4 reasons why you can’t sleep

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There are few daily experiences as satisfying as a good night’s sleep. And when it escapes us, we can start forming bad sleep habits every night out of despair. As a psychologist who treats patients with sleep disorders, I find that many people have heard the conventional thinking. wisdom However, few people understand the main factors that influence their sleep structure and may be disrupting their current sleep. Understanding these common issues and identifying the ones that may be affecting you can help you make changes to improve your sleep quality.

Reason #1: Low desire to sleep

The term “sleep drive” refers to the biological drive to sleep. Sleep drive functions similarly to hunger. As time passes since your last meal, your hunger gradually increases, and as time passes since your last sleep, your desire to sleep gradually increases. We fall asleep best when we are highly motivated to sleep. Just like snacking reduces your hunger, napping all day reduces your desire to sleep. Even if you are able to fall asleep quickly on days when you take a long nap in the afternoon, you may not be motivated enough to stay asleep all night, so you are more likely to wake up after just a few hours. It will be. Similarly, while it may be tempting to go to sleep after a night of tossing and turning, waking up late means you don’t have enough time during the day to motivate yourself to sleep, which can lead to further difficulties. sleeping The next night.

How to increase your sleep motivation: Avoid naps whenever possible (or keep naps to 30 minutes or less during the first half of the day), don’t sleep past your normal wake-up time, and stay active during the day.

Reason #2: Your body clock (or circadian rhythm) is out of sync with your schedule.

Our bodies change approximately every 24 hours. for example, Our average core body temperature can change Temperatures can be as low as 0.5 degrees Fahrenheit (0.5 degrees Celsius) throughout the day, with the lowest temperatures around 4 a.m. and the highest around 6 p.m. Hormone secretion also changes on a 24-hour cycle.it can affect our alertness level and sleepiness level. each person’s circadian rhythm is influenced by their own unique genes. Some of us have naturally fast chronotypes, meaning our bodies naturally fall asleep early and wake up earlier, while others have slow chronotypes. In general, we sleep best when our sleep schedules are regular and in line with our circadian rhythms. Even though you’re trying to force yourself to sleep between 9pm and 5am, your body naturally syncs best to a sleep schedule of 11pm to 7am, but it’s also possible that you’re having trouble falling asleep. There is a gender. The same applies to shift work (work that requires night work). associated with sleep deprivation Most people suffer from a disturbance in their circadian rhythm.

How to adjust your circadian rhythm: Look for a job that allows you to wake up at the same time every morning, maintain a regular schedule, and sleep in line with your circadian rhythm.

Reason 3: There is a high level of emotional arousal

If you could hear a tiger scratching and growling behind your bedroom door, would you sleep? Probably not. Because our bodies react to potential threats in the following ways: fearwhich includes a feeling of emotional arousal. You may feel your muscles tense, your heart beat faster, or you may feel yourself sweating through your pajamas. Unfortunately, our bodies react to everyday stressors like a threat from a wild animal: tomorrow’s work presentation, a bill you can’t pay this month, an argument with your partner. . When we are emotionally excited, we cannot fall asleep easily. As time passes, feelings I felt stressed In bed it can cause negative associations. In case of chronic insomniaYou may get so used to tossing and turning that even climbing into bed can be stressful. Have you ever fallen asleep on the couch and suddenly woke up when you went to bed? This may be because you feel an association between being in bed and your emotions. No. I’m worried. To improve your sleep, you need to break this connection and create a new combination in your mind of when you’re in bed and when you’re sleepy.

How to calm emotional excitement: Engage in a relaxing or calming activity an hour before your normal bedtime, and go to bed until you feel very sleepy. If you wake up during the night and lie awake for more than 20 minutes, get out of bed and do a calming activity in a cozy, dimly lit area until you feel sleepy again. Practicing progressive muscle relaxation Helps induce drowsiness.

Reason #4: You rely on alcohol or caffeine to regulate your sleep.

I often hear from patients that although they don’t drink much alcohol, they rely on nightcaps to help them fall asleep at night. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword. alcoholInitial sedative effect of Regress within hours of sleep. While humans metabolize alcohol, they tend to sleep in a fragmented and restless manner. So even if you fall asleep more easily, you’re more likely to wake up in the middle of the night and less likely to get quality sleep, even after just a glass of wine. At the other end of the spectrum is caffeine. stimulation Many people rely on it to stay alert during their waking hours (yes, I’m guilty of that too). Although the metabolic rate of caffeine varies from person to person, Half-life of caffeine for the average adult The journey takes approximately 4-5 hours. So if you ingest 100 mg of caffeine in a large cup of coffee at 12pm, 50mg will be in your system at 5pm and 25mg at 10pm.

How to avoid substance-related sleep disorders: finish the last coffee at least 9 hours before going to bed. If you use a standard pre-workout caffeine supplement, finish it within 13 hours of your normal bedtime. Avoid alcohol within four hours of your standard bedtime and focus on relaxation techniques to calm your mind and body before bed, such as taking a warm bath, stretching, and progressive muscle relaxation.

These recommendations are cognitive behavior treatment I discuss insomnia treatment (CBT-I) in detail in my article. Harnessing biobehavioral processes for better sleep. If you are experiencing significant daily distress or disability due to sleep deprivation, contact your doctor or certified physician to find out if CBT-I or another evidence-based insomnia treatment is right for you. Please consult a mental health professional.