What is the psychological reason for not wanting to sleep

Not wanting to sleep may be caused by psychological stress, emotional disorders, unhealthy lifestyle habits, excessive excitement or anxiety and depression, and should be analyzed in conjunction with specific manifestations.

1. Psychological stress

Excessive work and study pressure may lead to difficulty falling asleep or resisting sleep, manifested as repeatedly thinking about unfinished tasks or worrying about the future. Long term stress can stimulate cortisol secretion and disrupt melatonin rhythm. It can be relieved through mindfulness breathing training and writing a stress diary before bedtime. If accompanied by palpitations or persistent tension, psychological counseling intervention is needed.

2. Emotional disorders

Patients with anxiety or depression often exhibit sleep avoidance behavior, which may be related to overactivation of the amygdala. Typical manifestations include nocturnal rumination and difficulty falling back asleep after waking up early. Depression related insomnia is often accompanied by emotional fluctuations in the morning and evening, and requires professional evaluation before adopting cognitive-behavioral therapy or following medical advice to use drugs such as paroxetine tablets.

3. Bad habits

Using electronic devices before bedtime can inhibit melatonin secretion, and exposure to blue light can delay the biological clock by 2-3 hours. Consuming stimulants such as caffeine or nicotine at night can prolong the latency period to sleep. It is recommended to establish a fixed sleep schedule, dim the lights one hour before bedtime, and stop high-intensity mental activities.

4. Overexcitement

continuously engaging in stimulating activities such as gaming and socializing at night can maintain a state of brain wakefulness, and increased dopamine secretion leads to a decrease in subjective sleep demand. Teenagers often experience procrastination before bedtime, which is related to incomplete development of self-control. It can be adjusted by gradually advancing the rest time and setting activity deadlines.

5. Subconsciously resistant

Some people associate sleep with a sense of loss of control, which may be due to childhood sleep trauma or personality traits with a strong desire for control. It manifests as intentionally staying up late to gain free time, but a vicious cycle of decreased energy during the day. Psychological therapy is needed to reconstruct cognitive associations with sleep.

It is recommended to keep the bedroom environment dark and quiet, the mattress hardness moderate, and the room temperature maintained at 18-22 ℃. Avoid high-fat spicy food for dinner, and drink warm milk or millet porridge in proper amount. Engage in 30 minutes of aerobic exercise during the day but avoid vigorous activity 3 hours before bedtime. If self-regulation is ineffective or persists for more than 2 weeks, professional evaluations such as polysomnography should be conducted at a psychiatric department. Recording sleep logs helps doctors determine the type of abnormal circadian rhythm and intervene with light therapy or melatonin receptor agonists if necessary.