How Stephanie got her life back from insomnia by letting go of the fight (#72)

YouTube Video VVVMNUxzTFVlVkEyal9Wc2w1NjI1c2hRLlp3emF5Q2lfNURF

Ready to get your life back from insomnia? Learn more about my sleep coaching programs at https://insomniacoach.com<br /><br />During a trip to Switzerland, Stephanie had a night of no sleep and spent the next day battling panic attacks. Her sleep soon recovered, but that experience planted a seed of fear — a fear of going through another day like that if sleep didn't show up.<br /><br />Months later, when a medical diagnosis and abrupt medication changes disrupted her sleep, that old fear returned — stronger, louder, and harder to ignore. She threw everything at the problem: strict sleep hygiene, medications, rigid rules, new routines. But the harder she fought for sleep, the more relentless the struggle became. Some nights she found herself outside at 3am, wrapped in a blanket, scrolling for answers — exhausted, anxious, and desperate for relief.<br /><br />The turning point didn’t come from a new trick or another pill. It came when she stopped fighting. When she stopped treating wakefulness as a threat and gave herself permission to feel what was already there — the fear, the frustration, the anxiety — without trying to push it away.<br /><br />In this episode, Stephanie shares how letting go of the fight helped her start showing up for her life again. She talks about responding to difficult nights with more presence, more compassion, and more trust in her ability to cope — and how she rebuilt her life one night, one breath, one value-based action at a time.<br /><br />Stephanie’s story is a powerful reminder that recovering from insomnia isn’t about winning the fight. It’s about realizing there was never a fight to win in the first place.<br /><br />Chapters:<br /><br />00:00:00 Travel and First Sleepless Night<br />00:01:18 Health Diagnosis and Medication Side Effects<br />00:03:40 Struggling With Sleep Hygiene and Medications<br />00:06:06 Trialing Different Medications Without Success<br />00:08:14 Job Challenges and Adjusting Work Schedule<br />00:08:34 Finding Temporary Relief With Clonidine<br />00:09:59 Medication Withdrawal and Psychiatric Hospitalization<br />00:12:15 First Experience of Letting Go and Surrender<br />00:13:12 Discovering the Podcast and Course<br />00:15:02 Realizing the Role of Control in Insomnia<br />00:17:27 Learning to Sit With Anxiety and Fear<br />00:19:09 Practicing Acceptance Despite Discomfort<br />00:22:08 Removing Resistance and Reducing Anxiety’s Power<br />00:25:00 Seeing How Sleep Resistance Fuels Struggle<br />00:26:20 Comparing Reactions to Sleep Disruption<br />00:28:41 Implementing New Sleep Habits and Experiments<br />00:33:09 Returning to Enjoyable Activities and Travel<br />00:37:42 Choosing to Live Fully With Insomnia<br />00:39:02 Nighttime Acceptance Practices During Wakefulness<br />00:43:07 Ongoing Practice and Life Improvements<br />00:44:20 Applying Acceptance Skills During the Day<br />00:48:05 Practicing Self-Kindness and Patience<br />00:49:09 Timeline of Recovery Progress<br />00:50:24 Measuring Progress Through Reactions, Not Sleep<br />00:52:11 Final Encouragement for Others<br /><br />Mentioned in this episode: DARE by Barry McDonagh - https://insomniacoach.com/dare/<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=youtube081125<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 1.4K views August 11, 2025 6:14 pm

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

During a trip to Switzerland, Stephanie had a night of no sleep and spent the next day battling panic attacks. Her sleep soon recovered, but that experience planted a seed of fear — a fear of going through another day like that if sleep didn’t show up.

Months later, when a medical diagnosis and abrupt medication changes disrupted her sleep, that old fear returned — stronger, louder, and harder to ignore. She threw everything at the problem: strict sleep hygiene, medications, rigid rules, new routines. But the harder she fought for sleep, the more relentless the struggle became. Some nights she found herself outside at 3am, wrapped in a blanket, scrolling for answers — exhausted, anxious, and desperate for relief.

The turning point didn’t come from a new trick or another pill. It came when she stopped fighting. When she stopped treating wakefulness as a threat and gave herself permission to feel what was already there — the fear, the frustration, the anxiety — without trying to push it away.

In this episode, Stephanie shares how letting go of the fight helped her start showing up for her life again. She talks about responding to difficult nights with more presence, more compassion, and more trust in her ability to cope — and how she rebuilt her life one night, one breath, one value-based action at a time.

Stephanie’s story is a powerful reminder that recovering from insomnia isn’t about winning the fight. It’s about realizing there was never a fight to win in the first place.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Travel and First Sleepless Night
00:01:18 Health Diagnosis and Medication Side Effects
00:03:40 Struggling With Sleep Hygiene and Medications
00:06:06 Trialing Different Medications Without Success
00:08:14 Job Challenges and Adjusting Work Schedule
00:08:34 Finding Temporary Relief With Clonidine
00:09:59 Medication Withdrawal and Psychiatric Hospitalization
00:12:15 First Experience of Letting Go and Surrender
00:13:12 Discovering the Podcast and Course
00:15:02 Realizing the Role of Control in Insomnia
00:17:27 Learning to Sit With Anxiety and Fear
00:19:09 Practicing Acceptance Despite Discomfort
00:22:08 Removing Resistance and Reducing Anxiety’s Power
00:25:00 Seeing How Sleep Resistance Fuels Struggle
00:26:20 Comparing Reactions to Sleep Disruption
00:28:41 Implementing New Sleep Habits and Experiments
00:33:09 Returning to Enjoyable Activities and Travel
00:37:42 Choosing to Live Fully With Insomnia
00:39:02 Nighttime Acceptance Practices During Wakefulness
00:43:07 Ongoing Practice and Life Improvements
00:44:20 Applying Acceptance Skills During the Day
00:48:05 Practicing Self-Kindness and Patience
00:49:09 Timeline of Recovery Progress
00:50:24 Measuring Progress Through Reactions, Not Sleep
00:52:11 Final Encouragement for Others

Mentioned in this episode: DARE by Barry McDonagh – https://insomniacoach.com/dare/

▶ 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=youtube081125

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