[Grangers]

Ive been trying sleep restriction for 2 years now and still havnt conquered insomnia. Is it time to give it up? Is the sleep redtriction causing me arousal itself?

Does the initial trigger have to dissappear before you can get better from insomnia providing of course you have worked on any sleep anxiety that may be perpetuating it and got the behaviours down? Or can sleep restriction/ sleep drive cut through other mental health issues too ie gad depression etc even if they are unresolved.

To put you in the picture my initial trigger was some anxiety/ocd which to some degree has dialled down a bit but still present. Is it possible that this is what could be perpetuating my chronic insomnia along with some sleep anxiety. My behavious i believe are flawless. I get up same time every day, dont go to bed until sleepy although this can be tricky as rarely feel sleepy. Dont do all the other nonsense ie pillow spray etc and i have a tight sleep window of about 6 hours.

Last night fell asleep around 1ish but woke up at 2:30 couldnt get back to sleep well if i did i wasnt aware or very fragmented

Is it ok to do something relaxing in bed until you feel sleepy rather than staying up out the bed until you feel sleepy. Does relaxed calm wakefullness make an ascociation with the bed or is it just worried anxious wakefullness

I know we say the initial trigger is not what causes chronic insomnia but what if the trigger perpetuated even in the background somewhat?

[Martin Reed]

What’s your goal with sleep restriction? If it is to make sleep happen or to get rid of wakefulness you might be getting tangled up in a bit of a struggle since sleep cannot be controlled. Really, the sleep window helps ensure good conditions for sleep and helps move us away from chasing after sleep (for example, by going to bed earlier in an attempt to make more sleep happen or staying in bed later in an attempt to make more sleep happen). That’s about it.

If you’ve had insomnia for over two years, it’s unlikely that the initial trigger is still the main issue — it’s perhaps more likely that your completely understandable response to the sleep disruption is what’s providing the insomnia with the oxygen it needs to survive.

Anxiety can definitely make things more difficult, but it’s still possible to sleep when anxiety is present. What can make sleep a lot more difficult is trying to fight or avoid anxiety — because that requires so much energy and attention. And, since we cannot control our minds, the struggle is endless.

Sometimes a more useful approach involves practicing making space for difficult thoughts and feelings such as anxiety — that way, you move away from struggle and free up some energy and attention for other things. And those other things might help you live the kind of life you want to live, independently of sleep.

I think it’s perfectly OK to stay in bed when awake during the night and to do anything you like in bed during the night — wakefulness isn’t the enemy here. All the effort and struggle is often the real problem.

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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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