What to do when you have trouble sleeping?

Prioritizing a consistent sleep schedule and evening relaxation routine can help improve the quality of your sleep. Here's what you need to know to stop tossing and turning at night .

Tossing and turning for hours at night when you are trying to fall asleep is uncomfortable and really frustrating.

Anxiety, stress, and overstimulation are just some of the factors that can cause you to toss and turn more often at night. To help fix the problem, you need to know what's causing it.

What keeps you up at night?

Feeling anxious

If you have an anxiety disorder, increased anxiety at night can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.

In a 2017 study, researchers found that physical anxiety has a significant negative impact on sleep quality. A nervous, rushed mind can also make your body feel restless and toss and turn more than usual.

Feeling stressed

Stress can cause mental and physical symptoms that make it harder to sleep. For example, if you have muscle tension due to stress, you may find it harder for your body to relax when you lie in bed at night.

Overstimulated

According to the National Sleep Foundation, blue light emitted from phones, TVs, and other electronic devices can slow the production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin.

Additionally, loud noises and bright lights from inside and outside the bedroom can also stimulate your senses, causing you to toss and turn more.

Inconsistent sleep schedule

Going to bed when you're not tired, as well as going to bed too late or even too early, can all affect the quality of your sleep.

If you are not tired enough, or even too tired, you may find it difficult to relax and fall asleep when you go to bed. The same can happen if you have an irregular sleep schedule.

Sleeping too much before going to bed

Research has shown that taking short naps during the day is beneficial to our health. However, napping too much during the day can make it harder to fall asleep at night.

If you sleep too much in the afternoon, your body may not be fully ready to fall back asleep at night. This can leave you feeling restless when you lie in bed at night.

Unbalanced diet

A balanced diet can have a positive impact on the quality of your sleep. Nutrients from food play a big role in the production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, as well as other important neurotransmitters that help regulate sleep.

An imbalance in these nutrients can lead to poor sleep quality and difficulty falling asleep.

Underlying medical conditions

There are many underlying medical conditions that can lead to poor sleep quality, the most common being restless legs syndrome, sleep apnea, and insomnia.

How to Stop Tossing and Turning at Night

• Create a comfortable bedroom . The first step is to create a bedroom that you feel comfortable sleeping in. Buying a high-quality bed and bedding can help give your body a comfortable place to sleep each night.
• Practice relaxation techniques. Relaxation techniques have been shown to reduce both physical and mental symptoms caused by anxiety and stress. You can practice deep breathing techniques, meditation, visualization, or even grounding techniques to help your body relax & prepare for sleep.
• Turn off electronics. Try to stop using electronics at least an hour before bed to give your body and mind time to prepare for sleep. That means putting away your phone and choosing something more visually pleasing, like a good book.
• Stay active during the day. Regular exercise has been shown to improve sleep quality and help your body relax when it's time to go to bed. If you find yourself constantly having a lot of energy at the end of the night, moving your body throughout the day can help.
• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule. There are many factors that can negatively impact our body's natural sleep-wake cycle, from traveling to staying up too late. Sticking to a sleep schedule can help your body relax and get ready for sleep at the same time every night.
• Eat a balanced diet. Having a balanced diet that includes all the carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and other nutrients your body needs is important for sleep. Don’t forget to incorporate foods rich in tryptophan, magnesium, B vitamins, and other nutrients that promote sleep hormones.