Your Personality Might Be the Reason You Can’t Sleep
Here’s What to Do About It
When it comes to sleep problems, we often look outward: blue light, stress at work, noisy neighbors. But what if the biggest factor… is you?
We don’t mean that in a blaming way. (Please don’t spiral.) What we mean is this:
🧠 Your personality traits — the way you naturally think, feel, and respond to the world — might be playing a powerful role in your sleep patterns.
And the good news? You can work with your personality, not against it, to finally get the deep rest you’ve been craving.
Let’s explore how—and what your sleep personality might say about your nights.
☁️ Why Personality Affects Your Sleep (and Keeps You Up at Night)
Research from Brazil and around the world shows that people with certain personality traits are more prone to insomnia. It’s not just about stress — it’s about how you process stress.
🔎 The Evidence
🔹A 2010 study found that neuroticism (a tendency toward worry and emotional sensitivity) is the strongest predictor of chronic insomnia.
→ van de Laar et al., Journal of Psychosomatic Research
🔹A longitudinal study by Akerstedt et al. confirmed that traits like neuroticism and low emotional stability predict sleep problems over time — even when accounting for life stressors.
→ Akerstedt et al., Personality and Individual Differences
🔹Meanwhile, conscientiousness (being organized and goal-driven) often helps sleep — but too much can backfire, especially when tied to perfectionism.
→ Duggan et al., PLOS ONE
💬 Your Inner Cues: What’s Your Personality Telling You at Night?
In Cues, Vanessa Van Edwards teaches us how to recognize and shift the signals we send and receive, both from others and within ourselves.
That same emotional intelligence applies to how we interpret sleep. If your brain sends a signal like:
“If I don’t fall asleep in the next 10 minutes, tomorrow will be ruined.”
...your body responds with anxiety. Your breath speeds up. Your cortisol rises. And — surprise! — you stay awake.
🧠 Learning to decode your own internal cues is one of the most powerful tools in sleep transformation.
💡 Cue Check-In: How You Might Be Sabotaging Sleep
💤 You might struggle with: Sleep onset insomnia (can’t fall asleep)
🛠 Try this shift: Do a “brain dump” before bed or practice cognitive defusion – Let thoughts pass by like clouds, not commands.
💤 You might struggle with: Sleep performance anxiety
🛠 Try this shift: Adopt flexible sleep goals – Trust that restful wakefulness still counts and perfection isn't the point.
💤 You might struggle with: Chronic delay and poor habits
🛠 Try this shift: Make sleep your anchor, not your reward – Treat it as your foundation for handling everything else.
🛠 How MySleepPlan Helps You Work With Your Personality (Not Against It)
At MySleepPlan, we teach evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (C.B.T-i), customized to fit your sleep personality. Here’s how we do it:
🔧 1. We Identify Your Sleep Style
We help you sort out your sleep struggles and personality profile—because how you think, plan, and feel shapes your experience of rest.
🧠 2. We Tackle Thought Loops
High-neuroticism? We help you:
🔹Break cycles of “what if” thinking
🔹Practice “mental distancing” at bedtime
🔹Replace catastrophizing with sleep-trusting language
🧵 Example Reframe:
Instead of: “If I don’t sleep, I’ll fail tomorrow.”
Try: “Resting quietly is still helpful. I can trust my body knows what to do.”
📅 3. We Build Habits That Fit You
If you’re naturally rigid (hi, high-conscientiousness folks), we teach you how to balance structure with compassion, using behavioral flexibility—not force.
If you’re more spontaneous or distractible, we help you anchor to tiny, meaningful habits without overwhelming routines.
💛 A Final Cue of Encouragement
Vanessa Van Edwards says that warmth and competence are the magic pairing that builds trust. Your sleep system needs both from you:
🔹🌡 Warmth: “It’s okay to struggle. I’ve been through a lot.”
🔹🔧 Competence: “I’m learning new skills. I’ve got the right tools now.”
Your personality isn't the problem — it’s the key to your solution.
Ready to Sleep Smarter, Not Harder?
Take the free quiz at mysleepplan.com and find out your Sleep Personality. Start building your custom sleep plan today — one cue, one habit, one deeper night of sleep at a time.
🧠 Additional Resources:
- Harvey, A.G. (2002). A cognitive model of insomnia
- Ong, J.C. et al. (2012). Mindfulness and CBT-I
- Duggan et al. (2014). Personality and healthy sleep
- Akerstedt et al. (2007). Prospective personality-sleep study
