Avoid dwelling on the bad nights and try to focus on the good nights when you have chronic insomnia

YouTube Video VVVMNUxzTFVlVkEyal9Wc2w1NjI1c2hRLlB2dG9abFNVZEJV

If you have insomnia and are experiencing a combination of good nights and bad nights, it's so easy to dwell on the bad nights. In this video, I want to help you turn this around so you focus on the good nights instead.<br /><br />One thing I see with people who have chronic insomnia, especially those who are going through a course of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, is that they will experience both good nights and bad nights — but they tend to focus exclusively on the bad nights.<br /><br />Related video: What to do when you still have some bad nights of sleep during/after a course of CBT for insomnia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlfO0nm-WHY<br /><br />Dwelling on bad nights is actually quite normal and is part of the brain's survival response — it wants to protect us from the things it perceives as bad or dangerous and pays little attention to positive things (such as good nights).<br /><br />It can be a good idea, therefore, to recognize this by consciously making the effort to recognize the good nights. It's also important to consider that everyone experiences bad nights of sleep. Even good sleepers have a bad night every now and then — but they don't spend time and mental energy on thinking about the bad night or worrying about the bad night. So, their sleep will typically get back on track quite quickly.<br /><br />Related video: Why it is so important not to compensate for a bad night of sleep when you have insomnia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiwIs-ZOiuY<br /><br />See bad nights as part of normal sleep. Bad nights are not a reflection of your progress or evidence that CBT-I is not working — they're just a reflection of normal life!<br /><br />Related video: Falling asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow and not waking during the night isn't normal! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oHMHq9K_C4<br /><br />It can also be helpful to recognize the potential external cause of the bad night — for example, workplace stress, an argument with your spouse, traveling, etc. It is completely normal for sleep to be disrupted during times of change or stress — but, it's also important to consider that sometimes we all have a bad night without any apparent cause. <br /><br />Recognizing that the brain naturally focuses on the bad nights as a way of protecting you from perceived danger or threats can help you realize the importance of making a conscious effort to focus on the good nights rather than the bad — and this will make good nights of sleep occur more frequently and more consistently.<br /><br />Related video: Why CBT-I is so effective when worry, anxiety, and a racing mind are fueling your chronic insomnia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FooE0_XW4_c<br /><br />▶ Subscribe to the Insomnia Coach channel: http://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 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 https://insomniacoach.com/sleep-training/?ref=youtube052819<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 for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice or medical treatment 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 other licensed healthcare provider. All content is provided as is, and without warranties.<br /><br />#sleep<br />#insomnia

Insomnia Coach 550 views May 28, 2019 10:04 pm

If you have insomnia and are experiencing a combination of good nights and bad nights, it’s so easy to dwell on the bad nights. In this video, I want to help you turn this around so you focus on the good nights instead.

One thing I see with people who have chronic insomnia, especially those who are going through a course of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, is that they will experience both good nights and bad nights — but they tend to focus exclusively on the bad nights.

Related video: What to do when you still have some bad nights of sleep during/after a course of CBT for insomnia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlfO0nm-WHY

Dwelling on bad nights is actually quite normal and is part of the brain’s survival response — it wants to protect us from the things it perceives as bad or dangerous and pays little attention to positive things (such as good nights).

It can be a good idea, therefore, to recognize this by consciously making the effort to recognize the good nights. It’s also important to consider that everyone experiences bad nights of sleep. Even good sleepers have a bad night every now and then — but they don’t spend time and mental energy on thinking about the bad night or worrying about the bad night. So, their sleep will typically get back on track quite quickly.

Related video: Why it is so important not to compensate for a bad night of sleep when you have insomnia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiwIs-ZOiuY

See bad nights as part of normal sleep. Bad nights are not a reflection of your progress or evidence that CBT-I is not working — they’re just a reflection of normal life!

Related video: Falling asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow and not waking during the night isn’t normal! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oHMHq9K_C4

It can also be helpful to recognize the potential external cause of the bad night — for example, workplace stress, an argument with your spouse, traveling, etc. It is completely normal for sleep to be disrupted during times of change or stress — but, it’s also important to consider that sometimes we all have a bad night without any apparent cause.

Recognizing that the brain naturally focuses on the bad nights as a way of protecting you from perceived danger or threats can help you realize the importance of making a conscious effort to focus on the good nights rather than the bad — and this will make good nights of sleep occur more frequently and more consistently.

Related video: Why CBT-I is so effective when worry, anxiety, and a racing mind are fueling your chronic insomnia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FooE0_XW4_c

▶ Subscribe to the Insomnia Coach channel: http://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 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 https://insomniacoach.com/sleep-training/?ref=youtube052819

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 for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice or medical treatment 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 other licensed healthcare provider. All content is provided as is, and without warranties.

#sleep
#insomnia