[Sophia Widmer]

I don’t know. These past few days I’ve been feeling extremely tired during the day from implementing sleep restriction. I have been sleeping amazing though! Just not feeling the best, so I decided to go to bed just 40 minutes earlier. The thing is though that I was feeling a bit anxious when I got to bed. And when it seemed to be about 40 minutes laying in bed I panicked! So I decided go read, but after 10 minutes I got even more anxious. I’m now laying in bed at 2 am and have been tossing and turning for hours. I’m frustrated that I’m on my phone and how I just can’t seem to get the motivation to get up and do something to distract myself because I’m scared I will lose sleep. Does anyone have advice?

[Scott]

Hi Sophia – congratulations on successfully implementing sleep restriction and achieving amazing sleep, as you stated. That should be proof that you indeed haven’t lost the ability to sleep and should be reassuring that you’re on the right path. Can you describe how you’re feeling the following day after getting great sleep? Sometimes, when we try to “fix” any part of our sleep routine, our anxiety about the issue heightens and can stand in the way of sound sleep. Were you sleepy when you went to bed and what were you anxious about when you got into bed? Lastly, how long have you been implementing sleep restriction?

If you can improve the quality of your day by staying active – socializing, exercising or strolling your neighborhood, spending some time outdoors, planning a vacation, etc. the less effort you feel you need to put into trying to sleep.

Scott J

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[Sophia Widmer]

Thank you for replying to my comment. I have been doing sleep restrictions of and on for 2 weeks. It’s just been a bit difficult to stick to it, but tonight is the night that I will stay to waking up at the same time and going to bed when I’m tired. The past 4 nights I’ve slept amazing from implementing sleep restriction and took no medicine, but just last I had a pretty tough night. I did try to get into bed 30 minutes earlier, cause I’ve lately have been very fatigued during the day. Before bed I did not feel as tired then say during lunch, which made me a bit frustrated and anxious. So when I went into bed I got a bit scared that I went to bed early start then my sleep window that I started going into flight mode. I got up to read but that made me more awake..then I reached for my sleep meds…and which did not work! I did sleep in an hour later than my sleep window. But even though I didn’t get much sleep I’m still active and doing my normal daily activities which is lowering my worry that if I don’t sleep I will have a bad day! Which is truly false:/ but tonight I’m going to go to bed when I’m tired and wake up early.

[Chee2308]

Hi Sophia
Very typical story of a path toward recovery. I told you after sleeping well, you will find it harder and taking longer to sleep at first or you might wake earlier than you want to. All these are manifestations of sleeping well because of reduced sleep drive. Just continue the regular getting in and out of bed at consistent times, and personally, I wouldn’t get out of bed when I cant sleep, I just lay there and let sleep catch me. Good luck.

[Chee2308]

Very good video on youtube on insomnia based on the book “An effortless sleeping method” by Sasha Stephens. Search “Cure Chronic Insomnia with The Effortless Sleep Method” by YouSquared. Only 10 mins long but full of universal truths about sleep. The ultimate clutch to get you sleeping and indeed also for everyone else is to “believe in the ability to sleep, all on your own”. All recovery paths no matter how different they look will take you to this place eventually.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by Chee2308.

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