This article delves further into the idea of keeping a sleep diary. We usually only use a sleep diary to record our worries at the end of the day, purely to get them out of our heads so we can relax and sleep. Below are listed a couple of further steps you can take to deal with anxiety before bed. While it may sound a rather long task, my guess is that we wouldn’t have to do it every night to gain relief. This takes keeping a sleep diary to a new level and can leave your mind free to work on the problems as you sleep. You may even wake up with a few answers!

Treating the cause and not the symptoms

It’s easy to become lazy about Insomnia and treat the symptoms e.g. prescription medication to help induce sleep. But the primary cause, which is stress, should be your focus, and time and time again the most important reason for stress is confusion. Think about it for a second, bewilderment is a lack of clarity and the incapability to totally comprehend a predicament or task, this frequently leads to anxiety and regularly leads to mistakes which burden you with further stress. When we are confused or feel out of our depth at work the common reaction is to literally throw more time at the problem and hope for a resolution, but frequently all this will lead directly to is sleep deprivation and poor decision-making. What you actually need is clarity, you want to tackle confusion and stress with a clear mind.

If you can’t sleep at night, try this easy method

1. Before going to bed, purge yourself of anxiety, take a pad and a pan and note down all your problems and concerns. You will surprise yourself, this exercise can literally feel a bit like opening the flood gates, endure it is worth the effort.
2. Next ask this one straightforward question and attempt to answer as brazenly and honestly as you can, it’s necessary. What will occur if I can’t solve these issues?
3. You may find when you are essentially forced to put down these issues, things will start to become much more clear.
4. Next stop and truly think about paths to tackle your problems, again write down your answers and be open and fair with yourself. Don’t simply write down random thoughts really jot down the steps you can take to address these issues, in order if you can. You are devising a plan so give yourself particular steps to put into action.
5. Try and repeat this process constantly and you could be genuinely shocked at the improvements you make.

Why this technique basically works?

Essentially we are tackling the issue head on with the process printed above, it may appear simple but we are endeavoring to take what you are thinking and lay it out obviously in front of you permitting you to properly digest each issue and calmly appraise and then develop solutions. We try to take the perplexity out of the equation and also develop a system for you to deal with your confusion, which as outlined above is the key culprit when it comes to stress. Stress which as we know is the most important reason for Insomnia and sleeping disorders in general.

If you cannot fall asleep fast at night or are just having trouble sleeping drop by fallasleepfast.net we have got a number of articles you may find handy.

                          

Hey, I’m 20 years old and I have had insomnia for as long as I can remember. at least since 5th grade. When I was still in school it was a lot worse, multiple days without sleep, Ive even had hallucinations due to sleep deprivation. The only reason I never got help is because when I talked to my parents about it, (along with my anxiaty and dipression) they didnt really believe me. It didnt help that the doctor I went to said since i wasnt suicidal I also couldnt be any of the other things. Point is, now that im 20 living on my own and supporting myself it needs to be taken control of.

I already lost one job and am well on my way to losing another… I’ve tried all sorts of herbal remedies teas relaxations methods. I’ve gotten good at maintaining my sleep hygiene as I’ve heard it called. im very active with hiking skateboarding and some sports with friends. not really sure what to do anymore. My employer said I may want to look into geting disability from the state and honestly that just seems like giving up…. so I cant do that. and i dont think that is considered a disability anyway. Thanks for the help and im def gonna tell some people about this site there’s alot of great information and its encouraging to me that there are people out there who get it and want to help not just make their salery – Simon

Hi Simon

Let me first say I really admire you for your perseverance and not giving up. From what you say it sounds like your insomnia is connected to anxiety, but please correct me if I’m wrong.

Whether it’s caused by anxiety and depression, the best way to handle this is to treat the anxiety or depression. Unfortunately the way most doctors treat these things is with chemical prescriptions which come with their own set of problems.

You sound pretty intelligent and have tried all the obvious stuff, have you considered going to a naturopath or holistic doctor? These people will look at your health as a whole and not just treat separate complaints with different drugs that may not react well with one another.

Another thing you can try is hypnosis if you haven’t already. If you have had insomnia for a long time, you could have the belief that you will never sleep well and a hypnotist can help remove that from your subconscious mind.

Please don’t give up Simon, all the best to you.
Wendy

                          

Hi Wendy,

Yes my stress levels and anxiety are very high at present with this on going
problem as it is so severe and debilitating for me. I have gone off the
sleeping pills yet again and not slept 3 whole nights. I have tried hypnosis
and melatonin too.

Please can you send things to me in Word format as I can not open PDF files
such as the Links on your site.

I really appreciate any help at this point as I am beside myself with this
thing- I am on a Disability Support Pension and do not want to take
allopathic medications. I am seeing the world’s best Homoeopath via
Internet- Dr R S and he has managed to do zero. I am so
disappointed and frightened that this will never go, and a normal life will
never return to me.

Dear J

A couple of things…

Firstly the link to the EFT site, You can go to http://www.eftuniverse.com/ There used to be a complimentary manual here but I think they charge now. I can send you my copy but it is PDF. This energy technique is very effective for many health issues and specifically anxiety and stress. It is recommended by Dr Mercola on his site. The beauty of it is that it works without you’re having to believe in it. You have to be persistent though. Go through the tapping again and again.

Secondly have you considered a chiropractor? A couple of my readers have found relief from their insomnia by having an alignment. Now I’m not sure how and why this works but, who cares? So long as it can help.

Unfortunately most of my stuff is PDF, I’ll have a look for some Word docs and I’ll send them if I can find them. I’m sending you a short MP3 to listen to, hopefully you can open that.

For now, I wish you well and I’ll send stuff as I find it.

Wendy

                          

I am coming off sleeping pills yet again as I do the Sleep Restriction go through hell with that, get to 3 hours and then lose it. It just keeps on going and going. I am unable to work at present it is so bad and has destroyed relationships, jobs, any social life and even my confidence. I am really at my wit’s end and NOONE can offer any help at all. I am so desperate to sleep just a few hours each night, get a job again and have a life again. I am thoroughly exhausted and stressed but still try to exercise and see bright light etc. All Sleep Hygiene measures are in place. Please- any help at all would be greatly appreciated. You have permission to put this on your site if it can help anyone at all from going here.
J.

Dear J.

I can understand your frustration and lack of confidence in your ability to sleep. I can see that you have tried may many things in your effort to find some way out of this dilemma. You mention sleep therapists so I’m assuming you have been to a sleep centre and received an assessment from them.

The first thing I would suggest is to get a handle on your stress levels. Stress reduction can be effective at any time of the day, not just at night. I’m going to send you a short download in a following email, try to listen to this a few times a day and see if it helps. Stress will also respond well to EFT  (whether you believe in this or not J) I’ll also send a link in the next email as they have recently changed and I have to chase them up.

Poor sleep can also be caused by an entrenched belief in the subconscious mind that you “can’t sleep”. This can cause havoc with your sleep patterns so we need to get rid of that. Have you tried hypnosis? This helps some people and beliefs can also be challenged with EFT.

I have some more suggestions for you, but this email is getting rather long so I’ll stop here and send another email before tonight.

Don’t give up!

Wendy

Read part 2 of this dialogue on long term insomnia HERE

                          

Many sufferers also try “medicating” using alcohol – the night cap so symbolic in movies actually has damaging effects especially if you drink close to bedtime .

Many of the OTC remedies , for example antihistamines and antidepressants , do work short term, but are not effective as a long term medication .

In 2005 the National Institutes of Health in the US commissioned a “State of the Science” Panel, which was
tasked with analysing and the summing up of what works and what does not work regarding chronic insomnia treatment.

The consensus was that there should be more use  of “Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies”.

What does that imply for you, as someone who has trouble sleeping ?

Simply put , learn techniques and methods that allows you to relax – that’s the “Behavioral Therapy”, and combine that with “cognitive therapies specifically targeted at anxiety-producing beliefs and erroneous beliefs about sleep and sleep loss”.

This is not difficult , but as always it requires a bit of work to succeed. It is far easier and quicker to take a pill, or have a stiff drink!  The sad fact is , in the long run these “quick fixes” will only serve to make the problem worse .

First step is “How To Relax?”

You can find many different ways and techniques that will help you relax, from acupuncture  to yoga . It actually doesn’t really matter what technique (or techniques) you decide on, as long as you learn it, practice it and it works for you. One little known but surprisingly effective method is to use an acupressure mat, another is to improve your deep breathing.

“Cognitive” therapy focuses on the fact that maybe 70-80% of sleep problems are are caused by what goes on in your mind . Anxiety and worry are two main culprits here.

Cognitive Therapists aim to make you, as someone who’s looking for ways to cure insomnia, focus on what your thoughts are when you are thinking about sleep. And, in particular, what is going through your mind when you are about to go to bed.

When you become aware you then tell yourself that your thoughts actually are just “thoughts” – they are not reality!

There is no need to become upset, or start to worry, and this simple disassociation between thoughts and emotions will make it a lot easier to relax your mind and go to sleep. Particularly effective as chronic insomnia treatment, this method will step by step turn a vicious circle into a beneficial one!