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Stress from life events can certainly cause some temporary sleep disruption, as you’ve experienced. Excellent news on relaxing and achieving some good sleep last night! When our sleep is disrupted, we want to put effort into “fixing it” but sleep responds negatively to any effort and usually perpetuates the issue. Be mindful of any sleep related effort you might be doing in hopes of generating sleep.
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 Jen72,
Welcome to the forum and for sharing your story. Have you experienced a life event change recently that may have caused your anxiety or insomnia? Typically, sleep recovers once the event that triggered your anxiety is no longer present. More often, if someone continues to experience sleep disruption, it’s usually because our thoughts and behaviors towards sleep has changed.
Why do you think you’ll never sleep again? We don’t lose our ability to sleep just as we don’t lose our ability to breathe. If we’re more anxious at bedtime, it makes sleep more difficult and may prevent sound sleep for a short-term but our mind doesn’t forget how to sleep.
“Short wave” or N1 sleep is determined by an overnight polysomnographic study where brain waves are being measured and most people who wake during N1 sleep actually report they were awake during that time but were actually asleep.
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 @pontiac,
Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting.
Can you describe what your sleep is like at the current time? What is the biggest challenge you face with sleep?
When you do sleep, how many hours are you achieving? Lastly, on those nights where you feel like you’ve not gotten restorative sleep, do you continue to go about your day normally or do you compensate for lack of sleep by canceling events and being more sedentary?
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.
Dlupu,
Based on the times you mentioned, you’re allotting 10 hours for sleep each night. I wonder if you’d have greater success if you reduced your time in bed since one of the goals with the sleep restricted window is to build a powerful sleep drive. Building a strong sleep drive can also reduce the heightened arousal you experience at bedtime too. CBT-I techniques are helpful because they address the thoughts and behaviors that perpetuate sleep disruption. Have you considered exploring those techniques or have questions about 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 Hannah! Wonderful story – thanks for sharing your success on the forum!
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.
Splendid conversation here, folks!
@turtlestamp – personally, I experienced 8 hrs cumulative sleep for 4 straight days when I had insomnia, so I can relate. It was probably the worst time during my entire 10-month insomnia experience but sleep wins in the end. I remember making coffee one morning and thinking, “is something wrong with me”, “am I losing my mind” and other negative thoughts towards my sleep issue during that 4-day stretch. It was an emotional drain. It’s not uncommon to hear similar experiences on this forum but how people handle the situation will vary from person-to-person and with different outcomes.Just as most on this forum, I tried everything on the Internet without long term success, until I found and committed to CBT-I techniques. In my experience, addressing thoughts AND behaviors proves to be the most effective way to improve sleep but, again, it’s different for everyone. Some are able to improve their sleep issue by focusing on behavioral changes and others who explore only the cognitive side have shown improvement too.
If you’re currently exploring CBT-I, I’d suggest two things: 1) be 100% committed to the techniques and 2) have patience with results. Your commitment to the evidence-based techniques could determine how soon you begin to see positive results in your sleep. Understandably so, people want instant gratification in everything – weight loss, fitness, etc but having realistic timeframes for resolution is important. Remember, your insomnia has been with you for a while (months, years) so having it resolved in a day or two, even a week, probably isn’t realistic.
I 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.
Dlupu,
What time do you go to bed? When you lie in bed awake, are you anxious/frustrated or calm? Lastly, do you have heightened arousal when bedtime approaches and during the day?
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 Jerry,
Welcome to the forum! What is it about the idea of not sleeping that makes you anxious? Over time, our mind has developed to constantly scan for danger and prepare for fight or flight. It also has the ability to learn conditioned arousal and begin to associate our bed/bedtime with heightened arousal. There are techniques, specifically sleep restriction, that can be implemented to overpower these anxious thoughts about sleep though. What time do you go to bed, wake in the morning and how many hours of sleep do you achieve on an average 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.
Hi Elizabeth.ca,
Welcome to the forum! Congratulations on implementing sleep restriction, a core component of CBT-I to restore your sleep! Usually, sleep recovers as soon as the initial trigger that caused sleep disruption is no longer present. If it doesn’t, it usually means the way we think about our sleep has changed and we’ve implemented new behaviors in an attempt to improve our sleep. How long have you been implementing sleep restriction and how has it been working for you?
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 Robin,
Welcome to the forum! It’s not too surprising you haven’t found medication helpful since pills don’t generate sleep and don’t assist with the perpetuation of your sleep disruption. Are you having a difficult time falling asleep, staying asleep or both?
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 @ellabear09,
Welcome to the forum! Congratulations on your decision to stop taking Ambien. Can you describe what your current sleep is like? What time do you go to bed, wake up to start your day and how many hours of sleep are you achieving on an average 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.
Hi Dlupu,
Welcome to the forum! Can you describe what your sleep is like at the current time — what is an average night like? 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.
REM –
If you experience a tough night of sleep, don’t beat yourself up. Usually, the best way to react to a poor night of sleep is not to react since our reactions can perpetuate the sleep disruption.
Hopefully you’ve been reviewing the resources on this website if you decide to give CBT-I another attempt. Also, there are others on this forum with similar situations as yourself that can provide additional insights and support along the way. CBT-I techniques can be really helpful because they tackle the thoughts and behaviors that perpetuate sleep disruption but your commitment to these techniques could determine how soon you begin to see positive results in your sleep. Most people, understandingly, want instant gratification in everything – weight loss, fitness, etc but patience and commitment to the program are key to your success.
Jotting down your concerns during the day and having a “so what” attitude towards your thoughts can help reduce the nighttime arousal. Building a strong sleep drive during the day by implementing a sleep window can also help overpower your anxious thoughts at bedtime.
Have you started sleep restriction again? If so, what time do you go to bed and wake in the morning to start your 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.
Hi @Mikehdz,
Welcome to the forum! Are you able to attribute your recent insomnia to a stressor in life that could’ve triggered it or did you experience a couple of nights of poor sleep and begin to have sleep anxiety? When our thoughts and behaviors toward our sleep has changed, it can perpetuate our sleep disruption. One of the most important techniques of CBT-I to build a strong sleep drive during the day and to overpower those anxious thoughts you might be having at bedtime is using a sleep restriction window. What time do you usually go to bed at night, when do you get out of bed to start your day, and how many hours of sleep do you get on an average night?
When you wake during the night and aren’t able to fall back to sleep, are you continuing to lie in bed frustrated/anxious or are you getting out of bed and engaging in more enjoyable activitives (watching tv, listening to podcast, 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.
REM,
It sounds like you had some previous success with CBT-I, managing 6 hours of sleep, while casually implementing the techniques so that should give you some reassurance that you can sleep and that your efforts really paid off. How did you feel the next day after achieving 6 hours of sleep and did you go on about your day normally? It’s not uncommon to have an occasional poor night of sleep but the best way to react to a few difficult nights is not to react since our reactions are often unhelpful and can perpetuate the issue.
As you know, consistently implementing the CBT-I techniques and being patient with the process is critical in overcoming your sleep issues. It’s like going to the gym – short term pain for long term gain, right? Was the lack of support the reason you didn’t fully commit to the CBT-I techniques previously or was it attributed to something else?
When you start to worry about sleep, what is going through your mind and how do you try to manage those thoughts?
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.
