If you’ve been struggling with sleep, you may have instinctively reached for sleeping pills. And if so, you are not alone. In 2023, NHS data revealed that one million people in the UK were prescribed medication for insomnia.

There’s no shame in that. When you’re exhausted, unable to function, and desperate for relief, medication can be a lifeline. The problem isn’t the short-term use of sleep aids – it’s what happens when they become the only way you believe you can sleep.

Because here’s the thing: Sleeping pills don’t actually make you sleep. They sedate you. That’s a crucial distinction. Real sleep – deep, restorative, natural sleep – is an intricate biological process that cannot be forced (and, ironically, the more you try to force it, the more elusive it becomes). Sleep medications bypass that process, knocking you out rather than letting your body cycle through its natural rhythms.

At best, they’re a short-term bridge. At worst, they become a psychological and physiological crutch, leading to dependence and masking the underlying causes of your sleep issues. And if you’re reading this, you may be wondering: Can I sleep without them?

The answer is yes. But getting there requires understanding what sleep really is, how your body regulates it, and what you can do to restore it naturally.

Are you ready to explore alternative ways to sleep?

Ask yourself:

• • Have you been taking sleeping pills frequently?
  • Do you feel like you can’t sleep without them?
  • Are you experiencing rebound insomnia – where missing a dose results in even worse sleep?

If your answer is yes, it’s time to explore sustainable alternatives. But let’s be clear: this isn’t about going “cold turkey.” Some medications – especially benzodiazepines and Z-drugs (like zolpidem and zopiclone) – alter neurotransmitter activity in ways that require careful tapering. If you’ve been on them for a long time, abruptly stopping can make things worse and understand that coming off requires time.

What is Rebound Insomnia?

Rebound insomnia happens when you stop or reduce sleep medication and experience worse sleep than before you started taking it. This is because your brain has adapted to the drug, and when it’s suddenly removed, your sleep system struggles to function properly.

Symptoms of rebound insomnia include:

• • Taking much longer to fall asleep
  • More frequent night-time awakenings
  • Vivid or unsettling dreams
  • Increased anxiety around sleep

Rebound insomnia can make it feel like you need the medication to sleep, which reinforces dependence. This is why tapering must be carefully managed—reducing the dosage gradually allows your brain to adjust without triggering severe sleep disruption.

First rule of getting off sleeping pills: Tapering must be worked out with your prescriber.

As a sleep therapist, my role is to support you through the process – helping you rebuild natural sleep patterns, manage the psychological side of sleep dependence, and implement strategies that improve sleep quality. But the actual tapering of medication is a medical process that must be handled by your doctor or prescriber.

If your doctor rushes you through the process, find someone who understands how to taper medication properly. It’s your body. You deserve an approach that prioritises safety and sustainability.

Coming off sleeping pills means accepting some difficult nights

There’s no way around this: If you are coming off sleep medication, you will have some difficult nights.

For many people, this is the hardest part. It’s not just the withdrawal itself – it’s the fear of being awake. After relying on medication, experiencing sleeplessness again can feel unbearable, and the instinct is to reach for a pill to make it stop.

This is where mindset matters. If you expect perfect sleep from night one, you will be frustrated. If you expect that some nights will be hard – but that your body will relearn how to sleep – you give yourself the psychological flexibility to cope with the discomfort.

So what does this mean in practical terms?

• • You will have nights where sleep is difficult. This does not mean you are broken.
  • You will have moments where your mind panics and tells you that you can’t do this. That is withdrawal talking, not reality.
  • You may feel worse before you feel better. Your brain is recalibrating. This is a temporary phase, not a permanent state.
  • The more you can accept that some nights will be challenging, the less reactive you will be when it happens. And paradoxically, the less you fight it, the sooner your sleep will improve.

This isn’t about waiting it out – it’s about actively working with your body to restore natural sleep regulation.

Sleep Is a 24-Hour process: fix the day to fix the night

Most people think of sleep as something that happens at bedtime. Sleep starts the moment you wake up. The way you spend your day determines whether your body is primed for rest – or set up for another night of staring at the ceiling.

Wake up at the same time every day – no exceptions

Your circadian rhythm is like a 24-hour loop, and the most powerful way to reset it is by keeping a consistent wake-up time. Yes, even on weekends. Yes, even after a bad night. The time you wake up is what sets your biological clock for the following night.

Get sunlight in the morning

Your brain needs bright, natural light to regulate melatonin production. Without it, your sleep-wake cycle drifts. Aim for 10-30 minutes of outdoor light exposure within an hour of waking – this signals to your body that morning has begun, setting the stage for proper sleep at night.

Manage caffeine – it’s more powerful than you think

Caffeine has a half-life of 5-7 hours. That means a cup of coffee at 3 p.m. can still be in your system at bedtime. It’s not just about when you drink it – it’s about whether your body metabolises it efficiently. If sleep is an issue, experiment with cutting caffeine off by noon and see if your sleep improves.

Be strategic about napping

If you nap too long or too late, you steal sleep pressure from the night – making it harder to fall asleep later. Keep naps under 20 minutes and schedule them before 3 p.m. to avoid interfering with your nighttime cycle.

What you do in the evening matters

You can’t expect your body to slam into sleep mode at 10 p.m. if you’ve been revving the engine all day. The goal at night is to shift from activation to recovery.

Stop eating late – digestion interferes with sleep

Your body isn’t designed to process heavy meals right before bed. Late eating can cause delayed sleep onset, disrupted REM sleep, and night-time wakefulness. Aim to finish eating at least 2-3 hours before bed.

Rethink alcohol – it doesn’t help you sleep and you likely shouldn’t be using it if you are on sleeping pills

Alcohol sedates you but wrecks sleep architecture. It suppresses REM sleep, leading to lighter, more fragmented sleep. It also increases night-time awakenings (often because of dehydration or needing the bathroom). If sleep is a priority, limit alcohol intake, especially close to bedtime.

Control screen exposure – but also, what you’re consuming

Yes, blue light suppresses melatonin, but it’s not just about light exposure – it’s about content exposure. Watching the news, doomscrolling, or responding to emails keeps your brain in high-alert mode, making sleep harder.

Journal your worries before bed

Racing thoughts? Write them down. Offloading anxious thoughts before bed reduces mental looping and helps prevent rumination from interfering with sleep.

At bedtime: build a routine that signals sleep

A strong bedtime routine trains your brain to associate certain actions with sleepiness. The key is consistency – over time, these habits signal to your body that it’s time to rest.

Dim the lights

Lowering light levels tells your brain it’s time to start producing melatonin, the hormone that helps you fall asleep.

Take a warm shower or bath

A warm bath or shower can help lower your core body temperature, which is a natural trigger for sleep onset.

Listen to calming music or an audiobook

Gentle music, nature sounds, or even a slow-paced audiobook can help transition your mind from wakefulness to rest.

If you can’t sleep – stop trying to force it

One of the worst things you can do when you’re struggling to sleep? Lie there, staring at the ceiling, stressing about not sleeping.

Don’t reach for your phone – the stimulation will keep you awake longer.

Try deep breathing or progressive relaxation—these techniques activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes sleepiness.

Read or listen to calming content—avoid bright lights and let yourself feel drowsy naturally.
Get out of bed after 20-30 minutes. Do something relaxing in dim light (reading, stretching, listening to music).

Remind yourself: sleep is a passive process—you can’t force it.

When should you see a Doctor?

If you’ve followed these steps for several weeks and still struggle to sleep without medication, it’s time to consider other explanations. Insomnia is just one sleep disorder – there are over 80 recognised sleep disorders, and yours may not be as simple as “bad sleep hygiene.”

🚩 Signs that something else may be going on:

• • You snore loudly or wake up gasping → You may have sleep apnoea.
  • You struggle to sleep at normal hours but feel alert late at night → This could be a circadian rhythm disorder.
  • You have an overwhelming urge to move your legs at night → You may have restless legs syndrome.

If you suspect something more, ask your doctor for a sleep assessment. And if they brush off your concerns? Push for testing.

Final thought: taper with a plan, not just willpower

If you’ve been taking sleeping pills for a while, reducing them isn’t just about swapping them for sleep hygiene. It requires a gradual, structured taper that prevents rebound insomnia and withdrawal effects.

Key takeaways:

• • Sleep is a 24-hour process – you have to fix the day to fix the night.
  • Small changes make a big difference—but they take time to work.
  • Taper sleeping pills safely, with medical guidance.
  • If nothing is working, rule out underlying sleep disorders.

You are not broken. Your body is not failing you. With the right approach, you can regain natural, restorative sleep – without relying on pills to get there.

With the right approach, it is possible to regain natural, restorative sleep safely and sustainably but allow yourself the time to do this.

If you are considering making changes to your sleep medication, speak to your GP or sleep specialist first. You deserve a sleep plan that is safe, effective, and tailored to your needs.