Clock + sleep pressure
Tired, but not sleepy.
You're exhausted, but when you finally get into bed, sleepiness doesn't seem to arrive.
Check this patternA practical system
for broken sleep.
Free tools that tell you what's keeping you up, and an app that turns it into a plan you'll actually follow tonight.
Trouble sleeping?
Which sounds most like your nights lately?
Free tools. No account.
Find your kind of bad night.
Mental arousal
My mind won't switch off.
Work, planning, ideas, worries or conversations keep running long after the day is over.
Check this patternPhysical / chemical arousal
My body still feels wired.
You want to sleep, but your body still feels activated, tense, restless or "on."
Check this patternSleep continuity
I wake again and again.
Falling asleep may not be the main problem. The night keeps breaking apart.
Check this patternEarly waking
I wake too early.
You wake before you want to — and your brain seems convinced the night is finished.
Check this patternSleep quality
I sleep, but still wake exhausted.
The number of hours may look reasonable, but the sleep doesn't feel restorative.
Check this patternThen make it a system.
Tonight
A 30-minute landing
- 22:30Start the wind-downLeave the day. Dim one light.
- 22:35Five-minute shutdownUnfinished, next action, not tonight.
- 23:00Lights outGet in bed. Sleepiness leads.
Plan tonight
Tell it about your day. It builds tonight's wind-down around what's actually keeping you up: body, mind, emotions, senses or chemistry.
Debugger
Night 6 of 6
- Caffeine after 2pm4 of 6 nights
- Mind still on5 of 6 nights
- Alcohol1 of 6 nights
Counts only. Not a cause.
Find what changed
Log your nights for a week. See what's linked to the rough ones, then test one change at a time.
What's keeping you up?
Mind racing
Body tense
Awake a long time and frustrated
3 AM
A dark screen with no clock. Park the thought, slow the breathing, or get the plan for being awake at 3 AM.
My sleep protocol
Usual wake window
6:45–7:15
Caffeine boundary
Last cup by 2pm
Default wind-down
30-minute landing
After a bad night
Slow the next day. No revenge bedtime.
Your protocol
At the end, one page: your wake window, wind-down, caffeine line, what to do after a bad night. Keep it on your lock screen.
Creator's Insomnia
- The day is closed. The mind is still building.
- That pattern has a name.
- There is a path for it — not another wind-down tip.
Where the whole system is explained.
The system in print — mechanics, not hype. The app is the companion, not a replacement.
Sleep articles
Browse all articles
THIS ISN'T JUST 'GETTING OLDER'
Aging & Sleep Architecture
Sleep architecture actually changes with age.
Read →
SEDATION ISN'T SLEEP
Alcohol & Sleep Quality
A nightcap makes sleep worse, not better.
Read →
YOUR 3PM COFFEE ISN'T DONE AT 9PM
Caffeine Timing
Caffeine is still working while you're trying to sleep.
Read →Questions
Is this medical advice?
No. The tools and the book are educational. If poor sleep is affecting your safety, health or daily functioning, see a doctor. The tools will tell you when that's the better next step.
Do I need an account?
Not for the free tools. The app needs one so your plans and history are saved.
What's the difference between the book and the app?
The book explains why sleep breaks and what to change. The app turns that into tonight's plan, tracks what works and ends with your own one-page protocol.
I already bought the book. Do I pay again?
No. The book includes 12 months of full access. Unlock it with your Amazon order details.
Does this work for shift workers?
Partly. The principles hold, but the timing changes. There's a planner for shift and travel schedules, and the tools say when a professional can help more.
What if I've tried everything?
Then the useful question is what's actually keeping you up, not which tip to try next. Start with "Why am I still awake?" — it takes about a minute.
Start with a free tool, or get the book.
Get the free one-page system
The whole book's map, in one page. Plus the occasional email — no spam.
Written and built by Karan Veer, who writes as K.V. Sharma. About →