The age old question from insomnia sufferers world wide is still what to do when I can’t sleep?

Should I just lay there for hours tossing and turning or should I get out of bed like CBT-I practitioners say?

If I stay in bed when I can’t sleep aren’t I “training my subconscious” bad habits when it comes to my bed, my bedroom and sleep? I’m supposed to be training my mind and body that my bed is only meant for sex and sleep? If I stay in bed even if I can’t sleep, isn’t that bad?

But I’m too tired to do anything but not tired enough to fall asleep!

If I stay in bed when I can’t sleep it’s going to stress me out because I’m training my subconscious mind that my bed isn’t just for sleep? And I’m stressed out because I’m supposed to get out of bed when I’m not tired enough to fall asleep?

Oh the mind of an insomniac!

If you have a mind that just will not turn off, it could be due to a genetic mutation in the COMT gene. When that gene is mutated your body has an enzyme that prevents you from producing methionine. I’ve found with people when they take the right supplements they can more effectively  “turn their brain off” in order to fall asleep.

You may want to read that article because it gets into the science and directs you to the exact supplements and tests you might want to consider taking.

But getting back to what to do when you can’t fall asleep….it’s so stressful isn’t it?

We’ve all been there and this was me 20 years ago. Thankfully now, I fall asleep in less than 10 minutes and I’m so utterly exhausted physically I fall right asleep quick.

So below I want to share some sleep hacks for what do do when you can’t sleep…

Alphabet Gratitude Exercise

• How It Works: Start with the letter “A” and think of something you’re grateful for that starts with that letter. Continue through the alphabet, focusing on a different word for each letter. For example, “A” for “Apples,” “B” for “Books,” and so on.
• Why It Works: This exercise shifts your focus from racing thoughts to positive, calming imagery, helping you relax and fall asleep. It also engages your mind in a gentle, non-stressful activity that can naturally lead to sleep.

As an alternative sometimes I’ll do a two step mental sleep challenge. On step one I’ll count to 1,000. Usually I’ll count to one hundred and then I’ll close my hands into a fist and when I get to one hundred, I’ll put my thumb out in case I fall asleep and wake up again, my thumb will be out so I know I’ve counted to at least one hundred. I’ll do this to avoid having to mentally say “one hundred and twelve…..one hundred and thirteen). I’ll know “which hundred” I’m on by how many fingers I have out.

Once I reach 1,000 (if I do) I’ll then start another alphabet sleeping exercise where I think of a country, city or animal (I include dinosaurs too) that starts with that letter.

For example…

• A – Antelope
• B – Baboon
• C – Cheeta
• etc

I rarely have to even start the first sleep counting exercise and if I do I don’t even make it past 100. But if I do I’m already asleep by the time I get to my own alphabet sleep exercise. If I can’t sleep, this is what I do and it works every time.

Give it a try.

4-7-8 Breathing Technique

I only use the 4-7-8 breathing exercise for sleep if I’m desperate, which I never am so I haven’t had to use it to fall asleep. This breathing technique is nice to have in your back pocket but to date, I haven’t had a chance to use it more than a few times.

But here’s how it goes…

• How It Works: Inhale quietly through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale completely through your mouth for 8 seconds. Repeat this cycle four times.
• Why It Works: This breathing technique slows down your heart rate and calms your nervous system, which helps in reducing stress and anxiety, making it easier to drift off to sleep.

Guided Imagery Walk

The important thing with the guided imagery walk is to put all your attention to each and every single minute detail. The act of putting your mind onto details keeps it hyper focused so you don’t let it wander and start thinking stressful thoughts that will keep you awake. I do this from time to time but I do find it challenging to focus 100% on details. I’m getting better and better at it the more I practice though.

Here are the details….

• How It Works: Imagine yourself walking through a peaceful and familiar place, like a beach, forest, or garden. Visualize every detail—the sound of the waves, the feel of the sand under your feet, the scent of flowers, and the warmth of the sun. Slowly explore this place in your mind.
• Why It Works: Guided imagery distracts your mind from worries and creates a calming, serene environment that can induce sleep. The mental visualization can also relax your body as you “experience” the peaceful setting.

Reverse Psychology Challenge

This is my favorite sleeping hack probably because my personality type is to always see what I can get away with. I like to prove people wrong and this one works very well with how I’m wired. If somebody tells me I can’t do something, I’ll go to my grave trying to prove them wrong or do the opposite. I don’t like people telling me what I can do or not do, what I can say or not say or how I should live.

I hate people telling me what I can’t do. Honestly this one is the easiest and fastest sleep hack of the five.

• How It Works: Lie down and challenge yourself to stay awake. Try to keep your eyes open and resist the urge to fall asleep. Avoid distractions, but keep telling yourself, “I will not fall asleep.”
• Why It Works: This trick plays on reverse psychology. By trying to stay awake, you often find yourself getting sleepy. The pressure to fall asleep is removed, which can help you relax enough to actually fall asleep.

Mindful Body Scan

Instead of focusing on the details of an imaginary environment (like being on a beach in Hawaii) you’re hyper focusing on your own body, which I like. This allows you to think about the individual muscle fibers that are relaxing. I like thinking of individual red blood cells and even nerves firing or not. The mind body scan is definitely up there on my list of favorite ways to fall asleep.

• How It Works: Starting from your toes, slowly focus on each part of your body, working your way up to your head. As you focus on each area, consciously relax the muscles there. Pay attention to your breathing as you move from one area to the next.
• Why It Works: The body scan method promotes relaxation by reducing physical tension and bringing your attention away from intrusive thoughts. This mindfulness exercise can effectively quiet the mind and prepare the body for sleep.

Conclusion

Do you notice a similarity with all of these sleep hacks? They all require you to “take control of your mind” in the sense that you’re putting margins on your thought processes. You’re giving your mind a specific task or goal (counting to 1000 or thinking of a mammal with every letter of the alphabet) .

The ability to take control of your mind is itself a muscle that must be exercised regularly. This is why I’m such a big fan of doing a moving meditation like Qigong or mediating during the day. It’s a form of positive mind control where you are the orchestrator.

“What to do when I can’t sleep?”

I do one of these 5 but I’m at a point now where I’ve healed my mitochondria and reset my circadian rhythms to where I generally fall asleep in about 5 or 6 minutes after my head hits the pillow.

Pick one of these and try it for 30 days and let me know what you think.

Questions:

1. How long does it take you to fall asleep at night?
2. What do you do if you can’t sleep?
3. How many times do you wake up in the middle of the night?
4. Is it easy or hard to fall back asleep if you do wake up?

Comment below!