How Jim stopped chasing after sleep and put over 10 years of insomnia behind him (#42)

YouTube Video VVVMNUxzTFVlVkEyal9Wc2w1NjI1c2hRLmhRYUNpNldJZS1r

Ready to get your life back from insomnia? Learn more about the sleep coaching programs I offer at https://insomniacoach.com<br /><br />Jim struggled with insomnia for over 10 years. At first, he thought it was a symptom of heavy drinking, a poor diet, working late, and experiencing a lot of stress. However, the insomnia stuck around even after Jim addressed these issues. This led to many years of ongoing sleep disruption, fear, frustration, and anxiety.<br /><br />In this episode, Jim shares the changes he made that helped him put his insomnia behind him. Instead of chasing after sleep, he began to spend less time in bed and always got out of bed at the same time every day. He started to get out of bed at night instead of staring at the ceiling for hours.<br /><br />Instead of spending time before bed doing things in an attempt to make sleep happen, he simply set aside some time to unwind and do things that were relaxing and enjoyable.<br /><br />Ultimately, Jim stopped trying to fight or avoid nighttime wakefulness. He stopped trying to fight or avoid the difficult thoughts and feelings that often come with nighttime wakefulness. <br /><br />Today, Jim knows that he can still enjoy really good nights of sleep — even after the most stressful days — because he is no longer engaged in a competition with sleep.<br /><br />Chapters:<br /><br />00:00 Introduction<br />02:28 Starting the Conversation With Jim<br />02:46 Root Causes: Alcohol, Caffeine, Diet<br />03:54 When Sleep Became Dysfunctional<br />04:11 What Sleep Looked Like During Insomnia<br />05:42 Daytime Impacts of Poor Sleep<br />06:50 Failed Attempts to Fix Sleep<br />08:30 The Sleep Study and Paradoxical Insomnia<br />09:54 Uncovering the Real Problem<br />12:00 Retraining the Brain for Sleep<br />14:00 Understanding Perpetuating Factors<br />15:47 Discovering What Truly Helped<br />16:59 The Role of the Sleep Buffer<br />17:53 Consistency With Wake-Up Time<br />18:32 Redefining the Bed and Its Purpose<br />19:13 Getting Out of Bed When Awake<br />20:17 Shifting Relationship With Difficult Nights<br />21:53 Gaining Confidence in Sleep<br />23:03 The Misleading Term “Sleep Restriction”<br />24:08 Matching Sleep Time to Sleep Need<br />25:47 Benefits of a Consistent Wake Time<br />26:44 Enjoyable Wind Down Time<br />28:32 Avoiding Sleep Effort and Pressure<br />30:19 Making Wakefulness at Night Less Stressful<br />32:13 Breaking the Clock-Watching Habit<br />33:53 Tapering Off Sleep Supplements<br />36:01 Staying Consistent Through Sleep Disruption<br />38:17 Expanding the Sleep Window Gradually<br />39:31 None of These Techniques Create Sleep<br />41:04 Stress No Longer Disrupts Sleep<br />43:03 It's Not Stress—It's the Struggle<br />44:53 Making Space for Difficult Thoughts<br />45:57 Life One Year Later<br />47:32 Energy and Focus Have Returned<br />48:59 Final Advice for Others With Insomnia<br />51:38 Closing and Farewell<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 />You can subscribe to the Insomnia Coach® Podcast through the following platforms:<br /><br />Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/insomnia-coach-podcast/id1469454957<br /><br />Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnNvbW5pYWNvYWNoLmNvbS9mZWVkL3BvZGNhc3Qv<br /><br />Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eVnnsowPQAnS4cZX73dEf<br /><br />Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=432360<br /><br />TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Health--Wellness-Podcasts/Insomnia-Coach(R)-Podcast-p1232227/<br /><br />PodBean: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/gz957-98ea6/Insomnia-Coach%C2%AE-Podcast <br /><br />iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-insomnia-coach-podcast-46606122/<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=youtube090922<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 4.6K views September 9, 2022 4:10 pm

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

Jim struggled with insomnia for over 10 years. At first, he thought it was a symptom of heavy drinking, a poor diet, working late, and experiencing a lot of stress. However, the insomnia stuck around even after Jim addressed these issues. This led to many years of ongoing sleep disruption, fear, frustration, and anxiety.

In this episode, Jim shares the changes he made that helped him put his insomnia behind him. Instead of chasing after sleep, he began to spend less time in bed and always got out of bed at the same time every day. He started to get out of bed at night instead of staring at the ceiling for hours.

Instead of spending time before bed doing things in an attempt to make sleep happen, he simply set aside some time to unwind and do things that were relaxing and enjoyable.

Ultimately, Jim stopped trying to fight or avoid nighttime wakefulness. He stopped trying to fight or avoid the difficult thoughts and feelings that often come with nighttime wakefulness.

Today, Jim knows that he can still enjoy really good nights of sleep — even after the most stressful days — because he is no longer engaged in a competition with sleep.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction
02:28 Starting the Conversation With Jim
02:46 Root Causes: Alcohol, Caffeine, Diet
03:54 When Sleep Became Dysfunctional
04:11 What Sleep Looked Like During Insomnia
05:42 Daytime Impacts of Poor Sleep
06:50 Failed Attempts to Fix Sleep
08:30 The Sleep Study and Paradoxical Insomnia
09:54 Uncovering the Real Problem
12:00 Retraining the Brain for Sleep
14:00 Understanding Perpetuating Factors
15:47 Discovering What Truly Helped
16:59 The Role of the Sleep Buffer
17:53 Consistency With Wake-Up Time
18:32 Redefining the Bed and Its Purpose
19:13 Getting Out of Bed When Awake
20:17 Shifting Relationship With Difficult Nights
21:53 Gaining Confidence in Sleep
23:03 The Misleading Term “Sleep Restriction”
24:08 Matching Sleep Time to Sleep Need
25:47 Benefits of a Consistent Wake Time
26:44 Enjoyable Wind Down Time
28:32 Avoiding Sleep Effort and Pressure
30:19 Making Wakefulness at Night Less Stressful
32:13 Breaking the Clock-Watching Habit
33:53 Tapering Off Sleep Supplements
36:01 Staying Consistent Through Sleep Disruption
38:17 Expanding the Sleep Window Gradually
39:31 None of These Techniques Create Sleep
41:04 Stress No Longer Disrupts Sleep
43:03 It’s Not Stress—It’s the Struggle
44:53 Making Space for Difficult Thoughts
45:57 Life One Year Later
47:32 Energy and Focus Have Returned
48:59 Final Advice for Others With Insomnia
51:38 Closing and Farewell

▶ 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

You can subscribe to the Insomnia Coach® Podcast through the following platforms:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/insomnia-coach-podcast/id1469454957

Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnNvbW5pYWNvYWNoLmNvbS9mZWVkL3BvZGNhc3Qv

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eVnnsowPQAnS4cZX73dEf

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=432360

TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Health–Wellness-Podcasts/Insomnia-Coach(R)-Podcast-p1232227/

PodBean: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/gz957-98ea6/Insomnia-Coach%C2%AE-Podcast

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-insomnia-coach-podcast-46606122/

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=youtube090922

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