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Amy,
Implementing CBT-I while raising a newborn who hasn’t settled into a regular sleep pattern is a bit more challenging but these techniques can certainly still be beneficial. If you’ve established a morning anchor to get out of bed to start your day, I encourage you to maintain that time. Oftentimes, we begin altering our behaviors to accommodate for sleep disruption by going to bed when the child goes to bed or going to bed before we’re actually sleepy and that’s something we should try to avoid also. Taking daytime naps can diminish our sleep pressure, which is important to overcome some bedtime arousal and encourages sleep, so daytime naps are generally not advised while trying to resolve insomnia issues.
Have you considered exploring the idea of changing your mindset towards your thoughts? What if you began having an anxious thought about your sleep and approached it with, “So what?! Thoughts are just thoughts.”. Although you can’t stop the “what if” thoughts from arising you can control your response to them. Do you think that would be helpful?
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.
Hello Friend,
Welcome to the forum! A benefit of learning and using these evidence-based techniques is that you can use them any time you have, or anticipate having, a disruption in your sleep. Even though I haven’t had insomnia for over 2 years, I occasionally have nights I need to implement stimulus control because I wake in the middle of the night and am anxious about work or a personal issue. Once you learn them, they’ll always be ready for you to use.
You mentioned that you’re trying everything to get sleep and nothing has been beneficial – are you referring to CBT-I techniques?
Melatonin is great to minimize jet lag but there’s no supplement/medication that generates sleep but, for some, it’s a personal preference of what they feel works for 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.
David1,
You’re welcome and I look forward to your update! Just a reminder that any sedentary activity (sitting and watching TV, etc) can make it more difficult to remain awake until the start of your sleep window so try to be engaged in relaxing but non-sedentary activities. When I had insomnia, it was very difficult for me to wait until my sleep window started so I began watching TV on my phone while walking around inside my home. You could also prepare your lunch for the next day, craft, color, etc as other suggestions.
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.
That’s encouraging to hear that you’re maintaining your daily activities! Many people who experience insomnia will deliberately change their daily routines or schedules in an attempt to accommodate lack of sleep so I encourage you to continue to go about your day as you’re doing now.
Since you mentioned that you typically go to bed at 10:30 but sleep from 12-1, do you think altering your bedtime to have a start time of 11:45pm or 12 would be more beneficial? The idea is to create a strong sleep drive that overpowers your anxiety which allows for a greater chance of sleep. Exploring the utilization of a sleep restriction window sounds counterintuitive but it could be worth exploring in your situation. If you’re not familiar with it, check out Martin’s resource page – https://insomniacoach.com/sleep-restriction-therapy/ and if you have questions along the way, we’re here to support.
If you wake in the middle of the night and are frustrated or anxious about falling back to sleep, then getting out of bed, as you’re currently doing, is helpful. If you continue to lie there, our mind creates an association between our bed and poor sleep so you’re breaking that association by removing yourself from that environment. Do you listen to podcasts or able to watch a non-stimulating TV show or maybe read a book, plan your lunch for the next day, etc? Any activity that is relaxing and takes your mind off of the situation is beneficial and once you begin to doze off or are continuously yawning are queues for your return to bed.
To my knowledge, there hasn’t been any health consequences identified with having insomnia. I believe, based on your posts, that you’re taking the necessary steps in managing your anxiety and you’re implementing stimulus control when you wake at night. After you review the article I mentioned above about sleep restriction, I’d be interested to hear if that’s something worth a try.
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 Amy,
Thanks for taking the time to post and congratulations on your newborn girl! It’s no surprise that you’re experiencing some difficult nights of sleep as this occurs after having a baby but it usually returns to normal once she settles into a nightly routine and sleep schedule. Since she’s sleeping for 8 hours a night, do you think now is a good time for you to explore these evidence-based techniques?
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.
A dramatic change in our health is certainly a trigger for restless nights but our sleep is usually restored once that stressful event passes. It’s our reaction to those difficult nights that can perpetuate the sleep disruption issue. The thoughts we begin to have about our sleep increases our arousal and we tend to add pressure to ourselves to sleep which makes sleep even more difficult to obtain. Have you thought about approaching your thoughts about sleep differently? What if you took the attitude of, “So what? What’s the worst thing that can happen?” when you begin to have an arousing thought about sleep? I remember when I experienced insomnia and changing how I managed my thoughts was key in successfully restoring my sleep. I had to consistently have the attitude of “so what” when thoughts arose but after a few days, my anxiety began to greatly lessen.
What time do you go to bed and get out of bed to start your day? When you are awake in bed unable to sleep, do you continue to lie in bed anxious or do you get out of bed to do something more enjoyable?
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 @David1,
Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting! Are you tracking your nightly sleep as part of a sleep diary? How long have you been having this disruption in your sleep? Why do you believe you’re experiencing insomnia – is there a trigger that could be causing it (change in jobs, decline in health, new partner or baby, 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.
Heykey,
A different environment has the potential to trigger a disruption in your sleep but the only way true regression occurs is if you abandon the evidence-based techniques you’ve been implementing to achieve the sleep you’re experiencing now. What’s the absolute worst thing that could happen when you spend the 3 nights in a hotel?
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.
Outstanding! The actions you’re taking are definitely making a difference for you. One of the books I found beneficial, specifically about how to manage thoughts, was The Sleep Book by Dr. Guy Meadows. He does focus on ACT techniques but the key takeaway for me was the information he provided on accepting your thoughts as just what they are – thoughts. Since you’re experiencing some success in your sleep now, I’d encourage you to stay the course with these evidence-based techniques, even if you have a rough patch of 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.
Hello @Martinfisher97,
Welcome to the forum! What are you thinking about that causes your heart to begin to race? Do you continue to lie in bed awake and anxious or do you get out of bed and do something more enjoyable?
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 @Malayamommy,
Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the new addition to the family! It probably doesn’t come as a surprise to learn that sleep disruption is common after having a baby but it usually recovers when the baby settles into a nightly sleep routine. You’ve taken a huge step forward in your sleep recovery by exploring the evidence-based techniques on this site and reviewing the videos you mentioned. The key to starting any new program – diet, exercise, sleep – and seeing long-term positive results is to remain committed to the techniques. At first, it may be difficult and you may not begin to see immediate results but if you consistently implement the steps in the program, I believe you’ll find them beneficial. Are you having difficulty or have questions about any section of the program?
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.
I’d recommend seeking guidance from your primary care physician for the sleep apnea issue before we approach ideas of solving insomnia.
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 @Bellabunting,
Welcome to the forum! The good news is that we don’t lose our ability to sleep. We may have significant sleep disruptions with some nights of no sleep but our sleep drive eventually wins over our arousal of not sleeping. What is it about not sleeping that is causing you so much anxiety? You might explore the idea of changing your relationships with your thoughts that are causing you anxiety towards sleep. When I experienced insomnia, my thoughts were crippling until I began to say, “so what, what’s the worst thing that can happen?” when those thoughts of not sleeping at night arrived. Do you think that would be beneficial?
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.
Lx,
Welcome to the forum! As you mentioned, stressful life events can trigger a disruption in our sleep, but those restless nights usually pass when the trigger does. How many hours of sleep are you achieving each night, on average? When you wake up before you’d like to, do you experience anxiety about sleep or put pressure on yourself to fall back to 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.
Welcome to the forum! Thanks for signing up for the free course. How long ago did you sign up and did you find any of it difficult to implement or have questions about it? Typically, it can take time to see a noticeable improvement in your sleep when you begin a new routine but implementing the ideas consistently can be beneficial. I relate it to starting a new workout regimen – it’s hard when you first start, you’re tired and you wonder if you’ll ever see any positive results but if you remain committed to the program, those results will appear in time.
Since you achieve 4-5 hours of sleep, that should be proof that you haven’t lost the ability to sleep! Our sleep drive diminishes after about 5 hours of sleep which can people to briefly wake so that may be what you’re experiencing. When you wake after 5 hours of sleep, do you become anxious about being 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.
