Below are my top nine reasons that contribute to a sleepless night:
1. Too much caffeine.
It's going on 2:00 a.m., and I laid in bed and wondered why I drank that Dr. Pepper and thought it was wise to go to sleep right after? I regret making that decision because I'm tired, but my body wants to go for a run.
2. You are dehydrated, big fella.
When you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. This was true for me on that sleepless night. My mouth was dry, I felt like I was in a desert and began regretting all the opportunities I had to drink water and gave them up due to sheer laziness.
3. Bathroom breaks.
You know that moment when you have a very active bladder and you have to constantly keep going to the bathroom? This usually occurs when you're trying to get that good night's sleep and your body wants to keep you up!
4. Anxiety kicks in.
My anxiety kicks in at the worst of times, especially when I want to sleep. I will lay in bed attempting to get some sleep around 11:00 p.m., and my mind begins to race. Before you know it, I am up until 4:00 a.m., watching TV and getting ready for the day ahead.
5. Fears.
Growing up I had my fears of the creatures that lurk in the shadows at night. I grew out of being afraid of the witches, which was just the tree outside my window, the goblins, which was my bean bag chair and the monsters under my bed. Today, I occasionally get scared and literally convince myself into thinking they all exist. Revisiting these fears keep me up!
6. Finding the balance of hot and cold.
Blanket on: too hot. Blanket off: too cold. One leg out: perfect. It is so hard to find that balance of perfection when trying to go to sleep. Until we find it, we usually find ourselves tossing and turning until the sun rises and a new start begins.
7. Midnight snacks.
I can't stand it, but if I'm lying down and I want to go to bed and my stomach begins to growl, I will go and get food. I am not ashamed to eat at 2:00 a.m., it's a habit that I unfortunately make from time to time and it contributes to a lot of sleepless nights.
8. Always on that phone.
It's just something about getting into bed and catching up with the news feed on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. We lay in bed and decide to scroll through our phone updates, become fully satisfied two hours later, and wonder why we're so tired the next day.
9. Curiosity peaks at this hour.
A wave of motivation comes over you and you suddenly feel that you have to draft a paper, clean your room, read that book you had on the shelf all summer, or find ways to keep yourself busy this early in the morning. You literally convince yourself that this has to be done now instead of later.
Now we know what contributes to a sleepless night (my experience). Remember that water is life, and life is happiness, so stay hydrated, avoid the caffeine, and try to go to the bathroom a little before trying to go to bed. Happy sleeping!
