You’re lying in bed at 12:47 a.m., ceiling-staring, brain running a highlight reel of every awkward thing you said in 2019. The fix isn’t a 45-minute meditation routine or a $200 weighted blanket. It’s three minutes — and it works because of how your nervous system actually works, not because of good intentions.

Here’s what to do, why it helps, and how to start tonight.

Why Three Minutes Works (Science-ish)

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Your brain isn’t fighting you at bedtime — it just needs a consistent signal. Every night you scroll until your eyes give out or watch one more episode, you’re training it that the bed is a place for stimulation, not sleep.

The fix isn’t about duration; it’s about repetition. Harvard Health explains that sleep is regulated by both circadian rhythm and sleep pressure, and both respond powerfully to consistent behavioral cues.…