Insomnia Part 1: Reset your sleep system
Begin with a gentle return to the basics. This first lesson explores what insomnia is, why it develops, and how you can start easing your nights back into balance. We will build slowly, allowing your understanding to grow month by month. Future lessons will offer supportive tools for stress, sleep environment, and when to consider medical treatment. For now, we focus on clarity and a simple night-by-night reset that helps your body find its rhythm again.
Foundation: understand insomnia and build a calm nightly rhythm.
Same wake time daily, sunlight within 2 hours of waking, gentle movement.
Light wind-down 60 minutes before bed; screens off 30 minutes before lights out.
Two-week sleep log, meds/supplements list, and your typical bedtime routine.
Nightly reset blueprint
Tonight's flow
Lights + screens down
Gentle movement or shower
Low-stimulation activity
In bed when drowsy
Understand the pattern
What is insomnia?
Insomnia is more than a night of poor sleep. It is a pattern in which the mind and body struggle to transition into rest, leading to difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking earlier than intended. Over time, this pattern affects daytime energy, mood, and focus.
When sleepless nights repeat, the brain can begin to associate the bed with wakefulness rather than comfort. Healing begins with gentle retraining. This includes giving your internal clock predictable cues, creating a calming wind-down routine, and gradually reducing habits that signal the body to stay alert.
How it shows up
- Taking more than thirty minutes to fall asleep or waking repeatedly through the night.
- Feeling mentally busy at bedtime or noticing a sense of dread as evening approaches.
- Sleeping in short fragments or waking earlier than planned.
- Feeling foggy, irritable, or low in mood during the day.
- Leaning on caffeine or naps to maintain energy.
- Catching colds more easily or recovering slowly because deeper sleep is missing.
Common drivers
- Irregular sleep and wake times.
- Late naps or sleeping in on weekends.
- Shift work or frequent travel.
- Stress that carries into the night.
- Scrolling in bed.
- Long to-do lists without a gentle wind-down.
- A warm or noisy bedroom.
- Bright screens close to bedtime.
- Notifications that pull your attention back in.
- Pain, reflux, or restless legs.
- Possible sleep apnoea with loud snoring or gasping.
- Thyroid or mood changes.
Practical today
Wind-down plan you can start tonight
- Have your last full meal and keep later snacks light.
- Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and limit alcohol.
- Write down tomorrow’s tasks to help your mind settle.
- Lower lights and reduce screen use; choose warm tones if screens are unavoidable.
- Try gentle stretching, slow breathing, or a warm shower.
- Settle into a quiet, screen-free activity such as reading, journaling, or a simple puzzle.
- If you remain awake for more than twenty minutes, get up and do something calming in low light until drowsy.
- Keep the clock out of view to avoid alertness.
- Create a cool, dark, and quiet space; a fan, soft white noise, or blackout shades can help.
Daytime habits that protect sleep
Keep your wake-up time within the same 30 minutes window each day, including weekends.
Move your body on most days; even a gentle walk helps. Avoid intense exercise late at night.
Use your bed only for sleep and intimacy, and create a simple, consistent ritual that helps your body prepare for rest.
Spend 10 to 15 minutes in natural light before noon.
Limit naps to 10 to 20 minutes and keep them before mid-afternoon.
Habits that keep you awake
Doomscrolling or answering emails in bed.
Chasing lost sleep with long weekend sleep-ins.
Relying on alcohol to get drowsy; it fragments sleep later.
Watching the clock or tallying hours at 2 a.m.
Taking new sleep aids without talking to your care team.
When to reach out
Consider connecting with your clinician if any of these feel familiar
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Symptoms of insomnia at least three nights a week for a month.
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Loud snoring, gasping, or waking unrefreshed even after seven to eight hours in bed.
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Notable shifts in mood, such as feeling low, anxious, or easily irritated.
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Drowsiness that affects safety, including driving or work tasks.
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Using or thinking about prescription sleep aids and wanting a clear, guided plan.
What’s next in Part 2 - 4
- Part 2: Part 2: Calm the mind: stress circuits, breathing, and “mind racing” tools.
- Part 3: Part 3: Optimise the room: temperature, light, sound, and tech boundaries.
- Part 4: Part 4: Medications and supplements: when to consider them and how to taper safely.