Lucy Devine
If you've been finding it difficult to get to sleep over the last couple of nights, you're not alone - and there could be a reason why.
Struggling to get to sleep can be so frustrating, and once you've spent the last couple of hours tossing and turning, it can be so difficult not to watch the clock.
While there are a number of factors that can inhibit our sleep - such as caffeine intake, activity levels, stress, and certain medications - sometimes, we struggle to sleep for no apparent reason at all.
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And it's not just falling asleep that can be problematic. Sometimes, we can nod off easily enough, but we spend the night waking up multiple times.
If this perfectly describes you over the last couple of nights, we might have an explanation.
The Northern Taurid meteor shower has been lighting up the skies recently.
The showers are caused by debris like ice and dust from the comet as they pass through our solar system and heat up as they enter Earth's atmosphere, and then burn in dazzlingly bright bursts of light - which makes for quite the spectacle.
Although the Northern Taurids have been active since last month (13 October), and are set to stay active until early doors next month (2 December), they peaked on Monday (11 November), and they'll still be visible tonight, too (12 November).
So, what's all this got to do with sleep?
Well, Martin Seeley, sleep expert at MattressNextDay, explained that cosmic events, such as meteor showers and full moons, can disrupt our rest.
“The increased brightness of a full moon can further disrupt sleep by tricking the brain into thinking it's still daytime, reducing melatonin production," he told Tyla.
"Melatonin, often called the 'sleep hormone', is released by the pineal gland in response to darkness, promoting sleep and regulating sleep patterns, and lower melatonin levels lead to poorer sleep quality, with less time spent in restorative deep sleep.
"Poor sleep caused by low levels of melatonin can lead to raised levels of cortisol – the stress hormone – and create a vicious cycle of lack of sleep, increased stress, and further lack of sleep.
"Meteor showers are less likely to impact your sleep themselves, as they don’t produce as much light to affect your sleep pattern, but staying up late to observe them will disrupt your circadian rhythm. This can affect your natural sleep-wake cycle, which can take a few days to recover from, and get back to normal.”
If you missed the meteor shower on Monday, don't worry - there's a chance you'll be able to catch it on Tuesday evening.
You won't need telescopes or binoculars, but there is something you can do, and it doesn't involve any tech.
Head outside before midnight and try to soak in as much of the sky as you can, allowing for around 30 minutes for your peepers to adjust to the dark.
Happy stargazing, and try to get some sleep!