4 Common Substances That Cause Sleep Problems

If we’re honest, sleep often takes a backseat to our busy and stressful lives. Between juggling work responsibilities, family obligations, and an endless to-do list, it’s easy to let restful nights slip by the wayside.

Yet, neglecting sleep can have significant effects on your health and well-being that make balancing those things so much harder. If you’re struggling to fall asleep and stay asleep or looking for ways to wake up feeling refreshed, the crucial first step is understanding the culprits behind your sleepless nights.

While you may be familiar with the basic symptoms of certain sleep disorders, identifying the root causes can lead you to effective solutions.

Surprisingly, some of the most common substances in your daily life might be the biggest sleep disruptors.

Let’s explore these four common substances and provide actionable sleep tips for insomnia, so you can regain control over your nights and wake up feeling refreshed.

1. Alcohol: The False Friend of Sleep 

Alcohol is often thought of as a sleep aid due to its calming effects on the nervous system. It acts as a depressant and muscle relaxant, which can initially help you feel drowsy.

“But in the middle of the night, your brain will basically undergo a partial withdrawal, and it makes your brain more awake, more aroused, and more alert. And it may wake you up in the middle of the night,” says Dr. Shane Creado, a psychiatrist and sleep specialist who hosts Amen University’s Overcoming Insomnia course.

The effects of alcohol are more complex than they seem. Excessive alcohol consumption or the inability to metabolize it efficiently can wreak havoc on your sleep. It disrupts your brain receptors, leading to fragmented sleep cycles and impaired circadian rhythm that plays tricks on your brain. This increases the risk of sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea and insomnia. 

Research shows that alcohol can reduce rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is the restorative stage of the sleep cycle. Without enough REM sleep, you’re likely to wake up feeling groggy and tired rather than refreshed and awake. 

Sleep Tip: To get help sleeping, avoid alcohol at least four hours before bed. Try opting for herbal teas or warm water with lemon and/or honey to unwind instead. 

2. Caffeine: The Energy Imposter

Caffeine, the world’s most popular stimulant, is a go-to for many to power through the day. “It's stimulating to the brain, so it can adversely affect your ability to fall asleep,” says Dr. Creado.

However, it doesn’t give you energy—it simply blocks the chemical adenosine, which builds up in the brain to signal tiredness. While this makes you feel alert temporarily, it can also lead to a noticeable energy crash later.

Caffeine stays in your system much longer than you think, according to research in Nutritional Neuroscience. Its half-life is about four to five hours, meaning that even a mid-afternoon cup of coffee can interfere with your ability to fall asleep/stay asleep.

Be aware that caffeine may be metabolized differently in certain individuals, including those who are taking:

• Antidepressant medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Oral contraceptives
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Undergoing fertility treatments

This can make it even harder to maintain consistent sleep hygiene. 

Sleep Tip: If you need insomnia help, avoid caffeine after 2-3 p.m. Limit your caffeine intake to the morning hours and monitor its effects on your sleep quality. If you crave a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, try a short walk, deep breathing meditation, or rehydrating with a glass of mineral water. 

3. Nicotine: A Hidden Sleep Saboteur

Nicotine, found in cigarettes and other tobacco products, is another substance that quietly undermines your sleep. With a short half-life of about two hours, nicotine cravings can resurface during the night, leaving you feeling irritable, anxious, and restless. 

Research shows that smokers are far more likely to experience sleep problems compared to non-smokers. This can include:

• Sleep disordered breathing
• Sleep apnea
• Insomnia
• Poor sleep quality
• Shorter sleep cycles
• Slower transition to fall asleep
• Daytime sleepiness
• Increased difficulty maintaining sleep

Because nicotine acts as a stimulant, your increased heart rate and alertness makes relaxation before bed more challenging. 

If you’re looking for help for sleep, it’s essential to reduce nicotine intake in the hours leading up to bedtime. Even better, work with a healthcare professional to develop a quitting strategy that supports your body’s healing and promotes restful sleep. 

Sleep Tip: Work to eliminate nicotine from your life. In the meantime, avoid nicotine at least two hours before bed and consider incorporating relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, to curb cravings. 

4. Medications: Unexpected Sleep Disruptors 

Certain medications, while necessary for health management for various symptoms, can also interfere with your ability to fall asleep/stay asleep. Some of the more common culprits include: 

• ADHD medications: On stimulant medications, it may take longer to fall asleep and decrease sleep duration.
• Beta blockers: Used to manage heart conditions but may reduce melatonin production.
• Decongestants: May alleviate symptoms but can keep you awake.
• Antihistamines: May initially make you drowsy but can disrupt your circadian rhythm.

Other medications, including asthma treatments, anxiety medications, anticonvulsants, may also disturb sleep.

Tracking your symptoms and discussing these types of medications with your healthcare provider can help pinpoint what’s contributing to your sleeping problems and solutions that work. Adjusting your dosage timing or exploring alternative treatments might make all the difference. 

Sleep Tip: Keep a sleep journal to note how medications affect your sleep and consult your doctor for tailored advice on managing any sleeping problems. 

5 Top Sleep Tips for Insomnia (and Other Sleep Disorders)

What helps insomnia? Overcoming insomnia may require trial and error to find the strategies that work best for you. Here are some proven techniques to start improving your sleep hygiene and achieve restorative sleep: 

• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time daily, even on weekends. Consistency reinforces your body’s circadian rhythm.
• Create a bedtime routine: Engage in relaxing activities like reading or meditation to signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down.
• Limit screen time before bed: Research shows that the blue light from digital devices can suppress melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. Aim to turn off devices at least one hour before bedtime.
• Optimize your sleep environment: Ensure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet. Consider blackout curtains or white noise machines for added comfort.
• Watch what you eat and drink: Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime. Instead, opt for sleep-friendly snacks like bananas or almonds.

By integrating these sleep tips for insomnia, you can create an environment and routine that supports restful sleep. 

Take Charge of Your Sleep Problems

Identifying and eliminating common substances that cause trouble sleeping is a powerful step in reclaiming your nights and improving your overall well-being.

Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, and certain medications may seem harmless but can severely impact your ability to fall asleep/stay asleep. By identifying culprits that are contributing to sleeping problems and solutions that work for your unique needs, you can finally experience restful nights. 

In Amen University’s Overcoming Insomnia course, Dr. Shane Creado offers a wealth of knowledge to guide you toward better sleep. As a board-certified psychiatrist, sports psychiatrist, and sleep medicine physician, Dr. Creado specializes in practical, science-backed strategies to improve sleep quality. If you’re ready to get help sleeping and tackle sleep disruptions, check out Overcoming Insomnia today.