Why do i have difficulty sleeping

You may also purchase some sleep aids without a prescription. For example, if your sleep is affected by anxiety disorder or depression, your doctor may prescribe an anti-anxiety or antidepressant medication to help you cope with worry, stress, and feelings of hopelessness. If left untreated, chronic sleep problems can greatly affect your qualify of life. Your reaction time when driving may decrease, which increases your risk of an accident. Poor sleep quality may also reduce your performance levels on the job or at school.

It may also weaken your immune system, resulting in more colds and illnesses. Talk to your doctor if your sleeping problems become frequent. Your doctor can help recommend various treatment methods. Being unable to sleep is incredibly frustrating, and it can make you feel miserable the next day.

Here are 20 simple tips to fall asleep as fast as…. This article lists 17 evidence-based tips to sleep better at night. Getting good sleep is very important for optimal health. Weighted blankets can be beneficial for sleep disorders as well as anxiety and restless leg syndrome. But what size blanket should you buy to maximize…. While antihistamines and other over-the-counter sleep aids contain ingredients that make you drowsy, they may not be the best solution.

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. If you get into bed and cannot fall asleep after 20 minutes, get up, go to another part of your house, and do something soothing, such as reading or listening to quiet music. Lying awake in bed for too long can create an unhealthy mental connection between your sleeping environment and wakefulness. Instead, you want your bed to conjure thoughts and feelings conducive to sleep. Before you actually get into bed, a few simple tips can help make sure your mind and body are prepared to fall asleep easily:.

Beyond the immediate run-up to bedtime, incorporating fundamental sleep tips can aid in falling asleep and prevent serious sleeping problems. Eric Suni has over a decade of experience as a science writer and was previously an information specialist for the National Cancer Institute.

His research and clinical practice focuses on the entire myriad of sleep disorders. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder characterized by a persistent difficulty to fall or remain asleep despite the opportunity to…. Sleep problems can affect anyone, but women are more likely to experience insomnia than men. Poor sleep can provoke daytime…. It is marked by problems getting to…. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website.

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It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The Sleep Foundation editorial team is dedicated to providing content that meets the highest standards for accuracy and objectivity. Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias. Updated July 29, Written by Eric Suni. Medically Reviewed by Dr.

Abhinav Singh. Sign up below for your free gift. Your privacy is important to us. Was this article helpful? Yes No. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Relaxation Techniques for Health. Medical Encyclopedia [Internet]. Atlanta GA : A. Relaxation techniques for stress. Updated March 31, Retrieved June 11, Lichstein, K. The amount of sleep a child needs depends on their age.

In , the CDC conducted a survey of sleep duration in children and teenagers. They found that The CDC also say that children and teenagers who experience a lack of sleep are at increased risk of:. Changes in sleeping habits during pregnancy may occur as a result of hormonal changes.

Levels of the hormones progesterone and estrogen increase during pregnancy. Progesterone blocks receptors in the brain that stimulate sleep, while higher estrogen levels reduce REM sleep. Sleeping difficulty tends to peak around the second and third trimesters.

Causes of sleeping difficulty during the end of a pregnancy include:. If a person does not seek treatment, sleep disorders can lead to the following health complications:. People with insomnia may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or a combination of the two. Acute insomnia can last for a few days or weeks, while chronic insomnia can last for several months.

Most cases of chronic insomnia develop due to medications or an underlying health condition. Treating the underlying condition or switching medications may help relieve insomnia. People with sleep apnea may wake up multiple times in the night due to snoring or a lack of oxygen. A healthcare professional might recommend making lifestyle changes that will help reduce the severity of sleep apnea symptoms.

These changes may include:. People with sleep apnea may also need to use a continuous positive airway pressure CPAP device while they sleep. Jet lag is a temporary disruption in circadian rhythms that occurs when you travel across time zones. Symptoms include daytime sleepiness, fatigue, headaches, stomach problems, and insomnia.

Symptoms are more pronounced the longer the flight and flying east tends to cause worse jet lag than flying west. In general, it usually takes one day per time zone crossed to adjust to the local time. So, if you flew from Los Angeles to New York, crossing three time zones, your jet lag should be gone within three days. The first step to overcoming a sleep disorder or problem is identifying and carefully tracking your symptoms and sleep patterns.

A sleep diary can pinpoint day and nighttime habits that may contribute to your problems at night. Keeping a record of your sleep patterns and problems will also prove helpful if you eventually need to see a sleep doctor. After keeping the diary for a week, for example, you might notice that when you have more than one glass of wine in the evening, you wake up during the night.

While some sleep disorders may require a visit to the doctor, you can improve many sleeping problems on your own. Improve your daytime habits. Regardless of your sleep problems, sticking to a consistent sleep schedule, getting regular exercise, limiting your intake of caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, and managing stress will translate into better sleep over the long term.

Develop a relaxing bedtime routine to prepare your mind and body for sleep. Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and cool, avoid heavy meals and too many fluids late at night, take a warm bath, read, or listen to soothing music to unwind, and turn off screens at least one hour before bedtime. Get back to sleep when you wake up at night. Provide your doctor with as much supporting information as possible, including information from your sleep diary.

A specialist will observe your sleep patterns, brain waves, heart rate, rapid eye movements and more using monitoring devices attached to your body. While sleeping with a bunch of wires attached to you might seem difficult, most patients find they get used to it quickly.

The sleep specialist will then design a treatment program if necessary. A sleep center can also provide you with equipment to monitor your activities awake and asleep at home.

Authors: Melinda Smith, M. An Overview of Sleep Disorders — Symptoms and treatment of common sleep disorders. Sleep Problems in Children — Common sleep issues with babies, young children, and teenagers. University of Michigan Health System.