The problem was right next to me
— Happily Wedded in Washington
The problem was my husband—he had sleep apnea, and his snoring was keeping me up constantly. I was pregnant at the time, and getting a full night’s sleep was already really difficult. I’ve always been someone who needs good sleep, and with a baby on the way, I knew it was only going to become more important. When I don’t get enough sleep, I feel it the next day. I get really grumpy, and honestly, I can be kind of mean.
We went to an ENT (ear, nose, & throat doctor), and that’s when he was officially diagnosed. The first thing they had him try was a CPAP machine. He really didn’t like it—it made him feel claustrophobic having something on his face. Honestly, I didn’t like it either, because the machine itself made noise that still woke me up.
Before we could move forward with anything more permanent, insurance required that he try other treatments. So we did. He even used an oral appliance, kind of like a large mouthguard that was supposed to keep his tongue in position. It was pretty bulky and uncomfortable for him, so that wasn’t a great long-term solution either.
Eventually, his ENT recommended surgery as a permanent fix. He had a deviated septum repaired and also had his tonsils removed because they were enlarged. He stayed overnight in the hospital, and when he came home the next night there was zero snoring. It was an instant, permanent improvement. That was about 11 years ago, and it’s been great ever since. He has more energy, less fatigue during the day, and just feels better overall. He’s always had sinus issues, but fixing the sleep apnea made a lasting difference in his quality of life for both of us.
Slow and steady wins the race
— St. George Rested Runner
A few years ago, I started having some pretty noticeable sleep issues. At the time, I wasn’t as active as I should’ve been—I wasn’t exercising much, I had put on some weight, and my sleep just wasn’t good. I would toss and turn a lot during the night, and I’d wake up feeling tired, like I wasn’t fully rested.
Looking back, I think I may have had some level of sleep apnea, but I never got it officially diagnosed. I could just tell something wasn’t right. Even my watch would show a lot of restless moments and wake-ups throughout the night, which confirmed how I was feeling.
During the day, I was tired, low on energy, and not very productive. Sometimes I even had a bit of brain fog. It just felt like I was always dragging.
I didn’t initially set out to fix my sleep specifically—I just wanted to get healthier overall and feel better. So I started slowly making small changes, doing things I enjoyed, like getting outside and moving a little more.
Over the course of about three years, that gradually turned into more structured exercise. I started doing high-intensity interval training sessions where you rotate through different stations and get your heart rate up and down. I got into running as well.
As I stayed consistent, I started losing weight and improving my overall fitness. And somewhere along the way, I realized my sleep had completely changed. Now, I fall asleep quickly, I sleep soundly, and I wake up feeling refreshed. It’s been a huge difference—night and day compared to how I used to feel.
I think a lot of it comes down to a combination of factors. My resting heart rate is lower, I’m in better shape, and I’ve lost weight—all of which probably contributed to better sleep. I didn’t plan it that way, but it ended up being one of the biggest benefits.
At this point, I’d say I’ve been consistently sleeping well for about a year and a half to two years. And even now, I keep things pretty balanced—I work out about three days a week, nothing extreme. It’s really been about building sustainable habits over time. I feel stronger, healthier, and more energized—and my sleep reflects that. I’ll be 52 this year, and I can confidently say I’ve never felt better.
Finding the right combination
— Dozing in the Desert
If I don’t get a good night’s sleep, I definitely notice it the next day. I have no motivation, and I get irritated really quickly. I’ve found a few things that make a huge difference for me.
I bought a white noise machine for my first baby. It helped block out noise during naps, and I realized pretty quickly that I loved it too. It’s not a recording or a loop—it actually creates real airflow through these little slots, so it sounds like a steady breeze. You can adjust the tone and the volume by rotating it, which I really like. Now all of my kids have one!
Another thing I use is an eye mask with built-in Bluetooth headphones. I’ll play a story from my phone and set a timer, and I’m usually asleep within a couple of minutes. There’s just something about listening to someone talk that helps me drift off. The audio shuts off on its own, and I stay asleep.
The mask itself is really comfortable—it rests more on the cheeks than my eyes and also covers my ears quite a bit. Between that and the white noise, I don’t hear much—whether it’s my husband snoring or the dogs moving around.
There have also been times in my life when sleep was especially hard—like after having a baby. My brain just wouldn’t shut off. I’d lie there thinking about everything that could go wrong or worrying that I wouldn’t hear the baby if they needed me. I felt constantly on edge, like I couldn’t fully relax enough to fall asleep.
Eventually, I talked to my primary care doctor about it and went on an antidepressant. That made a big difference. It helped calm those racing thoughts, and since it can make you a little drowsy, I take it at night, which actually helps with sleep too.
For me, it’s really been a combination of things—good sleep tools, like the noise machine and eye mask, and, when I needed it, medication. All of it together has made a big difference in being able to fall asleep and stay asleep.
When routine makes a difference
— Sleepless in Cedar City
For a long time, I struggled with pretty severe insomnia. I had a really hard time falling asleep—I would lie in bed for hours—and even when I did fall asleep, I’d wake up multiple times during the night or really early in the morning. Then when it was actually time to wake up, I was completely exhausted. I’d even sleep through alarms, which made everything more stressful, especially if I had something important the next day.
During the day, it really affected me. I was constantly tired, low on energy, and felt like I could fall asleep at any moment—whether I was at school or work. It was happening almost every night, and I was only getting around four hours of sleep on average.
A big part of the issue was anxiety around sleep itself. I’d get into bed and immediately start worrying about not falling asleep, about missing alarms, about everything the next day. That anxiety would make my heart race, and it became a cycle: the more I worried about sleep, the harder it was to actually fall asleep.
I tried a lot of different things on my own, like exercising, doing puzzles before bed, and avoiding naps during the day. Some of it helped a little, but it didn’t fix the core problem.
What really made a difference was getting help. I saw a sleep specialist and found out I had mild sleep apnea, but it wasn’t severe enough for medical intervention. I also went to therapy, which helped me manage the anxiety.
The biggest turning point was when I started focusing on my habits and routine. I built a consistent nighttime routine—going to bed at the same time, avoiding screens late at night, showering, reading, and listening to calming music. I also stopped checking the time when I couldn’t sleep, which helped reduce a lot of the stress and pressure I was putting on myself.
Over time, my sleep improved significantly. Now I usually get around 7-8 hours of sleep a night. My energy is better, my anxiety is lower, and I just feel healthier overall.
One thing I’ve learned is that consistency is key. If I fall out of my routine—even for a short time—my sleep can start to slip again. But when I stick to it, it really works.
Change your mind for better sleep
— Iron County Insomniac
I was about 15 years old when my insomnia started. When I was unable to sleep, I would read books, do homework, or watch TV on mute in our family’s playroom. My normal bedtime became 3 am, even though I’d get up for school at 6:30 am, so I was running on three or four hours of sleep a night.
My sleep remained inconsistent into adulthood, typically amounting to less than five hours a night. I recently made a self-assessment of my sleep health and decided it was time to do some things differently.
The first thing I changed was my habit of drinking caffeine during the day. It made a minimal difference in the amount of sleep I was getting, but I was able to fall asleep a little bit easier at night.
Secondly, I considered my sleep environment. Because I was always easily awakened by noise and had a hard time getting back to sleep afterward, I took steps to change the space around me, including where I lived, which offered more privacy. When my living situation quieted down, so did my mind. I was finally able to feel a sense of peace and calm during the night that I didn’t realize was missing, and sleep came easier.
Then I had to take a look at how stress and constant worry was taking a toll on my sleep. Whether it was work, uncompleted tasks, situations that happened in the past, or life in general, I was plagued with nagging worry and doubt when it was time for bed. I found that I had to focus my attention on something else, like reminding myself about the positive things I had accomplished during the day, which is easier said than done. It takes some work, but if you can find peace of mind, you can also help yourself find peaceful sleep.
What improved sleep for me was taking a look at my sleep habits, figuring out what I needed to add or let go, and not trying to do everything at once. It didn’t happen overnight, no pun intended, and even one simple change is a good start. I have occasional setbacks, but I keep trying!