How challenging sleep-related thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors can help you improve your sleep

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3 жыл бұрын

When it comes to the thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors associated with sleep, it can be really helpful to challenge everything - because many of our sleep-related thoughts and behaviors are inaccurate and/or unhelpful and end up actually perpetuating insomnia by disrupting sleep drive, weakening the body clock, and generating arousal.
A study published in July 2020 estimated that we have over 6,000 thoughts every single day. Now, if you’re living with chronic insomnia it’s likely that a good number of those thoughts are related to sleep. And, just as it might be reasonable to suggest that the 6,000 or so thoughts we have every single day aren’t 100% true, 100% of the time, it makes sense to consider that the sleep-related thoughts we have every day aren’t 100% true, 100% of the time, either.
Unfortunately, for those with chronic insomnia, sleep-related thoughts that randomly enter the mind can generate a lot of worry and anxiety regardless of how true they are. And, because it’s hard for the brain to critically evaluate every single thought that enters our mind throughout the day (and night), it’s easy to take these thoughts as facts. This, in turn, can heighten arousal, and arousal is something that perpetuates insomnia.
Related video:
To reduce sleep-related anxiety, try to identify, evaluate, and address the reasons for the anxiety: • To reduce sleep-relate...
So, with this in mind, it can be helpful to evaluate or challenge any thoughts you have that are related to sleep - especially if those thoughts tend to generate worry or anxiety.
Related video:
If you have chronic insomnia, you have an incredible ability! • If you have chronic in...
If we are able to recognize that our initial thought is not particularly accurate, we might then replace it with a more accurate thought instead.
The initial thought would likely generate quite a lot of worry, whereas the replacement (and more accurate) thought likely generates a bit less worry. Since worry is a form of arousal - and arousal perpetuates sleep disruption - we can see that the replacement thought is probably going to be less disruptive to sleep.
It can be helpful, too, to give ourselves the opportunity to challenge beliefs and the subsequent behaviors that tend to generate worry and anxiety.
In this case, it can be helpful to set yourself a little experiment. You might be surprised at just how capable you can be and how little effect sleep actually has on your daytime activities!
Related video:
Adding more enjoyable moments to your life and planning fun activities reduces the power of insomnia: • Adding more enjoyable ...
Finally, it’s helpful to challenge all sleep-related behaviors. Sleep efforts do not work because they imply that sleep can be controlled and when we implement a sleep effort, our brains need to remain active to monitor for the outcome of the effort. This only makes sleep more difficult.
Related video:
Get rid of chronic insomnia by getting rid of sleep efforts and safety behaviors: • Get rid of chronic ins...
Since sleep-related thoughts and behaviors perpetuate sleep disruption it can be really helpful to identify, evaluate, challenge, and modify these thoughts and behaviors to help reduce arousal, strengthen sleep drive, strengthen the body clock, and help set the stage for sleep.
Reference:
Tseng, J. (2020). Brain meta-state transitions demarcate thoughts across task contexts exposing the mental noise of trait neuroticism. Nature Communications. www.nature.com/articles/s4146...
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My name is Martin Reed and I am the founder of Insomnia Coach®. I offer sleep coaching services that give people with insomnia all the skills and support they need to enjoy better sleep for the rest of their lives. I also offer a free two-week sleep training course for people with insomnia at insomniacoach.com/sleep-train...
You can also find me here:
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All content found on the Insomnia Coach KZfaq channel 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.
#insomnia
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@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

All content found on the Insomnia Coach KZfaq channel 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.

@radley9 3 жыл бұрын

Your debunking the myths that surround lack of sleep and its effects on health has helped me immeasurably. My understanding of my insomnia as being primarily a psychologically induced and temporary reality has started to finally alleviate a most troubling condition. At least for me.

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

I am so happy to hear this - because that is precisely my goal with this channel! Thank you so much for sharing.

@scottb326 3 жыл бұрын

Martin is the real deal. I took his program. It has helped me considerably. Hi Martin. Scott Blackerby here.

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Scott! Thanks for the kind words - you got results because you implemented what you learned, and because of your natural ability to sleep!

@jackscott1343 3 жыл бұрын

I have committed to the idea of CBTi for the past 4 days now, after listening to 4 or 5 of your longer podcasts. Im on day 4 of your free email now. I know the results vary person to person and it can take a long time to see results but i personally found results on day dot. I couldn't sleep in my bed, I had to sleep on my couch and after implementing some sleep restriction nearly 2 hours later then I would usually try and go to sleep i went straight to sleep in my bed i couldn't believe it. I feel like my behaviours surrounding my insomnia was nearly all of my problem and you have helped me alot already in only 4 days. I dont want to have unrealistic expectations but I just cant help but feel so hopeful and happy I might just be learning how to tame this beast. 4 days of good sleep down feeling blessed and grateful thank you sir

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

This is great to hear - it sounds as though you're off to a great start, Jack! Thank you for sharing!

@999vieyra 6 ай бұрын

Great tips, thank you kindly for the videos you post! Super helpful

@Rudi1984 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you again Martin!! Your videos help us a lot! :)

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

My pleasure, as always!

@ryandr4714 3 жыл бұрын

I just want to say thanks alot. I already do your free course for two weeks and i get an incridible result!

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

I am so happy to hear this! You are welcome, and I am glad to know that you are doing much better!

@Johnny2buck 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you. That was the way I think in a nutshell! Chronic insomnia from anxiety and PTSD.

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you found the video helpful!

@conan7080 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for your advice. I've been an insomniac for over a year of my life. I saw your channel 2 weeks ago and after learning about how needing 8 hours of sleep is s myth, that I have no control over sleep so there is point in forcing sleep because the body initiate sleep when it needs, reassociating the bed with relaxation (I like to go through enjoyable moments I've had in my life and congratulate myself for things I accomplished during the day.) I no longer count hours of sleep or assess sleep quality although I reckon I get 6 hours to 6 and a half hours of sleep now. A decent improvement from 3 to 4 I do experience a regular middle of the night awakening but after learning that this can be a normal part of the sleep cycle i seem to nod back off with no issues.

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

I am so happy to hear this, Conan! For some people, simply addressing the most common myths about sleep can be all that's needed to reduce arousal and improve sleep! It's great to hear how well you've been doing - and that's all down to your natural ability to sleep!

@nickpittman1036 2 ай бұрын

Potential idea to avoid having to "critically/accurately" evaluate thoughts in the moment- I often follow up any negative thought of a possibility of something bad happening, with the most extremely positive outcome (often wildly positive ones), often with emphasis on actions I can take. My brain is able to see the contrast and non-truth of the first thought clearly and I don't have to critically think nearly as much in the middle of the night.

@nildamarcelo5104 Жыл бұрын

I really agree with you Martin100%,everything you said is all true because I experienced it, because I believe before that if I don’t sleep during the night my day is ruined and it will be a bad day for me.

@InsomniaCoach Жыл бұрын

That's a common belief - and perhaps you don't even need to fight it or challenge it! Perhaps all you need to do is commit to doing things that matter the day after a difficult night so you can learn from experience that it's still possible to keep moving toward the life you want to live, even after difficult nights.

@sophiegmichael5598 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. My sleep confidence is definitely lacking right now. But with your tips I know I will get better. Thanks again

@InsomniaCoach 2 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome, Sophie!

@lamkengsiak5349 2 күн бұрын

Very informative comments.

@AronJohnston 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this Martin, I am going through chronic insomnia after some health scares last month, didn't sleep a wink last night, maybe a snooze and have been like this for a few weeks, im hoping its just a phase and your videos are really lifting my spirits

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

So glad to hear the videos are helping, Aron! Remember, you CAN sleep!

@mauguyos3670 2 жыл бұрын

I'm in guilt because all you said was true about doing sleep efforts. I'll apply those tips and hoping for an improvement. Thanks.🙂

@InsomniaCoach 2 жыл бұрын

No need to feel guilty - sleep efforts are a completely understandable behavior! What matters is that you now have an alternative plan in place!

@amaliagrassi6870 3 жыл бұрын

What a find. I've been an insomniac for tens of years, always sleeping well for the first hours (between 3 - 4.5 on average) and then typically waking between every 1-1.5 hours after. It can take me up to two hours to get back to sleep so I allow myself 10-12 hours in bed just to compensate for all the disturbance as I cannot function without a total of about 7.5 - 8 hours, even with all the waking. My bed times are drastically late and I always miss the first half of my day getting up in the early afternoon most days. I hate it. This is the second video in and I really like the idea of the sleep window as this is what i'm implementing. Today and very unusually I managed to get up at 10:30. Thanks so much for the idea, i'm working on bringing my window forward. I'm happy to have this resource and to be part of a community.

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

I am so encouraged to learn that you are exploring the idea of spending a bit less time in bed at night - if you feel you need eight hours of sleep but spend 12 hours in bed to get it, you are creating the perfect conditions for up to four hours of wakefulness, and that wakefulness rarely feels good and usually contributes to fatigue and all the symptoms associated with poor sleep.

@amaliagrassi6870 3 жыл бұрын

@@InsomniaCoach Thank you so much for making the effort to respond. It is helpful more than you can imagine and I will instigate what I am learning from watching these videos. Thank you.

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

@@amaliagrassi6870 So happy to hear this - and, of course, you are very welcome!

@deborahwilson6970 Жыл бұрын

My problem is less insomnia and more an out of order sleep cycle. I still find these videos helpful

@InsomniaCoach Жыл бұрын

I appreciate you sharing that!

@andrewb50 3 жыл бұрын

Had a change in work circumstance which means I wake up at 5am for work instead of 8am, had chronic insomnia in the past sometimes days without sleep. So the past two weeks have been a real challenge with sleep, I’m really trying to stay positive and not let the ruminating thoughts at night disable my ability to relax when bedtime comes but alas I find my self waking at 2am 3am panicking and frustrated.

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

You might find it helpful (during the day!) to explore what it is about the idea of being awake during the night that seems to generate panic and frustration. This video might prove helpful, "What to do when anxious thoughts are making sleep difficult and leading to insomnia" - kzfaq.info/get/bejne/h5iknbCI26jFh6c.html

@andrewb50 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for replying, I will try this, I find your quote “sleep drive will always win” has helped me also in the past because I am no where near as bad as I used to be.

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

@@andrewb50 This is great to hear, Andrew!

@optimisim49 3 жыл бұрын

Hello ! I am akash ( 21 year old) from india, I am suffering with insomnia too much, last night I sleep only 2 hour and today morning I see your many videos and after seeing I find my problem that a good wakefulness day without nap makes you automatically a good night sleep. You tell that a sleep window is important for your sleep drive who suffered from chronic insomnia, I will start it from today. The best point of your is never lose hope one day you get out of your worried. Thank you so much

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

You are so welcome, Akash! Building sleep drive during the day doesn't guarantee a perfect night of sleep right away - but it does increase the likelihood of a better night since sleep drive always leads to sleep in the end!

@akashverma5756 3 жыл бұрын

Hi, What symptoms are you facing after sleepless night ? Have seen any improvement in two weeks ?

@optimisim49 3 жыл бұрын

@@akashverma5756after sleepless night , the next day I feel very fatigue , facing digestion problem and headache , yes my sleep is better now after full day busy in something , the night is automatically good.

@akashverma5756 3 жыл бұрын

@@optimisim49 My age is also 21 years. I have been suffering from insomnia for six months. I mainly face severe headache. How long have you been suffering from Insomnia ? Are your headache severe or moderate ? are you following sleep restriction ?

@optimisim49 3 жыл бұрын

Can you tell something about your sleep pattern ?

@austintone Жыл бұрын

I’ve tried to challenge my persistent thought, “I won’t sleep at all the next night if I get more than 5 hours of sleep the night before”. It seems to be a tug of war between my negative thought and the positive rational thoughts I come up with to challenge it. So far, for me, the negative thought always wins. For many months now I have never slept after a night when I’ve gotten even a little more than 5 hours sleep. Also, whenever I’ve felt somewhat rested and “normal” during the day, I have not slept at all the next night. I’ve tried to keep a regular sleep window of 5.5 hours ( within which I have been able to sleep about 5 hours on many nights recently. I usually wake up before my alarm goes off. Occasionally I’ve gotten a few extra minutes of sleep because I dozed briefly after my alarm went off. Also I have had a few alarm “malfunctions” which resulted in some extra sleep. In every case, the next night has been sleepless…). How can I successfully challenge my irrational belief that I can never sleep if I get more than 5 hours? Thank you.

@InsomniaCoach Жыл бұрын

My approach has changed quite a lot since this video was published. That's because, as you have experienced, when we follow this approach we can end up getting tangled up in a struggle as we try to get rid of certain thoughts. Since there's no delete button for the brain, these thoughts always come back. So a different approach might involve practicing acknowledging the presence of the thoughts and feelings your mind might choose to generate as it does its job of looking out for you. To make space for them to come and go as they please. To observe them rather than engage in a battle with them. To be kind to yourself when they show up. This way, the thoughts and feelings are still showing up but now you're moving away from adding a struggle on top. This absence of struggle might also help create better conditions for sleep and require less of your energy and attention - and that, in turn, might also help you do more of the things that matter to you and that help you move toward the kind of life you want to live.

@sabikunnaher72 2 жыл бұрын

I got the confidence that even if i dont fall asleep it wont affect my quality of the day bt my anxiety kicks thinking about the next night ahead. "What if i get another sleepless night after an exhausting day followed by a sleepless night"- this thought keeps roaming

@InsomniaCoach 2 жыл бұрын

It's great that you are able to identify that specific thought! And, that's exactly what it is - a thought. Not a fact, not a prediction, not a reflection of who you are or what you are capable of. Even in the presence of such a thought, you can still fully control your actions. So, you can still do things that are important and meaningful even if you have a sleepless night and even if you feel exhausted during the day. Adding the words "I am having the thought that" onto the start of difficult thoughts like this can sometimes help create a bit of space between ourselves and our thoughts - we recognize them for what they are. Thoughts. Nothing more and nothing less.

@XXscreamo4life 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Martin! As I've mentioned to you before, I've been doing rather well generally speaking since watching your videos. However last night I didn't sleep at all as I was having OCD thoughts that I was struggling not to consciously focus on. I've realised that this OCD actually revolves around sleep as my general worry seems to be 'if I don't think this particular thought correctly I won't sleep'. Because of this i realised that what fuels my OCD is the fear of not sleeping. Yet even though nothing bad has ever happened from not sleeping and you explaining it is not dangerous it still worries me. Do you know why this could be?

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

This definitely sounds as though it could be something you could explore further! If nothing bad has ever happened after a bad night, what is it about the idea of having a bad night that seems to generate worry?

@jaykuhn1764 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Martin! My sleep has further improved after finishing your sleep course. I have one sleep effort thought continue to pop up. And as you say in the video this thought suggest I engage in monitoring for sleep while I am in bed. Did I understand correctly that one strategy would be to replace this “Monitoring” thought with another less anxiety-producing one is something to try? A way to somewhat “short-circuit” the mind at night?

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

Hello Juergen! I am not surprised that your sleep has continued to improve since we stopped working together because you successfully implemented techniques that address the thoughts and behaviors that perpetuate sleep disruption! Simply recognizing the presence of a sleep effort is a great sign of just how far you have come - what is the specific sleep effort you have identified? Am I correct in my understanding that it's related to monitoring for sleep when you're in bed? If so, I think that during the night the best thing to do is get out of bed and distract yourself with a more relaxing and enjoyable activity any time you find being in bed is unpleasant or any time conditions don't feel right for sleep. So, if you find yourself monitoring for sleep and this doesn't feel good, it's helpful to get out of bed and distract yourself with a more appealing activity. Over time, you might start to monitor for sleep less since you might start to associate monitoring for sleep with getting out of bed - and getting out of bed is the complete opposite of a sleep effort since getting out of bed doesn't usually generate sleep! Separately, during the day, you might want to explore this self-monitoring in some more detail. For example, what are the pros of this behavior, and what are the cons? The more often you do this, the easier it might be to recognize the futility of monitoring for sleep! I hope I understood you correctly and that this is helpful, Juergen!

@TheWegeg 3 жыл бұрын

As a fitness enthusiast who's struggled with I somnia for about 5 years I was glad to hear you mention the effects of insomnia on workouts, because I've never heard any CBT coach talk about it. I find that it's one of my biggest worries : after one of two nights of bad sleep I'm capable of a decent workout, but during a long bout of insomnia I find that my performance deteriorates significantly. I really worry about how insomnia affects my progress in the gym, and I find it hard to get rid of this bad thought because I know it to be somewhat true,and because it's really frustrating to feel like you're doing everything you can to get healthier, but one of the essential pillars of health, sleep, is largely out of your control. I guess this is something I need to work on, I'm optimistic that I will get over it eventually.

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

As you mentioned, worrying about sleep is usually not too helpful since it can make sleep more difficult - and we certainly cannot control sleep in the same way we can control our athletic performance! Implementing helpful sleep habits (such as a consistent and appropriate sleep window, for example) might prove to be helpful if you are looking to improve your sleep.

@sarahjenkins3507 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your work. I am doing cbt-I and practicing my sleep window and getting out of bed when anxious or restless but I’m feeling like as soon as my window time hits I’m immediately anxious and aroused even though I was nodding off an hour before. Then I sleep exactly 3 hours once I take ambien and am awake the rest of the night. Not sure how to get myself off this rhythm. Do people often see setbacks in the beginning of therapy before it gets better?

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations on implementing a sleep window and getting out of bed when being in bed doesn't feel good to help make nighttime wakefulness a bit more pleasant and prevent you from reinforcing a negative association between your bed and unpleasant wakefulness (a common symptom of which is feeling sleepy before bed and then alert when in bed). It's not unusual for sleep to temporarily get worse when implementing new techniques since the brain wants to monitor/evaluate for the effect of those changes. Keep moving forward, stay consistent, and the results will come!

@yogafitnesswithvbw187 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your kind information 👏 when we have midnight wakefulness insomnia ,I feel sleepy afternoons should want sleep or should I want stop sleeping afternoon's?

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

Sleeping in the afternoon can reduce sleep drive, and that might make it harder to sleep at night. Generally speaking, it's usually a good idea to avoid daytime naps if your goal is to improve your sleep at night. The exception would be if you think you might fall asleep without warning at a time when you need to be awake - for example if you are going to be driving or operating machinery. In these circumstances, a safety nap is always appropriate. People with insomnia tend to have more of an issue with daytime fatigue rather than sleepiness and for this reason they can often find it hard to nap when they try to do so. I hope this helps!

@yogafitnesswithvbw187 3 жыл бұрын

@@InsomniaCoach thank you so much 🙏 coach I'm fed up with this body pains in the morning ,I do yoga 3 hours and workouts but these wakefulness 3 to 4 times in a night making me feel down I'm not getting sleepy feel at night, I need your help to change this please 🙏

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

@@yogafitnesswithvbw187 Do you think the body pains you feel in the morning are 100% caused by how you slept and that sleep is 100% to blame for their intensity? Might something else be responsible for those body pains? This might be something worth discussing with your doctor, just to rule out any physical cause.

@yogafitnesswithvbw187 3 жыл бұрын

@@InsomniaCoach I don't know Martin actually I had chest pain badly and recently I had abdominal muscles pain went to blood check of liver function my bilirubin levels was 3.25 mg/ nothing else I found in report but still I'm suffering badly with chest pain I need your help...

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

@@yogafitnesswithvbw187 I can't help you with chest pain, unfortunately - that would be way outside my scope of practice. I'd encourage you to seek medical advice about that.

@OfficialGaming11_ 3 ай бұрын

I never really had insomnia. I had one bad night of sleep a few months ago like could not sleep tossing and turning then the next day I said “ oh will I fall asleep tonight” then from there it started hell broke loose I couldn’t sleep tossing and turning then got faster heart rates and it turned into anxiety. Then it got better for 2 months I slept 8 hours everyday then afterwards one bad night of sleep now I’m on 2 days no sleep. Even tho I been getting 8 hours of sleep 2 months ago it was back of my mind will I face sleepiness nights again. I think it’s low confidence and a weak mind

@austintone Жыл бұрын

Regarding “sleep efforts”: I do a number of things that would probably be considered sleep efforts: I take a small dose of melatonin, bring a sleep mask with me to bed and sometimes use it, stop all caffeine after noon, drink very little alcohol, avoid disturbing tv and movies before bed, use blue light-blocking glasses when reading on my iPad before bed, get plenty of exercise, do breathing and meditation exercises, have a routine before bed including washing face, brushing teeth, putting on comfortable nightgown, etc. No one of these “efforts” by itself, nor all taken together can ensure that I will sleep on a given night. The reason I do most is because NOT doing them could (slightly or greatly) inhibit whatever sleep may otherwise have come. Heavy amounts of caffeine CAN make it harder to sleep. Uncomfortable clothes, bright lights, melatonin depletion in older folks, lack of exercise- all can and sometimes do inhibit sleep. I don’t want to make it harder to sleep than it already is. I don’t want to do things (like watch a disturbing movie before bed) that get in sleep’s way. All of these sleep efforts were ones I did before I had insomnia. And I slept fine then. They certainly did not make my sleeping worse. So how could they be making it worse now? Is my my logic on this faulty?

@InsomniaCoach Жыл бұрын

If what you're doing is working and helping you live the kind of life you want to live, then there's no problem. If you're continuing to struggle and the actions you described aren't really helping you live the kind of life you want to live or don't reflect the kind of person you want to be, perhaps you might be a bit tangled up in unworkable actions.

@redlemur7944 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video. I am currently doing sleep restriction and last night was my first night. I have a 5 hour and 30 minute window for bed time. I probably have other illnesses as well besides insomnia like low testosterone because of a surgery I had as a kid so, I constantly feel horrible all the time and, I am trying to get help for that. But, insomnia has made my life inexplicably difficult even though I am trying to explain it in this comment lol. I do think that taking melatonin has messed up my circadian rhythm and, I am afraid that I will not be able to sleep without it. Do you think I should ease off of it or just stop cold turkey? I am going to suffer incredibly in the next two weeks of applying this sleep restriction I am afraid. I have been dealing with this this whole entire summer and a lot of spring. And, it is and was chronic insomnia which my fatigue and cognitive damage have been getting progressively worse. I literally obsessed about it and, I still do but not as bad. I eventually came to a point where I just now have the will to try and fight this. It is hard to explain why I have not started this therapy sooner. It really should be fixed as fast as possible before it gets worse. Thanks again and, I wish I could have the money to buy your coaching.

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

It's good to hear you've got started with sleep restriction, Alec! Ultimately, melatonin supplements don't do anything for sleep disrupted by chronic insomnia so how you approach using melatonin is up to you - it probably won't make a difference either way. Usually, sleep restriction isn't as awful as we think it will be since the sleep window should still be longer than your average nightly sleep duration - so, we aren't taking sleep away! Instead, we are taking the opportunity for prolonged nighttime wakefulness away - wakefulness that is rarely pleasant. It can be really helpful to make sure you pursue enjoyable and enriching daytime activities since these can improve the quality of the day, reduce fatigue, and lower sleep-related worry and anxiety by giving the mind something to focus on other than sleep. I hope this helps!

@thecattoldmetodoit4329 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Martin. My insomnia is perpetuated by the fact I monitor the moment I’m about to fall asleep or if I am starting to fall asleep which keeps me up for hours or sometimes all night. It’s all I can focus on. I have no control over it obviously, I’m not doing it intentionally but what advice do you have this instance to move forward? From the moment I lay down to whenever I actually fall asleep if I do. It’s quite disconcerting.

@InsomniaCoach 2 жыл бұрын

It might be helpful simply to acknowledge that your mind is monitoring for sleep and allow it to do what it wants to do - sometimes we get most caught up in the struggle when we try to control our mind (something we can't really do successfully - at least not for the long term).

@user-wh3hr3oz6l 3 ай бұрын

Got 8 hours sleep after this video.

@pavithralakshman6987 3 жыл бұрын

I wish I found your page before my insomnia turned into chronic one. My average sleep is 2 hrs, sometimes 4, what should be my sleep window? Please help

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you found the channel now! An initial sleep window of around five-and-a-half to six hours might be helpful at building sleep drive and reducing the opportunity for nighttime wakefulness.

@mrs.rowland5184 2 жыл бұрын

I'm taking a very stressful course and for the past 3 months I started experiencing sleep awakenings, nightmares etc. I never got a restful night since, and my biggest anxiety (I'm also anxious as a person and struggling with anxiety during the day) is that sleep deprivation may affect my cognitive functioning and that I will fail my tests next week because my brain will not function as well as it used to do, all of that in addition to the anxiety and the physiological tiredness during this stressful period (8 months full time of lessons and studying) . Is this another myth that has to be debunked, will I get through my tests good no matter how much sleep I get and will I restore my sleep after my stressful period ends? Thank you and sorry for the rant

@InsomniaCoach 2 жыл бұрын

Well, nobody can predict the future with 100% accuracy but the fact of the matter is this - you can't control sleep and you can't control the thoughts and feelings your brain chooses to generate. However, you can control your actions - so you can continue to study and do the best you can even after difficult nights and even in the presence of difficult thoughts and feelings. And that ongoing study might have more of an influence over how you do in your exams compared to all the other stuff. I hope this helps!

@namrahshah3256 Жыл бұрын

Just a quick question here, I always have this sleep related thought that will I sleep tonight? Or if I've slept one night, the next day, all I'm thinking about is will i sleep tonight as well? Any answers on how to deal with it or how to replace that thought. This is the only thought that makes me anxious.

@InsomniaCoach Жыл бұрын

I think acknowledging that thought rather than trying to fight it, avoid it, or replace it can sometimes be a more workable approach. So you notice when the thought appears, acknowledge it, then refocus your attention on where you are and what you're doing. You might even thank your brain for the thought - since your brain is generating that thought as it does its job of looking out for you!

@halinakouris5863 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your help. I know this is a silly question, but how do you help someone with anxiety induced insomnia believe that they have the ability to disengage with unwanted thoughts? For example.. I always worry that because I have anxiety, I won’t be able to sleep, which in turn... leads me to not sleep. I try to disengage with the thought, but my brain doesn’t let me stop thinking. Blah.... not sleeping isn’t fun :(

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the great question! You might find it helpful to explore what it is about the idea of not sleeping that seems to generate that anxiety. In other words, when you feel anxious about not sleeping, what is going through your mind? What is the catastrophic outcome that seems likely to happen as a result of not sleeping? You might then evaluate how accurate or likely that outcome actually is. I hope this helps!

@halinakouris5863 3 жыл бұрын

@@InsomniaCoach I guess the main concern is being miserable and tired the next day.. which then aggravates my anxiety.

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

@@halinakouris5863 That's a common concern - how accurate is the belief that how you sleep 100% determines the quality of 100% of your day, 100% of the time? Might there be anything you can do during the day to feel less tired and less miserable? Have you ever had some unpleasant days after a good night of sleep? If so, perhaps this suggests there's more that goes into the quality of your day, and that perhaps you have more control over the quality of your day, than how you sleep?

@Skyee_AK 2 жыл бұрын

Hi, Wonderful videos, However, I have a doubt regarding "Sleep Restriction" ....I normally slept at 1 am each night (before I had sleep issues), But now , sleeping at 10:30 pm makes me more relaxed because My mind knows there is still time, And I try not to sleep, and just relax in bed. If I can't sleep for like 30-40 mins, I get up and walk. ....But, If I restrict my sleep time as you say and go to bed at like 2 am or so, I think i will be more anxious and my mind will know that only a few hours remain and that's all i get to sleep. So would that not be contradictory? It will create more stress as less time remains.

@InsomniaCoach 2 жыл бұрын

We are all different - if going to bed around 10:30 PM works better for you, then nobody has the right to tell you otherwise!

@Skyee_AK 2 жыл бұрын

@@InsomniaCoach Thanks, That's very good to hear :)

@linakhalil7112 2 жыл бұрын

Martin I have a question I hope you can answer for me. Ive become so aware of how my partner is sleeping at night and every move he makes wakes me up or keeps me awake. This isnt how my insomnia started but because i am so desperate to fall asleep, every move he makes is annoying me and keeping me awake. I have asked him to bring the mattress into our room and place it next to our bed so that he can sleep on it. He has agreed but I am wondering if thats a good idea or will i be associating my husband with bad sleep? PLEASE HELP.

@InsomniaCoach 2 жыл бұрын

Hello Lina and thanks for the great question! That heightened awareness you described is a common symptom of hyperarousal, which - in turn - can be connected to our desire to sleep. This desire can lead to us being far more aware of any potential sleep disruptors and the heightened awareness can become self-fulfilling (if we look for something we are more likely to find it!). I think what's key to getting through this is making peace with wakefulness and abandoning all effort to sleep. The more we try to sleep and the more we fight against wakefulness, the more difficult sleep usually becomes.

@dinal34 3 жыл бұрын

Hi sir. In my case i go to bed at about 10 pm and wakes up automatically at about 12 .30 am. It means i sleep about two hours. . But actually i don't feel that i sleep even that two hours . My brother told me that he heard me snoring. But i didn't feel it and also didnt feel a sleepiness in my eyes after woke up at 12 .30 am. How ever the problem is i cant get back to sleep after that. I tried so much . But to doesnt work .Please reply

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

Sometimes it can be reassuring to learn that we might be getting more sleep than we think! If you are finding it hard to fall back to sleep when you wake after a couple of hours of sleep, heightened arousal might be to blame. So, it might be helpful to reduce arousal and we can do this in a few different ways. First, you might find it helpful to avoid checking the time when you wake during the night. Second, you might want to get out of bed whenever being in bed doesn't feel good and do something relaxing and enjoyable instead (then return to bed when you feel calm, relaxed, and sleepy enough for sleep). Third, during the day you might explore any thoughts or concerns you typically have during the night that might be making it hard to fall back to sleep. Here's a short video related to this: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/j5ZyorWWz82dink.html I hope this helps!

@GeeseFX 3 жыл бұрын

this is where I run into problems. I'm not like most people who are just having insomnia. I have chronic fatigue and brain fog daily. So if I only get half a night's sleep, I'm ruined the next day, my brain feels broken, I can hardly function, my anxiety is sky high, and it's almost impossible for me to fall back asleep the next night unless I have managed to clear out the fatigue from the first day, so when my head feels bad and my eyes feel like there's drills boring into the sockets, I go literally nuts. So trying to tell my brain nothing bad happens or I'll make it though the next day if I don't sleep well is an actual lie and is useless for me.

@june8898 3 жыл бұрын

Have you looked into DNRS or a program that can help require your brain? It sounds crazy but a lot of people with CFS/Fibromyalgia & other “mystery” issues have been helped by these programs combined with some sleep restriction. I hope you find the help you’re looking for, I know how hard it can get 😙

@GeeseFX 3 жыл бұрын

@@june8898 no my brother, I will take a look and I'm on your free email program so I'm going to continue with that and see what's up. thank God I made it through yesterday, I didn't sleep for an entire night and went all the way till 7:00 the next day, and felt like my life was over, but I ended up having to take 2 mg of Ativan to fall back asleep and now here I am today the next day hoping that my sleep goes well again tonight. I'm making a harsh effort, or I guess a strict effort I should say, to make sure I go to bed at 10:00 p.m. on the dot tonight and continue that every other night from now on for the rest of my life unless I go to the bar or something.

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

@@GeeseFX You said that telling yourself you'll make it through the next day if you don't sleep well would be a lie - but here you are, making a valuable and insightful comment on this channel! This suggests that you are making it through the day even when you don't sleep well (unless I have misunderstood your comment)! Since you have chronic fatigue I have no doubt that the days are more challenging for you - but you still have a 100% success rate when it comes to getting through the day after even the most difficult nights of sleep! I hope you are able to get some relief from the fatigue - that is a condition that would be outside my scope of practice to discuss in much further detail but what I can say, with complete confidence, is that sleep drive always wins in the end. It's impossible to remain awake indefinitely. When we have been awake for long enough, we will always sleep. I hope this helps, even if only in a very small way.

@GeeseFX 3 жыл бұрын

@@InsomniaCoach and yet there have been at least some people they say have died from their sleep drive completely stopping and they couldn't fall asleep and eventually died. My fear is more based around that if I am too tired for too long that I may finally snap and lose my mind. Sometimes having fatigue that is brutal is absolutely frightening.

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

@@GeeseFX If you remain awake for long enough, you will always sleep - as you have no doubt experienced for yourself, time and time again! Isn't it interesting that, even though you have experienced sleep happening time and time again after enough time awake, you still have the fear that sleep will not happen and that something catastrophic will happen instead? The mind sure does seem to want to set us up for more worry and more difficulties sleeping, by default!

@Skyee_AK 2 жыл бұрын

Hi, When Sleeping with my partner, (She sleeps faster than I do), and just as when i am falling asleep and calm, When I hear her mild snoring, I automatically feel awake and a little anxious. I try to be positive and think about something else but I find it very hard to focus on sleeping as the attention shifts to her snoring, What can I do?

@InsomniaCoach 2 жыл бұрын

Sometimes, acknowledging and even making a bit of space for anxiety to be present can be useful - because we usually get most caught up in anxiety when we try to fight it or avoid it.

@Skyee_AK 2 жыл бұрын

@@InsomniaCoach Thank You, I won't fight/ avoid the anxiety from now on :)

@mukyoukai2011 Жыл бұрын

Isn't it true that not sleeping makes for a rough day?

@InsomniaCoach Жыл бұрын

I don't know. What if you won the lottery the day after not sleeping? Would it still be a rough day?

@rawaneme4164 3 жыл бұрын

i wish i have money to buy ur course 😔

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

You can get my free two-week sleep training course here: insomniacoach.com/sleep-training/?ref=youtube082720

@akashverma5756 3 жыл бұрын

I have migraine and Insomnia. During migraine attack in daytime, I can't resist to nap. And Sleep restriction prohibits napping in daytime. So, I can't stick to SR. Also sleep disruption have increased frequency of migraine attack. Please suggest me, How can I manage Insomnia ?

@InsomniaCoach 3 жыл бұрын

Migraines are outside my area of expertise, unfortunately. Is there an alternative to sleeping when you experience a migraine during the day? Might you be able to rest instead?