Why can't I sleep? Most common sleep disorders

Sleeping well is one of the pillars to enjoy good health. As essential as eating, drinking or moving. However, 40% of the world's population suffers from sleep disorders on a regular basis. Yes, yes, you see, it doesn't just happen to you. The question is: Why? From daily stress to unhealthy lifestyle habits, there are numerous factors that can contribute to sleep disorders in modern society.

• Factors that affect the quality of our sleep
• Main types of sleep disorders
• What can aggravate these sleep problems?
• How much should we really sleep?
• Tips to fall asleep better
• Products from the Dream category of Ana María Lajusticia®️

Factors that affect the quality of our sleep

• Gender: due to hormonal issues, women tend to have more difficulties sleeping well than men.
• Age: the sleep needs of adults remain more or less constant until they reach old age, a stage of life in which the average nightly sleep is six hours and its depth and continuity can be affected, experiencing more awakenings during the course of the night.
• Not following a routine due to shift changes at work, vacations or trips to countries in another time zone can affect the synthesis of natural melatonin, our usual sleep rhythm and promote insomnia.
• Acute or chronic diseases that are directly related to a worse night's rest, whose symptoms usually worsen at night (for example, pain, incontinence or difficulties breathing correctly).
• A high level of daily activity: not only due to carrying out various tasks in a few hours, but especially due to specific stressors that cause a high level of activation during the day and usually limit the time available for sleeping, in addition to being closely related to the repetitive thoughts and insomnia. This can also end up leading to or worsening mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Main types of sleep disorders

• Insomnia: difficulty initiating and staying asleep, or feeling like you are not getting a restful night's sleep. During the day, symptoms derived from this poor rest occur: irritability, tiredness, fatigue, yawn after yawn, problems with concentration, memory, etc.
• Restless legs syndrome: a nocturnal sensation of tingling, pain and discomfort that improves with movement, causing an urgent need to move the legs and impairing rest.
• Sleep apnea: nocturnal snoring interspersed by breathing pauses (called obstructive apneas) that can be long-lasting, since an obstruction of the pharynx occurs that hinders the passage of air.
• Narcolepsy: Chronic disorder that causes periods of extreme daytime sleepiness, leading to brief, sudden episodes of deep sleep.
• Sleepwalking: occurs when people walk or do an activity while they are asleep.
• Night terrors: episodes of terror characterized by screaming and agitation, which cause the individual to panic and inability to regain consciousness.
• Sleep paralysis: condition in which the person cannot move or speak, despite being aware of what is happening. It happens punctually, at the moment of falling asleep or when waking up.

What can aggravate these sleep problems?

There are other aspects that can further harm the quality and quantity of sleep. They are so present in our daily lives that it is essential to identify them to try to control them and improve how we sleep:

• On the one hand, sedentary lifestyle. A life without physical activity implies less energy expenditure and greater ease in accumulating tension and stress. Try to go for a walk, swim, dance or do an exercise that you like and that suits your abilities (if it is vigorous, do it in the morning and not in the evening).
• Daily and safe sun exposure is essential to keep the internal clock regulated, that is, there is the minimum mismatch between the sleep and wake phases (the so-called circadian cycles). Avoid blue or bright lights at the end of the day (mobile phone, tablets, computer, television, etc.), as they excite and greatly hinder relaxation and deep sleep (unlike red light). Furthermore, answering emails or messages before going to sleep can cause us to dwell on issues that prevent us from resting.
• Alcohol, tobacco, coffee, some soft drinks and abundant, greasy or spicy foods disturb sleep, since they stimulate and slow down digestion. Try to have dinner 2-3 hours before going to sleep and prepare a balanced recipe, based on raw or cooked vegetables, quality proteins and, optionally, a fruit or a small portion of whole wheat flour.

How much should we really sleep?

The number of hours that the human body needs to rest and for hormonal regulation, cellular repair and memory consolidation will depend on the stage of life and may vary slightly between people. Generally, an adult needs to sleep between 7 and 9 hours a day, continuously and deeply. Otherwise, you will most likely not get a restful rest and experience daytime fatigue, discomfort and poor performance.

Tips to fall asleep better

Below, we provide you with a series of sleep hygiene guidelines to help you combat inappropriate habits: 

• Get into the habit of always going to bed and getting up at the same time, even on weekends. Routines help adjust the biological clock naturally.
• Practice a relaxing routine before going to sleep, as a barrier that separates the hours of activity from the hours of sleep. A relaxing bath, a warm infusion, reading, listening to soft music, applying your facial routine or meditating are excellent options.
• Avoid naps, they can worsen the problem. It's normal to feel like taking a nap if you didn't get enough sleep the night before, but that will make it more difficult to fall asleep that night. Try to do it punctually and for as little time as possible (15-20 minutes).
• Take care of your diet and lead an active life, that is, daily tasks, hobbies and weekly sports take up most of your time.
• Condition your bedroom so that it is cool (16-20ºC), minimally noisy and quite dark. It must also be comfortable in terms of the comfort of the mattress and pillow, the softness of the sheets and the cleanliness of the room.
• Leave aside nervousness or worries with techniques such as Jacobson relaxation or guided breathing, in which you become aware of your inhalations and exhalations while visualizing a journey through a landscape that is most pleasant for you. Sleep meditation is another very useful option.
• Go to bed only when you are sleepy, without staying awake in bed for more than 15 or 20 minutes. When that time passes, go to another room and try to do some relaxing activity or write down on paper the feelings and thoughts that prevent you from falling asleep; then go back to bed and try again.
• And, if you need it, at this link you can discover more solutions to stop waking up exhausted.

Products from the Good Sleep category of Ana María Lajusticia®️

If you need additional help to improve the quality of your sleep and the hours you sleep, we recommend trying the products from the Sleep category by Ana María Lajusticia®️. Two very complete options from which you can choose, depending on your case:

• Tryptophan with Melatonin, Magnesium and Vitamin B6: thanks to the melatonin boost you will be able to readjust your internal clock and, together with the rest of the ingredients, this supplement will help you fall asleep more easily.
• Tryptophan with Gaba + Passionflower and Magnesium: to help you avoid annoying nighttime awakenings we have Tryptophan with Gaba + Passionflower and Magnesium, a supplement that provides both the relaxation necessary to fall asleep, as well as a sedative effect that lengthens sleep and makes it be of quality.