10 Medical Reasons Why You Can’t Sleep
Everyday Wellness
If you can never summon the sandman fast enough, listen up. A medical reason might be behind your lack of rest, and once you determine it, you’ll be able to sleep longer and better.
Urniary incontinence
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“While urinary incontinence does affect women more often than men, millions of both men and women deal with some type of bladder control issue at some point in their lives and many suffer from symptoms that significantly impact their quality of sleep,” says Adam Ramin, MD, urologic surgeon and medical director of Urology Cancer Specialists in Los Angeles. “And the truth is, if you suffer from urinary incontinence, it doesn’t have to be a condition that puts you in adult diapers for the rest of your life or prevent you from ever having a good night’s sleep again.” Dr. Ramin says diet and lifestyle changes can help with bladder control, including reducing your intake of caffeine. “Caffeine stimulates bladder function and is also considered a diuretic,” Dr. Ramin continues. “Though it can be much easier said than done, limiting or eliminating caffeine altogether has been known to be successful in diminishing and resolving issues of urinary incontinence.”
Migraines
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“As many sufferers know, it’s tough to stop that runaway migraine train once it gets moving, let alone try to get a good night’s sleep,” says Vernon Williams, MD, neurologist and director of the Kerlan-Jobe Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles. But if you can’t sleep, staying up might just make it worse. “Not getting enough sleep, and sometimes getting too much, can trigger a migraine,” he adds. Dr. Williams suggests staying hydrated, eating a balanced and nutritious diet, and staying active to help reduce the onset of migraines.
Magnesium deficiency
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“Numerous studies have shown magnesium’s effectiveness in boosting mood, lowering anxiety, and reducing stress levels as well as helping with deeper more restful sleep,” says Carolyn Dean, MD, a general practitioner based in Kihei, Hawaii and a medical advisory board member with the Nutritional Magnesium Association. Most Americans aren’t getting enough magnesium, so it could be one of the reasons why you can’t sleep. “Magnesium deficiency causes muscle tension, nerve irritability, adrenal surges, decreased production of serotonin, and muscle cramps. All of these symptoms and conditions interfere with sleep,” she says, calling magnesium a safe and important treatment for insomnia. However, not all forms of magnesium are easily absorbed by the body. “Magnesium citrate powder is a highly absorbable form that can be mixed with hot or cold water and sipped at work or at home throughout the day,” she says. Here are 13 more strange things you didn’t know were wrecking your sleep.
Circadian rhythm delay
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Everything from alertness to body temperature fluctuates based on where our bodies in our 24-hour biological clock called circadian rhythm, explains Michael Howell, MD, CEO of Sleep Performance Institute in Edina, Minnesota. “Our circadian rhythms are primarily determined by when we are exposed to light, and our modern culture’s affinity to light in the evening (computer, tablet, television, and phone screens) activates a cell layer in our retina sending a signal that delays our circadian rhythm. That means that it could be 10 p.m., but the brain will think the sun is still out, so it won’t be ready to fall asleep—no matter how tired you actually are.” Another problem could be a circadian rhythm delay, which is probably what’s happening when the alarm clock goes off, but you’re not ready to wake up yet. “If you have trouble falling asleep at night but can sleep in easily in the morning, you probably have a delay in your circadian rhythm. This problem is solved with bright light (sunlight or a 10,000 lux light box used first thing in the morning) along with low dose (0.5mg) of melatonin about three to four hours before bedtime.”
Source: https://www.rd.com/health/wellness/cant-sleep/
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