The Wired-But-Tired
An exhausted US adult whose body is tired but whose mind stays switched on the moment their head hits the pillow.
A one-tap, at-home wind-down you start tonight to help your body downshift so sleep comes easier within a week or two.
Start impossibly small
One tiny action tonight beats a perfect plan you never start.
Lasting change isn't a giant overhaul — it's one small thing, done for a reason that matters to you, repeated until it's simply who you are. Do tonight's step, give it a few days, and let the results pull you forward. That's the whole method.
Downshift with glycine before bed
About 60 minutes before bed, take glycine dissolved in a little water, dim overhead lights, and put your phone on the charger across the room. Optional: 10 slow exhales in bed.
The dose
Glycine 3 g dissolved in water ~60 min before bed
Studies associate 3 g of glycine before bed with a mild drop in core body temperature and self-reported easier sleep onset; it may support the natural nighttime downshift your body uses to fall asleep.
Ballpark: the supplement for this step usually runs about $15–35/month.
What to expect
This is a nudge, not a knockout. Most people who respond notice they fall asleep a little easier within the first 5-10 nights, and it compounds as the wind-down becomes a habit. If nothing shifts after two consistent weeks, that's useful information too — it's the signal to bring in a clinician (Step 3), not to white-knuckle it.
Your two weeks, step by step
The whole plan, free — no email needed.
- ~60 minutes before bed: glycine 3 g dissolved in a little water.
- Dim the overhead lights; switch to lamps.
- Put your phone on the charger across the room — not in the bed.
- In bed: ten slow exhales, longer out than in.
- Repeat the wind-down at the same time each night — consistency is the active ingredient.
- Get 5-10 minutes of daylight within an hour of waking; it anchors your body clock.
- Last caffeine by about 2 pm.
- Keep a consistent wake time, even after a rough night.
- Notice whether you're falling asleep even a little easier, and log your weekly check-in.
- Still restless? Add magnesium glycinate 200-400 mg in the evening.
- Protect the last hour before bed — no work email, no doomscrolling.
- Swap bright evening light for a warm red-light wind-down 3-4 nights a week (Step 2 below).
- Keep the bedroom cool and dark — a slightly cool room supports the natural temperature drop.
- If your number is climbing, keep going; you've found your routine.
- If it's flat after two consistent weeks, that's the cue for Step 3 — not more willpower.
Why this, and not the usual advice
Why not melatonin?
Melatonin shifts when you feel sleepy — a timing signal — rather than helping you fall asleep faster, and higher doses can leave you groggy. Glycine plus a real wind-down works with your body's own downshift instead of overriding it.
Why not a prescription sleep aid?
Sedative-hypnotics can help short term but carry tolerance, next-day grogginess, and dependence risk. We start with the lowest-risk lever and only escalate to a licensed clinician when it's genuinely warranted.
Why not just ‘trying harder’ to sleep?
Effort is the enemy of sleep — the harder you push, the more wired you get. This plan removes the friction (light, phone, temperature, timing) so sleep can happen on its own.
Keep it going
Want it emailed to you — and your progress tracked?
Your full plan above is yours free, no strings. Drop your email and we'll send you a copy, nudge you as you go, and turn on your personal progress tracker so you can watch your number move.
- Your personal progress tracker — watch your number move week to week
- A copy of this plan in your inbox, always a tap away
- Gentle daily nudges so you actually stick with it
- We tell you the moment it's worth bringing in a practitioner
Free. Your plan plus the occasional check-in reminder — unsubscribe anytime.
See a clinician now if…
- Loud snoring plus gasping or choking sounds noticed by a bed partner (possible sleep apnea)
- Falling asleep unintentionally during the day or while driving
- New or worsening chest pain, palpitations, or breathlessness at night
One of the most-started plans for people who feel wired but exhausted at bedtime.
General structure/function framing; the linked glycine-for-sleep protocol carries the underlying citations and dosing detail. · Reviewed 2026-07-15.
Educational information only — not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Talk to a licensed clinician before starting any supplement, device, or protocol. Individual results vary; supplement statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. In an emergency, call 911. Full medical disclaimer.