Tossing and turning at night is such a common occurrence that most people assume it is a normal part of life. However, tossing and turning is not normal and is your body's message that you need to change something in your sleep environment.
Tossing and turning is a symptom of something amiss in the bedroom. It can be from one or a combination of these scenarios:
- Too much light in the room
- Too much or Loud sound in the room
- Movement from a pet or partner in the bed
- Bad smells in the room
- Discomfort and/or improper support from your bed
- Health issues such as apnea or snoring
When you are asleep, truly in a deep, restorative sleep, your body shuts down all unnecessary physical functions, such as movement, and puts all available energy on rebuilding and restoring on a cellular level. This is why uninterrupted sleep is so vital to our physical and emotional well-being. However, study after study, new article after article announces that we are a very sleep deprived country.
Do you toss and turn? Does your partner complain of you moving around at night? Do you wake up with the covers and sheets all askew? Do you wake up in weird positions in the bed? Do you wake up exhausted, feeling like you didn't sleep? These can all be clues that you are tossing and turning at night. How can you start to get a handle on this issue?
- Establish healthy, consistent sleep patterns: Going to bed at a reasonable, consistent hour and waking up at the same time can establish healthy sleep patterns and help the body get into a consistent rhythm.
- Evaluate your bedroom. Look for sources of sensory perception, especially inconsistent perception. A fan blowing on your all night at a consistent speed or a white noise machine can be helpful, but intermittent burst of sound, like traffic noise or dogs barking, or the on-off blasts of air coming from a heater or air conditioning vent can trigger your sensory perception and bring you out of a deep sleep.
- Evaluate your bedding: Is it making you hot? Not keeping you warm enough? Is it rough on your skin? All these things can cause discomfort and lead to your body subconsciously telling you to move, interrupting your deep, restorative sleep.
- Evaluate your mattress: You knew this one was coming, right? Too firm, Too soft, not proper support, feeling motion from a pet or partner. All of these factors can lead to discomfort or sensory triggers and cause you to move around in your sleep.
- Health issues: Sleep apnea, snoring or other medical issues. These should be discussed with your physician.
Proper sleep is vital to your overall health. Do the simple checklist above and you may find just a few simple fixes can give you the proper rest you so desperately are trying to get. Nest Bedding carries a full line of supportive, breathable mattresses and bedding that can help.