Identifying Invisible Sleep Stealers
November 16, 2009
More often than not, you have a pretty good idea of what is keeping you awake at night — from the cat scratching at your bedroom door to the snoring partner next to you. But not all "sleep stealers" are obvious. Here are some big sleep stealers that could be keeping you up at night and you may not know it.
- Psychological Factors
Stress is considered by most sleep experts to be the number one cause of short-term sleeping difficulties. You're not going to solve all your problems while sitting in bed at night, so give it a rest and get some rest. - Lifestyle Stressors
Without realizing it, you may be doing things during the day or night that can work against getting a good night’s sleep. These include drinking alcohol or beverages containing caffeine in the afternoon or evening, exercising close to bedtime, following an irregular morning and nighttime schedule, and working or doing other mentally intense activities right before or after getting into bed. - Medications
In addition, certain medications such as decongestants, steroids and some medicines for high blood pressure, asthma, or depression can cause sleeping difficulties as a side effect.
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