4 Reasons Why You Can’t Fall Asleep at Night by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT
According to the CDC (2014), adults need at least 7 hours of sleep for optimal health and well being; however, in California nearly 38% of adults obtained less than 7 hours. Data collected found that individuals obtaining less than 7 hours of sleep, experienced health risk factors, such as obesity, physical inactivity, alcohol usage, smoking, arthritis, depression, and asthma, to name a few.
Other Possible Factors
What if you do not experience any known health concerns? Could there be other factors contributing to your sleep trouble? Consider these:
The Problem Solver: Some individuals are not able to rest or relax until there is a solution to their concern or problem. Problem-solving is a skill that these individuals have and if there isn’t a solution, or possible options to choose from, it can literally keep them up at night.
The Excessively Productive: Some individuals overwork, which leaves little to no time for themselves. The only free time they have is at night, which can lead to engagement in activities that might not be ideal at late night, such as socializing, watching television shows, etc.
The Giver: Some individuals put others needs before their own. To be helpful to others is a wonderful quality; however, it’s also important for the person to consider if it’s coming at the expense of themself. This can lead to loose boundaries when it comes to one's own time, self-care, relationships, and physical space.
The Expert Distractor: Some individuals have aversion about thinking and confronting stressors and concerns. This can lead to distracting or avoidance behaviors, instead of addressing the concerns and issues. This might work until nighttime when the individual has to lay down to try to sleep. Then the thought floodgates open and the individual is unable to relax and sleep.
What do I do?
It’s not uncommon for there to be underlying factors and reasons that have led to the four factors above. And, if you’ve stumbled upon this blog you might have been experiencing this for a while. This may have led to trouble in relationships, work, school, and self-care. The best thing to do is to reach out for help now. Therapy can help you uncover what is influencing sleep trouble, process the concerns that are influencing sleep trouble, and practice strategies for better sleep.
You don’t have to do this alone. If you are interested in receiving therapy with me, let’s schedule a free 15-minute phone consult.
My office is located in Irvine, which is near Newport Beach, Orange, Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Tustin, Seal Beach, and beyond. I work with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and Asian American & Pacific Islanders.
Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. The topics being discussed are meant as a self-help tool for you own use. It is not psychotherapy or counseling. This information is to be used based on your own judgment. If you need to speak with a professional, you should find one local to you and contact them directly.