Hyperarousal Support
The tired-but-wired pattern
Hyperarousal insomnia is the pattern where your body is exhausted but your nervous system stays switched on. You may feel ready to drop the moment you get into bed — and then your mind catches fire. Replaying the day. Bracing for tomorrow. Lying still while your jaw, shoulders, and chest stay tense.
This pattern often shows up around stress, high-pressure work, ongoing worry, perfectionism, or trauma response. It tends to come with longer time to fall asleep, lighter sleep, and waking with a busy mind already running.
This collection is for you if you
- feel tired all day but become alert as soon as the lights go out
- cannot stop thinking at bedtime, even when exhausted
- feel physically tense — clenched jaw, racing heart — in bed
- wake up with thoughts already running
When to consult a clinician
If hyperarousal symptoms are severe, persistent (more than three months), associated with anxiety or depression, or interfering with daytime function, book a Slumbr specialist sleep consultation. Non-prescription support alone may not be enough.
Slumbr Hyperarousal Support is non-prescription, Schedule 0 sleep support. It does not treat or cure insomnia or any medical condition.
Prescription options for hyperarousal — after consultation
For this pattern, the following classes of prescription medication may be considered after a specialist sleep consultation. Prescription is a clinical decision made per patient.
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Dual orexin receptor antagonist (DORA) — preferred class for hyperarousal; non-dependence-forming
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Short-course Z-drug — for breaking a crisis pattern only; less than 2–4 weeks
Prescription medication is dispensed by Slumbr Sleep Clinic’s in-house pharmacy after a specialist physician consultation. Every script is a clinical decision made per patient.
Patterns often overlap. You may also benefit from:
Insomnia rarely presents as one clean pattern. Other Slumbr collections you may want to look at:
Sleep-Onset Support
People who present tired-but-wired often also struggle to fall asleep on time.
Browse the Sleep-Onset collectionSleep-Maintenance Support
Hyperarousal can fragment the back half of the night too — explore maintenance support if waking is part of your pattern.
Browse the Sleep-Maintenance collection