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Hello Sheri. Welcome to the forum, and I’m sorry to hear about your struggles with insomnia, anxiety, and depression.
All three conditions are related — and so your question about whether the depression caused insomnia or insomnia caused the depression is an appropriate one.
Research suggests that the relationship runs both ways, with sleep problems exacerbating depression and depression exacerbating sleep problems.
The best way to calculate your sleep restriction schedule is to take a broad overview of your sleep over at least one week (ideally two). Once you have your average nightly sleep duration, add half an hour. As long as this is more than five-and-a-half hours, you now have the amount of time you should be allotting for sleep. If it is less than five-and-a-half hours for sleep, then you should be allotting five-and-a-half hours for sleep.
Unfortunately, we cannot control sleep — so although you don’t want to wake at a certain time, if that’s when your body wants to wake, that is when it will wake. However, over time, as your sleep stabilizes, you should be able to make adjustments to your sleep schedule to get it closer to where you want it to be.
The fact that you experience nights of very short amounts of sleep followed by a night of longer sleep suggests that your sleep is being disrupted by your arousal system. This can temporarily override sleep drive, but because sleep is a biological function, sleep drive eventually reaches the point where it forces sleep regardless of your arousal system. After a night of longer sleep, your sleep drive falls and so your arousal system takes over and makes sleep difficult once again. CBT for insomnia helps break this cycle by weakening the arousal system and strengthening the sleep/wake cycle and sleep drive.
Sleep restriction works because it reduces the amount of time you spend in bed awake at night, tossing and turning, and worrying about sleep (all of which make sleep more difficult). As a result, it increases the amount of time you spend in bed asleep rather than awake and, over time, this makes the bed a stronger trigger for sleep.
It’s also worth mentioning that when you have set your sleep window, the start of the sleep window is the earliest time at which you can go to bed. If you don’t feel sleepy when your sleep window begins, you shouldn’t go to bed until you do feel sleepy. However, regardless of what happens during the night, you should always be out of bed by the end of your sleep window in the morning.
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.
CBT isn’t easy — it can be challenging, but in return for the effort, it will get you results. My clients rarely tell me that they struggle to incorporate CBT techniques into their schedule — and that’s because none of its components really add any time or tasks onto the day, other than filling out a brief daily sleep diary.
In fact, CBT-I tends to help relieve a busy/complex schedule by addressing the unnecessary sleep routines and behaviors people with insomnia often have.
Are there any particular components of CBT-I that you feel will be difficult for you to implement because of your schedule? If you can share them, I can better answer your question.
—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. It’s impossible to force yourself to stay asleep through the night, just as it’s impossible to force yourself to fall asleep within a certain amount of time, or sleep for a certain amount of time. Although we can ‘set the stage’ for sleep, we can’t control sleep. Trying to do so only makes sleep more difficult.
Waking during the night is normal and tends to occur as we emerge from each sleep cycle. The difference between ‘normal’ sleepers and those who struggle with nighttime awakenings is that the ‘normal’ sleepers pay no attention to these awakenings and they don’t worry about them. As a result, they tend to fall back to sleep almost immediately — and often don’t even remember waking up.
CBT-I is the best treatment option for insomnia because it helps address the thoughts and behaviors that tend to disrupt sleep and increase sleep-related worry and anxiety. Of course, I am biased because I run an online course that uses cognitive and behavioral techniques to improve sleep — but I have worked with clients who have suffered with sleep issues for decades and we have managed to improve their sleep within a couple of months.
What I will suggest is that if you look for online CBT-I, you choose a program that comes with a lot of individual support and guidance from a human sleep coach or other professional. That’s because some of the techniques can be challenging to implement, so having someone who is always available and who has your back as you progress can make the difference between success and failure.
—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, and I’m sorry to hear about the sleep challenges you are currently facing.
Since you are currently on CPAP and medication for restless legs, have you discussed your sleep problems with your doctor? They should be able to tell you if your ongoing sleep issues are a result of your sleep apnea or restless legs (and help you address this) or if something else is the problem.
The techniques you mentioned are sleep hygiene techniques rather than cognitive and behavioral techniques for insomnia. Have you talked to your doctor to see if they think CBT-I would be helpful 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.
You are capable of achieving this! Can you tell us a bit more about your sleep? What is a typical night like?
—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 this, Jean. What do you think is stopping you from falling back to sleep when you wake during the night?
—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.
First of all, if you are feeling suicidal, please seek help immediately. I believe you are in India. Here is a list of organizations in India that can help:
http://www.suicide.org/hotlines/international/india-suicide-hotlines.html
We never lose our ability to sleep. You can regain your previous capacity to sleep.
Your sleep issues were triggered by a period of heightened stress — and this is completely normal! However, after the stressful period passed, your sleep continued to suffer. That is probably because you began thinking a lot about sleep and worrying about your sleep.
Unfortunately, as soon as we worry about sleep, pay it a lot of attention, or try to control sleep, we immediately make sleep more difficult. That’s because these actions activate our arousal system (also known as the ‘fight or flight’ response).
Prolonged periods of little to no sleep build up a strong sleep drive — and that is why, after a period of very poor sleep you found that you managed to get eight hours of sleep. This is evidence that you are still capable of sleep.
Have you looked into CBT for insomnia? You may want to ask your doctor about this since it will help address the anxiety and worry you have towards sleep. When you begin to reduce this anxiety and worry, your sleep will begin to improve.
Good luck, and keep in touch.
—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.
Does anything tend to happen around this time of year to trigger your sleep issues, other than the changing of the seasons? Do you feel worry or anxiety about the change of the seasons or the approaching Holiday period?
It sounds as though you would be a good candidate for CBT for insomnia because it is specifically designed to address the sleep-related anxieties and worries that make sleep difficult.
Did you end up going to the hospital? I am not sure how much help they would be able to offer you, but I am curious to know what advice they gave 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’re getting 8-9 hours of sleep each night, then it’s unlikely that you have insomnia. If you are concerned about your sleep, you may want to discuss your concerns with your doctor.
—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 may want to talk to your doctor to see if they think you’d be a good candidate for CBT for insomnia.
In any case, you are not being over the top. You have legitimate concerns and being a parent means you are going to spend the rest of your life worrying about / being concerned about your kids (I have a three-year-old myself)!
—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, Nick. Have you discussed CBT-I with your psychiatrist or another medical professional? You sound as though you would be a good candidate since you mention that you tend to worry quite a lot about your sleep (which, in itself, makes sleep more difficult).
Many medications will simply sedate you rather than give you the restorative sleep you are looking for — and as soon as you stop taking them, the insomnia is likely to return. CBT-I is usually a better option since it’s effective 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.
Sounds like a good plan! Do keep in touch 🙂
—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 many hours of sleep do you get on a typical night? How many hours of sleep do you feel you ‘need’ in order to feel good during the day? Do you normally feel sleepy and ready for sleep between 11pm and 11:30pm or do you feel sleepy earlier or later in the evening?
—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 don’t feel like sleeping, why are you concerned about your sleep? We will typically sleep when we are ready to sleep and sleep for as long as we need to sleep without intervention.
When do you typically go to bed and when do you get out of bed each day? How many hours of sleep do you get on a typical night?
—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, Ximena. First, let me reassure you that you are capable of sleep, and you do not need to rely on sleeping pills to sleep. Sleep is a natural process and only tends to become a problem when we try to interfere with sleep on a conscious or unconscious level (for example, by allotting too much time for sleep, not following a regular sleep schedule, or worrying about sleep).
I’m glad to hear you are seeing a psychologist for your sleep issues. I am confident they will be able to help you, particularly if they are directing you through a course of 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.
