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Hi MJ-The AWAKE and NOW are acronyms for exercises which are a part of Martin’s program, specifically techniques to deal with nighttime wakefulness or NOW for daytime intrusive thoughts. Being awake at night isn’t an issue unless I think it is. What happens is my mind views being awake at night as a threat which puts me into fight or flight mode. The AWAKE exercise helps a person make friends with being awake at night or at least not view it as a threat.
The NOW exercise is similar except it is for during the day when my mind was being consumed by sleep related thoughts which kept me from living in the here and now.
I found them to be applicable for other problematic thoughts.
Best wishes on your journey!Slowly but surely I am realizing I really don’t control a whole lot. Serenity prayer comes to mind! Appreciate the ray of hope, that’s good to hear. Really looking forward to the not caring again about sleep again. 😁
I’ve been off the boards for a couple weeks. Really great information from both Packer Fan and Ruby. Just like the general onset and cause seems identical for most, so is recovery. Packer Fan you have made tremendous strides from days and days of no sleep and not knowing what to do. RL your 4/25 post is right where I am now. Most nights do well but then a couple where I wake up and am done for the night. Those are much rarer though than waking up and eventually relaxing enough for sleep to happen. I have always woke up numerous times throughout the night. When I do have a rough night I know sleep will be great the next. When I’m sleeping well is when I wake up and the thoughts like “hmmm will I fall back asleep?” And then the performance anxiety creeps in. Usually do not worry about it throughout the day. Thoughts pop in and out through the day but they do not consume me. Good luck Packer fan!! Thanks RL as well, great info!
Great reminder panfan about the progress. I can go days and sometimes weeks but end up with a night or two where for whatever reason, just do not sleep as much. Every once in awhile the performance anxiety creeps in at night but now I can typically eventually fall back asleep. Do the awake exercise and just eventually fall back asleep. The reframe is so important about not being concerned. Some nights better than others. But, difference being I know what’s going on (heart beating faster, little arousal) I acknowledge it, stay patient and kind and it passes. It wasn’t too long ago when I thought I was dying when that would happen and sleep was done for the night. Again, great reminders!
Agree with Neme90, doing something physical or more mentally stimulating than reading, tv, You Tube etc helps keep me rolling. Cleaning up the house, walking my dog etc. It also helped me forget about how tired I was. Good luck!
Packer fan that is amazing. so glad to hear it. Sometimes it just takes longer for for our brains to “reprogram” themselves. I ended up having a night where I woke up which is not atypical and for whatever reason the old brain started up and could not fall back asleep. Little anxiety but went through the awake exercise and realized I had been sleeping. Eventually woke up and it was light outside which it never is because I get up at 4:30 and realized it was 6:00. I had forgot to set my alarm which I very rarely do, not sure what happened. : ) So glad things are turning around for you Packer fan. I knew you could do it if you stuck with it!
Hi Masharey-Just kind of chiming in with everything already said here. I am on week 5 but am taking my time and have been working the course for over 2 months. In the begining everything caused anxiety, a good night brought thoughts of “darn I had a really good night but I bet tonight will suck”. And a bad night “Darn I had a really bad night, I bet tonight will suck.” 😁 I have found over time the techniques to make peace with sleep in general. I know if I am awake more, yes I might be a bit less rested but the day is going to go just fine. I am kind to imyself, maybe even reward myself with an afternoon coffee. I typically sleep pretty well after a difficult night, not always but now I just roll with it. Actually days when I have a bit of anxiety about sleep, I seem to have really good nights. Bottom line is who knows, I can’t predict it, it just happens. Best wishes on your journey!
Hi Packer Fan-I think you are right where you are supposed to be for you. It might just take a bit longer after all, it took years to get to this point, your brain is trained to act in a certain way right now. When I listen to podcasts everyone is a bit different. Sounds like you are making progress, just need to hang in there and keep your eye on the prize. : )
Hi Tara As you progress in the course you will develope some skills which helps with all of the uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. I used to track my heartbeat and body temp. I’d be laying there or wake up after a couple hours sleep freaking out over the fact I had a quickly beating heart and sweating. I’m now about 2 months in and have developed the skills to just be ok with those manifestations of anxiety. Continue to follow the program, or like I did, think of it as an experiment. Try things, see how it works. Have a great day!
Hi PF! So glad to hear of your recommitment to the program. You are not unique in that it works if you work it. Sounds like you have had a long haul and you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired. That’s an old line from. AA/NA. I’ve been in recovery for 22 years and this insomnia deal is similar. If you think you can cut corners it kicks your butt. Insomnia like addiction is cunning and patient. But when we arm ourselves with these tools it gives us what we need to be successful. It might take a bit but it will work. Just hang in there, your worth it!!
I have found listening to the AWAKE exercise (long version) to be helpful. Ig it persists I will pop on an ASMR vidio which can we ease the panic a sn anxiety a bit. Sometimes it doesn’t work at all and I just hit the ground running living life the way I want. I have also found the podcasts and listening to others share and we are all so unique to be helpful. Being kinder to myself is a new concept but have found it really helpful. Have a wonderful trip, enjoy!!
Oh my gosh, sorry to hear that. Hoping repetition can eventually win out. Do you listen to the podcasts? Sleep pressure will win out tonight. Take care and keep moving forward!
As I learned from this course you have an awesome problem solving brain which is really trying to protect you. I have to believe things are going to click eventually for you. Just my two cents you are borrowing trouble moving waaaayyyyyy to far into the future worrying about spring. Today is a present. 😉
