How Kelly stopped fighting sleep and broke free from insomnia (#73)
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Kelly’s struggle with insomnia began after the birth of her first child. What started as one sleepless night quickly grew into panic-filled evenings and anxious days. The harder she tried to make sleep happen — through medication, supplements, holistic remedies, and strict routines — the more elusive it became. Sleep turned into an obsession, and every decision seemed controlled by fear of another difficult night.
Things began to shift when Kelly discovered that her body wasn’t broken — it was the exhausting fight with insomnia that was fueling her struggle. She started to let go of rituals, loosen her grip, and give herself permission to live more freely. At first she worried that these changes might just be more sleep efforts in disguise. But with reflection, she realized the difference was in her intention: instead of chasing sleep, her actions were now serving her life.
Kelly also transformed her relationship with thoughts. Rather than identifying with them or trying to push them away, she learned to notice them as experiences she couldn’t control — stories and sensations that didn’t have to dictate her choices. With less resistance, they lost their power.
When she became pregnant again, insomnia returned. But this time, Kelly approached it differently. Instead of getting pulled back into an endless and exhausting battle, she leaned into acceptance. She reminded herself there was nothing she could do to force sleep, and gave herself permission to rest, watch a show, or simply allow the night to unfold. Slowly, the fear eased, her days opened up again, and sleep returned on its own terms.
Today, Kelly no longer measures progress by hours of sleep, but by how little influence sleep has over her life. She’s free to live her life — and sleep takes care of itself. Sleep is, once again, effortless.
Chapters:
04:03 Kelly’s Insomnia Story Begins
07:24 Pressure to Sleep as a New Mom
12:31 Evolution of Sleep Efforts
17:52 Discovering the Podcast and a New Approach
24:50 Facing Fear and Letting Go
29:14 Helpful Tools and Course Insights
34:36 Intention Behind Actions
39:00 Pregnancy, Relapse, and Acceptance
43:01 Conserving Energy Through Less Struggle
46:55 Measuring Progress Differently
50:28 Living Beyond Sleep Struggles
53:40 Comparing Sleep and Finding Freedom
55:00 Timelines, Progress, and Recovery
57:08 Life Changes Beyond Sleep
59:08 Kelly’s Message of Hope
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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=youtube092525
You can also find me on 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.
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