![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thewalkeronline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/sleep.jpg?resize=640%2C459&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Always exhausted? You\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n
Almost half of Americans don\u2019t get enough sleep, or what they get isn\u2019t good enough. Whether you struggle to fall asleep or can\u2019t seem to stay that way, there\u2019s a reason why the sleep you need is so elusive. Such as:<\/p>\n
Social media and email can bring stress<\/u>. That can make you struggle to sleep, says Joseph Chandler, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at Birmingham-Southern College.<\/p>\n
The other issue with phone time before bedtime? Your brain thinks the artificial light from the screen is daylight. So, your body doesn\u2019t make as much of something called melatonin<\/a>. That\u2019s a chemical that helps you sleep. If you don\u2019t have enough of it, you may get insomnia<\/a> — the inability to fall or stay asleep.<\/p>\n The fix: <\/strong>Shut off all digital devices — including your cellphone, computer, and television — at least an hour before you end your day.<\/p>\n Aparajitha Verma, MD, a sleep neurologist at Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas, says you shouldn\u2019t keep your phone near your bed, either, \u201cespecially if you\u2019re tempted to check it before you turn out the lights, or worse, in the middle of the night.\u201d<\/p>\n Hitting the hay at 9:30 on Wednesday and midnight on Saturday can throw off your body\u2019s internal clock. That can make it harder for you to fall and stay asleep. It can also make you groggy when you wake up, Verma says.<\/p>\n The fix: <\/strong>You may not be able to go to bed at the same time every day, \u201cbut try not to vary by more than 30 to 45 minutes, even on the weekend,\u201d Verma says.<\/p>\n Caffeine has many health perks. One major downside? \u201cIt disrupts your brain\u2019s ability to keep track of how long it has been awake, making you more alert than you should be,\u201d says Chandler.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a coffee lover, or you regularly down other drinks with caffeine, you might think that you\u2019ve built up a tolerance to it and that you can still have a cup of coffee before bed.<\/p>\n Chandler says that would have a bad effect on even the most experienced caffeine fiend\u2019s sleep.<\/p>\n The fix: <\/strong>Stop the jolt flow at least 5 hours before you go to bed — sooner if you know you\u2019re especially sensitive. \u201cMost caffeine leaves your system within 7 hours. But if you get really jittery after a single cup of coffee, stick to one before lunch,\u201d Verma says.<\/p>\n A drink in the evening is fine for most adults (ask your doctor if you\u2019re not sure it\u2019s a good idea for you). Several, or a true before-bed nightcap, can help you fall asleep but can also keep you from getting the deep, restful sleep we\u2019re all after.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, alcohol is a diuretic that leads to middle-of-the-night trips to the bathroom.<\/p>\n The fix:<\/strong> Stick to one drink per day if you\u2019re a woman, or two drinks max if you\u2019re a man. That\u2019s not only for sleep, but for general health, too. Try to make sure your last sip of beer, wine, or liquor happens at least 2 hours before you plan to hit the sheets.<\/p>\n If you toss and turn, it could be your mattress, says Robert Rosenberg, DO, medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center in Prescott Valley, AZ.<\/p>\n \u201cThe position you sleep in can also make you uncomfortable, which can make it hard to sleep,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Your dog or cat may also be the cause of your blurry-eyed mornings. Pets that share your bed with you can wake you through the night, even if you don\u2019t remember it the next day.<\/p>\n A partner who kicks or takes up more than half the bed could be the offender, too. They may be rousing you and keeping you from getting the quality sleep you need.<\/p>\n The fix:<\/strong> Kick your pet out of your bed — and make sure they stay out. And if your partner takes up a lot of the bed, consider a bigger mattress. You\u2019ll sleep better if you have room to move.<\/p>\n In the market for a new mattress? Consider a medium-firm model, believed to be the best for preventing back pain<\/a>. But if, after you make the switch, you\u2019re still feeling that twinge, Rosenberg suggests you sleep on your side with a thin pillow between your legs and knees.<\/p>\n A cool room mirrors the natural drop in body temperature you have when you\u2019re sleeping. If your room is too toasty, it becomes harder for your body to cool down the way it needs to. That can make you restless.<\/p>\n The same goes for light. Even small amounts can give you less melatonin, which\u2019ll make you feel alert at bedtime.<\/p>\n But the darker your room, the easier it is for your brain to enter \u201csleep mode.\u201d<\/p>\n The fix:<\/strong> \u201cMost research shows around 68 degrees is ideal for sleep, but it\u2019s different for everyone,\u201d Verma says. \u201cYou may have to play with the thermostat and test having different layers of blankets to figure out what\u2019s right for you.\u201d<\/p>\n If your window coverings let light in, think about light-blocking shades or curtains. You could hang a sheet or blanket over the window.<\/p>\n If you have a lot on your mind when you get into bed, it\u2019ll be tough for you to fall or stay asleep.<\/p>\n The fix: <\/strong>Get a relaxing pre-bed ritual — and stick to it, even on days when you\u2019re not tense.<\/p>\n \u201cTaking a shower, stretching<\/a>, or reading a physical book — not a book on a tablet — before bed are all good ways to help your brain wind down,\u201d Verma says.<\/p>\n Meditating can help ease the minds of people who have trouble sleeping. Or you could jot down a few things you\u2019re thankful for. Not only will this simple exercise keep worries at bay; research shows that grateful people are more likely to sleep easier.<\/p>\n You may be used to your partner\u2019s snoring, but that doesn\u2019t mean it doesn\u2019t affect your sleep.<\/p>\n \u201cMost people don\u2019t snore continually, and the volume may vary. So when your partner\u2019s snoring changes, it can wake you up momentarily,\u201d Rosenberg says. That can keep you from the deep, restorative sleep that gives you that refreshed feeling.<\/p>\n The fix:<\/strong> Encourage your partner to see a sleep specialist. Loud snoring can signal a dangerous condition called sleep apnea<\/a> that causes people to stop breathing for short periods while they sleep.<\/p>\n In the meantime, think about earplugs. Sleep in a separate room, if you must.<\/p>\n (www.webmd.com)<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thewalkeronline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/slogan-banner.jpeg?resize=640%2C240&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/div>