Other causes of Poor Sleep.

Other Common Causes of Poor Sleep

Stress is one of the major causes of disturbed sleep, but there are many other causes.  Colds or allergies which make it hard to breathe or cause post-nasal drip can interfere with our ability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or spend sufficient time in REM.  Light from the sun or from electronic devices; street noise or noise from within the home (televisions, pets, family members, alarm clocks); carrying too much weight; body aches and pains; exercising too close to bedtime; watching too much television or using the computer too close to bedtime; eating too close to bedtime; having a mattress or pillow which is not comfortable to your body, drinking alcohol or caffeinated beverages within a few hours of bedtime–all of these things can cause sleep disturbance.  If you have any of the following five issues more than twice per month you are suffering from clinically significant sleep disturbance: 


1) Difficulty falling asleep.

2) Difficulty staying asleep all the way through the night.

3) Busy, frightening, frustrating, or otherwise stressful dreams.  

4) Waking up tired and unrefreshed in the morning.  

5) Excessive snoring, gasping for air, or grinding of teeth.