8 Surprising Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Quality Sleep

Having a bad night’s sleep or two is completely normal, but regular insomnia is not.

Sleepless nights eventually take a serious toll on both your mental and physical health, which is why it’s so important to understand what might be causing the problem.

It’s not always what you expect though.

If you’ve created a new sleep routine but still aren’t getting the quality sleep you’re hoping for, you may want to look into some of the less obvious causes of insomnia.

Surprising Reasons You Might Not Be Sleeping Well

1. Hormonal Imbalances

Low levels of estrogen and progesterone and high levels of testosterone can affect your sleep. Hormonal imbalances like this are also often paired with cortisol dysregulation.

High cortisol levels will make it much harder to fall asleep and stay asleep if levels peak during the night. If you are experiencing poor sleep almost every night, it might be time to get your hormones tested.

2. Sneaky Caffeine

When you’re having trouble sleeping, you know that an afternoon coffee is out of the question. However, you might be consuming caffeine in other ways anyway. Chocolate and fizzy drinks can also be sources of caffeine, so think twice about what you’re consuming later in the day.

3. Mineral Imbalances

When your body has an imbalance of magnesium, potassium, sodium, or calcium, it can easily affect your sleep patterns. Perhaps you’re already taking a magnesium or calcium supplement, but did you know that you often need other vitamins in order for your body to absorb those minerals? A hair tissue analysis can tell you whether mineral imbalances could be impacting your sleep.  

4. A Relaxed Schedule

You might think that feeling less stressed and taking your day as it comes would be good for your sleep habits, but it might be having the complete opposite effect. If you aren’t going to sleep and waking up at more or less the same time every day, your body could be producing melatonin at times when you don’t need it.

5. An Unhealthy Gut

Your gut is responsible for producing feel-good chemicals such as melatonin and serotonin, but if that gut wall is damaged, your body might not be getting what it needs.

Fortunately, healing your gut is really easy. Along with taking a probiotic, you can also start eating foods that are rich in antioxidants and good bacteria. You could even consider a detox, which will help flush your gut of any harmful bacteria – just be aware that it might get rid of good bacteria too, which is why probiotics are important.

6. Staying Awake in Bed

How often do you lie in bed reading, watching TV, or scrolling on social media? The more you tell your brain that you should be awake in bed, the harder it’s going to be to get a good night’s sleep. If you want to wind down before bed, rather do it in another room in dim light to slowly get your brain to switch off.  

7. Congested Liver

Even your liver can affect your sleep patterns. If your liver is unable to process the toxins in your body, it leads to inflammation, which directly impacts your sleep. If you are experiencing digestive problems and feel tired more often than you used to, your liver might need some support.

8. Prescription Medication

Recently started taking a new type of prescription medication? This could be the reason why you’re not sleeping. Instead of heading to Google to find out more about the side effects though, rather speak to your doctor directly and ask about alternatives if need be.

Think your sleepless nights might be linked to one of these sneaky factors? You're one step closer to experiencing better sleep!

Speak to your physician about the necessary tests or start making some changes to your eating habits and lifestyle.