We’re All Exhausted… and Here’s Why

Written by Nectarsleep Editorial Team

Last updated on Jun 26, 2025

Better Sleep Blog
We’re All Exhausted… and Here’s Why

In this article:

Let’s be honest… most of us aren’t getting enough sleep.

Think about it—how many of your friends or family members do you know who actually wake up feeling properly rested? Chances are, most of them are running on coffee and crossed fingers, hoping tonight might finally be the night they drift off easily. Sleep, for a lot of us, feels like a game of chance. One night you’re out the moment your head hits the pillow… the next, you’re staring at the ceiling at 2am, begging your brain to please shut up.

It’s like we’re all waiting for the Sandman to drop by with his magic dust. But really, good sleep doesn’t have to be down to luck.

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And here’s the thing—we spend nearly a third of our lives asleep. That’s around 27 years just snoozing! Sounds a bit wild, doesn’t it? Almost like we’re wasting time… but the truth is, sleep is one of the most important things we can do for our bodies and our minds. It’s not lazy. It’s not indulgent. It’s necessary.

Without good sleep, everything suffers—your mood, your memory, your ability to concentrate, even your immune system. And yet, we treat it like an afterthought. Something we’ll “catch up on at the weekend.” (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t quite work like that.)

And if you think it’s just you struggling to nod off, trust me—you’re not alone. Pretty much everyone you know is likely dealing with the same thing. From noisy neighbours to late-night scrolling, buzzing thoughts to just not feeling tired at the ‘right’ time—there’s a whole list of reasons why getting a solid night’s sleep can feel impossible.

So what’s keeping us up?

Well, it’s not just work stress (though that definitely plays a role). A lot of people admit they’re online shopping late into the night, or getting sucked into TikTok rabbit holes. Others say they’ve had too much caffeine too late in the day, or that their home just isn’t quiet enough to wind down. And if you’ve got kids or a baby? Sleep might feel like a long-lost luxury.

We also tend to sabotage our own chances of getting decent rest. We fall asleep with the telly on, check our phones in bed, or leave the bedroom too bright and full of distractions. And then we wonder why we’re still wide awake at midnight.

But here’s the good news—small changes can make a big difference. Things like:

  • Creating a relaxing bedtime routine

  • Dimming the lights and putting phones away an hour before bed

  • Cutting out caffeine after mid-afternoon

  • Making your bedroom a proper sleep sanctuary—cool, dark, and quiet

Also, and this might surprise you: if you can’t sleep, don’t just lie there getting frustrated. Tossing and turning only builds stress and makes things worse. Sometimes the best thing to do is get up, do something calming like reading or listening to gentle music, then try again when your body feels ready.

And whatever you do—try to keep a routine. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, helps your body know when it’s time to wind down. The more consistent you are, the easier sleep will come.

It’s tempting to try and “catch up” on sleep over the weekend—and sure, having a lie-in now and then feels amazing—but it won’t undo the effects of chronic sleep deprivation. You can’t out-sleep a week’s worth of bad habits in one lazy Sunday morning.

So if you’ve been feeling tired, foggy, or just not quite yourself lately, maybe it’s time to take a closer look at your sleep. Not in a guilt-trippy, “you must do better” kind of way—but as a gentle reminder that you deserve to feel rested and well. That your body wants to rest. And that sleep isn’t something to squeeze in when everything else is done. It’s the foundation that helps you do everything else better.

You’re not broken. You’re just tired.

And the good news? That’s something we can actually fix.

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