[Phil]

Hi
I have been taking melatonin and antihistamines for months to get to sleep and now doing sleep restriction trying to stay awake until midnight but usually so sleepy by 11 pm I go to bed and go to sleep but after maybe 2 hours I get up to go to bathroom and can’t get back to sleep so l am back to taking melatonin and antihistamine to get back to sleep.
The night l didn’t take sleep aids l didn’t get back to sleep at all and it made my day horrible.
My question is how many days without sleeping should l expect before exhaustion takes effect and l expect to sleep?
Don’t know if l can function well without sleeping at all.

[Scott]

Hey Phil! It’s great to hear you’re exploring sleep restriction instead of supplements. How long have you been implementing the sleep restriction/window? Why do you think you aren’t able to fall back to sleep after going to the restroom? What can you do to improve the quality of your days, regardless of how well you 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.

[Phil]

Hello Scott
Doing sleep restriction for 2 weeks now. I have not experienced any changes yet. I understand it may take several weeks or months to see a change.
My mind and the intrusive thoughts start coming back and I try counting backwards or repeating down think about it or other things to distract from thinking.
Wish the sleep feeling would come back naturally.
I haven’t gotten the courage yet l guess to stop any sleep aid and just tough it out until the exhaustion takes over and start again to get better sleep. I do get out of bed and go lay down on couch and watch podcasts or just relax until the antihistamine kicks in and I get sleepy again and go back to bed.
Thank you for responding.

[Scott]

Sleep restriction / sleep window can’t generate sleep but it can prevent you from chasing it by limiting the time you spend in bed. I compare these new techniques you’re exploring to beginning a new exercise regimen – at first, you may find it difficult to remain committed and you’re not sure what you’re doing has any benefits but if you remain committed, I think you’ll see positive results.

It sounds like you’re experiencing a lot of ruminating thoughts when you go to bed, and that can be challenging. When you count backwards, do you find that helps lessen the impact of those unhelpful thoughts or does the tug-o-war with them become stronger?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your thoughts, have you tried allowing them to exist and acknowledge them. For example, acknowledge them by saying, “I’m feeling anxious about falling asleep tonight.” when an unhelpful thought about sleep arrives. The more we resist or try to avoid our thoughts, the stronger they become – the louder they shout at us! This acceptance technique can actually help us struggle less with them. Often, it’s not the anxious thoughts themselves that disrupt sleep, but our attempts to push them away.

If you find yourself calm and relaxed in bed, enjoy that feeling for as long as it’s pleasant for you.

I hope there’s something in this that helps!

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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.

[Phil]

Hello Scott
I do have constant ruminating thoughts and the counting backwards or forwards I am just trying to stop the thoughts
I have not had any success with this or any other thing I have tried.
It’s like my mind and body are so tired by 10 or 11 pm I can’t keep my eyes open and go to bed and sleep but it’s when l wake up and return to bed it’s like l’m wide awake and anxious thoughts start coming in.,
I was so sleepy today I had to take a short nap like 20 minutes to revive myself.
This is a struggle but I am committed to break this cycle.
Thank you for your support and advice for l am grateful.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Phil

[Scott]

Our minds can wander freely, and anxiety tends to intensify when we resist or fight it. What if we simply acknowledged these thoughts as just that – thoughts? Let them drift in and out without judgment. Instead of suppressing them, say to yourself, “I’m feeling anxious about falling asleep,” or “That anxious thought is back.” By allowing these thoughts to exist without attaching to them, you create space between yourself and the anxiety, reducing its power over you.

The more effort you put into getting a good night’s sleep, the harder sleep becomes. I wonder if counting has become a sleep effort? Remember back to when you weren’t experiencing difficult sleep, were you counting backwards or trying to force sleep to happen each night?

—

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.

[Phil]

Thank you Scott
I will start recognizing intrusive thoughts as you suggested and ignore them.
Last night I decided to go to bed at 10 am instead of midnight because I was tired so I didn’t take any sleep aids and slept until 1 am when l got up to go to bathroom and returned but couldn’t get back to sleep so l took a half of a antihistamine and went back to sleep until 4 am.
This is the most sleep I’ve had in months.
I know the sleep restriction is going to work eventually.
I have to learn to accept intrusive thoughts and anxiety. I have anxiety this morning but feel rested.
Phil

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