phone
Sleeping poorly at night is a problem weâall face at some point. Stress, bad habits, or an uncomfortable environmentâcan all turn a good nightâs sleep into a sleepless night. And it can impact your mood and productivity the following day. If you canât get to sleep, knowing what to do when you canât sleep andâhow to break the cycle is key.
Before you can improve the qualityâof your sleep, you have to understand why youâre struggling to get it in the first place. Simply changingâyour 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 whatâsâdriving them. There can be different factors that leadâto sleep issues. Such as:
Stress and Anxiety
Stressâand anxiety are major contributors to sleep problems. When your mindâis racing, relaxing becomes hard. Concerns over work, relationships, or even just daily life canâkeep you up at night. Chronic stress makes it physically harder to sleep asâit creates symptoms like elevated heart rate.
Irregular Sleep Patterns
Not going to bedâand waking up at a consistent time scrambled your bodyâs internal clock. Itâsâproven to reduce sleep quality, making it difficult to fall asleep on a regular basis. Going toâbed and waking up at the same hour every day can help regulate your bodyâs circadian rhythm. Aim to go toâbed and wake up at the same time every day.
Excessive Screen Time
If you are not persistent with your night routine, youâwill find yourself scroll further down the rabbit hole and lose control and sleep. The blue light from phones, tablets, and computers inhibits melatoninâproduction. Melatonin is a hormone that controls whenâwe sleep. Cutting off screen time an hour before you head to bedâwill help your body ready itself for sleeping and, in turn, be more restful.
Caffeine and Diet
Caffeine is a stimulant,âand it can linger in your system for hours. Having caffeine late in the dayâcan make it hard to fall asleep. Likewise, eating too close to bed can cause indigestion, leading to an unrefreshingânightâs sleep. Limiting caffeine intake and avoiding large mealsâat night can help you sleep better.
Sleep Disorders
Specific sleep disorders, including sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome,âmay interfere with your sleep in a significant way. Sleep apnea is responsibleâfor breathing interruptions during sleep, resulting in poor rest. Restless leg syndrome produces uncomfortable sensations in your legs that can makeâit difficult to fall asleep. If you think that you may have aâsleep disorder, please proceed to seek medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment.
Should I Just Stay Awake if I Canât Sleep?
No, if you canât sleep, it is not recommended to stay awake. When lay in bed frustrated, it leads to a negative associationâwith sleep. If you cannot get to sleep, try getting up and doingâsomething relaxing instead of forcing yourself to sleep. Your body and mind may also relax through reading a book, listeningâto soft music, or doing deep breathing.
Avoid stimulating activities, like watchingâTV or using your phone, because the blue light will further disrupt your sleep. When you feel sleepiness set in again,âget back into bed and attempt to go to sleep again. You wantâyour bed to be associated with rest, not stress. If you are stillâhaving 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 youâre awake inâthe middle of the night, donât worry about not sleeping. Instead, tryâdoing the following:
Create a Sleep-InducingâEnvironment
Your sleep environmentâcan have a big impact on how well you sleep. A calm and comfortable space can helpâyou fall asleep more quickly and sleep more soundly. Startâwith your mattress and pillows. Investing in aâmattress 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 rightâneck support. Then, think aboutâthe room temperature. Most people feel better in aâcool, comfortable room, usually around 60-67°F (15-20°C). Too hot or tooâcold can interrupt your sleep cycle.â
You can also minimize noiseâand light, which may hinder falling asleep. If you tend toâbe 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 canâlead 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 consistentâsleep 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 eachâmorning, which helps keep your bodyâs internal clock in check. Having a schedule makes it easier for your bodyâto understand when is sleep time and wake time.Â
Having the same sleep times, plus a calming ritual before bedtime can helpâtoo. Go read a book or do some deep breathing orâsome light stretches. Stay away from stimulating activities like watching violent or dramatic TV shows. The more you implement these habits into yourânightly 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 deepâbreathing. Focusing on slow, deep breaths tells your body itâsâtime to relax. Tryâinhaling for four counts, holding the breath for four counts, and exhaling for four counts.
This is a technique to calmâyour nerve system and de-stress. Aâsimilar exercise is to practice progressive muscle relaxation. Progressively tense and relax each muscle group in your body, beginning at your toes andâmoving up to your head.
It alleviates physical tension and readiesâthe body for restful sleep. Guided meditation apps or relaxing music can alsoâhelp clear your mind and fade sleep. These simple strategies can help foster calm, helping make it easier to drift offâgently.
Limit Stimulants and Distractions Before Bed
What you eat before going to bed canâmake a big difference in how well you sleep. There are a lot of stimulants that can disrupt your sleepiness with insomnia, like caffeineâand nicotine. They also wake you upâand make it more difficult for your body to fall asleep. Avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea, and sodaâat least 4â6 hours before sleep.
For the same reason, nicotine, whether from cigarettes or vaping,âcan interfere with your sleep cycle, so avoid it in the hours before bedtime. Alcohol is yet another substance that negatively impacts yourâsleep. Although it is sometimes said to induce drowsiness, caffeine can actually disrupt your sleep quality, leadingâto you waking up often overnight.
Physical Activity
Exercise is vital to improving the quality of yourâsleep. Exercise can relieve stressâand anxiety, which inhibit sleep. Plus, exercise increases the release of endorphins, which help to improve mood and relaxation and make it easier to settleâdown at night.
However, timing is important. Having a regular exercise routine is good for you,âbut doing strenuous exercise too close to bedtime may backfire. It can raise your heart rate andâlevels of adrenaline, which makes it difficult to fall asleep. If you are doing vigorous exercise, ideally, stop at least 3-4 hours before goingâto bed.
Low-key activities (yoga, stretching) can be relaxing in the evening andâhelp get your body ready for sleep. During daytime, exposure to sunlight helps to regulate your bodyâs cycle of sleep and wakefulness,âwhich improves overall sleep quality.
When to Seek Professional Help
Lifestyleâchanges and good sleep habits can be useful for many sleep problems. But in some cases, professional help is needed. Ifâyouâve attempted an assortment of sleep strategies and still have difficulty falling asleep, it may be time to speak to a doctor. Chronic insomniaâor difficulty sleeping can sometimes be a sign of sleep apnea, depression, or anxiety disorders.
A sleep specialist can diagnose any sleep disorders byâconducting tests or assessments. In some cases, they may suggest cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), whichâis extremely effective in addressing chronic sleep problems.Â
A handful of doctors will prescribe medication, but thatâs typically a last resort since it can only workâtemporarily. If you are experiencing difficulties with sleep in a manner that is compromising dailyâlife and well-being, do not hesitate to seek professional advice.
Conclusion
Sleep is key toâgood health, influencing memory, immune function, and emotional well-being. Chronic sleep deprivation raises the risks ofâheart disease, diabetes, and impaired immunity. Lack of sleep leadsâto results during the day, diminishing concentration, stable moods, and decision-making.Â
Itâs normal toâhave the occasional sleepless night, but struggling to fall asleep often can be a sign of something more. Learning how sleep isâlinked 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 qualityâof life.
