[Dlkjmbf]

Hi, I have been really struggling with insomnia for about 6 months now. This past week (7 nights in a row), I lie down and my heart starts racing. I can’t even lie on my left side because my heart is beating so hard. So I get out of bed and read or do a guided meditation (or listen to one of Martin Reed’s videos, which are so calming and encouraging). Then I get back in bed and boom! My heart races. It’s awful. I try to do all the things he and his clients say: accept the nervous feeling and acknowledge it. I try to sit with it and let it be ok that it’s beating so hard. Thanks to Martin, I am not even that concerned over the lack of sleep because he says there are no serious negative health consequences and I am seeing that I am surprisingly capable of functioning well on very little sleep. It’s that dang fight or flight response that I can’t stand. I just want to yell at my heart that THERE IS NO TIGER CHASING ME!! I know it’s that arousal that keeps me from sleeping and I dread the night as I gear up for another battle with that feeling. Thanks for letting me vent. It’s really nice to know I’m not alone.

[Chee2308]

Hello and greetings… I am sorry with what you are going through. For many people, it’s often the frustration with the process and impatience of why it’s taking so long that makes it feel so hard to move forward. Maybe for now just go to bed and kinda expect your heart to race a little for a while. Accept that it’s gonna take a while for your heart to settle down and it’s okay! Be kind and patient to yourself, try to stop this self blame game because your brain is only trying to protect you. Re-establish that loving relationship with your bed in your own way. Some people like to read in bed, do a bit of yoga or light stretching, or ultimately, for me because I have gotten adventurous and am not trying to protect my sleep anymore, I just get on my phone and start watching youtube videos, play games or place stock trades on the stock market because I know all these stuffs have nothing to do with my ability to sleep. I slept through it all, sometimes even when the markets move against me and I woke up to find I lost over 5k overnight or gained 8k or whatever. Sleep happens independently, just have the courage to explore what works for you and ultimately stop caring about sleep. You can do this because so many others have! It’s not as hard as you think, you just need a little of patience, discipline and self-love. Best wishes to you.

[Dlkjmbf]

Thank you so much Chee2308! It’s nice to hear encouragement. I know it’s a learned thing that’s all in my head. So I’m hoping I can unlearn it. I think I’ll take your advice on reading in bed. Lately I’ve been reading in another room first because I thought you were only supposed to use your bed for sleep. But then it’s this big production where I start to approach my bed and those feelings pop up. Maybe if I read in my own bed and turn the light off when I’m sleepy, I can make my bed not such a scary place. I’m so glad to hear you have improved your sleep. Every success story helps. Thanks again!

[Chee2308]

Hello
Great to hear you are getting optimistic again! You can do this too. Always remember to be very patient and kind to yourself. If you are having a difficult night, just shrug your shoulders and say “I simply have no control over sleep, no one ever has, sleep happens all by itself without any intervention, so it’s not my business to worry about it anymore.” You should do very well with the right mindset and attitude. Best wishes!

[Dlkjmbf]

I took a screen shot of your last comment. I will read it to myself at night. Thank you!

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