🕷️ Crawler Inspector

[Skip to main content](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-to-do-when-you-cant-fall-asleep-may-surprise-you/#main) [Scientific American](https://www.scientificamerican.com/) July 5, 2023 4 min read [ Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=scientificamerican.com) # What to Do When You Can’t Fall Asleep May Surprise You When sleep feels elusive, getting out of bed can calm your mind and help you avoid bad sleep habits By [Meghan Bartels](https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/meghan-bartels/) edited by [Lauren J. Young](https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/lauren-j-young/)  [Filmstax/Getty Images](https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/depressed-senior-asian-man-lying-in-bed-cannot-royalty-free-image/1466597786?phrase=awake%2Bin%2Bbed%2Bnight) We’ve all been there: lying in bed wide awake and desperately wondering how to get to dreamland. In fact, scientists say it’s pretty normal to have a little [trouble falling asleep](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-genetic-basis-for-insomnia-emerges-from-the-twilight/) or staying asleep from time to time. “There’s this expectation that we should just go to sleep and stay sleeping for seven to eight hours,” says Roxanne Prichard, a neuroscientist at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota. “That’s just not biologically supported with how humans sleep.” While having trouble drifting off to sleep isn’t unusual, it still can be frustrating. Fortunately sleep experts are gaining an increasingly strong understanding of what’s happening in the brain during the process—and they say you can use that knowledge to increase your chances of catching some z’s, even when sleep feels elusive. *** ## On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by [subscribing](https://www.scientificamerican.com/getsciam/). By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. *** “It’s very uncommon for people to be able to just transition from being awake and active to falling asleep right away,” says Kim Hutchison, a sleep medicine specialist at Oregon Health & Science University. Falling asleep is a big shift for your brain. When conditions are good, hitting the sack allows your brain activity to slow down and become more orderly, and your brain waves synchronize, Prichard says. This switch is governed in part by environmental cues, such as light or temperature. A hot summer night or a bright streetlamp seeping through the window can interfere. The process of nodding off can also be affected by your emotions. “You need to feel both physically and psychologically safe to sleep,” Prichard says. “If there’s something that you are really worried about, if you are sleeping next to someone you don’t trust, if you’re worried that the newborn that you’re caring for might stop breathing, it’s going to be hard to fall asleep.” That’s why [anxiety](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pandemic-year-one-saw-a-dramatic-global-rise-in-anxiety-and-depression/) and stress are key culprits when people are unable to fall and stay asleep—and why relaxation is a crucial tool for easing into slumber. Hutchison and Prichard both say that the key, whether you’re struggling to sleep just as you’re heading to bed or after waking up in the middle of the night, is to limit the amount of time you spend lying awake fretting about not being asleep. “If you’re unable to fall asleep in what seems like or feels like 20 minutes or so, or you feel your body getting more amped up because you’re getting anxious that you’re not falling asleep, then I would recommend getting out of bed and sitting somewhere quietly with dim light and just relaxing, doing something boring,” Hutchison says. You could use the time to read, listen to calming music, drink some chamomile tea or do breathing exercises—anything that slows and comforts your body and mind, Hutchison and Prichard say. Avoid snacking, exercise and screens. It’s also important to resist the urge to fixate on worries, concerns or challenges, both experts say, especially in the middle of the night. Not only will those thoughts keep you awake, you also probably won’t make much progress on what’s keeping you up because your prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain that excels at planning and analysis, doesn’t get as much blood at night. An emerging hypothesis suggests the brain isn’t well suited for cognitive processing in the wee hours, Prichard says. “The mind, after midnight..., is less equipped to problem-solve and more prone to find problems,” she explains. “It’s really easy to wake up in the middle of the night and freak yourself out about something that you could probably problem-solve more effectively later.” Sleep aids and supplements, such as [melatonin](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/should-you-give-your-kid-melatonin/), are commonly used to fall asleep, but Prichard likes to advise people to use relaxation practices instead. “I want people to learn sleep skills, not pills,” she says. If basic relaxation strategies fail to calm your brain, both Prichard and Hutchison recommend cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia. Even if your night’s rest is incomplete, avoid the urge to make up for it by sleeping in or napping the next day, Hutchison says, because that can backfire. To fall asleep more quickly the next night and get back on track, it’s important for your brain to crave sleep. “If you nap during the day, especially longer naps, then your brain gets little snippets of sleep and will be less likely to fall asleep quickly at bedtime,” she says. Although Hutchinson and Prichard emphasize that occasional sleep struggles are normal, they recommend seeing a doctor if the situation continues or if it interferes with your ability to function during the day—which could indicate something physiological is at play. “In general, if you’re having problems falling asleep for three nights or more per week, then we would consider that problematic, but it also needs to interfere with your daytime functioning,” Hutchison says. For most sleep seekers, if something is keeping you up at night, it’s no help trying to force yourself to sleep. The best trick may be to simply preoccupy your mind until slumber comes naturally. [Rights & Permissions](https://s100.copyright.com/AppDispatchServlet?publisherName=sciam&publication=sciam&title=What+to+Do+When+You+Can%27t+Fall+Asleep+May+Surprise+You&publicationDate=2023-07-05&contentID=0381F213-060A-4FD1-BBA1CE34F2BE3CA8&orderBeanReset=true&author=Meghan+Bartels&copyright=Copyright+2023+Scientific+American%2C+Inc.) **[Meghan Bartels](https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/meghan-bartels/)** is a science journalist based in New York City. She joined *Scientific American* in 2023 and is now a senior reporter there. Previously, she spent more than four years as a writer and editor at Space.com, as well as nearly a year as a science reporter at *Newsweek,* where she focused on space and Earth science. Her writing has also appeared in *Audubon, Nautilus, Astronomy* and *Smithsonian,* among other publications. She attended Georgetown University and earned a master’s degree in journalism at New York University’s Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. [More by Meghan Bartels](https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/meghan-bartels/) ## It’s Time to Stand Up for Science If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history. I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too. If you [subscribe to Scientific American](https://www.scientificamerican.com/getsciam/), you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized. In return, you get essential news, [captivating podcasts](https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcasts/), brilliant infographics, [can't-miss newsletters](https://www.scientificamerican.com/newsletters/), must-watch videos, [challenging games](https://www.scientificamerican.com/games/), and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even [gift someone a subscription](https://www.scientificamerican.com/getsciam/gift/). There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.  Thank you, David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American [Subscribe](https://www.scientificamerican.com/getsciam/?utm_source=site&utm_medium=display&utm_term=eic_stand_up_for_science) Subscribe to *Scientific American* to learn and share the most exciting discoveries, innovations and ideas shaping our world today. [Subscription Plans](https://www.scientificamerican.com/getsciam/)[Give a Gift Subscription](https://www.scientificamerican.com/getsciam/gift/) - **Explore SciAm** - [Latest Issue](https://www.scientificamerican.com/latest-issue/) - [News](https://www.scientificamerican.com/) - [Opinion](https://www.scientificamerican.com/opinion/) - [Newsletters](https://www.scientificamerican.com/newsletters/) - [Podcasts](https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcasts/) - [Games](https://www.scientificamerican.com/games/) - [Travel](https://www.scientificamerican.com/travel/) - **Company** - [About](https://www.scientificamerican.com/page/about-scientific-american/) - [Press Room](https://www.scientificamerican.com/pressroom/) - [FAQs](https://www.scientificamerican.com/page/frequently-asked-questions/subscriptions-products/) - [Contact Us](https://www.scientificamerican.com/page/contact-us/customer-service/) - [Standards & Ethics](https://www.scientificamerican.com/standards-and-ethics/) - [International Editions](https://www.scientificamerican.com/page/international/) - [Advertise](https://www.scientificamerican.com/mediakit/) - **More** - [Accessibility](https://www.scientificamerican.com/accessibility-statement/) - [Terms of Use](https://www.scientificamerican.com/page/terms-of-use/) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.scientificamerican.com/page/privacy-policy/) - [US State Privacy Rights](https://www.scientificamerican.com/page/us-state-privacy-rights/) - [Use of cookies/Do not sell my data](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-to-do-when-you-cant-fall-asleep-may-surprise-you/) - [Return & Refund Policy](https://www.scientificamerican.com/page/return-refund-policy/) Scientific American is part of Springer Nature, which owns or has commercial relations with thousands of scientific publications (many of them can be found at www.springernature.com/us). Scientific American maintains a strict policy of editorial independence in reporting developments in science to our readers. © 2026 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, A DIVISION OF SPRINGER NATURE AMERICA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

We’ve all been there: lying in bed wide awake and desperately wondering how to get to dreamland. In fact, scientists say it’s pretty normal to have a little [trouble falling asleep](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-genetic-basis-for-insomnia-emerges-from-the-twilight/) or staying asleep from time to time. “There’s this expectation that we should just go to sleep and stay sleeping for seven to eight hours,” says Roxanne Prichard, a neuroscientist at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota. “That’s just not biologically supported with how humans sleep.” While having trouble drifting off to sleep isn’t unusual, it still can be frustrating. Fortunately sleep experts are gaining an increasingly strong understanding of what’s happening in the brain during the process—and they say you can use that knowledge to increase your chances of catching some z’s, even when sleep feels elusive. *** ## On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by [subscribing](https://www.scientificamerican.com/getsciam/). By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. *** “It’s very uncommon for people to be able to just transition from being awake and active to falling asleep right away,” says Kim Hutchison, a sleep medicine specialist at Oregon Health & Science University. Falling asleep is a big shift for your brain. When conditions are good, hitting the sack allows your brain activity to slow down and become more orderly, and your brain waves synchronize, Prichard says. This switch is governed in part by environmental cues, such as light or temperature. A hot summer night or a bright streetlamp seeping through the window can interfere. The process of nodding off can also be affected by your emotions. “You need to feel both physically and psychologically safe to sleep,” Prichard says. “If there’s something that you are really worried about, if you are sleeping next to someone you don’t trust, if you’re worried that the newborn that you’re caring for might stop breathing, it’s going to be hard to fall asleep.” That’s why [anxiety](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pandemic-year-one-saw-a-dramatic-global-rise-in-anxiety-and-depression/) and stress are key culprits when people are unable to fall and stay asleep—and why relaxation is a crucial tool for easing into slumber. Hutchison and Prichard both say that the key, whether you’re struggling to sleep just as you’re heading to bed or after waking up in the middle of the night, is to limit the amount of time you spend lying awake fretting about not being asleep. “If you’re unable to fall asleep in what seems like or feels like 20 minutes or so, or you feel your body getting more amped up because you’re getting anxious that you’re not falling asleep, then I would recommend getting out of bed and sitting somewhere quietly with dim light and just relaxing, doing something boring,” Hutchison says. You could use the time to read, listen to calming music, drink some chamomile tea or do breathing exercises—anything that slows and comforts your body and mind, Hutchison and Prichard say. Avoid snacking, exercise and screens. It’s also important to resist the urge to fixate on worries, concerns or challenges, both experts say, especially in the middle of the night. Not only will those thoughts keep you awake, you also probably won’t make much progress on what’s keeping you up because your prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain that excels at planning and analysis, doesn’t get as much blood at night. An emerging hypothesis suggests the brain isn’t well suited for cognitive processing in the wee hours, Prichard says. “The mind, after midnight..., is less equipped to problem-solve and more prone to find problems,” she explains. “It’s really easy to wake up in the middle of the night and freak yourself out about something that you could probably problem-solve more effectively later.” Sleep aids and supplements, such as [melatonin](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/should-you-give-your-kid-melatonin/), are commonly used to fall asleep, but Prichard likes to advise people to use relaxation practices instead. “I want people to learn sleep skills, not pills,” she says. If basic relaxation strategies fail to calm your brain, both Prichard and Hutchison recommend cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia. Even if your night’s rest is incomplete, avoid the urge to make up for it by sleeping in or napping the next day, Hutchison says, because that can backfire. To fall asleep more quickly the next night and get back on track, it’s important for your brain to crave sleep. “If you nap during the day, especially longer naps, then your brain gets little snippets of sleep and will be less likely to fall asleep quickly at bedtime,” she says. Although Hutchinson and Prichard emphasize that occasional sleep struggles are normal, they recommend seeing a doctor if the situation continues or if it interferes with your ability to function during the day—which could indicate something physiological is at play. “In general, if you’re having problems falling asleep for three nights or more per week, then we would consider that problematic, but it also needs to interfere with your daytime functioning,” Hutchison says. For most sleep seekers, if something is keeping you up at night, it’s no help trying to force yourself to sleep. The best trick may be to simply preoccupy your mind until slumber comes naturally. ## It’s Time to Stand Up for Science If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history. I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too. If you [subscribe to Scientific American](https://www.scientificamerican.com/getsciam/), you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized. In return, you get essential news, [captivating podcasts](https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcasts/), brilliant infographics, [can't-miss newsletters](https://www.scientificamerican.com/newsletters/), must-watch videos, [challenging games](https://www.scientificamerican.com/games/), and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even [gift someone a subscription](https://www.scientificamerican.com/getsciam/gift/). There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.