What Is Keeping You Awake At Night?

Whilst we all yearn for the perfect night’s sleep, sometimes it's just not that easy. We may be suffering from physical ailments or mental worries that prevent us from getting the magic zzzzzzz's we so desperately need. Once we wake up, it can prove difficult to get back to sleep again. Below are a selection of the most common issues preventing a good night's sleep.

Headaches

A common cause of night time headaches are ‘alarm-clock’ headaches. These normally occur at the same time every night and mainly affect the over-50s. The main reason they occur at night is through a lack of water during the day. Dehydrated tissue surrounding the brain swells during the night, which places pressure on the brain and thus creates an ‘alarm-clock’ headache. Remedy: stay hydrated.

Back Pain

Waking up due to back pain is very, very commonplace, and a huge proportion of the blame can often be placed on one's mattress. Sleeping with too many pillows can lead to neck pain and increased pressure on your lower back. The firmness and support of your mattress is also crucial. That a mattress must be firm to be good for the back is an old wife's tale. What you really want is a mattress that gives each part of your body the comforting support it needs. A soft acceptance, underpinned with steady, constant support.

The Dormeo memory foam mattress range offers a variety of innovative solutions, but one thread running through it all is that each mattress provides unique levels of support, flexibility and resistance across the body to help you gain the perfect night’s sleep. We spend an average of 2,555 hours a year in bed, so a good quality mattress can literally be a life-changing investment if you suffer from back pain.

Constantly Waking Up During the Night

A simple fact of live is that the older we get, the lighter our sleep becomes. It becomes easier to be disturbed by external factors such as noise and heat. We recommend that your bedroom is cool during the night because heating can throw off your natural body temperature which will result in a disturbed night’s sleep. The optimum temperature for a bedroom should be between 16-18°c.

Nightmares

Nightmares can be the result of a wide range of factors. Chief among these is stress. Likewise, stress can arise from various sources, including work and relationships. To combat stress during the night, experts recommend preparing a sleep routine. Take time out of your evening to prepare for bed. This may include taking a hot drink, having a bath or preparing your clothes for the next day. It allows the mind to wind down and prepare for sleep.

Leg Cramps

Many people suffer from cramps during the night, specifically in the calfs, thigh and feet. Cramps occur due to a lack of circulation, a particular issue when lying in bed. Lying down means the leg is at the same level as the heart, so it can prove difficult for blood to circulate to our lower bodies, which is when cramps occur. Taking a warm bath and stretching before bed can reduce the risk of cramps.

Consider again your mattress. Is it an old spring one for example? How long have you had it? If parts of it are putting excess pressure on your limbs, this can reduce blood circulation and cause your legs to cramp or feel "dead". Good quality memory foam can really help you here. Have a look at our award-winning Octaspring range for the very best you can get.

Do you have any other issues preventing you from sleeping? Tweet us or Facebook us and we’ll try to find an answer!