Sleep Conditions

Why Can't I Sleep?

If you tend to spend your nights laying awake in bed when you’d rather be sleeping — and are even trying to fall asleep as you read this — you’re far from alone. According to the CDC, over a third of Americans have sleep-related issues.


Before you can figure out how to start getting better sleep, you need to figure out what’s keeping you from getting a good night’s rest. It’s important to think about the aspects of your life that could be preventing you from getting a restful night of sleep, since lack of sleep is often linked to lifestyle choices, migraine headaches, anxiety, and sleep disorders, to name a few.

Why can’t I sleep?

There are dozens of reasons someone might not be able to sleep, and they vary widely from person to person. The reason could be a health issue (such as an illness); lifestyle factors (such as late night snacks or phone habits); environmental factors (such as living in a busy city); or a combination of all of the above.


Here are some of the most common reasons a person might not be getting the rest they need, as well as some tips on how to fall asleep — and stay asleep:

Drinking caffeine, smoking cigarettes, or eating food before bed:

What you put into your body in the hours before your bedtime can have a huge effect on your ability to sleep. We know you know this, but it’s worth saying again: Caffeine is meant to wake you up, but it can also keep you up if you consume it a few hours before going to bed. Caffeine isn’t just in coffee — it’s also in chocolate, soda, and many types of tea.


Meanwhile, nicotine is not only a stimulant that can keep you awake, but cigarettes are also known to increase the risk of sleep disorders like sleep apnea.


Not giving your food enough time to settle before you sleep can keep you awake as well, especially if you eat something fatty, spicy, or full of protein — in other words, foods that can lead to heartburn.


Exercising too close to your bedtime:

Exercise can be a great way to make sure you get enough sleep, as long as you don’t work out within a few hours of going to sleep. That’s because working out can raise your body temperature and heart rate — two things that need to be going down so you can drift off to sleep 

It’s not dark or quiet enough:

While some people can sleep through just about anything no matter the conditions, others are more sensitive to their surroundings. If you need complete darkness to fall asleep but there’s light coming in through the windows or even from under your door, try blackout curtains and an eye mask. If your issue is with noise, earplugs or a white noise machine might be the solution.

It’s too hot or too cold:

Finding the perfect sleep temperature can make you feel like Goldilocks — but it’s worth it to find the right temperature for you. Even a couple degrees one way or the other can make you feel too toasty or too chilly and keep you up at night. Since it’s a lot easier to combat the cold with lots of layers, make sure you have blankets and sheets of varying fabrics and thicknesses to experiment with until you find the perfect combination to keep you comfortable.

Napping for too long:

A nap of 20 minutes or so can be very refreshing, but anything longer can not only leave you groggy when you wake up but throw off your sleep schedule as well. Think about it — if you sleep for three hours in the middle of the day, you’ll likely have trouble falling asleep just a few hours later.


Stick to napping for around 20 minutes. You can also try having a cup of coffee right before your nap, so the caffeine will kick in just as you’re waking up from your cat-nap.

Screen time before bed:

Scrolling through social media might feel like a lowkey way to cap off your evening, but according to a Harvard study, the blue light emitted from smartphone and tablet screens can affect your circadian rhythm (not to mention the tendency to doom scroll). 


Try to avoid looking at your mobile devices two to three hours before you go to bed. And if you can’t do that (we understand!), many devices have a “night mode” feature that limits the amount of blue light your screen emits. Plus, you can also try blue light-blocking glasses.

Side effects of some medications or treatments:

Many medications or medical treatments list insomnia or sleep issues as a side effect. For instance, caffeine is used in many over-the-counter and prescription medications for migraine headaches, so taking them can easily lead to poor sleep.


If you’ve found yourself having trouble sleeping after starting a new medication or treatment, talk to your doctor about your options.

Stress and/or anxiety:

Everyone has stressors in their life. You’ve probably noticed it’s a lot easier to ignore them during the day when you’re able to keep busy with things like work or school. But, when you’re in bed trying to fall asleep, your mind is free to wander back and replay them on repeat.


Combat this by engaging in relaxing activities in the hour or so leading up to your bedtime. Take time to wind down. Maybe for you, that means meditating, taking a warm bath or shower, or reading a book. Journaling is another great way to relax — and to get stressful thoughts out of your head and down on paper.

Chronic sleep conditions:

If you find that addressing the above issues doesn’t help, you may have a chronic sleep condition, like sleep apnea and insomnia. They’re both common disorders that make getting a good night’s sleep difficult, but for very different reasons. While someone with sleep apnea will have their sleep interrupted by a disruption in breathing over and over throughout the night, someone with insomnia will find themselves unable to fall or stay asleep. 


While some of the solutions we discussed above can help curb the symptoms of sleep apnea or insomnia, you’ll need to be diagnosed by a physician to receive any non-OTC medication or treatment.


There might not be just one reason you’re not sleeping well — or one solution


Improving your sleep could come down to something as simple as avoiding foods that keep you awake, working out in the morning or afternoon instead of at night, or avoiding your phone after a certain hour. On the other hand, you may need more support from your doctor, therapist, or a sleep specialist if you have a chronic sleep condition like sleep apnea or insomnia.

Article Reviewed By

Joshua Roland, MD, FAASM - River's Medical Director

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