Insomnia is the worst! You can spend hours a night staring at the ceiling, rummaging through random thoughts, and tossing and turning. You’ve tried noise machines, meditation, bedtime tea, and relaxing environments, yet nothing seems to help. If you’re wondering why you can’t fall asleep, we have your back. Here, we present some common reasons. From there, talk to your doctor to see if there are any solutions to getting much-deserved rest.
Stress
When we think of insomnia, we think of stress. Do you have too many thoughts running through your mind? Whether these thoughts are about work, school, health, finances, or family, stress can keep your brain from shutting down.
Alcohol
When you have an extra glass of wine with dinner, you may feel sleepy and want to hit the hay early. But you may also find it much harder to fall – and stay – asleep. Alcohol affects REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep, so while you may sleep, it’s not the type of quality of sleep you need.
Medication
Certain medications can affect your sleep, including antidepressants, beta-blockers, cold remedies, and corticosteroids. If you’re on any of these, it may be time to discuss side effects with your doctor, switch to a different medication, or find another solution to see if that makes a difference.
Room Temperature
Your room temperature affects your body temperature. So, if your bedroom is too hot or cold, you may have trouble falling and staying asleep. Experts say the optimal sleeping temperature is between 65-68 degrees Fahrenheit.
Night Shift
If you work at night, you may experience jet lag-like sleep deprivation, causing your circadian rhythm to be off. This can also affect you when you finally lay your head on your pillow. Nurses, firefighters, police officers, and others complain that it’s difficult to “unwind” and fall asleep once off-duty.