[Brian041822]

I’ve been keeping a sleep schedule of 11:30pm till 6:30am. However in the evenings I’m most sleepy 8:30pm till 10. I have to fight to stay awake, and could easily doze off on the couch. But of course when I go to bed later I’m not sleepy.

So the mantra is: don’t go to sleep if you are not tired. Trust your sleep drive. But what if your body is telling you to go to bed before your sleep window? Should I respond to what my body is telling me?

Last night I moved up my sleep schedule to 10:45pm. Unfortunately it was a restless night. I might continue on this strategy since I rarely make it till 6:30am.

My first few weeks I seemed to build from 4 to 5 to 6 hours of sleep a night; but this week I regressed. So frustrating.

[Scott]

Implementing a sleep window may seem counterintuitive, but there’s a couple of purposes of it: to reduce the amount of time in bed to closely match the amount of sleep you’re achieving and to create a strong sleep drive that assists in overpowering any bedtime anxiety.

If your sleep window begins at 11:30, are you able to find activities that are relaxing and prevents you from falling asleep too early (e.g., crafting, crossword puzzles, stand while you watch TV, etc)? It’s important to get out of bed and begin your day at the same time each morning, including the weekend days.

Setbacks can certainly be discouraging but they’re part of the process as you’re trying to rewire your brain to associate bedtime with calmness, relaxation and sleep.

Hope that helps,
Scott

—

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