[emschli]

Hey!
I am two days into sleep restriction and my sleeping window is 5 hours from 11:15 pm to 4:15am.
Have not been sleeping well before the start of the restriction too.
The first night was okay – I got really sleepy around 10pm which felt like a big victory as I have not felt like that in the evening for a very long time. I fell asleep instantly in bed too and even though I woke before the alarm after ~3hours of sleep, I managed to get through the day kind of okay.
The second evening it was even harder for me to stay awake till bedtime. But as soon as I got into bed I felt incredibly anxious and stressed about the thought, that I only have this 5 hour window to get the sleep in and could not fall asleep for like 3 hours. Now the day feels like a big struggle until I finally get my next try :/ And I am already very anxious about the next night. I fear that this is the beginning of a downward spiral where I get anxious about getting very little sleep, because of that I sleep very little, which makes me even more anxious and so forth…blah blah blah you’ve probably all been there 😀

What makes it especially difficult for me is that usually I would meditate to feel less anxious but I can’t do that because I get extremely sleepy while doing it and I am of course not supposed to sleep during the day…

So my question I guess is: is this going as planned? Am I just supposed to stick with it and eventually sleep will just “happen”?

When I noticed I was getting very anxious I got out of bed and watched some television until I got sleepy again and I plan to continue doing that…Is there anything else I have to actively do?

Any tips or reassuring stories about your experiences in the first days/weeks of sleep restriction would be greatly appreciated 🙂

[Martin Reed]

You have started implementing a sleep window, thanks to your commitment to action and willingness to make change happen.

You are noticing the reappearance of sleepiness, which is a reminder that your sleep system is working just as it should be working.

You have also noticed that when there is no pressure, effort, or “requirement” to sleep you are more likely to experience a strong sense of sleepiness (and maybe sleep, too!).

When you go to bed, something changes — maybe there’s more pressure and more effort. Perhaps your brain might also be firing up to prepare you for the struggle it predicts is about to happen, and protect you from the “threat” it believes that being awake at night has become.

As you shared, you have the option to get out of bed in response. And, you can stay in bed, too. What might matter most here is exploring how you might be able to reduce that pressure and that effort — and how, through your choice of actions, you might help train your brain that wakefulness isn’t a threat it needs to be alert to protect you from.

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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.

[Packer Fan]

Was right where you’re at, stick with it, I called this my boot camp. Once you get out (survive) everything will big time improve!!!

[Author]

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