Let’s face it; getting to sleep every night can be tricky, even if you’re tired and know you must wake up early the next morning! Unfortunately, tossing and turning at night is very common. Many Americans suffer from this experience whether they have been diagnosed with insomnia or not.
But even though tossing and turning is common, there’s good news – it’s also possible to solve this problem, especially if you try several strategies together. Read on to discover why you toss and turn all night and how you can finally get some good shuteye with a few smart strategies, including buying a quality, side sleeper-friendly mattress from SONU.
Why Do You Toss and Turn While Trying To Sleep?
You might toss and turn while trying to sleep for a variety of reasons. The mind has to be in an ideal state to fall asleep, and it can easily become unbalanced.
Anxiety or Stress
Of course, anxiety or stress may make it difficult to fall asleep, but also stay asleep. For example, if you are worried about the next day of work or a big test, you could find it difficult to slumber.
Family or relationship issues, stress from your hobby, or anxiety from a chronic condition may also contribute to tossing and turning until sunrise.
Overstimulation
It’s also possible to overstimulate yourself and make it difficult, if not impossible, to fall asleep. Overstimulation includes:
- Drinking caffeine too close to bedtime, usually in the afternoon
- Eating a lot of sugary foods or drinking a lot of sugary beverages
- Watching stressful or exciting TV or playing similar video games
In particular, using devices with illuminated screens can overstimulate the eyes and brain, especially if you indulge in these activities before bed.
Lack of Bedtime Preparation
Even in the best of circumstances, it can be tough to go to sleep if your bedroom and body aren't prepared for it. For example, if you try to fall asleep in a warm, well-lit room, don't be surprised if you toss and turn for hours before taking a quick nap ahead of the morning.
No or Poor Sleep Scheduling
Going to bed at a random time each night is bad for your schedule and bad for your brain. It’s very difficult for your body to become accustomed to going to sleep at a regular time if you don’t set a strict sleep schedule and if you keep your body guessing. Keeping the body guessing is useful for working out, but not for getting shut-eye!
Dietary Imbalances
You are what you eat, and your diet can significantly impact whether you toss and turn all night long. That’s because the food you eat can affect how well your brain makes melatonin: the important hormone responsible for making you feel sleepy when it’s time for slumber.
Medical Conditions
In addition to the above potential causes, you might toss and turn due to one or more underlying medical conditions. Many medical conditions can cause your sleep quality to degrade over time or prevent you from getting good sleep in the first place. Some of the most common medical conditions that can cause you to toss and turn include:
- Restless leg syndrome or RLS. Restless leg syndrome is characterized by a difficult or impossible to control the urge to move your legs, especially when you are at rest
- Sleep apnea, which occurs when your breathing is interrupted while you sleep, causing you to wake up regularly
- Insomnia, which is characterized by being unable to fall or stay asleep
Side Sleeping on a Flat Mattress
Are you a side sleeper? If so, odds are you’ve already discovered the discomfort of sleeping on a standard, flat mattress. Regular mattresses are designed for stomach or back sleepers, not side sleepers. You might simply toss and turn because you can’t get comfortable!
If you try to sleep on your side on a regular mattress, your arms and shoulders can become stressed or strained over time. Then you’ll need to constantly roll over to relieve pressure on one side of your body.
How Can I Stop Tossing and Turning at Night?
Although there are lots of reasons why you might toss and turn all night long, there are also ways you can solve this problem depending on the root cause.
Go to Bed at the Same Time
Making a sleep schedule is arguably the best way to stop tossing and turning at night. The human body and brain both love habits. If you train your brain to be ready for sleep at the same time each night, you’ll find that falling and staying asleep is easier than before.
Plus, going to bed at the same time will help you wake up on time for work or other early-morning obligations. Create a sleep schedule and stick to it to see if that solves your tossing and turning.
Clean Up Your Diet
Naturally, cleaning up your diet can do wonders for improving the quality of your sleep if your diet is behind your low sleep quality in the first place. Specifically, you should include plenty of carbs, proteins, fats, and micronutrients. A balanced diet is the best way to ensure your brain and body get what they need to make hormones like melatonin. Don’t forget to eat plenty of vitamins like vitamin D, magnesium, and tryptophan!
Prepare Your Bedroom
You can make your bedroom a more comfortable place to get some shut-eye if you prepare it for sleep beforehand. Specifically, you should:
- Turn the temperature down to about 65° or even cooler. The human body goes to sleep more easily when it is cool, as it needs to dump heat to enter a restful state
- Shut the curtains to eliminate any light remaining in the day or from outside
- Either shut the windows to make your bedroom quiet or use a white noise machine or fan to lull your brain into a state of relaxation
Above all else, make sure your bedroom is comfortable. For example, you need a comfortable mattress, pillows, and blankets to go to sleep easily and soundly.
Exercise During the Day
Getting plenty of exercise not only makes you feel good through the release of endorphins. It also burns energy and cortisol: a key stress hormone that can make it tough for you to go and stay asleep.
If you exercise for at least 30 minutes during the day, you may discover that falling asleep is much easier than you thought. Cardio exercise is usually best for burning excess energy and preparing yourself for sleep, but any type of exercise can help.
Get a New Mattress
A new mattress could be just the ticket to ensuring your sleep quality is better than ever, especially if you’re a side sleeper. Side sleepers often have to compromise with quality and comfort, but not with the SONU Sleep System.
The SONU Sleep System is a revolutionary new approach to comfortable sleeping for side sleepers. It features the proprietary SONU Comfort Channel, a gap between the bulk of the bed and the head. It’s a customizable space where side sleepers can place their arms for ultimate comfort and flexibility at night.
With the SONU Sleep System, you might find that you sleep soundly like never before. The SONU Sleep System, of course, is well-designed beyond this aspect; it comes designed with high-quality materials, such as certified and environmentally friendly foams, plus adjustable head and neck layers.
Avoid Screens Before Bed
Digital screens, like the screen on your smartphone, emit blue light. This can trick the brain into not releasing melatonin since blue light is associated with the rising sun and bright daylight. Therefore, you should avoid screens for about an hour before bed if you want to make sleep more easily achievable.
Try Meditation
Lastly, consider trying meditation for a few weeks to see if that helps you calm your mind and gather your scattered thoughts. Meditation can take a while to master, but over time, you may find that it provides mental health benefits both at night and during the day.
Summary
At the end of the day, you might toss and turn all night for various reasons. But whether you have multiple pre-existing conditions or you just feel a little stressed out or anxious, there’s always a way to calm your mind and body down and finally catch some winks.
If your tossing and turning is more of a long-term problem, it might be wise to look into a permanent solution like the SONU Sleep System. Check out the SONU Sleep System today for more information or to order your side sleeper mattress!
Sources:
Restless Legs Syndrome Fact Sheet | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
What Causes Restless Sleep? | Sleep Foundation
The Best Temperature for Sleep: Advice & Tips | Sleep Foundation.
