[Kelly]

Hi,
I have experienced insomnia for many years now. Tried everything suggested and taken sleeping tablets.
I am currently doing CBT.. going bed at 12:30 and getting out of bed for 6am.
I seem to be falling asleep fine but my body clock still wakes me at 3:30am then I lie awake all night. The Odd occasion I have woken at 4am or fell back asleep for half an hour. However, the majority of the time I still wake at 3:30am.
I’m really struggling and fed up of living this way.
I have been doing the CBT for nearly 4 weeks.
Did anyone else experience this and if so, how long roughly until you started sleeping past your usual arousal time.
Hope the above makes sense. I would be grateful for any advice or tips to get through this. Thanks, Kelly

[Chee2308]

Hello Kelly!
You are doing fine, in fact you are doing very well because it shows you can sleep without aids. What you need now is building self-confidence in sleeping on your own. At this moment what is your level of confidence? Do you think these statements are true to you? “I’m not a normal sleeper, I’m not like everyone else.”, “Other people can go to bed and sleep, I just don’t or I’m unsure.” If these ring true to you, then it’s your mindset that’s keeping you from sleeping. It’s only when you reach the stage where you are 100% sure of your sleep ability, you start sleeping well again. Continue doing your cbt-i techniques of going and getting out of bed at regular times as you build your confidence. I recommend you go to youtube and search for this video “cure your chronic insomnia by effortless sleep method” by yousquared. A lot of universal truths about sleep there in that short 10 min video.

You are a critical junction of the recovery path and building confidence is of utmost importance. Therefore don’t go down the rabbit hole of seeking cures, trying endlessly to find “something” else other than your own ability. That will only take you further deeper into the hole of insomnia as it undermines your own confidence. The story you tell about your sleep *will* eventually come true. Therefore if you don’t believe you can sleep unaided or are unsure, it becomes self-fulfilling.
Do only these two things:
1. Continue keeping to a regular bed time schedule.
2. Stop trying so hard to sleep = being okay with wakefulness = building self confidence = believing you can sleep on your own.

You will start sleeping more as your confidence improves. Be patient and persevere. Good luck!

[Kelly]

Thanks for the advice.
I watched the video you recommended and found it very useful.
After watching Martin’s you tube videos a few months ago.. it made me realise to stop obsessing over sleep and just go with it.
However, the past week or so, I have become quite anxious because the impact of just 3 hrs sleep since the end of August is starting to make me feel ill and unmotivated. So I find myself panicking that I am going to wake up and feel terrible again the next day. Then I do wake up and it repeats.
The odd occasion I have taken a diazepam when I have felt I just need a decent nights sleep and the next day I feel amazing for getting the sleep. Makes a big difference to the day actually getting good quality sleep.
I am going to stick with the CBT and just hope my mind finally stops waking early hours or at least goes back to sleep after waking

[Chee2308]

Hello Kelly
Keep going! Ultimately you want to replace the words “I hope” to “I know I can” or “I just can so I’m not worried anymore”. Best of luck.

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