- Jes
- Oct 4, 2024
- 4 min read
The first time I ever experienced insomnia was on August 13, 2022. I know the exact date because it was the night before my best friend's wedding. She had a welcome party two days before, where I drank a little too much. Fighting a violent hangover and depleted of sleep, I lay down the night before the wedding, expecting to sleep hard. But the opposite happened. I got up, took some melatonin, and lay in bed for the next five hours, praying I would fall asleep.
Before I knew it, the entire night had passed, and I hadn’t slept in 48 hours. I rallied, got my makeup done, and enjoyed the ceremony—but by the time the reception came, I was so tired to my core that I could barely fake dancing.
This night marked the beginning of my off-and-on battle with insomnia. By the fall of 2023, it had completely taken over my life. Sometimes, I couldn't sleep for up to four nights in a row. I tried supplements, prescribed medication, sleepy girl mocktails, exhausting workouts—nothing helped. I was desperate. I would cry in the middle of the night to my husband as he stroked my back. And eventually, as he fell asleep, his small snores reminded me yet again that I couldn’t sleep. I cried even more.
I was miserable, underperforming at work, fragile in mood, and unable to see any way out.
But here I am in October 2024. I made it. In fact, it's been months since I’ve had anything less than a good night of sleep, let alone no sleep at all.
So what changed? In my search for a solution, I scoured the internet. I ordered blackout curtains and sleep aids. I bought practically every sleep supplement on the market. While there are definitely a few I still use today to get my best sleep, none of those things was the solution. What finally worked for me? The best part is, it’s all completely free.
So, if you're suffering from insomnia, here's the protocol that healed me:
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you have to stop consuming caffeine. As someone who formerly worked for an energy drink company, this was so hard for me—some would say impossible. But here’s the thing: there's an enzyme in our livers called CYP1A2. Some people have more of it, while some genetically have less. Those with less metabolize caffeine slower, so your morning cup of joe might still be affecting you as much as 15 hours later.
A tip that helped me give up caffeine was literally just subbing for decaf. You can even order decaf lattes at coffee shops. (I’m sipping on one at my favorite coffee shop as I write this.) I also have a go-to beverage that helps my brain feel stimulated: I create a hot chocolate using Ancient Nutrition's Bone Broth Protein and Four Sigmatic's Focus Blend. On days when I really need productivity to soar, I take a little vial of Beekeeper’s Naturals Brain Jelly.
The bed is for sex and sleeping. Nothing else. Before my insomnia hit hard, my husband and I loved watching a show before bed. Not only is that bad for blue light reasons, but it also signals to your brain that the bed is a place for mental stimulation, which it shouldn’t be. On top of that, I spent so many nights awake with insomnia that I started to associate my bed with anxiety. So, I began this protocol in our guest room until I saw significant changes, which took about three months. Afterward, we rearranged our bedroom for a fresh start.
Speaking of the bed—if you’re having insomnia, get out of it. Lying in bed awake only makes you more anxious. So, when I felt the restlessness creeping up, I’d get out of bed, make some tea, and read by a dim light. I now use a red light booklight that I highly recommend, but any low light will do.
Remove your phone from your room. Don’t look at it if you can’t sleep. Put sticky notes over the clocks so you can’t see the time. Like lying in bed, counting the hours only makes insomnia worse. I realized I was addicted to checking the time to prove how long I hadn’t slept, and breaking that habit was tough but necessary.
Another hard truth: after a night of insomnia, go about your day as if you slept fine. Don’t sleep in, don’t nap, and don’t cancel plans. I know it’s so hard, and it feels unfair. But by doing this, you’re taking the power away from insomnia. I used to lie awake thinking, “Nooo, I was so excited for <insert fun event, big meeting, or memory-making moment here>!” But by practicing this, you’ll stop fearing the repercussions of not sleeping and just keep living. It’s not easy, but if you push through, it’ll be a game-changer.
My personal mantra is “I am resilient.” It got me through this chapter and has become one of my favorite mantras in all areas of life.
To round this out, I’ll end with my favorite tip—one I think was most impactful: a morning walk. That’s it. I hated them at first. I’d get up at 7 AM on a cold winter morning, roll out of bed, and walk—rain or shine. In fact, I think I cried at first. But after creating a daily walk habit, it became one of the biggest highlights of my day. I look forward to it, no matter the weather. It has completely transformed my mental health. It works for insomnia because it helps reset your circadian rhythm. I believe it’s also supported my hormones and reduced inflammation (I saw improvements with my Hashimoto’s, but that’s a story for another blog post).
So, with all of that, I want you to know there is life on the other side of insomnia. It’s a struggle that’s hard to understand until you’ve been through it. And if you’re going through it now, I am so deeply sorry. But I promise you this: it will be okay. You will find a solution that works for you. One day, you will move through it, and—dare I say—you might even be thankful for it because you’ll never take deep sleep for granted again.