[Lozelise]

I feel like the one thing I’m searching for to heal this insomnia is the knowledge that for most people, insomnia is temporary and will almost always go away, even without intervention- I think I’m feeling desperate for that reassurance.

It’s been 6 weeks, which isn’t very long yet, but this bout of insomnia feels very settled compared to others I’ve gone through in the past. I was such a good sleeper just a few months ago!

My main issue is waking an hour after falling asleep and then not being able to get back to sleep until 4am most days. But last night I was so anxious, I couldn’t sleep at all until 5:30am and now I’m thinking I’ve lost my ability to fall asleep in the first place. It’s frightening how easy it feels to not fall asleep, but when I was sleeping well, I would have said how hard it was to stay awake.

Sorry for the rant, just feeling low and could use some encouragement that I’ll sleep well again eventually. I’m just about to start my dream job too and I don’t want my performance to be ruined.

[Martin Reed]

Difficult nights of sleep come and go throughout everyone’s lives — just as difficult days come and go. They are a normal part of the human experience.

If you think about how you approached sleep before it felt like a problem or a struggle, is there a difference between then and now? If so, perhaps there are some useful insights there!

When difficult nights show up and stick around, that’s often because we have changed our approach to sleep. We start to (understandably) become more involved in the process, trying to fix the problem.

When those attempts don’t work (because sleep cannot be directly or permanently controlled) our brains can start to really worry and generate a lot of difficult thoughts and feelings. We might then recognize those thoughts and feelings as additional barriers to sleep and start trying to fight or avoid them.

So, now we have a battle on two fronts — with sleep and with our minds. And, since we cannot control either of those things, we are tangled up in a struggle that ends up making everything more difficult.

Everyone can sleep well. Nobody loses the ability to sleep. Sleep happens best when we remove ourselves from the process and refocus our attention toward the things we can control — doing things that matter and engaging in actions that move us toward the life we want to live, even in the presence of the difficult stuff we cannot control.

I hope there’s something useful here!

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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.

[dbaldino]

This is excellent information, Martin. It is sometimes hard to know whether to “train my brain” or to just let go. It looks like you are suggesting to just let go and let sleep happen. It is easier said than done.

[Author]

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