March 27, 2026

You’ve been exhausted all evening, but the moment your head hits the pillow, your brain launches into overdrive. This isn’t a flaw. It’s a learned pattern called conditioned arousal, and it can be unlearned. Here’s what’s actually happening and what works to change it.

You’ve probably heard that everyone needs eight hours, that insomnia will go away once your stress does, or that sleeping in on the weekend will fix everything. None of that is true and some of it is making your sleep worse. Here are five insomnia myths worth letting go of, and what actually works instead.