5 reasons you’re not sleeping well and how to fix the problem

5 reasons you're not sleeping well and how to fix the problem

Share
Pin it
Tweet
Share
Email

Can’t sleep? Don’t worry. Insomnia is more common than you think.

Since sleep is an important part of our overall health and happiness, it is essential to develop some strategies to combat insomnia. After all, we sleep for around 1/3 of our lives. So, let’s take insomnia more seriously and change some of the bad habits we have that prevent us from getting a good night’s sleep.

Here is a list of 20 easy solutions you can try to help cure your insomnia, fall asleep faster, and even wake up in a good mood and fresh in the morning.

1. Fix your sleeping schedule.

It all starts here. Our body and mind needs to know when it is time to go to bed and when to wake up. It is ideal to have a routine and go to sleep at the same time every day.

You can slowly get into the right sleeping schedule by waking up a little earlier every morning. This will make you sleepy a bit earlier.

2. Exercise.

The benefits of exercising daily, even if it’s a quick workout at home, are amazing. It has a therapeutic effect and can help make us naturally tired in the evening.

However, try not to exercise at night. Work out in the earlier part of the day so your body has time to wind down before bedtime.

3. Have a bedtime ritual.

Have a set of actions that you can do each evening that will tell your mind it’s time for sleep.

This may be preparing your food and clothes for tomorrow, taking a long bath, or listening to some relaxing music.

4. Track your sleep.

Keep track of when you go to sleep and the time you wake up. Write down things like how you feel in the morning, what you did before bed, and so on.

Then, go back and analyze the results and see what causes your insomnia and what helps you sleep better.

5. Eat better.

Needless to say, junk food won’t help you sleep like a baby. Processed fats and sugar will ruin your rest. Instead, choose foods that give you energy and are nutritious.

6. Try a weighted blanket.

A weighted blanket can help insomnia and anxiety. Learn more about this unusual trick, that’s backed by research, here.

7. Read to get yourself to sleep.

Going to bed with a book is a great way to finish the day with a habit that many successful people share and to let your mind turn off in a natural way. Give it a try.

8. Use apps that track the quality of your sleep and wake you up at the best time.

Sleep Cycle is one such example. It analyzes your movements during sleep and wakes you up when you’re in a lighter sleep phase.

SleepBot also keeps track of your behavior while sleeping and even records sounds to check if you have any breathing problems. Then, it makes sure you get up at the right moment.

9. Avoid caffeine in the second part of the day.

For the best results, stop drinking coffee after lunch. It may be hard for some coffee lovers to do that, so start small and ditch it just an hour earlier today.

10. Meditate.

It’s proven that meditating, even a short daily session of a couple of minutes, helps you empty your mind, alleviate stress, and leaves you feeling more peaceful in general. All of this leads to better sleep as well.

11. Skip naps during the day.

Napping during the second part of the day in particular can lead to disturbed sleep at night.

12. Get a better mattress.

It’s crucial for your body to feel comfortable in bed so that it can rest properly. It’s worth investing more in a better mattress.

13. Don’t get too emotional in the evening.

Heavy noises and parties before bed won’t help you get to sleep anytime soon. The same goes for having important conversations or watching highly emotional movies. When you get worked up, your mind isn’t allowed to rest. So, leave it for tomorrow morning and save your peace of mind tonight.

14. Eliminate noise.

Make sure there’s no noise in your bedroom. If you can’t prevent the noise, try wearing earplugs at night.

15. Ditch technology at least an hour before bed.

Using devices right before bedtime is bad for you. The light that comes from them doesn’t let your brain turn off, and they make noise even when you’re not using them. So, make sure you put all your devices away from your bed when you’re about to go to sleep and stop using them an hour before bedtime.

16. Use a sleeping mask.

Sleeping in a quiet place is important, but so is darkness. The best way to eliminate light is to get a sleeping mask.

17. Drink some hot tea or milk in the evening.

These two beverages can help you feel calm and get sleepy. Just make sure your tea is decaf!

18. Have a light dinner an hour or two before bed.

You won’t fall asleep easily if you go to bed on a full stomach, but an empty one isn’t the solution either. So, have a light dinner a couple of hours before bedtime for optimal rest at night.

19. Let go.

After the day is gone, make sure you leave behind all your problems, worries, and the stress of the day. Even if it was a good day, excitement can keep you from falling asleep. So, let go of all your thoughts. Accept everything that happened and free yourself from it.

20. Journal your thoughts.

You may want to write down a few things you’re grateful for or what happened during the day and how you felt about it. Share your vision for the next day too. That’s an easy practice that will help you move on and even look forward to what tomorrow might bring.

Which of these hacks will you try first to solve your insomnia problem?

Join the Community

5 reasons you're not sleeping well and how to fix the problem

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is an overwhelming need to sleep in the daytime. People with this condition may become so drowsy that they have trouble doing any activity during the day due to excessive sleepiness. A person with with this condition may suddenly fall asleep without warning. The individual may take repeated naps for short or extended amounts of time. In general, individuals with this condition have no control over their desire to sleep.

The causes of excessive daytime sleepiness may be attributed to various sleep disorders. In many cases, excessive sleepiness in the day can be due to insomnia or the inability fall or stay asleep at night. Another example of a sleep disorder is narcolepsy. This sleep disorder can cause excessive sleepiness in the day as well as sudden sleep attacks, where the person suddenly falls asleep. Sleep apnea, which causes interruptions in breathing while sleeping, can also cause this condition.

Excessive sleepiness during the day may also be a symptom of a medical condition. For instance, individuals with urinary problems may be excessively sleepy in the day if they are up several times during the night using the restroom. Worry and stress can also cause this condition. Stress can impact every aspect of a person’s life, including their ability to sleep. Other causes may include medications, lingering injuries and alcohol or drug abuse.

Generally, the most evident symptom of this condition is the overwhelming urge to sleep during the day. This may result in the need to take several naps throughout the day or afternoon. Additional excessive daytime sleepiness symptoms can include a lack of alertness as well as a lack of energy. Some people will appear quite fatigued even after a normal night of sleep. Frequently, the demanding urge to sleep can cause a disruption in the normal pattern of daily activities.

Several tests may be done to medically diagnose a case of this sleep disorder. One or more sleep study tests will commonly be done on an individual with this condition. The tests may be completed at an inpatient or outpatient sleep study clinic. Many individuals will have a polysomnogram performed. This test involves attaching sensors to the skin to record the activity in the brain during sleep.

Treatment for this condition may be best prescribed by a doctor specializing in sleep disorders. Some patients may be best served by using more than one treatment method. Frequently, stimulant medications may be used to treat the condition. These types of medicines will help with alertness and staying awake.

Patients may also be advised to make some lifestyle changes to decrease the urge to sleep during the day. It may help to avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine and alcohol. Adhering to a nightly sleep schedule will also be helpful. Individuals with excessive daytime sleepiness should avoid doing activities that may hurt themselves or others. Driving is one activity that should be done with caution for individuals with this condition.

Readers Also Love

What is Sleep Debt?
What is the Multiple Sleep Latency Test?
What is the Epworth Sleepiness Scale?
How can I Battle Drowsiness?
What Should I Know About Excessive Yawning?

Discussion Comments

@SarahGen– Yes, Harriet Tubman had narcolepsy. It was caused by a head injury she suffered from. She could fall asleep at any time and did so while she was conducting the underground railroad as well. Despite her illness and so many other obstacles she faced, she continued to help free slaves. I think that she’s a great example for others who also suffer from narcolepsy.

I hope that one day, a cure can be found for it. There are medications that can help that were not available during Harriet Tubman’s time. She did have brain surgery towards the end of her life. But not all narcoleptics suffer from the condition due to injury like Harriet Tubman. SarahGen 33 minutes ago

Didn’t Harriet Tubman, the great African American abolitionist, have some kind of sleep disorder? I remember hearing about this, but I can’t recall what it was. ysmina 14 hours ago

My sister had excessive daytime sleepiness for years because she was not getting enough sleep at night. It was because she was up many times at night to go to the bathroom and it always took her some time to fall asleep again. So she was not getting much sleep at night and looked for opportunities to sleep during the day.

After seeing several doctors and having tests done, she was diagnosed with something called diabetes insipidus. It actually is not a form of diabetes. It’s a condition where the kidneys do not hold water. It causes dehydration and the person has to drink a lot of water and ends up going to the bathroom many times.

We couldn’t believe that what we thought was a sleep disorder turned out to be something like this. We’re very happy that she’s fine now. She just has to use a spray medication, it’s the hormone she’s lacking. She no longer drinks a lot of water and sleeps throughout the night. So she’s not tired during the day and doesn’t need to take naps.