If you’ve ever struggled with sleep, chances are you’ve tried a ton of remedies. It’s natural to search for quick fixes, like supplements, routines, and tips. But, there’s a downside: all these so-called solutions can fall into a category called "sleep efforts," a term I picked up from physician-turned-insomnia-specialist Daniel Erichsen. Sleep efforts are simply anything we do to force sleep to happen.

They might seem harmless and the zeitgeist of our times is partly to blame. Arguably, we live in a world that pushes a ‘fix it’ mentality. Mainstream insomnia advice tells us to try melatonin, stick to strict routines, and avoid screens before bed. On the surface, it sounds logical, doesn’t it?

Sleep efforts can be tricky though, because they shift the power to external things—like supplements or routines. This subtly send the message that your ability to sleep depends on them.

Ever find yourself lying awake, heart racing, mind spinning, feeling wired but desperate for sleep? If so then you have experienced a powerful force known as hyperarousal. Hyperarousal, a heightened state of alertness that sends the body into fight or flight, goes hand in hand with insomnia. It can show up as:

• Anxiety and Racing Thoughts: my clients often share how their thoughts and emotions spiral when they’re in fight or flight mode. 

• Difficulty Concentrating: Trouble focusing or thinking clearly - this can make it a lot harder to have a more grounded perspective.

• Physiological Symptoms: Body twitching or spasms, tightness in muscles, jaw clenching, rapid heart rate, and even needing to urinate more frequently can be signs of hyperarousal.