I’m worried . . .

The trouble with constantly reviewing medical research is that I know too much! Here’s an example of what I mean. I didn’t sleep well last night, or the night before (more about why in a minute), and instead of ignoring it, or thinking it’s just one of those things, I start worrying.

I worry because I know that poor sleep makes you much more likely to suffer from early dementia, from diabetes and heart disease.

I know that, even one night of poor sleep can lower your IQ scores and performance in everything you are doing, for example, it makes it more likely you will have a car accident.

And even worse, poor sleep can age you. Your skin can become dry and saggy as the structure breaks down.

So when I don’t sleep well, I really want to know why, so that I can do something about it.

In my case, I didn’t have to look far. For two nights running I did just what I’m always telling my patients NOT to do. I had a large meal late in the evening and a couple of glasses of wine. I enjoyed it, but I paid the price . . .

There is a rather obvious moral to this story:

IF you have trouble sleeping, AND you eat big meals in the evening (especially if they are carbohydrate rich meals such as pasta, or desert), AND IF you drink wine in the evening, this might be the reason you are not sleeping well.

Wine and carbohydrates disrupt your blood sugar balance, causing highs and lows, which can jolt your awake throughout the night.  Additionally, alcohol stresses your liver, which tends to be hardest at work at around 4am.  A stressed liver can get quite uncomfortable, and bring you out of sleep in the small hours.

A big meal obviously challenges our digestive system, making us feel full and uncomfortable.  Another reason that you may not be sleeping.

For a few days, try to cut out wine and have a light evening meal. A bit of fish with a salad for example. Try to finish eating at least 2 hours before you go to bed. You may be pleasantly surprised at the difference.

There are many things which can potentially disrupt your sleep, but this is a really good place to start.

Two bad nights is more than enough for me.  Light early supper tonight.  No wine and and early night!

If you want help with your sleep, then book your FREE 1/2 hour appointment.  We can review your possible underlying causes, discuss what you need to do, and how much it will cost.