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Sleeping poorly at night is a problem weāall face at some point. Stress, bad habits, or an uncomfortable environmentācan all turn a good nightās sleep into a sleepless night. And it can impact your mood and productivity the following day. If you canāt get to sleep, knowing what to do when you canāt sleep andāhow to break the cycle is key.
Before you can improve the qualityāof your sleep, you have to understand why youāre struggling to get it in the first place. Simply changingāyour environment or establishing a soothing bedtime ritual can make a big difference. In this article, we will discuss actionable tips on what to do if you cannot sleep and how to get restful sleep.
The Causes of Sleep Problems
Before you can really overcome your sleep problems, you need to know whatāsādriving them. There can be different factors that leadāto sleep issues. Such as:
Stress and Anxiety
Stressāand anxiety are major contributors to sleep problems. When your mindāis racing, relaxing becomes hard. Concerns over work, relationships, or even just daily life canākeep you up at night. Chronic stress makes it physically harder to sleep asāit creates symptoms like elevated heart rate.
Irregular Sleep Patterns
Not going to bedāand waking up at a consistent time scrambled your bodyās internal clock. Itāsāproven to reduce sleep quality, making it difficult to fall asleep on a regular basis. Going toābed and waking up at the same hour every day can help regulate your bodyās circadian rhythm. Aim to go toābed and wake up at the same time every day.
Excessive Screen Time
If you are not persistent with your night routine, youāwill find yourself scroll further down the rabbit hole and lose control and sleep. The blue light from phones, tablets, and computers inhibits melatonināproduction. Melatonin is a hormone that controls whenāwe sleep. Cutting off screen time an hour before you head to bedāwill help your body ready itself for sleeping and, in turn, be more restful.
Caffeine and Diet
Caffeine is a stimulant,āand it can linger in your system for hours. Having caffeine late in the dayācan make it hard to fall asleep. Likewise, eating too close to bed can cause indigestion, leading to an unrefreshingānightās sleep. Limiting caffeine intake and avoiding large mealsāat night can help you sleep better.
Sleep Disorders
Specific sleep disorders, including sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome,āmay interfere with your sleep in a significant way. Sleep apnea is responsibleāfor breathing interruptions during sleep, resulting in poor rest. Restless leg syndrome produces uncomfortable sensations in your legs that can makeāit difficult to fall asleep. If you think that you may have aāsleep disorder, please proceed to seek medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment.
Should I Just Stay Awake if I Canāt Sleep?
No, if you canāt sleep, it is not recommended to stay awake. When lay in bed frustrated, it leads to a negative associationāwith sleep. If you cannot get to sleep, try getting up and doingāsomething relaxing instead of forcing yourself to sleep. Your body and mind may also relax through reading a book, listeningāto soft music, or doing deep breathing.
Avoid stimulating activities, like watchingāTV or using your phone, because the blue light will further disrupt your sleep. When you feel sleepiness set in again,āget back into bed and attempt to go to sleep again. You wantāyour bed to be associated with rest, not stress. If you are stillāhaving sleep problems regularly, you might want to change your routine or speak to a doctor about it.
What to Do if You Can't Sleep
If youāre awake ināthe middle of the night, donāt worry about not sleeping. Instead, tryādoing the following:
Create a Sleep-InducingāEnvironment
Your sleep environmentācan have a big impact on how well you sleep. A calm and comfortable space can helpāyou fall asleep more quickly and sleep more soundly. Startāwith your mattress and pillows. Investing in aāmattress that provides the right amount of comfort can do wonders for how you sleep.
Ensure your pillows do not only match your bed but also that they are comfortable and give you the rightāneck support. Then, think aboutāthe room temperature. Most people feel better in aācool, comfortable room, usually around 60-67Ā°F (15-20Ā°C). Too hot or tooācold can interrupt your sleep cycle.ā
You can also minimize noiseāand light, which may hinder falling asleep. If you tend toābe disturbed by noise, consider using earplugs or a white noise machine to drown out distracting sounds. Blackout curtain can help keep the room dark, which canālead to deeper, more restful sleep. A silk sleep mask is another option that can help block out light so you can create a darker, cozier sleeping environment.
Establish a Sleep Routine
A consistentāsleep routine is one of the most powerful ways to get better sleep. Sleep at the same time every night and wake at the same time eachāmorning, which helps keep your bodyās internal clock in check. Having a schedule makes it easier for your bodyāto understand when is sleep time and wake time.Ā
Having the same sleep times, plus a calming ritual before bedtime can helpātoo. Go read a book or do some deep breathing orāsome light stretches. Stay away from stimulating activities like watching violent or dramatic TV shows. The more you implement these habits into yourānightly routine, the easier it will be to shift from sleep to rest.
Relaxation Techniques to Ease into Sleep
It is helpful to incorporate relaxation techniques into the evening routine to facilitate sleep onset. One of the easiest ways is through deepābreathing. Focusing on slow, deep breaths tells your body itāsātime to relax. Tryāinhaling for four counts, holding the breath for four counts, and exhaling for four counts.
This is a technique to calmāyour nerve system and de-stress. Aāsimilar exercise is to practice progressive muscle relaxation. Progressively tense and relax each muscle group in your body, beginning at your toes andāmoving up to your head.
It alleviates physical tension and readiesāthe body for restful sleep. Guided meditation apps or relaxing music can alsoāhelp clear your mind and fade sleep. These simple strategies can help foster calm, helping make it easier to drift offāgently.
Limit Stimulants and Distractions Before Bed
What you eat before going to bed canāmake a big difference in how well you sleep. There are a lot of stimulants that can disrupt your sleepiness with insomnia, like caffeineāand nicotine. They also wake you upāand make it more difficult for your body to fall asleep. Avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea, and sodaāat least 4ā6 hours before sleep.
For the same reason, nicotine, whether from cigarettes or vaping,ācan interfere with your sleep cycle, so avoid it in the hours before bedtime. Alcohol is yet another substance that negatively impacts yourāsleep. Although it is sometimes said to induce drowsiness, caffeine can actually disrupt your sleep quality, leadingāto you waking up often overnight.
Physical Activity
Exercise is vital to improving the quality of yourāsleep. Exercise can relieve stressāand anxiety, which inhibit sleep. Plus, exercise increases the release of endorphins, which help to improve mood and relaxation and make it easier to settleādown at night.
However, timing is important. Having a regular exercise routine is good for you,ābut doing strenuous exercise too close to bedtime may backfire. It can raise your heart rate andālevels of adrenaline, which makes it difficult to fall asleep. If you are doing vigorous exercise, ideally, stop at least 3-4 hours before goingāto bed.
Low-key activities (yoga, stretching) can be relaxing in the evening andāhelp get your body ready for sleep. During daytime, exposure to sunlight helps to regulate your bodyās cycle of sleep and wakefulness,āwhich improves overall sleep quality.
When to Seek Professional Help
Lifestyleāchanges and good sleep habits can be useful for many sleep problems. But in some cases, professional help is needed. Ifāyouāve attempted an assortment of sleep strategies and still have difficulty falling asleep, it may be time to speak to a doctor. Chronic insomniaāor difficulty sleeping can sometimes be a sign of sleep apnea, depression, or anxiety disorders.
A sleep specialist can diagnose any sleep disorders byāconducting tests or assessments. In some cases, they may suggest cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), whichāis extremely effective in addressing chronic sleep problems.Ā
A handful of doctors will prescribe medication, but thatās typically a last resort since it can only workātemporarily. If you are experiencing difficulties with sleep in a manner that is compromising dailyālife and well-being, do not hesitate to seek professional advice.
Conclusion
Sleep is key toāgood health, influencing memory, immune function, and emotional well-being. Chronic sleep deprivation raises the risks ofāheart disease, diabetes, and impaired immunity. Lack of sleep leadsāto results during the day, diminishing concentration, stable moods, and decision-making.Ā
Itās normal toāhave the occasional sleepless night, but struggling to fall asleep often can be a sign of something more. Learning how sleep isālinked to health, how to tell when you should seek help down the line can help promote long-term health. Making sleep a priority improves health, productivity, and qualityāof life.
