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Why do I have trouble sleeping every night?

112 Answers
Last Updated: 05/15/2017 at 1:52pm
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Melissa Strauss, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

I am client focused and believe everyone has a strength. I feel confident in seeing clients with generalized and social anxiety, depression and relational goals.

Top Rated Answers
compassionsoul
September 11th, 2015 1:49pm
Thinking too much makes you feel uncomfortable. so then you don't sleep well. My advice is that you should decrease amount of your thoughts as possible as you can.
LapOfNature3
September 6th, 2015 7:29am
It can be due to lot of anxiety or over-worrying of things. The best and 100% guaranteed working technique on me is to close your eyes, lock into that position and think of sweet moments in your life. I don't know exactly the scientific reason for it, but thinking of sweet moments help you distract from anxiety and over-worrying things and helps you to get sleep early. Also you can try out chanting this sentence while closing your eyes, "I am sleeping". Seems weird, but honestly it sometimes works.
KiForEverybody
August 19th, 2015 9:27am
Each time I feel anxious or not perceived from the people I love or there is to much pressure from outside (parents, job, advertise, doctors, ...) my heart keep me awake: with his irregular fast beat I can hardly breath regularly and feel a connection with my body.
Anonymous
September 16th, 2015 6:57am
Anxiety from the day or day to come. Uncomfortable sleeping conditions. This is the time your brain has to relax and truly reflect on important matters that it otherwise was not able to do during the day. Constant thoughts don't allow you to relax.
Anonymous
November 6th, 2015 1:27pm
Any or a combination of these reasons; - You don't spend enough time unwinding from your day and doing unimportant/not stressful things before bed. -You are probably allergic to something, e.g phenylalanine/aspartame can cause insomnia (t's artificial sweetener and is most commonly found in chewing gum). Spices can do the same thing, so can artificial flavours, alcohol and some medications. - You don't manage your stress properly e.f unresolved anger can interfere with sleep, so can any unresolved conflict with people or feeling stressed about an event. The best thing to do is write what is on your mind then take those thoughts to a therapist and come to terms with it. Once the thoughts are gone the sleep will be better. Sometimes unfortunately things take longer to resolve so poor sleep will be a prolonged event. In this case it helps to learn how to manage your stress because sleep loss can affect your mood. Meditation helps, so do weights, walking and chilling out!
Anonymous
December 3rd, 2015 1:33pm
It’s not normal to feel sleepy during the day, to have problems getting to sleep at night, or to wake up feeling exhausted. But even if you’ve struggled with sleep problems for so long that it seems normal, you can still learn to sleep better. You can start by tracking your symptoms and sleep patterns, and then making healthy changes to your daytime habits and bedtime routine. If self-help doesn’t do the trick, you can turn to sleep specialists who are trained in sleep medicine. Together, you can identify the underlying causes of your sleeping problem and find ways to improve your sleep and quality of life.
HeleneNoel
August 20th, 2015 7:16am
Because of the use of electronic devices and the flashing led lights. Try using softwares like flu.x for IPhone's and iMac's to help you sleep better and remove all blinking lights, especially blue ones since they cause an imbalance in your system that causes you to stay awake.
comfortableParadise21
October 29th, 2015 1:29am
It's hard to sleep when there are things on your mind that are troubling you, even if you don't realise it! It helps to have a good routine before bedtime, to do breathing / meditation exercises to help you wind down before bed, and maybe keep a diary to help clear your mind :)
Mydogted18
October 28th, 2015 4:45pm
It could depend on variety of reasons sometimes it could be caused by chronic pain, othertimes it could be due anxiet/depression or physical disability. Sometimes it could be just due to lifestyle factors, eating too late not doing enough during the day, Worrying about what you'vee gotta do all day and ruminating about it. Have i done this? have i turned the grill/oven off, fed the dog, omg I haven't done x at work my boss will be on my back all day and then worrying and thinking your gonna get the sack, lose the house, how am i gonna pay the bills/mortgage. I am shame on my family, worrying about future things that haven;t happened yet as if they have happened or gonna happen.
ExperienceIsGrowth
November 18th, 2015 11:31pm
Our internal dialog can serve as a large contributing factor as to why we can't sleep. Lying still and in the dark with nothing to see and nothing to hear, except only for the thoughts and unanswered questions that we hear in our now unoccupied minds. Whether they be thoughts of old memories and past relationships or worries of the future and the world we live in, it's important to know you are not alone! There are many people that often wonder the very same things, we must allow ourselves to open up to these concerns and discuss them with other people, whether they be friends or family members, or doctors or listeners online who you have never met. We can help each other through compassion and care. Sleep well! Answering these questions and sharing our concerns alleviate the worry and pain we suffer from.
Saltmistrose
November 18th, 2015 11:19pm
I have always been a night owl and never a lark, as my sleep clinic doctor told me, once. I travel between the U.S. and New Zealand and I am always am time shifting. This in part makes if very hard to keep to a regular sleep schedule/wake schedule, which would help me immensely. Not having regular full time work also works against me getting in a good daily sleep cycle. I presume others suffer from this kind of living too. I also struggle with weight issues that can't be addressed very well when I am up and eating all hours of the day.
Michelle90
November 18th, 2015 11:31am
I have too much on my mind. I think too much about both my.past, and future. It terrifies me. Nothing can comfort me.
Exellisten2012
November 15th, 2015 11:56pm
A lot of the time i have trouble sleeping cause of stress. When i have a lot going on in my life or important events it takes me a while to go to sleep. Also when i am angry.
HelpingHand55
November 15th, 2015 11:01am
if anybody face trouble sleeping every night so there may be some reasons behind that like some deep desire/ past thoughts / any fear / future tension / etc so you have to first know what is your reason among it then find solution
Melodyponderinglife
May 15th, 2017 1:52pm
There are many things that can trigger lack of sleep, from stress to poor nutrition. It may be helpful to keep a sleep journal to recognise what affects your sleep patterns
ChristieLove
November 15th, 2015 9:59am
If you struggle with getting good sleep it may be a good idea to see if making a few changes helps. Eliminate tvs, phones, electronics from your bedroom, enjoy some hot herbal tea and hot bath before bed, listen to a guided meditation focused on sleeping, make sure your bed is made and your sheets are clean, put lavender oil in a diffuser or on you pillows, practice deep breathing.
Anonymous
November 14th, 2015 8:59pm
You could have been keeping your brain active before you attempt to go to sleep which could cause you to not be able to rest your brain to go sleep
Anonymous
November 12th, 2015 8:06pm
Try turning off your screens for a half-hour before bed. Using screens right before sleeping can contribute to a loss of sleep.
Anonymous
November 11th, 2015 10:54pm
I have trouble because I'm always waking up...like always! I'm getting a sleep study done to see if that would help at all. But other than that taking medications helps too.
Letsflipthatfrown
October 29th, 2015 7:43am
It'd be important to take up a mood diary, or download an app for it. Note how you feel each night, and in the morning note if you slept well. Then after a week or so, patterns will start to emerge that you can notice, and then act upon :)
hopefulTree67
October 29th, 2015 2:58pm
I realized it's because I don't always do things to unwind myself, things that relax the mind such as writing or exercise..
Barnloft
October 29th, 2015 8:09pm
Trouble sleep varies from anxiety all the way to just had a coffee 20 minutes before bed. A great way to find out the source of your sleeping troubles is to keep a sleep journal. Find out the times you fall asleep best and the times you are having the most issues. What are you partaking in before bed? Caffeine, alcohol, prescriptions? A lot of things can influence your sleep try to pinpoint a couple of things you may find keeping you awake and try to adjust from there.
pluviophilelove
October 30th, 2015 5:44pm
It could be Insomnia, but it doesn't always have to be something like that. We all get stressed, some more often then others. I used to get stressed a lot or worried, anxious, or excited about an upcoming event. It could be many things keeping you up, but if it is repetitive i recommend speaking to someone about it.
slowTime
October 31st, 2015 12:59am
How does it exactly show itself? Do you think about anything or do you go to the kitchen to eat? Normally stress causes troubles sleeping but stress is also caused by other reasons.
Anonymous
November 1st, 2015 9:25am
Because I am stressed over life and it's problems. I am scared of letting people down and failing. I am scared of the changes and uncertainty.
urmothersuncle
November 4th, 2015 2:18am
If its not a medical issue that you've discussed with your doctor, it may just be because you're worried and overthinking too much, sometimes my brain does that too, just breathe, think of good thoughts and don't worry about tomorrow just be thankful in the moment you're in now :)
Anonymous
November 5th, 2015 9:52pm
There could be a variety of reasons why you can't sleep. Each person is different. It is best to consult with your doctor about it before self-medicating.
Anonymous
November 6th, 2015 1:23pm
You might have to much on your mind, or you have alot of stress try to relaxe a litttle or something.
MellyLa
November 6th, 2015 4:25am
Maybe you have too much on your mind. Try to empty your mind before going to sleep, try to make it a blank. It's also important to leave the bed for sleep only. No eating, no watching tv, no texting, nothing! Only for sleep!! I also use a noise machine, it really helps!
LunaDesireeFuller
October 29th, 2015 12:26pm
Your sleeping pattern could have been effected somehow or you are stressed about something or even many things, your iron levels could be changing around a lot- there's a lot of reasons!