नींद नहीं आ रही

The phrase is very flexible. You can use it as a standalone statement or add a reason. If you want to be gender-specific, men and women both use rahi here because neend (sleep) is a feminine noun. You just drop it into a conversation when you're tossing and turning. It’s like telling the world your brain won't shut up.

Use it when you are texting a friend at 2 AM. Use it when your mom asks why you are still watching TV. It works perfectly when you're stressed about an exam or just had too much chai. It is the universal signal for 'I am awake and I don't want to be.'

Don't use this in a high-stakes professional meeting unless you're explaining why you look like a zombie. Avoid using it to mean 'I am bored.' If a movie is boring, you'd say you're feeling sleepy, not that sleep isn't coming. It’s specifically for when you want to sleep but can't.

India is a land of late-night tea stalls and deep midnight conversations. Neend nahi aa rahi is often the start of a long, soulful chat. There is a famous Bollywood trope of lovers staying up late saying this to each other. It carries a bit of romantic nostalgia in songs and poetry.

You might hear Neend nahi aa rahi hai which is just the more grammatically complete version. In slang, people might just say Neend gayab hai (Sleep is vanished). If you're talking to an elder, you might add Mujhe at the start: Mujhe neend nahi aa rahi. It makes it sound a bit more polite and personal.