The long hours of night seem to last forever when you are suffering with a bad case of insomnia. Tossing and turning for hours at a time is a miserable way to spend your precious sleep time and the only thing worse than spending a night staring at the ceiling is trying to function the next day with no sleep. The key to beating insomnia is figuring out why you aren’t sleeping. Here are 8 reasons why you can’t sleep at night. Figure out which one is bothering you and then you can make practical changes to help sleep come easier.
Thinking about work can cause your mind to race at night. It adds stress to your body and your mind. Finding a way to relieve stress and give your mind a mental break from work before you go to bed at night may help you get to sleep faster and keep you asleep longer. Try making a “to do” for what you need to get done at the office before you go to bed. Organize your thoughts on paper and then you can rest easy knowing a plan is waiting on you in the morning.
Your interactions with others can create added stress on your mind that can leave you restless and unable to sleep. If you are having conflict in your marriage or friendships, try to talk things out before you go to bed. When you are angry or upset, your emotions can keep you from getting a good night of rest so pick up the phone and make amends.
Money is a huge culprit in sleepless nights. If you have past due bills, outstanding debts, or other financial issues, this can interfere with the ability to sleep. Spend some time working out a budget or seek help from a financial counselor. Even if you don’t have enough money to cover everything at once, making a plan will ease your mind and help your sleep habits.
Anytime you have a big change in your life you experience a transition that can effect your body. Whether taking a promotion, moving to a new home, or going off to college, life changes can afford you the opportunity of sleepless nights and dreary days. Try to create a schedule that helps you adjust to your new place in life. This will help your body adjust enough to sleep at night.
Losing a loved one can put a great mental burden on your mind. While some resort to sleep to cope with grief, others become deprived of it. Grief counseling is important to allow you to work through your thoughts and feelings and help you to adjust your mind to resting again.
You could be keeping yourself awake at night by the foods and drinks you consume throughout your day. Your body needs a break from caffeine in order to shut down for rest at night. If you enjoy drinking coffee, consider drinking decaffeinated coffee in the evenings instead of your regularly loaded cup.
Sleeping disorders, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, injuries, pregnancy and more could be keeping you up at night. Talk with your doctor about what options may be available to help you get a good night’s sleep.
If your sweetie is a snorer, it can make the nights like a ritual form of torture. If your sleep is interrupted by the other half of the bed, you have a few options. First, you could try sleeping alone. This isn’t always a great option for marriage though! Your other option is to try to help your partner stop snoring. Talk to a doctor or sleep specialist for advice!
Having a good night’s sleep is important for your body and your mind. Sleep gives your body rest and helps it to be mentally and physically alert to perform everyday tasks such as driving and working. If you are experiencing any of these 8 reasons why you can’t sleep at night, making some simple changes could really help. By taking time to wind down, avoiding late night caffeine, and taking care of health issues, you can improve your sleep. What is your best trick for unwinding before bed at night?
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