Afleveringen
-
After experiencing anxiety and panic attacks and not sleeping for 72 hours, Maria thought she had lost the ability to sleep. Medication wasn't working. She withdrew from life. She couldn't focus on anything other than sleep.
Feeling completely stuck, Maria changed her approach. Instead of trying to fight or avoid insomnia, she allowed it to show up whenever it chose. Instead of trying to fight or avoid the difficult thoughts and feelings that often come with insomnia, she allowed them to come and go as they pleased.
Maria also started to do more of the things that mattered to her, even when insomnia was present and even when her mind was telling her she couldn't leave the house. All these actions stripped insomnia of its power and influence and allowed Maria to redirect her energy and attention away from an ongoing struggle and toward living the life she wanted to live.
Watch/listen to this episode -
Leah experienced insomnia from her teenage years. As an adult it would often come and go, until it came and didn't go! This made it difficult for Leah to live the life she wanted to live. To do the things that mattered to her. Sleeping pills didn't help, and she felt stuck.
So, Leah decided to change her approach. She realized that canceling plans after sleepless nights didn't make things any better and so she committed to following through on her plans, regardless of how she felt. Instead of putting effort into sleep, she gave her body the opportunity to take care of sleep all by itself. She also practiced observing her thoughts instead of trying to control them.
By doing things that mattered to her, Leah freed herself from the insomnia struggle. Now, sleep feels more natural and she is living the life she wants to live, independently of sleep.
Watch/listen to this episode -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
-
Amanda's insomnia was triggered by a number of stressors — having a baby, relocating, getting a new job, and dealing with a toxic parent.
She tried several sleep aids and implemented a number of sleep rules and rituals but found no real relief until she explored a different approach.
She started to acknowledge and accept her thoughts and feelings instead of trying to control them. She started to get more comfortable with nighttime wakefulness. And, she started to focus on the good things in her life and doing things that mattered to her.
As a result, she was able to move away from chasing after sleep and successfully reclaimed her life from insomnia.
Watch/listen to this episode -
For more than a decade, Eddie struggled with sleep. He had good nights and bad nights, and just when he thought his sleep was back on track, it would slip away again. The harder it became to sleep, the more he struggled, and the less he did the things he loved.
Eddie's transformation started when he stopped trying to force sleep and began developing healthy sleep habits. He also took the time to figure out what insomnia was preventing him from doing and what it was taking away from him. Despite restless nights, he made a commitment to do what mattered most to him.
Now, Eddie sees his battle with insomnia as a source of strength. He's not happy about his experience, but he's not sad either. Instead, he's grateful for what he's learned and the resilience he's gained.
Watch/listen to this episode -
Jeannette's sleep improved after working with me but one night she couldn't fall back to sleep and her old fears returned. She felt like something was wrong with her as this continued, night after night. This led Jeannette back into her old safety behaviors, even though she knew they weren't helpful.
In this episode, Jeannette shares how she moved away from struggling with insomnia. She became more comfortable with nighttime wakefulness, stopped chasing after sleep, allowed her mind to generate whatever thoughts it wanted (even difficult ones), and started being kinder to herself.
Watch/listen to this episode -
Eric, like many people with chronic insomnia, discovered that trying to fall asleep only made it harder. Although he had no trouble falling asleep, he woke up frequently at night and struggled to drift off again due to racing thoughts and anxiety. Eric was fixated on sleeping and despite trying everything, he couldn't seem to relax or improve.
After we started working together, Eric reduced his allotted sleep time to match his actual sleep duration and learned to manage nighttime wakefulness better. He also committed to living the life he wanted independently of sleep. By changing how he responded to his insomnia and the associated difficulties, Eric's sleep improved dramatically. He no longer relies on sleeping pills and, more than a year and a half later, he no longer battles his mind daily and sleeps well.
Watch/listen to this episode -
Vicky used to manage her insomnia by taking sleeping pills for 20 years, until one night when they stopped working. This left her feeling alone and anxious, and she started to experience panic attacks when waking up in the middle of the night. To tackle this, Vicky adopted a new approach to insomnia that involved letting go of the struggle. She realized that unpleasant thoughts and feelings didn't need to prevent her from doing what mattered to her. She committed to engaging in meaningful activities, even after difficult nights and despite uncomfortable thoughts and feelings.
Nowadays, Vicky still has some difficult nights occasionally, but she is no longer battling her mind all day and night. She is living the life she wants, even when faced with discomfort. In fact, Vicky considers her insomnia a gift, as it has helped her develop resilience and react more effectively to the difficulties we all face as human beings.
Watch/listen to this episode -
Jim dealt with insomnia for a decade, initially thinking it was due to heavy drinking, poor diet, late work hours, and high stress. However, his insomnia persisted even after resolving these issues, leading to years of sleep disruption, fear, frustration, and anxiety.
In this episode, Jim discusses the changes he made to overcome his insomnia. Ultimately, he stopped struggling against and avoiding nighttime wakefulness, as well as the difficult thoughts and feelings that often accompany it. Today, Jim can enjoy restful sleep, even after stressful days, because he is no longer in a competition with sleep.
Watch/listen to this episode -
Nick started experiencing insomnia in 2000 when he relocated and began a new job. His life was consumed with stress, anxiety, and uncertainty, and he found that trying to avoid or fight his thoughts only made them stronger. Nick felt helpless and didn't know how to improve his sleep or manage his difficult thoughts and emotions.
In this episode, Nick talks about how he adopted a new approach to dealing with all this difficult stuff. Rather than trying to control his thoughts and feelings, he learned to acknowledge and accept them. Instead of getting distracted by them, he redirected his attention towards actions that would help him move towards the life he wanted to live.
Nick started focusing on living a life that was aligned with his values, doing things that were important to him even on difficult nights when he experienced uncomfortable thoughts and emotions. He learned to bring his mind back to the present and notice and appreciate the things he was missing out on when he was lost in thought.
Today, Nick has a more workable relationship with sleep and the full range of thoughts and feelings that come with it. He no longer sees sleep as the sole focus of his life and is not haunted by it anymore.
Watch/listen to this episode -
Adam's struggle with insomnia began the night before an important work presentation. A difficult night led to him calling in sick and planted a seed in his mind that difficult nights would interfere with important plans.
To feel better in the short-term, Adam used safety behaviors like canceling plans or avoiding activities to protect his sleep. However, these behaviors prevented him from living the life he wanted in the long-term, turning his comfort zone into a prison.
In this episode, Adam shares how he learned to let go of his anxiety, fear, and intense desire to avoid nighttime wakefulness. He also talks about the benefits of self-kindness and how he separated his ability to sleep at night from his ability to engage in activities that aligned with his values and aspirations.
Today, Adam is free from his self-imposed prison and is living the life he wants, sleeping much better in the process.
Watch/listen to this episode -
As Juergen grew older, his sleep patterns started to change, which is a normal part of aging. However, at the time he didn't realize this. As he began to pay more attention to his sleep, the COVID pandemic hit, increasing his work stress, and shutting down all the places he enjoyed going to. Juergen started to feel as if insomnia and the difficult emotions that came with it were controlling his life, causing him to lose sight of the life he wanted to live.
Over time, Juergen became more open to experiencing wakefulness at night and learned to accept the difficult thoughts and feelings that came with it. He found that by not fighting against the things he couldn't control, he was able to redirect his energy towards activities that aligned with his values and goals. The skills he learned also proved useful when tinnitus returned after a long absence.
As a result, the things outside of Juergen's control now have less influence over his life, and he is sleeping much better.
Watch/listen to this episode -
Kristina had a demanding job that caused a lot of stress. One night, her husband woke her up after having a nightmare, triggering a release of anxiety that had been building up for some time. This made it difficult for her to fall back to sleep, which only caused more worry and anxiety in the following nights.
At first, Kristina could fall asleep but would wake up with a racing mind in the middle of the night and struggle to fall back to sleep. But then, she began having trouble falling asleep altogether, which caused more anxiety and sleep disruption.
Kristina discovered that the most effective way to combat her insomnia was to deprive it of the things it needed to survive. Rather than going to bed early or staying in bed late, Kristina adjusted her bedtime to when she felt genuinely sleepy, rather than just tired. She also made sure to get out of bed at the same time every morning, regardless of how much sleep she had gotten. If she felt uncomfortable being awake at night, she would engage in an enjoyable activity instead.
Most importantly, Kristina learned to focus on the present moment and what was under her control. She continued to work towards the life she wanted to live, independent of her sleep and even when experiencing difficult thoughts and emotions.
Watch/listen to this episode -
Deeandra used to sleep well until a stressful time in her life caused her to go without sleep for 48 hours, causing anxiety. She worried that she had lost the ability to sleep and tried different medications, but they didn't work well and had side effects. For three years, Deeandra tried different rituals and experiments to sleep better, putting her life on hold.
Gradually, Deeandra learned to let go of control and not avoid wakefulness at night. She only went to bed when she was actually sleepy, and started living her life regardless of how she slept at night. She resumed activities she had withdrawn from and even started exercising again. Over time, she reclaimed her life from insomnia, and her sleep improved.
Now, Deeandra sleeps for an average of six to seven hours a night, and even though she still has difficult nights, they no longer control her life. In her own words, "life is about the time we spend awake, not the time that we sleep".
Listen to this episode -
Wayne's battle with insomnia began during his board exam preparations when he tried to adjust his sleep schedule to wake up earlier. Unfortunately, this caused difficulty in falling asleep and led to sleep-related anxiety, making his nights stressful. To combat this, Wayne tried implementing sleep hygiene rituals and experimenting with sleep supplements, but these actions perpetuated his insomnia.
Wayne learned that sleep is a natural process that does not respond well to effort. He began going to bed later and making space for difficult thoughts and emotions instead of trying to fight them. He also reminded himself that sleep will always happen in the end. Although this process took time, Wayne now thinks of sleep as a friend, and no longer puts any pressure or effort into it. As a result, he sleeps well and is living the life he wants to live.
Watch/listen to this episode -
Felicity had been grappling with sleep issues intermittently throughout her life. Normally, her sleep would recover after a few months of disruption, but then it didn't. In an attempt to regain control of her sleep, Felicity delved into extensive research on sleep, gave up coffee, experimented with medication and supplements, and even resorted to sleeping in hotels due to the difficulty sleeping in her own bed.
Fortunately, Felicity was able to transform her approach to sleep by adopting habits that facilitated better sleeping conditions and practicing self-care to help her move towards the life she wanted, regardless of sleep.
While Felicity occasionally grew frustrated with her progress, she committed to strategies that set the stage for sleep and explored her relationship with sleep, leading to improvement. Most importantly, Felicity's attitude towards sleep shifted entirely. She stopped identifying as an insomniac, treated herself kindly on difficult nights, and recognized that sleep does not require effort and does not respond well to it.
Now, sleep is no longer a hindrance in Felicity's life. She lives her life independently of sleep and is both sleeping well and living well.
Watch/listen to this episode -
Amy felt trapped in a life of insomnia, as night after night of wakefulness pushed her into a dark place with no escape. She felt helpless and hopeless until she became friends with someone else who was struggling with insomnia. Amy learned about the behavioral changes that were helping her friend sleep better.
At first, Amy was skeptical that these changes would work for her, but with nothing left to lose, she decided to try. She started spending less time in bed, abandoning her sleep rituals, and letting go of her attempts to control her thoughts and worries about sleep. Despite some ups and downs, she started sleeping more consistently, and now averages seven or more hours of sleep each night. Amy considers her transformation a miracle and a testament to the fact that there is always hope, no matter how dire the situation may seem.
Amy's story is a reminder that even when we feel like we have exhausted all options, there may still be a path forward. By being open to change and willing to let go of our old habits and beliefs, we can create the conditions for better sleep and a better life. With persistence and the right support, we can break free from the cycle of insomnia and find restful, restorative sleep once again.
Watch/listen to this episode -
Jennifer struggled with sleep for 18 years, starting when she weaned her firstborn from breastfeeding. After falling pregnant again, things got better, but when it was time to wean her second child, the cycle of poor sleep returned. As the mother of five children, Jennifer was anxious about sleep when she decided she was done having kids.
Jennifer listened to the Insomnia Coach podcast and realized that her beliefs were the root cause of her sleep problems. She felt ready to make changes to her habits and mindset to create better conditions for sleep. With the knowledge that others were experiencing similar struggles with insomnia, Jennifer became more confident in her ability to sleep and implemented changes to her behaviors and thought processes, leading to improved sleep and the ability to put chronic insomnia behind her.
Listen to this episode -
Jovana's insomnia began in 2019, leaving her anxious and stressed. As a new mom, her anxiety worsened and she dreaded going to bed. Discovering the Insomnia Coach YouTube channel and podcast made her feel less isolated and she realized her experience wasn't unique or unusual.
Jovana stopped her extensive research and experimentation with supplements and medication. She accepted the fact that sleep cannot be controlled and removed herself from the process of sleep. Despite difficult nights and overwhelming emotions, she committed to actions that helped her move towards the life she wanted to live. As a result, Jovana's confidence in her natural ability to sleep returned and she begins living the kind of life she wanted to live.
Watch/listen to this episode -
After her daughter's birth, Cindy developed postpartum depression and was given medication to help her sleep. The medication initially helped, but soon failed, causing anxiety and worsening sleep problems. She attempted to eliminate every possible factor contributing to her insomnia but to no avail. She came to the realization that her efforts to obtain perfect sleeping conditions were exacerbating her insomnia.
By embracing the possibility of being awake at night and finding ways to make it a pleasant experience, Cindy overcame her sleep anxiety. Cindy's biggest lesson was realizing that her success was not dependent on her amount of sleep, but her relationship with it. Today, she no longer takes sleep medication and sleeps soundly.
Watch/listen to this episode -
When COVID hit, Jake's sleep schedule was severely disrupted as he was forced to work from home. He found himself working beyond the usual nine-to-five, answering calls and texts at all hours of the day, and even taking his computer to bed. Work encroached into his weekends and before long, he lost any semblance of a sleep schedule. When he went on vacation, he struggled to get any sleep at all, leading to a lot of anxiety and worry.
To address his insomnia, Jake began researching evidence-based techniques to improve his sleep. He reduced the amount of time he spent in bed, got up during the night if he couldn't sleep, and prioritized living the life he wanted during the day, regardless of his sleep quality. As a result, his life no longer revolves around sleep, he no longer tries to control or put effort into it, and he has regained his confidence in his natural ability to sleep.
Watch/listen to this episode - Laat meer zien