6 SURPRISING SLEEP WRECKERS

Do you wake up in the morning feeling more tired than you did when you went to bed? If so, something is disturbing your sleep. But do you know what it is? Some reasons for sleep loss are obvious - espresso nightcaps, wailing newborns, and insensitive neighbors playing the drums. But the causes of sleep loss aren't always so clear. People often wake up in the night without realizing it. You can be awake one or two minutes at a time in the night and you won't remember it the next day. While some of these unremembered wake-ups are normal, too many will leave you chronically exhausted. Many common causes of sleep loss result in just this sort of brief, hard-to-catch awakening - making it even harder to sort out the cause. Here are six surprising causes of distrubed sleep:

1. PETS IN BED: While lots of people let their pets snuggle in bed with them for comfort, evidence suggests that animals in bed make it harder to sleep. Animals just don't have the same sleep and wake cycles that we do. If you can't bear to kick your pets out of the bedroom, which is ideal, at least set up a new spot for them on the floor.

2. ALCOHOL AND NIGHTCAPS: As a cause of slep loss, this is often a surprise to people. Doesn't drinking wine make you drowsy? The body's response to alcohol is more complicated than you might think. Alcohol affects the rhythm of sleep. It acts as a sedative at first, but then a few hours later when blood alcohol levels drop, it will wake you up again.

3. UNDIAGNOSED GERD: People who have GERD - gastroesophageal reflux disorder - often find the nights difficult. Once they are lying down, the acid can back in to the esophagus, causing heartburn and pain. If you have GERD that is interrupting your sleep, getting treated for it is important. Not only will treatment help you sleep, but it will reduce the risk of serious health problems later.

4. MEDICINE, VITAMINS, SUPPLEMENTS: Some of the most commmon causes of disturbed sleep are in your medicine cabinet, but you might not suspect them at all. Common drugs, like steroids, can keep you up at night. Despite being called "narcotics," so can opioid drugs for pain. While they relieve pain, they can also lead to sleep apnea. If you are having chronic sleep problems, go to your doctor with a list of all the medicines, vitamins, and supplements that you use. Ask if any of them could be causing your sleep problems.

5. PAIN - EVEN MILD PAIN: Just about any painful condition can cause disrupted sleep. Headaches, back pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and menstrual pain are all common causes. Pain signals sent out by your body can fragment your sleep, reducing the amount of time you spend in deep, restorative sleep. You might not wake up, but your sleep will be less restful.

6. BEING EXHAUSTED - AS OPPOSED TO SLEEPY: Contrary to what people think, being exhausted doesn't necessarily make people sleep better. There's actually a big difference between being exhausted and being sleepy. Regardless of how worn out you feel, always take some time to unwind. It could save you lots of tossing and turning late.

There are plenty of other causes of disturbed sleep. The important thing is to take action. If you're having trouble sorting out what could be causing your disrupted sleep, ask your doctor or schedule an appointment at a sleep clinic.

source: www.webmd.com