Trust Nature’s Medicine: A New Perspective on Insomnia |
Why Is Sleep Important?
Take our Sleep Habits Test
Find a sleep therapist near me
Trying to control sleep can trigger anxiety that actually keeps us awake.
Sleep is an active biological process that restores the brain and body overnight.
Popular rules like “needing eight hours” or “catch-up sleep” often make insomnia worse.
CBT-I can help people rebuild natural sleep patterns without medication.
Written by Helen Macdonald
We’ve all been there—staring at the ceiling, calculating how many hours of sleep we’ll get if we fall asleep right now, and feeling the mounting anxiety of being exhausted all day tomorrow if we don’t. In a world increasingly obsessed with productivity and healthy lifestyles, sleep has become a source of stress rather than the restorative process it’s meant to be.
But what if the secret to better sleep isn’t trying harder, but rather learning to trust an automated biological process?
Sleep Is a “Switch-On” Button
Contrary to the popular belief that sleep is a “switch-off” button or a period of simple oblivion, it is actually a highly active state, some might say a “switch-on” button.
That is because while you are “out of the way” sleeping, your brain is busy performing vital repair work, regenerating cells, clearing toxic waste, regulating emotions, and consolidating memories.
This complex process of sleep includes both REM (dreaming) sleep and non-REM sleep, each serving distinct functions for our cognitive and physical recovery. Modern wearable technology often leads us to obsess over deep sleep, but even light sleep stages are crucial components of this nightly process.
The Trap of Intentionality
What most people don’t realize is that sleep is a behavior automated by our brains. Experts will say that they have never met a single person who can get to sleep, only those who can fall asleep.
The moment we try to intentionally control sleep, we inadvertently disturb it. This is why monitoring every minute of rest through apps can sometimes be counterproductive. Good sleepers generally have no idea how they sleep. They just do it. When we treat sleep as a problem to be solved with sheer will, we trigger a vicious cycle of hyper-arousal that keeps us awake.
Debunking Common Sleep Myths
To find peace with your pillow, it is essential to move past the rigid rules that often fuel insomnia.
The eight-hour rule: While most healthy adults need seven to nine hours’ sleep on average, it can vary according to age and health—everyone’s needs are as individual as fingerprints. Forcing yourself to lie in bed for longer than you need can actually lead to more fragmented, difficult sleep.
The catch-up fallacy: If you have a bad night, your body’s natural sleep drive will actually be stronger the next night. Going to bed super early to “catch up” can backfire because your body may not be ready for sleep yet, leading to more tossing and turning.
The alcohol aid: While alcohol can help you fall asleep, it can actually interfere with the quality of your sleep cycle. In the long run, you’ll have better-quality rest if you get into a healthy sleep routine without chemicals.
Understanding Your Internal Clocks
Our sleep is governed by two main systems: the homeostatic sleep drive (the need for sleep, driven by the build-up of the natural brain chemical adenosine, which increases the longer we are awake) and the circadian system (our internal 24-hour clock). This biological clock exists at a cellular level—even a single hair follicle follows a 24-hour rhythm.
Why Is Sleep Important?
Take our Sleep Habits Test
Find a sleep therapist near me
When these systems are out of sync, as in jet lag or chronic insomnia, we feel a general malaise because our internal organs are no longer talking to each other correctly. Another example is for teenagers who have a different timing on their biological clocks, making it more likely they will stay up late because they are not sleepy yet, and then struggle to wake up for traditional school hours.
Taking a Path Forward
If you struggle with chronic insomnia, defined as difficulty sleeping at least three nights a week for six months, know that it is a treatable disorder, not a permanent personality trait. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is now recognized internationally as the first-line treatment, often proving more effective than sleeping pills.
Rather than simply accepting poor sleep, experiment with your “sleep window” to find the timing and duration that truly fits your life. By establishing steady patterns and learning to relax and reduce tension in your body, you can move away from “trying to get sleep” and return to the natural, automated state of falling into it.
Sleep is nature’s medicine. It is there to provide for us, and the best thing we can do is give it the space and the trust to do its work.
Helen Macdonald is a BABCP Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapist Supervisor and Trainer, a consultant EMDR Therapist, and Senior Clinical Advisor to the BABCP. As a prominent voice within the organization, she frequently hosts the “Members Matters” podcast.
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