4 ‘innocent’ sleep problems you should not ignore

Slept well? Probably not. Most people wake up a few times during the night. Kids, needing to pee, strange dreams... You can imagine it all.

But a good night's sleep is – as we all know – very important. Especially if you want to function a bit the next day. Now, lying awake and tossing and turning and pulling at the blankets once in a while isn't such a disaster, but there are sleep problems that you shouldn't ignore. They may seem harmless, but they are not. Pay close attention if you ever experience this.

You never sleep through the night
Do you never sleep longer than a few hours? Not even occasionally a night of good sleep from 11 PM to 8 AM? That's not good. It could indicate sleep apnea: your brain wakes you up unconsciously because you're not breathing well. You wake up briefly, tense your muscles, roll over, and go back to sleep. But this happens several times a night. As long as your sleep is always disturbed, it's advisable to ask your doctor what to do.

You constantly wake up with a headache
Do you wake up with a head like a bowling ball even though you didn't drink the night before? That's something to pay extra attention to. Now, this happens to everyone sometimes, but it shouldn't be like this every morning. Morning headaches can indicate a milder form of sleep apnea, the so-called ‘upper airway resistance syndrome’. If you don't breathe well in and out, your body can't get rid of carbon dioxide properly. Another reason to consult a doctor. So call your doctor. Especially after having headaches for more than a week when you wake up.

Teeth grinding
Do you ever hear yourself grinding in your sleep? Or does your partner say they hear a strange noise? Uh. It could be teeth grinding: your teeth clattering and moving against each other while you sleep. A waste of your teeth, so ask for advice. Who knows, you might sleep better with a mouthguard. Not very charming, but at least you'll keep a nice set of teeth.

You do things in your sleep
Now that sounds very exciting, but we don't mean such charming things. Think about suddenly taking apart the television, untangling all the cords, turning off a lamp: sleepwalking can be dangerous. Maybe not if you're sorting a stack of books while you sleep, but definitely if you suddenly go outside or do something else scary. Imagine sleepwalking so much that you get into a car, just to name something? Talk about it with others and see what you can do best.