Sleep expert says trying harder may be worsening insomnia

Dr. Shelby Harris used a TEDxBeverlyGrove talk in West Hollywood to argue that America’s sleep-optimization culture can intensify insomnia instead of fixing it. Her evidence-based message centers on CBT-I techniques that reduce effort, anxiety and performance pressure around sleep.

Why it matters: - Dr. Shelby Harris’s message pushes back on a booming sleep-optimization culture built around tracking, scoring and supplementing sleep. - The talk argues that constant effort can teach the brain to treat sleep as a performance problem, which may worsen insomnia. - Harris’s framework points to non-pharmacological treatment strategies that are widely used in clinical care and do not rely on medication.

What happened: - Dr. Shelby Harris, PsyD, DBSM, delivered a TEDxBeverlyGrove 2026 talk on March 14, 2026, at the Marilyn Monroe Theatre in West Hollywood, California. - The talk was titled “How We Broke Sleep Without Realizing It.” - Harris framed insomnia as a conditioned response, not only a biological malfunction. - Harris said, “Insomnia is effort that follows us to bed. Sleep does not require more effort. It requires less interference.”

The details: - Harris drew on 25 years of research and clinical practice. - Her talk highlighted three evidence-based resets from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, or CBT-I. - The first reset is to stop spending more time in bed than the body can actually sleep. - The second reset is to train the mind before bedtime, not during a sleep crisis. - The third reset is to return the bed to its original job: sleep, not performance. - Harris described CBT-I as the gold-standard non-pharmacological treatment for chronic insomnia. - Harris specializes in evidence-based, non-pharmacological treatment for insomnia, nightmares, circadian rhythm disorders, narcolepsy and related conditions. - Harris is a Clinical Associate Professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in both Neurology and Psychiatry. - Harris is the former director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at Montefiore Medical Center. - Harris practices in White Plains, New York, and via telehealth. - TEDxBeverlyGrove 2026 carried the theme “Reimagining the Possible.” - The event included twelve speakers, sponsors, brand partners and volunteers. - TEDxBeverlyGrove said the talk will be released online in the coming months as part of its full speaker series distribution. - The event was organized and produced by Marvin V. Acuna.

Between the lines: - Harris’s argument lands as consumers pour money into sleep gadgets, apps and wellness rituals. - The talk suggests that fixation on measuring sleep can become part of the problem, not the solution. - The framing reflects a broader behavioral-health idea: reducing pressure can be more effective than adding another optimization step.

What's next: - TEDxBeverlyGrove plans to release Harris’s talk online in the coming months. - The broader speaker series from the March 14 event is also expected to reach an online audience. - Harris’s message is likely to resonate with people who are already trying to manage sleep through tracking and self-discipline.