Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Ladybrooke,
Based on what you mentioned in both of your posts, it appears that you’re achieving, on average, 5-6 hours of fragmented sleep each night. If you can determine what time you need to get out of bed each morning to start your day, you can calculate your bedtime by adding 30 minutes to your average sleep total and counting backwards that amount of time. For example, if I sleep an average of 6 hours each night and I know I have to get out of bed at 6am, then my bedtime is 11:30pm (6 hrs average + 30 mins). Once I consistently achieve 6 hours of sleep during the next 1-2 weeks, I can add 15-30 minutes to my total time in bed and start my bedtime that much earlier.
If you’re having difficulty remaining awake until your bedtime there’s a couple of options for you: 1) remain engaged in non-sedentary activities (prepare tomorrow’s lunch, make a grocery list, draw/color, etc; 2) shift your bedtime to an earlier start time. If you shift your bedtime earlier, I’d encourage you to consistently get out of bed to start your day at the same time every day, even on weekends.
If you wake during the night and become frustrated that you can’t fall back to sleep, you might continue to get out of bed, as you’re doing now, and doing something more enjoyable, returning to bed only when you feel sleepy. This behavior, over time, breaks our association between our bed and sleep anxiety/poor 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.
SandraJH,
Thanks for clarifying and great job of exploring these evidence-based techniques. Typically, seeing meaningful improvements after implementing a new sleep restriction window takes more than just a few days. Consistently starting your day at the same time every day builds a strong sleep drive which can make it easier to fall asleep and remain asleep for the duration of the window because it overrides your arousal system. If you’re averaging 5 hours of sleep every night but your current sleep restriction window is 7 hours, this can lead to greater time spent in bed awake and frustrated. You might want to consider modifying that window to better reflect the average number of hours of sleep you’re achieving during the week and adding 30 minutes to that average for your new sleep restricted window. For example, if you average 6 hours of sleep each night for 1-2 weeks, the suggested sleep restriction window is 6:30 hours in bed. Once you’re able to consistently sleep for that duration, you can incrementally add 15-30 minutes to your time in bed every 1-2 weeks. Since you’re already able to achieve 5 hours of sleep, that should be proof that you haven’t lost the ability to sleep!
If we’re unable to sleep and remain in bed frustrated and anxious about getting back to sleep, our mind associate our bed with arousal and poor sleep. Have you tried getting out of bed and doing something more relaxing and only returning to bed when you feel sleepy? This technique assists our mind in creating an association of our bed with sleep instead of being aroused.
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 Skumar8!
Welcome to the forum! What is the biggest challenge you face with sleep? If you can provide some details about the current state of your sleep, maybe we can troubleshoot it 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 Caser,
Welcome to the forum! There’s several evidence-based techniques that can be used to minimize the arousal you have with sleep.
A few are:
– Implement a sleep restriction window that maximizes your time in bed
– Build sleep pressure during the day by consistently getting out of bed at the same time every morning and staying active throughout the day
– Create a “buffer zone” 1-2 hours prior to bedtime to relax from a busy day. Engage in enjoyable activities such as – watch TV, read a book, coloring, crafting, etc
– If you’re lying in bed frustrated or anxious, it’s best to get out of bed and do something more enjoyable and only returning to bed when you’re sleepy.Can you describe what an average night of sleep is for you?
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 SandraJH,
How many hours of sleep are you getting on a “poor” night? What’s your current restricted sleep window and how long have you been implementing it consistently?
Although it can be really tough some days, I encourage you to go about your day as planned. Insomnia is similar to a school bully. The more attention you give a bully, the more problems the bully will give you. If you continue your day as planned – meet friends after work, go to the gym, etc – regardless of how you slept the night before, the less you worry about sleep and in time, insomnia will stop picking fights with you. You’ll also continue to build sleep pressure during the day by staying active and engaged in enjoyable activities.
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 Eric!
Thanks for sharing your success story! It’s wonderful to hear that the actions YOU took resolved your sleep issues and I’m confident you’ll continue to experience great 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 Peanut!
Welcome to the forum and posting a question! Sleep medicine rarely has a positive long-term effect on restoring restful sleep since meds can’t generate natural sleep. I’d recommend asking your physician or pharmacist about dosage.
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 Stu!
Welcome! Can you describe what your sleep is like at the current time — what is an average night like? Have you experienced any stressful events in your life recently that could’ve triggered the sleep disruption?
If you can provide some specifics, maybe we could troubleshoot it 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.
Hey @Ladybrooke,
Welcome to the forum! You mentioned that you go to bed by 9pm and are waking by 4am but you also mentioned not being able to sleep when you go to bed. Can you clarify what time you go to bed, what time you get out of bed to start your day and, on average, how many hours of sleep you get at night? Have you experimented with the evidence-based techniques CBT-I offers to help those who suffer from insomnia restore their sleep? If so, were you having difficulties with specific parts of it? If you haven’t reviewed the techniques yet, I encourage you to take a look at the resources on this site and let us know if you have questions about it.
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 Maggie!
Welcome to the forum! What time do you go to bed at night and get out of bed in the morning to start your day? After waking up 3 hours later, are you continuing to lie in bed or are you getting out of bed and doing something more relaxing/enjoyable? Have you tried staying engaged (reading a book, walk around the house, journaling, etc) later during the night to delay the onset of sleepiness? If you could tell us more about your sleep routines, maybe we could offer some additional guidance.
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 Allison!
Welcome to the forum. If you’re unable to sleep, are you getting out of bed and doing something that’s enjoyable and returning to bed only when you’re sleepy or are you continuing to lie in bed frustrated? Chee Hiung Yong mentions a valid point that your mind can learn to associate your bed with sleep disruption if you continue to lie in bed aggravated that you’re unable 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.
Hey Flowerpink!
Welcome to the forum! These evidence-based techniques address the behaviors and the thoughts/anxiety associated with sleep disruption and is a valuable tool to use even when you experience poor sleep a couple of nights during the week. Stimulus control’s primary goal is to strengthen the association between your bed and sound sleep. If you’re unable to fall asleep when you initially get in bed or when you wake in the middle of the night, it’s beneficial to get out of bed and do something more enjoyable instead of tossing and turning in bed. If you become frustrated lying in bed, your mind can learn that your bed is associated with poor sleep.
Hope that helps explain stimulus control.
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 @SuddenInsomnia!
Welcome to the forum! It’s understandable that you’re having a lot of uncertainty and concern about your experience with sleep. When I experienced insomnia, the worry completely consumed my day and night and became a vicious cycle that was difficult to break. The turning point for me in breaking this loop was to evaluate my thoughts differently. When I began to have negative thoughts about how I was going to sleep that night, I simply told myself, “so what, it’s not the end of the world”! Telling myself that really helped diffuse the intensity of the thought.
I encourage you to listen to Martin’s short video on anxious thoughts, located here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu_9_1qypY8
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 @eviancenita –
Welcome to the forum and enrolling in the sleep course. What you’re experiencing isn’t uncommon! It can take time for a new sleep window to lead to consistent and noticeable improvements in your sleep and it’s not unusual for sleep to temporarily get worse at first. The beauty of these evidence-based techniques is that you can always use them even after your sleep issues are resolved. If you’re experiencing nights where you’re unable to fall asleep, are you utilizing stimulus control and getting out of bed to do something you enjoy? What time are you going to bed and what time are you getting out of bed to start your day? Keep in mind, the sleep you experienced while implementing these techniques is proof that you can sleep. Try to remain committed to the techniques from the course and I think you’ll continue to see results and benefits from it.
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.
Jeanette and @Chee2308 – that’s outstanding news from both of you! Success stories like this really brighten the day! It sounds like both of you have really improved your sleep through the actions YOU took and commitment.
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.
