Ben başucumdaki kitabı okumadan uyuyamıyorum.

Yes. The ending -um in uyuyamıyorum already shows the subject is I.

So Ben is optional here. Turkish often drops subject pronouns when the verb ending makes the subject clear.

• Uyuyamıyorum. = I can’t sleep.
• Ben uyuyamıyorum. = still I can’t sleep, but with extra emphasis on I

Using Ben can sound like:

• contrast: I can’t sleep
• emphasis: As for me, I can’t sleep

So this sentence could also naturally be:

Başucumdaki kitabı okumadan uyuyamıyorum.

başucumdaki means the one that is at my bedside or the one by my pillow/bedside.

It is built step by step:

• başucu = bedside, the area by the head of the bed
• başucum = my bedside
• başucumda = at my bedside
• başucumdaki = the one that is at my bedside

So:

• başucumdaki kitap = the book at my bedside

This is a very common Turkish pattern.

It breaks down like this:

• başucu = bedside
• -m = my
• -da = at/in/on
• -ki = turns that location phrase into something adjective-like

So:

başucu + m + da + ki
→ başucumdaki
→ the one that is at my bedside

A similar pattern:

• masa = table
• masada = on the table
• masadaki kitap = the book on the table

So -ki often means something like the one that is in/on/at...

Because kitabı is the definite direct object.

In Turkish, when the object is specific/definite, it usually takes the accusative ending.

• kitap = a book / books in a general sense
• kitabı = the book

Here the speaker means a particular book: the book at my bedside. Since it is specific, Turkish uses the accusative:

• başucumdaki kitabı

Compare:

• Kitap okuyorum. = I am reading a book / books
• Kitabı okuyorum. = I am reading the book

okumadan means without reading.

It comes from:

• oku- = read
• -madan / -meden = without doing

So:

• okumadan = without reading
• gitmeden = without going / before going
• yemeden = without eating

In this sentence:

kitabı okumadan uyuyamıyorum
= I can’t sleep without reading the book

Historically, yes, it is related to the negative -ma/-me plus -dan/-den. But for learning Turkish, it is best to treat -madan / -meden as a fixed converb ending meaning:

• without doing
• sometimes before doing, depending on context

In this sentence, the meaning is clearly without reading.

So it is most helpful to learn:

• oku-madan = without reading
• gel-meden = without coming
• bak-madan = without looking

Because başucumdaki kitabı is the object of okumak (to read), and in Turkish the object usually comes before its verb.

So the mini-part is:

• başucumdaki kitabı okumadan
• without reading the book at my bedside

Then the main verb comes at the end:

• uyuyamıyorum = I can’t sleep

This is very normal Turkish word order. Turkish often places the main verb at the end, and dependent parts come before it.

It breaks down like this:

• uyu- = sleep
• -y- = buffer consonant
• -ama- = not be able to / cannot
• -yor = present continuous
• -um = I

So:

uyu + y + ama + yor + um
→ uyuyamıyorum
→ I can’t sleep / I’m unable to sleep

The extra y appears because Turkish often inserts y between vowels.

That is why you see forms like:

• uyu-yor → uyuyor
• uyu-y-ama-yor-um → uyuyamıyorum

It can mean either, depending on context.

The ending -yor often means:

• something happening right now
• or a current/general habit or repeated situation

In this sentence, it very naturally suggests a repeated pattern:

I can’t sleep without reading the book at my bedside.

So even though -yor is the present continuous form, it can describe something habitual in everyday Turkish.

Both can mean I can’t sleep, but they are used a little differently.

• uyuyamıyorum = I’m unable to sleep / I can’t sleep
  This often sounds more connected to a present or ongoing situation.
• uyuyamam = I cannot sleep / I won’t be able to sleep
  This can sound more general, more decisive, or more like a statement about ability.

In this sentence, uyuyamıyorum sounds very natural because the speaker is describing an ongoing personal pattern:

Ben başucumdaki kitabı okumadan uyuyamıyorum.

Yes, very often.

The verb uyumak literally means to sleep, but in sentences like this, English often prefers fall asleep, because the idea is about the action needed before sleep begins.

So a natural English meaning is:

• I can’t sleep without reading the book by my bedside.
• I can’t fall asleep without reading the book by my bedside.

Both work, but fall asleep may sound a little more natural in English for this situation.