EP 92 Why You Can’t Force Yourself to Sleep

Hello, and welcome back to Up Level.

I'm Dr. Jenna, and today we're going to continue our conversation on sleep, more specifically, why you can't force yourself to sleep.

So I'm going to start with a scenario that is probably going to feel very familiar.

It's 11 p.m., you're tired, you get into bed, you close your eyes, and then nothing.

Nothing.

your brain turns on.

You start thinking about tomorrow, the things you forgot to do, all the things you have to do.

You replay conversations over and over in your head.

You look at the clock, 11.45.

Okay, if I fall asleep now, I can still get seven hours.

Then 12.15.

Okay, six and a half.

12.45.

Okay, six hours.

Fine.

And now you're not just awake, you're anxious about being awake.

And somehow that makes everything worse.

Or, all right, because I know there's sort of two main camps that you might fall into.

Maybe falling asleep isn't your problem at all.

You fall asleep just fine.

And then your eyes open.

2.47 in the morning.

Bing.

You roll over.

You try to go back to sleep.

Hello, and welcome back to Up Level.

I'm Dr. Jenna, and today we're going to continue our conversation on sleep, more specifically, why you can't force yourself to sleep.

So I'm going to start with a scenario that is probably going to feel very familiar.

It's 11 p.m., you're tired, you get into bed, you close your eyes, and then nothing.

Nothing.

your brain turns on.

You start thinking about tomorrow, the things you forgot to do, all the things you have to do.

You replay conversations over and over in your head.

You look at the clock, 11.45.

Okay, if I fall asleep now, I can still get seven hours.

Then 12.15.

Okay, six and a half.

12.45.

Okay, six hours.

Fine.

And now you're not just awake, you're anxious about being awake.

And somehow that makes everything worse.

Or, all right, because I know there's sort of two main camps that you might fall into.

Maybe falling asleep isn't your problem at all.

You fall asleep just fine.

And then your eyes open.

2.47 in the morning.

Bing.

You roll over.

You try to go back to sleep.