10 Reasons Why You’re Sleeping So Poorly (& How to Fix It)

You’re Staring at Screens Before Bed

We all love a good Netflix binge or scrolling through TikTok before bed, but the blue light from screens (phones, TVs, tablets) messes with your melatonin levels—the hormone that tells your body it’s time to sleep. Blue light tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, so your body stays awake longer than it should. Try putting your phone down at least 30 minutes before bed (I know, it’s hard!). If you must be on your screen, switch on night mode or wear blue light-blocking glasses. It will make a difference!

Your Bedroom Isn’t a Sleep Sanctuary

Your environment plays a huge role in how well you sleep. If your room is cluttered and noisy, or the temperature isn’t right, it can mess with your ability to relax and sleep well. An uncomfortable mattress or pillow can also make you toss and turn all night. To fix this, you need to turn your bedroom into a sanctuary. Declutter, dim the lights, and keep the room cool—around 60–67°F is the sweet spot. Invest in a comfy mattress and pillow that support your sleeping style (side sleepers, we’re looking at you!). Adding a white noise machine or blackout curtains can help, too. Do whatever you need to do to make sure the environment in your bedroom supports your sleep.

You’re Eating or Drinking Too Late

Late-night snacking might seem harmless, but eating heavy or spicy meals, or sweet treats, close to bedtime can cause indigestion, which keeps you up, or give you an energy spike at the wrong time. And drinking caffeine or alcohol before bed? That’s a big no-no. While alcohol might make you sleepy at first, it actually disrupts deep sleep later in the night. The solution is to eat dinner 2 to 3 hours before bed and avoid anything that’s too heavy, spicy, or fatty, but make sure it fills you up. In the evening, you can enjoy any kind of herbal tea or just drink water instead of going for sodas or anything else.

You’re Feeling Stressed or Anxious

We’ve all been there: lying in bed, wide awake, thinking about everything we have to do tomorrow (or cringe things that happened three years ago). Stress and anxiety can prevent your mind from winding down, making it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. The best thing you can do to avoid this is to set up a calming bedtime routine for yourself. This will help your mind relax, so try meditating, journaling, or even deep breathing before bed to clear your head. Journaling is particularly helpful! If your thoughts are running wild, writing them down will help you process them instead of having them running laps on your mind. You’d be surprised at how effective it is.

You Have Inconsistent Sleep Habits

If you’re going to bed at different times every night, your body’s internal clock (also known as your circadian rhythm) can get all out of whack. A lack of routine means your body doesn’t know when it’s supposed to feel sleepy, which can make it harder to fall asleep when you need to. So try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day—even on weekends. Yes, even when you’re tempted to sleep in! Sticking to a consistent schedule helps regulate your circadian rhythm so you’ll fall asleep faster and wake up more refreshed.

You’re Napping Too Much

Naps are great, but too much daytime sleep can throw off your ability to sleep at night. If you’re catching Zs for more than 30 minutes or napping late in the afternoon, you’re likely confusing your body and making it harder to feel tired when bedtime rolls around. Keep your naps short and sweet—aim for 20–30 minutes tops, and try to nap before 3 p.m. That way, you’ll get the energy boost you need without disrupting your night’s sleep. If you feel super tired later in the day, resist the nap and power through so you can hit the pillow at night.

You’re Not Getting Enough Exercise

Fitness people are correct about this–exercise is one of the best natural sleep aids out there. It helps reduce stress, tire out your body, and improve your overall sleep quality. But if you’re not moving enough during the day, it can make it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep. You should get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day and anything goes, even dancing or brisk walks. What matters is that you get your body moving and you should schedule this a few hours before bed. If you exercise too close to your bedtime, it will actually give you energy and make it difficult for you to wind down.

You’re Not Spending Enough Time in Natural Light

Our bodies rely on natural light to regulate sleep patterns. If you’re spending too much time indoors during the day, your body might not get the right signals to feel awake or sleepy at the right times, which can mess up your sleep schedule. So get out there and touch some grass! Try to get outside during the day—especially in the morning. Sunlight helps reinforce your body’s circadian rhythm, making it easier for you to feel sleepy when it’s time to hit the hay. Even 15–30 minutes of sunlight can make a difference.

You’re Overdoing It on the Caffeine

We all love our coffee, but having too much of it, especially late in the day, can be a major sleep disruptor. Caffeine stays in your system for up to 6 hours, and even if you don’t feel wired, it can affect your ability to get into a deep sleep. So try cutting back on caffeine, especially after 2 p.m. If you still need an afternoon pick-me-up, opt for herbal tea or water. Even decaf coffee can have trace amounts of caffeine, so watch out for that sneaky sleep disruptor.

Your Mind Associates Bed with Stress

If you’re one of those people who lies awake in bed worrying, your brain might start associating your bed with stress instead of sleep. This can create a vicious cycle where just getting into bed makes you anxious and wide awake. Use your bed for sleep and relaxation only—no working, no scrolling, no stressing. If you’re lying awake for more than 20 minutes, get out of bed and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy again. This helps retrain your brain to see your bed as a place for rest, not worry.

If you’ve been struggling to sleep, don’t stress—it happens to all of us! Now that you know some of the common reasons behind poor sleep, you can start making small changes to get back to the good night’s sleep you deserve.