[Roy]

My biggest challenge is staying asleep,  My Apple watch/Autosleep shows extreme movement throughout the night, with long periods awake.   I have tried just about every remedy known to me, including an extended period of CBT which initially led to some improvement.

[Martin Reed]

Hello Roy and welcome to the forum!

If you didn’t use your watch to track your sleep, would you have known that you spend long periods awake during the night?

You mentioned that you tried CBT and this led to improvement — what happened next? Did you stop? If so, why?

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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.

[Roy]

Thanks very much for your prompt reply, Martin.

Q1 – Yes, I am very much aware of being awake for long periods at a time.  I don’t feel stressed or worry during those times.  It just seems as though my brain “won’t turn off”!

Q2 – The main benefit of the CBT was an improvement in getting to sleep (mostly).  I was definitely making progress which was interrupted by a short period away when my wife and I stayed at a hotel.  The hotel room environment was not really conducive to the late bedtime (midnight) that was part of the CBT.  I thought that I’d be able to get back into the routine once we got home, but it didn’t happen. I have tried since to start the whole thing over again, but I’ve had little success so far.

[Martin Reed]

You’re most welcome, Roy — good to hear back from you!

Do you find the sleep tracker to be helpful? What benefit does it offer you? For many people with insomnia, consumer sleep tracking devices can fuel sleep-related worry and anxiety — and this is particularly troublesome since their accuracy can sometimes be questionable.

I completely understand how being in a different environment interrupted the progress you had made when you tried CBT-I. Why were you unable to get back into the routine when you got home — and why do you feel you have been struggling to get back on track?

—

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.

[Roy]

Thanks, Martin.

Q1 – I like the tracker because it’s helping me to map out what’s happening through the night.  I was hoping that there might be research results available that isolate causes of chronic insomnia (the Drs have diagnosed this)  such that individual profiles could be matched to causes.   For example, what is it that causes me to wake up after such a short time (30-45 mins)?  I read part of a University research paper earlier today that said the results from Apple watch/Autosleep were, indeed, quite accurate and will provide a basis for comparative research – but unfortunately, it’s early days yet.  I do take your point, though, that such devices can themselves lead to sleep-related worry.  I don’t think this is the case with me at the moment, but I certainly acknowledge the potential for it to become one.

Q2 – I honestly don’t know the answer to this.  I thought it would be easy to slot back into it – I had kept detailed records each night (part of the CBT program) and filled in the daily pro-formas as required.  My sleep efficiency measure was improving.  I’ve tried a couple of times to re-start by forcing myself to stay up very late (post-midnight) but I just lie wide awake.  I’ve done all of the environmental things as well as ensuring no coffee after 3.00 pm (I’ve even tried two months completely caffeine free, all to no avail).

I’m sorry that it’s a complicated situation!

[Martin Reed]

Without a sleep study, it’s impossible to know why you wake up within a short time of falling asleep. Do you snore during the night? Do you still wake within a short period of time when you are away from home?

If you need some extra help getting back on track with CBT-I, feel free to look into my insomnia coaching course or reach out to me directly. Since CBT-I techniques have worked for you in the past, I suspect that getting back into the process (and having someone to offer additional guidance and support on an individual basis) would be beneficial.

—

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.

[Roy]

Thanks very much, Matin.  This has all been very helpful.  You’ve persuaded me to get back into CBT-I.  I’ll immediately cease wearing my Apple Watch (sleep tracker) at night and turn off the bedroom clock!  I’ll do your introductory course this week, and then contact you for one-on-one coaching.  Thanks again.

 

[Martin Reed]

Sounds like a plan, Roy! Who knows, the free sleep training emails may be all you need to get back on track. If not, I’ll be standing by to offer personal assistance.

—

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.

[Author]

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