Lifestyle Factors
Your job, your age, and other lifestyle factors can all have an affect on your body's
circadian rhythms and thus your ability to get to sleep and stay asleep. Here are some factors that can cause you to have trouble sleeping:
Jet lag
Whether you are traveling for work or for pleasure, if you have taken long flights
through different time zones, you have probably experienced
jet lag.
You may not think that jet lag is a medical condition but, in fact,
it is recognized as one of the 84 known or suspected sleep disorders and affects
millions of people each year.
Jet lag causes the body's internal clock to fall
"out of sync" with the local time. When crossing time zones, our bodies want to
stay on their regular schedules and may take several days to adjust. That can mean
you may feel like sleeping during the day and have trouble sleeping at night.
In general, the more time zones crossed, the more severe the effects of jet lag
can be. It is not surprising that people who are flying east usually have a hard
time getting to sleep, and people flying west find themselves waking up early. They
are just reacting to their normal body and sleep rhythms.
People of all ages get jet lag, but those over the age of 50 are more likely to
develop jet lag than those under 30. If one is already sleepy before traveling,
it is likely that jet lag will be worse.
If you are planning on traveling through different time zones, here are some preventative
steps you can take:
- Try to get extra sleep in the week or so before a long flight
- A few days before leaving for your trip, try to shift your eating and sleeping times
closer to those appropriate for your destination
- Stay hydrated during your flight
- Avoid excessive alcohol.
- Eat right—carbohydrates to sleep, protein to stay alert
- Set your watch to your destination's time zone
- If it's daytime when you arrive, don't sleep
- If possible, exercise during your trip
- After you arrive, try to go out and get some sun
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Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant and while it will not replace sleep, it can help people
feel more awake by blocking sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain and increasing
adrenaline production. A person can feel the effects of caffeine in as little as
15 minutes from ingesting it, but it can take up to six hours for just one half
of that caffeine consumed to be eliminated. There is no need for caffeine from a
nutritional point of view, but moderate use is not known to cause health problems.
Drinking six or more 8 oz. cups of coffee a day is considered excessive. If you
are having problems sleeping, cut down on your consumption of coffee, tea, and other
beverages that contain caffeine .
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Alcohol
Unlike caffeine, many people think of alcohol as something that helps them sleep.
However, while alcohol may help some people fall asleep, it can actually cause you
to wake up during the night. Whether it is wine, beer, or liquor, if you are having
trouble sleeping, alcohol may be the cause.
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Food and fluids
Things you eat can affect how you sleep. For example, spicy foods and tomato-based
dishes can cause heartburn. Heartburn gets worse when you are lying down, making
falling asleep difficult, and can cause discomfort during the night. Eating too
much of any food, eating a large meal right before bedtime, or going to bed hungry
can all make sleep difficult.
It is also a good idea to limit the amount of all fluids you drink near bedtime.
Not only can drinking too much of anything make you feel bloated, it can cause you
to wake up to use the bathroom.
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Tobacco
Like caffeine, nicotine is a stimulant. Believe it or not, smokers can experience nicotine withdrawal
over the course of the night. In fact, research has linked difficulties with falling asleep and staying
asleep, as well as problems waking up, to nicotine. It is also possible that smokers may have more
nightmares
than nonsmokers. Of course, giving up smoking may cause you sleep problems when you first try to stop,
but it should help you sleep in the long-term.
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Exercise
Exercise can promote good sleep, as long as it is not undertaken too close to bedtime.
It is advised that you finish exercise at least three hours before bedtime. If you
don't exercise regularly and you are having trouble sleeping, add some kind of physical
activity to your routine, even if it is just taking a walk or a bike ride. Be sure
to check with your doctor before beginning a new exercise routine.
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Aging
As you age, sleep patterns often change, and your sleep may become lighter and less
restful than it was when you were younger. Sleeping more lightly can mean you will
wake up more easily during the night. In addition, your
internal clock
may be causing you to get tired earlier and wake up earlier than you may want.
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Work
Your body's circadian rhythms
can easily be affected if you often work late, early, long, or regularly change shifts. Being tired or
sleepy at work can cause many problems including accidents, injuries, and even death.
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Next: Sleep Environment