Do you go to bed feeling tired and still can’t get to sleep? Do you lie awake for hours, feeling anxious? Do you wake up in the middle of the night and counting sheep does not help you fall back to sleep at all? Many people have trouble sleeping. It can drain your energy, distort your temper and ability of functioning during the day and even cause serious health problems.
Why Are You Having Trouble Sleeping?
Although the symptom is always an inability to fall asleep, causes of trouble sleeping (insomnia) may greatly vary between persons. Here are the main causes why most people cannot enjoy a peaceful night.
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Causes of Trouble Sleeping |
How It Happens |
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Stress |
Daily troubles and concerns about work or school may keep your mind buzzing at night and prevent you from sleeping. Dramatic events, such as a job lossor the death of a loved one, can also result in trouble sleeping. |
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Depression |
Depression and other mental health disorders are often the cause of sleeping problems. They can either result in sleeping deficits, or on the contrary too much sleep. |
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Nervousness and Unease |
Worries might trouble you along the day and prevent you from sleeping at night. So can more serious disorders, such as psychical traumas. Many people often fear the fact itself that they are not going to be able to fall asleep, which, ironically, keeps them awake. |
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Changes in Your Daily Routine |
Travelling or changes in your working shifts can easily disturb your body’s circadian rhythm, impeding your sleep. The circadian rhythm is the internal clock of your body; it regulates your sleep-wake cycle, your metabolism and even your body temperature. |
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Bad Habits |
What is not to be done should not be done. Irregular sleeping schedules or stimulating activities before going to bedare things to avoid for a good night sleep. |
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Medical Conditions |
Diseases, pains and difficulties such as breathing problems often are the cause for trouble sleeping. There are several serious conditions linked with it, too, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis or Parkinson’s disease. |
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Prescriptive Drugs |
Many medicaments contain substances that can hinder sleeping. Anything containing amphetamines, such as Ritalin, antidepressants, some weight-loss products and several pain medications, has been proven to be the cause of trouble sleeping. |
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Stimulants
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Illegal drugs such as nicotine can give you troubles to go to sleep. Drinking coffee or tea late in the afternoon can also keep you awake for long. Alcohol, on the other hand, as a sedative, should make it easier for you to fall asleep, butit will prevent your sleep from being deep enough and you may wake up several times during the night. |
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Overeating in the Evening |
Having a little something before bed should not be any problem, but eating too much can lead to trouble sleeping. You might experience physical discomfort when lying down on bed, and you will probably feel acids working in your stomach, burning your esophagus. |
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Aging |
We do not know for sure whether it is a natural part of agingor a consequence of medications older people might commonly use. The fact is around 50% of all adults over the age of 65 suffer some sort of sleeping disorder. |
What to Do to Get Rid of Trouble Sleeping
Now that you may have identified what is keeping you from sleeping, here are some simple tips to help you cope with your problem.
1. Keep Healthy Eating Habits
- Cut on stimulants. We all enjoy a nice cup of coffee or tea, but maybe it could be a good idea to resist the urge. They can stay in your system for as long as 8 hours, so try not to drink any in the evening.
- Eat healthy and at the right rime. It is not recommendable to go to bed feeling hungry. Going after a big meal can be worse—you will most definitely feel uncomfortable. There’s a variety of things you can eat that will prompt your sleep, though. These include avocados, milk, potatoes, tuna, eggs or peaches.
2. Change Your Lifestyle
- Drink alcohol to help you fall asleep? Quit it.It might seem like a good idea at first, yes, but it’s not quite the answer. Although it can make falling asleep easier, it also causes disturbances in sleep, making your night less restful and waking you up in the middle of it. This will also affect your performance on the next day.
- Smoke less. Nicotine is another stimulant that will keep you awake at night. It might feel relaxing, don’t trust it. You should particularly avoid it before bedtime. Besides, it’s very bad for you!
3. Maintain Good Sleeping Habits
- Make a temple out of you bedroom. Your bedroom should be a comfortable and quiet environment where nothing is disturbed or disturbs you. Try keeping it as dark as possible, and if noise is an issue for you, use earplugs.
- Avoid napping. Isn’t a little siesta from time to time the loveliest thing? Well, a nap is sure to difficult your sleep later on. If you can’t avoid it, keep it short. Studies have proven 15-20minutes naps to be even better than longer ones.
- Bed is for sleeping. If you use your bed as a sofa for watching TV or to discuss stuff, you might not be able to sleep properly. This has a psychological reason as you can end up associating the bed with entertainment activities.
4. More Tips
- Exercise when it’s time to. Deciding to go for a jog or to work out late during the evening will stimulate your whole body, so falling asleep at night becomes more difficult. Choose a right time to exercise. Studies suggest that if you do it regularly it will help relieve insomnia!
- Relax before bed. The day is over and you have nothing to do anymore. Try relaxing and relieving yourself from all tensions and worries. A warm infusion will help. Meditation, yoga, a nice and slow song, or just controlled breathing can do it for you too.
- Let your pets have their own bed. It might be because of them moving, their smells, or due to allergies. Having your pets on your bed at night time is a way of not having the night you could’ve.