Getting a good night’s rest plays a large role in how you feel throughout your upcoming day, and quite possibly, you’re entire week. The inability to fall asleep and/or stay asleep is known as insomnia and is actually more common than people are lead to believe. There are multiple factors that can contribute to an individual suffering from insomnia, night after night without realizing how their day to day lifestyle has a direct effect on their sleeping pattern.

Here, we have broken down the Top 5 causes of insomnia.

5. Stress. Anxiety and Depression

We all know that a cluttered mind and a racing heart is a recipe for a restless night. Events that have occurred throughout your day or week have the tendency to creep into your mind and replay itself over and over again in your head. Maybe you worry about things you could have done, or all the things you could do in your upcoming days. Hell, some of us think of the most outlandish things that could possibly happen (but have a .01% chance of actually occurring). When we lay our heads down to rest each night, regardless if you are next to the love of your live or not, you are the only person in your head. No one else can understand the thoughts you are having and only you can choose how you want to feel before you drift off to sleep (if that is even possible). Signs of depression, along with negative feelings and thoughts towards multiple factors in your life, are usually accompanied by either too much or not enough sleep/ Then, some individuals worry themselves about falling asleep which, in turn, makes it even more difficult to drift off into rest.

4. Caffeine, Nicotine and Alcohol

If you are putting a stimulant into your system, how will you expect your body to rest? Drinking soda, or more specifically, coffee in the late afternoon or evening can keep you awake at night, tossing and turning with a rapid heartbeat.

When it comes to cigarette smoking, one of the contents includes nicotine which is considered to be a stimulant. Avid smokers like to “unwind” before shutting down for the night, however, this is going to have an adverse effect and cause complications while trying to rest.

Alcohol is considered a downer and people turn to it for various reasons. Although it is considered a sedative and will make you feel sleepy and tired, the chances of you falling asleep are higher than your chances of actually staying asleep. Alcohol can hinder your ability to fall into the deeper stages of the sleep cycle, causing you a restless night.

3. Prescription Medication

There are a large amount of prescription drugs on the market that can have a direct effect on one’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep peacefully throughout the night. Medications that are prescribed to treat blood pressure, allergies and depression are among a laundry list of pharmaceuticals that can affect your sleeping pattern. OTC (over the counter) drugs such as decongestants or weight loss products typically contain caffeine and have the same effect on the body as coffee does making it hard for the body to settle itself into relaxation mode.

2. Binge Eating Late At Night

Everyone loves a little midnight snack here and there, however, curing your sweet tooth craving or binge eating your favorite snack late in the evening can actually result in the feeling of discomfort as the body is attempting a restful state. This make is difficult to fall asleep as your body is working overtime to digest the foot you had recently ingested. Also, lying down after eating disrupts the natural digestion process as the food then sits stagnant in the stomach, later causing heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux. The constant discomfort can be extremely painful, making it near impossible to fall asleep.

1. Difficulty with Proper Breathing

According to Dr. Monica Tadros, some of the leading causes of Insomnia has a great deal to do with irregular breathing patterns or difficulty with breathing in general. Nasal obstruction such as a deviated septum, hypertrophic turbinate’s, nasal fracture or nasal valve collapse all contribute to breathing difficulties and make it near impossible to get a full nights rest. Other forms of medical conditions are snoring and sleep apnea. These issues should be check out by a specialist to help alleviate the stress of losing sleep and return you to a normal sleeping pattern.

A good night’s rest can make all the difference. No matter what your cause of insomnia is, it is important to observe the challenges you face when trying to sleep at night and seeking the proper help or lifestyle change to help give you the rest you deserve.