[TiredCat]

Hi I am a 59 year old female suffering from insomnia (several times a week for the past year. )I know it is caused by sleep anxiety because I sleep fine on the weekends and while on vacation.

I have tried several online programs with some success but I sometimes cannot get past “don't worry if you don't sleep tonight” because I have a long daily commute to work and have to a least get several hours of sleep in order to drive. I have no other means of transportation. Sometimes I can work from home If i do not sleep but I cannot abuse this policy and lately I have been having more nights where I barely sleep at all. If I find myself awake for several hours I reach for a sleep supplement or low dose ambien. Some weeknights I can sleep without any meds.

Thanks for listening. There is so much advice on how to conquer insomnia. It is really hard to find a therapist that specializes in treating insomnia. I am seeing an LCSW who was advertised on the Psychology Today website that she treats insomnia but she just chats with me and tells me not to think about my insomnia and that is a common ailment.

Thanks for listening. Hope to glean some good information on this site.

[Martin Reed]

The lack of insomnia specialists is extremely frustrating – and having someone tell you simply not to think about your insomnia is both condescending and unconstructive. Changing negative sleep thoughts into positive sleep thoughts is part of most successful and effective insomnia therapies – but it certainly shouldn't be the central theme. What time do you typically go to bed and when do you typically get out of bed on weeknights? How many hours of sleep do you get on an average weeknight?

—

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.

[TiredCat]

Thanks for your quick response.

I go to bed around 10 pm and get up at 6. I generally keep the same schedule on weekends

I exercise several times a week and practice mindfullness meditation. (I do all the sleep hygiene.) Some nights I sleep just fine – 8 hours. I have been using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and mindfulllness to help me nod off but about about twice a week I sleep very poorly despite all the sleep hygiene, mindfullness, etc and then after several hours of being awake I take a supplement or low dose Ambien because although I feel fairly calm I still cannot sleep.

Thanks

[Martin Reed]

You are doing a lot of things right; for example, mindfulness, ACT, and sleep hygiene. How is your sleep doing now? If you are allotting 8 hours for sleep, I would expect you to be getting 7 hours of sleep each night. If that's not the case, you may be spending too much time in bed – and this can lead to more frustration and anxiety, making sleep more difficult.

—

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