Poor sleep quality may be caused by various factors. Shift work may disrupt the 24-hour cycle, and frequent travellers often have unpredictable sleeping patterns. Excess caffeine intake, no exercise routines before bed, watching screens right before sleeping as well as chronic health conditions may all impact one’s ability to rest properly and provide quality restful slumber.
1. Exhaustion
Exhaustion is one of the hallmarks of poor sleep quality, often manifesting itself through feelings of irritation, moodiness and unproductivity. Exhaustion can also contribute to serious health conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes; making stress more difficult to manage as well as diminishing memory retention, focus and problem solving skills. Exhaustion can result from sleep disorders like insomnia as well as conditions like restless legs syndrome, sleep apnea or circadian disorders – each contributing to fatigue symptoms that make you feel exhausted!
Sleep is key in combatting exhaustion and should be prioritized every night, whether by setting a regular schedule and engaging in good sleeping habits like not eating or drinking alcohol before going to sleep, managing stress effectively or engaging in regular physical exercise.
2. Difficulty falling asleep
If you find it hard to sleep even though you spend enough hours in bed, this could be a telltale sign that you’re not getting sufficient quality rest – something which could affect your mood, health and energy levels – not to mention impact relationships in a negative way.
There are various things that can hinder our ability to sleep, including shift work that disturbs your circadian rhythms or 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, late-day caffeine consumption or watching TV or using your phone prior to going to bed can all impede restful slumber.
Chronic conditions, such as heartburn, asthma and other respiratory disorders, arthritis and back pain as well as degenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s can all make sleeping difficult. Aging adults are especially likely to encounter difficulty falling or staying asleep due to medications, health conditions and changes in the sleep-wake cycle; family income and urbanization level also play a part in how often people have trouble falling or staying asleep; this report uses 2020 National Health Interview Survey data to describe prevalence patterns of sleep difficulties across demographic characteristics.
3. Disrupted sleep
When thinking of sleep, quality rather than quantity should be the focus. Poor quality slumber can have detrimental repercussions for brain function, physical health and emotions.
Disordered or broken sleep may be due to many different sources, ranging from jet lag or emotional stress to lifestyle changes or medical conditions that remain chronic over time.
Asthmatics may experience breathing issues at night that cause them to gasp for air while others struggle with caregiving duties for an elderly parent or colicky baby, among other situations. Medical conditions that cause pain, frequent urination, heartburn or anxiety also interfere with restful slumber while snoring and restless legs syndrome may disturb it further.
Certain lifestyle habits can also have an impact on sleep patterns, including eating heavy meals late at night or using electronics like phones and computers in bed. To allow your body to prepare for restful slumber and ensure a restful night’s rest. It is advisable to stop these activities at least one hour before bedtime so as to allow the body to relax and prepare itself for restful slumber.
4. Sleepiness during the day
if you find yourself fatigued during the day despite getting adequate rest at night, this could be a telltale sign of sleep degeneration. Indisomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, and other sleep disorders may have an adverse impact on your quality of sleep and lead to feelings of exhaustion that compromise work, school, and relationships.
Frustration can arise when trying to recall things when tired, which may be linked to poor sleep quality. Trouble falling and staying asleep can limit how much deep, restorative slow-wave sleep you receive each night.
Excessive daytime sleepiness may be caused by multiple factors, including insufficient rest, circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders (like delayed or advanced sleep phase syndrome ) and central disorders of hypersomnolence (narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia). Furthermore, antihistamines, sedatives and alcohol can disrupt sleeping patterns while shift work or insomnia could both exacerbate your lack of restful slumber and misalign your circadian clocks.
5. Difficulty concentrating
Chronic health conditions that impede sleep include heart disease, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), arthritis-related discomfort and pain relief issues as well as side effects from medications which prevent restful nights’ rest.
Sleep disturbances – such as going to bed and waking up at different times on weekends or vacations – can severely disrupt your circadian rhythm, leading to lower levels of melatonin (the hormone that signals when it’s time for restful restful slumber). Engaging in regular physical activity as well as engaging in relaxing activities like reading or meditation may help improve quality sleep.
If your poor sleep is interfering with your ability to focus or concentrate during the day, speak to a physician. It could be due to sleep apnea which can cause symptoms of exhaustion during both daytime and nighttime when left untreated; your physician may suggest conducting a polysomnogram study (measure breathing rate/rhythm, muscle movement/eye movement and brain activity).
