Why Am I Not Sleeping? What Can Be The Reason?

Sleeping well and sleeping enough is the most important thing when it comes to your health, be it mental or physical health. Are you constantly asking yourself, ‘why am I not sleeping?” Are you constantly worried about finding the reason behind you not sleeping?

Well, if you have reached a point where you find it very difficult to sleep, it can be because of something that you are doing wrong or something might be wrong with you. Worry no more! This blog will cover almost all the reasons behind you not sleeping as much.

Knowing the cause of your problem is very important. Because only then you can look for the solution. You not being able to sleep through the night can be because of many reasons like faulty lifestyle, underlying mental health disorder or substance use.

Let’s find the reason behind why you are struggling to get a deep sleep at night…

Reasons Behind Not Being Able To Sleep Through The Night

1. No Physical Activity

If you are not doing any physical activity all day then you might struggle to get deep sleep at night. Sometimes it’s easy to fall asleep if your body is tired. If you are just lying on the couch all day doing nothing then this can be the reason behind you don’t sleeping through the night. According to a 2017 study, it has been proven that engaging in at least 30 to 45 minutes of physical activity daily increases the quality of sleep.

2. Disturbed Sleep Schedule

If you have a disturbed or no sleep schedule then you are most likely to not have a deep sleep at night. Having a fixed routine or schedule helps your circadian rhythm (body clock) be in sync and you can get good sleep.

3. Too Much Caffeine Intake

Caffeine makes us stay active, fresh and awake. It’s best to have a dose of caffeine in the morning so that you can kick start your day. Having said that caffeine in the night will do the same but you don’t need to feel active at night right?

Avoid having caffeine in any form in the evening or night time so that it doesn’t keep you awake for long hours.

4. Long Naps During Day Time

I know so many people who take long afternoon naps and then complain that they don’t fall asleep easily at night. If you sleep more in the noon time your sleep requirement is somewhat fulfilled and that’s the reason you don’t sleep in the night.

5. Mental Health Disorder

If you are struggling with some mental health disorder then having sleep related issues is very, very common. Sleep related issues are a major symptom of various mental health disorders. If you do not have any disorder, disturbed or lost sleep can be because of some underlying condition.

6. Too Much Screen Time

Using a lot of mobile phone or laptops before bedtime is sure to stop you from falling asleep. These devices emit blue light which is responsible for reduced melatonin secretion. Melatonin is the sleep hormone so if that is reduced so will be your sleep.

In fact, according to a lot of studies, it can be said that using electronic devices right before bedtime will increase the chances of sleeplessness.

7. Extreme Diet

If you are following a strict diet, make sure your nutritionist gives you enough things to eat so that you feel full. If your body is hungry or on starvation mode then it’s possible that you won’t be able to sleep at night.

How Does Sleeplessness Impact Mental And Physical Health?

Sleep is a very essential activity because that is the time we give our mind and body the rest they need after working hard throughout the day. We even let our machines rest after working for a good amount of time, similarly, we need to put your mind and body to rest as well.

If you don’t do that this sleeplessness is going to have a negative impact on your mental and physical health. Let’s have a look at the common negative consequences of not being able to sleep enough;

• Develop anxiety due to lack of sleep
• Increase chances of developing bipolar disorder
• Not sleeping enough puts you on a high risk of developing depression
• Your hormone grow out of balance
• You are at a high risk of cardiovascular diseases
• Your immune system weakens due to lack of rest
• Fall prey to obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes

How Can You Avoid Not Sleeping Through The Night?

• Avoid consuming caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes, etc.
• Avoid sleeping in a noise prone area
• Sleep away from people who tend to snore a lot
• Stop using your electronics gadgets at least one hour before bedtime
• Try to stop light from entering your room, using curtain or blinders
• Practice stress management so that it stops affecting your sleep
• Indulge in regular physical exercise
• Have a proper sleep schedule
• Try to practice mindfulness or meditation right before bed so that you can have a deep sleep
• Make sure you wear light cotton night suits so that you are comfortable
• You can also try aromatherapy for better sleep
• Do sleep initiating exercises like muscle relaxation, etc.

Endnote

Not sleeping at night can make you develop many health conditions. There can be varied reasons behind you not sleeping at night. Some of the common reasons are mentioned above. If you are making any of the above mistakes, make sure you rectify them as soon as possible.

I hope you found this blog helpful in finding the reason behind why you are not sleeping. Comment down below and let me know if you want to know anything else about sleep and sleep related disorders.

If you like reading such blogs, do check out Calm Sage for more interesting and informative blogs and podcasts. You can also follow us on all social media platforms.

Thanks for reading.

Take care of yourself and stay safe!