Want to know why you can’t sleep at night? Then you’re in the right place.
Tossing and turning in bed for three consecutive nights is a serious problem that you need to find solution to.
Just imagine the things you lose when you lack enough sleep – ability to think, zest for life, energy, concentration, youth, and mental functioning, among others.
Don’t let your inability to sleep ruin your life. Find out what causes the problem and how to fix them.
The following may help you determine the cause and remedies.
Reasons Why You Can’t Sleep At Night
1. You sleep with the lights on
Okay, so you may not be sleeping with the light on but there is still a small ray of light peeking through the window or from your TV monitor.
This is a big no-no.
Your bedroom should be dark enough to inspire sleep. The light will affect the release of melatonin or sleep-inducing hormone, and would keep you awake.
Turn-off all the lights and close the curtains. If you are trying to sleep during the day, make sure that you cover all areas where lights can still go through.
Better yet, wear an eye patch. That will do the trick.
2. You exercised two hours before bedtime
Whether this is intentional or unintentional, you should keep yourself from doing heavy activities like stationary biking or running on a treadmill.
If you think this will make you tired and sleepy, you are wrong.
You may feel physically tired but your metabolism still runs like hell so your system will be kept awake for too long.
Don’t do any heavy stuff before bed time. Just sit down and relax and wait for sleep to come. It would be good to light some scented candles to help you summon slumber.
3. You drank alcohol
If you think a few glasses of scotch would make you feel sleepy, you are right but once you fall asleep, you may be forced to wake up after a few hours resulting in lack of sleep. This is because alcohol affects your REM.
Don’t drink any alcoholic beverages. Stay with water. When you feel full with it, you will eventually fall asleep.
SEE ALSO: How To Rest Your Brain While You Work: 15 Tips To Keep Your Mind Fresh
4. The bedroom is not well-ventilated
Have you noticed that sleep comes easy when you feel cool and refreshed during bedtime? This is because your brain naturally cools down your body’s system, as if preparing for shutdown.
A few minutes before sleep, make sure that the bedroom is neither too warm nor too cold. An air-conditioner would help but keeping it on the whole is not a good idea.
Instead, use a fan to receive moderate temperature.
5. You drain coffee in the afternoon
Loving coffee is not an excuse to drink one cup three or four times a day. Drink it in the morning or during lunch but not when the afternoon sun sets in.
This is to avoid the caffeine from crawling in your system until it’s time to sleep, considering the dose lasts for 10 hours.
6. You watch TV to fall asleep
Although some people find this effective, other don’t think watching TV can make you fall asleep. When you want to sleep, you want to slow down your brain activity so you can sleep better (1). By watching TV, you are doing the exact opposite.
Don’t watch TV. To be able to sleep, just lie down and close your eyes.
7. Thinking too much
Do you think that thinking during bed time will make your brain tired?
Wrong.
Thinking too much about the day’s events, your debts, your family and love problems, your friends, next week’s occasion, what to wear on your friend’s wedding, and a whole lot more will keep you awake.
You may even have to rise and call someone and check your note when you are reminded of something.
8. Eating before sleeping
It is okay to eat before bedtime provided you do not eat chicken sandwich or potato salad. The protein in these foods will reactivate your metabolism.
If you are really hungry, load up with a small amount of carbohydrate or eat banana.
9. You smoke
While waiting for sleep to come, you might get tempted to smoke a cigarette until your goals of just one stick became two, then three. Next thing you know, you have filled up the entire ashtray.
Keep the cigarette away from you to avoid temptation.
10. Your pillows don’t fit
The quality of the pillow you sleep on would also affect the way you sleep. Sleep disruption happens often if your pillow is too thick and compact.
Replace your pillow with thinner and smoother ones. Sleep with your head properly elevated will work plus you won’t have to worry about waking up with an aching neck and back the next day.
11. You didn’t shower
This is a no-brainer. After a whole day’s work, taking a shower to clear your body of germs and toxins will prevent you from constantly scratching and feeling uncomfortable.
Take a shower 30 minutes to an hour after arriving home from work.
SEE ALSO: How To Stop Being Lazy: Top 10 Ways To Defeat Laziness
12. Your beddings have not been washed for three weeks now
Dirty beddings is just an alternative to your inability to take a shower. Make it a point to change bed sheets often so you only have to worry about taking a shower.
Change bed sheets every Sunday or at least every second Sunday.
13. Your bed has bedbugs
You can’t go through a night of bed bug invasion (2). It would be almost impossible for you to sleep in a mattress with tiny guests lodged in it.
Call a pest control company, immediately.
14. The room is not very quiet
You can’t sleep with eerie or weird or ordinary sounds waking you up constantly, unless it’s a piano instrumental. If you can’t sleep without hearing music, go for this kind than pop. Chances are, you will sing with it and trying to remember the lyrics will only wake you up.
Choose piano versions of your fave songs.
15. You stay in bed unable to sleep and try to survive it
It may sound ironic but if you have been tossing and turning for hours yet you still feel so awake, get up and change location.
Sit in one corner of the room and listen to soothing sounds. Leaving your chamber will help you find what you are looking for.
Lack of sleep may affect your health big-time, especially the heart.
If you can’t get enough sleep or if your sleeping habits are bothering you, consult a specialist and know what is causing the problem. It could be a symptom of an underlying serious medical condition.
Thank you for reading this article about reasons why you can’t sleep at night and I really hope that you take action my advice. I wish you good luck and I hope its contents have been a good help to you.
