[DannoM]

Is it ok to challenge thoughts as they come up? I struggle with worrying about my sleep starting about an hour or two before bed. (it is getting better, it used to be all day long) Some of it I think it’s body conditioning. I feel the anxiety before I even really have thoughts. The thoughts start coming when I feel this, as in “great I’m feeling anxious, my arousal will lead to difficult sleep (not usually the case).” And in the past it’s been said not to fight these thoughts. That has been helping greatly. Choosing to not respond to the thoughts. But sometimes it feels like I’m a bottle that’s been shaken up and eventually that pressure needs to release.

So, my question is. When these thoughts appear, do I then acknowledge them, and then challenge the thought and go on with life? Or just ignore the thoughts and not even challenge them?

[Chee2308]

Hello! It doesn’t really matter what you choose to do with your thoughts. But it’s important to attach lesser and lesser meaning to them as time goes on. Suppose you drive every day, and your mind gives you thoughts like ‘you might get into an accident today’ or ‘you’ll be injured’, how do you see them? Do you take them seriously, avoid driving for that day and just stay at home? Or do you accept them as just mindless noise and still go out driving regardless? Thoughts about sleep or practically anything are the same. They are harmless and have no influence on the outcome. Thoughts are just a reminder of things that could happen but don’t necessarily will. In fact, most of the time, they don’t happen. It’s how you view them that’s important. When your sleep starts improving until you sleep great almost every night, will sleep thoughts still bother you? Probably not, because you won’t take them as seriously anymore. Good luck!

[Martin Reed]

I think that as long as the first thing you do with your thoughts and feelings is acknowledge them, your next step depends on whatever you find most helpful.

Do you simply allow them to hang out, to come and go like clouds in the sky? Some people find this helpful.

Or, do you look for inaccuracies (and perhaps evidence of these inaccuracies from your own experience) and look to change the thought itself? Some people find this helpful.

Conclusion: do whatever feels most helpful for you! And, by helpful, I mean whichever option results in you getting less distracted/consumed by your thoughts and helps you best redirect your attention onto the actions that help you live the kind of life you want to live and be the kind of person you want to be!

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