[Tjmc84]

In the past I have struggled with insomnia on numerous ocassions and each time it has melted away when I stop worrying about how long I sleep, what time I go to bed and how I react after a poor night.

Recently I was given quite a big promotion at work and started fearing that If sleep troubles returned I would struggle to do the job. Hey presto insomnia returned with me experiencing several nights of zero sleep. I have also been reading numerous articles on the negative impact on poor sleep and have become particularly concerned about experiencing hallucinations. I know it’s bad to obsessively read info like this but it’s such a strong compulsion that I am struggling to stop doing it.

Was wondering if anyone had any similar experiences or advice?

[Martin Reed]

Welcome to the forum — you are not alone!

It sounds like your experience suggests that, even when worry disappears, at some point it’s going to come back again. That perhaps makes sense when we consider that worry is a natural and normal human feeling.

It also sounds like worry is evidence of your brain doing its job of looking out for you and reminding you of what matters. You want to do well at your new job. That’s important to you.

In conclusion, perhaps worry comes from a good place and perhaps worry is out of your direct control.

Actions, on the other hand, are always within your control — and that might be empowering since it means you get to decide how you respond to worry.

You can try to fight or avoid it, battle, and struggle with it (and where does that get you) — or you can acknowledge and make space for it to exist (and perhaps even thank your brain for looking out for you!).

You also get to choose how you respond to nights when sleep doesn’t happen as you want it to, and whether you spend time reading fear-mongering articles or use that time to engage in actions that reflect who you are, who you want to be, and the life you want to live.

Since you are the expert on you, what feels like the most workable way of dealing with all this?

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