It can happen to anyone, no matter how tired you may be: insomnia.
It can be caused by any of a number of factors but the bottom line is that you need your sleep.
Chronic insomnia is a symptom of a deeper problem that must be addressed; occasional insomnia, however, may need just a break in a pattern to allow yourself to rest enough to fall—and stay—asleep.
Some foods are a bad idea to eat soon before going to bed: anything spicy or containing caffeine, for example. There are foods that can actually help you to sleep, like cherries, dairy products, legumes, and nuts—not to mention Thanksgiving turkey—due to their levels of tryptophan. Regular exercise contributes to good sleep and certain teas are soothing, such as chamomile.
There are other things you can do to help yourself to relax and focus on sleep (sounds counter-intuitive but it’s true), some while you lay there wishing yourself to sleep. Try one or more to find what does the trick.
1. Analyze your sleep patterns.
There are devices you can use to track your sleep cycle by monitoring your heart and skin temperature so you can see how you sleep.
Objectively analyzing the results can provide psychological insurance that, although you may not feel it, you are getting more sleep than you realize. By not worrying about your sleep, you’ll sleep better.