Sleep Problems

You don’t have to feel anxious to have stress-related sleep problems.

Many people who struggle with sleep describe themselves as “tired but wired” - exhausted, yet unable to properly switch off at night.

This happens because stress affects the nervous system.

When you’re under stress, your body stays in a state of alert.

Stress hormones increase.

Your brain stays watchful.

This is helpful during the day.

At night, it gets in the way of sleep.

Even ongoing, low-level stress, work pressure, mental load, emotional strain can keep the body slightly on guard.

Over time, this makes it harder to fall asleep, stay asleep, or reach deep, restorative rest.

At night, things slow down.

With fewer demands and less noise, the mind starts reviewing the day, planning ahead, or trying to solve problems.

The brain becomes active just as the body needs to rest.

The harder you try to sleep, the more alert the system can become.

Poor sleep makes the brain more sensitive to stress the next day.

Stress then makes the next night’s sleep harder.

This creates a cycle that can feel frustrating and self-blaming.

It’s not a lack of willpower.

It’s not you “doing sleep wrong”.

It’s a nervous system that hasn’t fully stood down yet.

Understanding this shifts the focus away from forcing sleep, and towards helping the body feel safe enough to rest.

Sleep Problems Video