How Jessica broke free from insomnia by letting go and accepting it without judgement (#54)
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- čas přidán 11. 07. 2024
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Jessica's journey with insomnia began on a family vacation when she suddenly found it really hard to sleep. When she got home, her sleep recovered - until it was time to travel again. This pattern repeated itself, with sleep getting more difficult each time she traveled until insomnia stuck around even after she returned home.
In response, Jessica started to go to bed earlier. She tried supplements and medication. She practiced good sleep hygiene. And yet, night after night, her bedroom remained a battleground.
When bedtime approached, Jessica experienced a sense of impending doom and intense anxiety. She would feel a tightness in her chest. She worried how she was going to function during the day and feared making mistakes at work.
In this episode, Jessica describes how she practiced a new approach. Instead of fighting insomnia and the difficult thoughts and feelings that would come with it, she started accepting their presence. She started to be kinder to herself. Jessica noticed that it wasn't being awake or experiencing certain thoughts and feelings that were the real problem - it was her judgment of those things and her ongoing resistance to them that made things so much more difficult.
As Jessica shares, her change of approach wasn't easy. Progress was not immediate or linear. However, with ongoing practice she found that she was able to free herself from an ongoing struggle and reclaim her life from insomnia.
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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 insomniacoach.com/sleep-train...
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All content found on the Insomnia Coach CZcams 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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All content found on the Insomnia Coach CZcams 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.
In 2019 I found this channel as a result of my insomnia and I still remember that one video where you said just don't try to stop the thoughts and you will eventually fall asleep. It worked and I am still using it, so thank you.
So similiar. Although I am sleeping better now, I still feel the thightness and anxiety building up when night comes. Without any thought behind it whatsoever.
Thank you Jessica for your story. I can certainly relate to your experience, especially watching "soft, slow" TV shows when you're struggling with nighttime wakefulness. I re-watch Midsomer Murders, Downton Abbey & other British shows as they're my comfort shows which often put me in a calmer mood. Like you, I was somewhat ashamed to label myself as an insomniac as I feel like a bit of a failure that I can't sleep like others [especially my husband😃]. Although it is difficult for me, I realize acceptance is key as I realize there is so much I can't control. And Martin ....thank you for featuring Jessica's experience. I am currently beginning week 3 of your self coaching course, I can sincerely state I have had some success as I navigate insomnia.
Thank you for sharing - not many people find this process easy! Jessica was such a great guest to have on and I am so grateful to her for sharing her story and her insights!
Great insight! Super helpful. Understanding that the thoughts in bed were bad but during the day they were not a problem
This is a great interview podcast, Jessica’s story and overcoming the insomnia anxiety is so helpful and encouraging to me as I had similar experiences. Truly thankful to Martin and Jessica for doing this video, I’m sure it also helpful to the insomnia community …..
I turned to mirtazapine pretty early in my insomnia experience probably 3 weeks in. I wish i hadnt because im 3.5 months in im sleeping ok now but i feel like im not getting to the root cause using medication. I want to come off and face my fear and be willing to experience it. Your channel has been so positive and helpful for me. Especially the success stories and the techniques used. I was so low before taking the meds all id think about was sleep so consuming.
Your regret is understandable - and yet you did what you felt was right at the time. A few months ago, taking medication felt like the right thing to do and was perhaps an act of self-kindness, too. I appreciate you sharing that you've found the channel to be positive and helpful! Taking the first step away from medication is often the most difficult step - have you discussed your desire to stop taking medication with your doctor?
@InsomniaCoach I have Martin spoke over phone yesterday. Just a quick taper as I haven't been on for too long. I just want the confidence in my own ability to sleep back. I mentioned my sleep anxiety hasn't fully gone but I'm in a much better place and ready to face it. I just feel sleeping without medication will truly give me confidence to leave this behind me. I hope I can get to a point where the thought of sleep doesn't worry me anymore.
@@danh2310 It sounds like you're heading in the direction you want to be heading - great stuff! And, as a bonus, you don't need sleep confidence to generate sleep :)
Hi,
i have had insomnia for 7 years now. however the past 2/3 years i have been getting to sleep easier and i can sleep for 6/7 hours on and off. However my problem now is the type of sleep i am getting.. most nights all i have is vivid dreams all night and wake up several times throughout the night. i always feel exhausted, have headaches and don't feel like i am getting any deep quality sleep. i have put this down to REM rebound for so long?.. my brain catching up on REM sleep that i have not been getting for the past few years? it has been like this for so long now it is draining and i cant see an end to it. Every so often i will have a deep sleep with no dreams or awakenings and i feel great the next day but that is once or twice a month. i have even had sleep apnea tests done etc.
Hope you can help
thanks
Liam
Hello Martin! I have been following your videos and learn to accept Insomnia as it is instead of fighting to stop it. I get a good night sleep but followed by couple of bad nights and it goes the same way. I kinda workout around 8-8.45 pm at night(run in threadmill for 30min and do some yoga) and head to sleep by 12. Is this disturbing my sleep and make my mind active by any means? Ideally how long before sleep is the right time to complete workouts mainly on cardio like running or any sport of that kind?
Good question! Did you work out around 8-8.45pm at night in the past when sleep was going well and wasn't any cause for concern?
Well, I used to take up Zumba session from 7-8PM back then and obviously had a good sleep. I have not tried 8-9PM before. I somehow engage myself in some form of vigorous workouts late evenings so that I get tired and sleep better(though end results are not as expected every night). Later when I understood sleep has to be effortless, I consciously try not to associate my workout as a sleep inducing activity. But little curious to know when you are in this journey(though I don't wish to label it as Insomnia) of getting back to your old self, is there any timeline like to complete vigorous physical activities before say 4-5/3-4 hours of your sleep time so that it practically don't make you fresh? Appreciate your turnaround!
Well, you can always conduct an experiment and allow experience to be your guide!
hello I just found this channel i have chronic insomnia and been on sleeping pills for close to 10 years, currently on ambien and have been issues with worst insomnia than before, of course feel anxious just thinking about sleep. Want to wean off sleeping pills, feel that not working for me anymore even before was just getting few hours of sleep with meds. Whats your advise?? thank you
I've been doing better with insomnia recently but there's still one thing I don't understand. I still fairly regularly will have nights where even when I'm not acting in a Manor that would make insomnia worse (such as avoiding day time tasks, spending too much time in bed etc) I'll still find nights where I'll be laid in bed, completely relaxed and content, yet still will be laid awake for hours. I'm not worried or stressed at the time, I've been up since 6am and dont go to bed before 11:30 yet I csn still be laid there relaxed but nit asleep which seems strange?
Perhaps this suggests that sleep shows up when it chooses to show up and cannot be controlled? In that context, there's nothing strange going on!
Is this ai generated? There are a lot of video cuts
AI was used to cut out long pauses and excessive ums/ahs/likes/you knows :)
Hi Martin, I’ve watched a lot of your videos but I can’t find someone who got back to struggling with insomnia after overcoming it. I struggled with sleep anxiety for a year and i resolved with meditation and acceptance but after 4 years of sleeping well I had a sleepless night and now I’m back at it obsessing so much about it that the prophecy became true and I’m sleeping less everyday 😢
Many people find themselves getting pulled back into the struggle every now and then - I believe this is mentioned by quite a few podcast guests! We often call them "relapses" when really they are part of the human experience and an opportunity to practice responding in a workable way.
If practicing experiencing certain thoughts and feelings (and wakefulness itself) with less struggle and refocusing your attention on your actions and what you want to be doing was helpful in the past it might just be a case of repeating that approach again.
Please don't forget to be kind to yourself, too.
I hope there's something helpful here.
You've beat it once you will beat it again stay strong