Insomnia affects roughly one in three adults, and most have tried at least five "remedies" that didn't work. The problem isn't a lack of options — it's a lack of hierarchy.
Tier 1: Behavioral Changes (Most Effective)
Stimulus control. Use your bed only for sleep. If you can't sleep after 20 minutes, get up and go to another room. Return only when drowsy.
Sleep restriction. Spending less time in bed improves insomnia. If you're sleeping 5 hours but spending 8 in bed, restrict bed time to 5.5 hours. As efficiency improves, gradually add 15 minutes per week.
Consistent wake time. One wake time, every day, regardless of how you slept. This anchors your circadian rhythm.
Cognitive restructuring. Challenge catastrophic thoughts. "If I don't sleep tonight, tomorrow is ruined" is almost never true.
These form the core of CBT-I, which outperforms medication in every long-term study.
Tier 2: Environmental Optimization
Cool your room to 65–68°F. Make it truly dark. Eliminate noise or mask it. Remove screens from the bedroom.
Tier 3: Daytime Habits
Morning sunlight within an hour of waking. Cut caffeine after noon. Exercise regularly. Avoid alcohol. Finish eating 2–3 hours before bed.
Tier 4: Supplements (Supportive, Not Curative)
Magnesium glycinate (200–400mg) for general sleep improvement. L-theanine (200mg) for racing thoughts. Low-dose melatonin (0.3–0.5mg) for circadian timing issues. Glycine (3g) for core temperature regulation.
Supplements are the final 5%, not the starting point.
Tier 5: Professional Treatment
If insomnia persists after 4–6 weeks of behavioral changes, seek CBT-I — available in-person, via telehealth, or through digital apps. A sleep study may be needed to rule out apnea or other conditions.
What NOT to Do
Don't start with sleeping pills. Don't use alcohol to fall asleep. Don't try to force sleep through willpower. Don't abandon a strategy after two nights.
Track Everything
A daily sleep log — bedtime, wake time, onset time, awakenings, quality — reveals patterns, tracks improvement, and prevents the belief that "nothing is working" when progress is happening gradually.
SleepBetter.ai is the sleep log that makes insomnia patterns visible. Available on iOS.