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Boylston –
Thank you, I did enjoy my time away. I’m glad to hear that you’ve enrolled in the course, I think you’ll find it immensely beneficial when committed to it. Since you have enrolled in his course, I’d defer to Martin with those questions.
Best of luck and I can’t wait to hear your success story!
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 Wendy!
Welcome to the forum and for posting your success and tips!
The rule of thumb for stimulus control is to lie in bed as long as lying in bed is pleasant. Once you begin to have anxious thoughts or become frustrated, it’s recommended that you remove yourself from bed so a negative association with your bed doesn’t develop.
Hope that helps and I look forward to hearing more about your developing success story! Great job!
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 Sharon2424,
Welcome to the forum!
What is usually going through your mind when you wake during the night? Are you currently implementing any methods/techniques to manage your anxious thoughts (journaling, getting out of bed when lying in bed isn’t pleasant, 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 Hennie!
Welcome to the forum!
What is the biggest challenge you face with sleep? Have any questions for us?
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 Theodore!
Welcome to the forum and thanks for signing up for the course. If you have questions along the way, please feel free to ask!
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.
Boylston – so sorry for the delay, I took a couple of vacation days and just returned.
Both courses (free and personalized coaching from Martin) can be extremely beneficial for those seeking help but they’re quiet different. If you’re signed up for Martin’s free course, you know that it’s a daily email with instructions on how to implement CBT-I and why. Martin’s phone coaching is hyper personalized to your specific insomnia issue and both of you work together on a specific game plan to restore your sleep. Both programs still encourage the person to be committed to the program and remain patient for results before either can have benefits. I’m not aware of any discounts available at the moment.
If you’re not sleep when your sleep window begins, I encourage you to continue engaging in relaxing activities and go to bed when you’re sleepy (head nodding, dozing, burning sensation of the eyelids, etc). The most important element of implementing a sleep window is consistently getting out of bed at the end of the sleep window to start your day.
So, how have things been going the last few days?
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.
Chaz –
Thanks for the feedback, I greatly appreciate it.
The only way to fail at implementing CBT-I techniques and seeing results – is by not starting. The keys to some of the success stories you read on this forum are from those who consistently implemented the methods and remained patient. Have you considered signing up for Martin’s free (yes, 100% free) CBT-I course? If you’re not familiar with it, you might want to explore it as I think you’d find it beneficial: https://insomniacoach.com/sleep-training/?ref=menu
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.
Boylston,
Based on what you mentioned, do you think it’d be beneficial if you remained engaged in relaxing nonsedentary activities until your sleep window starts?
If we are watching the clock and find that we haven’t fallen asleep within 30 minutes, we might begin thinking that it’s going to be impossible to fall asleep and this increases our arousal, making sleep even more difficult. If you find yourself calm/relaxed while lying in bed, have you tried remaining in bed instead of removing yourself from the environment? The idea of implementing stimulus control is to break the association between anxiousness/frustration and your bed so if you’re not experiencing either of those emotions, you might consider simply remaining in bed as long as that continues to feel good. What do you think might happen if you stopped watching the clock?
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.
Chaz,
Based on what I’ve read, it sounds as though you are having “some” success with CBT-I but some difficulties remain, correct?
It can take time and consistency for a new sleep window to lead to noticeable improvements in sleep so try to remain patient. Since one of the goals with the sleep window is to build a strong sleep drive, it’s usually helpful to avoid daytime naps since they reduce sleep drive. Instead of taking a nap, could you engage in enjoyable activities or movement (walk, exercise, etc) that could reduce your fatigue level?
I wouldn’t beat yourself up – you’re taking steps in the right direction by implementing these evidence-based techniques but patience and commitment really determine how soon positive results are generated. I relate it to starting an exercise program – at first, you may find it difficult to remain committed, you’re tired, body is sore, you’re not sure what you’re doing has any benefits but if you remain committed, you’ll begin to see benefits.
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.
Dauphin,
That’s great to hear that you’re implementing a sleep restricted window and maybe exploring other CBT-I techniques. Have you seen any results? It’s recommended that you establish a sleep window based on the time that you desire to get out of bed in the morning and then count backwards 5.5 – 6 hours and that time would be the start of your sleep window. By the start of your sleep window, it’s not uncommon to find yourself very sleepy by then. If you’re not sleepy at the start of your sleep window, I’d consider remaining awake until you are but consistently get out of bed in the morning at the same time each 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.
Boylston – since it sounds like you’re an “early bird” chronotype, like myself, it only makes sense to shift your sleep restricted window. The important elements of sleep restriction is that you retain the number of hours of the window and consistently get out of bed at the same time every morning to assist in building a strong sleep drive.
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, welcome to the forum!
Have you started using the CBT-I techniques you’ve been reading about recently? If so, what is your established sleep window? Do you have questions about the techniques or any difficulties implementing them?
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 Boylston, welcome to the forum!
Your description of how insomnia begins for some people isn’t uncommon. Life events and stressors can be the culprit of an occasional restless night but usually once the trigger that caused sleep disruption is gone, your sleep returns to normal again. When we begin to change our thoughts and behaviors toward our sleep it can perpetuate our sleep issue.
What activities are you engaged in before your sleep window starts? Are there any non-sedentary but relaxing activities that you could begin doing that could make the wait for the sleep window more tolerable? When I had insomnia and began implementing CBT-I, I experienced a similar difficulty. To help ease the wait, I’d watch TV whilst standing and I’d walk around the house during commercials.
What causes you to remove yourself from your bed – anxious thoughts, frustration? If so, what’s going through your mind while you lay awake in bed? If you aren’t aroused and are calm/relaxed, have you tried remaining in bed? The rule of thumb for stimulus control (removing yourself from bed) is 15-30 minutes but instead of watching the clock, have you tried returning to bed when you’re sleepy (yawning, head nodding, heavy eyes, 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.
Welcome to the forum, @Enabeling!
I’m glad to hear that your efforts implementing CBT-I techniques have been beneficial for you! I don’t know the history of your insomnia but you shouldn’t beat yourself up after having an occasional night of sleep disruption. It’s been 2 years since I resolved my sleep issues, but will still have an occasional night of fragmented sleep or wakefulness but I don’t allow it to affect the following day. I find that those nights are most notable when I travel and am going to bed in a different environment but I don’t dwell on them and continue my day as normally as possible.
Are there activities that you can engage in following a tough night that could improve the quality of your day? The better you can make your day, the less pressure you might put on yourself to sleep better/longer the next night.
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.
Welcome to the forum!
Are you only going to bed when you’re sleepy versus being tired/fatigued? Are you experiencing anxious thoughts or frustration when you lie in bed and can’t sleep?
Typically, most relaxation methods occur prior to going to bed since your sleep drive should be strong enough to allow you to fall asleep easily. Relaxing activities could include meditation, reading, crafting, listening to a podcast, watching TV, coloring, etc. What relaxing activities do you like engaging in during the day that you might be able to use at night?
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.
