Test: What stops you getting the sleep you need?

When you end the day mentally running through everything you didn’t manage to do, you’re subconsciously sending yourself the message that you haven’t earned your downtime, including quality sleep.

An overscheduled day impacts on sleep in multiple ways, whether it’s physical tension from hunching over a computer, emotional residue from not meeting your own expectations, or the jangled, fragmented feeling that can come from juggling multiple roles.

Your body is literally holding onto the day, and without conscious release, sleep will remain elusive. Quick fixes like wine or mindless scrolling only make the problem worse. Focus on physically letting go of tension instead with a warm bath, gentle yoga or an evening walk.

Then consider what helps you mentally let go – perhaps it’s reading or watching something distracting but light-hearted. In the longer term, take a look at your expectations about what it’s possible to achieve during the day. Sleep disruption is often a red flag that you’re overloaded and it’s time for a break.

In the short-term, focus on adding mini relaxation moments throughout the day, regulating your nervous system as the day progresses so you don’t end up wired when it’s time to wind down. Making space for this might mean first thinking what commitments you can let go of – think, is this worth sabotaging my sleep for?

Your next steps:
1. When you’ve finished your working day, write a realistic plan for the following day so you can mentally let it go.
2. Create a evening ritual like changing clothes, washing your face or doing five minutes of deep breathing to start your wind down.