🎧 Why Can’t I Sleep Even When I’m So Tired? (Light Pause Mode)

You’re lying in bed, drained from the day but no matter how hard you try, sleep just won’t come. Why does that happen?

In this calming Light Mode episode of The Pause Between, Let us explore a question so many of us quietly ask:
“Why can’t I sleep kahit pagod na pagod na ako?”

Whether you’re lying in the dark with thoughts spiraling, or you simply can’t turn off the day, this episode offers practical tools and soothing reminders to help you find your way back to rest.

✨ Perfect for anyone navigating:

• Late-night overthinking
• Anxiety before bed
• Burnout and exhaustion
• Difficulty “shutting down” after work or stress

Take a short, nourishing pause with me and remind your mind and body: You’re safe now. You’re allowed to rest.

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Until then, keep pausing, keep thriving, and remember:
 Every pause sharpens you. 🧡

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Chapters

• 0:08 Welcome to The Pause Between!
• 0:43 Today’s Question: “Why can’t I sleep kahit pagod na pagod na ako?”
• 1:42 Your body is tired, but your mind is still active
• 2:40 Gentle tips to help your mind wind down
• 4:04 You’ve trained your brain to stay alert at night
• 5:10 Tools to retrain your brain for rest
• 6:44 Your nervous system doesn’t feel safe
• 7:49 Ways to soothe your nervous system before sleep
• 10:13 Wrap-up: What your sleeplessness might really be saying
• 11:01 When to seek deeper support
• 11:42 Outro: Let’s stay connected

Transcript

AteGia: 0:00

Hey, welcome to the Pause Between. If you're new here, hello, this is Ate Gia. If you're returning, thank you so much for your time and welcome back. I'm always so grateful for each one of you and really appreciate your time spent on this podcast. You're in a light mode. That means it is one of those short, easy to digest episodes that will help you understand what you're going through. One small pause at a time. Today's question is one that I know you've probably asked before. Why can't I sleep even though I'm so tired? Bakit po ba hindi ako makatulog kahit pagod na pagod na ako? You're lying down, exhausted from the day's work, pero kahit anong pikit mo, kahit balibaligtarin talagang di pa rin So in this episode, let's talk about three possible reasons and things you can do when this happens. Let's dive in. number one your body is tired but your mind is still active this is the most common one physically we're drained but mentally we haven't slowed down at all what i mean is you're still thinking of that email that you didn't reply to or the email that your boss had sent earlier or something someone said earlier or maybe something you haven't said to someone earlier or maybe your plans for tomorrow. The problem here is your body can't fully rest kung hindi pa ready yung mind mo to shut down. And I totally understand it because life happens. Kailangan mo mag-work at may mga bagay kang kailangan isipin. I really struggled with this too and I experienced So here are a few simple things that have helped me and might work for you too. First, give your mind a signal that the day is over, that it's okay to shift gears. It could be in a form of a simple small routine before bed, 10 to 15 minutes long. Like what I'm doing is before getting into the bed, I'll dim the lights in my room or sa sala namin. I'll try to write down three thoughts or even just sitting in silence. Not for productivity but to help the transition. You can also try simple sensory cues like a calming candle, a warm beverage, maybe chamomile tea, or some soft music. They are really small things, but they help signal your mind that it's time to slow down. Kahit isa lang sa mga yan yung gawin mo or itry mo, it can really help shift your energy or from doing to resting. Second, you've trained your brain to stay alert at night. Now this one is sneaky because here's something people don't realize. If you're constantly in your phone, working late, or overthinking in bed, you've unintentionally trained your brain to stay active at night. Because of those, bedtime becomes your thinking time. So even if your body is tired, your brain associates your bed with stress or processing and not sleep this is usually unintentional but once you're aware of it you can start doing something about it not 180 degree change or really big hole you can try with just small shifts that can really impact your rest what are those uh You can try to avoid heavy thinking activities or screen time at least 30 minutes before bed. Also, don't make your bed your brainstorming space. I understand that sometimes we have a lot to think about and a lot to do. And if you can, and if that happens, please do your thinking outside your bed. Let your body and mind associate your bed with rest and not work another thing is journaling and i know journaling feels cheesy and cringy but honestly that shit works it helps clear out your mental and even emotional clutter and gives your brain permission to rest so tonight um try to give yourself something that can dial down that labor of thinking. And it has to be something that you can practice for a long time because this association needs practice. You need to know or train your brain to associate your bed and your womb with the deep rest that your body and mind truly needs. Now, on to the last Third, your nervous system doesn't feel safe. So in the first and second one, we've talked about how your body and mind needs to sync, how your brain might be too wired for sleep. But here's another piece to the puzzle that's deeper and personal. Sometimes, even when everything is quiet, your system doesn't feel safe enough to relax and it could be for many reasons and deep-seated anxiety traumas experiences or even chronic stress your body might be stuck in alert mode even if you don't feel panicked this is what they call fight or flight mode when your system is stuck in a guard mode even if you don't feel it on the surface you can try giving your body a signal that it's safe now so here are a few things that might help try calming your nervous system before sleep things like breathing it is something accessible easy and quick you can start with the four seven eight breathing technique like inhale for four seconds hold for seven exhale for eight and do it for a few times immediately your body will feel the difference and you can also try putting your hand on your chest or your belly just to feel grounder you can try creating a safe space where You can listen to a sound that feels familiar. Because other people, they want to hear or see things that are familiar to them because it makes them feel safe. It could also be a person. There are people who will make you feel safe and you're ready to relax when you hear their voice. Not necessarily someone you are close with. Pwede din yun na podcast or YouTube video or any movie. Any sensory cue na makakapagpaalala sa utak at katawan mo na you should not be on card. Maybe you can also try ASMRs, low-frequency music, and those small tools that i mentioned earlier like a warm beverage a grounding scent like lavender eucalyptus and they are not just routines they are there to tell your body that it's okay that you are safe now and you are allowed to rest And those are the three reasons and some things that might be helpful for you. So if you're lying in bed right now wondering why you can't sleep, maybe it's just not tiredness. Maybe your body's ready but your mind still needs a moment. Or your brain has been too wired to stay on and alert. Or maybe your nervous system still thinks that it needs to protect you. All of those reasons will not make you broken, but all of those make sense. The more you notice these patterns, the more you can respond gently next time. And if sleeplessness is something constant and already damaging your health and affecting your life when it doesn't feel calm anymore maybe it's time to speak with a mental health professional a professional can help you impact it more deeply because this episodes can give you guides but deep rest sometimes needs deep healing and support And you're allowed to have that. That's it for our today's episode. Thank you for sharing this pause with me. If this has helped you, I'd love if you will share it to someone who might be lying awake too. And if you've experienced a night like this, I'd love to know what helped you find your rest. Share your thoughts with us on socials. This is your light mode and this is your pause between. Until our next pause.