[Hopeful Henny]

I’ve struggled with insomnia for the last 9 years and have been prescribed Ambien for the last 6 years. Even though I was prescribed 10 mg, I typically only took 5 mg. After a series of stressful events over the last 6 weeks, even 10 mg of Ambien was not working. I’ve been taking 5 mg of Ambien at bedtime but waking up only a few short hours after falling asleep. I’ve been getting so worked up about not the night wakings, that I’d take another 5 mg to help me get back to sleep.

In the morning, I literally feel like the walking dead.

The stress and anxiety over this have taken over my life to the point that I’ve almost had panic attacks. I have been taking xanax to ward anxiety during the day. This roller coaster is making crazy!

Typically, I am a very happy, enthusiastic, go-getter, full of creativity and joy. The last 6 weeks have made me doubt myself and my ability to confidently do much of anything.

I found Insomnia Coach by listening to a podcast. After listening to an episode, I made a decision to go back down to 5 mg of Ambien and if/when I woke up to either get up or try focusing my attention on the back corner of my mind. So before going to bed, I had a plan. I needed a plan, because my brain was trying to solve the problem and make decisions in the middle of the night (which was NOT helpful).

I am sooooooo happy to report that when I woke up, I knew exactly what to do. I focused on the comforting darkness in my mind and went back to sleep!

I realize I still have some work to do, but my confidence is already building.

[Martin Reed]

Although we have started working together since you posted this, I just wanted to post my appreciation for you sharing how helpful you found it to have a clear plan in place!

A plan of action can help eliminate all the “mental gymnastics” that can take place when we need to brainstorm what to do each day/night. Entering “robot mode” can make things a lot simpler!

One final note on plans and goals — we probably want to ensure they are based on action (something we can control) rather than outcome (something we can work toward but cannot make happen)!

It can also be helpful to consider how workable our plan might be — are we trying to control what cannot be controlled (such as sleep, wakefulness, thoughts and feelings)? If so, we might be setting ourselves up for a struggle!

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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.

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