The pursuit of a good night’s sleep can often feel like a cruel paradox. The harder you try to fall asleep, the more elusive it becomes. This frustrating cycle is what I call the Sleep Effort Trap , and it is a common, yet often misunderstood, barrier to restorative sleep. If you find yourself clock-watching, mentally reviewing the day, or physically tensing up in bed, you are likely caught in this very trap. The Sleep Effort Trap is rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding o