I Can't Sleep!When was the last time you complained that "I can't sleep!"? Last week? Yesterday? Today? Or all of the above?
I'm willing to bet that in the last month, most of us have spent at least the occasional night, lying in bed wondering why on earth we can't sleep! Of course, occasional sleepless nights happen to all of us, but how do we know when our sleeplessness is more than just a result of life's daily stresses and strains, or our ever-increasing coffee consumption? The biggest clue to that, is whether or not your sleep deprivation could be considered chronic. Why can't I sleep?If you over-indulged in that spicy chili at dinner time, or had an extra shot of espresso in your last cup of coffee, the resulting sleepless night is likely to be considered Transient sleep loss.A bad cold, or pain from an injury can also cause this kind of sleep-related problem. Anything from one night to up to 4 weeks of sleep deprivation generally falls into the 'Transient' category.
If you've recently lost your job, or a loved one or are in the middle of some major life-changing situation, you may be spending most nights staring at the ceiling or pacing the floor. Sleep loss of this kind, that lasts anywhere from 4 weeks to 6 months, can be considered Intermittent. However, if your sleep disturbances don't seem to relate directly to any physical or emotional stresses or events, and you find you simply cant sleep at least 3 nights a weeks for a period of more than 6 months, your sleep problems could be considered Chronic (long-term)
Causes of poor sleepThere are many things that can cause transient or intermittent sleep loss. Some of them are very common, even obvious, others are less apparent.Here are a few of the most frequent reasons for that "I can't sleep!" feeling
Although most of the above sleep disruptors result in only a transient or intermittent loss of sleep, if you don't make an effort to change things you can find that your sleep problems become a regular occurrence. Or maybe you've stopped drinking 7 cokes a day or watching the late night news in bed, but you still can't sleep. In both these situations you need to ask yourself whether you could be suffering from a chronic sleep disorder. If you feel permanently exhausted, have no energy and are too tired or weak to keep up with your daily life, you could have an underlying health condition that's causing the problem. If you're constantly asking yourself "Why am I always tired?", check out my Causes Of Extreme Fatigue page for more on this.
The bottom line...Whether your simply can't sleep on the occasional restless night, or struggle with sleep loss on a daily basis, this problem can have serious consequences, both physically and mentally.The importance of sleep is huge (and often underestimated) and you may well be surprised at just how extensively sleep deprivation can affect your quality of life! If you'd like to know more about what's preventing you from getting a good nights' sleep, click here to download your FREE sleep report.... 'Sleep Report: The Worst Mistakes Most Insomniacs Make'. Luckily there are lots of things that you can do to improve your sleep situation. Start by checking out the page and article links at the bottom of this page, or use the search box below to get more information on sleep problems. This quick Insomnia Quiz can give you some clues too! And don't forget to check out the pages listed on the Navigation Bar towards the top-left of this page, under the heading 'SLEEP HELP'. Getting a better nights' sleep is a priority, and my site can help you with that :o) Page/Article Links:
Sleep ComfortSleep Disorders Causes of Extreme Fatigue Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms Physical Effects of Stress Ten Technique for Relaxation Insomnia Tips Natural Cures For Insomnia Insomnia Medications Effects Of Aromatherapy Return from I Can't Sleep to Homepage
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