[McDonagh]

28 years ago I was on holiday in Spain where in stifling heat I was unable to sleep for three nights. This ultimately lead to very high anxiety, a nervous breakdown and depression. Three months after returning home I was admitted into a Psychiatric ward for 5 weeks. So my journey began and a search for answers. Today I do sleep but I still need better sleep as I am still occasionally knocked off course. I am 69 years old and getting older throws up new challenges. I want to say that this journey has at times been extremely hard but has given me a true understanding of what it is to be human but I am still searching for answers. I am a huge fan of this site. Thank you

[Martin Reed]

Welcome to the forum, McDonagh. It sounds as though your insomnia followed a well-trodden path of there being an initial precipitating event (sleep difficulty due to stifling heat) and this sleep disruption changed your relationship with sleep, ultimately leading to sleep-related worry and anxiety, and perhaps the implementation of new behaviors in an attempt to improve sleep that only seemed to perpetuate the problem.

Often, directing attention and efforts towards the implementation of different sleep-related behaviors and working on new ways of thinking about sleep can help improve sleep for the long-term.

Since you do have a history of depression and have experienced a nervous breakdown, I would suggest talking to your doctor or therapist to see if they think that you’d be a good candidate for cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).

I hope this helps!

—

If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Mastery program.

The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

[Author]

Posts