Why I find it hard to sleep at night: causes and solutions

Insomnia problems are very common, but they have a remedy.

Not being able to sleep is a very common problem in our society.. There are many people who are not able to sleep the recommended 8 hours and wonder: 'why do I have trouble sleeping at night?'.

The bill for not getting a good night's rest means that neither the mind nor the body is properly repaired, manifesting itself in daily life in the form of lower performance, as well as negative emotions such as depression and irritability.

Fortunately, sleep problems, whatever their cause, can be solved. It is only necessary to identify what causes and maintains them in order to address the problem and be able to enjoy a well-deserved rest.

We will now take a closer look let's take a closer look at the causes behind having trouble falling asleep, as well as what can be done about it.as well as what can be done.

Why do I have trouble sleeping at night? Possible causes

The first thing to do in the search for a solution to insomnia problems is the find the cause that provokes them.

They can be very varied, the main 10 being the following.

1. [Stress](/clinic/types-of-stresses

Stress is clearly the main problem that makes it impossible to sleep well.

Any situation in which the psychological stability of the person is altered contributes to the generation of a whole series of thoughts related to the concern for the future.

When going to bed, one does not stop thinking about matters that have been left pending, or in some situation in which one does not know how it is going to end.

Thus, the brain is activated by thinking of catastrophic scenarios or trying to find a solution to the problem in question, and therefore, it is more difficult to fall asleep.

2. Alcohol consumption

It is common to think that alcohol helps you sleep. This is not exactly true.

The truth is that alcohol does cause drowsiness and a reduced ability to react, however, However, after a certain period of time, the person may feel that it is more difficult to fall asleep..

That is why, even if it is only a drink or a bottle of beer, it is advisable to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages during the two hours before going to bed.

3. Too much lighting

Although sensitivity to light varies greatly from person to person, with some people being able to fall asleep in full sun while lying in a hammock on the beach, the lighting of the place where they are going to sleep can significantly hinder sleep.

Humans are diurnal animals. This means that they need to rest during the night, and biologically speaking, they are programmed to sleep in the absence of light.

If during the night, while in the room, there is some kind of light stimulation, the brain can interpret that it is still dark, the brain may interpret that it is still daylight or that it needs to be awake.which means that it will be more difficult to fall asleep.

4. Too much noise

As with the previous case, there are some people who are more sensitive to noise than others, however, there is usually an unwritten consensus on the subject, there is usually an unwritten consensus that auditory stimuli are difficult to ignore when you are trying to sleep..

The ideal is absolute silence. If this cannot be achieved, either because you live on a street that is too noisy or for some other reason, you can resign yourself to buying some good earplugs.

5. Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant substance.Its main use, which is to keep us awake, is well known.

Not only coffee contains this methylxanthine, but also chocolate and tea (yes, caffeine and theine are the same thing).

6. Inadequate temperature

The temperature of the room influences how comfortable you are and also how quickly you get to sleep.

It is frequent that in winter we overdo it with the heat, while in summer we overdo it with the freshness.

Temperatures below 15 ºC and above 23 ºC make it difficult to sleep..

7. Overexcitement

Many people, after a long day's work, like to get rid of the stress of everyday life by doing a little exercise. However, sometimes, too much physical activity can be more harmful than beneficial..

Many people suffer from insomnia as a result of being overexcited by practicing a sport between the afternoon and evening.

The heart goes to a thousand, in addition to the brain receives a high Blood flow, finding the person very sharp.

Sometimes it happens that people have sex at night and, afterwards, they ask themselves 'why is it so hard for me to sleep at night', confident that by having sexual intercourse they would fall asleep immediately due to exhaustion.

Related to the above, this is also an activity that activates the heart, causing the body to remain alert and unable to fall asleep.

8. Too heavy a dinner

Eating a heavy and copious dinner makes digestion difficult.. This can cause stomach pain, reflux and gastrointestinal discomfort.

If you suffer from heartburn, lying down makes the situation worse, so you will be forced to get up to try to calm this annoying problem and cross your fingers that the reflux does not come up in the form of vomit.

9. Thyroid problems

If the thyroid produces too many hormones, various symptoms can occur, such as changes in weight, nervousness, hypersensitivity to heat and, among others, insomnia problems.

Sleep problems are often a symptom of hyperthyroidism. and this problem can be detected by an analysis of thyrotropin hormone (TSH) levels.

10. Restless Legs Syndrome

Many people suffer from this syndrome, whose symptoms range from tingling in the legs to itching and tightness. These discomforts appear at rest and improve with movement..

That is why, when the symptoms appear, the person is unable to stop moving the limbs with the intention of calming the discomfort.

It is one of the main causes of insomnia in people over 45 years old.

How to solve this problem?

After having detected what is the problem that causes insomnia, it is possible to deal with it in order to get to sleep.

1. Take a hot shower

The hot water dilates the blood vessels and lowers the muscle toneIt induces a deep state of relaxation.

That is why taking a good shower is one of the best ways to end the day and then, when you go to bed, it is very easy to fall asleep.

2. Let your imagination run wild

A good way to get to sleep, especially for those who suffer from anxiety, is to try to focus your attention on your problems. to try to decentralize the attention to the problems of the day to day and to concentrate in imagining a beautiful landscape..

A beach, a fairytale forest or imagining the typical and cliché field full of sheep are, as simple as it may seem, ideal ways to relax and, without even realizing it, fall asleep.

3. Coffee, better in the morning

The coffee, and other stimulating drinks, is not advisable to consume it after 18 hours.. There are those who, even if they drink a cup of tea after 2 p.m., are not able to fall asleep at night.

It is for this reason that the best thing to do if you are an inveterate consumer of this substance is to try to reduce its consumption, and to do it especially in the morning, which is the time when stimulation is really required.

4. Soundproofing the room

If the problem is that the neighborhood where you live is too noisy, it is as simple as getting doors and windows. it is as simple as getting doors and windows with a soundproofing system..

Also, in case this option is not available, it is possible to counteract the mundane noise with ambient sound or relaxing music, either classical or New Age music, such as Enya or Celtic Woman.

5. Read as it was done in the old days

Reading a book before going to sleep can contribute to relaxation and, consequently, have an easier time getting the longed-for sleep.

However, not all reading formats are valid. E-books, cell phones, computers and other types of devices with screens are not a good option for reading before going to sleep, since the lights on these screens activate the brain.

The ideal is to read as it has been done all your life, with a physical book.

6. Exercise

It is true that we have said before that physical exercise, done in excess, makes it difficult to sleep, especially if you do an activity that activates the heart a lot.

However, everything must be done in the right measure and, just as the poison is the antidote, exercise can serve to make us fall into a deep sleep as soon as we fall into bed.

The advisable thing is that it is not done immediately before going to sleep, since we will still find ourselves too tired to sleep.It is advisable not to do it immediately before going to sleep, since we will still be too active to fall asleep.

7. Seek professional help

If you have been suffering from insomnia for a long time and the cause of the problem does not seem to be any of the above mentioned, it is best to seek professional help.

It may be that the problem is of biological origin and that there is a deregulation of hormones or a problem at brain level.

Also, it may be due to problems in sleep habits that are not being controlled.

That is why seeing a doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist and, if necessary, a nutritionist may be the first steps to overcome this problem whose degree of interference in daily life is so high.

Bibliographical references:

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Fifth edition. DSM-V. Masson, Barcelona.
• Diagnostic Classification Steering Committee of the American Sleep Disorders Association. (1990). International classification of sleep disorders-diagnostic and coding manual. Rochester (MN): American Sleep Disorders Association.
• Bellesi, M.; de Vivo, L.; Chini, M.; Gilli, F.; Tononi, G. & Cirelli, C. (2017). Sleep loss promotes astrocytic phagocytosis and microglial activation in mouse cerebral cortex. Journal of Neuroscience, 37(21): 5263-73.
• Santos, J.L. ; García, L.I. ; Calderón, M.A. Sanz, L.J.; de los Ríos, P.; Izquierdo, S.; Román, P.; Hernangómez, L.; Navas, E.; Ladrón, A and Álvarez-Cienfuegos, L. (2012). Psicología Clínica. Manual CEDE de Preparación PIR, 02. CEDE. Madrid.