How Irina went from feeling enraged at the idea of accepting insomnia to embracing it (#64)

YouTube Video VVVMNUxzTFVlVkEyal9Wc2w1NjI1c2hRLktCRlhKcEpDb2dn

Ready to get your life back from insomnia? Learn more about my sleep coaching programs at https://insomniacoach.com<br /><br />Irina’s struggle with insomnia began when she experienced a night of no sleep. This created fear and confusion and Irina worried that something serious was going on — that something might be broken in her brain. The more she tried to make sleep happen, the more pressure she put on herself to make sleep happen, the more elusive it became.<br /><br />The turning point came when Irina committed to an approach that didn’t involve actions geared toward trying to make sleep happen. Although she was originally outraged at the idea of accepting the presence of insomnia and all the difficult thoughts and feelings that come with it, the fact that so many people who had recovered from insomnia were telling her it was the only thing that worked for them led her to commit to this new approach.<br /><br />Irina let go. She allowed the full range of human thoughts and feelings to come and go as they chose. She gave sleep the opportunity to take care of itself while she took care of doing things that helped her live the life she wanted to live. And, that’s exactly what happened.<br /><br />Chapters:<br /><br />00:00:00 Introduction<br />00:04:24 Tracing the Roots of Burnout<br />00:05:28 The First Night Without Sleep<br />00:06:06 Panic, Confusion, and Doctor Visit<br />00:07:36 Trying Medication and Feeling Broken<br />00:09:04 The Search for a Physical Cause<br />00:10:30 Frustration with Normal Test Results<br />00:12:11 Getting Stuck in the Struggle<br />00:13:02 Insomnia’s Impact on Daily Life<br />00:14:17 Losing Touch with Daily Joys<br />00:15:03 Fear of Death and Finding Reassurance<br />00:16:00 Neuroscience Background and Personal Irony<br />00:17:26 Hyperarousal and Thought Loops<br />00:18:03 Discovering Defusion and ACT<br />00:19:02 Accepting Thoughts and Emotions<br />00:20:30 The Nonlinear Nature of Recovery<br />00:22:13 Emotional Depth and Hopelessness<br />00:23:06 Early Exposure to Acceptance Concepts<br />00:24:41 Resistance to Acceptance and Letting Go<br />00:26:03 Acceptance as a Turning Point<br />00:27:05 Reducing the Struggle with Acceptance<br />00:28:27 The Brain’s Role in Hyperarousal<br />00:30:01 Practicing AWAKE and Observing Emotions<br />00:32:25 Acceptance Through Exposure to Emotion<br />00:33:39 Understanding the Brain’s Protective Role<br />00:35:03 Fighting the Brain Doesn't Work<br />00:36:11 Knowing What to Do vs. Doing It<br />00:37:52 Insight from Smart but Anxious Minds<br />00:39:35 Knowledge vs. Skill in Recovery<br />00:41:06 Acceptance as a Transferable Skill<br />00:42:39 Values Clarification Through Insomnia<br />00:44:19 Shifting Perspective and Identity<br />00:45:51 Observing Thoughts with Curiosity<br />00:47:03 Emotional Resilience and Social Boundaries<br />00:48:19 Handling Criticism and Staying Centered<br />00:49:20 Choosing Our Response<br />00:50:28 Role of CBT-I Techniques During Acceptance<br />00:51:37 Why Stimulus Control Backfired<br />00:52:04 How Sleep Restriction Helped and Hurt<br />00:53:52 Rediscovering the Feeling of Sleepiness<br />00:55:00 Misuse of CBT-I Techniques<br />00:56:09 Moving Away from Sleep Tracking<br />00:57:48 Pros and Cons of Sleep Diaries<br />00:59:09 Acceptance vs. CBT-I Structure<br />01:00:48 Sleep Focus and Behavior Impact<br />01:02:12 Contracted Attention and Emotional Numbness<br />01:03:05 Reintroducing Meaningful Activities<br />01:04:08 Recognizing Anxiety as Root Cause<br />01:05:48 Social Reconnection and Opposite Action<br />01:07:06 Reclaiming Confidence Through Action<br />01:08:26 Facing Apathy with Movement<br />01:09:33 The Power of Values-Based Living<br /><br />▶ Subscribe to the Insomnia Coach channel (and be sure to click the notification bell afterward so you don't miss any videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL5LsLUeVA2j_Vsl5625shQ?sub_confirmation=1<br /><br />My name is Martin Reed and I am the founder of Insomnia Coach®. I offer sleep coaching programs that will help you stop struggling with sleep so you can get your life back from insomnia. I also offer a free two-week sleep training course for insomnia at https://insomniacoach.com/sleep-training/?ref=youtube110124<br /><br />You can also find me here:<br /><br />Website: https://insomniacoach.com<br />Twitter: https://twitter.com/insomniacoach<br />Facebook: https://facebook.com/insomniacoach<br />Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myinsomniacoach/<br /><br />All content found on the Insomnia Coach YouTube 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. The statements and opinions expressed by guests are their own and are not necessarily endorsed by Insomnia Coach LLC. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.<br /><br />#insomnia<br />#sleep

Insomnia Coach 2.2K views November 1, 2024 6:17 pm

Ready to get your life back from insomnia? Learn more about my sleep coaching programs at https://insomniacoach.com

Irina’s struggle with insomnia began when she experienced a night of no sleep. This created fear and confusion and Irina worried that something serious was going on — that something might be broken in her brain. The more she tried to make sleep happen, the more pressure she put on herself to make sleep happen, the more elusive it became.

The turning point came when Irina committed to an approach that didn’t involve actions geared toward trying to make sleep happen. Although she was originally outraged at the idea of accepting the presence of insomnia and all the difficult thoughts and feelings that come with it, the fact that so many people who had recovered from insomnia were telling her it was the only thing that worked for them led her to commit to this new approach.

Irina let go. She allowed the full range of human thoughts and feelings to come and go as they chose. She gave sleep the opportunity to take care of itself while she took care of doing things that helped her live the life she wanted to live. And, that’s exactly what happened.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:24 Tracing the Roots of Burnout
00:05:28 The First Night Without Sleep
00:06:06 Panic, Confusion, and Doctor Visit
00:07:36 Trying Medication and Feeling Broken
00:09:04 The Search for a Physical Cause
00:10:30 Frustration with Normal Test Results
00:12:11 Getting Stuck in the Struggle
00:13:02 Insomnia’s Impact on Daily Life
00:14:17 Losing Touch with Daily Joys
00:15:03 Fear of Death and Finding Reassurance
00:16:00 Neuroscience Background and Personal Irony
00:17:26 Hyperarousal and Thought Loops
00:18:03 Discovering Defusion and ACT
00:19:02 Accepting Thoughts and Emotions
00:20:30 The Nonlinear Nature of Recovery
00:22:13 Emotional Depth and Hopelessness
00:23:06 Early Exposure to Acceptance Concepts
00:24:41 Resistance to Acceptance and Letting Go
00:26:03 Acceptance as a Turning Point
00:27:05 Reducing the Struggle with Acceptance
00:28:27 The Brain’s Role in Hyperarousal
00:30:01 Practicing AWAKE and Observing Emotions
00:32:25 Acceptance Through Exposure to Emotion
00:33:39 Understanding the Brain’s Protective Role
00:35:03 Fighting the Brain Doesn’t Work
00:36:11 Knowing What to Do vs. Doing It
00:37:52 Insight from Smart but Anxious Minds
00:39:35 Knowledge vs. Skill in Recovery
00:41:06 Acceptance as a Transferable Skill
00:42:39 Values Clarification Through Insomnia
00:44:19 Shifting Perspective and Identity
00:45:51 Observing Thoughts with Curiosity
00:47:03 Emotional Resilience and Social Boundaries
00:48:19 Handling Criticism and Staying Centered
00:49:20 Choosing Our Response
00:50:28 Role of CBT-I Techniques During Acceptance
00:51:37 Why Stimulus Control Backfired
00:52:04 How Sleep Restriction Helped and Hurt
00:53:52 Rediscovering the Feeling of Sleepiness
00:55:00 Misuse of CBT-I Techniques
00:56:09 Moving Away from Sleep Tracking
00:57:48 Pros and Cons of Sleep Diaries
00:59:09 Acceptance vs. CBT-I Structure
01:00:48 Sleep Focus and Behavior Impact
01:02:12 Contracted Attention and Emotional Numbness
01:03:05 Reintroducing Meaningful Activities
01:04:08 Recognizing Anxiety as Root Cause
01:05:48 Social Reconnection and Opposite Action
01:07:06 Reclaiming Confidence Through Action
01:08:26 Facing Apathy with Movement
01:09:33 The Power of Values-Based Living

▶ Subscribe to the Insomnia Coach channel (and be sure to click the notification bell afterward so you don’t miss any videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL5LsLUeVA2j_Vsl5625shQ?sub_confirmation=1

My name is Martin Reed and I am the founder of Insomnia Coach®. I offer sleep coaching programs that will help you stop struggling with sleep so you can get your life back from insomnia. I also offer a free two-week sleep training course for insomnia at https://insomniacoach.com/sleep-training/?ref=youtube110124

You can also find me here:

Website: https://insomniacoach.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/insomniacoach
Facebook: https://facebook.com/insomniacoach
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myinsomniacoach/

All content found on the Insomnia Coach YouTube 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. The statements and opinions expressed by guests are their own and are not necessarily endorsed by Insomnia Coach LLC. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

#insomnia
#sleep