When you’re under pressure your body enters a state of alertness. The stress hormone cortisol keeps you vigilant. That’s useful in urgent situations, but the brain doesn’t distinguish between a caregiving task tomorrow morning and a lion around the corner. Under stress, the body remains in a heightened state of readiness, which prevents proper recovery during sleep. As a result, you either don’t get enough sleep or the quality of your sleep declines.

It’s the paradox of the insomniac: the harder you try to sleep, the more difficult it seems. But why does this happen? Why can’t we sleep, precisely when we want it so badly?

Lying awake is rarely a matter of not being tired; it’s often a matter of not being able to stop thinking. Rumination — endlessly chewing over thoughts — keeps your system alert when you want to switch off. One technique that tries to break this pattern is the cognitive shuffle, developed by cognitive scientist Luc Beaudoin

Many people experience a surge of alertness shortly before bedtime. Why is that?

For people with insomnia, ASMR can be a useful addition to a bedtime routine. It signals to the body that it’s time to sleep and helps release racing thoughts. Research shows that those sensitive to ASMR have a more active brain region associated with relaxation

I will elaborate a bit more on popular sleep supplements. This is based on an article in The Washington Post, which evaluated recent scientific research on the possible positive effects of five supplements often used to improve sleep: melatonin, magnesium, probiotics, vitamin D, and ashwagandha.

Negative sleep beliefs contribute to more stress and tension in bed, worrying about sleep and poorer sleep quality

Forcing sleep rarely works. It’s precisely by letting go of control and accepting the natural rhythms of our bodies that we can experience better sleep.