Sleep problems are a growing phenomenon and affect more and more people, and there can be many causes. We can counteract it in various ways, and one of the best solutions is practicing sports. One of the most popular in recent years has been hiking. There are times when you wonder “Why I can’t sleep before hike?”, and what is causing it? We will try to put the issue into perspective here and provide some solutions.
So why you can’t sleep before hiking? Emotional tension is one of the more common causes of insomnia. When we reflect in bed on the hardships of the previous day or think intensely about the events ahead of us can be the main reason for our sleep issues. Of course, the causes can be many more, they do not always have to be the cause of some disease.
Why I can’t sleep before hike?
It is scientifically proven that stress or anxiety before an exciting or stressful event can make it difficult for us to fall asleep. The closer the date in question, the greater the problem, and it is often the case that we don’t sleep at all the day before a given situation. Whether it’s an important exam or a trip, our anxiety can leave us feeling tired or sleep-deprived, and this can explain exactly why you can’t sleep before hiking.
Why emotions do not let us sleep? In the state of nervous tension, the course of nervous processes accelerates, the speed of stimulus conduction increases. The frequency of work of nerve cells is also higher. Strong emotions, no matter whether pleasant or unpleasant, cause the organism to switch not only to the waking state but even to the state of higher revolutions. Sleeping in such a state is out of the question, sometimes even remedies which are supposed to calm us down or help us fall asleep do not help.
Why is healthy sleep so important?
Healthy, good sleep is defined by the feeling of satisfaction with one’s night’s rest, i.e. the situation when we wake up in the morning rested and full of energy. One or two worse mornings do not necessarily mean that you have problems with insomnia. However, if the issues with falling asleep become more frequent and last for at least three or four weeks, then we can talk about insomnia. Adequate sleep is health itself for our body and mind, healthy sleep is above all:
- Good vitality and a body full of energy, an optimal amount of sleep allows the nervous system to fully regenerate and neurotransmitters to function properly
- During sleep, we burn calories. Several studies have shown that sleep is related to the amount of body fat. The less sleep we get, the higher the level of body fat, while the right amount of sleep improves our metabolism
- Sleep has an impact on insulin levels, it has been shown that both too much and too little sleep negatively affects insulin sensitivity, increasing the risk of diabetes, obesity. People who sleep 7-8 hours a day are in the lowest risk group, which suggests that this amount of sleep is optimal.
- Cortisol levels and the amount of sleep, cortisol is a hormone directly correlated with the diurnal rhythm – very important and necessary for the proper functioning of the body. In the morning the level of this hormone should be high, mediating the process of waking up, while in the evening its concentration should be much lower compared to the morning concentration.
- During sleep, there is also the biggest release of the growth hormone, constituting almost 50% of the released amount of this hormone during the day. This also explains why sleep “regenerates” the body after heavy physical or intellectual effort.
We can see that sleep affects many aspects of our lives and allows our mind and body to function properly. There are very many causes of sleep disorders, from one-off insomnia to long-term problems. We know that “why I can’t sleep before hike” can be mainly related to the emotions we feel at the thought of something new and important for us.
5 tips to fall asleep fast – Why I can’t sleep before hike?
There are many reasons for sleep disturbance, but sometimes even simple nervousness or preoccupation with a trip can cause insomnia. “Why I can’t sleep before hike” Topic can also be due to the too many emotions involved in the situation. If you sometimes find yourself struggling to sleep, and you are a healthy person, then you can try these 5 tips to fall asleep fast:
1) Wash your face with cold water, it may seem strange, but skin contact with cold water triggers what is known as the mammalian diving reflex. Your heart rate and blood pressure are lowered, and your breathing slows down a little, which leads to an inner soothing
2) Yoga for sleep, there are very many exercises that have a positive effect on calming and relaxation just before bedtime. Yoga for sleep includes combinations of exercises to stretch and relax our breathing to calm us down after a busy day and calm our nerves
3) Listen to music or calming sounds called binaural rhythms to calm and relax the mind. There are many types of binaural rhythms, such as meditation melodies, nature sounds, rain, or birds.
4) Avoid hard-to-digest foods at least 2 hours before going to sleep. Do not overeat at night, because it will unnecessarily burden your digestive system, which also needs regeneration, which occurs during sleep. It is good that your last meal is light and nutritious, but avoid fried, grilled, or fatty foods.
5) Ensure adequate levels of magnesium, which is involved in the production of serotonin, the happy hormone. It is responsible for our mood and also has an impact on proper sleep. Cheese, pulses, white meat, fish, and dairy products are rich in magnesium
Of course, there are many ways to fall asleep faster, I have chosen just a few that I think are worth recommending. In my case, regular physical activity and yoga for sleep, which relaxes and soothes us to sleep, work very well. If you’re wondering “Why I can’t sleep before hike?”, you might want to try which of these ways. In this article, you can read in turn about why some people have a fear of hiking.
In Summary – Why I Can’t Sleep Before Hike?
The right amount of sleep and its quality affects our entire body, how we feel, and our mood. There are many ways to sleep faster, but being active makes playing sports the solution to many ailments. “Why I can’t sleep before hike?” may be mainly due to strong emotions or stress. However, if it happens from time to time, it doesn’t have to mean anything dangerous, but only a preoccupation with the situation.
These 5 tips to fall asleep fast are worth trying out, maybe they will also help you win against insomnia, which doesn’t always have to mean something bad. However, if it is a long-term problem and all methods fail, it is worth going to a specialist to look for a possible cause.
If you want to make your sleep better then you should properly be prepared for your hike, and for that, we have created an amazing article about “Is Hiking Expensive?“.
