[Daf]

I guess a big part of reducing bedtime (and all day) anxiety around sleep is not try not to think about sleep issues and insomnia in the daytime.

That is hard too.

But if done well, I guess it reduces the effect and chances of one seeing one’s insomnia as a BIG DEAL. Because if you don’t think about it all day, then it loses its power?

I try to use mindfulness techniques to help me with this – trying to be in the present moment, trying to watch “sleep thoughts” drift away and not engage with them / thinking of something else.

Not easy though. Any tips?

[Daf]

…oh and trying to keep really busy too!

[Martin Reed]

Thanks for the talking-point, Daf. Many people with long-term sleep issues think about sleep far too much, and implement a list of behaviors in an attempt to control their sleep. Although this is completely understandable, it actually does nothing to improve sleep and usually only makes the problem worse.

Many of my clients tell me that one of the most important skills they learned after working with me was the ability to surrender to sleep — to recognize that they cannot control sleep and that thinking about sleep isn’t really constructive.

Mindfulness techniques can definitely help, but like any other form of relaxation, they require a lot of practice — because relaxation and mindfulness are skills. It’s important, therefore, to practice techniques such as mindfulness for a number of weeks before reaching any conclusions regarding their effectiveness.

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[Author]

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