Why Can’t I Sleep?

The professionals at PM Sleep Centers have provided for you a list of possible lifestyle and medical reasons to answer the ultimate restless question, “Why can’t I sleep at night?”

Caffeine Consumption Too Late – Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 10 hours and can create a “clock watching” dynamic that can be detrimental to a good night’s rest and sleep health. Caffeine drinks are a mainstay in our culture and the earlier you drink it, the sooner it can be eliminated from your system. We recommend not consuming caffeine after 2 pm assuming you are planning to fall sleep by 10 pm.

Alcohol Consumption – While alcohol does reduce the time it takes to fall asleep in some people (sleep latency), it requires the brain to oversee the breakdown of the alcohol and sugar, which can disrupt healthy sleep cycles. Sleep apnea, which is a collapsing of the muscles of the airway during sleep, often identified by loud snoring, is particularly aggravated by alcohol consumption as it further relaxes the muscles, and increases the collapsing of the airway.

Room Temperature – If your room is too warm your body will be working to cool down your core temperature. Lowering the temperature in your room assists your brain with its cooling objective helping you fall asleep. Just don’t get too cold, because that will awaken your brain to work as well.

Worried about Snoring Bed Partner – Perhaps you are one who stays up worried about your loved one because they snore and stop breathing intermittently. Cessation of breathing can cause unsafe drops in oxygen levels, elevate blood pressure levels and lead to stroke, heart attack and right heart failure. The saying “They snore, but I’m tired” is a sign that points to the need for a consultation with a sleep specialist for the snoring bed partner.

“Creepy Crawly feeling in my legs”/Thrashing around in Bed – The International Restless Leg Syndrome Study Group described the following symptoms of restless legs syndrome (RLS):

• Strange itching, tingling, or “crawling” sensations occurring deep within the legs. These sensations sometimes also occur in the arms.
• A compelling urge to move limbs to relieve these sensations
• Restlessness: Floor pacing, tossing and turning in bed, rubbing the legs
• Symptoms may occur only with lying or sitting. Sometimes persistent symptoms occur that are worse with lying or sitting and better with activity.

Other symptoms of RLS include the following:

• Sleep disturbances and daytime sleepiness are very common
• Involuntary, repetitive, periodic, jerking limb movements occur either in sleep or while awake and at rest. These movements are called periodic leg movements of sleep or periodic limb movement disorder. About 80% of people with RLS also have this condition.

We are here to help answer your questions and work with you to provide focused, personal attention for you or your loved one’s specific sleep problems. With over 85 different types of sleep disorders ranging from difficulty sleeping at night to problems with excessive daytime sleepiness, being properly screened to receive the correct diagnosis is critical.
Equally important is working with a board certified sleep physician to develop a customized patient-centric treatment plan to get you the help you deserve. PM Sleep Centers has expertise in treating all types of sleep disorders and includes specialists in obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, parasomnias, and restless leg syndrome.