Television star Tejasswi Prakash recently opened up about something unglamorous and painfully relatable: lying awake for hours, staring at the ceiling fan, waiting for sleep that never comes. On Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa’s podcast, the actress revealed that many nights pass without “even a minute of sleep,” sometimes staying awake until the birds begin chirping outside her window. It wasn’t about scrolling on her phone, binge-watching shows or late-night distractions.

“I just lie down. No mobile, no TV. And still, nothing,” Tejasswi said. For anyone who has battled insomnia, this frustration hits home. The body is exhausted, but the mind refuses to switch off. Here's what happens that causes sleepless nights.

Why sleepless nights run deeper than exhaustion

Clinical Psychologist and Life Coach Dr (Miss) Sumit Grover (New York & London) explains that what Tejasswi is experiencing is not unusual — and it’s rarely “just” physical.

According to Dr Grover, insomnia is often a psychological battle disguised as a sleep problem. The body may be ready for rest, but the mind is wide awake, stuck in a loop of rumination, alertness and emotional overload.

She breaks down the internal processes that keep people awake:

1. Anxiety keeps the brain on high alert

“Whenever a person feels anxious or overwhelmed, the brain shifts into a state of preparedness,” says Dr Grover. This is the classic fight-or-flight mode, where the brain stays alert as if danger is near. Even in silence, the mind is actively scanning, preparing, and anticipating, making it almost impossible to fall asleep.

2. Stress fuels nighttime mental replay

Daily stresses-work, relationships, responsibilities-activate the stress hormones that continue long after the day is over. Dr Grover explains: “The mind can replay situations that have happened or are about to happen. It stays activated long past bedtime.” This is why nights often turn into a re-run of the entire week’s worries.

3. Emotions feel louder in the dark

Feelings like sadness, fear, loneliness or unresolved tension tend to rise to the surface once the world goes quiet. During the day, distractions push them aside. At night, they expand,  hijacking the mind and delaying sleep.

4. The fear of not sleeping worsens insomnia

Over time, people who can’t sleep begin to dread bedtime itself. Dr Grover says: “A bed becomes associated with frustration and wakefulness, instead of comfort and rest.” This learned association turns the act of sleeping into a nightly mental battle.

5. Overthinking steals the body’s rest window

People with perfectionistic or analytical personalities often struggle to “switch off.” They replay conversations, plan for tomorrow, or try to solve problems, all while lying in the dark. This mental overactivity keeps the brain activated at the exact time it should be winding down.

Tejasswi’s experience is not “celebrity stress.” It’s a common psychological pattern, made worse by lifestyle pressures, emotional strain and the modern inability to pause. Insomnia is never just about sleep. It’s about what the mind is carrying when the world finally becomes quiet.

If these sleepless nights become frequent, psychologists recommend reaching out early, because restoring sleep is often about restoring emotional balance, not just changing bedroom habits.

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