What's robbing you of sleep? It may not be the caffeine, but might be your wine

[Emily_MHManager]

https://www.insider.com/does-coffee-caffeinated-tea-keep-you-awake-at-night-2019-8

* Drinking coffee or tea just before bed does not affect quality of sleep of people with insomnia, a new study has found.

*The study found that nicotine and alcohol, however, did disrupt sleep, with a pre-bed cigarette taking 42 minutes off total duration of sleep for study participants.

Drinking coffee or tea just before bed does not affect quality of sleep, a new study has found.

U.S. researchers from Florida Atlantic University and Harvard Medical School monitored 785 people for a total of 5,164 days and nights, recording how much caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine they consumed.

The team then compared their consumption to results from sleep diaries and wrist sensors which recorded the participants' sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and how quickly they woke up after drifting off.

The study found that while nicotine and alcohol did disrupt sleep - with a pre-bed cigarette taking 42 minutes off total duration of sleep for insomniacs (a person who is regularly unable to sleep) - caffeine seemed to have no effect.


(For more, see the article. The study is here - https://academic.oup.com/sleep/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/sleep/zsz136/5535848)

[SassyLassie]

Very interesting, I don't drink any type of alcohol however, so I wonder what my excuse is.

[Emily_MHManager]

Oh well, there's a long, long list of things that contribute to insomnia or sleep problems.

Stress
Travel
Irregular sleep habits - not going to bed at the same time every night, for example
Medications
Health issues
Mental Health Conditions
Ambient noises
Aging - hormone fluctuations, like menopause
Pain
Hormone levels - menstrual cycle in women, testosterone levels in men
Substance Use


There are so many more. If you are having problems sleeping, you should talk to your doctor about it.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/what-causes-insomnia

[SassyLassie]

I can see two things on the list that are probably culprits for the lack of sleep. Stress and pain (from fibromyalgia) I will be having an MRI for this on-going pelvic pain this Friday.