Have you ever tried falling asleep only to find that you still couldn’t after some time? It turns out that your inability to sleep may be caused by your schedule and habits.
No matter how good your sleep schedule is, you can still end up watching your alarm clock for hours on end. When this happens to you frequently enough, this becomes insomnia, and can leave quite an effect on every aspect of your health.
Here are the three biggest reasons why you can’t fall asleep – and what you can do about it:
Screens
It’s easy to blame your computer or mobile device/s as the biggest reason why you can’t fall asleep – but there’s a good reason for it.
It turns out the light emitted from your screens inhibits the melatonin production in the brain (melatonin is the hormone that regulates sleep), and as a result you don’t feel as sleepy. However, the rest of your body would still feel the effects of staying up late.
But the good news is that the answer is simple: turn them off before going to bed just like turning off the lights.
Stress
It’s also just as hard to fall asleep when you know that there’s something – or too many things – on your mind, whether it’s your work, your family, relationships, or even just life in general.
To combat this, it helps if you unplug for a certain amount of time once you get home. Establish a pre-sleep routine that lets you take a few deep breaths and simply slow down, whether it’s reading, yoga, or even simply watching a movie.
Sleeping Pattern Disruption
Sleeping at varying hours can do a number on the quality of your sleep, but how badly can it really affect you?
Think of your body as a well-oiled machine that needs a proper routine and schedule. As long as you follow a set schedule that’s in line with the body’s natural biological clock, you will be able to adapt to it and function normally.
However, your body takes time to get used to a schedule. When you keep varying your sleep schedule, your body will find it difficult to adjust and catch up, which is why you need to set a time frame for sleeping – and stick to it.
Stress is perhaps the biggest factor for losing or being unable to sleep, and when paired with other factors such as an unhealthy diet and a significant dose of caffeine, can really affect your ability to fall asleep quickly.
However, the good news is that you can change this and take back your sleep time with a little effort and commitment – and if you still can’t sleep despite having a regular sleep schedule, seeing a doctor might be the right choice for you.
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