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I got on Iphone App Store and bought Sleep School app. It’s awesome! I’ve read the book several times, but watching it in video form is so helpful. Really fills in a lot of blanks for me. Highly recommend. It’s $6.49 a month. I’m assuming it’s Guy Meadows in the video. He also had Kat in a video too!
Thank you all for your insights! I moved my mother into a nursing home out of state this week. It was very stressful and sad with arguments among sisters etc. I slept in a hotel room for 2 nights, and slept ok the first night. The second night before I went bed, I had an argument with my sister. Back at the hotel, I drifted off watching tv. When I turned off light to go to sleep, my mind started racing, replaying our conversation. I noticed my thoughts, trying not to dwell on my sister, and went back to focusing on my breath. I literally went back and forth between noticing thoughts to refocusing on breath and the present moment for 2.5 hours! I finally sat up in bed, and prayed for awhile, in the dark. I was so tempted to turn on the light and read. I was so worried about not sleeping because I had a five hour drive the next day. (Another thought to welcome?) I slept probably fitfully for 4 hours or so. Anyone would have a sleepless night after an argument, but how do you welcome thoughts after arguments like that?
Burn-
I started CBT-I in February, a 6 week online course with no real support. It was a start, but it was nowhere near as good as Martin’s course. Martin’s personal follow up was invaluable. I made great progress with SR and SC.Prior to CBT-I, I had started forming really bad habits- going to bed early and spending too much time in bed. Martin taught me so much through his course. I still stick to a sleep window to minimize undo time in bed. I want to be sleepy when I go to bed, so I guess you can say I’m doing a hybrid. I have stopped getting out of bed if I can’t sleep, using my mindfulness tools. Welcoming anxiety etc. The App meditations have helped me to fight anxiety during day and at night. I “note” the emotion, thought or sensation and it subsides. I still do my wind down etc., don’t do anything in bed but sleep etc. I’m not confident enough in my success yet to throw SR out the window. I’m just happy to practice ACT in bed during my sleep window. I’ve only been doing ACT 3 weeks now, but I am very hopeful!
Burn- yes. Sometimes I will listen to them. There are many available. They have meditations for anger, grief, anxiety etc. Walking meditations. Eating meditations. Tons of ways to be more mindful. I think doing this since May has helped mindfulness become more of a habit, which had helped with my sleep.
Burn- that’s why I do the sleep meditations in the day if I do them. Mostly, I do the other mindfulness meditations. I just do what Dr. Guy says at night. Just relax.
Burn- I like several of the sleep meditations, specifically one that talks about when you go to bed, lay down and picture falling asleep, and “breathe like you do when you sleep”. I’ve done this and it really relaxes me. I actually do one 15 minute meditation a day, not when I sleep. The app actually has a timer to remind you to meditate. I especially like the Joseph Goldstein ones. I’ve been doing this since May and the difference with my anxiety has been incredible. I’m attempting “be in the present moment” and not get carried away by my thoughts. This is just what I needed for my insomnia. Doesn’t it sound a lot like Dr. Guy?
No! Not cured. Night before last when the anxiety came as I went to bed, I said to myself “Enough “! I had welcomed anxiety earlier. This was a method I learned in one of the guided meditations to stop reoccurring and intrusive thoughts. It helped. I’m not taking anything for granted.
Usually, 10:30 pm to 6 am. Allowing for more flexibility. Last night went to bed at 10, but I woke up at 5:15. I stayed in bed till about 5:45 and got up. I’m not setting my alarm anymore, because I’m waking up at 6 am or before, on my own. For the last 3 weeks I’ve averaged around 7 hours sleep. My last bad night was 3 weeks ago. I am fastidious about my sleep hygiene, wind down etc.
All, I haven’t posted here in a very long time but have been following the thread. Initially I was very skeptical and was experiencing some success with SR and SC. My insomnia began In January after 2 tragic deaths in my family within 3 months. I started seeing a therapist to deal with grief and anxiety. That’s where I was first introduced to mindfulness.
I was doing it on my own, then I came upon a Mindfulness App, 10% Happier. It has been life changing! There are all kinds of guided mindfulness meditations, 25 of them for sleep alone!!! The App is free for 1 week, then $99a year. It has been a God send!
I do one 15 min meditation a day. I have been doing this now for over 2 months. There is online support, if you want to ask questions. Simultaneously, I read Dr. Guy’s book and started incorporating the mindfulness exercises I learned from 10% Happier. When I started using the App and doing their guided meditations, my sleep became so much better! I’m using the mindfulness to deal with anxiety during the day, as well as at night. Consequently, my insomnia has improved dramatically along with anxiety levels during the day.
Please check out 10% Happier. It has really helped control my anxiety and racing thoughts at night.
I’m still doing moderate SR, but no more SC. I’m so appreciative of Martin for all he’s done for me. I will be forever grateful. God bless you all!
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear it encouraged you. Honestly, I’ve only been averaging 6 + hours of sleep the last 3 or so weeks. That’s around the same time I started practicing mindfulness meditation during the day. Even though my sleep window is now 7 hours, I still wake up after 6 hours naturally. I check my phone, and try to sleep another hour. It’s amazing, I think the quality of my sleep is so much better and so restorative that I don’t need as much. Before insomnia started in January, I was probably averaging 8 hours of sleep. I’m in my sweet spot now, sleepy enough at 11 to be able to fall asleep. Most of the days that I get 7 hours of sleep, I wake up after 6 hours and try to go back to sleep. As Martin has told us, the 8 hours of sleep necessity is a myth.
On a side note, 2 nights ago, my hubby and I were babysitting grands at my daughters house. Very stressful day and emotional as well since we lost our dog on top of that. I had an almost nil night of sleep. Did SC all night long. I was exhausted the next day, but stayed up till 11:00 pm. I was so afraid that after 3 weeks that it was all vanishing. The following night I slept 6 hours after doing SC once, and I slept through night last night! I just reminded myself that everyone has bad nights, and I could do this thing!! I believe positive attitude is everything!
Hope this helps.
Karen
Dear All,
I’ve been an infrequent poster, and have tried to post encouragement before. I completed Martin’s course 5 weeks ago. His was the second course of CBTI I have done. The first course did not provide the personal touch and encouragement that Martin provides. I have been doing CBTI for 4 months now.
I was freaked out and panicked at the end of Martin’s course because I felt like my sleep was getting worse. The wheels were falling off! 5 nights of insomnia with a nil night to boot!
I am still signed up for his “after course”. I started out with sometimes 5 nights a week with insomnia. Took sleeping pills for only 2 weeks before I started CBTI, and ended up in hospital with a reaction. I was a mess! No more sleeping pills since. Up until 2 weeks ago, I was averaging 2 – 3 days a week of insomnia. My insomnia started January 11. I’m an anxious person and have had the year from hell. It just caught up with me. ?
The good part! I am back in bed with my husband for the last 3 weeks, and have had an average of 6 – 7 hours sleep for the last 17 nights.
What made the difference for me was sticking to the program! I veered off course with ACT after I left Martin’s course and that was disastrous. Took me awhile to get back on track. I am fastidious about sticking to my sleep window, and SC if needed. No cheating! During the last 2 weeks, I have had to do SC 2 times. Up out of bed only once in both cases.
I have to have a good buffer hour. I read and get sleepy. The biggest game changer for me was coming across an App called 10% Happier. Martin ‘s breathing meditation always resonated with me, and this combines Mindfulness meditation with breathing. My problem was racing thoughts, and if I meditate during the day, my mind is calmer during the night. There are tons of sleep meditations as well. You can do a free one week trial, then it is $99 a year. To me that has been a small price to pay. I go to bed, put my head on the pillow, start my breathing and the meditation practice I have learned. I still don’t clock watch, follow all the rules; but I think I go to sleep within 15 – 20 minutes or so. I meditate at least once during the day to keep anxiety at bay.
I also read Sasha Stephens book which is essentially CBTI. I wrote positive affirmations, and stopped talking to people or saying I had insomnia. That helps a lot!
I also pray a lot! I will pray for you all. God bless.
Karen
Great postBorgesbi. You are so right about noticing the small differences. I had a 3 hour sleep last night, and woke up kind of down. When I filled out my sleep diary, which I continue to do, I realized that I had a glass of wine with dinner which I haven’t been doing. My husband took me out to cheer me up after giving my horse away yesterday that I had had for 13 years. A lot of tears shed yesterday, so an off night is understandable. My recovery is so fragile, it can be affected by little things. Prayers for all.
