What to do when you can't sleep?

In the previous sections, we discussed the effects of sleep on health and well-being, sleep hygiene, various sleep disorders, and how they affect our daily lives. We even saw what might be the reasons for improper and affected sleep. In this section, we shall be looking into the things that we can do when we can’t sleep.

Sleep difficulties are something almost everyone experiences at some point in their life. While occasional sleeplessness can be a normal response to stress or changes in routine, frequent difficulty falling or staying asleep may indicate deeper concerns that need to be addressed.

So, what can we do when we keep having sleep issues that affect what we do, how we do it, and keep us from living our best life?

Start by understanding the reason for your sleeplessness. As we saw in the previous sections, there are various causes of improper or insufficient sleep. We realise that sleep isn’t just about trying harder or forcing yourself to fall asleep. There are different aspects involved in the process of sleep. These aspects all play a vital role in the quality and quantity of sleep we get. So, take a moment to think about it. Are there any patterns or habits that you might be having that can be influencing your sleep? If there are, then we need to work towards changing those.

• Build a consistent rhythm: Humans are creatures of habit. The more a habit gets strengthened, the more likely for that habit to recur. The more consistency we show in sleeping and waking up, whether we had a great sleep the previous night or not, the stronger our internal clock gets and makes sleeping on time everyday gets. This also improves your quality of sleep over time.
• Don’t force yourself to sleep: The more you try to force yourself to sleep, the harder it can be to fall asleep. So instead, modify the conditions around you to ensure you sleep. Create a calm, sleep-inducing environment. This can look like having dim lights, lowered noise, following a sleep time routine to calm down your body, etc. It is less of a shutdown and more of a slowing down. This encourages sleep to come more naturally.
• Engage in rest-inducing activities: Rest isn’t just done by sleeping. Even calming activities can induce restfulness. Activities like stretching, listening to soft music, and some light reading, etc., can help our body rest and help make the brain slow down, which can bring about sleep.
• Mindfulness over what you consume: The things you let into your body closer to bedtime have a huge impact on the sleep you have. Things such as caffeine, heavy meals, excessive screen time, emotionally heavy things, etc., before bed can end up disrupting our sleep. Try to develop a buffer period to reduce the impact of these.
• Calm your mind, not just your body: Even if your body is tired, if the mind is active and wired, it can keep you up when you try to sleep. The reasons as to why our mind sometimes stays way too active include thinking about the things to get done, worries or thoughts about the finished day, or the day to come, or even just random memories. These thoughts can’t be just shut down; they can either be processed out or redirected. The redirection can be done by deep breathing, simple grounding techniques that calm your thoughts down, or prayer. The bible reminds us to bring our anxieties to God, and in doing so, we receive peace that guards our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”)
• Rest in God, not just in sleep: Sometimes, the struggle is not just physical but also emotional and spiritual. There are nights when sleep doesn’t come easily, but rest can still be found. (Psalm 4:8 “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”) Even in wakefulness, leaning into God’s presence can bring a sense of calm that the body eventually follows.
• Get out of bed if you can’t sleep: If we’ve been lying in bed for a long time, unable to sleep, it can create frustration and anxiety around sleep itself. Get out of bed and do something low-effort and calming, like reading or sitting quietly. This helps our brain avoid associating the bed with stress and restlessness, and instead reconnect it with rest, which makes our brain automatically enter sleep mode when on the bed.
• Be patient with yourself: Every night might not be perfect, and that’s okay. One or 2 nights of improper sleep don’t define overall sleep health. Being hard on oneself or becoming anxious about the whole thing can make the situation even worse.
• Address stress and mental health: Difficulty sleeping can be due to stress, anxiety, or emotional strain. If the mind feels heavy at night, it may be carrying things that need attention during the day. Taking time to process the emotions by speaking to someone trustworthy, or seeking professional help when needed, can reduce the burden your mind carries into the night.
• Seeking professional help when needed: If sleep difficulties are persistent, affecting daily functioning, or accompanied by other symptoms like constant fatigue, mood changes, or physical discomfort, it may be important to seek professional help. This simply means you may need more specific support.

Sleep is important, but something that can, a lot of times, fall outside our control. The best that we can do is create the right conditions and care for ourselves to the best of our abilities. Over time, these consistent small steps can make a huge impact. With the right support, awareness, and care, better sleep is something that can be worked towards

References:

• Mejeur, J. (2024, October 3). The 4 Pillars of Sleep and how to improve them. Coya.
• Professional, C. C. M. (2025, December 19). Sleep. Cleveland Clinic.
• Suni, E. (2025, July 11). Mental health and sleep. Sleep Foundation.