It’s called psychophysiological insomnia, and a new study published in the Journal of Sleep Research finds that feeling pressured to fall asleep (called “high sleep intention”) causes fragmented sleep and worsened sleep quality. Researchers from Lomonosov Moscow State University stressed the importance of falling asleep to 33 good sleepers, even promising a financial reward for falling asleep the fastest. What they found: upping the ante around how long it takes to fall asleep increased the amount of time participants woke up, shortened total sleep time, and reduced overall sleep quality.  Psychophysiological insomnia is a real issue that affects about 15% of all chronic insomnia patients, says Robert Rosenberg, DO, medical director of the Sleep Disorders Centers in Arizona. “People develop negative associations with bedtime and their bedroom.” And it’s a frustrating cycle: Psychophysiological insomnia is caused by anxiety that develops from the chronic inability to fall or stay asleep, but it also causes anxiety, which is translated into neurocognitive arousal that ends up disturbing your sleep.  If this whole thing sounds more familiar to you than you’d like, know this: While you can’t make yourself fall asleep, there are things you can do to help your cause. “First, replace your negative thoughts about the consequences with positive affirmations,” suggests Dr. Rosenberg. For example: instead of thinking ‘This is going to ruin my day if I don’t fall asleep within 20 minutes,’ change your tune to, ‘I’ve had problems sleeping before, and I have been able to function,’ or, ‘This is only one night.’  Another trick from Dr. Rosenberg: don’t get into bed until you’re truly sleepy, even if it means delaying your bedtime. You can also try a bedtime snack of cheese and crackers or cottage cheese, which combine complex carbs with tryptophan before bedtime. If you’re a habitual clock-watcher, try turning it around. “Don’t look at the alarm clock—it only leads to more anxiety,” he says.  More from Prevention: 20 Ways To Sleep Better Every Night