Poor Sleep: Analyzing Its Causes and Consequences

Have you ever felt like you haven't slept at all after waking up from several hours of sleep? Have you repeatedly said , "I'm sleeping, but I'm not resting" ? If so, it could indicate that you're experiencing some sleep disorders.

There's a famous saying that sleep is for the weak , and as bold as it may seem, it's a statement that contains some lies. Indeed, good sleep makes us stronger, healthier, gives us energy for daily activities, and improves our mood by a significant percentage. It also prevents many diseases.

There are many solutions to this problem, and it's a matter of finding the one that best suits our needs. Remember that not sleeping effectively , no matter how many hours we sleep, could be due to numerous causes, and we'll explain most of them in this article.

Symptoms of not sleeping well 

If you don't rest properly, your body will send some warning signs that you should pay attention to. One of them is waking up with pain that wasn't there when you went to bed, such as in your neck, back, limbs, and migraines.

You may also continue to feel tired and sleepy even after sleeping several hours at night, and have an overwhelming need to sleep during the day to regain energy. You may even nod off in the air during moments of maximum work concentration, overcome by sleep.

You may wake up several times during the night, every time you turn over or at the slightest noise because you're a light sleeper. Your mood will also be affected, and you'll be more irritable, inclined to do nothing, not even the simplest things that require minimal effort.

Possible Causes: Why can't I sleep well?

It's important not to confuse difficulty sleeping with insomnia . While they are two sleep disorders, they have completely different symptoms and causes, requiring different treatments. One is related to poor rest , and the other to the inability to fall asleep .

If you've repeatedly asked yourself , "Why can't I sleep well?" we'll try to give you some possible causes that tend to be the most common and the ones that most people consult with doctors and sleep specialists about.

• Excessive consumption of coffee, caffeinated beverages, or alcohol
• High tobacco consumption
• Using your cell phone before going to sleep
• Try to do it with inadequate lighting, as we mentioned in our article on lights, in relation to sleep quality.
• Sleeping with sounds and noises, such as music and/or the TV on
• Sleeping with bad posture
• Using an uncomfortable pillow, an inadequate mattress, or a bed that is not for our size
• Having an irregular sleep schedule
• Do not do any type of physical activity
• An unbalanced diet
• Overstimulation of the senses
• Stress, emotional problems, worries
• Obesity
• Sleep apnea or breathing disorders
• Chronic pain
• Muscle contracture, neck pain
• Diseases not yet diagnosed
• Pre-existing illnesses
• Nightmares
• Restless legs syndrome
• Bruxism
• Cramps
• Flatulence, bloating, intestinal bloating
• Constipation

Consequences of not sleeping well

Failure to improve our sleep hygiene when the first signs of poor rest appear can have very detrimental risks to our health, both in the short, medium, and long term.

According to the World Health Organization, sleep disorders are already a global epidemic, and sleep must be increasingly recognized and implicated in public health, as adequate rest is truly important for the well-being of the population.

Sleep professionals around the world affirm that sleep is a biological necessity of the body. It helps maintain balance between physical and mental functions. Lack of adequate rest can cause:

• Memory problems, reasoning lapses, or an increased risk of accidents.
• Gastrointestinal disorders and upper abdominal pain.
• Obesity and diabetes . Inadequate sleep increases the production of the hormone ghrelin, which increases appetite.
• Neurodegenerative disorders . According to statistics from the Spanish Sleep Society (SES), poor sleep quality could be a trigger for serious neurological disorders such as dementia, Parkinson's, or Alzheimer's.
• Behavioral changes and depression.
• Cardiac risk.

We've tried to clear up some of the questions about why you feel like you haven't gotten enough rest when you wake up and how you can improve your lifestyle. The key to change lies in identifying the reasons behind this sleep deficit, changing your habits, and treating these symptoms with the right specialist.

If you have any concerns or questions, we recommend consulting a professional who can advise you on the best method to restore good sleep based on your symptoms and needs.