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Welcome to the forum. I think you realize that you are probably going to bed too early. Where did you get the “general rule of thumb of lights out by 10 pm” from?
A far better rule is this: Only go to bed when you feel drowsy and ready for sleep.
I suspect you will find it helpful to implement a sleep window. You can read more about this on the sleep restriction page in the resources section of this website.
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.
Someone mentioned a naturopath here (it didn’t help their insomnia):
https://insomniacoach.com/forums/topic/hello-19/
What are you hoping to get from a naturopath that you are unable to get from a CBT-I practitioner? I only ask because there is overwhelming evidence supporting the effectiveness of CBT-I when it comes to improving 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.
It sounds as though you have quite a lot going on in your life — chronic back pain, and exam stress. Therefore, it’s no surprise that your sleep has been suffering as a result. It’s important to allow your sleep time to recover naturally after stressful events or difficult periods before becoming concerned that something is wrong.
Is your biggest challenge falling asleep at the start of the night, or staying asleep once you initially fall asleep?
—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 struggles with sleep. Your story is not actually uncommon — most cases of insomnia start with an identifiable period of stress or a major life change (such as a career change or health scare) since it’s only natural that times like this disrupt sleep.
Unfortunately, once the trigger passes, sometimes our sleep doesn’t recover. Normally this happens because we now find ourselves worrying about sleep and paying far more attention to sleep than we ever did before. This immediately makes sleep more difficult and starts a vicious cycle of ever-increasing worry about sleep, and ever-worse sleep.
I would suggest making sure that you only go to bed when you feel drowsy and sleepy — but, at the same time, make sure you are always out of bed by the same time every day.
Techniques such as sleep restriction rarely lead to less sleep because the sleep window is calculated by adding to your average sleep duration. With that being said, some CBT-I techniques may lead to less sleep in the short-term, but in exchange (and with commitment and dedication) you will enjoy long-term improvements in your 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’ll have to read Sasha Stephens’ book to learn more about why she is against sleep restriction — because I certainly don’t consider it to be a crutch!
Here are some things I consider to be a crutch:
- Taking a nap during the day to get through the day
- Drinking alcohol before bed to ‘aid’ sleep
- The long-term use of sleeping pills
- Morning lie-ins because it’s too hard to get out of bed
If someone was released from the hospital after a car accident, would we consider them going to physical therapy a crutch? I suspect not!
Sleep restriction is a temporary measure intended to increase sleep efficiency, build sleep pressure, and strengthen the sleep/wake cycle. It is also intended to help us relearn to associate the bed with sleep rather than wakefulness.
I am rather perplexed by the suggestion that sleep restriction is a crutch — when it is, in fact, an evidence-based solution that is designed to help you regain trust in your ability to sleep (something the author claims to be in support of)!
—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.
This is a great discussion!
ACT is definitely worth trying — however, it is a skill that requires practice. When it comes to comparing ACT with stimulus control, if you wake during the night and feel relaxed and confident that you’ll fall back to sleep, there is no need to get out of bed and begin practicing stimulus control.
If, however, you wake and immediately feel worried, anxious, or stressed, practicing ACT may be less effective unless you are a highly skilled practitioner of ACT. In this case, I would suggest getting out of bed and implementing stimulus control.
ACT shouldn’t be seen as competing with any component of CBT-I. All these techniques are helpful and complement one another. It’s just a case of finding what’s right for you — a reminder that an individualized approach is usually the best approach.
—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.
Have you asked your psychiatrist about cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)? CBT-I has been found to significantly improve sleep even in those who have sustained a traumatic brain injury. More on this here:
https://www.healthcentral.com/article/how-and-why-traumatic-brain-injury-harms-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, Cando. My suggestion would be to talk to a doctor — particularly since you have some history associated with psychosis. You may also want to talk to a sleep physician about your sleep, too.
—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 current sleep struggles. When you wake during the night, what do you think is stopping you from falling 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.
How are you getting on now, LouLou?
—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 Julie, and welcome to the forum.
Bear in mind that sleep restriction rarely leads to less sleep, because the amount of time allotted for sleep is always more than your typical nightly sleep duration.
How many bad nights of sleep do you have at present, without practicing sleep restriction therapy? What would you have to lose by giving the technique a try for a couple of weeks?
—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 certainly aren’t alone! Can you tell us a bit more about your sleep? How do you want your sleep to improve?
—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.
My apologies for the delay in responding to your forum post, and I am sorry to hear about your struggles with sleep. Congratulations on the progress you have made up to this point — be sure to give yourself credit where credit is due for the improvements you have made over the past four months.
When you wake at 4:00 am, what do you think is stopping you from falling back to sleep?
It can definitely be challenging to haul yourself out of bed when you can’t fall back to sleep — however, you know that staying in bed doesn’t work, so why not commit to an alternative strategy (such as getting out of bed) that has a lot of evidence supporting its positive effect on sleep over the long-term?
—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, Joe. You mentioned that when nighttime comes around, you aren’t tired. Does this mean that you go to bed before you feel drowsy, sleepy, and ready for sleep? If so, have you tried simply waiting until you do feel sleepy before going to bed?
—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, Detek. Anxiety is a common problem for individuals with insomnia — because high levels of anxiety can suspend sleep. So, the key to improving sleep is reducing sleep-related worry and anxiety. This is typically accomplished using CBT-I techniques. Have you looked into CBT for insomnia?
—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.
