I go to bed on time but sometimes I lie there for a while and can't fall asleep. What should I do? Changes in circadian rhythm mean it can be hard for teens to fall asleep sometimes. If you find yourself lying awake in bed thinking about everything from your homework to whether it's your turn to walk the dog in the morning, you may need a sleep reboot. Try this:. Getting up for a short while can help if you have trouble falling asleep sometimes or if you occasionally wake up and can't go back to sleep. But you don't want to have to do it every night. If you have trouble falling asleep, it's best to train your body to wind down and relax with a pre-sleep routine each night.

Main navigation


What is insomnia?
Millions of readers rely on HelpGuide for free, evidence-based resources to understand and navigate mental health challenges. Please donate today to help us protect, support, and save lives. Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep at night, resulting in unrefreshing or non-restorative sleep. Chronic insomnia can even contribute to serious health problems. Some people struggle to get to sleep no matter how tired they are. Others wake up in the middle of the night and lie awake for hours, anxiously watching the clock. But, because different people need different amounts of sleep, insomnia is defined by the quality of your sleep and how you feel after sleeping—not the number of hours you sleep or how quickly you doze off. Although insomnia is the most common sleep complaint, it is not a single sleep disorder. The problem causing the insomnia differs from person to person.
More on this topic for:
Most teens don't get enough sleep , usually because their schedules are overloaded or they spend too much time texting or chatting with friends until the wee hours of the morning. Other teens try to go to sleep early, but instead of getting much-needed rest, they lie awake for hours. Over time, nights of missed sleep whether they're caused by a sleep disorder or simply not scheduling enough time for the necessary ZZZs can build into a sleep deficit or sleep debt. Teens with a sleep deficit can't concentrate, study, or work effectively. They also can have emotional problems, like depression. As we sleep, our brains pass through five stages of sleep. Together, stages 1, 2, 3, 4, and REM rapid eye movement sleep make up a sleep cycle. One complete sleep cycle lasts about 90 to minutes.
Loneliness could be disrupting your sleep. Bedtime regularity predicts CPAP compliance. Sleep disturbance common among gynecological cancer survivors. Sleep in the city: big-city living may cause insomnia, sleep loss. Adjust sleep schedule to minimize effect of daylight saving time. So what do you do? Indulge in a low impact hobby: Do you play a musical instrument, knit or like to draw? All of these activities can be low impact and perfect for when you cannot sleep. Computers, smartphones, televisions and tablets emit blue light, which can reset your circadian clock and make your body think that it is time to be awake.