Can't Sleep the Night Before an Event, Travel, etc.?

Can't Sleep the Night Before an Event, Travel, etc.?

Have you ever noticed that you have even more trouble sleeping the night before an event, a job, an interview, a presentation, travel, or anything else?

If so, you aren’t alone in this one. Whether you have trouble sleeping normally or not, most people experience this.

Your emotions are heightened, and a lot is going on in your mind. It’s only natural that we are going to lose some sleep.

Everyone experiences this at some point, and this isn’t something that just happens to you. I really want you to understand that.

So you might be wondering what you can do to prevent this from happening.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot you can do to prevent losing sleep. I know that’s not the answer you want to hear, but the situation can be improved.

If you are worrying about sleeplessness from happening and how to prevent it, that adds a lot of worries, pressure, and stress on yourself. Adding these will only make you lose more sleep.

You are also adding a lot of attention to your sleep. The more focus and attention you put into your sleep, the more trouble you will have, leading to more frustration and sleeplessness.

The more you try to prevent losing sleep, the more sleep you are going to lose. I know this is paradoxical.

Instead, the best thing to do is realize that, yes, you are likely to lose some sleep, and it is to be expected. I know that is difficult. Instead, take your focus away from your sleep and let go of trying to control and prevent sleeplessness.

You are also likely worried about how you will perform or get through the next day.

The best thing you can do is look for evidence from the past where you got less sleep but still got through the next day. You probably weren’t feeling your best, but you did it. Remembering things like this can help take off some pressure.

Also, I don’t recommend canceling any events, trips, or whatever you have going on because of a lack of sleep. I know the idea of going somewhere on little sleep sucks, but these events and trips can help take your attention away from your sleep during the day, leading to more sleep at night.

These are also opportunities to prove to yourself that you can get through the next day or have fun on a trip despite little sleep.

Plus, you won’t lose out on doing something fun and bringing joy into your life.

If you found this post helpful, I recommend checking out my blog post, “Are you giving these things up because of insomnia?”