20 Suggestions For Better Sleep When You Have Insomnia

She additionally recommends eliminating bodily litter so that your thoughts isn’t ruminating on things that are undone, which can interfere with falling and staying asleep. Ideally, naps should last minutes, which provides your physique sufficient time to alleviate the symptoms of fatigue with out inducing grogginess. Doze off longer than 30 minutes and your body begins to enter a deep sleep. This can disrupt your circadian rhythm which throws off your sleep schedule and may make it tougher so that you simply can go to sleep at evening. The best sleep drugs, as counterintuitive as it could seem, could also be sunshine.

how to sleep better at night

One study of greater than 1,000 young adults who ate less than three servings of vegetables and fruits per day, for instance, looked at their sleep after they increased their consumption. If for any cause you have to go to mattress later than traditional, try to still wake up on the identical time. This is particularly important if you’re attempting to ascertain a new, healthier sleep schedule. The time of your waking seems to set the schedule of when you’ll start feeling sleepy later in the day. Thus, should you go to mattress late, and then wake up late, it’ll begin a cycle that messes up your entire rhythm. If you instead rise up early even after going to mattress late, you’re more more doubtless to really feel drained on the desired time.

To get better sleep, begin by bettering daily habits and nightly routines. Adjustments to your sleep hygiene may be an necessary step toward getting all the benefits of sleeping properly. Sleep is a complex organic process made up of several stages that cycle throughout the evening.

Taking lengthy naps or napping too near your bedtime could make it tough to fall asleep and keep asleep for the evening. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends. Of course, it is pure to have nights the place you stay up later than traditional, whether you are getting ready for the following morning or having fun at a social gathering. It’s OK when you fall off track; just try to get to mattress at your traditional time the following night. Of course, you do not wish to be hungry whenever you go to mattress, both.

These curtains are designed with a thick, opaque cloth and strengthened with a lining that is made to block out any gentle from outside. Having an old or sagging mattress can intrude with your sleep and trigger you to wake up stiff. Most mattresses have a lifespan of around eight years, however if you’re over 40 you could want to switch it extra usually to offer better help on your body.

One instance is stressed legs syndrome (RLS), which refers to an uncomfortable urge to move your legs (and typically arms). Another movement disorder is periodic limb motion dysfunction (PLMD), which entails repetitive twitching and jerking of the limbs during sleep. Although there isn’t a cure for movement disorders, leisure techniques and certain drugs might help ease signs. Do something stress-free earlier than mattress, corresponding to respiratory exercises or yoga. Dim the lights and don’t use screens within two hours of bedtime.

Blackout curtains or a sleep masks can even stop mild from interfering with sleep. Healthy sleep habits are inherently tied to bodily, mental, and emotional well-being. Ultimately, the necessary thing to sleeping properly on a every day basis comes all the method down to permitting your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle to function properly.

Just like different respiration workouts, start with working towards this technique for a couple of minutes before mattress. As you get used to the tempo, feel free to increase the time you spend working towards respiratory. From useful herbs to conscious meditations, learn our ideas that can help you loosen up, quieten your mind, and discover ways to sleep higher naturally. If you frequently battle to drop off whenever you go to bed at night time, it’s easy to get pissed off, tossing and turning long after your partner has gone to sleep. Never worry, try this listing of issues that can assist you sleep at night time – so you presumably can snooze on soundly. Sometimes you’ll have the ability to drop straight off, and typically you end up tossing and turning properly into the evening.

For deeper aid, it would make sense to try your mattress. If yours is more than eight to 10 years old, it’s probably worn out and sagging in the middle. So instead of sleeping on a flat, supportive floor, you’re sleeping in a space that’s type of like a gap. If darkness indicators your physique to produce more sleep-promoting melatonin, too much exposure to mild at evening may go away you tossing and turning. You might suppose that understanding within the morning is a should, since exercising after work might amp you up and make it tougher to go to sleep.

Even slicing down on alcohol could make a distinction, the specialists say. Your bedding can play an enormous function in your sleep environment too, the experts note. For instance, low-quality pillows are also typically a purpose why many people really feel uncomfortable at evening, a research by James Cook University suggests. While mattresses and duvets have a longer life span – you will solely need to alter these once they turn into uncomfortable or begin to fall apart – pillows aren’t as hard-wearing.

Relocate to a dimly lit area and have interaction in a chilled exercise. Exercise or watching TV may appear to be good methods to tire yourself out, but bodily activity and screens will actually have the alternative effect. Instead, try a number of the above-mentioned rest exercises.

However, 62% of SingleCare survey takers reported spending an hour or extra to go to sleep. “The advent of limitless leisure may undermine sleep, as nicely. Plus, sleep disorders are common—and commonly ignored.” In truth, between 50 and 70 million adults in the us have a sleep disorder, according to the ASA. We all know that caffeine is nice at keeping us alert and awake throughout the day, but it could possibly wreak havoc on our capability to get an excellent night’s sleep. “If mattresses are made of materials like reminiscence foam or polyester, they preserve moisture,” says Tremlett. According to Dr Hare, an excellent temperature in bedrooms, in phrases of encouraging sleep, ought to be between 16°C and 19°C.

how to sleep better at night

Chronic or long-term insomnia happens three or more nights per week, for 3 or more months and not using a particular cause. Last week we discussed the nature of sleep and why it’s so necessary that you just get enough of it. Swimming laps is a delicate method to build up health and is great for sore joints or weak muscle tissue. Many group and YMCA swimming pools have swim programs just for older adults, in addition to water-based train classes.

Sure, there are people who can nap and then sleep once more at night time, but when you’ve received insomnia otherwise you discover it exhausting to sleep at evening, don’t. Napping will simply make it tougher to fall asleep within the night! If you LOVE your naps in the day time, try and part them out slowly.

Patrick M. Fuller, a neuroscientist who studies how the mind regulates sleeping and waking, contributed and reviewed this text. Fuller is a professor in UC Davis Health’s Department of Neurological Surgery and vice chair for analysis. Creating a nighttime routine, which allows your body to prepare for sleep, is essential. “A well-balanced food regimen rich in complete foods, fibre, lean proteins, and wholesome fats helps stable blood sugar levels and regulates hormones concerned in sleep,” Kaylor explains. Make certain you’re awake for no less than four hours before going back to mattress.

And the experiment should no less than offer you an thought of how much sleep your body needs to really feel fully rested. If your individual makes an attempt to solve your sleep issues are unsuccessful, hold a sleep diary and take it to your doctor. Write down whenever you use alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, and keep monitor of your drugs, exercise, lifestyle modifications, and up to date stresses.

Discuss sleep points and options to make stressed nights a factor of the past. Kimberly Holland is a health, life-style, and meals writer and editor based mostly in Birmingham, Alabama. When not organizing her books and clothes by color, Holland enjoys toying with new kitchen gadgets, feeding her pals all her cooking experiments, and documenting it on Instagram. CBT is considered a first-line therapy for some sleep disturbances, together with insomnia.

Having a daily sleep schedule makes it simpler to go to sleep at evening and wake up on time. It also improves the standard of sleep and reduces the incidence of sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea. An irregular sleep schedule, similar to sleeping late on a weekend, will confuse your body into laying aside sleep even whenever you want it.

Some even include coaching programs, in addition to particular lights and sounds that can help you fall asleep and wake up refreshed. While this kind of polyphasic sleeping may help you temporarily get extra time in your day, it’s not beneficial for the long term. First, it creates a sleep deficit, which, when chronic, puts the physique in danger for long-term health penalties. Second, the schedule must be adhered to strictly in order to be effective.

If you’re on the lookout for other respiration exercises, listed right here are a few to attempt. Before taking any medications, try incorporating good sleep practices into your routine, corresponding to preserving electronics out of your bedroom and limiting caffeine consumption earlier than bedtime. Keep in thoughts that high quality sleep is simply as necessary for general health as eating nutritious foods and exercising often. Another examine in seventy two folks with nervousness found that using CBD enhanced sleep high quality and lowered anxiousness inside the first month in nearly 67% and 79% of individuals, respectively.

People in pain or discomfort typically have issue getting deep sleep. Loud noises and brilliant lights in or near the sleeping setting may also make it tough to get deep sleep. To get the finest possible sleep, sleepers ought to maintain their bed room darkish, quiet, and funky with a cushty bed and pillows.

One reason for this is that as bedtime approaches, your body temperature begins to drop slightly and that is thought to be a set off to fall asleep. After all, it’s troublesome to relax and shut out the world if you’re constantly worrying about your day or what’s going on in your life. If you’re feeling careworn within the night, that’s even worse as a outcome of it can forestall you from winding down in order to sleep. Avoiding caffeine is an effective tip as a outcome of caffeine is a stimulant, and due to this fact, will make falling asleep tougher. While it’s okay, and even beneficial, to consume caffeine within the morning, keep away from it within six hours of bedtime.

If we exercise too close to bedtime, it goes to cause that we’d also eat too near when it’s time for mattress. Although you’ll find a way to skip a meal after train, you then run the chance of getting your sleep disrupted by waking up hungry in the course of the evening. This might surprise you because a lot of people use reading to go to sleep at night time. However,  if you determine to choose a stimulating book to learn, you might find that you say to your self, “just another chapter! ” and earlier than you understand it an hour or extra has passed that you need to have spent asleep.

These assist signal to your nervous system that it’s time to chill out, making it easier to fall asleep naturally. For these coping with sensory sensitivity or nighttime nervousness, these leisure tools are designed to gently support better sleep with out overwhelm. Instead, use this time to loosen up and put together your thoughts for a restful night’s sleep. As per latest research, small modifications in your sleep hygiene can significantly improve sleep high quality and scale back nighttime sleep disruptions. Your night ritual ought to signal to your body that it’s time to decelerate.

Try getting day by day sunlight exposure or — if this isn’t sensible — put money into a synthetic bright mild device or bulbs. Research shows that poor sleep has quick negative results on your hormones, train efficiency, and mind operate. Your body’s digestive and waste features want relaxation and downtime and to be taught when “the kitchen is closed,” Panda says, to stop midnight snacking. Use a sleep tracker or start a sleep diary to get a greater concept of your sleep habits.

Using a sleep diary for round a month could help to establish what elements might be impacting on your sleep. Make a every day observe of the time you went to mattress, how long it took to fall asleep, what number of occasions you awoke, the time you awoke and got away from bed. The NHS has a printable sleep diary the place you possibly can maintain monitor of all of the above, and begin to notice patterns in your sleep cycle. “Insomnia is when you’ve repeated difficulty attending to sleep and/or staying asleep,” says Brown. This happens despite having the time to sleep and a proper sleep surroundings.

Don’t wait until your head’s on the pillow to start out sorting issues out. As you go about your day, take short breaks — 5 minutes every hour or so — for daydreaming, reflecting, and journaling. Use these pauses to process emotions, mull over dilemmas, and defuse stress. While these instruments are useful, finding what works greatest requires cautious consideration of your particular person needs.

Try eating your final meal about two to 3 hours earlier than mattress. If you are hungry simply before you go to sleep, strive eating a light snack like fruit or a few crackers. Ideally, your bed room is a cool, darkish place where there aren’t any loud noises that hold you from falling asleep. If there is any gentle coming into your room, attempt blocking it out with blackout curtains or a sleep masks. You can even strive a white noise machine or earplugs to drown out any sound. Removing the clock out of your room might assist scale back your emotions of sleep-related anxiousness.

The analysis suggests that regular exercisers sleep higher than those who don’t. If attainable, you could think about exercising in the morning to assist wake you up. If nighttime exercise is the one thing you can do, that’s nice as nicely. Taking a protracted nap in the course of the day can diminish the standard of your sleep. It’s greatest to take a brief nap if needing a nap, as they do present some advantages.

But they’ll cause side effects like nausea and, extra rarely, quick or irregular heartbeat. They are often not recommended for adults over the age of 65 because they can cause anticholinergic unwanted effects similar to confusion, dry mouth, or blurred vision. They also can construct tolerance quickly, which means the extra often you take them the much less doubtless they’re to make you sleepy. The common advice is to avoid stimulants 1 to 2 hours before mattress.

In another study in mice, night milk appeared to have sedative, anxiety-reducing, and sleep-promoting results. Researchers even noted that night time milk had a similar influence to diazepam, a sort of treatment that produces sedation and relieves anxiety. A warm glass of milk at night time has long been a natural remedy for an excellent night’s sleep. It turns out that there’s real science to support milk as a sleep help. The glymphatic system is your brain’s waste-clearing mechanism. It’s most lively during deep sleep, flushing out toxins and waste proteins.

Studies have discovered that “paying off” sleep debt (the hours you’re not getting sufficient sleep) by extending sleeping time might prove helpful. To pay off sleep debt, plan your mattress and wake-up instances so that you simply gradually lengthen your relaxation by including 15-minute increments at a time. People have completely different sleep wants as they age, and a few may need extra sleep than others. If you frequently wrestle with falling asleep, you could be attempting to get relaxation when your physique isn’t prepared. But there are things you are in a place to do to make falling and staying asleep simpler.

Try the better-sleep tips in this text for 2 to 3 weeks. If you don’t see enchancment, talk to your well being care provider about different options. Improving your sleep could make a dramatic distinction in your waking hours—and it’s a objective worth pursuing. One widespread reason for older adults not sleeping at evening is a condition referred to as sleep apnea. This is when your respiration repeatedly stops for brief intervals while you’re asleep, which deprives your body of oxygen.

Staring into a brilliant gentle for 30 minutes or so can usually reset your circadian rhythm no matter what time of day it is. More generally, the rising of the solar and lightweight striking your eyes triggers the transition to a brand new cycle. Obviously, these times usually are not actual and merely display the general sample of the circadian rhythm.

The easy and regular breath that you just use to blow a bubble efficiently must be what you attempt for if you’re making an attempt to get to sleep. Sound machines designed to assist you sleep produce a low-level soothing noise. These might help you tune out barking canine, the TV downstairs, or another disturbances so you possibly can go to sleep and stay asleep.

One study famous that individuals who had irregular sleeping patterns and went to mattress late on the weekends reported poor sleep. Over the past few a long time, each sleep quality and amount have declined. Exposure to bright blue light can reduce melatonin ranges by as much as 50%, says Satchidananda Panda, Ph.D., a professor at the Salk Institute and author of The Circadian Code. Or so, flip to table lamps and floor lamps with warm- or orange-hued lightbulbs.

To fight this, find an activity like yoga or meditation that helps you clear your thoughts – or strive these respiration workouts designed to calm you down. Many discover that making a to-do listing for the next day shortened the time needed to fall asleep at night time. Sleep patterns are deeply intertwined with your life-style selections, setting, and mental state. Factors like stress, inconsistent sleep schedules, and publicity to screens earlier than bed can make it difficult to go to sleep and stay asleep all through the night.

Have a lightweight snack similar to low-sugar cereal, yogurt, or heat milk. Many cases of insomnia or sleep difficulties are attributable to underlying however very treatable causes. By figuring out all possible causes, you presumably can tailor treatment accordingly. In most cases, such sleep adjustments are normal and don’t indicate a sleep drawback. We’ll discuss the causes and tips on how to find reduction and sleep better. The Sleepme Editorial Team includes engineers, scientists, sleep coaches, and fanatics who are enthusiastic about well being and wellness.

Researchers discovered that individuals who spent 5 minutes writing down upcoming tasks fell asleep approximately ten minutes quicker than those that merely documented completed tasks. The more detailed the to-do list, the quicker individuals nodded off. This “cognitive offloading” helps free your thoughts from the duty of remembering every thing overnight. If you frequently wake up at evening to urinate, strive stopping fluid intake about 10 hours after waking. When you do have your final drink of the day, sip it slowly quite than chugging it.

Breathe in through your nostril whereas counting slowly to four, hold for two and breathe out via your nose for a rely of 4. Continue this for a couple of minutes, increasing the count to 5 – 6 if you feel comfortable. Older adults, particularly these with kidney or liver issues, shouldn’t use diphenhydramine.

There are many causes for older adults not sleeping at night. These vary from physical circumstances like sleep apnea to poor sleep habits (e.g., ingesting caffeinated drinks in the late afternoon). Another key a half of sleeping properly is creating a sleep-friendly bedroom surroundings. Keep reading for recommendations on setting the stage for a restful night time. Since sleep medicines can cause unwanted side effects, non-drug strategies are sometimes the primary line of defense for Alzheimer’s-related sleep issues. These methods may embody enhancing the sleep routine and setting and reducing daytime napping.

Check out our mattress evaluation guides to check today’s top-rated options and discover your excellent mattress. Kai is a global lucid dreaming expert, who shares his lucid dreaming information and experience on this site. Try reading something, or drawing the type of dream you wish to have. Here’s a little instance of a ‘chillstep mix’ you could hearken to to get ready for mattress..

Aromatherapy entails using important oils and should assist people with bother falling asleep. A medium-firm mattress has been proven to positively have an result on sleep quality in individuals with back pain, and prevent sleep disturbances and muscular discomfort. Breathing from your belly quite than your chest can activate the relief response and decrease your heart price, blood stress, and stress levels to help you drift off to sleep.

Make this the very final thing you do, and once your head hits the pillow, don’t do the rest other than strive to fall asleep. Your bed should be a soothing place that is used particularly for relaxation. For those who do not get sufficient sleep on a regular basis, implementing a bedtime routine can present a basis for enough rest. A bedtime routine is a set of activities you carry out in the same order, every night time, within the 30 to 60 minutes earlier than going to mattress.

Many folks expertise occasional or continual sleep disruptions that interfere with general sleep high quality. There are gentle, research-backed ways to assist your body return to a state of restful, natural sleep. Natural sleep aids (herbal supplements) are non-prescription drugs containing components that naturally produce or improve sleep hormones in your physique. If you wish to ditch sleeping pills for pure sleep aids look for dietary supplements with ingredients such as melatonin or valerian root.

Adjust your sleep habits in accordance with the seasons, your stress levels, and your life stage to maintain healthy sleep patterns. And while there are over-the-counter supplements that can assist with this, you could be questioning if there are different pure remedies that might suffice instead. According to specialists, consuming certain meals, exercising and sustaining a constant routine, particularly, will help train your body the way to sleep higher at night naturally. Learn more about these and different expert-backed, sleep-friendly practices below.

If you do want to transfer your physique earlier than bedtime, we propose mild stretching or relaxed yoga practices instead. An earlier 2017 examine of more than one hundred office workers found that those who have been uncovered to lots of light in the morning had less time to go to sleep at night time, especially in winter. They additionally discovered higher synchronization of the body’s inner clock and an improved quality of sleep.

So, is the answer to our collective sleep issues to get again into sync with nature? The most essential and infrequently ignored natural method to enhance your sleep is to sleep and wake on the similar time every day. This permits your body’s inside clock (circadian rhythm) to learn when to arrange for sleep and when to be awake.

Then it’s time for the other associate to take a flip.” This simple strategy, Troxel says, facilitates emotional disclosure, which has been shown to be helpful for sleep and for relationships. Your body sets your “biological clock” according to the sample of daylight where you reside. This helps you naturally get sleepy at night time and keep alert during the day. To reap the advantages of sleep-enhancing foods and drinks, it may be finest to eat them 2–3 hours before mattress. Eating immediately earlier than going to sleep might trigger digestive points, corresponding to acid reflux disorder.

Investing in a comfortable mattress might have a positive impact on sleep quality. Changing your daily routine and enhancing your sleep will take time. To make progress, you’ll need to begin small and stay accountable. Sarah DiGiulio is an executive editor overseeing emotional and mental health, fitness, and sleep at Everyday Health. She is impressed every single day by new health and science analysis that helps us lead more healthy, happier lives.

Taking sluggish and measured breaths can help loosen up your physique before bed. Drinking a cup of chamomile tea earlier than bed is a natural remedy that may help you get proper to sleep. Chamomile contains apigenin, which is a chemical that binds to the GABA receptors in the mind. These are the same receptors that bind to benzodiazepines, that are robust anti-anxiety medication which will cause sleepiness. This is why chamomile produces a sedative and relaxing impact.

People have lengthy used aromatherapy to induce relaxation and sleep. The temperature at which people really feel the most comfortable varies, so it could be very important experiment with completely different temperatures. Reading books may be stress-free and will assist prevent anxious taught patterns that would interfere with a person’s sleep. The concept that using a mobile system, particularly before mattress, could be detrimental to sleep just isn’t new.

Your surroundings impacts your sleep high quality, so it’s essential to create an area that’s enjoyable and conducive to higher sleep. Several adjustments may allow you to create a relaxing sleep house. Temporary insomnia may be caused by life occasions, together with stress or pregnancy. Changes to your day by day habits, similar to starting a job with non-traditional work hours, can even result in momentary insomnia.

For instance, they may contain excessive amounts of vitamins corresponding to tryptophan. A 2020 evaluate suggests, nevertheless, that the proof that prime GI meals may help with sleep is combined and more study is necessary. The calming properties of passionflower tea could promote sleepiness, so it may be helpful to drink it before going to bed.

Studies show that magnesium’s relaxing effect may be partly due to its capability to regulate melatonin manufacturing. Magnesium is understood to chill out muscular tissues and induce sleep, and studies counsel that insufficient magnesium ranges in the body could additionally be linked to distressed sleep and insomnia. Over the previous 12 months, I’ve gone from tossing and turning until 2 a.m. I go to sleep sooner, sleep deeper, and get up while not having three alarms and a gallon of coffee. Although we really feel that alcohol may help us sleep, in actuality, alcohol solely decreases sleep latency however disturbs our sleep architecture.

Since melatonin helps regulate your sleep cycle, scrolling or using social media could have an effect on your capability to sleep well. As onerous as it may be, try to change off the screens no less than an hour before going to bed. Sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or long-term insomnia want more than behavior adjustments. If you’ve tried every little thing and nonetheless really feel off, it’s time to talk to a physician. There are stable remedies that don’t involve sleep medication. A greasy meal or nightcap may feel like a reward, but they arrive with a value.

Likewise, an uncomfortable mattress may cause back pain and muscle soreness. In the lengthy term, it might throw your backbone out of alignment and affect your posture. The Mayo Clinic warns that valerian dietary supplements is most likely not protected. Some include too much or too little of the active ingredient, whereas others have misleading labels.

Lynn earned a bachelor’s of science in Nutrition with a minor in Kinesiology/Exercise Science from The Pennsylvania State University. Degree in Human Nutrition from Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Conversely, a long-term lack of sleep has been linked to larger possibilities of getting a cold or different viruses. And vaccines have been discovered to be less efficient in people who are chronically sleep deprived.

Research additionally recommends giving yourself 30 to 45 minutes to wind down within the evening earlier than getting in bed. This may permit your physique and mind to chill out and prepare for sleep. Most people sleep finest in a barely cool room (around 65° F or 18° C) with sufficient air flow.

If you end up feeling dissatisfied with something concerning the consolation of your mattress, it’s essential to appropriate it in order to create the best environment for relaxation and rest. So, skip the booze and lean on the tips here that can help you fall asleep and stay asleep. If you must drink caffeinated drinks (which has its advantages, by the way), attempt to finish greater than six hours earlier than mattress to keep away from messing together with your shut-eye.

The research also found that catching up on sleep — say, on the weekends — doesn’t reverse the injury. Another research, printed in PLOS Medicine, analyzed the influence of sleep period on the health of just about 8,000 women and men on the ages of fifty, 60 and 70. There’s nothing like a terrible night’s sleep to indicate you just how necessary it is to get the appropriate amount of quality shut-eye. But even getting eight hours of sleep isn’t enough to offset the negative health impacts of an irregular mattress time, a examine suggests. What’s extra, this process should begin lengthy earlier than you really climb into bed.

We’ve all skilled a time when we had to wake up early for one thing necessary. Maybe it was to catch a flight, take an exam, or be at a job interview. If you’re a recurring snoozer, you can put your alarm clock or smartphone on the opposite facet of the room, which forces you to rise up and switch off the alarm.

That’s why we’ve put collectively these eight recommendations on the way to get to sleep quickly and stay slumbering. Do you typically lie awake for hours in mattress wishing you would go to sleep faster? Experiment with these tips to calm your mind and put an finish to tossing and turning at night. Just a couple of minutes of daylight, daytime worrying, connecting along with your companion before bed or pondering how others are grateful for you could help you go to sleep and snooze via the night time. Turn these small steps into habits, and you’ll soon be sleeping like that proverbial infant. Most of us realize that feeling grateful is useful to well-being.

One study suggests that writing a to-do record before mattress could assist you to fall asleep quicker. The more particular the small print of the to-do list, the sooner you’re more doubtless to fall asleep. Keep a sleep diary PDF – 53 KB for per week and share it along with your doctor. A doctor can counsel different sleep routines or medicines to deal with sleep issues. Talk with a physician before attempting over-the-counter sleep medicines. Caffeine can keep in your system as long as 12 hours, based on the Sleep Foundation, affecting your capability to fall asleep.