If you have trouble sleeping, you have a lot of company. But that’s not much comfort when it’s the middle of the night, you are tired, and the clock is counting down the hours until you have to get up again. You need to sleep! So what do you most likely do? Try to sleep, of course. But I’m telling you: don’t do that!
What do I mean “don’t try to sleep?” Exactly that. If you are “trying” anything (trying to sleep, trying to keep your mind clear of worries, etc), you are exerting yourself. You are therefore, by definition, not relaxed. How are you supposed to fall asleep when you are not relaxed? Additionally, as time passes and you are continuing to “try” to fall asleep without success, what happens? You likely get angry or frustrated. Those emotions are definitely not conducive to falling asleep. In fact, they are going to increase your alertness, the exact opposite of what you want to happen.
Sleep is a contrary thing. If you try to force it, it fights you. If you ignore it, sleep will creep up on you before you know it. I’ve experienced insomnia, so I know how miserable it is to be awake when you want and need to be asleep. In fact, I treated myself with CBT-I the same way I work with my people to help them fix their insomnia! And I can tell you that I saw for myself that when I quit trying and just accepted that, for the moment, I was awake, I could relax and sleep could find me more quickly.
This isn’t a panacea and it won’t cure your insomnia. But it will help you get more of the sleep you want, so give it a try.
If you struggle with sleep problems and would like to have an entire toolbox full of tools to fix your insomnia, give me a text or call at 816-226-4678. If you would like to know more before making an appointment, let’s set up a free 30 minute consultation where I can answer your questions.
