[Steve]

I know I am getting better but it’s a slow process. I go for my first CBT-i course tonight so I am hoping that helps even more. In one respect it seems bad because it now take me about 60 to 90 minutes to fall asleep where it used to take me 30, but I strongly suspect I am in at least Stage I sleep for some of that time. A lot of times I’ll wake up quickly and think I’ve been awake that whole time but then I remember I dreamt a little so I know I at least had some REM sleep in that time period. So, I’m not sure how long it takes me to get to sleep anymore. Most nights, I will then sleep for two and a half to three hours and then wake up. Then I usually fall asleep for an hour every hour and wake up for 5 or 10 minutes so I am getting broken sleep. The good news is that I used to wake at 4:00 and lie there until the alarm goes off at 5:20. Lately though, I’ve been sleeping until 4:30 and then sometimes I will even fall back asleep to almost when the alarm rings or when it does ring. That’s the critical time period as I can pick up another hour to an hour and 15 minutes of sleep during that 4:00am to 5:20am time slot. What confuses me is this. I get in to work and am so tired I could actually fall asleep in my chair. As the day progresses though, I gradually shake it off and by nighttime, I can’t fall asleep again. If I can fall back asleep in the morning, why can’t I do it at night? All in all, I think I am now getting between 5 and a half to 6 hours sleep most nights. Not feeling refreshed in the morning but I think I am getting more sleep even if it’s very broken sleep.

[SIimon]

I know some components of CBT-I require you to measure the amount of sleep you get but I think on occasion this can be counter productive and people get obsessed with the amount rather than the quality.

I think a better measure of your sleep is rating how you feel the following days using a 1 – 5 or 1 – 10 scale…if you are feeling better during the day this is what matters of course.

Good luck.

[Martin Reed]

It sounds as though you are on track and making progress, Steve. You might be finding it harder to fall asleep at night because of conditioned arousal. How did you first CBT-I appointment go?

That’s a great suggestion, Slimon — I do actually have my clients record the quality of their sleep on a 1-5 scale every day since this is a great way of assessing sleep rather than looking solely at sleep duration and time spent awake during the night.

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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 Clarity 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.

[Steve]

Hard to say Martin. I am not sure he believes in CBT-i totally. As an example, he is not a firm believer in Sleep Restriction but he said he would get into more of that later. He also will try hypnosis and he would like me to consider taking medical marijuana in pill form. To me, that is like a sleep aid and I told him I would have to think about it as I can’t be caught with that in my system, even if I am prescribed it by a doctor, due to job considerations. I’ll let you know how it goes as I get into it more.

[Martin Reed]

Any update, Steve? A CBT-I practitioner who doesn’t believe in sleep restriction, who wants to use hypnosis, and who recommends medical marijuana for chronic insomnia doesn’t sound like a CBT-I practitioner to me. Is this person a licensed therapist?

—

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 Clarity 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.

[Steve]

Hi Martin. Thanks for asking. I stopped going to him after the 2nd visit. At the second visit, he continued to suggest the medical marijuana as well as melatonin. Also, the hypnosis he was going to do for me was actually on tape to try at home. He was a nice guy, but for other reasons, I decided not to continue with him as I agree that he is probably not a true CBT-i practitioner. I am going back to my old counselor and continue to be treated for depression/anxiety. I have your free CBT-i sleep course and the ACT book to help me along. I feel that if I can just start doing the things I used to do before the insomnia hit, I can try to work my way out of it. However, sometimes I wonder as last night I had a bad dream that woke me up. I dreamt I was sleeping and someone was leaning over the bed calling my name to purposefully wake me up. It worked because I woke up. It’s like my mind is purposefully trying to keep me in insomnia land.

[Author]

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