. Do you stick to a bedtime routine?
Obviously, this can’t be adhered constantly, but you should at least aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time all week – this trains your body into a set sleep pattern.
9. Is noise keeping you awake?
A partner snoring, or something happening in the street outside can disrupt sleep. Aside from murdering your snoring partner in their sleep you could try the new generation of ear plugs that come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
10. Have you had some fresh air?
Getting out, even if it’s only a short walk, can help your body find its natural rhythm again. But don’t do lots of exercise right before bed; give yourself some time to unwind.
Alternatively, you could tire yourself out with a page-turner! Louise Mumford’s unputdownable psychological thriller Sleepless is out in e-book 11th December. Pre-order your copy here.
