Why you “can’t” sleep.
Dear Sleep-Deprived Friends…
We've all been there: Laying in bed, counting the minutes, and asking ourselves “Why can’t I sleep?”
But the truth is, everyone can sleep: It’s just a matter of finding the right conditions.
There are five common reasons why we have trouble sleeping.
None of these will shock you, but the details and nuance might change how you think about them.
Sleep Problem #1: Anxiety
If you find yourself tossing and turning and worrying about not being able to sleep, it's likely leading to anxiety.
That anxiety triggers the release of brain chemicals that keep you alert and awake.
To break this maddening cycle, you need to address and reframe the underlying thoughts and emotions.
You’ll likely discover you have some unhelpful and maybe even unrealistic beliefs about sleep.
Rather than berating yourself for not sleeping… (not helpful for relaxation) Consider gently reminding yourself that…
▶ You’ll fall asleep eventually.
All humans have an innate drive and capacity for sleep.
▶ You’re likely getting more sleep than you realize.
Most people aren’t aware of their lightest sleep phases.
They think they’ve spent most of the night awake when, in fact, they slept several hours. (To be sure, it may not feel that way.)
▶ Occasional sleep loss is normal.
Especially during times of excitement, anticipation, change, or stress.
For most, this is a temporary phase. Trust that your sleep will recalibrate eventually.
Sleep Problem #2: Too Much Caffeine
Caffeine blocks the function of adenosine, a neurochemical that makes you sleepy.
But don’t worry, you don’t have to give up caffeine altogether.
Cutting back on overall intake (2 cups of coffee instead of 3) or limiting caffeine intake to the a.m. hours helps.
If it’s not obvious, there are a couple of key factors here: how much you drink and when you drink it.
That’s because it takes hours for your body to fully metabolize caffeine.
You can play around with those two variables—amount and timing—to figure out your sweet spot.
Interesting side note:
About 50 per cent of people are “slow” caffeine metabolizers.
This means the caffeine stays in their systems longer than people who are “fast” caffeine metabolizers. So what works well for one person may not be beneficial for another.
Sleep Problem #3: Sleeping in.
Waking up later means your brain won’t feel sleepy until later.
The reason: It takes about 16 hours of wakefulness for enough adenosine to build up in your brain to nudge you into slumber.
Do the math: Sleeping until 10 a.m. might mean that your brain isn’t ready to rest until about 2 a.m.
As a result, snoozing late on the weekends can make it hard to fall asleep on Sunday night—leading to a miserable Monday morning. (As if Mondays need any help with that.)
So if you want to feel more rested heading into a new week, try to get out of bed on the weekends reasonably close to your normal weekday wake time. (Yeah, it’s painful, we know.)
A consistent sleep schedule can make a world of difference.
(Note: If your sleep schedule doesn’t allow for at least 7 hours of nightly rest during the week, then you likely need to work on your bedtime.)
Sleep Problem #4: Lack of Sunlight
Sunlight helps set your circadian rhythm, making you feel tired when it gets dark in the evening.
Try to get 10 to 20 minutes of sunlight within two hours of waking up, even on overcast days.
In fact, a new study reports that people fell asleep later when they were exposed to less natural daylight and more artificial light.
“‘If you do not get enough exposure to light during the day when the sun is out, that ‘delays’ your clock and pushes back the onset of sleep at night.’”
An ideal approach: Expose yourself to light as soon as you can upon waking, and even better, try to get outside in the morning.
Sleep Problem #5: Artificial Light
Artificial light from lamps and screens, especially blue light, can disrupt the hormone melatonin and make it harder for us to fall asleep.
Try to limit screen time in the hour before bed and lower the lighting in your home as the sun sets.
What’s more, it’s not just about the light on your phone. It’s about the content, too.
If you’re reading about the latest dumpster fire in the news, frantically trying to respond to work emails, or looking at social media accounts that make you feel bad about yourself these activities could act as “stressors” that amp you up or upset you.
The Bottom Line
Sleep problems are often not just about one thing. This is why sleep advice often includes a laundry list of “dos and do nots.”
But by understanding this and being aware of each of these factors, you can better identify what might be a problem for you (or your client)—and what might not be a problem.
