Why You Still Can’t Sleep Well (& How To Fix It)
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With 2025 being our year of longevity, I feel that now more than ever, we need to focus on getting better sleep. I know I’ve written about sleep in the past, but insomnia is an increasingly common issue, especially for older adults (including myself). As we age, our sleep becomes less efficient and decreases in quality, meaning we feel less rested even when we do sleep enough. And in general, older adults have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, which means unless we take proactive action, insomnia can become a regular occurrence.
This is the year that we combat insomnia and get the sleep we need to thrive. If you’re ready to sleep better, here’s what you should know.
What is insomnia?
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that causes a person to struggle with sleep. Insomniacs may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or returning to sleep after waking up. Naturally, this lack of sleep can impact our day to day functioning, leading to greater feelings of fatigue, lower energy levels, and higher irritability and impatience. (We all know what it’s like to feel cranky after a bad night’s sleep.)
The trouble with insomnia is that it has a lot of potential causes – some physical, some psychological – and it’s not always easy to identify what’s behind yours. The fix could be as simple as drinking less caffeine or starting your wind down routine earlier, or it may require more effortful changes, like changing your diet or overhauling your lifestyle. In writing this blog post, my hope is to get you a little closer to your answers and to give you a place to start with potential treatments.
Common Causes of Insomnia
1. Psychological factors
Chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions can play a determinative role in our sleep patterns. For instance, if you’re stressed or anxious about something in particular – like an impending event or deadline – you’re probably not going to sleep well in the days or weeks leading up to it. The same goes for if you’re stressed about your life as a whole, since chronic stress contributes to poor sleep. People who have depression also may struggle with sleep, whether that manifests as insomnia and waking up during the night or oversleeping and still not feeling rested. So, if you are having a tough time sleeping, I would encourage you to do an intake of your mental health. If you are dealing with anxiety, depression, or chronic stress, getting to the root of the issue and resolving it will almost certainly help your sleep.
2. Medical conditions and medications
In addition to mental health conditions, there are other medical issues that can cause insomnia, including neurological disorders, respiratory conditions, endocrine disorders, gastrointestinal disorder, musculoskeletal disorders, and more. If you have one or more of the following medical issues, they may be the culprit behind your insomnia:
Parkinson's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Epilepsy
Stroke
Thyroid disorders (hyperthyroidism)
Menopause
Diabetes
Heart failure
Sleep apnea
Peripheral artery disease
Asthma
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Chronic pain
Cancer
Also, some medications list insomnia as a potential side effect, so keep that in mind if you take one or more of the following types of medications:
Stimulants, including methylphenidate and caffeine
Antidepressants, including SSRIs, SNRIs, and Venlafaxine
Corticosteroids, like prednisone and hydrocortisone
Thyroid medications, like levothyroxine and liothyronine
Pain relievers, including NSAIDs and opioids
Alpha-blockers
Decongestants, like pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine
Diuretics
Anticonvulsants
Antipsychotics
If you realize that your medication or medical condition is the root of your insomnia, it’s important to talk to your doctor about what to do. By no means should you go off of your medication without medical supervision, nor should you neglect any medical condition you have
3. Lifestyle contributors
These are the habits that are in our control – like our diet, caffeine intake, and screen time. An uptick in sugar consumption will absolutely keep you up at night, as will eating a heavy or large meal close to bedtime. Drinking coffee late into the afternoon? That’ll do it. And while some people enjoy falling asleep to their favorite show, research says that blue light from screens before bed can impact sleep quality. If you’re wrestling with insomnia, it’s time to take a look at these parts of your life and determine whether they need to be changed. From there, you can experiment with each and see what helps. Curb your coffee intake and see if you sleep better. Cut down on sugar and see what happens. If you sleep better, you’ll know that was at least part of it.
Tips for Better Sleep
Once you’ve identified the cause of your insomnia (or multiple causes), you can start making changes to sleep better. And actually, you don’t even have to wait to know the cause – anyone can benefit from these sleep tips.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
Stop using electronic devices like phones or tablets at least one hour before bedtime.
Set your thermostat somewhere between 60 to 67°F (15–19°C) for optimal sleeping temperature.
Get blackout curtains or use a sleep mask to block out light completely.
Avoid coffee, tea, or other caffeinated beverages after 2 p.m.
Eat a small, protein-rich snack (like a greek yogurt, or a banana with almond butter) if you’re slightly hungry before bed.
Do 30 minutes of moderate exercise, like a brisk walk, in the morning or early afternoon.
Replace your mattress every seven to 10 years if it’s no longer supportive.
Use apps or white noise machines to mask disruptive background sounds.
Take a warm bath or shower about 90 minutes before bed.
Make sure to expose yourself to natural light during the day, especially in the morning (and maybe take a circadian rhythm walk).
Try progressive muscle relaxation (aka body scan) or deep breathing exercises in bed.
Avoid drinking large amounts of water or other fluids in the evening so that you don’t wake up having to pee.
Keep your bedroom free of clutter to create a calming environment.
Spray your pillow with a lavender scent or use aromatherapy to promote relaxation.
Above all, getting better sleep requires patience and consistency. Insomnia can be so, so frustrating, especially when all you want is to be sound asleep. But by taking small steps and making healthy changes, you can improve your sleep quality and quantity.
Xo,
Renata