Reasons Why You Can't Fall Asleep at Night & What You Can Do

Sleep is indispensable to wellbeing. So if you have trouble falling asleep, you need to figure out why you can't fall asleep and fix that problem! Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder among Americans, but there's a lot of steps you can take before even seeking medical treatment. Adjusting your routine, practicing mindfulness, and incorporating herbal supplements are just a few of the things you can do to vastly improve your quality of life.

"I don't want it, that blue light, turn it off!" That's Lorde's sleep advice because she knows blue light adversely affects melatonin, the hormone that induces sleep. Too much blue light might be why you can't fall asleep. Lorde's suggestion is to use less technology before bed, or download apps that reduce the amount of blue light you're exposed to.

Caffeine may be why you can't fall asleep. For some people, caffeine causes them so much trouble falling asleep that any consumption after 5pm can throw them off. Try giving yourself a cut off time and maybe even switching to less harsh sources of caffeine, like green or white tea. You can also try calming herbal teas. Falling asleep is also one reason why you should drink cannabis tea.

One reason why you can't fall asleep might be that you're using your bed for things other than sex and sleep. Only use your bed for that! Nothing else. Sex before bed might be the key to a good night's sleep. After orgasm is achieved, the hormone oxytocin is released, which is associated with relaxing endorphins. You can also invest in one of the best mattresses for sex.

Maybe you can't fall asleep because your mind is overactive. Let it calm down by reading just enough that you start to feel tired. But nothing too intellectually demanding. No Sartre or Judith Butler in bed!

Smoking might play a part in why you can't fall asleep because your body is going through nicotine withdrawal at night. So, try quitting! Yes, it's hard, but everything about smoking is bad for you and nothing about it is good.

If you can't figure out why you can't fall asleep after changing your routine, you can try natural supplements. Melatonin is what your body uses to get you ready for sleepy time. You can also try valerian root, kava, passion flower, California poppy, ashwagandha, magnolia bark, lavender, etc. And if you're really feeling desperate you can try ZzzQuil, which will most likely work, but may leave you feeling groggy in the morning.

Oftentimes our sleep problems are psychological. You can't fall asleep if you're cycling through the same thoughts. You are under no obligation to have those worries! The only reason you're even worrying about what you worry about is because you're already predisposed to have those worries in the first place given your life experiences. That's how come you worry about what you worry about and not what someone else worries about. Given that, you can use the tools of cognitive behavioral therapy to identify, deconstruct, and even learn to avoid the triggers of your own anxieties! And that includes the worry of being tired. It's fine to be a little sleepy; you'll get over it!

If your area is too noisy, try using a white noise machine to create a relaxing atmosphere for your sleep. You can also try listening to music or a podcast to achieve the same effect. The main point is that you need to create a line of demarcation between what puts you at ease and what stresses you out. Some people even suggest designating a special 15 minute stress out period during your day!

If you've ever watched tennis, you might have noticed that the pros go through the same routine before every one of their serves. That's their way of getting into flow consistently. It's important for them to turn off the judgmental part of their minds so that they can make use of muscle memory. Part of why you can't fall asleep may be that you don't have such a routine. It could be as simple as turning your pillow over, giving it a spritz of Febreeze fabric refresher, and then smoothing it with the palm of your hand. Why Febreeze? Because I have a lot of fond associations with the smell of Febreeze, but you can do whatever you want.

Maybe why you can't fall asleep is that you don't get enough cardio. Cardio is good for almost everything! It releases human growth hormone in your brain and allows you to get used to experiencing stress by virtue of the stress you choose to subject yourself to. The positive effect of acute physical exercise on patients with chronic primary insomnia has been well documented. Some HIIT Cardio (High Intensity Interval Training) can go a long way! Just make sure your work out is enough hours before bedtime so that you're not overstimulated!