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Things sounds really difficult for you, Marc. It seems as though your current approach might not be proving to be particularly helpful or workable — so perhaps a new approach could be worth exploring?
An approach that doesn’t try to fight or avoid wakefulness and all the difficult thoughts and feelings that can come with insomnia, an approach that moves away from trying to sleep or avoid wakefulness and toward simply creating good conditions for sleep to happen while focusing on actions that are in our control and keep us moving toward the kind of life we want to live, even in the presence of all the difficult stuff that’s out of our control.
Such an approach is usually very different to everything we’ve previously tried and it can be very challenging to implement — and that’s why most of us continue on the path of trying to fight or avoid all this difficult stuff, even when we’ve been tangled up in the struggle for years or even decades without long term success.
I wish you all the best, Marc, and I hope things improve for you.
—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.
If you feel OK, you’re probably sleeping OK. Most people don’t really track how many hours of sleep they are getting from night to night!
Sleep is often disrupted when we cross timezones. What’s perhaps more important is the fact you are going to Barcelona — that experience will likely contribute far more to you living a rich and meaningful life than how you sleep on the plane or even how you sleep when in Spain!
I usually suggest just listening to your body during the plane ride. When you land, you might want to remain awake until the evening to help your body adjust to the time change a little quicker.
I hope there’s something useful here!
—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.
It sounds as though your struggle could be caused by the effort you might be putting into making sleep happen or trying to fight or avoid nighttime wakefulness. Would you say that’s accurate? If so, what do you think might be a helpful way to address that?
—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.
Welcome to the forum! Reading in bed doesn’t prevent sleep or cause insomnia — so, if that’s something you enjoy there’s no need to stop doing that!
If you slept beautifully every night, what would you be doing differently in your life? What would you be doing that you are unable to do right now?
—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.
To expand on what Chee2308 shared, you might want to ask yourself what action would help you move toward the life you want to live and the person you want to be:
1. Have company and stay in a hotel (even though sleep might be disrupted).
2. Not have company and stay at home in an attempt to protect your sleep.Anxiety is unpleasant so it makes sense that we would want to avoid it — but it’s just your mind looking out for you. You get to choose how to respond and your response will either move you toward the life you want to live or away from the life you want to live.
The key to a rich and meaningful life isn’t the absence of certain thoughts and feelings or the absence of nighttime wakefulness.
The key to a rich and meaningful life is doing rich and meaningful things!
—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.
Welcome to the forum, Amber! It often takes some time for behavioral change (such as observing a sleep window) to generate noticeable improvements. It also sounds as though you might be describing stimulus control rather than sleep restriction. How long were you implementing these techniques before deciding they weren’t helpful?
—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.
You’re right that sleeping pills aren’t usually an effective long-term treatment for chronic insomnia! There is, however, a way more effective way to deal with insomnia — and it usually requires adjusting our habits, behaviors, and the relationship we have with all the thoughts and feelings that come with insomnia.
This can be a lot more difficult and take more time and effort compared to taking a pill, but it can be more helpful over the long term — as you will find in the Insomnia Coach Podcast and other success stories posted on this site!
—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.
There are plenty of stories like this in the podcast, Liz214!
Some examples:
How Sally improved her sleep after 60 years of insomnia and 10 years of sleeping pills (#19)
I would suggest discussing your desire to move away from medication with your doctor before making any changes!
—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.
I wonder if you might be able to slowly add some of those things back into your life, even in the presence of daytime fatigue, sazmon? Might that be worth an experiment?
—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.
Thanks for sharing! Which techniques are you practicing? Are you starting to find any of them useful yet?
—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.
Did you work with a behavioral sleep specialist for the DSPS?
—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.
Hello Mike and welcome to the forum! Those roller coaster nights are not unusual — you might find this video helpful: How to stop the sleep roller coaster and make sleep more consistent and more predictable.
—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.
We usually see chronic insomnia when there is effort trying to fight or avoid nighttime wakefulness. This might be through our behaviors (sleep efforts, rituals, attempts to make sleep happen) or by trying to fight or avoid the difficult thoughts and feelings that often come with (and after) nighttime wakefulness.
As a loose guideline, what may be useful is:
1. Only going to bed when sleepy enough for sleep (not tired, but sleepy — as in, finding it hard to stay awake).
2. Allowing wakefulness to exist for as long as it chooses, and doing something more pleasant if it feels unpleasant.
3. Maintaining a reasonably consistent out of bed time in the morning.
4. Doing things each day that keep you moving toward the kind of life you want to live (and the person you want to be) even after difficult nights and even in the presence of difficult thoughts and feelings.I hope there might be something useful here.
—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.
When you tried the sleep window, what time did it start and what time did it end? How long (and how consistently) did you implement it for, before deciding it wasn’t helpful?
In terms of getting out of bed at night, I don’t think there’s any need to get out of bed just because we are awake. What can be useful is allowing wakefulness to exist for as long as it chooses to do so and for as long is it feels comfortable.
If wakefulness feels unpleasant, it might be helpful to do something more pleasant instead — and that more pleasant activity might be done in bed or out of bed, until conditions feel better for sleep to happen.
—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.
I think a sleep window can be useful regardless of whether we’re experiencing sleep onset or sleep maintenance insomnia since it helps ensure we aren’t chasing after sleep and perpetuating sleep disruption with an irregular morning out of bed time. With that being said, it’s only one tool available to us!
—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.
