Nothing ruins your day quite like a bad night’s sleep; your brain gets fuzzier, your mood becomes a little more irritable and even dragging yourself off the sofa can be a hassle. However, sleep problems are not just a regular little annoyance; they’re a real wellness problem, often with a physical health concern lying underneath. Luckily, a physical problem means that there’s a physical solution, so how can you protect your wellbeing against the dreaded bad night’s sleep?
1. When you keep waking up in the middle of the night…
Waking up in the middle of the night is more and more of an issue as you age, and it prevents you from getting that deep, restful REM sleep you need to look young and fresh, and just function on a basic level! The most important thing to do is relax and not freak yourself out about not getting enough sleep, as worrying about it will make it harder to get back to sleep. There are simple steps you can take to ensure you get back to sleep:
- Keep the room dark, even when you wake up. Use a small torch or book light to navigate your way around if you need to, but never turn a light on – even in the bathroom.
- Don’t turn on your TV or computer when you wake, as even a minute of light from the screen will “reset” your internal clock, stimulate your central nervous system and make it harder for you to fall back asleep.
- Avoid eating as this can rev up your digestive system and keep you awake. However, if hunger woke you up in the first place, you might need a snack to nod off again.
- Keep a pen and paper next to your bed, and write down all the worries and to-do lists that are racing through your mind.
2. When you wake up with a headache or sore jaw…
You might be grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw while you sleep, which is a common sleep disorder called bruxism. You should consult your dentist, who can check for damage to your teeth and suggest ways to prevent this damage in future. This will often include lifestyle changes, such as cutting out chewing gum and alcohol before bed, or wearing a dental guard or splint at night. If the problem persists, you may want to consider Botox injections to your jaw muscle, or a biofeedback device called Grindcare.
3. When you constantly need to use the bathroom…
Getting up to go to the loo throughout the night is known as nocturia, which, according to the National Sleep Foundation, causes 65% of older adults to experience sleep deprivation. The first thing to do is look at how often you wake up, and why. If you’re a man, your prostate may be to blame so it’s a good idea to get checked out. If you’re a woman, go to your GP to see if you have an underlying urinary issue, such as incontinence, an overactive bladder, urinary tract infections, or cystitis. Whether you have an underlying problem or it’s just a natural part of growing older, there are things you can do to stop your bladder waking you in the night:
- Try kegel exercises to strengthen the muscles at the neck of your bladder.
- Don’t drink liquids for three hours before bedtime.
- Reduce your intake of caffeine, as this can irritate your bladder.
- At dinner or after dinner, avoid foods with high liquid content, such as soup or fruit.
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