Do you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep? #MeToo. But a lot of are in the same boat as new research finds60% of American adultsdeal with sleep problems nearly every night (including waking up in the middle of the night). This can happen for several reasons, but sleep experts say nightly wakeups have a lot to do with stress, hormones and bedroom conditions.
Functional medicine doctor Wendie Trubow explains levels of the stress hormone cortisol can have a big impact. Too much cortisol can wake you up in the middle of the night and hormonal imbalances can throw off your sleep, progesterone, in particular. She says stress and anxiety can also be to blame for unwelcome wakeups, as well as wonky levels of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. And sleep researcher Dr. Rebecca Robbins adds that sleeping in warmer rooms – 70-degrees or warmer – can also lead to fitful sleep.
But the real question is what do we need to do to fix it so we can sleep through the night? These experts suggest starting with the easy stuff first.
- Limit water intake before bed so you don’t need to wake up and go to the bathroom.
- Avoid blue light from screens a couple hours before you hit the hay.
- Find a relaxing bedtime routine that doesn’t involve doomscrolling through your phone.
- Keep your bedroom temperature cool.
And if those don’t help you stay asleep all night, Trubow says you may want to try a magnesium supplement. "Magnesium is a relaxant," she explains, "and can relax muscles, assist with anxiety, improve sleep, and support the adrenals by helping your body relax."
Source:Mind Body Green