Having Trouble Sleeping at Night?
After going, going, going for hours, there’s nothing you want more than to plop into bed and turn off your brain. But even though your eyes have been droopy all day, as soon as your head hits the pillow, they seem to spring right back open. If you’re like us, that leaves you wondering Why can’t I sleep at night even when I’m tired? We asked top experts why you have trouble dozing off even when you’re exhausted — plus how to get the sweet, deep shut-eye you crave.
Feeling ‘wired and tired’ is a common problem:
Up to 30% of the US adults deal with insomnia, a sleep disorder that makes it harder to doze off and/or sleep soundly, says Thomas Bradley Raper, MD, a sleep medicine specialist with Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. “So yes, it tends to be common that even when you’re tired, it can be difficult to fall asleep.”
The problem, which is particularly prevalent among older women, can have a number of culprits, including stress and hormone changes. So if you feel like you’ve been struggling to catch up with Mr. Sandman more often lately, it’s not your imagination. Thankfully, you can calm that wired-and-tired feeling and get the sound sleep you need.
Excerpted from First For Women
