Sometimes we lie down in our beds at night and end up staring at the dark ceiling above us, wide-awake. Even if we’ve had a long day, we may still find it difficult to shift gears into sleep mode. The following explanations provide numerous reasons as to why you’re not falling asleep faster than you’d prefer.

You might suffer from acute or chronic insomnia

There are two types of insomnia. Acute insomnia, also known as “short term” insomnia, happens when our normal daily routines are disrupted. This can be caused by minor illnesses, travel, unhappiness, hormone changes or stress. Acute insomnia typically resolves itself once your normal routine is attained again.

Chronic insomnia, also known as “long-term” insomnia, takes place when sleeping patterns are regularly disorganized over a long period of time (several months).

You might be experiencing anxiety, stress, or depression

You could be the most active person in the world, experiencing longer days than the average human being, yet you still find it hard to sleep at night. Long and stressful days may not only drain you physically, but more so, mentally. Whether or not one is used to a high-stress environment, sleeping problems may still persist, and anxiety in regards to the rest of one’s entire weekly schedule can add to the issue. Taking a relaxing bath or hot shower before bed may help.

Depression can also be a major reason as to why a person cannot sleep at night. Sometimes it’s hard to admit unhappiness to others, so our personal thoughts end up eating away the hours of sleep we could be getting at night. Consider simple meditation or mindfulness activities you can easily find online. Doing them might also take your mind off of whatever is vexing your mind.

You could have a medical problem or illness

Of course, sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and other circadian rhythm triggers will create issues when it’s time for you to go to bed. However, smaller health conditions such as allergies and asthma can be the case too. It is a good idea to stay away from too many medications as well, since many prescription drugs can interfere with sleep. If you find yourself experiencing symptoms of long-term insomnia, consider seeing a doctor, and ask a professional about the steps you can take to get your sleep schedule back on track.

You’re over-stimulating your brain during the day

Modern technology has conditioned us to incessantly check our phones for calls, texts, Facebook messages, tweets, and many other notifications. Because the brain becomes so conditioned to these actions throughout the day, it ends up searching for a fresh stimulus at night when you are trying to fall asleep. This is why you may discover the urge to check your phone multiple times while you lie in bed. Even if the screen is on night mode, your melatonin levels and circadian rhythms are still not where they ideally could be in order to help you fall asleep. Place your phone far enough away from your bed each night so you don’t find yourself using it before you go to sleep. Turn off the TV and any other electronic devices that demand such attention. Make your bedroom a space strictly for sleeping.

You’re exercising too late at night

Sometimes, exercise before bed is a hit or miss. However, many studies have shown that exercising less than 2 hours before you go to sleep can be detrimental to your sleeping patterns and disrupt your hormone balances right before it’s time to wind down. The endorphins released during exercise make you feel more exhilarated, happy, and energized, therefore, can add to the energy you experience at later hours if you exercise during that time. If exercising later at night is the only option available with your schedule, try avoiding extremely intense workouts. Cooling down after any workout and stretching can also help prepare your body for longer periods of relaxation.

Your sleep environment or bedtime routine isn’t working

Whether it’s noise, light seeping into your bedroom, an uncomfortable mattress, or unreasonable temperatures, you may experience sleeping difficulties. Creating a relaxing bedtime routine before bed is also vital to your health and sleep schedule. Bringing an end to late-night texting and watching TV may be a good tactic to consider in preventing sleeping issues. If you live with roommates or family members, ask them to help keep you accountable in managing a healthier sleep routine, and request that they keep the noise level down when it’s time for you to go to bed.

You’re sleeping too much during the day

Unless you’re working night shifts, it is not a good idea to oversleep throughout the week. Oversleeping can very well be the cause of you not getting an adequate amount of sleep at night, and it becomes an endless cycle of your body playing catch-up the next day. It is also important to keep in mind that you can’t exactly make up for the hours of sleep you lost without screwing up your personal sleep schedule. If you can, skip the second nap during the day and participate in a physical activity that engages your body and mind—this should also help you feel more tired when nighttime arrives.