Insomnia 101: Tossing & Turning? The Physiology of Sleep Fragmentation in Insomnia

We all have had nights in which we seem to toss and turn. But what is actually taking place from a physiologic standpoint with our sleep? ‪@andyberkowskimd‬ of ReLACS Health reviews what sleep specialists call sleep fragmentation.
In this video, we review what is actually occurring in the brain related to sleep when an individual feels like they are tossing and turning. This is a common phenomenon, as it can happen to any good sleeper on any night, but for those with chronic insomnia disorder, it can feel like they have sleep fragmentation and poor sleep quality as much as every night.
To learn about five tips to improve sleep for just about anyone, read this blog post:
www.relacshealth.com/blog/a-r...
The two main aspects of sleep include the physical and psychophysical, and there are effects in both domains that can lead to lighter, unrefreshing sleep. Things that can impact physical sleep include taking long naps, inconsistency is sleep schedule, medical conditions like untreated obstructive sleep apnea, and substances like caffeine and alcohol.
Watch this video to understand why it is important to wake up at the same time every day:
• Insomnia 101: Wake Up ...
Psychophysical factors impact the state of mind, which can override and disrupt physical sleep. These can include short-term or long-term stress, excitement, anxiety, and the self-fulfilling condition of insomnia disorder in which worrying about sleep itself lead to more trouble sleeping.
This video addresses more specific details of why nighttime worry can cause poor sleep quality:
• Insomnia 101: Stop Wor...
Possible treatment or ways to address tossing and turning may be as simple as acceptance that on certain nights, one can have poor sleep quality and that is normal. There may be a good reason and the tossing and turning does not lead to harm. Other techniques include adapting consistency in sleep timing and routine, incorporating a buffer zone, and a variety of techniques for relaxation and stress reduction.
What is a sleep buffer zone? Watch this video:
• You Need a Buffer Zone...
Lastly, for those who have poor sleep quality on a regular, and long-term basis, chronic insomnia disorder may need to be addressed through medical evaluation, with the first-line treatment being cognitive and behavioral therapy (CBT-I) and not supplements or sleeping medications. To better understand CBT-I, view this: • Why is Cognitive and B...
These videos are for general information only, but for those who live in or near Michigan, Ohio, or Florida, you can hire ‪@andyberkowskimd‬ of ReLACS Health for consultation to address too frequent tossing and turning, to provide CBT-I from a board-certified sleep physician, and to tweak any sleep situation for optimal sleep health. Go to www.relacshealth.com/ for more information.

[@succinator6943]

I have anxiety as I injured my back and I have been stressing and have had anxiety for past 2 months and my sleep is like this for weeks and weeks and idk what to do

[@glitchgaming1134]

It's painful to me

[@ratgreen]

What interval is considered a normal amount of tossing and turning? I recently recorded myself sleeping (due to investigating chronic fatigue syndrome, unrefreshing sleep) and I saw myself sleeping for almost 8 hours but I was turning 180 degrees left to right every 15ish minutes for the entire 8 hours.

[@DarkInception]

Some (non professional) tips that may help you get a more restful sleep. Incorporate some light/moderate exercise during the day. Walking, weight training, yoga, it doesn’t really matter. But it will help your body feel more tired at bedtime. Lower the temperature in your room slightly (if possible) - Cooler environments are more conducive for sleeping. And while I’m definitely more of a morning shower person, I can’t deny that a shower before bed can relax the muscles. So all in all - exercise, sleep in a cool room and try showering before bed. I hope this helps 🙂

[@andyberkowskimd]

Generally good advice for most people. Thanks.

[@andyberkowskimd]

That's a great question. I imagine there are studies of healthy individuals that measure typical body movement patterns but I am not privy to them.

[@michelleturner5765]

I’m on my 7th night without ropinirole after gradually tapering down the dose. For the last week I’ve been constantly waking up throughout the night and tossing and turning all night. Could this be a withdrawal symptom?

[@andyberkowskimd]

The rebound/withdrawal effect from coming off dopamine agonists like ropinirole in the treatment of restless legs syndrome (RLS) can be a cause of heightened brain activity and sleep fragmentation, which can manifest as tossing and turning. Some with RLS and dopamine agonist withdrawal symptoms may experience more periodic limb movements (PLMs), which also can mimic tossing and turning with even more body movements.

[@michelleturner5765]

Thank you!

[@chubbywubby90]

So we are actually sleeping, just very lightly?

[@succinator6943]

It what it said

[@chubbywubby90]

@succinator6943 I toss and turn for what feels like 30 minutes, I check my phone and 2 1/2 hours went by