[believer123]

I’m having such a hard time with starting my day and not just laying down in another room. Since starting SRT, I have never once slept through to my alarm. In fact no matter how much earlier we make my rise time, I seem to wake up even earlier than that. I am getting out of bed but feel SO depressed and discouraged that I end up sit/laying on the couch spiraling and wondering why I’m so broken and if this will ever end. I am currently working with a sleep specialist/cbt-i specialist with my medical group who focuses mainly on SRT. They see improvement with my sleep drive (I previously lost it completely) and with my ability to stay asleep for a chunk of time (currently 4 hours) but originally it was 5.5 hours and it has progressively gotten shorter. Given, I am tapering off of temazepam. I went from 15 to 7 and in a few days I start doing every other day without. But I am so afraid that the only reason I’m sleeping at all is because of the medication and the only reason my sleep window is getting shorter is because the medication is wearing off (as it naturally does over time). That’s one of the reasons I’m doing cbt-I—bc I know medication is not a long term solution. Moreover, I want to at least celebrate having sleep onset back but I’m also afraid that’s only bc I’m temporarily on kolonopin which I take at 4/5pm…it overrides my fight or flight. I also have a plan to start tapering off of that soon (all these medications I’ve been on for under 6 months and much against my desire). I need to somehow at least give waking up, and I mean truly waking up, at whatever time I wake a fair shot but it has been so hard bc I wake up SO depressed, grief stricken, and unmotivated. I am getting out of bed and am doing much better at being productive prior to SRT but it’s still the amount of progress I hoped for at this point. Any tips? Can anyone relate?

[Martin Reed]

You are not broken. You are struggling as you try to fix a problem.

Your concerns are understandable, natural, and completely valid. Sleep doesn’t need medication to happen and medication cannot generate sleep (if it could, insomnia wouldn’t exist).

What might be helpful here is evaluating progress based on what you are learning and the actions you are engaging in. For as long as you measure progress based on what is out of your direct control (such as how you feel, what you are thinking, how you are sleeping) you might set yourself up for some ongoing struggle.

Above all, please try to be kind to yourself. This feels hard because it is hard. You are on a journey. There will be ups and downs along the way. For as long as you are committing to workable actions and for as long as you are learning from what you are doing, you are always going to be making progress.

—

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.

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