Noise
The Bedroom Is Too Hot or Cold
The optimal room temperature for sleep is between 60 and 67 degrees F. And if you can only choose between a hot and cold room, go with cold. If the room is too warm, your body can't reach the optimal temperature it needs to fall asleep.
You Have Back Problems
Back pain can keep you from fully relaxing into a deep sleep. Moreover, moving around in your sleep can trigger spasms that wake you up. If you suffer from back pain, it's important to get it treated. It's also important to make sure you're not sleeping in positions that exacerbate the pain and problems, such as on your stomach.
Screens
Small screens are now how we get most of our news, some streaming TV shows and touch base with our loved ones. They also emit a kind of blue light that mimics the sun and suppresses our ability to produce melatonin, the hormone that knocks us out at night. Putting screens away at least two hours before bedtime helps regulate natural sleep. At the very least, turn on your screen's nighttime features and keep the blue light away.
Kids
After we become parents, either habit or biology encourages us to sleep with one ear open, meaning parents often never really reach the kind of deep and sustained sleep their bodies would like. Midnight wakes-ups, or raising really early risers, also cuts into adult sleep time for years.
Your Mattress
An uncomfortable mattress can leave you feeling less than rested in the morning. Too soft, too hard, too old and squeaky. Bad mattresses can hurt your back, wake you up or otherwise wreck a good night's sleep.
Too Much Caffeine
Caffeine is great in the morning because it helps to pull you out of your slumber and sluggishness. But it has the same effect when you drink it later in the day, so it's often a reason for disruptive sleep and difficulty falling asleep. Know your body and caffeine. If you're sensitive to it, limit yourself to only pre-lunch caffeine. Find a different beverage for afternoons and evenings.
