[billybuddhav]

Hello,

Just wondering how long it takes for the association between wakefulness and bed is broken? I’ve been a severe insomniac for 11 years now and am on week 2 of sleep restriction therapy, with a 5.5 hour sleep window. I am averaging about 3 hours sleep per night and am very tired. Just wondering when this association will be broken so I can get a few more hours sleep? I’m struggling with sleep restriction atm.

Thanks.

[Martin Reed]

Stimulus control is the technique that aims to break any learned association between the bed and wakefulness and build an association between the bed and sleep. With that being said, sleep restriction can help, too, since it helps reduce the amount of time we spend awake during the night.

Are you combining sleep restriction with stimulus control? Do you typically find it hard to fall asleep at the start of the night or is your difficulty more to do with waking during the night and finding it hard to fall back to sleep?

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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.

[billybuddhav]

Hi Martin, thanks for your response. I am just doing sleep restriction at the moment. I find it hard to get out of bed when I’m awake at night as I’m so tired and I get really bored when I get out of bed when I can’t sleep. Perhaps I’ll do my best to do the full treatment and get out of bed when I can’t sleep. I fall asleep quite quickly but wake up after like 2 hours and am very awake throughout the night.

[Martin Reed]

When you wake during the night, why do you think you find it hard to fall back to sleep?

If you find that a racing mind or worry/frustration/anxiety are making it hard for you to fall back to sleep, getting out of bed and doing something relaxing and enjoyable is often a more appealing alternative to staying in bed and helps prevent you from reinforcing the idea that the bed is a place for unpleasant wakefulness.

When you feel calm and the conditions seem right for sleep, return to bed and see what happens. This technique can lead to you getting in and out of bed a few times during the night over the short term, but over the longer term, you should find that it becomes easier to fall back to sleep when you wake as you reinforce the idea that the bed is a place for relaxation and sleep.

—

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.

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