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Did you try the process of getting out of bed when unable to sleep? Although it’s understandable to think that this can wake you up even more, if you are already spending a long amount of time in bed awake, it’s unlikely that getting out of bed will lead to more time awake.
In fact, this strategy usually has the opposite effect since it can help build sleep drive (by preventing you from ending up with lighter, more fragmented sleep), reinforce the association between your bed and sleep (rather than wakefulness), and reduce sleep-related worry and the unpleasantness of tossing and turning during the night (most people find that getting out of bed and doing something relaxing and enjoyable is more pleasant than staying in bed and “battling” with sleep).
—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, Garda.
When do you normally go to bed at night and when do you get out of bed to start your day? Are you someone who generally feels fine after four hours of sleep, or do you feel you need more sleep?
—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’m looking forward to it, Robert!
—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, tiredtraveler and thank you for sharing your story. I’m sorry to hear about your current struggle with sleep.
It sounds as though you are someone who may be a bit more predisposed to sleep disruption so when a precipitating event occurs (such as a big move) you may be more likely to experience sleep disruption. With that being said, it would be very unusual for you to move across the country and not experience any change in your sleep — at least over the short term!
The key to getting your sleep back on track is to avoid the behaviors that perpetuate sleep disruption — things like spending more time in bed, staying in bed when you can’t sleep, napping during the day, trying to conserve energy, and modifying your life in an attempt to compensate for lost sleep.
When do you typically go to bed at night, and when do you get out of bed to start your day in the morning?
—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, Wolfy1. Can you tell us a bit more about your sleep and why you joined the Insomnia Coach forum?
—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 the additional insight, TiredTwinDad!
It’s to be expected that you’re not going to feel as sleepy when you wake after four-and-a-half to five-and-a-half hours of sleep compared to when you first got into bed since the sleep drive you accumulated during the previous day has been significantly reduced.
You mentioned that you have always been an early riser — have you typically been someone who gets by on what might be considered a shorter amount of sleep, too?
Some people do notice that they sleep a lot better when on vacation (but some end up sleeping worse — we’re all different)! I think, for those who experience better sleep when away from home, it’s due to a combination of not sleeping somewhere that we have learned to associate with wakefulness (ie, our own bed!) and a realigned focus on daytime activity and all the joys associated with being on vacation. In other words, we spend less time thinking and worrying about sleep and more time being active and enjoying life.
When it comes to being fully “recovered” this is a harder nut to crack — because we all have a different definition of what “recovered” might mean!
Sleep disruption is normal — everyone experiences it from time to time. When we are stressed or anxious, sleep disruption is normal and to be expected. I would argue that it would be abnormal for sleep not to be disrupted when we are anxious or stressed!
As long as we avoid compensatory behaviors (such as spending more time in bed or spending more time thinking about or researching sleep) sleep will recover because sleep is a core biological mechanism that cannot be suspended indefinitely.
In my opinion, someone is truly recovered from insomnia when they no longer worry or even think much about sleep — when someone becomes more accepting of whatever sleep they get, and trust their body to generate the sleep it needs instead of the sleep they think they should be getting. This process takes longer for some people than others.
—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 looks as though you’re making great progress, wsh! Thank you for sharing — I am sure it will be encouraging for many people reading this!
—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 Groggy Grandma (love the name by the way)!
It certainly sounds as though you’ve tried many things to help improve your sleep — but I didn’t see any mention of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) techniques.
Is this something you’ve heard of (or tried)?
—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, Robert. First of all, it’s usually not a good idea to go to bed at a set time. You only want to go to bed when you feel sleepy enough for sleep. A clock doesn’t know when you are sleepy!
With that being said, it’s a good idea to observe a regular (and appropriate) sleep window — and this will involve having an earliest possible bedtime. If, however, you aren’t sleepy when your sleep window begins, it’s usually best not to go to bed until you do feel sleepy enough for sleep.
I see nothing in your post that makes me think that CBT-I techniques won’t be helpful for you. You might find it helpful to make sure you are implementing the techniques correctly, then focus your attention on implementing the techniques rather than monitoring for results.
As you rightly pointed out, just as it took time for your insomnia to develop, it will take time to get your sleep back on track.
If you stay committed and consistent, I am confident that you will see improvements in your sleep.
At the current time, one of my favorite books is The Effortless Sleep Method by Sasha Stephens. I also recommend Overcoming Insomnia: A Self-Help Guide Using Cognitive Behavioral Techniques by Colin Espie.
I hope this helps.
—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, Sandra.
When you wake during the night, why do you think you find it so hard to fall back to sleep?
—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.
Can you tell us a bit more about how you’re struggling with sleep, Talula? We can then try to help!
—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.
Sorry to hear about your nighttime anxiety and panic attacks. Often, it can be helpful to identify the thoughts that trigger the anxiety in order to evaluate their accuracy.
If you think about the last time you experienced nighttime anxiety, what was going through your mind?
—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’m glad to hear you are sleeping better, Storchy! Waiting until you feel sleepy enough for sleep is a big insight here and I feel that is far more of a contributing factor to your improvements than melatonin supplements or Benadryl.
Using Benadryl (or any other antihistamine) as a sleep aid is an off-label use of the drug. So, we don’t know about the potential long-term effects and there is no evidence to support the effectiveness of an antihistamine as a treatment for chronic insomnia. Our bodies will also build up a tolerance to antihistamine within as little as three days — so, even if it causes some drowsiness initially, the effects are likely to wear off very quickly.
When it comes to melatonin, people with chronic insomnia don’t typically have any problem with melatonin production or regulation so taking a melatonin supplement doesn’t usually help.
A far better alternative to any medication for the long-term treatment of chronic insomnia is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) since it addresses the root causes of chronic insomnia.
I hope you continue to sleep well and thanks for sharing your story.
—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. I would suggest asking your doctor about cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). This is proven to be far more effective than any sleeping pill for the long-term treatment of chronic insomnia and will stop you from feeling dependent on pills and supplements for the rest of your life. Good luck, and let us know how you get on!
—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 can definitely be a long process — but everyone is different.
I have worked with clients who experienced significant improvements within a couple of weeks of implementing CBT-I techniques. I’ve had other clients who didn’t start to make progress for three to four months. Of course, I’ve also had many clients between these extremes!
Typically, I find that those who have lived with insomnia for longer take longer to improve — this makes sense since insomnia is more entrenched. Just as it took time for insomnia to develop, it takes time to get sleep back on track. Individuals with very high levels of anxiety might also take longer to notice results. Everyone is different.
What I can say is that the sooner you get started with CBT-I techniques, the sooner you will get results — and that focussing on consistent implementation of the techniques rather than monitoring for results can help you make progress, too.
Keep going — you’ve got this!
—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.
