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Hi Eka and congratulations on surviving COVID! I work in a hospital and know how difficult some of our patients have with it.
Typically, sleep can become temporarily interrupted or difficult when someone experiences trauma or a life changing event in their life, as you did. Usually though, sleep returns to normal once the event has left but sometimes our thoughts and behaviors toward our sleep change and can perpetuate our sleep issue. Tell us a bit more about your current sleep/routine – are you going to bed ONLY when you’re sleepy, are you getting out of bed at the same time every morning and what do you do when you aren’t able to fall asleep when you go to bed (do you continue to lie in bed, get out of bed, etc)? Why do you believe you aren’t able to fall asleep when you go to bed – any ideas?
Scott J
—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.
Since sleep medications don’t address the primary causes of insomnia, thoughts and behaviors, it’s not surprising you haven’t found them beneficial. If you’re hooked on them, you might consider consulting with your primary physician for guidance. Have you began exploring CBT-I techniques instead?
Scott J
—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.
Maura,
That’s fantastic news and thanks for providing such great insight for everyone!
Scott J
—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.
Hey @hlindsey!
Thanks for posting! If you don’t fall asleep right away, what is going through your mind or what do you think is causing you not to fall asleep when you go to bed? Usually, when we’re not able to fall asleep when we go to bed, it means we weren’t sleepy or anxious thoughts are overriding our sleep drive. If you’re lying in bed becoming frustrated, have you experimented with getting out of bed and engaging in something more enjoyable until you are sleepy? If you’re sleepy sitting on the couch and then wide awake when you get in bed, it’s considered conditioned arousal – your mind associates your bed with anxious thoughts and wakefulness.
Hope that helps,
Scott J—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.
Hey! Welcome to the forum!
Life events can certainly trigger some sleep disruption but typically after the stressor goes away our sleep returns to normal. Anxious thoughts about our sleep can perpetuate sleep disruptions. The good news is that we don’t lose our ability to sleep just like we don’t forget how to breathe. Sometimes, it can feel like we won’t ever sleep again, but that’s not an uncommon reaction when we experience consistent poor sleep.
Why do you think you become anxious when others in the house are able to sleep before you? Lying in bed awake programs the mind to associate the bed with wakefulness, anxiety and frustration. If you’re experiencing any of those feelings, do you think it’d be beneficial to get out of bed and engage in something more enjoyable – watching tv, listening to a podcast, etc?
Hope that helps,
Scott J—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.
Hi @Grangers – thanks for posting in the forum!
We don’t lose our ability to sleep just as we don’t lose our ability to breathe so it’s difficult for me to believe that someone is not getting ANY sleep. I’m not personally aware or have read of any occurrences of organ failure due to lack of sleep.
People with insomnia typically monitor for sleep and the quality of their sleep a lot more than people without insomnia. Historically, sleep trackers have a spotty reputation with consistent results and if you have an analytical personality, this can really increase your anxiousness about your sleep, especially around bedtime. A better gauge, in my opinion, of how you slept is how you feel the next day and ensuring you’re engaging in enjoyable activities (social events, exercising, watching tv, hanging with friends, etc) during the day. Even after a poor night’s sleep, I’m willing to suggest that if you won the lottery the next day, you’d have a great day.
Hope that helps,
Scott J—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.
Hey @Dreamz – welcome!
It’s not uncommon for people to briefly wake after 3-4 hours or between sleep cycles but they usually go unnoticed. When you have these wakefulness moments, do you experience anxious thoughts or are you calm and relaxed while lying in bed? What do you find yourself thinking about while you’re awake?
Scott J
—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.
Hi @monalisasmiler! Welcome!
As you’ve experienced, sleep-related thoughts can increase our arousal at bedtime and make sleep more difficult but it sounds like you’re trying to manage those thoughts. Can you expand on that idea? Why do you think you feel anxious about sleep or wakefulness?
Scott J
—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.
Hey @hyperspeeds33!
Thanks for posting in the forum! What is the biggest challenge you face with sleep?
Scott J
—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.
Hi @jworbhsd!
Welcome to the forum! It’s great to read that you’ve been implementing some CBT-I techniques recently.
Staying awake until your sleep window starts was the most difficult challenges I faced when I was implementing those techniques. I found that standing while watching tv or taking a walk inside my home during commercials helped me stay awake. You can’t sleep standing! 😉 You could also color, craft, prepare lunch for the next day – any activity that is relaxing and engaging but not over-stimulating. Do you think either of those ideas might allow you to stay awake until your sleep window starts?
If those suggestions aren’t helpful, you can move your sleep restriction window to begin 30/60 minutes earlier so having a start time of 11:30/11pm might be a solution for you. The key is starting your day at the same time every day, including weekends, to help build a strong sleep drive during the day.
Hope that helps,
Scott J—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.
Hey Leah – welcome to the forum!
What is the biggest challenge you face with sleep – falling asleep, staying asleep, waking too early…all of the above? Are you experiencing any arousal or anxious thoughts about sleep when it’s bedtime? Are you implementing a sleep restriction window or any CBT-I techniques to assist in restoring your sleep?
Scott J
—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.
Dom007,
It’s encouraging to read that you’re trying to stay active during your days because I know how challenging that can be.
If you’re finding the start of your sleep restriction window difficult to remain awake, there are a couple of options you might want to consider. When I had insomnia, I experienced the same thing – staying awake until my sleep window starts. To help, I began standing while watching tv and even taking a slow walk around the house during commercials. I also began coloring, yes, just like I did as a child! If you can find activities that are relaxing but not stimulating, that could be beneficial for you. Another consideration might be moving the start of your sleep restriction up 30-60 mins and starting it at 1130 or 11pm but keeping the duration of your sleep window the same, so waking at 5/430am instead. The key is keeping a consistent sleep window, even on the toughest nights because this really helps to build your sleep drive, which can overpower some of that arousal you might be experiencing around bedtime.
And as Phil suggests, I’d also recommend enrolling in Martin’s free 14-day course. It’s very thorough and has helped a lot of people with their sleep struggles.
Hope that helps,
Scott J—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.
Dom007 –
As you’ve experienced, sleeping medications aren’t beneficial for generating sleep but it sounds like you’re implementing some CBT-I techniques, is that correct? If so, what is your current sleep restriction window? Are you having difficulty or have questions with any of the techniques?
The day following major sleep disruption can be tough but it’s how we react to those days that impact our sleep that night. What if I suggested that you’d probably have a great day, even after being up all night, if you won the lottery that day, would you believe me? What happens during the day might have more of an impact on how you feel during the day than how you slept the previous night. Think back to when you didn’t have these sleep concerns – are you staying as active and going about your day now as you did then or are you canceling social events, making efforts to preserve energy, spending energy on finding insomnia solutions on the Internet, etc?
Scott J
—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.
Hi @Risheet!
Welcome and congratulations on your progress! One of the cliche’s I like to use in my personal life is…”Progress is still progress” and your achievement (although you might think is small) is still progress and that’s because of the effort you’ve made in restoring your sleep. Stay the course, stay patient and you’ll continue to see benefits…and progress!
Scott J
—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.
Are your thoughts and arousal specific to a sleep concern or just a general “monkey mind” of thoughts about work, life, etc? Are you implementing any relaxing techniques 1-2 hours prior to bedtime, such as, reading, watching tv, meditating, crafting, etc to calm your mind?
Scott J
—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.
