Why Can't I Sleep Through The Night? Insomnia Symptoms

Skip navigation!

Begin Slideshow

photographed by Michael Beckert.

When you're tossing and turning in bed for what feels like the whole night, you might find yourself asking, why? Why won't your mind relax? Why did you have coffee at dinner? Why is life so difficult and unfair? And why can't you fall asleep?

In truth, there are myriad reasons why you might not be able to sleep, from the medications you take to the temperature of your bedroom. Having answers to these questions will not only help you rest easy that night, but can help you develop better sleep habits for every night in the future.

Here are some common reasons why you might be struggling to snooze at night. Read through and see if something speaks to you — but then stop looking at your phone, because that can ruin your sleep, too.

More from Body

The Zoe App Changed How I Think About Fats

I had seen the Instagram videos showing people popping the Zoe app’s glucose monitor onto their upper arms and promising that “it doesn’t hurt”. Re

by Vicky Spratt

I Feel Romantic Love Even If My Body Won’t Produce The Horm...

As twenty-one-year-old Toria Christie scrolled through TikTok, she started to cry. “I was so sad when I first saw [those videos],” she tells me. “Lik

What’s The Best Way To Relieve Period Cramps?

The pinching, aching, piercing abdominal pangs that can come with a period can make a person want to assume the foetal position and sleep until it’s

9 Women On Getting An HPV Diagnosis After Their First Cervical Ca...

by Tanyel Mustafa

Why Your Period Symptoms Might Be Worse In The Winter

This story was originally published by our partners at The Conversation. Period symptoms are frustrating no matter the time of year. But some women and peo

by Jahnavi Daru

Dedicated Feature

What I Wish I’d Known About My Fertility Before I Turned 25

The content and development of this article has had scientific input and editorial review from Merck Serono Ltd and Fertility Network UK. This article is s

Voices of Disability

My 27 Tattoos Have Helped Me Reclaim My Chronic Pain

My life involves two kinds of needles. The first one is found at hospitals or doctor offices, a syringe that is used to test my blood, on the continuous qu

by Hannah Turner

R29 Editors Share Their Impressive Results From This (Pain-Free) ...

When it comes to body hair removal, we’ve done it all. From painful waxing and the (slightly) less painful sugaring of our bikini lines to the consta

by Charlotte Lewis

Guide To Great Sleep

How To Nap & Not Feel Like A Zombie After

Can You Really Control Your Mental Health From Your Gut?

For all of the “hot girls have IBS” jokes we make, an upset gut isn’t actually something all that desirable. Whether you’re someone who deals with

by Eleanor Morgan

Immunity Health

My Hyperflexibility Was The Root Of So Many More Problems

Ellie Hopkins, 35, had always known she was bendy but never thought much of it. “I just thought it was normal. I assumed everyone could do the splits, or

by Sarah Graham

“I Was Told The Cure Was To Have A Baby”: The Sexist ...

“The first time I ever remember having a migraine was when I was 21 and I thought I got food poisoning from a spice bag,” says Gillian, 28, who

by Sadhbh O'Sullivan

R29 Original Series