There are a lot of times when you know EXACTLY why you can't fall asleep.
Maybe there's a dog outside barking at a leaf.
Or maybe you had a double shot espresso two hours ago.
In either situation, you definitely know what did it. But sometimes you can't think of any plausible reason to explain why you're not asleep.
There are a lot of weird things that might be affecting your sleeping ability without you even noticing.
Here are a few of them.
1. Being too tired
There's an interesting difference between being physically tired and mentally tired.
If you're so exhausted that you feel like you can't move your legs, that's physical tiredness. Because it's purely physical, your mind is probably still working overtime.
So you slam into bed, expecting to fall asleep instantly.
And you end up lying there for three long hours, because your brain just won't quit.
To avoid this, make sure to wind down before bed, even if you are exhausted. You need to slow down your brain and let it know that it's time to get some rest.
2. Spicy food
Have you ever watched someone suffering through an incredibly spicy dish? Their face goes all red and they actually start to sweat. It's pretty gross.
But that's a clue as to why it's a bad idea to eat spicy food before bed.
Can you work it out? Go on, have a guess.
It's because it raises your core temperature.
We've talked before about how your body needs to cool down a couple of degrees before you can fall asleep. If you've just eaten something spicy, it's going to take much longer for the body to get to optimal temperature.
Make sure to stay away from the chili peppers if you want to get your sleep on!
3. It's too quiet
This seems incredibly counterintuitive. We need quiet in order to sleep, right?
Well, yes, that's true. Quiet is very important for restful sleep.
But when it's very quiet, the sound of even the smallest rustle or click is massively magnified.
So if it's quiet enough that you can hear your own heart beating? Your heart might actually be the thing that's keeping you awake.
In this situation, you'll definitely want to listen to some white noise or music to drown out the disruptive sounds. Bedphones can allow you to comfortably listen to whatever you want, without causing you further night-time disturbances.
If you're ever having trouble getting to sleep, just try out these tips and see if they help! Sleep quality has a huge affect on your mental and physical wellbeing, so it's important you get at least 7-9 hours of shut eye each night.