You don’t have to lie awake from one night of bad sleep. But when you sleep badly for several nights in a row, lie awake for a long time, or wake up often or too early and wonder ‘gosh, I don’t sleep well, why is that?’ can it go fast. Because a bad sleeper also suffers from this during the day, adjusts his activity and eating pattern accordingly and sleeps even worse the night after. Time to find the cause and do something about it!

The eight causes of poor sleep

Poor sleep can have causes that you may not immediately think of. And if you’ve had a bad night’s sleep, it can be difficult to find out what caused it. With the 8 causes below, we will help you in the right direction, so that you can tackle them and sleep like a baby from now on. The blog about poor sleep and the influence of a good mattress can also offer a solution to any sleeping problems.

1. Not being able to sleep due to worrying

Your brain thinks all day long. Even during your sleep, your brain is not turned off. That activity can provide the most beautiful but also the weirdest dreams. If you suffer from many worries, psychological complaints such as anxiety or depression, or other things that make you worry, you will not sleep well. Lying awake due to stress is common and can be solved by removing the cause of the stress. Although that is often easier said than done, there are usually useful tips that give a nudge in the right direction.

2. Physical complaints that cause poor sleep

Unfortunately, menopausal women often know this all too well. Lying awake because of hot flashes is no fun. Other physical complaints can also disrupt your night’s sleep. Think of heartburn, cramps in your calf, for example, restless legs, itching or pain. Coughing due to a bad cold or needing to urinate can also make it difficult to sleep.

3. Can’t sleep because of smartphone and tablets

Many people sit with a screen in their hands several times a day, and there are few who do not stare at a smartphone, tablet, TV or laptop in the evening. That can be very relaxing, but because of all that (blue) light, often quite close to your eyes, your biological clock gets confused. The production of the sleep hormone melatonin only starts when you turn off your screens, while this naturally already happens an hour and a half before going to sleep. For example, it can take a long time before your head is tired enough to go to sleep.

4. Can’t fall asleep because of coffee or alcohol

An alcoholic nightcap, because then you fall asleep quickly. True, but you don’t really want this sleep at all. It is much more difficult to end up in a deep sleep under the influence of alcohol. It is precisely that deep sleep that is necessary to rest and to gain new energy. Coffee, cola and other drinks with caffeine also have this effect, in addition to making it more difficult to fall asleep. Better not to eat after dinner.

5. Irregular sleep rhythm as a cause of a bad night’s sleep

Your body likes regularity. If you go to bed at the same time every day and get up about eight hours later, your body will get used to it. There is a good chance that if you have slept in for a day, it is more difficult to fall asleep the following evening. And if you go to bed nice and early, the chance that you can fall asleep immediately is also small. With a fixed rhythm, including at the weekend, you fall asleep faster, stay asleep more easily and after a while you wake up almost automatically just before your alarm goes off.

6. Poor sleep due to a heavy meal before going to bed

Right after eating, especially if this is a carbohydrate-rich menu, your digestion is in full swing. It makes energy from all the nutrients, and you guessed it: full of energy you don’t sleep very well. Eating just before bedtime is not recommended but considering what you put in your mouth is useful. There are even foods that help you sleep better.

7. Exercise right before going to bed

Exercise gives you energy! Your brain produces all kinds of hormones during a run, for example. It makes you feel happy, and your body is full of adrenaline. It wants to run, fight or flight, action! Not really what you’re waiting for if you can’t get to sleep.

8. Bad sleep because of an old mattress

A mattress lasts much less than you might think, on average only about eight years. A good mattress supports your body. And that’s important, because you spend about a third of your time on it. Investing in a Morningstar mattress pays off, they fit perfectly with what your body needs.