“I can’t fall asleep. I can’t sleep. I lie in bed exhausted but sleep won’t come. And when I finally do drift off, I sleep badly and wake up still tired.”
Does any of that describe you?
What Helps You Fall Asleep
Sleep problems have become something close to a modern epidemic. The relentless pace of life, chronic stress, and the sheer number of things that keep our brains running at high intensity – often right up to the last moments of the day – make it genuinely difficult for many people to fall asleep and sleep well.
In this article, I want to share two approaches that actually help.
1. Redirect the Mind to Something Simple
For people who struggle with a racing mind at bedtime – the kind that won’t switch off – one reliably effective tool is redirecting attention to something uncomplicated and mildly pleasurable. This could be a light show, an easy podcast, an audiobook, or anything that gives the mind a simple, low-stakes object to rest on. It doesn’t require analysis. It carries just enough gentle stimulation to be engaging without being activating, and that combination makes it genuinely easier to relax and drift off.
I’m assuming that some readers of this article have serious, persistent sleep difficulties – so I’m mentioning this approach specifically because it genuinely helps many people, and I’ve used it myself on more than one occasion. It isn’t perfectly healthy from every angle – particularly if it means staring at a screen close to bedtime – but it’s better than lying awake with a spinning mind.
2. Reduce Electronic Smog in Your Sleep Space
Phones, computers, televisions, routers – all of these emit electromagnetic radiation that many people notice affects their sleep quality. Try to keep your sleeping space free of active devices where possible. Many people report a meaningful improvement in sleep depth and quality when they sleep in a space free of what is sometimes called “electronic smog.”
Realistically, not everyone can or wants to give up the hour before bed spent on something they enjoy – and that often involves a screen. I have trouble with this rule myself, so I’m not throwing stones. But it’s worth knowing the option exists and what a difference it can make.
The Real Problem: Stress and Racing Thoughts
The underlying issue for most people who struggle with sleep isn’t really the darkness, the mattress, or the temperature of the room. It’s the stress and mental noise they carry into bed with them. The body does naturally process and release the tensions of the day during sleep – but if you leave a significant load of unprocessed stress, the nervous system has to work through it during the night using slow, automated evolutionary processes. And that takes time – often more time than the night allows.
Think of it like eating something heavy and indigestible and then sitting still, waiting for your body to process it. It will eventually – but if you do something to actively support the process, recovery comes much faster. The same is true for mental and emotional tension before sleep. A deliberate wind-down practice doesn’t just feel good; it actually reduces the processing load your body carries into the night.
A Simple Relaxation Practice for Before Sleep
This is one of the most effective things you can do in the fifteen to twenty minutes before you want to fall asleep. Work through your body systematically from bottom to top: feet and calves, thighs, belly, upper torso, hands, arms, shoulders, neck, and head. For each area, spend a moment first tensing the muscles – so you can actually feel the tension that’s been quietly accumulating there – and then consciously releasing it. Don’t rush. The goal is a deliberate, thorough process, not a quick scan.
You can pair this with conscious breathing. Breathe slowly and deeply – but in a way that feels comfortable, never forced. On the exhale, imagine that all the stress and tension of the day is flowing out of your body through your mouth, rising like a grey mist and dissolving into the air. On the inhale, imagine you’re breathing in calm – a quiet, peaceful energy that fills you and settles you further into the bed.
Done consistently, this practice becomes a reliable signal to the nervous system that the day is over and it’s safe to let go. Most people find it noticeably easier to fall asleep – and to stay asleep – when they take even ten minutes to arrive in their body before trying to sleep.
Jakub Qba Niegowski – Extrasensory Awareness Development Specialist
To experience this directly, explore our guided meditation recordings.
