Why Can’t I Sleep Even Though I’m Tired? 6 Tips for Better Sleep

Having trouble sleeping? You’re not alone. 

According to the most recent State of Sleep Health in America¹ report:

• The CDC estimates more than 1 in 3 Americans are sleep deprived 

• Approximately 37 million Americans struggle with falling or staying asleep

• Women are more likely to have trouble falling asleep (and staying asleep) than men 

• Since the 1990s, sleep disorders like insomnia have been on the rise

If you’re struggling to get quality shuteye, here’s why it matters, what may be interfering with your slumber, and what to do about it.

Sufficient, quality sleep is foundational to supporting both physical and mental health. While you sleep, the body repairs, the mind recharges, and hormones and neurotransmitters rebalance. Your body’s ability to fight off infection, manage stress, prevent premature aging, and even support clear skin is reliant upon healthy sleep.²

 Sufficient sleep is crucial for:

• Learning and memory

• Emotional regulation

• Mood

• Problem solving

• Growth and healing

• Immune defenses

• Energy conservation

Sleep may also have a significant impact on relationships and feelings of loneliness. 

When you are well-rested, your relationships are likely to benefit. According to the researchers at UC Berkeley, with adequate sleep, “individuals are more likely to be empathetic, patient, and engaged in social situations, fostering stronger relationships.”

The opposite appears to be true of those who do not clock enough shuteye. “The less sleep you get, the less you want to socially interact,” said study author Matthew Walker. “In turn, other people perceive you as more socially repulsive, further increasing the grave social-isolation impact of sleep loss. That vicious cycle may be a significant contributing factor to the public health crisis that is loneliness.”³

While everyone’s individual needs will vary slightly, experts say most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to support optimal health and cognitive function. ⁴

And it’s not just the quantity that matters– it's the quality, too. Poor sleep has been linked to challenges from heart disease and low immunity to high blood pressure and obesity. ² If you’re regularly waking up tired or relying on caffeine to push through the day, your body might be telling you it needs more rest.

According to the Sleep Foundation, sleep insufficiency occurs when a person either sleeps “for a shorter amount of time than their body requires to stay healthy” or has “low-quality sleep due to sleep disruptions.” Sleep deprivation, a more commonly used term, refers to “going a whole night without sleep or sleeping very little for one or two nights.”⁵ 

If you’re concerned that a lack of sleep may be taking its toll on your wellbeing, be on the lookout for these signs of sleep insufficiency and deprivation:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Poor judgment

• Slower reaction times

• Trouble paying attention

• Reduced social activity

• Lower quality of life

• Daytime fatigue 

Among others, these symptoms could be raising a flag that lacking sleep may be having a negative impact on your health.

Exhausted, but still tossing and turning all hours of the night? A number of lifestyle habits, environmental factors, and even psychological triggers could be interfering with your body’s ability to fall or stay asleep. Some of these include:

• Relationship or work stress. Arguments or emotional strain with a partner, say experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine, can significantly increase nighttime anxiety and racing thoughts, making it harder to wind down and fall asleep. ⁶

• An inconsistent sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at different times each day can disrupt your circadian rhythm, confusing your internal clock and leading to fragmented sleep.

• Diet. Caffeine, sugar, spicy foods, fried foods, and eating too close to bedtime can all interfere with digestion and sleep quality. Even seemingly harmless late-night snacks could be sabotaging your slumber.

• Screens and bright lights before bed. According to Psychology Today, Blue light from phones, tablets, and TVs suppresses melatonin production, your body’s natural sleep hormone, making it harder to fall asleep.⁷

• Alcohol and smoking. While alcohol may initially make you feel sleepy, it reduces REM sleep and increases nighttime awakenings. Similarly, nicotine is a stimulant that can keep your body in an alert state, according to Johns.

• Exercising too close to bedtime. While exercise is great for sleep overall, intense workouts late in the evening can raise your core temperature and adrenaline levels, delaying the onset of sleep. 

• Hot showers or baths right before bed. Surprisingly, says Johns Hopkins, a hot shower too close to bedtime can raise your core body temperature, making it harder to fall asleep. Aim to finish your shower at least an hour before hitting the pillow. 

• Working in bed, or using your bedroom for multi-purpose activities like binge-watching shows or creating social media content, conditions your brain to associate your sleeping space with activity instead of rest.⁷

• Napping during the day. Long or irregular naps, especially in the late afternoon, can throw off your nighttime sleep drive and delay your ability to fall asleep later.

• Medical factors like insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or the side effects of certain medications can interfere with both sleep onset and duration. If you've adjusted your habits and are still struggling, consider consulting with your physician to rule out any underlying concerns.

Here’s what to do instead. 

Embracing practices and habits that promote good sleep, or practicing good sleep hygiene, can help to ensure sufficient quality sleep. This can include optimizing your environment, routine, and behaviors all in service of supporting the natural cycle of restful, restorative sleep.

These simple, research-backed sleep hygiene shifts could make all the difference.

Your internal clock, also known as your circadian rhythm, is regulated by light exposure. Getting at least 20 minutes of natural sunlight in the morning can help tell your brain when it’s time to be alert and when it’s time to rest. This light-triggered signal boosts serotonin by day and melatonin production by night, setting the stage for healthy sleep-wake cycles.⁸

Morning light exposure is also central to chronotherapy, an evidence-based approach to aligning nutrients and lifestyle habits with your body’s natural rhythms.

Your body thrives on rhythm and routine. Going to bed and waking up at consistent times (even on weekends) reinforces your natural sleep cycle and supports deeper, more restorative rest.

In the evening, aim to wind down with calming rituals. Dim the lights, disconnect from screens at least an hour before bed, and avoid stimulating activities like work or scrolling social media. These small shifts can help cue your body that it’s time to transition into sleep mode.⁷ 

What and when you eat can significantly impact how well you sleep. Heavy, spicy, or high-sugar meals late at night can disrupt digestion and blood sugar, making it harder to fall or stay asleep. Alcohol may help you nod off initially, but it fragments sleep cycles and reduces the quality of REM sleep.⁶ 

Avoid caffeine (including chocolate and certain teas) after mid-afternoon. If you’re too hungry to sleep, have a light, healthy snack rich in protein and fiber to help keep blood sugar stabilized like a handful of nuts or a small bowl of oatmeal.

Your sleeping environment can play a major role in your ability to fall and stay asleep. Find your ideal temperature for rest (many prefer cooler room temps), opt for breathable bedding, consider blackout curtains or a sleep mask if the lighting conditions in your bedroom are less than optimal, and try incorporating white noise or a sleep machine if unwanted noise (or even silence) is hindering healthy sleep patterns.

Making these changes can help create a more comfortable, sleep-inducing space and signal to your body and brain that when you’re in your bedroom, it is time to wind down and drift off. 

Melatonin can be helpful when used correctly (in low doses and for short periods), but misusing it can actually disrupt your sleep cycle and reduce natural melatonin production. ⁹ This can also be true of other OTC and prescription sleep medications, which are generally intended for temporary relief and not prolonged use. ¹⁰ Some research even links the use of certain sleep aids to cognitive decline. ¹¹ 

Instead of sleep aids, try focusing on supporting your body with targeted nutritional support at optimal times of day. Certain nutrients and botanicals, like magnesium, calcium, omega-3s, chamomile, and l-theanine, play key roles in sleep regulation and may support healthier, more restorative sleep. 

Try incorporating a natural, melatonin-free supplement into your daily routine to promote relaxation and deep, restorative sleep:

• Snooze Bites sleep support gummies are formulated with l-theanine, chamomile, passionflower, and lemon balm to help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake feeling refreshed– without the melatonin hangover. 

• Opt for a physician-formulated daily multivitamin like Anti-Aging Formula, Men’s Multi, or Day & Night Multivitamins, developed using chronotherapy to deliver nutrients in line with your body’s natural rhythm.

• Bone Support with Cal-Mag-D-Zinc, a mineral-intensive evening formula, is designed to promote a healthy stress response and support better sleep.  

Regular physical activity can significantly improve your sleep quality, but timing matters. Exercise helps reduce stress, regulate your circadian rhythm, and increase deep sleep, the most restorative stage of your sleep cycle.12 

Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate movement most days of the week: A brisk walking, strength training, yoga, or anything that gets your heart rate up. Try to wrap up intense workouts at least two to three hours before bed, as late-night training can elevate adrenaline and core body temperature, making it harder to wind down.