I used to have the worst insomnia.
It would take me 2–3 hours to fall asleep, and then—without fail—I’d wake up around 2 or 3am, completely wide awake. Mind racing. Body tense. No chance of drifting back off.
Ugh.
The effects compounded over time.
More stress. Worse health. Low mood. Anxiety creeping in. Constant fatigue. And of course… more insomnia.
I lived like this for years—slowly slipping further down, not fully realising how depleted and dysregulated my nervous system had become.
Then something shifted.
I reclaimed my sleep. And honestly, I was shocked by how quickly things turned around once I addressed the right things.
Here are 7 changes I made that had the biggest impact, not just on falling asleep—but on staying asleep. (And yes, the last one usually surprises people.)
1. I stopped caffeine after 2pm
At the time, I was drinking both coffee and tea. Even though I thought I was “handling it,” caffeine was overstimulating my nervous system long into the night.
I eventually cut it out altogether.
If you want gentler alternatives, try:
- herbal teas
- rooibos
- dandelion tea
- or one of my favourites: black tahini with warm milk and honey (trust me—delicious)
2. I switched off technology at 9:30pm
Phones. Laptops. TV. Even overhead lighting.
Blue light suppresses melatonin and tells your brain it’s still daytime. I also use a blue-light filter (I use Flux) that automatically turns on at 6pm, and sometimes wear blue-blocking glasses in the evening.
This one change alone can dramatically improve sleep quality.3. I added healthy fats before bed
Before sleep, I take a spoon of MCT oil or organic coconut oil. Sometimes I mix it with colostrum and raw honey.
This helps stabilise blood sugar and reduce adrenaline spikes during the night—something many people don’t realise is waking them up at 2–3am.
If oils don’t suit you, a handful of walnuts can work as well.4. I practiced abhyanga (self-massage)
Abhyanga is an Ayurvedic self-massage using warm sesame oil (or a specific abhyanga oil).
I take about 10 minutes to massage my body, then lie down on a towel for 5–10 minutes to let the oil soak in before a warm shower or bath.
It’s deeply calming for the nervous system and incredibly grounding. (Quick tip: wipe down the shower afterwards—it can get slippery.)5. I slowed my body down before bed
After my shower or bath, I light a candle, put on quiet music or a gentle sleep binaural beat (Spotify and YouTube have plenty), and do 10 minutes of gentle yoga or stretching.
Nothing intense. Just slow, mindful movement to tell the body it’s safe to rest.
6. I meditated—every day
This was one of the biggest game changers.
When I began Vedic Meditation, my cortisol and adrenaline levels dropped quickly. That finally allowed melatonin—the sleep hormone—to do its job.
Before meditating, melatonin was trying to compete with stress hormones every night… and losing.
Meditation flipped that dynamic in a matter of days.
If you’d like to learn more about Vedic Meditation, you can explore my upcoming courses (in person and on Zoom) .
7. I lay on a spiky Shakti mat
Yes—this one surprises people.
I lie on a Shakti mat for 5–10 minutes before bed, and I’m often falling asleep straight after. It’s strangely painful… and deeply relaxing at the same time.
I can’t fully explain why it works—but it does. Give it a try.
You don’t need to do all of this at once.
You could try one change per week for seven weeks, or—if you’re ready—go all in and reset your evenings completely.
Either way, small shifts compound quickly when it comes to sleep.
Let me know how you go.
Sweet dreams, Tom
PS. As I said, Vedic Meditation was the biggest game changer...if you haven't yet learnt, I have courses coming up in person and online. You can find out more about the courses and attend a free introductory talk by clicking here
