Sleeping well, waking up refreshed, and starting the day full of energy – that's the theory. In reality, many people experience sleep problems, restless nights, lying awake for long periods, or feeling unrefreshed in the morning despite enough time in bed.

Occasional sleep problems are not unusual at first. Stress, a late coffee, or an unusually busy mind can be enough. However, if poor sleep occurs more frequently, it's worth taking a closer look at the possible causes of sleep problems.

While we sleep, our body is by no means inactive. Sleep is an important recovery phase for the body and brain.

Sufficient and restorative sleep plays an important role in concentration, memory, mood, and physical regeneration, among other things.

How much sleep a person needs varies individually. For most adults, approximately seven to nine hours per night is given as a guide.

However, it's not just the number of hours that matters. The quality and regularity of sleep also play a role in examining sleep problems.

Sleep problems can have very different causes. Often, several factors even come together.

The day is over, but the mind keeps working.

Work stress, family issues, worries, or a long to-do list can make it difficult to unwind.

Continuous stress, in particular, can therefore affect our sleep.

Our body is guided by a natural day-night rhythm.

Waking up early during the week, sleeping until noon on weekends, and going to bed at a different time every evening can disrupt this rhythm.

Regularity can therefore make a surprisingly big difference.

Smartphones, tablets, and televisions are part of many people's evenings.

However, bright light late in the evening can signal to our body that it is still daytime. It is particularly unfavorable if we scroll through news or social media right up until falling asleep, while remaining mentally active.

A slightly calmer transition between everyday life and sleep can be helpful.

It's no surprise that coffee can wake you up.

What is less known is how long caffeine can remain active in the body. A coffee late in the afternoon can therefore still have effects hours later for sensitive individuals.

If you have difficulty falling asleep, you can try reducing caffeine after lunch or early afternoon.

A glass of wine makes you tired – so does alcohol help with sleep?

Unfortunately, it's not that simple.

While alcohol can initially make you fall asleep faster, it can impair sleep quality later in the night and promote frequent waking.

Alcohol is therefore not a suitable sleep aid.

Our daily lives are often surprisingly sedentary.

Regular physical activity can contribute to healthy sleep. This doesn't require daily high-performance training.

Walks, cycling, strength training, or other regular movement count.

However, very intense training immediately before bedtime can activate some people more.

Age can also play a role.

As we get older, our sleep structure changes. Some people sleep lighter, wake up more frequently at night, or wake up earlier in the morning.

For women, another factor is added: menopause.

Hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can affect sleep. Hot flashes and night sweats, for example, can cause more frequent waking.

Poor sleep after 40 or 50 should therefore not automatically be explained away as "stress."

The body usually copes well with a single bad night.

However, those who regularly get too little or poor sleep often notice the consequences first in their daily lives:

• Fatigue and lack of energy
• Concentration problems
• Reduced performance
• Irritability or mood swings
• Longer perceived recovery times

In the long term, chronic insufficient sleep is also associated with various health problems.

This doesn't mean that every short night makes you sick. The overall picture over a longer period is crucial.

The basis is surprisingly unspectacular: good sleep habits.

The term sleep hygiene is often used for this.

Try to go to bed and wake up at similar times as much as possible.

The body likes regularity.

Light is one of the most important regulators of our internal clock.

A morning walk therefore combines two helpful habits: daylight and exercise.

The transition from a hectic workday directly to bed doesn't work for everyone.

A personal evening routine can signal to the body: The active part of the day is coming to an end.

This can be very simple:

• Showering
• reading
• listening to quiet music
• light stretching exercises
• or a short walk.

What matters more than the perfect ritual is consistency.

Many people find a quiet, dark, and rather cool bedroom pleasant.

A suitable mattress and a comfortable pillow can also make a difference.

People react differently to caffeine sensitivity.

If you have trouble sleeping, you can try eliminating coffee, energy drinks, and other caffeinated beverages in the afternoon and evening for a few weeks.

Even if alcohol initially makes you tired, it does not automatically improve sleep quality.

Therefore, anyone who wants to improve their sleep should also consider their alcohol consumption.

Exercise is one of the simplest things we can do for our overall health.

Consistency matters more than perfection.

Even a daily walk is better than waiting to start the perfect training program sometime.

Melatonin is a hormone that our body produces itself and plays an important role in our natural day-night rhythm.

As it gets darker in the evening, the body's own melatonin production normally increases. Put simply, this signals to the body: It's night and the resting phase begins. Bright light in the evening can affect this natural rhythm.

Melatonin is also available as a component of food supplements. It's important to know that melatonin is not a general remedy for all types of sleep problems. Whether it is useful depends, among other things, on why someone sleeps poorly.

Anyone who has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep for an extended period should therefore not solely look for a quick sleep aid. It is more sensible to consider possible causes such as stress, sleep habits, medications, hormonal changes, or physical complaints.

Not every occasional sleepless night requires a doctor's visit.

However, it is different if sleep problems persist for a long time, significantly impair daily life, or if severe daytime sleepiness occurs.

Loud snoring with breathing pauses, unusual nighttime movements, or other noticeable symptoms should also be medically evaluated.

The same applies if psychological or physical complaints could be behind the sleep problems.

You can't force sleep. But we can create conditions that support healthy sleep.

Regular sleep times, daylight, exercise, less caffeine late in the day, a conscious approach to alcohol, and a calm evening routine are good starting points.

Especially after 40, it is also worthwhile to become more aware of changes in one's own sleep. Stress, everyday life, and hormonal changes can play a role here.

And perhaps the most important realization is: One bad night is not yet a sleep problem. However, if poor sleep becomes a permanent condition, one should look for the cause – instead of just fighting the fatigue.

For most adults, about seven to nine hours are considered a guideline. However, individual sleep needs can vary.

There are many possible reasons for sleep problems – for example:

• Stress
• Alcohol
• External disturbances
• Hormonal changes

Frequent or prolonged nocturnal awakenings should be clarified if there is corresponding distress.

CBD is being researched in this context. However, the current state of research does not allow a blanket statement that commercially available CBD products treat sleep problems or reliably improve sleep.

This refers to habits and conditions that can promote healthy sleep and prevent sleep problems – for example, regular sleep times, exercise, daylight, and a pleasant sleep environment.