LessWrong (30+ Karma) Reasons Why I Cannot Sleep
Nov 26, 2025
The narrator explores the anxiety of managing a project and fears of failing their boss. Recent social drama disrupts their attempts at relaxation, even after a massage. They discuss the challenge of associating bed with online distractions in a cramped living space. Constant pressure from campus responsibilities adds to their stress, alongside an overload of Slack messages. A canceled open mic amplifies performance anxiety, and they reflect on how lack of sleep distorts perception and exacerbates issues.
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Project Anxiety Fuels Sleeplessness
- Fear of project failure drives insomnia by creating high-stakes mental loops.
- The speaker links sleeplessness to responsibility for a single complex project called Inkhaven.
Relaxation Undone By Social Drama
- The speaker recounts social drama that negated relaxation after a massage.
- They describe immediate unrest lasting hours despite an intended relaxing activity.
Bed-Screen Association Harms Sleep
- Bed has become associated with checking Reddit and YouTube, which disrupts sleep onset.
- Living in a single-room space makes separating sleep and screen habits difficult.