If the average night’s sleep is eight hours, people sleep for one-third of their life. However, it seems that sleeping is becoming more and more difficult because of the great number of distractions that keep us from getting asleep.
Good quality sleep and overall well-being greatly depend on the way we sleep and what we do before bedtime. Sleep provides many health benefits. It fuels the body with the needed energy and improves our mood. But, if you do not get the recommended 8 hours of sleep you may face some problems.
So, when you experience some of the following sleep problems, here’s what the science recommends:
Shoulder Pain
If you are a side-sleeper, and you wake up with a sore shoulder, make sure you do not sleep on your side. Also, you should not sleep on your stomach because it can cause misalignment of both of the shoulders.
If the pain is only on one shoulder, avoid sleeping on that particular side. Pull your legs toward your chest or place a pillow between the knees. Make sure you do not sleep with your hand under your head because this puts the shoulder in an unnatural position.
It is recommended to sleep on your back and put one orthopedic pillow under your head and the other on your stomach to hug it. In this way, your shoulders will be in a stable and correct position.
Back Pain
For back pain, it is very important to maintain the normal curves of the spine. You should choose a mattress that is not overly hard or overly soft.
If you sleep on your back, you should place a pillow under your knees to reduce the tension in your tendons and restore the natural spinal curves. You can also roll some towels and place them under your lower back for some additional support.
If you prefer sleeping on the stomach, place a pillow right under your pelvis, and lower abdomen so that your back won’t move forward.
If you are a side-sleeper, make sure you sleep in a fetal position. Pull your legs toward your chest and arch your back in a natural position. You can place a small pillow between your knees in order to reduce the load on your lower back.
Neck Pain
Similar to your back, your neck should be supported during sleeping because you may experience some neck pain.
For this problem, it is best to sleep with a pillow under your head and each of your arms. Also, you should pay attention when choosing the right pillow. Choose the roll or orthopedic pillows.
If you are a side sleeper, choose a pillow that is not too high, nor it should be thicker than 6 inches. The height of the pillow should correspond to the width of your shoulder.
If you sleep on your stomach, choose the thinnest pillow if possible. However, make sure you avoid sleeping in this position all night long because it can strain your neck.
Difficulty Falling Asleep
Avoid using your phone and computer before going to bed. These gadgets affect your sleep and decrease the amount of time you spend in deep sleep. Also, avoid consuming alcohol, coffee, soda, energy drinks, chocolate, and black tea at least 6 hours before sleeping.
By some morning and afternoon exercise, you can not only tone your body, and improve blood circulation but also fall asleep easily.
Difficulty Staying Asleep
If you wake up a few times during the night, avoid using your gadgets and Insider. Alcohol alters the water balance in the body and decreases the amount of time you spend in deep sleep.
Also, make sure your room temperature is set between 20-22 ̊C.
Difficulty Waking Up
One of the most common sleeping problems but it has a very simple solution. You just have to set one alarm for the same time every day. Also, get up as soon as you hear the alarm.
Snoring
If you snore while sleeping, make sure you do not sleep on the back. Snoring occurs because the throat tissues sag and the tongue falls back into the throat thus narrowing the airway.
For this purpose, pay attention to the pillow you choose. Soft pillows can just make the snoring worse because your head tilts backward. In this case, elevate your head by using some extra pillow.
If you are a side-sleeper, you will place your head in a natural position and thus enable proper airflow.
Do some special exercises for the throat and tongue muscles in order to reduce snoring.
Leg Cramps
These are tightening or Insider of the muscles in the feet, calf, and thighs. This is one common problem that most people experience. If you experience some leg cramps during sleeping, this may be connected to some disease, lack of trace elements, or nerve damage. If it happens more often, consult your doctor.
You can try stretching and strengthening the calf muscle, massaging the legs, or some yoga exercises. For good results, make sure you exercise on a regular basis.
Other Sleeping Disorders
Apart from these problems, sleep disorders can result from many other factors such as fatigue, problems with the nervous or digestive system, and even uncomfortable shoes. Therefore, consult your doctor to find out the right cause of the problem and get proper treatment.
If you experience frequent heartburn, try sleeping on your left side. In this sleeping position, the stomach content can’t come back up into the esophagus, and you will prevent heartburn.
If you have aching legs while sleeping, take some roll pillow or use the foot of your bed to lift your legs while sleeping. In this way, you will stimulate proper blood circulation, and the accumulated blood in the legs will run downward.
One more thing, massage or rub your legs and make sure you avoid caffeine 6 hours before going to bed.
Via Insider