What should I do if I have difficulty falling asleep at night?
Jan 17, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Zhao
Introduction
When experiencing insomnia, avoid excessive worry or tension—many healthy individuals may temporarily struggle with falling asleep due to various factors. Before bedtime, drinking a cup of warm milk may help promote sleep. Light physical activity before bed can also be beneficial, but avoid overexertion, as excessive exercise may likewise impair sleep onset.
Having difficulty falling asleep at night is an extremely distressing experience—especially when one must work the next day. If sleep is significantly disrupted or insufficient, symptoms such as dizziness and mental lethargy may arise, and the body often feels profoundly fatigued. Over time, this can progressively undermine the patient’s overall health—something no patient wishes to experience. So, what should one do if difficulty falling asleep persists over the long term?
What to Do When You Have Trouble Falling Asleep at Night
First, maintain a calm and balanced mindset. Avoid being overly rigid or perfectionistic in work, study, or daily life. Practice contentment and cultivate inner peace; foster harmonious relationships with others and nurture a positive mental state.
When experiencing insomnia, avoid excessive worry or anxiety. Even otherwise healthy individuals may temporarily struggle to fall asleep due to situational stressors. Before bed, consider drinking a warm glass of milk, which may promote sleep onset. Light, moderate physical activity before bedtime can also be beneficial—but avoid overexertion, as excessive exercise may paradoxically impair sleep initiation.
Limit screen time before bed—minimize use of smartphones and computers—to prevent overstimulation of the mind.
In many cases today, difficulty falling asleep stems primarily from psychological factors. Daily life and work-related conflicts and challenges often give rise to anxiety, depression, tension, anger, rumination, or emotional excitement—all of which may carry over into the evening and disrupt sleep onset.
Others may experience sleep-onset difficulties due to physiological factors such as hunger, fatigue, or pain.
Additionally, certain psychiatric conditions—including anxiety disorders, depression, and neurasthenia—can directly cause sleep disturbances.
Given the high levels of psychosocial stress in modern life, many people suffer from chronic mental tension and autonomic nervous system dysregulation, leading frequently to sleep disorders. Such patients commonly report lying awake for prolonged periods despite feeling physically exhausted and mentally sleepy. They often describe an inability to quiet their minds, tossing and turning restlessly throughout the night.
Sleep onset latency typically exceeds 30 minutes and is frequently accompanied by irritability or frustration. Even after eventually falling asleep, sleep quality tends to be poor—characterized by vivid dreams, light or fragmented sleep, frequent nocturnal awakenings, and difficulty returning to sleep afterward. Consequently, daytime functioning suffers: patients commonly experience fatigue, drowsiness, and reduced alertness, adversely affecting their daily life, work performance, and academic productivity.
We hope the above information proves helpful. Wishing you a joyful and fulfilling life.
