All Posts

Late Thursday night, I received a voice note from Jilly. Her voice trembled, and I could hear tears just beneath her words. We usually exchange a quick message or voice note once a month, just a simple check-in to see how she’s doing. But this time, her message was different. She had just woken up from a nightmare so vivid it left her shaking, but when she tried to move or call out, she realized she couldn’t. Her eyes were open, she was aware of the bedroom around her, yet he

A colleague of mine recently shared a story that really stuck with me. She’s working with a client, let’s call her Mira, 43, living in Israel, and I think her experience says a lot about what people get wrong about sleep. Mira is the type of person who, on the outside, looks like she has it all together. She works, cooks, keeps her home spotless, and volunteers in her community. Her life is extremely organized, everything has a plan, a schedule, a system. She controls what sh

Shannon, 46, had been my client a couple of years ago. Recently, she reached out again, exhausted and frustrated. Life hadn’t slowed down for a second: her son got engaged, then a few weeks later there was a bar mitzvah, complete with hosting a massive weekend at her house, self-catered, of course. A couple of months later, her daughter gave birth during the holidays and moved in with her toddler. Five weeks later, she was still there. And now, with her son’s wedding just we

We all know that sinking feeling, lying awake, tossing and turning, the air around you either too warm or too chilly to feel comfortable. You adjust the blanket, flip the pillow, stick one leg out, and still can’t quite get it right. But could the temperature of your room, or your body—actually be the reason you’re not sleeping well? Let’s explore this, through both science and a real story from my client, Adina. Adina’s Story Adina, 41, came to me completely burned out. She

The holidays are over. The menus have been cleared, the dishes stacked, and the guests have finally left, or maybe you left, traveling back home with souvenirs, sugar highs, and a suitcase full of laundry. Somehow, after weeks of late nights, irregular meals, endless socializing, and flights of fancy that rarely included actual sleep, we’re now staring at the calendar and thinking, “It’s time to get back to normal.” And yet… Most of us don’t. We want to get back into our rout

The other day I was walking past a gym, and a sign caught my eye: “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” At first, I laughed, because who hasn’t felt that while sweating through a workout? But then it hit me: this isn’t just about exercise. It’s about sleep. When it comes to insomnia, the greatest challenge isn’t lying awake at night. It’s learning to accept it. The Battle We Fight With Ourselves Most people think insomnia is some outside invader, something for

What if I told you that some people are taking their vacation days, not to travel, not to see family, and definitely not to Instagram their latte, but simply to sleep? Sounds extreme? A new survey shows that 43% of millennials are doing exactly that, using paid time off just to catch up on rest. Yes, you read that right: almost half of us are treating vacation like a desperate plea for sanity. And honestly… Can you blame them? It’s not only millennials. The idea of a “sleep

When a Neighbor’s Warning Brings Back Memories A few hours ago, my neighbor came to my door and said something that made my stomach drop: “All my kids have lice. I just wanted to give you a heads-up since your daughter has been playing with them.” Instantly, my mind went into overdrive. I felt a cold wave of panic wash over me. Not again. Please, not again. Years ago, one of my children had a severe case of lice. She had the thickest, tightest curls you could imagine. I was s

On the first night of Rosh Hashanah, as I lit the candles, my married daughter told me she had been having contractions on and off throughout the day. In my mind, my immediate reaction was, No, not tonight. Please, I need to sleep. She and her toddler had moved in for Yom Tov, so the house was full of warmth and activity. We gathered around the table that evening, dipping our apples into honey, enjoying a delicious roast, and tearing into our fluffy round challos. It was fest

Raizy sat across from me, exhausted and hopeless. She’s 72 years old, and she hasn’t slept in three months. That’s not a typo — three months. Her words came out heavy: “It’s not working. Why isn’t it working? I don’t feel anything.” Her brain was fried, her body worn down, and her heart filled with doubt. She didn’t believe anything could help her anymore. And yet, here’s the thing about sleep: the more we demand it, the more it slips away. The Trap of “Did It Work?” When yo

She was crying on the phone. Not the kind of crying where someone is just tearing up, this was the cry of someone who had been holding too much for too long. You could hear it in her breath before she even spoke. The kind of breath that comes in shallow gasps because exhaustion has taken over. Her voice shook. “I can’t do this anymore,” she whispered. “I haven’t slept in months. I can’t eat, I can’t shower, I don’t even feel like myself anymore. I feel like I’m disappearing.”

If you’ve ever found yourself tossing and turning at night, even after following all the usual sleep advice, no caffeine late, early bedtime, no phones in bed, you’re not alone. Sometimes, sleep struggles go deeper than routine. One surprisingly effective solution is magnesium, whether through diet, supplements, or Epsom salt baths. Sleep isn’t just what happens after your head hits the pillow—it’s a 24-hour cycle. How you move through your day, the foods you eat, your stress

“Can’t you just give me something else to try?” That was the text Dina sent me just three days after our first session together. Dina, a 45-year-old mom and graphic designer, had been struggling with sleep for years. When I met her, she was running half her life from her bed. Laptop open, phone in hand, kids’ homework spread across the blanket — her bed wasn’t just for rest, it was for everything. She told herself that simply being in bed would somehow make her less tired. Bu

It’s 7 p.m., and instead of enjoying your evening, all you can think about is sleep. Will you sleep tonight? What happens if you don’t?...

We’ve all had those nights. You roll into bed exhausted, ready to crash, but for some reason, sleep just doesn’t come. You toss, turn, sigh, and eventually drift off sometime before morning. That’s life. Everyone has bad nights. Small Triggers Can Start Insomnia Most people assume insomnia has to come from something huge — a major crisis, a death, or months of stress piling up. But in reality, insomnia often begins with something much smaller. I’ve seen teenagers lose sleep j

This past weekend, I sat with a new client, a 19-year-old pre-one-A teacher. On the outside, she has everything going for her, she’s bright, talented, extremely popular, with a circle of friends who adore her. But on the inside, life often feels very different. When her body can’t keep up with the pressure, it sometimes just shuts down. She’ll collapse into bed, physically and mentally drained, unable to move forward. In those moments, she describes it as slipping into a dark

“I think about sleep all day.” That’s what one of my clients told me, and if you’re living with insomnia, you probably get it. As the evening creeps closer, dread sets in: “What if tonight is another disaster?” Your chest tightens. Your heart races. You feel like you’re losing it. Some nights, it feels like walking down a dark tunnel with no end in sight. You start thinking, “Maybe I’m broken. Maybe I’ll never be normal again.” And the worst part? It’s lonely. Nobody else see

Why a Sleep Reset Matters. Ah, transitions. They sneak up on us every year: the kids go back to school, your job demands a new schedule, or maybe you just decided to try waking up “like a normal person” again. Suddenly, bedtime feels like a battlefield, and your body seems to be operating on summer hours. But here’s the truth, your body doesn’t magically adjust just because the calendar says it’s time. It takes a few days, a little patience, and some smart sleep hygiene strat

I was sitting in the back of an Uber the other night, returning from a wedding. It was late, construction was everywhere, and the ride felt endless. I was catching up with a friend when her phone rang. It was her 9-year-old son. He couldn’t sleep. And not just that—he had already woken up all the other kids in the house. Her husband was trying to calm him down, but nothing worked. He wanted his mom. So there she was, sitting next to me in the Uber, whispering frantically into

You’re doing everything right. Dinner is on the table, homework is checked, baths are done, teeth are brushed, and yet bedtime still feels like a battle. You tuck them in, say goodnight, and walk away—only to hear the familiar thud of little feet running back down the stairs, requests for “one more drink,” or complaints that they’re “not even tired yet.” It’s exhausting, frustrating, and can leave you questioning yourself: Am I doing something wrong? The truth is, you’re not