What Helps with Sleep Problems? Causes & Routines

Lying awake at night, getting up in the morning feeling wrecked: many people know sleep problems, and they noticeably wear on concentration, mood and performance. Often a few habits can set the course for calmer nights. This guide shows you what lies behind it and what you can do yourself before individual bad nights turn into a stubborn pattern.

What lies behind sleep problems

Problems falling and staying asleep arise when the fine interplay of the internal clock, hormones and relaxation is disturbed. The body follows a roughly 24-hour rhythm, the circadian rhythm, which is controlled by light and darkness. In the evening it normally releases the hormone melatonin, which prepares it for the night's rest, while in the morning daylight makes it wake up again. Light, stress and tension can throw this rhythm out of balance. The stress hormone cortisol also plays a part: if it is still high in the evening, switching off is difficult because the body stays in alarm mode.

Typical triggers are brooding and worries, irregular sleep times, shift work, too much caffeine or alcohol, late and heavy meals, and the use of a phone, tablet or television until shortly before going to bed. A bedroom that is too warm or too bright, noise, an uncomfortable mattress and little exercise during the day also play a role. Added to this are life phases with particular strain, such as professional pressure, family worries or hormonal changes. Temporary phases of poor sleep, for example before an important appointment or after a clock change, are normal and no cause for concern. Only when bad nights become the rule is it worth taking a closer look.

When you should have it checked by a doctor

If sleep problems last longer than three to four weeks, occur several times a week and noticeably affect you during the day, you should have this checked by a doctor. This applies particularly if you are chronically exhausted despite sufficient time in bed, or if the worry about sleep itself already becomes a burden.

You also need medical advice with loud snoring accompanied by pauses in breathing, strong daytime sleepiness with microsleep, restless or tingling legs in the evening, or when anxiety and persistently low mood are added. Sleep disorders can accompany physical or mental illnesses, which is why a professional assessment is worthwhile. Also, if you would like to take sleeping pills regularly or already take them, this belongs under medical supervision.

What you can do in everyday life

Sleep hygiene is the most effective lever. Go to bed at the same time as far as possible every day and get up at the same time, even at the weekend, because a stable rhythm is the basis for restful sleep. Keep the bedroom dark, quiet and rather cool; ideal is about 16 to 18 degrees. Blackout curtains, earplugs or a sleep mask can help with noise and light.

Banish screens from the last hour before sleeping, because their light and the stimulating content can keep you awake. A fixed evening ritual such as reading, a warm shower, gentle stretching or calm breathing exercises signals to the body that rest is coming. It has proven useful to use the bed really only for sleeping and not for working or watching television, so that the brain associates the place with rest. Exercise during the day and plenty of daylight in the morning strengthen your rhythm, while late, intense sport, caffeine and alcohol tend to disturb sleep. Anyone who often lies awake brooding at night can consciously take ten minutes in the evening to write down thoughts and to-dos, in order to clear the head. It is also helpful to go into the daylight for a few minutes right after getting up in the morning, because this reliably sets the internal clock to the day and stabilises the evening rhythm. Anyone who tries to force sleep desperately usually achieves the opposite; relaxed letting go and patience with yourself often work better than any pressure.

Nutrition that supports

Eat light and not too late in the evening, so that digestion does not keep you awake, ideally the last larger meal two to three hours before sleeping. Small, balanced meals with complex carbohydrates and a little protein are well suited, for example wholemeal bread with cream cheese, a porridge or natural yoghurt with oats. Very fatty, spicy or rich food, on the other hand, lies heavy in the stomach and can disturb sleep.

Caffeine from coffee, cola, black and green tea, mate and energy drinks has a long-lasting effect and should be enjoyed sparingly from the early afternoon, because it stays in the body for many hours. Chocolate also contains some caffeine. Alcohol does let some people fall asleep faster, but makes sleep more superficial and often leads to waking up during the night in the second half of the night. Calming herbal teas with lemon balm, lavender, valerian or passionflower are a gentle evening ritual that at the same time signals that the day is coming to rest. Anyone who drinks a lot in the evening should reduce the amount somewhat to avoid nightly trips to the toilet.

Creating the right sleep environment

The place where you sleep often co-determines the quality of the night. Ideal is a bedroom that is dark, quiet, well ventilated and tidy, because stimuli and disorder keep the brain unconsciously awake. Make sure you have a mattress and a pillow that suit your sleeping position, and air the room briefly before going to bed so that the air is fresh. Electronic devices with standby lights are better kept out of the room or covered up. Anyone who lives in a loud environment can mask disturbing noises with even background sounds, for example a quiet fan or gentle rushing. Fixed boundaries between the workspace and the sleeping room also help: a bedroom that is not also an office is easier for the mind to accept as a place of rest.

Just as important as the room is the time before it. A deliberate buffer zone of about thirty to sixty minutes, in which you take out the pace, use dimmed light and avoid exciting content, heated discussions or late work emails, makes it easier for the body to switch over. This transition works like a runway into sleep and is, especially for people with a full schedule, an underestimated lever.

Nutrients & plants with a connection

Some nutrients are connected with a relaxed nervous system. Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and to a normal function of the nervous system, supports normal psychological function and helps to reduce tiredness and fatigue. The B vitamins, for example B6 and B12, contribute to a normal function of the nervous system and to normal psychological function; vitamin B6 additionally contributes to a normal energy metabolism. Calcium, too, contributes to a normal function of the muscles and to normal neurotransmission.

For melatonin, the authorised claim applies that it can contribute to a reduction of the time taken to fall asleep, with the beneficial effect being obtained with an intake of 1 milligram shortly before going to bed. A further authorised claim states that melatonin helps to alleviate subjective feelings of jet lag when at least 0.5 milligrams is taken shortly before bedtime on the first day of travel and on the following days. Plants such as valerian, lavender, hops and lemon balm are traditionally used for evening calming and have long been part of many home remedies.

Honestly put into perspective

Good sleep can rarely be forced, but it can be prepared for. The greatest effect almost always comes from reliable habits, not from a single remedy. Food supplements can accompany such routines, but do not replace them and do not treat any illness. When bad nights become the rule, medical clarification is the most important step.

Suitable products from Scheunengut

As a building block of an evening routine, we offer the Melatonin Sleep Complex with 1 milligram of melatonin per tablet in a well-bioavailable form. For melatonin, the claim is authorised that it can contribute to a reduction of the time taken to fall asleep when 1 milligram is taken shortly before going to bed. It is a food supplement and no substitute for healthy sleep or medical treatment.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How many hours of sleep does an adult need?

Most adults manage well with around seven to nine hours. However, the individual need can be somewhat above or below this.

What to do if I wake up at night and cannot fall asleep again?

Stay lying down relaxed, or get up briefly after about twenty minutes and do something calm in dimmed light before trying again. Avoid screens and looking at the clock while doing so.

Does exercise help against sleep problems?

Regular exercise during the day promotes restful sleep. Intense sport late in the evening, however, can be stimulating and make falling asleep more difficult.

Is a midday nap bad for the night's rest?

A short nap of no more than twenty minutes in the early afternoon is usually unproblematic. Long or late naps can disturb the night.

Why does caffeine disturb sleep for so long?

Caffeine is only broken down slowly and can keep you awake even hours later. That is why it makes sense to be sparing with it from the afternoon.

Does it help to keep the bedroom cooler?

Yes, a rather cool environment around 16 to 18 degrees supports falling asleep, because the body temperature naturally drops slightly towards the night. A room that is too warm, on the other hand, can make sleep more restless.

When should I see a doctor about sleep problems?

At the latest when the symptoms persist over several weeks, strongly affect you during the day or are accompanied by pauses in breathing, a medical check-up is appropriate.