The problem is — normal no longer exists.

You’re not broken.
You’re changed.
And that’s not something you can rush.

But just because I’d moved out of the situation didn’t mean the mental mess had gone with it.
The fear.
The guilt.
The grief.
They were all still there.
And there was no option for that part. No help. No intervention. Just the quiet expectation that I should be fine by now.

Illness, trauma, and burnout have a way of stripping life back to its essentials.
For me, journalling became a place to re-ground myself — to remember what mattered when everything else felt overwhelming.
Relationships.
Family.
Health.
Coping with the everyday.

There is nothing quite like lying in bed exhausted, desperate for rest, while your mind refuses to slow down.

You’re tired, absolutely exhausted but your thoughts are wired. You replay conversations. You worry about tomorrow. You think about everything you didn’t do today and everything waiting for you in the morning.

Sleep routines are not one-size-fits-all, and they are not fixed forever. What worked when children were small often needs adapting as they grow. Teenagers stay up later. Parents’ needs change. Life seasons shift.

This is where it gets hard.

As parents, we want our teenagers to become independent. We don’t want to micromanage. We don’t want constant battles over phones. And yet, we also know that without sleep, nobody functions well — including us.

Removing the expectation that something must work often makes it easier to notice what genuinely helps. Better sleep comes from understanding, not pressure.

Stress is one of the most common reasons people wake in the early hours. When life feels uncertain — through illness, financial pressure, relationship strain, or responsibility — the body stays on alert.

Waking in the early hours can feel unsettling, especially when your mind switches on before your body is ready. This guide isn’t about fixing you or forcing sleep. It’s about helping you feel safer, calmer, and more supported in that moment.