Sleep: 10 Reasons Why You're Finding It Hard To Fall Asleep

A person needs a certain amount of sleep to maintain their health and well-being. Sleep is just as important to people's health as daily exercise and a balanced diet. Getting good sleep ensures our overall health is in order.

There are many benefits of good sleep such as better brain function, better mental health, better energy levels, better diet, lowered risk of chronic diseases, and whatnot. Hence, it is important to get good sleep.

For various reasons, it is possible that you are not getting the right amount or quality of sleep. Lack of proper sleep can be frustrating. Let's discuss and dissect why you might not be getting good sleep.

RELATED STORIES

These Lifestyle Remedies Will Ensure You Get Good Quality Sleep

In this article, we share a list of tips you can try to improve your sleep quality.

Sleep: Meditation, Sleep Hygiene & Other Effective Tips To Ensure Good Quality Sleep

Achieving good sleep requires developing healthy sleep habits and maintaining a regular sleep schedule.

Here are 10 reasons why you have a poor sleep cycle:

1. Lack of sleep schedule

Following a proper routine is key to a healthy life as well as a healthy mind and body. Establish a timetable and follow it. Your body's natural sleep routine is interrupted if you go to bed and wake up at various times every day, which makes it more difficult to get a decent night's sleep.

2. Your room is too bright

A nightstand clock, a lamp, as well as a window with too much light might disrupt your sleep. To improve light management, turn off all of the devices inside the bedroom and hang some room-darkening drapes or blinds. Limit the use of your phone and other devices since the light they create can interfere with your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep.

3. Working out before bed

There is no denying that exercising makes for a healthier lifestyle. However, exercising often boosts our heart rate. This can disrupt our sleep. Instead of working out in the evening because it makes it harder to fall asleep, choose to work out in the morning.

4. Not exercising regularly

Exercise and sleep are complementary. Regular exercise can improve your sleep, and getting enough sleep increases your likelihood of exercising. If you can, work out every day in the morning. A high-intensity aerobic workout performed too close to bedtime may have the reverse of the desired result, keeping you too alert to fall asleep.

5. Not eating right

Your sleep may be impacted by what you eat. Foods that are spicy can aggravate heartburn. Large meals make you feel uncomfortably full and over time can increase your risk of becoming obese, which is a well-known potential risk for sleep disorders.

6. You work from your bedroom

Due to the coronavirus, many of us have resorted to working from home. Hence, it may be tempting to use your room as a workspace, but doing so can make it more difficult to associate your room with sleeping. Try to avoid engaging in daytime activities in the bedroom.

7. You have a sleeping disorder

Even though the stereotype of snoring, overweight people with sleep apnea is inaccurate, women of just about any weight too can acquire these frequent pauses in breathing as they sleep. A small jaw or a change in muscle tone can cause a man or woman to develop apnea. Both of these structural problems can prevent oxygen from getting to your lungs as you sleep, which will then prevent oxygen from getting to the rest of your body.

8. Consuming caffeine near bedtime

Even if you drink your entire cup of coffee in the morning, too much caffeine might keep you up all night. Half of the caffeine in your body can take up to six hours to leave your system. At four in the morning, if you've consumed enough coffee, it's still in your system. And while a couple of glasses of wine with supper may make you feel unwinded or perhaps drowsy, it won't actually put you to sleep.

9. Poor mental health

Sleep is frequently hampered by depression, which affects more women than men. Even though depressed people may sleep more than usual, their quality of sleep is still poor. Similarly, stress, anxiety, and other mental issues might hinder your quality of sleep.

10. Not eating at the right times

A lot can be destroyed by late-night hunger besides your diet. Heartburn and the desire to use the toilet in the middle of the night might result from drinking and eating too close to going to bed. Eat a filling dinner to prevent snacking temptations.

Keep these reasons in mind if you are not getting good sleep. Altering these factors may help you in getting better sleep and might improve your overall health.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.