[Gracie75]

If I start doing the sleep restriction, and say my goal is 5 hours to start because that’s what I average – and I get up at 6am, what if I can’t stay awake until 12:30am? I’m also finding that if I try that, and start to fall asleep before 12:30am, I’m in and out of bed like a yo yo all night long. I nod off doing something relaxing trying to stay awake until 12:30 and then each time I go to bed I am wide awake! Even after 12:30am. Any suggestions are so appreciated! Will I ever be able to sleep?

[Chee2308]

Hello and happy new year

“Will I ever be able to sleep?” No question about it. How else would you feel sleepy before bedtime if that ability is gone? This is a surefire sign your sleep is not broken.

Don’t use a really short sleep window because it often causes you to struggle to keep awake until then and increases the pressure to sleep when the time actually arrives. 6-6.30h is a good starting point. It’s ironic you tend to nod off when you don’t want sleep or aren’t thinking about it. Then when the time arrives, you are wide awake again. It turns into some kind of performance anxiety. Be that person when you aren’t really thinking about sleep or care too much when you actually get into bed. If you now allow a longer bed time but not too unreasonably long like 10-12 hours, then you have plenty of time for your body to adjust itself to bed and finally doze off. Drop all your expectations and wanting because they are not helping! Or even expect to get up or have trouble sleeping at first. Get used to this, there is nothing wrong. When you struggle with it, it can only get worse. Don’t struggle, don’t keep trying to escape because you don’t like it and please actually come to terms with it.

[Gracie75]

Thank you so much for you help!

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