[Shinyshoe33]

Hello.

I’ve gotten myself in a bit of a state with sleep. I thought to myself ‘imagine if you can’t sleep’ one night two weeks ago and lo and behold I didn’t! I’m now stuck in a cycle of anxiety, stressing and panicking about nighttime all day long. Living on adrenaline and panic and generally feeling miserable. I don’t want to be signed off work with anxiety and insomnia but when I don’t sleep all night I can’t cope. I can’t stop the viscoous cycle of anxiety stopping sleep! I try to accept the thoughts but I don’t know how! I’m scared I’m stuck like this forever.

[sleep]

I thought I was stuck like this forever also but doing good since last April. No medications either, I use to live on benadryl but it quit working so easy to give that up. I hated for night time to come so I can feel your anxiousness. I dont really know what I did, I just said if I dont sleep, I will eventually. My hours are 12 until 6 and last 2 mornings I slept til 8 oclock. Usually it is 6 or 7. It is like other things in life you cant control. I do know I can sleep, at one point I thought I could not.

[ktMD]

It’s been several months since I took the course. I still get racing thoughts usually at 2-3 am. Like I can do anything about it at that hour!
What I do now is say, OK I’m going to watch my mind racing. I don’t try to stop my mind racing, I just let it and observe it. It is hard to not caught up in those thoughts. But remember, you are not your thoughts. You are not buying into those thoughts.
It’s funny I have the hardest time on weekends, when I am off from work. I don’t know why, You would think I would sleep better on the weekends when I don’t have the work stress hanging over me.

[Martin Reed]

The human brain is always generating thoughts. As for their powers of accurate predictions and guaranteed outcomes, if you have the thought that you’ll win the lottery would that turn you into a jackpot winner?

If so, please share your secret powers 😜

If not, perhaps you don’t need to do anything with these thoughts and feelings because they might not have as much control over what happens in your life as you might have first believed.

In other words, it might be your response to thoughts (and feelings) that has all the power and influence — rather than the thoughts and feelings themselves.

You shared that you have tried to accept the thoughts — tell us more about that. What have you done to practice accepting the thoughts and what are you trying to achieve when you practice accepting them?

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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.

[ktMD]

I used to think that “accepting” my thoughts meant buying into them, believing them. Now I acknowledge them and allow them. I also allow the racing mind while staying present. As you said, it is my reaction to those thoughts and emotions that have the power. It is a relearning of the way I approach my thoughts and feelings. There’s something that being off from work that makes it more challenging.

[Shinyshoe33]

Thank you. I get so worried that I won’t sleep and won’t be able to function the next day. When I don’t sleep, I find the next day so hard and feel so sad that I have to ring in sick to work and cancel plans with friends. I’m worried my sleep problems will continue forever and my life will be ruined. I find these thoughts very distressing and find it very hard not to react to them.

[Author]

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