Your body is tired, but your brain is still scanning. That does not prove something is wrong. The handoff may simply be too abrupt.
Tired, but still switched on
Tired and wired happen together
Bonnet and Arand (2010) described a state of hyperarousal as a core feature of sleep difficulty: sleep and arousal systems can be active at the same time. Feeling exhausted does not guarantee that alertness switches off on command.
Give the day an ending
Edinger et al. (2021) found the strongest support for multi-part cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, not for one perfect relaxation trick. A repeatable transition can lower the number of new inputs without promising instant sleep.
Quick check
Night check
Try this
Build a three-move downshift
Pick three simple actions in order: lights down, phone docked, one cue that tells the body the day is ending. Keep the same order every night. The sequence starts signaling sleep before you even get into bed.
You are not building a ritual. You are building a runway.
Try this
Make the last ten minutes boring
Read a few easy pages, use slow exhales, stretch lightly, or play quiet audio. Pick one cue that asks almost nothing from you.
Key idea
Lower the demand before bed
Dim the lights, dock the phone, and repeat one quiet cue. Build a runway, not a sleep test.