Your sleep is important; you know this! You cannot just count the hours from when you fell asleep to when your alarm went off as the time you got your needed rest. What your body needs is to enter both Deep Sleep and REM, not just any sleep. If you’re waking up too often, you aren’t getting what your body requires. For many people, waking up frequently throughout the night negatively impacts their ability to go through their regular sleep cycle.
If this is you, you are no doubt frustrated by it. That doesn’t mean you need to continue to miss out on the sleep your body and mind needs to be healthy! Let’s look at some of the most commonly-cited reasons for waking up in the middle of the night, as well as how you can eliminate them from your life:
#1 You’re too warm
Restlessness and an endless night of tossing and turning is many times the result of being too hot. Ideally, your room should be dark, comfortably cool, and quiet when you sleep. Scientists and researchers have said that the ideal temperature for falling asleep is in the mid- 60 degrees, anywhere between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. You should find the temperature that works best for you that is cool enough to help you fall asleep without waking up a few hours later freezing, while also not being so warm as to cause you to wake up from sweating. Use bedding and linens that are seasonally appropriate. Also, opt for more breathable fibers, like cotton or linen, instead of synthetics, like polyester, when choosing pajamas.
Of course, your mattress matters for temperature regulation as well. With the vast selection of brands that City Mattress carries, there are many different options for temperature regulation. Within our PranaSleep Collection, we offer more natural and breathable temperature management options.
#2 You or your partner is snoring
Many times, snoring is a symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. While it is relatively normal, about 45% of adults snore at least sometimes, it can still be quite disruptive. Making the switch to an adjustable bed can do the trick! In fact, reducing snoring and other symptoms associated with Sleep Apnea are just a few of the health and lifestyle benefits of sleeping on an adjustable bed. The best way to relieve snoring is to sleep upright. You may have tried sleeping on multiple pillows to get this effect, but you don’t have to. An adjustable bed can reduce or eliminate snoring by making upright sleep possible, enlarging the airway chamber and reducing the friction that leads to snoring.
#3 Your mattress is old, uncomfortable, or low quality
“Cheap” mattresses are exactly that- cheap. Paying less often means you’ll end up with a product of lesser quality, and quality often dictates lifespan. Maybe your mattress has simply seen better days. Perhaps your mattress isn’t low quality or old, it simply is not the right one for your sleep needs. It could be too soft, too firm, too small, or too warm. A new, better mattress can deliver you the relief and the sleep that you have been craving, improving your quality of life and once again proving that you can’t put a price on the restorative rest your body needs.
#4 You need to use the bathroom
If you find yourself waking up to urinate, you certainly are not alone. Nearly half of Americans wake up at least once every night to use the bathroom. Typically, the amount of urine that the body produces decreases at night, allowing most people to sleep for six to eight consecutive hours without waking up to use the bathroom. You should curb your intake of fluids a couple of hours before bedtime in order to avoid a middle-of-the-night run to the facilities. While it’s normal for this to happen occasionally, such as after a late dinner, if this becomes frequent, it could be a symptom that your body has reduced its capacity for holding urine, a problem that's technically called "nocturia." If you’re going more than once in the middle of the night, it isn’t normal and you should see your physician.
#5 You drank alcohol before trying to sleep
Alcohol can make it easy to drift off, but it also has a tendency to cause “fitful sleep.” This is because alcohol can play around with your sleep stages in unhealthy ways. For instance, it seems as though alcohol is associated with more spending more time Stage 1 sleep than usual, which means you’re only lightly sleeping and can be easily woken up. Of course, drinking too much alcohol right before bed will make you need to wake up to use the bathroom, so it’s responsible for a doubly-bad night!
To sum it up, there are several possible reasons you are waking up at night. Some are pretty easy to change on your own, others need a little professional help. Come into your nearest City Mattress and speak to a Sleep Expert about your troubles. We’d love to help! We’ll have you lay on and try out several different mattresses, based on what you tell us. You can also experience an adjustable bed for yourself, and see the potential. Very soon, maybe even tomorrow night, you’ll be sleeping soundly through the entire eight hours!