Can’t Sleep? Maybe Your Brain Just Needs a Distraction—Not a Sedative

If an individual is trying to get some sleep, but cannot sleep, what is the reason for that sleepless state? Mind wandering? Pain somewhere? Anxiety? Unconducive environment? Depression? The side effects of medication? Slept some hours before? \n

What is the minimum threshold, in the brain, for sleep to set in? This question means that what components must have what characteristics for the state of sleep to be in effect? \n

Sleep can be characterized as an array, where some components have to align in a certain way for it to be possible. Or, sleep can be said to be a graph where some components have to result in a curve instead of a straight-line, for wakefulness—so to speak. \n

Now, what are the points on this curve? What components have to align and why? What makes them align for sleep? The points on the curve can be described as the interaction of sets of electrical and chemical signals, while the changes that result to make them become a curve are the attributes of the sets of electrical and chemical signals. \n

This means that, conceptually, the two most important components for sleep are the electrical and chemical signals of neurons. So, sleep is a particular alignment or array for some sets of electrical and chemical signals. Adenosine and melatonin are known to be involved in sleep. It is proposed that they are a part of the chemical signals involved, as sets. \n

In nuclei and ganglia [clusters of neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems], electrical and chemical signals are in sets, conceptually. This means that they provide configurations for functions by interactions. Their states at the time of the interactions define attributes, measures, or grades of those functions. \n

Every smell is a function, like every touch or sight. What makes each distinct is a formation or configuration of sets of signals, respectively. This formation is a combination of interaction + attribute. \n

Simply, functions like memory, emotions, feelings, and regulation of internal senses are a result of the interactions of electrical and chemical signals. Attributes like attention, awareness, intent, and subjectivity are attributes that grade or qualify those interactions. \n

Therefore, in a space, points are the interactions of electrical and chemical signals whose changes are possible by their respective attributes at the time of the interaction. When they align into a curve, because of the combination of interaction + attributes, for some sets, sleep results.

When awake, sets of electrical and chemical signals have their interactions + attributes serve exteroception—or external sensory inputs—such as sight, smell, touch, auditory and taste. Sets of signals for internal systems also stay active, like for regulation of digestion, respiration, and so forth, but those for wakefulness often get more attributes. For example, sets of electrical signals for external sensory inputs arrive with higher intensities, resulting in more reaches of attention [or prioritization, an attribute] for several external signals, like sight, smell, or others. Also, because of navigation of the external world and what is possible, intent is used more often, making the attribute [intent] play a role in the arrays or straight-line for wakefulness. While awareness or [pre-prioritization of all other sets] is less than attention [prioritization of a set], there are often more pre-prioritized sets, ready to become prioritized for external sensory inputs, than for internal senses, during wakefulness, conceptually. \n

So, due to these, the shape of wakefulness [say, a straight-line] is different from sleep [a curve].

Sleep can be described as the interval that sets of electrical and chemical signalshave interactions + attributes of internal senses take precedence, resulting in a curve. This means that sets of signals get prioritized at different intervals, more regularly than they would during the day. \n

However, for sleep to set in, there has to be a drop of some of the interactions + attributes of the components of external senses, which then become openings for those of internal senses to take position. For example, it is possible to feel sleepy when the eyes are open or while walking, but it is easier to fall asleep when the eyes are closed and in a restful state. This is similar to feeling sleepy in a noisy place, but easier to fall asleep in a calmer place. The sleep state means that there is a lack of interactions + attributes for the sets of signals of external senses, so those of internal senses have their attributes jump [including for intent, to stop walking or not to keep the eyes open or to be trying to switch attention away from listening to the sound]. This results in a curve, hence the possibility for sleep. \n

Principally, the attribute that sometimes defines sleep the most is attention or prioritization of a set. There is just one prioritized set of signals at any moment, but there are often fast and numerous interchanges with others that are pre-prioritized. Prioritization mostly means that the set with the most volume of chemical signals in an instance is prioritized. It could also be the set with the highest intensity of electrical signals. \n

If the volume of a set of chemical signals [of an external sensory input] remains high, even if there is no prioritization, it could be tough to fall asleep. Also, if the set for anxiety is prioritized or pre-prioritized but could be prioritized, it would reduce the possibility to result in a curve for sleep.

The problem of sleeplessness that has to do with attention [or prioritization] of a set of signals[of an external sensory input] reducing the possibility for a fall into the curve of sleeplessness to hold can be solved by attention diversion by a medication that makes the set of signals for an internal sense get prioritized. \n

Simply, if there is lack of sleep because attention [an attribute] in on one or more sets of signals for external senses, or even for an internal sense like anxiety, then solving that may require finding a way to make the attention elsewhere. \n

Already, there are active placebos that can produce certain effects in the body. It is possible to explore drug targets for a benign sensation in a part of the body, say the outer ear, towards touching it a bit, to give it prioritization, or towards some effects on the shoulders. \n

The dosage could be useful an hour before trying to fall asleep, and then the reaction to the prioritization could be done, when in the state to fall asleep, to ease sleep and then ensure that the reaction does not remain after waking up. \n

The target here is attention diversion, in a way that does not produce side-effects or have the medication linger longer than necessary, as well as assisted by touching the outer ear or a part of the shoulder to result in sleep. Using the concept towards drug development could become a major solution to some of the sleep problems many people face. \n

The concept also explores the possibility of explaining how the mind works as architecture for some brain disorders. \n

There is a recent book [Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer’s (February 4, 2025)] excerpted in STAT, How the ‘amyloid mafia’ took over Alzheimer’s research, stating that, “The amyloid mafia is not a real organization, of course. But it aptly characterizes power figures who some say steer grants and career opportunities away from those who suggest alternatives. That influence seemed apparent in the years that followed a famous 2006 experiment in Nature that tied cognitive decline to a specific protein dubbed amyloid-beta*56. When the FDA fully approved Leqembi, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved payments. With pricing set at $26,000 annually, its makers, Eisai and Biogen, hope to earn more than $10 billion a year on the drug by 2031. And many recipients would owe $6,600 in copays, a substantial portion of the $50,290 median annual household income for seniors, making Leqembi unaffordable for many who would ostensibly benefit from it. If widely adopted, it would almost certainly spike drug premiums for Medicare recipients.”