6 reasons why you can't fall asleep

Difficulty falling asleep is widespread and can have a variety of causes. We'll show you why you might be lying awake in the evening and unable to fall asleep.

Table of contents:

1. One in two people has trouble falling asleep
2. Six Reasons Why You Can't Fall Asleep
3. More tips for sleeping problems
4. Conclusion

1. One in two people has trouble falling asleep

"Why can't I just go to sleep?" – everyone has probably asked themselves this question at some point. The average time it takes for adults to fall asleep is between 5 and 20 minutes. If you regularly need longer to fall asleep, you could be suffering from serious sleep problems. There can be many different reasons why we can't sleep. We will introduce you to the most common causes of problems falling asleep and show you a few very simple tips to ensure optimal conditions for falling asleep.

2. Six reasons why you can't fall asleep

#1 Too much sleep

It sounds strange at first, but it can really be a reason for difficulty falling asleep in the evening. Sleep is an important resting phase in which our body regenerates and energy reserves are replenished. If you use up a lot of energy during the day or don't sleep enough, your body needs sleep more urgently and gets it by making you tired. But if you get more than enough sleep or if you have already taken a long nap in the afternoon, your sleep needs may already be met and you will not be really tired in the evening and will not be able to fall asleep.

➨ Tip: Regular sleep
Try to get enough sleep regularly and not sleep too little or too much in the long run. If you don't feel really tired in the evening, you shouldn't take naps during the day so that the pressure to sleep increases in the evening and you can fall asleep more easily.

#2 Irregular sleep rhythm

You don't have a regular sleeping schedule, you sometimes go to bed earlier and sometimes later in the evening and get up at different times in the morning? This really messes up your body's biorhythm and can lead to it not being ready for a good night's rest in the evening and you having trouble getting to sleep.

➨ Tip: Fixed sleep rhythm
Establish a fixed sleep rhythm with regular sleeping and waking times so that your internal clock can regulate itself and you get tired and sleepy at the right time in the evening. You can find tips on this here.

#3 Too much stress

Do you suffer from stress in your everyday life, cannot switch off in the evening and perhaps still think about work or the to-dos for the next day in bed? A high level of stress prevents you from relaxing and resting on a physical and mental level and thus disrupts the process of falling asleep. stress hormone cortisol is in direct interaction with the natural sleep hormone melatonin and has an activating effect, so that you are less tired and have difficulty falling asleep.

➨ Tip: Conscious relaxation and calm routines
Try to consciously relax in the evening and put your worries or problems aside. Take time for yourself and try to calm down. Breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, a warm bath or a calming tea can help.

#4 Inappropriate sleeping environment

The mattress is too hard, the pillow is too soft, the bedroom is freezing cold and the street noise and the light from passing cars penetrates through the windows from outside? The sleeping environment has a decisive influence on the process of falling asleep. An uncomfortable bed, heat or cold, noise and bright light are external stimuli that not only tear you awake, but can also lead to you not falling asleep at all.

➨ Tip: Pleasant & sleep-promoting sleeping environment
The ideal bedroom is dark, quiet and a little cooler. The mattress, pillow and duvet should be tailored to your individual needs so that you are 100% comfortable and feel good all round.

#5 Inactive lifestyle

Do you spend the whole day indoors because of your job and do little or no exercise? Daylight is an important pacemaker for your internal clock and is needed to produce enough sleep hormones in the evening. If you also move little and rarely exercise, your metabolism slows down, your health suffers and your sleep pressure is too low in the evening to get to sleep quickly.

➨ Tip: Active everyday life and plenty of daylight
Try to organize your daily routine so that you get enough daylight, exercise and eat a balanced and healthy diet.

#6 Too much TV, Smartphone, computer

Watching a series marathon late into the evening or scrolling through social media channels while lying in bed? Not the best idea if you want to fall asleep easily. The bright light, the many visual and emotional stimuli as well as exciting content activate the nervous system and prevent us from winding down and falling asleep. And even though many people doze off in front of the TV, if you are tired you should go to bed and Smartphone aside.

➨ Tip: Limit media consumption in the evening
Reduce consumption digital media before going to bed. Turn off TV, computers and tablets early and put your Smartphone gone.

3. More tips for sleeping problems

Almost everyone has problems falling asleep at some point in their life. In the sleep magazine you will therefore find many other articles with helpful techniques that can support falling asleep and help you to sink into a well-deserved sleep. You can find more information here:

The best tips for falling asleep

Does music help you fall asleep?

The 6 Best Scents to Fall Asleep

breathing exercises to fall asleep

4. Conclusion

• Difficulty falling asleep is widespread and is often caused by too much stress, poor sleeping habits or a lack of relaxation.