Why Can't I Fall Back Asleep?

Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health, and when you can’t seem to sleep, it can cause major disturbances in your day-to-day life. Beyond feeling tired and sluggish, missing out on your sleep has the potential to affect your mood, blood pressure, and even your balance.

If you’re someone who has struggled to sleep, a great first step towards your solution is figuring out why you haven’t been able to snag those extra z’s!  

We put together a few possible reasons you are missing out on your sleep, to try and help you find your way back to a good night’s rest.

Medical Disclaimer: All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. 

The Skinny on Sleep

We all love a good beauty sleep, but what makes it so important? Getting your recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night doesn’t just give you a break between days, it helps your body recover, reset, and repair. While it might like an arbitrary number, this study from the American Journal of Hypertension found that sleeping for less than five hours a night can increase your blood pressure.

What are Circadian Rhythms?

Perhaps most importantly, your sleep helps to keep your internal clock, called your circadian rhythm, on schedule. A circadian rhythm is basically the 24-hour master plan for your body and helps you stay on track throughout the day.  

Sleep helps to regulate these rhythms because your body relies on light to either keep you awake or put you to bed.  When you’re exposed to light, your brain makes signals to energize the body, and when you are in the dark, your body produces melatonin to help you sleep.

What are Sleep Cycles?

When we go to bed, we actually cycle through four different stages of sleep throughout the night. Each stage helps your body rest and recover, and interrupting the cycle can leave you tired and drowsy.  This is another reason for the 7-9 hour sleep recommendation, as it allows us to go through all stages of sleep comfortably.

As you can see, the better sleep you get, the more time your body has to adjust, heal, and keep you on track for the new day.  Now, let’s take a look at a few reasons you might be having trouble sleeping.

Bedtime Habits

A great first step to correcting your disrupted sleep is to take a look at your habits around going to sleep and waking up in the morning.  This is commonly referred to as your “sleep hygiene,” and there are a couple of tactics you can use to try and keep you sleeping through the night.

Sleep Hygiene Tips and Tricks

Set Yourself For Success - To give yourself the best chance at sleep, make sure your bedroom is set up correctly for you! Try to make sure that you are going to bed in a comfortable, quiet, and relaxing space.

Be consistent -  Sometimes you can have trouble sleeping because you simply haven’t stuck to a dependable schedule! Adhering to a schedule can help you reset your circadian rhythm, so try to go to sleep and wake up in the morning around the same time.

Unplug - Before falling asleep, you should avoid screens and caffeine at all costs! These can potentially affect your circadian rhythms and sleep cycles, making it easier to disrupt your sleep.  To give yourself the best sleeping scenario, turn off your TVs and phones before bedtime, and save your coffee for the mornings.

If you adhere to strict bedroom habits, but still find yourself waking in the middle of the night, it’s time to see what else could be stopping you from staying asleep.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders are another possible reason you might feel tired in the morning.  Sleep disorders specifically impair or prevent a person from sleeping properly, and can affect different parts of sleep.  

If you believe you have one of the disorders below, consult a health care professional or a sleep expert. Ask them about your specific symptoms, and make sure you phrase your questions clearly and correctly. There’s a big difference between asking, “Why do I wake up at 3am?” and “Why do I wake up tired?”, so be as accurate as you can. 

Here are three of the most common sleep disorders you might encounter.

Common Sleep Disorders

Insomnia

Insomnia is a very common sleep disorder, and can make it hard to fall or stay asleep. You can experience insomnia for a number of different reasons, but if it begins to drastically affect your daily life, talk to a doctor. If your insomnia isn’t chronic, there’s a good chance you can help yourself by making a few simple life changes.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a disorder that affects your breathing at night.  One of the most common signs of sleep apnea is loud snoring, followed closely by gasping for air in your sleep. The constant struggle to get air into your lungs doesn’t allow the body to sink into deep stages of sleep and people often wake up tired. There are a few different types of sleep apnea, but all can affect your sleep quality, so they’re worth looking into!

Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) causes an uncontrollable urge to move your legs, especially at night, or when you are laying down. Trying to find a good sleep position with RLS can be extremely difficult, and if it gets serious enough, it can impact your sleep greatly.      

This is not a full list of sleep disorders, and every person’s experience is different. Keep this in mind when researching your sleep troubles, and find the right person to help you.

CBD Gummies For Sleep

If you’re still experiencing sleep troubles, there’s another thing you might want to try; CBD. CBD, or cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive ingredient extracted from cannabis.  Unlike THC, the other famous chemical in cannabis, CBD doesn’t have any “high” effects and can be very helpful in trying to sleep.

Get a head start on your sleep journey, and try some Winged CBD Gummies today! Our gummies contain CBD from full-spectrum hemp extract, and melatonin to encourage the best sleep you can get.  Take one gummy 20-30 minutes before bed, and let your muscles relax, stop your racing mind, and get some good sleep.