What causes poor sleep at night?
Oct 30, 2024
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Lv Zhiqin
Introduction
Poor sleep at night may be related to factors such as high psychological stress, unhealthy lifestyle habits, chronic insomnia disorder, restless legs syndrome, and neurasthenia. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly, identify the underlying cause, and receive symptomatic treatment under the guidance of a healthcare professional. In daily life, it's important to improve sleep quality, maintain a regular sleep schedule, and avoid stimulating activities before bedtime to prevent external factors from disrupting comfortable sleep.
Poor sleep at night is generally associated with factors such as high psychological stress, unhealthy lifestyle habits, restless legs syndrome, neurasthenia, and obstructive sleep apnea. It is recommended to seek timely medical evaluation to identify the underlying cause and receive appropriate, symptom-based treatment under the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional. Specific explanations are as follows:
1. High Psychological Stress
In modern life, multiple stressors—such as work, family, and personal responsibilities—can lead to mental tension and anxiety. This may activate the body's stress response, releasing stress hormones like cortisol, keeping the brain in a state of heightened alertness, thereby disrupting normal sleep.
2. Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits
Excessive use of electronic devices before bedtime, eating too much or too little, and lack of physical activity may impair nighttime sleep. Establishing healthy habits—such as avoiding overeating at dinner, limiting screen time before bed, reading printed books, or listening to soft music—can help relax the mind and body.
3. Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless legs syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by uncomfortable sensations in the legs at night, creating an urge to move them, which disrupts sleep and leads to poor sleep quality. It may be accompanied by symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Patients can follow medical advice to take medications such as ropinirole hydrochloride tablets, gabapentin tablets, or carbidopa-levodopa controlled-release tablets.
4. Neurasthenia
Neurasthenia is typically triggered by excessive fatigue, nutritional imbalances, and emotional fluctuations. It may interfere with normal brain function, particularly affecting brain regions closely related to sleep regulation, leading to abnormal and disrupted sleep patterns and causing the aforementioned symptoms. It may be accompanied by depression, anxiety, and fatigue. Under medical supervision, patients may use medications such as oryzanol tablets, paroxetine hydrochloride tablets, or Jiuyi Zhenxin granules.
5. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway becomes partially or completely blocked during sleep, resulting in breathing interruptions and insufficient oxygen supply, causing the symptoms described above. It may be accompanied by snoring, breathing pauses, and daytime sleepiness. Treatment under medical guidance may include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, which maintains airway patency by increasing airway pressure and preventing collapse or obstruction.
Routine measures to improve sleep quality include maintaining regular sleep schedules and avoiding stimulating activities before bedtime, helping to protect restful sleep from external disruptions.
