Many people have a long and tiring day, but come home and are unable to fall asleep. You may be thinking about what you need to do the next day, replaying conversations in your head, or worrying about things you cannot control. An inability to fall asleep can make getting a good night’s rest extremely difficult. For many people, it should take around ten to twenty minutes to fall asleep. Anything more indicates that you may have a sleep issue. Insomnia is a common sleep issue that can make falling asleep challenging. You may wonder, why can’t I shut my brain down at night?
Why Can’t I Shut My Brain Down at Night?
An inability to fall asleep and turn off your brain at night can be caused by several factors. Addressing the root cause can help you return to a normal sleep schedule. Sometimes the issue may resolve on its own. However, sleep issues that last more than two weeks should be discussed with a sleep specialist. They are specially trained to diagnose and treat sleep issues.
Stress and Anxiety
Stress and anxiety are common causes of sleep disturbances. Both can make it hard for you to wind down and fall asleep at night. Stress causes your brain to stay on high alert and release hormones like cortisol. This increases your heart rate and makes it much more difficult to wind down. When this chemical reaction happens in your body, it can make you spiral. Small worries can lead to racing thoughts that make it nearly impossible to fall asleep.
Managing stress and anxiety is important. However, worrying about reducing stress can cause even more sleep issues. It is important to consult with a sleep specialist as you navigate the process. In the meantime, try meditation, light yoga, journaling, or a warm shower before bed. Avoid screens at least one hour before bed.
Overstimulation in the Evening
Many people spend their whole day on the go. This can make it easy to fall into an unhealthy bedtime routine. Watching TV, scrolling on your phone, or doing work late into the evening can have a major impact on your sleep. Blue light from screens trick your body into thinking that it is still daytime. This impacts your body’s internal clock and delays the natural release of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that helps you sleep. In addition to screen time before bed, intense exercise, talking to others, and failing to wind down can keep you up.
Creating a relaxing sleep routine one hour before bed can help you effectively relax. Consider a bath, warm shower, light stretching, reading, or meditating. Reducing nighttime stimulation and focusing on relaxation can make falling asleep much easier. If this does not help within two weeks, contact a sleep specialist for support.
Mental Health Conditions
Certain mental health conditions, beyond just stress and anxiety, can make falling asleep difficult. Common mental health conditions that cause this include generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and ADHD. These mental health conditions make it more difficult to quiet your thoughts, especially at night. You may experience restlessness or racing thoughts before bed.
It is important to manage the underlying condition as it can often resolve the sleep issue. However, if you continue to have sleep problems with these diagnoses, contact a sleep specialist. They are well-versed in sleep issues caused by diagnosed mental health conditions. A sleep specialist can assess your symptoms and provide an evidence-based approach.
Poor Sleep Habits
Poor sleep habits can encompass several unhealthy factors. Problematic sleep habits include inconsistent sleep and wake times, watching screens until you fall asleep, and doing things in your bed other than sleeping. Eating too late and consuming excess alcohol can also cause issues with falling asleep. Poor sleep habits impact your sleep cycle, internal clock, and your body’s ability to naturally produce melatonin. Consistently partaking in unhealthy habits before bed can impact your physical and mental health.
Healthy sleep involves going to bed and waking up around the same time every day. If you vary at all, make it no less than one hour from your regular sleep or wake time. Avoid screens at least one hour before bed. Replace screen time with reading, journaling, light stretching, or meditation. A warm bath or shower can also help you wind down. Focusing on relaxing habits that promote sleep can help you fall asleep faster.
Sleep Disorder
Sometimes your sleep issues may be related to an actual sleep disorder. Insomnia is a common sleep condition. Symptoms of insomnia impact more than 30 percent of adults. Up to 10 percent of adults have chronic insomnia. Insomnia can be caused by several factors, including mental, physical, or behavioral. Another common sleep disorder is obstructive sleep apnea. It causes loud snoring, gasping, and pauses in breathing at night.
If you think you may have a sleep disorder, treatment is necessary. Untreated sleep conditions can lead to serious consequences. It can impact your personal and professional life due to daytime fatigue and moodiness. It can also have long-term health consequences, such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and mental health disorders. Working with a skilled and experienced sleep specialist can restore your sleep. It can also improve your short and long-term health.
When to Contact a Sleep Specialist
It is completely normal to have a rough night’s sleep every once in a while. However, consistently poor sleep can have a huge impact on your health. If you experience any of the following, contact a sleep specialist right away.
- It takes you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep several nights a week
- You wake up multiple times during the night
- You wake up too early in the morning and cannot fall back to sleep
- You feel daytime fatigue, even after a full night’s sleep
- You experience moodiness or brain fog throughout the day
- You notice mental health issues arise or get worse
Poor sleep or an inability to fall asleep can cause serious health issues. If you struggle with sleep, contact the team at Sleep MD today to schedule your consultation!
