Can’t Sleep? Check This List To Why and What to Do

When you’re having problems getting to sleep, it can feel as if you’re all alone in the world. But the truth is that insomnia and sleep troubles strike everybody at some time, and while you’re tossing, turning and staring at the ceiling, the chances are good that there are millions of people around the country and the world who are going through the exact same torment. In addition to the fact that you’re one of many, the truth is that the reason behind your sleep difficulty is probably not as rare and unknowable as you think — in fact, sleep experts say that there are about ten reasons that are the most common cause of difficulty getting to sleep. Take a look at the list below and see whether any of these causes sound right. If so, we’ve given solutions too!

1. Too much light in your room

If you’re lying in bed and have a television glowing from across the room, then your room isn’t as dark as you think it is. Any light exposure will trick your brain into thinking that it’s time to be awake, but this is especially true of the blue light thrown by electronic devices. Light triggers the brain into reducing its production of melatonin, and that means you’ll be far more likely to be alert. Turn down the lights and turn off the devices and see what a difference it can make.

2. Too much late night activity

We all need exercise to stay healthy, and it can be tough to fit it into a demanding schedule, but if you’re exercising within a couple of hours of the time you turn in, you may be making it harder for yourself to get to sleep. Exercise revs up your metabolism and increases your heart rate, and this can mean that you’ll more likely to sleep less soundly. The best time to exercise is in the morning or early afternoon, and in fact, studies have shown that doing so will actually help you get a better night’s sleep.

3. That nightcap is a sleep killer

Even though we tend to think of alcohol as a sedative, the truth is that it can interfere with our ability to get the deep sleep that we need to feel truly restored and well rested the next day. Alcohol metabolizes quickly, so even though it may make you fall asleep fast, it also is likely to make you awaken throughout the night.

Alcohol can Interfere with our quality of Sleep and drinking too much caffeine can cause Insomnia

4. Keeping your room too warm

We all like to feel toasty when we go to sleep, but having the thermostat in your bedroom set too high is a sure fire way to make it hard to get to sleep. Our natural body process cools us when it’s time for bed – in fact, part of getting drowsy at night generally involves a lowering of body temperature. Even though you may feel more comfortable when your room is warmer, aim for keeping temperatures a little cooler – but not uncomfortably cold — and you’ll see that the time that it takes you to fall asleep drops dramatically.

5. Coffee and other caffeine in your system too late

Caffeine is a much more powerful drug that we give it credit for. Most people think its effects only last for an hour or two, but caffeine stays in your system for as long as ten hours after you’ve had it (though at a reduced strength). If you’re drinking caffeine in the morning, you should be fine, but anything after 2:00 is likely the cause of your trouble getting to sleep. Keep in mind that caffeine isn’t just found in coffee and tea. It also hides in soft drinks, pain relievers, chocolate and other coffee-flavored foods.

6. Concentrating on how long it takes to get to sleep

One of the worst things you can do for yourself when you’re having a hard time falling asleep is thinking about how long the process is taking. Clockwatching increases your stress levels, so the best thing to do is to either turn away, or turn the clock around. When you wake up in the middle of the night, you don’t need to know what time it is – you just need to turn over and go back to sleep.

7. Television and other electronic devices

We’ve already addressed the issue of blue light and the way that it can impact melatonin production, but we also need to talk about the habit that many people get into of turning on the television or tablet when they’re having a hard time falling asleep. The content of the program that you’re watching is bound to stimulate you, and makes it much more difficult to fall back to sleep, either because you want to stay up to see what happens or because it stimulates your brain into a higher level of activity. You’re right to stop tossing and turning and give yourself something else to do, but that should be something calming, and even boring, to make you drowsy again. Not something that will captivate your interest.

8. Too much protein in your evening diet

Eating protein late at night gives your digestive system a serious workout, as it takes a lot of energy for the body to process protein. If you must eat right before bed, make it a snack that is a light carbohydrate. And definitely avoid spices and fats.

9. Smoking is always bad, but especially before bed

If you’re a smoker, you likely already know all of the reasons that it is bad for your health, but you should also know that nicotine is a powerful stimulant that will make it more difficult for you to fall asleep.

10. Stop trying to solve problems at night Problem solving in bed is one of the biggest obstacles to getting a good night’s sleep. If you find yourself lying in bed going over all of the stressors in your day, then it’s no wonder you’re having a hard time sleeping at night. Save problems for waking hours, and let the nighttime be your escape from worry.