Sleep Disruption: Common Causes of Sleep Problems Explained

00:00:00 What's getting in the way of your sleep? Sleep is complex and there are so many potential factors that may be influencing your ability to sleep and sleep well. I always tell my clients that it's often not their sleep system itself that's the issue rather there are a number of other factors that are going on in their lives that are impacting their sleep but once we tease out and address those root causes better sleep usually follows and I consider that address those root causes better sleep usually follows and I consider that really great news because it means that you have the ability to change your

00:00:34 sleep for the better. While sleep issues should always be examined holistically and treated on an individualized level I want to share with you some of the top three most common sleep disruptors I see when I'm working with my clients. Then I'm going to offer you some really practical evidence-based tips that are going to improve both your nighttime sleep and your daytime energy levels. going to improve both your nighttime sleep and your daytime energy levels. So let's get started. Having an inconsistent or changing sleep schedule has a big impact on sleep.

00:01:10 As a society a lot of us are suffering from something called social jetlag which means we're keeping a somewhat regular wake and sleep schedule during work days but completely change it up on the free days. For example we might wake up Monday to Friday at 7 a.m. and go to bed around 10 at night but then the weekend rolls around and we go to bed at midnight and sleep in until 10. weekend rolls around and we go to bed at midnight and sleep in until 10. As a result we may find it hard to fall asleep on Sunday night and feel refreshed on Monday morning. And that's because when you're not following a consistent

00:01:44 routine which includes when you go to sleep and when you wake up your circadian rhythm and sleep pressure get all out of whack and this can impact your sleep for the worse. So my first piece of advice is try to go to bed and your sleep for the worse. So my first piece of advice is try to go to bed and wake up at around the same time each day seven days a week ideally keeping bedtimes and wake times within about an hour of each other. If you have to pick one to start waking up at the same time each day will make the biggest difference and that's because if you're anchoring your wake time your body will

00:02:21 eventually come to anticipate sleep and get tired around the same time each night. Even if you had a terrible night's sleep the night before and didn't fall night. Even if you had a terrible night's sleep the night before and didn't fall asleep until 2 a.m. try and keep that alarm set for the same time because here's what's gonna happen yes you may be tired that day and may feel a bit grumpy and not acting your best self but first of all you've had days like these before you can get through it and you should be rewarded with good sleep the following

00:02:52 night because that sleep pressure is so high from your lack of sleep the night before. Sleep disruptor number two incorrectly before. Sleep disruptor number two incorrectly timed light exposure. Light plays a huge role in your sleep-wake cycle. Exposure to light both natural sunlight and artificial sources so things like TVs phones and LED lights can affect and alter when you feel sleepy and when you feel alert. When light hits your eyes it sends a message to your brain to wake up and your body starts to release these alerting and mood boosting hormones and

00:03:27 and your body starts to release these alerting and mood boosting hormones and chemicals but if you're not getting enough bright light during the day those alerting messages don't get sent and you may feel sluggish and fatigued. Now if you're exposed to too much bright light in the evening before bed or in the middle of the night especially ones that have strong blue light signals this may trick your body into thinking it's daytime and it might suppress the production of melatonin which is a sleep hormone making it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep. So one of the most impactful changes

00:03:59 or stay asleep. So one of the most impactful changes you can make in terms of resetting your sleep is managing your light exposure. First thing in the morning or closely after you wake up try and get 15 to 30 minutes of natural outdoor light. Take off those sunglasses as they will block some of that important light spectrum that you actually want during the day. But I recognize that it's not always realistic to get outside first thing so even eating breakfast in front of a bright window or blasting the lights on even eating breakfast in front of a bright window or blasting the lights on

00:04:33 in your home will help. And even getting outside within a couple hours of waking is beneficial. Try and get outside for another 15 to 30 minutes around lunch or really any time throughout the day. That light is going to help keep you energized and happy. In the evening however you want to think about limiting your bright light exposure. If you can put lights on dimmers or use lamps or your bright light exposure. If you can put lights on dimmers or use lamps or candles that's great. Even better is to think about maybe putting away your

00:05:05 screens or other devices that give off blue light approximately 30 to 60 minutes before bed. Emerging research is showing that while the blue light from our devices may not have as strong an effect on an individual circadian rhythm as we once thought, the content of what we're watching and the time spent on our devices may be over activating and further delay our bedtime. devices may be over activating and further delay our bedtime. The last sleep disruptor I want to talk about is stress and anxiety. And this is a big one. A common issue for people who have trouble falling asleep

00:05:42 is that their cortisol levels are too high at night. Now cortisol is a stress hormone and it gets a bad rap but it's not all bad. We need cortisol during the day especially in the morning. It helps get us out of bed, motivates us and keeps us alert. But for example if your mind is racing about all the things you need to us alert. But for example if your mind is racing about all the things you need to get done tomorrow or you're thinking about an argument that happened with a friend earlier in the day, your stress hormones may rise which causes physiological changes in your body. Your heartbeat

00:06:17 quickens, your breath becomes shallower, your digestion slows down, your muscles become very tense, your body temperature rises and it can become really difficult to think clearly and relax. Essentially your body has gone into the fight or to think clearly and relax. Essentially your body has gone into the fight or flight mode and to fall asleep you actually need your body to be in the exact opposite state. You need to activate the rest and relax part of your nervous system. So elevated cortisol levels and stress can make it really difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. Related to this is what you're

00:06:53 doing or not doing in those minutes or hours before you go to sleep. So many people I work with race through the days ticking off the boxes not really taking people I work with race through the days ticking off the boxes not really taking time to process their thoughts or feelings and then they're either doing work watching TV or on their devices until lights out. They're in their bed then and they're physically exhausted but then there's this backlash of thinking. Their mind is racing about future worries and they might be thinking about past events and they can't shut it off. Do you relate

00:07:27 to this at all? Well I need to tell you that sleep does not operate on an to this at all? Well I need to tell you that sleep does not operate on an on-off switch. It is a transitionary activity and our brains and bodies need signals to help us transition to sleep and if we don't allow ourselves time to process our stress from the day and wind down it may become difficult to either fall asleep or stay asleep. It's important to reduce your stress levels on a day-to-day basis by finding ways to relax your mind and body. Sleep and stress have this two-way

00:07:56 ways to relax your mind and body. Sleep and stress have this two-way relationship. Quality sleep helps lower our stress levels and increases our ability to handle stress but stress can stop you from sleeping and if you're stressed in the daytime it can absolutely creep into your nights. So creating a buffer zone between your busy day-to-day activities and sleep is really important. I know some of you may have been squirming when I mentioned the possibility of eliminating devices that emit blue light just before bedtime and possibility of eliminating devices that emit blue light just before bedtime and

00:08:32 you're probably thinking now you've taken away my TikTok, my Instagram scrolling and messaging, my online shopping, what am I supposed to do for that time before bed? Well create a relaxing, repetitive and consistent bedtime routine. This can be anywhere between about 20 to 60 minutes long. Choose activities that are relaxing and not particularly stimulating. This may be folding laundry or tidying, listening to music or a podcast, watching an old rerun folding laundry or tidying, listening to music or a podcast, watching an old rerun of your favorite show, cooking, sleeping, or even going to the bathroom. It's all part of your daily routine.

00:09:06 Stretching, whatever you choose, try and make sure that you do the same activities at around the same time each day because that wind-down routine is sending an important message to your brain and body to anticipate sleep and relax. There are so many things you can do to manage your stress levels in the day or in the evening hours before bed. Deep diaphragmatic breathing exercises day or in the evening hours before bed. Deep diaphragmatic breathing exercises help calm your nervous system by sending a message to your brain and body that you're safe and you can relax and this can be practiced when you're in an

00:09:40 anxious state or just by making it part of your everyday routine. Meditation, mindfulness, or guided imagery are other methods that often include breath work. Even taking a couple of minutes a day for what I call a daily pause where you unplug from it all and close your eyes can be restful and restorative. Some unplug from it all and close your eyes can be restful and restorative. Some people like having a bath in the evenings and may add some essential oils such as lavender which can be relaxing and calming to your nervous system. Talking to a friend or loved one can be a calming activity as well but try

00:10:18 to avoid talking about stressful or very serious things before bedtime. Now obviously you can't control that all the time but you really want to create this safe calm bubble around your nights and keep them protected from anything that safe calm bubble around your nights and keep them protected from anything that may wake up your brain. Different forms of movement and physical activity such as yoga, cardio, and walking in nature can help regulate your mood, relax you, and can have a positive impact on sleep. Journaling or writing things down is a technique I offer a lot

00:10:52 to those people who have a racing mind or who tend to ruminate at night. It can be a really great way to remove some of those busy thoughts they have that keep be a really great way to remove some of those busy thoughts they have that keep them awake. There's something that happens in your brain when you write your thoughts and worries down. It learns that they've been parked there for the day and then it allows your mind to be in a more conducive space for sleep. My wind down routine starts with a nightly timer that goes off at 10 p.m. At that time I stop

00:11:28 watching all of my trashy reality TV shows, I turn my computer off, and I put watching all of my trashy reality TV shows, I turn my computer off, and I put my phone on silent. Sometimes I need to remind my husband, not to talk to me about anything serious or even exciting because I know it's just going to light up my brain and I want my mind to be in a really relaxed state at this time. Then I go upstairs, I brush my teeth, wash my face, put on my pajamas, and I'll do a little tidy of my bedroom. Next I do some deep diaphragmatic

00:11:55 pajamas, and I'll do a little tidy of my bedroom. Next I do some deep diaphragmatic breathing exercises, but only for a few minutes. My favorites are the 4-7-8 and the box breathing method. Finally I lie down in my bed and I'll read a book or a magazine until I feel sleepy. But everyone unwinds and relaxes in a different way, so there's really no one-size-fits-all approach. When I develop a wind down routine with my clients though, I like to make it really personalized for them, and so I'll help them break down that time period into personalized for them, and so I'll help them break down that time period into

00:12:33 specific ordered activities for them to follow. If you're looking for any more information on sleep, check out my video on top sleep myths, where I set the record straight and sort out fact from fiction.