A study found 92% of workers over 50 showed signs of disordered sleep these
3 ChatGPT tricks helped me switch off

Date:
Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:41:52 +0000

Description:
Researchers have uncovered a hidden sleep crisis among workers my age here are three ways I use ChatGPT to help me nod off.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter A new study from the University of Edinburgh suggests that workers over 50 may be experiencing a largely hidden sleep crisis. Since Im well into my fifth decade, Im comfortably
inside that risk group, and like many people, my biggest obstacle to sleep is not always tiredness; its getting my brain to stop working.

The researchers found that nearly 70% of participants in its study (which admittedly was quite small at just 45 participants) experienced persistent, clinically significant sleep problems, despite having no known history of sleep disorders. Even more concerning, almost 92% met the clinical threshold for a sleep disorder at least once during the study. Many of these sleep problems were closely linked to work-related stress, researchers said which got me thinking about ways I could reduce my own work-related stress, and whether AI could help. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

It struck me that there were three easily achievable things that I could do with AI to help me sleep better, so I tried them and the results surprised me. (Image credit: Shutterstock / Media_Photos) Task one: emptying your head Its difficult to sleep when youve got a million thoughts from the day buzzing around your head. What can help is writing them down. It makes you feel like you dont need to keep them alive in your brain, because theres a record of them somewhere. It turns out that AI can be very helpful for this. I used the prompt: You may like Claude is telling users to sleep when they talk late at night I tried replacing 30 minutes of doomscrolling with real-world
challenges 5 organizational tricks that improve ChatGPT

Im going to tell you everything currently occupying my mind. Sort it into things I need to do tomorrow, things that can safely wait, and things I
cannot control. Keep the response short and practical.

I then used ChatGPT's Voice mode to perform a brain dump into the AI. ChatGPT turned my vague mental noise into a finite list, and it felt like a weight
had been lifted. I could then close the app and put down my phone knowing my thoughts have been stored somewhere and weren't going to be forgotten. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Task two: challenging the worry For this one I took a real concern, like a deadline, unfinished article or packed schedule. Then I described it to ChatGPT, using this
prompt:

This thought is keeping me awake: [insert thought]. Dont simply reassure me. Tell me what is factual, what I may be assuming, what I can act on tomorrow, and what I need to let go of tonight.

That instruction to not simply reassure you is important, otherwise ChatGPT may produce soothing but meaningless encouragement. It worked for me, but if you find that still doesn't get you exactly what you want, you could also
also ask: What to read next I found a hidden ChatGPT setting that changes how hard the AI thinks 5 ChatGPT hacks I wish Id started using sooner I gave ChatGPT 7 extra words and the answers instantly got better

What is the smallest useful action I can take tomorrow that would make this problem feel more manageable?

Using this prompt the AI reduces a large amorphous worry to one single
action. Task three: Voice Mode My last idea was to get ChatGPT to help me
wind down. ChatGPT has recently improved its voice mode, and that inspired me to use it to help me wind down at night. Listening to ChatGPT's voice is a
lot more relaxing than looking at a screen of course, since you can close
your eyes. I tried this prompt:

Guide me through a five-minute wind-down exercise. Speak slowly, leave pauses, and do not ask me questions. Begin with breathing, then relax each part of my body, and finish with a calm visualization.

If that doesnt work for you then you can always get ChatGPT to tell you a story :

Tell me a calm, deliberately uneventful 10-minute story designed to help me fall asleep. Nothing dramatic should happen, and there should be no questions or cliffhangers.

I started the voice routine, placed the phone face down and treated ChatGPT like an audio player rather than continuing to chat with it. It worked for
me, even if the voice I'd chosen to use wasn't quite as relaxing as it could have been. It's worth experimenting here to find a voice you like. Best practice I found all three of these prompts quite effective. The first one, which enabled me to turn all the thoughts spinning in my head into a
practical list to deal with tomorrow, was especially helpful.

With all of these exercises, the key is to put your phone down after youve done one or more of them. You need to stop interacting with it; remember, the goal is closure, not an endless bedtime conversation.

Once youve closed down your day with ChatGPT, you need to close down ChatGPT, too. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/sleep/a-study-found-92-percent-of-wor kers-over-50-showed-signs-of-disordered-sleep-these-3-chatgpt-tricks-helped-me -switch-off


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