Studies show that poor sleep hygiene can lead to all sorts of problems. Lack of sleep is a low level stress that manifests in increased cortisol levels.

One way to let go is to journal your feelings and concerns in the evening for review the next day. This way your mind can rest knowing that it’s written down and no longer tries to juggle all the details.

I do this when I have trouble sleeping. Once it’s written down I know I can forget and read my notes the next morning to resume worrying.

Some of my poor sleep is also habit. If I start looking at X or YouTube at night, it can turn into hours.

And it helps to establish a new habit. For example, have some tea, journal, prayer, and reading a book (not on the phone). My wife also showers before bed as part of her routine. This puts your mind into the expectation that sleep is coming.

If I wake up at night, I’ll journal or read to break the worry loop.