[Manfred]

Right now, I have another big setback. After several weeks of excellent sleep, ONE bad night is capable to throw me back into the hole. My intensive sleep anxiety combined with intrusive thoughts is back again.

It feels like self-sabotage, but I think it is “only” anxiety in all its different forms. There is also a a big obsessive part in this – when in this bad cycle, I keep thinking and have anxiety most of the day. I have been to a psychologist, take an anti-depressant for a long time).

I have tried meditation, acceptance, but it seems my anxiety is sometimes stronger.

I fear to loose control, to not be able to be calm enough for sleeping.

Perhaps I should re-do the CBT-I approach. The first time, it worked very well. I think it worked perhaps – paradoxically – too easily for me. I think I have never REALLY faced my anxiety, like the insomnia author Lois Maharg: https://psychcentral.com/lib/putting-the-fear-of-sleeplessness-to-rest/

I could need some help. How do u deal with intensive sleep anxiety? Is CBT-I the right way to go? Perhaps combind with benzos or sleeping pills? The ACT way is, right now, too “tricky” for me, I don’t get it although I tried.

Thanks for ur input

Manfred

[Martin Reed]

Hello Manfred. Sorry to hear of your recent setback. It can be helpful to remind yourself that it’s completely normal to experience temporary sleep disruption from time to time. If sleep doesn’t recover by itself after a week or two, you are at a big advantage because you know exactly what to do to get your sleep back on track — you just re-implement all the techniques that you know from experience are helpful!

It will take time to rebuild sleep confidence — and every night of better sleep builds and reinforces sleep confidence.

Remember that it’s only ever our thoughts and behaviors that perpetuate sleep issues — if we don’t allow sleep to take over our thoughts and if we don’t implement unhelpful behaviors (such as spending too much time in bed, canceling plans, modifying our days, endlessly researching sleep) then we can ensure that temporary sleep disruption doesn’t become a longer-term problem.

I hope this helps, Manfred — you know exactly what to do to get your sleep back on track.

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[Chen Liang]

How are you doing now sir?

[Author]

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