A comprehensive list to help you figure out why you can’t get to sleep
Let’s face it. It’s getting harder and harder to catch some Zs in the modern world. Everyday, we have to deal with deadlines, appointments, meetings, classes, you name it.
There are just too many things to do during the day. Even if you’re lucky enough to get some downtime in the evening, it’s so hard to shut your brain off and just relax.
It’s also hard to find time to actually take care of ourselves. I don’t know about you, but I’m not efficient enough to squeeze in a nice luxurious bath into my hectic schedule, let alone an hour of gym time.
If you’re dealing with a serious lack of sleep and can’t seem to figure out why, I got your back. Here, I’ve written down the top 50 causes of insomnia to help you pinpoint exactly what it is that is making the dark circles around your eyes bigger.
Figuring out the root of your problem is the first step to solving it. Let’s go.
You’re too stressed
We can’t be expected to coast through life as if it’s easy as pie. Sure, everybody has stuff to deal with, but sometimes this gets to be too much.
Picture this: you’re lying awake in bed and you squint from the glare as you check your phone for the time. It’s way past your bedtime, but you can’t help but worry about where you’re going to get the money for your next rent or how you’re going to finish half of your thesis in a week.
We’ve all been here before.
Sometimes we just can’t help but bring our worries into the bedroom. Have a gone through a big traumatic life event recently? That could be the culprit too.
You don’t have a schedule
If you don’t set time on when you usually go to sleep, this means trouble. You’re confusing your body as to when it can actually wind down.
There could many causes for this. You could be staying out way too late partying or you have a serious case of jet lag and can’t seem to catch a break.
This could even be as simple as staying up one hour later, just to find out what happens in the next episode of the show you’re binging. If you make a habit out of this, this can mess up your body clock.
You’re looking at screens too much
I’ve formed a habit of checking Instagram or reading posts on Reddit at night. Little did I know, this was not helping my sleep problem. Not one bit. It was actually making it worse.
It turns out that it helps to be in a completely dark room to go to sleep easier. This means no TV watching in bed, no Twitter, no nothing.
Your phone gives off was is called blue light, which is said to increase alertness. Not exactly what you want if you’re trying to go sleep, right?
You had one too many bites at dinner
Sure, having a huge meal does make you feel sluggish and sleepy. You might think this is the solution to your problem. Nope.
You might notice that once you get into bed, you can’t seem to get comfortable. And if you’ve had Indian or Mexican food for dinner, that could lead to heartburn.
It’s best to have a light meal a few hours before you hit the sack. This could save you a lot of trips to the bathroom too.
Learn how to get a full night’s sleep in only 4 or less hours – click here
For the ladies
Ladies, you probably already know that there are hormone shifts all month around your period. This is why there are certain days you feel cranky or you find yourself reaching for that pint of ice cream even though you know you shouldn’t.
Well, studies have shown that is linked to your sleep habits too.
If you’re on the pill, you’re in luck. Birth control has estrogen which helps along sleep. Looks like we’re hitting two birds with one stone here.
Still smoking?
I get it. You’re stressed and you think a couple of puffs can’t hurt or you’re thinking it’s the perfect way to end an epic meal.
Well, besides doing horrific things to your lungs and teeth, if you’re a smoker, you probably already know that nicotine keeps you alert. It’s a stimulant. That’s why it goes so well with coffee.
If you’re following what I’m saying here, you’d know that you wouldn’t want anything that will keep your mind alert right before you go to bed.
That’s kind of the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve here. Which leads to the next thing on my list…
Easy on the coffee
This is a no-brainer. Okay, you need a cup of coffee to get you going in the morning. But do you really need that third cup of espresso at 6 PM?
Caffeine is a long mild high. It makes sense not drink coffee a couple of hours before you want to sleep.
I understand it’s a crucial part of most people’s day, but time your coffee intake so you wouldn’t mind having that coffee crash because you were going to sleep anyway.
There’s something wrong with your bed
Another no-brainer. If you find yourself just being frustrated, tired, and with a back ache to boot from lying awake all night, then there might be something wrong with your mattress.
Maybe it’s old and lumpy. Maybe the sheets you’re using don’t feel good against your skin.
It might be time to invest in a new mattress or a better thread count on those sheets.
Learn how to get a full night’s sleep in only 4 or less hours – click here
It’s too hot in your room
We’re spoiled. The temperature has to be just right for us to get comfortable, right?
One degree off on the thermostat might just mean hours of unnecessary tossing and turning.
It turns out we’re not being completely unreasonable here. Your body temp cools down a little bit when you’re asleep. So if you’re not giving it a chance to do that, chances are you’re not going to have much luck with getting to sleep.
No one likes a sweaty bed.
Keep it down!
The house next door has consistent nightly parties or your deaf neighbors from the apartment on the other side of your wall has a habit of watching Law and Order reruns way into the night. I sympathize.
But you’re going to have to figure this one out for yourself. Studies show that sleeping in complete silence is best, but some swear by white noise machines.
Some people can’t stand not hearing anything, whether it’s TV static, the lazy whir from a fan or a low hum from a clunky AC unit.
Your menacing clock
So you’ve inherited your grandpa’s old digital clock. Very aesthetic. But let me tell you, it’s not doing you any good to be staring at that, counting the minutes go by.
Having a constant reminder of all the time you’re wasting is very counterintuitive. You might also want to take the batteries out of your souvenir cuckoo clock to get rid of that infernal ticking.
The blues
This is a serious one. Depression does not only affect how you function in your everyday life, it can also heavily affect your sleep.
Personally, when I found myself in this situation, I had to have my therapist prescribe me some sleeping pills along with my usual antidepressants.
The lack of sleep actually makes depression worse. It’s like an endless cycle. You’re too depressed to go to sleep and not getting enough sleep is not making you feel any better.
I’d go to a professional for this one. Or if you’re a trooper, you can always just wait this out.
Rethink that nightcap
An occasional drink shouldn’t be a problem for the average person. But if you’re a Charles Bukowski type who has to drink away his sorrows in the hopes of passing out, something’s wrong here.
Hear me out. Yes, drinking alcohol does make you drowsy and this might make you think that it’s a good crutch. But if you grow to be dependent on it, this could lead to some serious problems like memory loss.
Not to mention this also messes up your biological clock.
Drinking alcohol before you go to bed lowers your chances of getting those 6-8 hours of sleep you so desire.
Learn how to get a full night’s sleep in only 4 or less hours – click here
Trying to shed pounds the wrong way
If you’re not one of the lucky ones, then you’ve found yourself online reading articles about how to lose weight.
The reasonable ones will tell you that there is no workaround to this. You have to keep on a diet and get regular exercise. Fair enough.
But if you’re like me and you’ve thought, “Ain’t nobody got time for that,” then you’ve probably dabbled with diet pills and fad weight loss products.
Oof, well I checked the labels on of these things and it turns out most of these products contain stimulants like guarana. It’s no wonder I couldn’t get enough sleep.
Senior Problems
Congratulations, you’ve totally earned the right to sit around and figure out what you’re next hobby is going to be.
While reaching the awesome age of 65 definitely has it perks, it has its drawbacks too.
One of these is sleeplessness. Why exactly do we become light sleepers in our older age?
Well, everybody goes through a bunch of hormone changes as we age. Post-menopausal women in particular experience hot flashes which is extra terrible when it hits in the middle of the night.
You’re an expectant mother
The pregnancy experience varies from woman to woman. Some think it’s a breeze and they’re glowing all throughout.
Some say it’s extremely uncomfortable. They say that especially in the first trimester, you barely get any sleep. From needing to pee multiple times in the night to back pain and soreness, there are plenty of reasons why we should be grateful for mothers.
Especially since they have to deal with the stuff right from the get-go.
Bundle of joy?
And there you go, you’re done with pregnancy. But your troubles certainly don’t end there.
An addition the family is always a joyous thing. Don’t forget though, a baby is a crying and pooping machine.
It’s no wonder why you’re not getting any sleep, what with those late night feedings and false alarms.
Having a baby is a massive change and any change disrupts your sleep pattern whether it may be good or bad.
Restless Leg Syndrome
I had a boyfriend who had this. Obviously it was as horrible for me as it was for him.
Sometimes I couldn’t stand it so I would just sleep on the couch. Which wasn’t really good for my back.
He described it as having ants crawl over underneath the skin of his legs and like they were being mildly electrocuted. Sounds creepy and unpleasant.
This would cause him to flail his legs and change positions every 2 minutes. Poor guy.
Learn how to get a full night’s sleep in only 4 or less hours – click here
Who’s snoring?
It doesn’t matter if you or the person you’re sleeping with is snoring. Either way, it’s not a very good scenario.
How can you expect to get some sleep if it sounds like you’re in bed with a chainsaw? It might be the time to get some earplugs. If you have a spare room in the house, maybe you could bunk in there.
But if you’re the snorer, you might have sleep apnea which is very serious and you should get checked out for this immediately.
When you have this, your breathing abruptly stops and this usually wakes the person up if it’s severe.
You’re on a low carb diet plan
Whether you’ve completely removed all carbs from your diet or you try to regulate it by being mindful of the amount of carbs you allow yourself to have, you might not be getting enough and that’s why you’re having trouble sleeping.
Not consuming enough carbohydrates lowers your insulin production because you’re telling your body that you don’t need as much.
So go ahead. Don’t feel guilty. Reach for one two or two dinner rolls. It just might work.
The Graveyard Shift
Do you work nights? Maybe you’re on a rotation schedule.
Constantly changing up your sleep schedule because of reasons you can’t help may be the main cause of your insomnia.
Being fully awake at night throws your circadian rhythm for a loop.
Think of your body as a not so high-tech computer that processes codes. It takes a while to figure things out if you constantly change the codes that you put into it.
This could also be the case if you’re a student and you’re pulling all-nighters to get those papers in.
Your allergies are kicking in
Allergies are the worst. Whether you have hay fever or your roommate insisted on adopting that cat, it makes it so much harder for you to go to sleep if you’re wheezing and blowing your nose all night.
Worst of all, that antihistamine you’re taking isn’t really helping your case.
Yes, it does make you drowsy. People without allergies even take these to fall asleep.
But did you know that that drowsiness extends throughout the day? This is why you wake up all groggy in the morning which makes me prone to taking more naps.
And you already know what excessive napping can do to your sleep schedule.
You’re always indoors
Sometimes you have no choice but to stay indoors. Maybe you work in an office or you work from home.
Also, if you’re working indoors, you’re probably sitting on your butt all day and not doing P90X. Admit it.
Well, studies show that not seeing daylight or not getting enough sun affects your sleeping habits. If you’re constantly in darkness or artificial light, your body doesn’t really know what’s going on.
It helps to take an afternoon walk or at least get 15 minutes of fresh air on your lunch break.
You’ve gained more than a few pounds
This is another one of those endless cycles.
The more overweight you are, the more likely you’ll have trouble sleeping. The less sleep you get, the more likely you’re going to want to make up for energy that you’re not getting from more food.
Not only does obesity present a slew of problems for your vital organs, excess fat also forms around areas where you can’t really see it.
Like your airways. Yup, it’s harder to breathe with that extra chub. This makes you more prone to having sleep apnea.
Learn how to get a full night’s sleep in only 4 or less hours – click here
You’re not getting enough magnesium
This is a lesser known one. You probably won’t see this on other lists.
Did you know that magnesium does absolute wonders for your body? This blew my mind when I found out about this.
Magnesium assists in producing energy and in distributing essential minerals. It keeps your bones strong. It keeps your blood pressure in check.
Most of all, this stuff relieves stress! You’re doing yourself a big favor by replacing your fast food takeout for lunch with a nice big bowl of dark leafy greens.
Don’t worry. Magnesium is found in chocolate too. Whew.
You’re not getting enough exercise or you’re exercising at the wrong time
Most of us are quick to self-medicate. But before you reach for that bottle of NyQuil, think about whether you’re getting enough exercise.
If not, then I’m telling you this is directly related to your sleeplessness. Exercise is just about the most natural and effective way to combat insomnia. This resets your body clock.
But you’ve got to be mindful about when you work out. Working out too late in the day may cause a surplus of energy. You can’t go to sleep if you’re pumped up.
It’s not even dark out
What are doing in bed at this hour? Going to bed without the intention to sleep trains you mind to think that the bed is a place that is meant not only for sleeping.
At the very least, wait for the sun to go down. If this won’t fly with you, get some block out curtains that will give the illusion the world outside is still buzzing and awake.
But as a rule, don’t even go to bed if you’re not feeling sleepy. That sounds like a recipe for disaster.
You have arthritis
If you get a pain-free window and you miraculously fall asleep, chances are, your sleep is not going to go uninterrupted.
Pain and a peaceful sleep sesh don’t really go together. Sleeping is next to impossible if your joints feel like they’re burning.
When you go to your doctor, ask for specific medication that won’t cause insomnia. You don’t have to pick between the lesser of two evils.
Ditch that itch
Up all night scratching?
There are various other reasons why this could be happening apart from the obvious ones like having psoriasis or eczema.
Did you know this could be mental too? Sometimes anxiety manifests itself through rashes. It’s either this or you have iron deficiency anemia.
Or let’s go even the more obvious route here. Do you have bed bugs?
A clean bed, well-moisturized skin and cold compress should help you out some.
Minty fresh
This is a weird one. Brushing your teeth with minty toothpaste doesn’t actually help you wind down.
Of course tooth brushing is a part of any healthy nightly routine, but you should consider swapping your mint tooth toothpaste for something a little more natural.
Mint is another stimulant. It’s even advisable to brush your teeth if you want to feel refreshed and alert. Remember, we’re trying to avoid this right before bed.
This seems like a reasonably small change and it doesn’t hurt to use a cinnamon or fruit flavored toothpaste instead.
Learn how to get a full night’s sleep in only 4 or less hours – click here
Nocturia
Nocturia A.K.A having to pee a billion times at night is more common than you’d think.
There are many factors to go into this. You could be pregnant or you have diabetes. There are also certain medications that make you want to constantly relieve yourself.
This is especially a lot less uncommon for the elderly. When we age, our body just isn’t as good as retaining fluid as it used to be. Hence adult diapers.
But it doesn’t have to be severe as this. Maybe you’re just drinking too much before you go to bed.
The changing of seasons
Remember when SAD lamps were all the rage? Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real thing. This is backed up by science.
Light affects our circadian rhythm. And that’s really hard to come by in the winter months when the nights are longer.
Imagine having to live in the northern coast of Alaska where the sun doesn’t rise for a whole month. I’d be crowding around a SAD lamp too.
Spring means more pollen in the air which doesn’t help your allergies. And summer means it’s harder to stay cool.
It seems like whatever season it is, there’s always something to deal with when it comes to sleep.
Your secret habits
When you take drugs, illegal or not, you’re altering your body functions. It’s not really good to mess with a well-oiled machine.
Cocaine, meth, LSD and ecstasy can really do a number on your body with habitual use. They mess up your metabolism. They worsen your depression. And these effects linger.
Even something seemingly harmless like weed could make you form a dependency on it. Sooner or later, you’ll find it near impossible to fall asleep without a fix.
You’re not getting enough REM sleep
You might be getting some sleep, BUT you still don’t feel like you’re getting enough.
Most people need one to two hours of REM sleep a night. This when your sleep is the deepest and when the actual restoration in your body takes place.
Why aren’t you getting enough? It could be anything from smoking too much or not getting enough exercise.
Keep in mind that getting sleep doesn’t automatically mean that you’re getting rest.
You’re having too much preserved food
The best kind of spread is some cheese, cured meats and wine. It doesn’t hurt to have these every once in a while.
But if you’re chowing down smoked meats all the time and you like your wine a little too much, then it’s no wonder you’re having trouble sleeping.
Aged food contain what is called histamine. This has been proven to affect our hormones.
The interesting part is that you can’t get rid of this powerful substance. Not even cooking will help your case.
The next time you go to a buffet, it might be a good idea to take it easy on the aged steak.
Learn how to get a full night’s sleep in only 4 or less hours – click here
Night terrors
When you have frequent nightmares, it trains your mind to not accept sleep because of that fear.
This isn’t usually a cause for concern. But when it gets to be so bad that you start being jolted out of sleep, you might have to go to a sleep specialist for this.
Even if you do get some sleep, you’ll find that throughout the day you feel sluggish.
Despite this, you’re really not looking forward to going back to sleep because who knows what kind of stuff you’ll be dreaming about tonight?
This is especially difficult when it starts to affect your family members as well.
You’re taking vitamins too late in the day
I’m going to have say good job for taking a multivitamin. This makes sure you get enough iron which aids sleep.
But taking your vitamins too late in the day could give you an unwanted boost of energy right before you go to bed.
By giving the body what it needs, of course it feels invigorated. But be careful when you take them. It’s all about finding that right balance.
Do you need a new pillow?
You might not be aware that your pillow is one of those things you need to occasionally replace like your toothbrush or a loofah.
If you’re feeling economical, then a nice, thorough wash will also do the trick.
You don’t know what all sorts of things you could find in there. Like dust mites and dead skin cells. Gross.
If you’re a pet owner and you let your little buddy sleep in the bed with you, then you should also add some fur to that list.
Making sure that you have the best tools definitely gets the job done quicker.
You’re not at home a lot
Remember as kid you had trouble falling asleep on sleepovers? Not only is having your friends there distracting, you’re in a new environment that you’re not used to.
Your body is a creature of habit. It learns to respond to certain constant stimuli like the smell of your room or the familiar bedding.
If you’re travelling a lot and you always have to stay in hotel rooms or crash on people’s couches, you shouldn’t even wonder why you’re not getting any sleep.
You don’t have a nightly routine
Speaking of habit, it’s good to take some time to pay attention to what your body needs.
For the most part, it’s pretty simple and it doesn’t cost a lot. You just need to be clean and to be smelling nice to trigger your brain to know that it’s time to relax.
When you don’t have a routine, your body doesn’t have any external cues to go on. A nice, warm, luxurious bath doesn’t really hurt either. In fact, it most definitely will help you de-stress.
Learn how to get a full night’s sleep in only 4 or less hours – click here
It’s in your genes
Okay, you’ve wracked your brain trying to figure out why you have insomnia. No luck.
So then maybe you haven’t considered that this is hereditary.
Recent studies have shown that there are several genes that pose risk for insomnia. So you might have gotten it from your mom or your dad.
And bad news, girls. It looks like this is more prevalent in with females.
These genes are not actually the cause of your insomnia, but they do determine the severity of it. If you think you’re having more trouble with it that others, then this might be a lightbulb moment for you.
You’re not having enough sex
Unspent sexual energy could be keeping you up at night.
Have you ever looked over to your partner snoring soundly while you’re sitting up frustrated as hell?
This is one of those basic things that your body just needs. Sure, you can get some action all the time, but you could just take care of it yourself, you know.
You have bipolar disorder
Another scary one.
If you haven’t been diagnosed and you suspect you have this disorder, it’s definitely worth your while to go to a doctor.
I have a friend who is bipolar and the man never sleeps. He claims he doesn’t need it.
Of course this ridiculous. Everybody needs sleep. But he swears he can live off on one or two hours of sleep a day. This is not even nearly enough.
Bipolar disorder also makes you moody and often confused. It’s very hard to fall asleep when you don’t feel safe.
You have chronic pain
My dad has this weird thing where his old injuries act up at night, but only at night.
This is very personal thing. No one can really gauge your pain except you. If that back sprain has been bothering you for a couple months now, that’s chronic pain.
This is definitely something that needs to be dealt with. Otherwise, losing sleep over this is going to pose some serious negative health effects in the long run.
See if some nerve blockers or a scheduled massage will help you out.
Heart failure
Possibly the scariest thing on this list.
If you’re one of the lucky ones who have survived a heart attack, then you know the battle doesn’t just end at just surviving it.
Living with this weakness significantly increases your risk for depression.
I can’t stress this enough. Almost everyone who has had heart failure reports to have insomnia.
This also causes your breathing to be shallower as you’re lying down, making it harder relax. It’s not exactly ideal to be out of breath as you’re trying to get some shut-eye.
You’re napping too much
You just had to squeeze in that third 30-minute nap in, didn’t you, sleepyhead?
While a quick nap does give you a boost of energy during the day, this is a surefire way to ruin your evening. Trust me on this.
Learn how to get a full night’s sleep in only 4 or less hours – click here
What’s the smelly smell?
How exactly are you going to manage to get some sleep if your room is a pigsty?
Smell does wondrous things to us humans. It triggers memory and brings about all sorts of emotions.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what the smell of empty Chinese food takeout boxes and dirty clothes induces.
I think it’s time for some spring cleaning, buddy.
If you’re a neat freak and find this unrelatable, have you tried dabbing a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow? Or maybe the detergent you’re using just isn’t the right one.
You’re popping too many painkillers
I’m guilty of this one. Any slight pain I would feel, no matter how small, I would pop a painkiller.
Sooner or later I developed a dependency. I would take it even if I just felt normal. This was also the time I had to get my doctor to prescribe me some sleeping pills.
Well, no wonder I couldn’t go to sleep! It turns out, painkillers lessen the amount of REM sleep you get.
So even though I managed to fall asleep that night, I would still feel horrible when I wake up. This made me not want to even try to sleep anymore.
Neurological Disorders
Neurological disorders and insomnia is usually a package deal. This is very unfortunate.
But diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s causes some major discomfort. This leaves the person feeling worn out all the time and depressed.
You recently had surgery
This usually doesn’t last too long. But if you’re had a fairly normal sleep schedule your whole far and you’re wondering why after your surgery, you can’t seem to fall asleep as easily.
Initially, this is the effect of the anesthesia. Our body isn’t really used to being given drugs as heavy as that.
The recovery time can also be quite difficult. Usually there are aches and soreness that you have to deal with.
And going through a major event like this does rattle mind a lot.
Learn how to get a full night’s sleep in only 4 or less hours – click here