I had stuggled with PTSD, anxiety and insomnia for the last 7 years, which culminated with almost a month of sleeping for 4 hours a night this november. But after struggling with sleep for years I finally learned what my body and my mind needs to sleep well. Started with simple CBT meditation, breathing excersice (fire breath is amazing for anxiety and insomnia) and walking in the morning in sunlight, then progressed to biking all day in the sun, intermittent fasting(OMAD) and cutting out some foods that I ate all my life, like milk. No more chronic inflammation, depression, no more lying in bed for hours with half of my brain shutting off and the other wide awake. If anyone is struggling with sleep know this - I lost hope I'll ever be functional again, but kept on trying just out of spite, and somehow I'm better than ever. Some damage was done, but physically I'm in the best shape of my life and growing every day. So don't loose hope, life can be weird like that.
I was told to do this 15 years ago at a sleep clinic. It also helps to get up and write down all the things you're worried about doing/accomplishing in the next few days if that's what you're thinking about. Somehow, putting these thoughts down on paper seems to download the thoughts.
I 2nd 3rd & 4th agree with this statement. Writing your feelings down allows you to let go and not try and remember it because it’s written down. Game changer.
I could never do this because I'm not troubled by anything specific that can be solved, just have random thoughts racing through my head keeping my mind awake for no reason
I'm wondering what would happen if you wrote down the random thoughts? Like free styling, even if it doesn't make sense. Im wondering if that's still 'downloading' the chaos in your mind that's keeping you from sleeping? This isn't meant to be condescending, just as a new therapist I'm thinking of my clients and what might work.
@@micheller3731 try it and let us know. We are all human but there isn’t a one size fits all cure. I mentioned what I did but you may find something else that gives you the relief but a different way. Share with the community your experience is valuable.
I found this same answer when I was studying psychology in school. Tried it and it really helps. Tossing and turning only makes you more miserable too. Another tip is to ignore the folks who say that you absolutely MUST have 8 hours of sleep. Not everyone does. You probably need more than 5, but the quality of the sleep seems to be more important to me. But lying there worrying about not getting 8 hours will not help anyone.
Thank you i will do this cos everytime i cant get sleep im started to get panic . Thats why i went to bed early and try my best to close my eyes so that i can sleep but i cant
My sleep is ok right now ..since i take a corn cofee . Guyz .. try to replace your cofee into roasted corn cofee . Promise its really a big help to those who are sufferring anxiety . And palpitation .it really helps to calm our nerves . Stopthe 3 in 1cofee stop sugary foods, and drinks especially during afternoon . Go to a massage .. have a massage whole body. Exercise atleast 30 mins outside the house
Hit the nail on the head. I was sleeping ok, until someone told me you HAD to get 8-10 hours of sleep and that sat in my head and caused me to sleep less because I was so worried about getting MORE sleep.
This is really good advice, take it from an insomniac of several years. Recently, following this tip has stopped the spiral cycle. I still occasionally suffer from insomnia, and probably always will, but doing this stops the problem from getting out of control and going on a steep downward spiral. Getting out of bed when I can’t sleep has to be one of the hardest things I’ve had to learn to do to help my insomnia. Every instinct in my head goes against it. But just do it, it’ll help you get your problem under control in weeks, instead of years like me! Lol.
@@luvwings Spend 15 mins at the bed, if you aren't falling asleep, that means you won't fall asleep in any minute. It sucks and you will think that you're losing out on sleep, which you are but only in the short term. After that it's gonna be easier to fall asleep in the bed.
I have had disabling insomnia my entire life. I'm 63 years old and have tried everything. Good and bad. From Ambien (bad) to yoga (good) none of them cured my insomnia. I practiced such good sleep hygiene it became so rigid it was a hinderance to other parts of my life. And worse, it didn't help! Finally after 6 sleep studies a renowned sleep expert out of UCLA explained that... this is just the way I am wired. That back when we used to live in caves people such as myself were valued because we could stay up all night and keep watch. He reframed my insomnia from a disability to a special skill. So, instead of giving me more meds to have me conform to society, he suggested that I try and work from home, so I could work on my own schedule... and my productivity soared and my shame is gone. I also sought out a sleep hypnotist to help me get over my fear... "If I don't fall asleep I will fail at work and let everyone down and then the world will end..." Now, I am still tired a lot I still don't fall asleep until 2am. But I now get that this is just me and not something to be corrected. I realize that a lot of folks aren't afforded the luxury of working from home, but maybe there's a way for you to go into work later? Or maybe yoga, sleep hypnosis and sleep hygiene will work for you. I sure hope it does. I feel your pain fellow insomniacs. (hugs)
Wonderful that you finally found an answer. when you say "yoga" do you mean, postures, breathing and meditation, or do you mean yoga nidra? If Yoga nidra,what kind did you try and how long did you keep trying it?
Since middle school I would wake up at around 4:00-6:00am (always before sunrise) and around 2:00-4:00pm I would be so tired. It was difficult with school and work until I started my own business and began working from home. I found out I was most productive, motivated, and creative during those early hours. I embraced my strange sleep schedule by not staying up late and training myself to go to sleep 8 hours minimum before my internal alarm clock would wake me up at 4:00am. Now my problem is trying to work that around my husband’s night time schedule. Since he works the night shift, and the fact that I’m a very light sleeper, he tends to wake me when he comes home from work around midnight-2:00. 😅 I need to find a way to STAY asleep.
I've had chronic insomnia for the last few months and really needed this. It never occurred to me to try this since I thought making myself lay in bed would make my brain get the idea eventually! It's a relief to know that the opposite is true, and there's hope yet.
Could also be sleep apnea, side effect of medications, environmental noise/light or even low blood sugar. So many *not u* causes so dont beat yourself up if this doesnt work.
I've been working on this technique recently and I definitely see improvement in my sleep. For all my fellow insomniacs out there who want to try this, remember that things will get worse before they get better. Like she says in the video, you need to stick with it! It's going to feel completely counter-intuitive at first, but that's the point! Retraining our brains requires us to do things that make little sense to us, because doing what "makes sense" is what got us into this mess in the first place 😂
This worked for me, thank you! When the explanation of the brain getting into a wrong pattern was said, I knew that was what happened to me, I had one night of not being able to fall asleep and stay asleep and it continued. I've been using other CBT methods recommended by a councellor as well. It took 3 nights, but I stuck with it and the 3rd night I fell asleep on my own at a good time and slept through the night!
I have short focus and mind tends to wonder, cause of this video I found out about Classical Conditioning and was able to apply it in other aspects of my life. (also I don't have insomnia anymore)
Okay, I think what works is really accepting a few things. You need to accept your fear that you may or may not sleep tonight. And that it's alright. It's alright to wonder all throughout the evening that you might not sleep and have other fears about health and what not. Accept that fear. It's just a thought and accept it to be what it is. Don't judge that thought or dislike it (it takes time) but just acceptance helps a lot. Secondly, there's a gigantic myth that you need to sleep 7-9 hours. That you absolutely HAVE to. People in the functional world are working with 4 or 5 or 6 hours of sleep, doctors don't get to sleep for days, so no. Don't stress about your health. I also think that just understanding that you're resting on the bed for a good while is good too. Sleep is not the only way to rest. Rest is a great way to rest too. Cheers and don't worry. It happens to a lot of us. Just breathe and accept it, keep living.
Sleep apnea is also a major cause of insomnia. My doctors resisted this explanation, even after I had a heart attack that couldn't really be explained by any other cause. They didn't want me to go for a test and kept telling me I had anxiety. Sure enough, I had severe sleep apnea. I'm lucky I survived.
@Toughen Up, Fluffy No kidding? I used to sneak into the Bio Med library at the local university to do research back in the day, but now I just use the internet. Pretty hard to test yourself for sleep apnea, though.
I think another advise could be to begin some form of exercise. Exercise does help us sleep well. Interestingly, setting a 10 to 15 minute restorative yoga routine before bed instantly calms the mind as well as the nervous system. It also helps a lot with the quality of sleep.
I used to have very “bad” insomnia where I’d randomly wake up every night. I’d get up, make some tea, and usually write or think because that’s what my brain wanted to do. This was the most creative time for me, and the only alone time I got. Now, I have a little one who has constant sleep regressions, and the insomnia really does pose a problem when I’ve rarely slept in the past week... or month... or year. I found with this circumstance it is really key to comfort myself, redirect my thoughts to how good it feels with my head lying on my pillow and my back actually lying in a bed instead of a rocking chair, to feel the coolness of my fan and the warmth of my blanket... this insomnia seems to call for more comforting thoughts and observations of how good it feels to go to sleep rather than getting up and waking the baby once more. Good luck to all you parents of little ones out there!!!
I had this, too. I had developed a fear of trying to sleep. It took me a week or two of trying this technique, but it actually helped a LOT. When I can’t sleep, I find another spot to lay down and listen either to a calming (translate: boring) meditation or an audiobook until I feel sleepy. I also use a sleep mask when I’m trying to actually sleep (not just when I’m “hoping” to sleep)-this has also helped train my brain to recognize that sleep mask = sleepy time. Good luck. Insomnia is tough and kinda scary sometimes. But stick with this for a week or two. Be patient with yourself.
In the same boat, my bed isn’t a relaxing “sleepy” place anymore, I’ve associated it with not being able to sleep now n go to my couch where I salvage whatever I can.. 1.5 weeks in and it’s definitely at the “gunna get worse before it gets better “ phase 😩😩😩😩
Could this be insomnia? I had always had anxiety and would get panic attacks since way back but last 2 weeks i had one that didint dissapeared for like almost 2 days but what i hot scared was when i couldnt breathe when laying down and thats when i would get scared and wouldnt sleep because of not vreathing so now everyday at night i would get this fear and now i cant sleep somwtimes i sleep the next day for like 2 hours or in the night 4 for hrs but now I ain't sleeping well and im angry at myself but dont know if it could be insomnia @mariecarie1
I've heard this but do NOT BELIEVE IT! I have suffered for years with insomnia but have NOT been worried about anything and never have a bunch of crap running through my mind.
You can’t say it doesn’t work for everyone. But I understand what you’re saying. I’ve learned to clear my mind but still find it takes hours to fall asleep. There are some physiological reasons for insomnia.
This video wasn’t about having a bunch of crap on your mind. It was about lying in bed awake, regardless of the reason. Worrying just happens to be a common reason
This is why CBT is so useful in therapy and in life - changing the way we perceive things (including our own sleeping patterns) has such a profound effect short and long term. Such a simple concept, yet a little difficult to master... I really enjoy how you break this down and make the video relatable to everyone!
I’ve actually done this training with a licensed sleep therapist… and it does work as long as you don’t have any underlying issues for your insomnia, like anxiety or depression.
I struggled with insomnia for 1 year in 2021 and I decided to take care of it and did 2 months of CBT-I therapy and I tell you what.. It was hard work and I was exhausted for a wee while but I now sleep perfectly fine. I still do experience sleep anxiety sometimes, it didn't go away, but I know how to manage it and not fight it. I can not recommend this type of therapy hard enough for anyone struggling with insomnia. It was worth the time and money
@@pedroribeiro7594 I couldn't fall asleep, I would have a massive adrenaline rush as soon as I dosed off. And when I finally managed to fall asleep (around midnight or 1), I would usually wake up at 3/4 am and would fall back asleep at 6 am. I had to wake up at 7 am so it wasn't a whole lot of sleep..
@@pedroribeiro7594 yes my mind was like "you have to sleep" and would just get wound up and hyper active like impossible to relax and shut down. My brain was so focused on falling asleep that when I was finally drifting off, it would wake me up like "Hey you're falling asleep!!" So frustrating..
@@pedroribeiro7594 the best thing I found if my mind was super aware like that and I was just like a fly trapped in a window, I would just get out of bed and read a book or play a sudoku. Wait until I had tiring signs like yawning or heavy eye lids and try again . Sometimes I did that 5/6 times. But it helped with rewiring my brain to not associate anxiety with my bed
this is it! i’ve dealt with insomnia for ages and this is a reacurring thing i do. i don’t expect it to fully fix my insomnia because i have autism so i’ll often not sleep because of sensory issues, but this is awesome!
t might also just be metabolic, I was over exercising obsessed with cardio, under eating and not getting enough carbs which resulted in several nutritional deficiencies after 6 years etc (thought I was being healthy, felt great in the initial years) unknowingly I was putting my body in a catabolic state which will cause the body to stay awake and alert, as it is meant to. Think about what you are doing and what messages you are sending to your central nervous system via the way you eat, exercise and live...you might be putting your body in survival mode and the body is simply doing what its meant to be doing. I cut back and changed the way I exercise opting for more anabolic promoting activities with ample recovery time, ate more frequent balanced meals, avoided stimulants and recently quit alcohol. It has taken a long time for my body to balance out and recover, I now don't even need to bother with or think about sleep hygiene, I get tired and sleep. I hope this helps someone in a similar predicament, the worst part is not knowing what is happening, how to recover. and no one seems to be able to help. You can't relax, meditate or think your way out of a catabolic state....Give your body what it needs and your central nervous system and mind will calm and deep sleep will return.
If I were to get up after only 15 minutes, I would repeatedly be getting up all night, preventing myself from falling asleep because it's not natural for me to take 15 min or less to fall asleep. I NEVER take that short a time to fall asleep, even under the best of circumstances. Getting up will make me feel more awake again, not more tired. It's the same effect can feel on my nightshifts: If I sit down or lay down, I can feel how tired I am. If I get up again, I get more awake and alert, and that counteracts the falling asleep process.
Same for me too! But I am personally curious to see if it might still help. Or alternatively, get up after maybe 30 minutes. I actually can't believe that some people just lay down in bed and go to bed instantly. Like, how!?
@@waneasle Maybe we can use this advice, but with our own timeframe? But it still presents problems: how would we know when the time is up? We obviously cannot set a timer, and if I were thinking to myself "If I cannot fall asleep within x amount of time, I'll have to get up again" I would definetly not be able to fall asleep...
I myself just lay there for a while trying to get sleepy, and if I notice “hey, I’ve been just kinda laying here a while and I’m not sleepy,” then I know it’s time to get back up. The amount of time doesn’t really matter, I’ve found-when you realized you’ve been laying there a long while and you’re not sleepy, then get up. I actually made a little make-shift bed at the foot of my regular one. Just a couple blankets and pillows on the floor. That’s where I lay down when I need to decompress, or when I can’t sleep. I keep all the lights off when I lay down there, and I listen to a boring meditation thing for a while to help me calm down (tablet screen facing away from me). Even if I don’t fully fall asleep, I’m nice and calm. The trick is to not to anything that requires much brain energy when you get back up. Keep the lights off if possible (or really really low), no TV or phone checking, none of that. Keep it boring and chill. Emma has suggested studying Scripture (or read a book that’s not super engrossing, or that is comforting), journaling, that sort of thing. Something very easy and boring.
Im watching this at 4 am while sitting on my bean bag chair after being awake for 3 hours. Ive done the dishes, cleaned my makeup brush, made a protein shake. Will probably be up the rest of the day now. Might as well do some work 🤷🏽♀️
i did a lot of things - from drinking coffee until 3pm,no phone in bed, turning off lights, and making myself comfortable, but still i wake up 2-3 in the morning. One thing i learned from this topic, i was thinking about something (about work, about the finances, etc) while lying in bed. so this video was very informative and relevant.
Thank-you for sharing. I decided to do exactly what you said. I was in bed watching this video, got up after hearing what you said about re-training the 🧠, now I’m in the livingroom.
Oops! I trained my brain to read books and hang out when I'm laying down. That explains my insomnia. I'll definitely have to change! Thank you so much for this video! Life changing! :D
Reading the politics section of the newspaper probably isn't advisable, but reading something entertaining is actually a great way to get your mind from thinking about tomorrow's to do list and other negative things. I've never bought into the don't read in bed concept. But maybe reading relaxes me and it excites others.
I can see this working when you're staying asleep past your normal time for sleeping, but when it comes to needing to roll back the time I normally fall asleep - going from getting tired at 4 am to 12 am for instance, getting in bed earlier and consistently is the only thing that works for rolling back my sleep schedule, and that includes laying in bed for hours. It sucks but if I keep it up, it works.
Thank you ! I'm 29 and I've been dealing with insomnia for years now ...you're right I do spend alot of time in my bed NOT sleeping ...I'll stop doing that !
My insomnia was cured with: multivitamins, ASMR and audible stories, increasing fat intake and eliminating sugar, and lowered stress. Two most helpful supplement were high dose magnesium glycinate and high dose melatonin.
I find ASMR or white noise videos help me hit that real sleepy feeling. Then I get in the bed and continue listening to keep my mind from working on stuff that keeps me awake.
Hi Emma, With all the billions of videos online It's exhausting to even even try to find something worthwhile. I want to say to you respect and congratulations for a couple of reasons. I am 68 and I had a great life , wonderful wife, plus a wonderful career for many many years: and then tragedy struck, A series of continuous unfortunate events that life presents. My wife passed, my savings and money were all stolen, kids were taken away from me, I came back to New York from Australia, having led a very healthy healthy and rewarding lifestyle. Ended up broke and homeless in the city I grew up in. Then things got bad. I got hit by a drunk driver which ended my career as a working musician. You cannot play the drums when you have had your leg re- attached and you have to learn to walk again which took 7 years. So I had 18 years of downward spiral. Of course that led to nervous breakdowns and extraordinarily extreme depression. A friend invited me to another state to try to heal and it has worked. Being quite a bit older than you, when I was with my wife we used to only go to what used to be called "alternative doctors." Appllied Kinesiology, Cranioacral therapy, Acupuncture performed by real masters, etc.The millennials and Gen Z are embracing these doctors and they are not alternative anymore. Many modalities shown online now were around when Ide actually go back hundreds of years. The reason I told you this is because I still suffer from some things particularly severe insomnia. Not joking I would not wish this on my worst enemy if I had one. And you can die from lack of sleep for real. My circadian rhythms have been thrown off and twisted around for years. But I am trying to relearn a routine which is extremely difficult. I've known about quarters also since I was 25 years old when they used to give me Valium. And it works the problem is it's the singular most addictive job on the planet. I'm about to start doing what you're doing teaching people how to detox from benzodiazepines. It doesn't take me more than a couple of seconds to tell somebody who really cares and knows their information from a Charlotte or somebody who doesn't know what they're talking about or talking about or the worst which is somebody selling yet another bottle of snake oil to Make money off other people suffering. Your talk was inspirational your information is very accurate. I've been studying cortisol for over 35 years. A lot of videos about quarters all always point out the positive things that it does but compared to the negative quarters of a horrible hormone. If you know what a real panic attack feels like it means you think you're dying at that moment not maybe but you actually believe you're dying even though there may be nothing wrong with you except ram page and cortisol a neuro epinephrine flooding the brain Everything you just said isSpot on an accurate. Thank you for that. Also you didn't tell me to hit the button, Or subscribe, And you did not try to show me a product. I haven't looked to draw the videos but I intend to. Also since I'm going to be doing a different version of what you're doing you seem very relaxed sitting on your couch nothing fancy and that's what I'm going to do. You're a good template because I'm going to try to teach people how to calm their minds so that they can learn how to withdraw from benzos. Thank you for accurate information, It's obvious that you do know what you speak of, And you do it in a relaxed calming manner. I can only say what I just said in about one out of a 1000 videos. May I add that 1 of the things that calms down quarters Ellen court is all his meditation. At this point if you have your own place to live and it and a television and a yoga mat you can sit down and find a RUclips channel and just meditate with Buddhist monks or somebody who knows what they're talking about. There are many reasons for meditation but mine is to calm my brain and my neural activity. Just to slow it down on and ease up from the tension of daily life. I really enjoyed your talk and it wasn't too long either I'm going to use that as a template too. So again thank you for excellent information which I'm going to try to incorporate incorporate in my Path to learn how to conquer insomnia. Nice to meet you and I will stay in touching that you know how I am doing. Liked your videos very much and looking forward to watching the rest. Please don't change the state like this it's so helpful when someone is calm I'm centered and and can talk about information with some authority bit's on the flority but without coming off like a know at all. Excellent Presentation glad to be here and meet you. Cheers for now, Michael
I've suffered from horrific insomnia and have talked to my GP, my psychologist, my pulmonologist, and have looked for ANY advice that's helpful and haven't really found ANYTHING helpful until I heard this. Thanks for saving my life.
Wow wow wow!!!!!!!! I’ve been on klonopin for sleep and jet lag for 20 years. Insane how I did train my brain 🧠 that my bed, hotel room was for overthinking. I used to fall asleep on park benches, safely that is, and beaches. I’m still on ambien, only 2.5 mgs. This therapist is sent to all of us from God. I sometimes feel so hopeless about my insomnia.
@@shrutigupta5864 all the playlists are on my RUclips profile. But this is my sleep story favourites. I keep adding to it too Thank you for your interest ruclips.net/p/PLVjWzoXG9xuazP5t_16GEb9_OW_lzSQ8G
What’s been keeping me up is my health anxiety, feeling my heart race and pound I feel doomed, the past 2 weeks have been miserable it’s been taking me so long to get to bed any where from 30 minutes to over an hour I don’t even remember falling into my sleep. I’ve been waking up so sore and depleted. I’m definitely going to try this!!
oml same I thought i was the only one i probably could fall asleep but the chest discomfort i feel so much because of my heart racing makes it so harder to fall asleep its 4am right now i rlly hope i will be able to sleep well in the day and i hope your doing well stranger healthy anxiety is not a joke its the worst ❤
I’ve been dealing with this for 6 years , insomnia keeps me up and I have sleep anxiety so I fear not being able to sleep , idk why I keep on going through this struggle it use to be worse way worse but I told myself if I die the pain go away so why fear it , now I get random bad moments where I can’t sleep and the anxiety fuels my insomnia and I fear more , I don’t want to be on medication but I just don’t understand why I can’t have a normal life . Hopefully things get better for y’all who deals with this I love you all and god bless
All that is true and helpful advice. So is this: Meditation in your daily life. Besides creating a calmer you in general, it teaches two specific things that help when trying to fall asleep. If you're amped up or upset, the deep breathing techniques you practice in meditation can help you calm down again. You can quickly turn on the parasympathetic nervous system, and slow your heart rate down. And half the point of meditation is focusing on something you want to focus on, instead of letting the default mode network dictate your thoughts. And that helps you in bed, too. Focus on the lights behind your eyelids, as they grow and dissipate with your breath. Or go classic-style and focus on counting sheep. Caveat: Counting is so ingrained in us that it's very easy to count while our mind wanders. To make sure you are actually focusing on the counting, don't just say the numbers in your mind, PICTURE the numbers (or sheep, or whatever). Counting down without trying to picture the numbers usually gets me nowhere because my mind wanders. I go from 100 to 0 easily. Once I began trying to PICTURE the numbers, I barely ever get to 90 before I'm asleep. Also, slamming melatonin isn't really a great idea. That stuff is best left for the times you have to overcome jetlag. I've run experiments on myself multiple times regarding melatonin, and for me it's absolutely a placebo effect. Your mileage may vary of course.
Some things that have helped me also are ear plugs and a sleep mask to block out light. I resisted wearing these for so many years, but they do make a difference. A weighted blanket can help, too.
Emma i really love your❤️ videos and the information you share, i have problems falling asleep , my mind stays on , and I wish I Just could fall asleep again, my brain wont shut off , can you maybe share more information about how to manage your brain to fall asleep.
I have anxiety but I also get physical symptoms such as constant diarrhea late at night and sometimes body twitching/tremors. I’ve been at a clinic to learn how to get off anti anxiety medications and sometimes my brain won’t stop wondering. I’ve done SSP training. I have come a long way to not feel as anxious. I feel exhausted the whole time but it’s hard to settle down.
If you have digestive problems it can definitely be the cause(or one of the causes) for your poor sleep. When my sibo was really bad i could barely sleep at times and i used to wake up multiple times at night
I am an insomniac for a while, almost a year now, even these past 2days i slept, 2,3hrs each but i do sleep well somedays maybe 5,6hrs , i will definitely try this later on at night, I've heard this before but didn't take it seriously
When you're lying in bed silencing your mind becomes overwhelming then it becomes you panic zone 🖤 excellent and well said. You have to retrain your mind that your bed is for sleeping!! Excellent advice 😴🛌
This is such solid advice~ I have always worried that getting out of bed will become a habit, but staying in bed ruminating is worse. Thank you for this!
I've had chronic insomnia for over half my life, and think it may have been "triggered" when I was a college student and was almost murdered at my part-time job as a "graveyard-shift" clerk at a convenience store. That said, I will try your suggestion in this video. Thank You!
My insomnia began after my husband passed away. After a few years,,it got better. Then I began to have knee pain. Months of insomnia. Now I'm recovering from knee surgery. More insomnia. But I realise now that bed time has become my overthinking time!, So,,I will try reading a while. First,,I will make a hot drink......
My psychologist suggested this and I can't believe I never heard before. I only hear the opposite, to stay in bed and never get up if you want to sleep.
I was told by a therapist that insomnia is resistance to fears you might have to face in your dreams/nightmares, now when it happens I get up, do something and tell myself it's OK, what may happen in my sleep is fine, I'm ready for whatever dream will come.. And I must say it's rather efficient.
Literally watching this from my bed - damn. Part of my issue is that I find so much comfort from being in the bed during the day. Like today I got up and went to the gym, had a healthy breakfast, sat down to work, and I just prefer to work from bed... how do I find comfortable places to work from home that aren't bed?
I have such chronic insomnia for 3 years. I have tried every sleep hygiene, over the counter medication, Ambien, lunesta helps a little bit. Im 53 now, this has caused me chronic fatigued. Exhausted daily at 53 years old. I am going to try this. Getting up 6am for work on 2 hours sleep is brutal Thank you God Bless you
I had a terrible bought of insomnia and found an audiobook called The Sleep Book: How to Sleep Well Every Night by Guy Meadows and that really helped me learn to stop worrying about Sleep which let's you relax and sleep.
@@michaelthau1007 God Bless you too you pure soul. ❤ I also have a sleeping problem at the moment. It feels like it just started out of nowhere. A couple weeks ago, I was sleeping 8-9 hours every night. Then on Wednesday night, I woke up at 1 AM and that's where this all started. It's the worst feeling ever. It's not the feeling of not sleeping that bothers me (the fatigue and tiredness, I usually don't get that) but it's more the thought that I didn't sleep that drives me nuts. I could just be happy and drinking a cup of coffee and then my brain reminds me I only slept 3 hours last night.
@@noneya262Hello I hope you are doing well! Has your sleep gotten any better? Anything helping? Im still experiencing chronic insomnia for about 3 years now. Wake up after a few hours, and have a awful time falling back to sleep. Im exhausted. I hope you found some rest, and peace at night!
I've got to say, getting up is really the best advice and I fought it for so long because it seems counterintuitive. I had some anxiety-induced insomnia that lasted for quite some time, and I only noticed a major difference when I started getting up going to another room to watch TV. You don't realize how strong that negative association becomes with your bed. Mine was so bad I'd start getting stomach aches and anxiety as soon as I'd lie down. Even if you only sleep a few hours that night or the next, you're making mental progress by breaking that association and getting up. I started sleeping on the couch downstairs for a week, and noticed as soon as I'd get on the couch I'd get sleepy and fall asleep. So my brain was beginning to associate the couch with rest. After about a week, I was able to return to my room. I really prolonged my insomnia by staying in bed worrying.
This is what I do. I don't usually have trouble falling asleep but if a noise or something wakes me before I had enough sleep, falling back asleep can be hard. I read a book or get up and try not to be bothered by not sleeping. Or I deep breathing and count down slowly.
Very clear and I understand it. Problems to me arrived though at the point where I turned out to be a night owl and others getting restless from me being awake and doing things OUT OF BED at night. Them caring and therefore worrying about my sleeping (or not sleeping when they are sleeping) got such a nightmare to me I can only sleep when they're awake. So getting out of bed feels like no option if it causes others around me insomnia. Which causes me insomnia. Sometimes feels like they better get rid of me or I better get rid of them; to illustrate how bad it can get.
@@katesmiles4208 thanks for the hug. But I mean it's apparently harder for "a somniac" to live with. I don't want to live alone or probably I have no other choice. My disabilities killing others is what's killing myself most of all.
Im a new mom...and i fall a sleep around 06am(no matter when I lay down) and than sleep till noon.. My husband is an early bird so he is with ours daughter in the morning...and i know im lucky...but i feel so bad. My husband HAS to be with her in the morning...and if i have something to do during the day i dont spend so much time with her. And its killing me... It really is hard to live with insomniac..😢
You nailed it precisely in such short time - I trained my brain to not fall asleep in my bed anymore and this is lasting 3-4 months now and i`m trying to reverse it with the technique you discribed - The tough proof of this effect is, that it`s exclusively my OWN BEd with is 10x more comfy than my sofa in the living room, where i have to detour in order to fall asleep - So i try to trick my brain in using the uncomfortable sofa to fall asleep and s soon as i wake up (which actually happens within the first hour) i go back to bed and usually can continue to sleep there.
I'm on my third day of not sleeping. I started getting auditory hallucinations and then overtime I got insomnia. I am on treatment for the hallucinations.. somehow it works now after a long time but can't seem to get rid of insomnia. I work as a teacher and just imagine not sleeping and getting to work with turbulent kids the next day.. insane!
Relax ur mind and dont think about ur surroundings and u can have ur tv on and Watch something so it helps u stop the hallucinations and it will stop my 10 year insomnia hasnt been worse
This makes sense when you think about how we put babies down. We wait until they're sleepy before we put them to bed and if they wake up we pick them up and repeat the process until they learn to sleep on their own (not including the likely scenario that they're just hungry and need a feed anyway. Thanks for this, I'm gonna give it a try. My brain is already going "but what if I don't get sleepy at all from getting out of bed?" But it sounds like something I can't just try but persevere with.
I’m on my second night of absolutely no sleep and I simply can’t live like this anymore. My body and brain is shutting down. Insomnia is a cruel cruel thing, I’ve tried so many things 😔
I've had problems falling asleep since having Covid 19. since then I wake every two hours . It's really annoying. I want to sleep through the night . I fall asleep praying.
This is actually such good advice. Thank you so much. I'm going to try and retrain my brain to associate sleep and rest and relaxation for the bed space. I do have the urge to get up and walk around when I can't sleep ... maybe next time I'll try reading some :) will definitely follow and subscribe for more tips!
Oh my god I always have a little trouble sleeping. Sometimes when i have really bad nights, like up til four or five, i go to sleep the wrong way round, with my head at the foot of the bed. It always works and I've never figured out why. This makes so much sense.
I haven't found this particularly helpful but what does tend to work for me is to debrief. I go over what I did that day, sometimes in annoying detail. That's about it. Of course it might not hurt to get up if that's what works for you but cbt just means nothing to me and I know a lot of people who get no help from it. They all end up in 12 step and self help groups. Thousands and thousands of people. Of course Sleep Hygiene can help, so too antidepressants and experimenting with diet. Exercise might help you. Vitamin D before bed might help. Journalling perhaps. Meditation and so on... I've tried it all. Debriefing is the only thing that works for me. Second would be using the Depressed Anon workbook before bed. Then diet, supplements, Meditation, Exercise. Mattress and pillow adjustments, regulating temperature, opening a window periodically, using a snake plant,... these all help too.
I really love your videos! each one has different and new info... I would really like if you make a video on why venting is bad and how to stop it is something I struggle with! Thanks a lot for this channel
I'm slowly beating insomnia, emma is right when she says get out of bed for a while. I also find that if I can't sleep for most of the night I get up in the morning then go back to bed as I fall asleep naturally in the morning then wake up in the early afternoon with enough sleep. It would be hard for those to sleep until the afternoon if they have to work but you can try sleeping on a none work day.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Improve your mental health with the free course, courses.therapyinanutshell.com/grounding-skills-for-anxiety-stress-and-ptsd
I had stuggled with PTSD, anxiety and insomnia for the last 7 years, which culminated with almost a month of sleeping for 4 hours a night this november. But after struggling with sleep for years I finally learned what my body and my mind needs to sleep well.
Started with simple CBT meditation, breathing excersice (fire breath is amazing for anxiety and insomnia) and walking in the morning in sunlight, then progressed to biking all day in the sun, intermittent fasting(OMAD) and cutting out some foods that I ate all my life, like milk. No more chronic inflammation, depression, no more lying in bed for hours with half of my brain shutting off and the other wide awake.
If anyone is struggling with sleep know this - I lost hope I'll ever be functional again, but kept on trying just out of spite, and somehow I'm better than ever. Some damage was done, but physically I'm in the best shape of my life and growing every day. So don't loose hope, life can be weird like that.
Thank you for this encouraging comment, it means a lot to me
What damage are you talking about ... I am also in the same stage of healing ... I m seeing a little bit improvement in my health
I'm in rough shape. Do you have any tips for early morning waking (before the alarm but not enough time to get back to sleep) after not enough sleep?
@@samanthathompson9812 you will gradually get used to it ... Keep on trying
@@samanthathompson9812 Go to bed really early, as in two hours earlier.
I was told to do this 15 years ago at a sleep clinic. It also helps to get up and write down all the things you're worried about doing/accomplishing in the next few days if that's what you're thinking about. Somehow, putting these thoughts down on paper seems to download the thoughts.
I 2nd 3rd & 4th agree with this statement. Writing your feelings down allows you to let go and not try and remember it because it’s written down. Game changer.
I could never do this because I'm not troubled by anything specific that can be solved, just have random thoughts racing through my head keeping my mind awake for no reason
@@omarcomming722 Same here. Sometimes is just random monologue.
I'm wondering what would happen if you wrote down the random thoughts? Like free styling, even if it doesn't make sense. Im wondering if that's still 'downloading' the chaos in your mind that's keeping you from sleeping? This isn't meant to be condescending, just as a new therapist I'm thinking of my clients and what might work.
@@micheller3731 try it and let us know. We are all human but there isn’t a one size fits all cure. I mentioned what I did but you may find something else that gives you the relief but a different way. Share with the community your experience is valuable.
I found this same answer when I was studying psychology in school. Tried it and it really helps. Tossing and turning only makes you more miserable too. Another tip is to ignore the folks who say that you absolutely MUST have 8 hours of sleep. Not everyone does. You probably need more than 5, but the quality of the sleep seems to be more important to me. But lying there worrying about not getting 8 hours will not help anyone.
You are so correct. This also causes sleep anxiety. They body will sleep long when it needs to if you are not worried about the duration of sleep.
Thank you i will do this cos everytime i cant get sleep im started to get panic . Thats why i went to bed early and try my best to close my eyes so that i can sleep but i cant
@@maryjeanalarde hows your sleep now? Is there any improvement?
My sleep is ok right now ..since i take a corn cofee . Guyz .. try to replace your cofee into roasted corn cofee . Promise its really a big help to those who are sufferring anxiety . And palpitation .it really helps to calm our nerves . Stopthe 3 in 1cofee stop sugary foods, and drinks especially during afternoon . Go to a massage .. have a massage whole body. Exercise atleast 30 mins outside the house
Hit the nail on the head. I was sleeping ok, until someone told me you HAD to get 8-10 hours of sleep and that sat in my head and caused me to sleep less because I was so worried about getting MORE sleep.
This is really good advice, take it from an insomniac of several years. Recently, following this tip has stopped the spiral cycle. I still occasionally suffer from insomnia, and probably always will, but doing this stops the problem from getting out of control and going on a steep downward spiral. Getting out of bed when I can’t sleep has to be one of the hardest things I’ve had to learn to do to help my insomnia. Every instinct in my head goes against it. But just do it, it’ll help you get your problem under control in weeks, instead of years like me! Lol.
@@requinremembers she said when you feel sleepy!
What happens if you wake up early, like an hour before the alarm. You still get up?
@@samanthathompson9812 Wellll... Yes, you're supposed to get up in that case. I don't always follow that rule, although I probably should. LOL.
What if you’re really tired and feel you could fall asleep at any minute? That’s why I stay in the bed.
@@luvwings Spend 15 mins at the bed, if you aren't falling asleep, that means you won't fall asleep in any minute. It sucks and you will think that you're losing out on sleep, which you are but only in the short term. After that it's gonna be easier to fall asleep in the bed.
Had to pause, not even halfway through, and my mind is BLOWN AWAY!! I can already tell this video will be a life saver
I have had disabling insomnia my entire life. I'm 63 years old and have tried everything. Good and bad. From Ambien (bad) to yoga (good) none of them cured my insomnia. I practiced such good sleep hygiene it became so rigid it was a hinderance to other parts of my life. And worse, it didn't help! Finally after 6 sleep studies a renowned sleep expert out of UCLA explained that... this is just the way I am wired. That back when we used to live in caves people such as myself were valued because we could stay up all night and keep watch. He reframed my insomnia from a disability to a special skill. So, instead of giving me more meds to have me conform to society, he suggested that I try and work from home, so I could work on my own schedule... and my productivity soared and my shame is gone. I also sought out a sleep hypnotist to help me get over my fear... "If I don't fall asleep I will fail at work and let everyone down and then the world will end..." Now, I am still tired a lot I still don't fall asleep until 2am. But I now get that this is just me and not something to be corrected. I realize that a lot of folks aren't afforded the luxury of working from home, but maybe there's a way for you to go into work later? Or maybe yoga, sleep hypnosis and sleep hygiene will work for you. I sure hope it does. I feel your pain fellow insomniacs. (hugs)
From India how to contact you😢
Wonderful that you finally found an answer.
when you say "yoga" do you mean, postures, breathing and meditation, or do you mean yoga nidra? If Yoga nidra,what kind did you try and how long did you keep trying it?
postures and breathing - although I also practice yoga nidra@@EffortlessSleepandLife
Since middle school I would wake up at around 4:00-6:00am (always before sunrise) and around 2:00-4:00pm I would be so tired. It was difficult with school and work until I started my own business and began working from home. I found out I was most productive, motivated, and creative during those early hours. I embraced my strange sleep schedule by not staying up late and training myself to go to sleep 8 hours minimum before my internal alarm clock would wake me up at 4:00am.
Now my problem is trying to work that around my husband’s night time schedule. Since he works the night shift, and the fact that I’m a very light sleeper, he tends to wake me when he comes home from work around midnight-2:00. 😅 I need to find a way to STAY asleep.
Same it doesnt matter how much i exersice or what time. How much this of that. How cold or warm or whatever technique. I just dont sleep before 02.00
I've had chronic insomnia for the last few months and really needed this. It never occurred to me to try this since I thought making myself lay in bed would make my brain get the idea eventually!
It's a relief to know that the opposite is true, and there's hope yet.
Could also be sleep apnea, side effect of medications, environmental noise/light or even low blood sugar. So many *not u* causes so dont beat yourself up if this doesnt work.
Hey! Did it help??
@@anfyro8059 Still not sleeping perfectly but I would say it definitely made things a lot better.
I wake up through the night lately with my heart RACING. I'm thankful to find this video
I've been working on this technique recently and I definitely see improvement in my sleep. For all my fellow insomniacs out there who want to try this, remember that things will get worse before they get better. Like she says in the video, you need to stick with it! It's going to feel completely counter-intuitive at first, but that's the point! Retraining our brains requires us to do things that make little sense to us, because doing what "makes sense" is what got us into this mess in the first place 😂
I needed this
tell me how are you right now, how's your sleep and so on
I literally woke up with my insomnia and was getting a drink and THIS idea was in my feed. THANK YOU 🙏🏻
This worked for me, thank you! When the explanation of the brain getting into a wrong pattern was said, I knew that was what happened to me, I had one night of not being able to fall asleep and stay asleep and it continued. I've been using other CBT methods recommended by a councellor as well.
It took 3 nights, but I stuck with it and the 3rd night I fell asleep on my own at a good time and slept through the night!
Can you explain cbt methods that we can try?... please 🙏
How timely. I did this just last night and it worked well. Got up for an hour or so, went back to bed and fell asleep right away.
I have short focus and mind tends to wonder, cause of this video I found out about Classical Conditioning and was able to apply it in other aspects of my life.
(also I don't have insomnia anymore)
Okay, I think what works is really accepting a few things.
You need to accept your fear that you may or may not sleep tonight. And that it's alright. It's alright to wonder all throughout the evening that you might not sleep and have other fears about health and what not.
Accept that fear. It's just a thought and accept it to be what it is. Don't judge that thought or dislike it (it takes time) but just acceptance helps a lot.
Secondly, there's a gigantic myth that you need to sleep 7-9 hours. That you absolutely HAVE to. People in the functional world are working with 4 or 5 or 6 hours of sleep, doctors don't get to sleep for days, so no. Don't stress about your health.
I also think that just understanding that you're resting on the bed for a good while is good too. Sleep is not the only way to rest. Rest is a great way to rest too.
Cheers and don't worry. It happens to a lot of us. Just breathe and accept it, keep living.
❤❤❤
Very true
Thanks. I really like this comment.
Sleep apnea is also a major cause of insomnia. My doctors resisted this explanation, even after I had a heart attack that couldn't really be explained by any other cause. They didn't want me to go for a test and kept telling me I had anxiety. Sure enough, I had severe sleep apnea. I'm lucky I survived.
I’m glad you’re okay! 🙏
@@southerngrandma4353 Thanks!
Always get a second or third opinion.
@@angelwings7930 I saw dozens of doctors over the years, and they all like anxiety.
@Toughen Up, Fluffy No kidding? I used to sneak into the Bio Med library at the local university to do research back in the day, but now I just use the internet. Pretty hard to test yourself for sleep apnea, though.
I think another advise could be to begin some form of exercise. Exercise does help us sleep well. Interestingly, setting a 10 to 15 minute restorative yoga routine before bed instantly calms the mind as well as the nervous system. It also helps a lot with the quality of sleep.
I used to have very “bad” insomnia where I’d randomly wake up every night. I’d get up, make some tea, and usually write or think because that’s what my brain wanted to do. This was the most creative time for me, and the only alone time I got. Now, I have a little one who has constant sleep regressions, and the insomnia really does pose a problem when I’ve rarely slept in the past week... or month... or year. I found with this circumstance it is really key to comfort myself, redirect my thoughts to how good it feels with my head lying on my pillow and my back actually lying in a bed instead of a rocking chair, to feel the coolness of my fan and the warmth of my blanket... this insomnia seems to call for more comforting thoughts and observations of how good it feels to go to sleep rather than getting up and waking the baby once more. Good luck to all you parents of little ones out there!!!
This is what im going thru right now, im realy tired, im afraid to go to bed. This helps, thank you
I had this, too. I had developed a fear of trying to sleep. It took me a week or two of trying this technique, but it actually helped a LOT. When I can’t sleep, I find another spot to lay down and listen either to a calming (translate: boring) meditation or an audiobook until I feel sleepy. I also use a sleep mask when I’m trying to actually sleep (not just when I’m “hoping” to sleep)-this has also helped train my brain to recognize that sleep mask = sleepy time.
Good luck. Insomnia is tough and kinda scary sometimes. But stick with this for a week or two. Be patient with yourself.
In the same boat, my bed isn’t a relaxing “sleepy” place anymore, I’ve associated it with not being able to sleep now n go to my couch where I salvage whatever I can..
1.5 weeks in and it’s definitely at the “gunna get worse before it gets better “ phase 😩😩😩😩
Could this be insomnia? I had always had anxiety and would get panic attacks since way back but last 2 weeks i had one that didint dissapeared for like almost 2 days but what i hot scared was when i couldnt breathe when laying down and thats when i would get scared and wouldnt sleep because of not vreathing so now everyday at night i would get this fear and now i cant sleep somwtimes i sleep the next day for like 2 hours or in the night 4 for hrs but now I ain't sleeping well and im angry at myself but dont know if it could be insomnia @mariecarie1
I've heard this but do NOT BELIEVE IT! I have suffered for years with insomnia but have NOT been worried about anything and never have a bunch of crap running through my mind.
You can’t say it doesn’t work for everyone. But I understand what you’re saying. I’ve learned to clear my mind but still find it takes hours to fall asleep. There are some physiological reasons for insomnia.
This video wasn’t about having a bunch of crap on your mind. It was about lying in bed awake, regardless of the reason. Worrying just happens to be a common reason
Same.,No thoughts whatsoever… thinking it’s cortisol or estrogen
Totally, I am fully relaxed, calm and comfortable in bed........but still, sleep many times eludes me.
Thank you for this.. I’ve been in bed for 6 hours trying to sleep. Getting up now🖤
This is why CBT is so useful in therapy and in life - changing the way we perceive things (including our own sleeping patterns) has such a profound effect short and long term. Such a simple concept, yet a little difficult to master...
I really enjoy how you break this down and make the video relatable to everyone!
and now i know why and how my house and surroundings is getting on my nerves and affecting my whole life. thanks
I’ve actually done this training with a licensed sleep therapist… and it does work as long as you don’t have any underlying issues for your insomnia, like anxiety or depression.
I struggled with insomnia for 1 year in 2021 and I decided to take care of it and did 2 months of CBT-I therapy and I tell you what.. It was hard work and I was exhausted for a wee while but I now sleep perfectly fine. I still do experience sleep anxiety sometimes, it didn't go away, but I know how to manage it and not fight it. I can not recommend this type of therapy hard enough for anyone struggling with insomnia. It was worth the time and money
How was your sleep during insomnia?
@@pedroribeiro7594 I couldn't fall asleep, I would have a massive adrenaline rush as soon as I dosed off. And when I finally managed to fall asleep (around midnight or 1), I would usually wake up at 3/4 am and would fall back asleep at 6 am. I had to wake up at 7 am so it wasn't a whole lot of sleep..
@@PoppinHoops I AM trying it down...it seems like when I go to bed I feel hyper aware...like pressure to sleep. Did this happen to u?
@@pedroribeiro7594 yes my mind was like "you have to sleep" and would just get wound up and hyper active like impossible to relax and shut down.
My brain was so focused on falling asleep that when I was finally drifting off, it would wake me up like "Hey you're falling asleep!!" So frustrating..
@@pedroribeiro7594 the best thing I found if my mind was super aware like that and I was just like a fly trapped in a window, I would just get out of bed and read a book or play a sudoku. Wait until I had tiring signs like yawning or heavy eye lids and try again . Sometimes I did that 5/6 times. But it helped with rewiring my brain to not associate anxiety with my bed
this is it! i’ve dealt with insomnia for ages and this is a reacurring thing i do. i don’t expect it to fully fix my insomnia because i have autism so i’ll often not sleep because of sensory issues, but this is awesome!
t might also just be metabolic, I was over exercising obsessed with cardio, under eating and not getting enough carbs which resulted in several nutritional deficiencies after 6 years etc (thought I was being healthy, felt great in the initial years) unknowingly I was putting my body in a catabolic state which will cause the body to stay awake and alert, as it is meant to. Think about what you are doing and what messages you are sending to your central nervous system via the way you eat, exercise and live...you might be putting your body in survival mode and the body is simply doing what its meant to be doing. I cut back and changed the way I exercise opting for more anabolic promoting activities with ample recovery time, ate more frequent balanced meals, avoided stimulants and recently quit alcohol. It has taken a long time for my body to balance out and recover, I now don't even need to bother with or think about sleep hygiene, I get tired and sleep. I hope this helps someone in a similar predicament, the worst part is not knowing what is happening, how to recover. and no one seems to be able to help. You can't relax, meditate or think your way out of a catabolic state....Give your body what it needs and your central nervous system and mind will calm and deep sleep will return.
If I were to get up after only 15 minutes, I would repeatedly be getting up all night, preventing myself from falling asleep because it's not natural for me to take 15 min or less to fall asleep. I NEVER take that short a time to fall asleep, even under the best of circumstances.
Getting up will make me feel more awake again, not more tired. It's the same effect can feel on my nightshifts: If I sit down or lay down, I can feel how tired I am. If I get up again, I get more awake and alert, and that counteracts the falling asleep process.
Same for me too! But I am personally curious to see if it might still help. Or alternatively, get up after maybe 30 minutes. I actually can't believe that some people just lay down in bed and go to bed instantly. Like, how!?
@@waneasle Maybe we can use this advice, but with our own timeframe? But it still presents problems: how would we know when the time is up? We obviously cannot set a timer, and if I were thinking to myself "If I cannot fall asleep within x amount of time, I'll have to get up again" I would definetly not be able to fall asleep...
I myself just lay there for a while trying to get sleepy, and if I notice “hey, I’ve been just kinda laying here a while and I’m not sleepy,” then I know it’s time to get back up. The amount of time doesn’t really matter, I’ve found-when you realized you’ve been laying there a long while and you’re not sleepy, then get up.
I actually made a little make-shift bed at the foot of my regular one. Just a couple blankets and pillows on the floor. That’s where I lay down when I need to decompress, or when I can’t sleep. I keep all the lights off when I lay down there, and I listen to a boring meditation thing for a while to help me calm down (tablet screen facing away from me). Even if I don’t fully fall asleep, I’m nice and calm.
The trick is to not to anything that requires much brain energy when you get back up. Keep the lights off if possible (or really really low), no TV or phone checking, none of that. Keep it boring and chill. Emma has suggested studying Scripture (or read a book that’s not super engrossing, or that is comforting), journaling, that sort of thing. Something very easy and boring.
@@mariecarie1 Yeah, this sounds like it would work a lot better.
This is me, too…I feel like I’ve tried everything!
Im watching this at 4 am while sitting on my bean bag chair after being awake for 3 hours. Ive done the dishes, cleaned my makeup brush, made a protein shake. Will probably be up the rest of the day now. Might as well do some work 🤷🏽♀️
i did a lot of things - from drinking coffee until 3pm,no phone in bed, turning off lights, and making myself comfortable, but still i wake up 2-3 in the morning. One thing i learned from this topic, i was thinking about something (about work, about the finances, etc) while lying in bed. so this video was very informative and relevant.
Thank-you for sharing.
I decided to do exactly what you said. I was in bed watching this video, got up after hearing what you said about re-training the 🧠, now I’m in the livingroom.
Thank you. This is just the sleep tip I needed. Never thought of re-training my brain when it comes to sleep. Will be trying it tonight!
Hi, hows your sleep now?
Any follow-ups?
Oops! I trained my brain to read books and hang out when I'm laying down. That explains my insomnia. I'll definitely have to change! Thank you so much for this video! Life changing! :D
Reading the politics section of the newspaper probably isn't advisable, but reading something entertaining is actually a great way to get your mind from thinking about tomorrow's to do list and other negative things.
I've never bought into the don't read in bed concept. But maybe reading relaxes me and it excites others.
@@AndrewLewisHowe audiobooks help me
Thanks!
Over a million subs now on this channel , richly deserved 👏
I can see this working when you're staying asleep past your normal time for sleeping, but when it comes to needing to roll back the time I normally fall asleep - going from getting tired at 4 am to 12 am for instance, getting in bed earlier and consistently is the only thing that works for rolling back my sleep schedule, and that includes laying in bed for hours. It sucks but if I keep it up, it works.
Thank you ! I'm 29 and I've been dealing with insomnia for years now ...you're right I do spend alot of time in my bed NOT sleeping ...I'll stop doing that !
My insomnia was cured with: multivitamins, ASMR and audible stories, increasing fat intake and eliminating sugar, and lowered stress. Two most helpful supplement were high dose magnesium glycinate and high dose melatonin.
Kya age h aapki
Awesome! Ima try it out this week! Vitamins ❤
Bevel’s insights have helped me improve my sleep and overall energy❤❤🎉
I find ASMR or white noise videos help me hit that real sleepy feeling. Then I get in the bed and continue listening to keep my mind from working on stuff that keeps me awake.
Hi Emma, With all the billions of videos online It's exhausting to even even try to find something worthwhile. I want to say to you respect and congratulations for a couple of reasons.
I am 68 and I had a great life , wonderful wife, plus a wonderful career for many many years: and then tragedy struck, A series of continuous unfortunate events that life presents. My wife passed, my savings and money were all stolen, kids were taken away from me, I came back to New York from Australia, having led a very healthy healthy and rewarding lifestyle. Ended up broke and homeless in the city I grew up in. Then things got bad. I got hit by a drunk driver which ended my career as a working musician. You cannot play the drums when you have had your leg re- attached and you have to learn to walk again which took 7 years. So I had 18 years of downward spiral. Of course that led to nervous breakdowns and extraordinarily extreme depression. A friend invited me to another state to try to heal and it has worked. Being quite a bit older than you, when I was with my wife we used to only go to what used to be called "alternative doctors." Appllied Kinesiology, Cranioacral therapy, Acupuncture performed by real masters, etc.The millennials and Gen Z are embracing these doctors and they are not alternative anymore. Many modalities shown online now were around when Ide actually go back hundreds of years.
The reason I told you this is because I still suffer from some things particularly severe insomnia. Not joking I would not wish this on my worst enemy if I had one. And you can die from lack of sleep for real. My circadian rhythms have been thrown off and twisted around for years. But I am trying to relearn a routine which is extremely difficult. I've known about quarters also since I was 25 years old when they used to give me Valium. And it works the problem is it's the singular most addictive job on the planet. I'm about to start doing what you're doing teaching people how to detox from benzodiazepines.
It doesn't take me more than a couple of seconds to tell somebody who really cares and knows their information from a Charlotte or somebody who doesn't know what they're talking about or talking about or the worst which is somebody selling yet another bottle of snake oil to Make money off other people suffering.
Your talk was inspirational your information is very accurate. I've been studying cortisol for over 35 years. A lot of videos about quarters all always point out the positive things that it does but compared to the negative quarters of a horrible hormone. If you know what a real panic attack feels like it means you think you're dying at that moment not maybe but you actually believe you're dying even though there may be nothing wrong with you except ram page and cortisol a neuro epinephrine flooding the brain
Everything you just said isSpot on an accurate. Thank you for that. Also you didn't tell me to hit the button, Or subscribe, And you did not try to show me a product. I haven't looked to draw the videos but I intend to. Also since I'm going to be doing a different version of what you're doing you seem very relaxed sitting on your couch nothing fancy and that's what I'm going to do. You're a good template because I'm going to try to teach people how to calm their minds so that they can learn how to withdraw from benzos. Thank you for accurate information, It's obvious that you do know what you speak of, And you do it in a relaxed calming manner. I can only say what I just said in about one out of a 1000 videos. May I add that 1 of the things that calms down quarters Ellen court is all his meditation. At this point if you have your own place to live and it and a television and a yoga mat you can sit down and find a RUclips channel and just meditate with Buddhist monks or somebody who knows what they're talking about. There are many reasons for meditation but mine is to calm my brain and my neural activity. Just to slow it down on and ease up from the tension of daily life.
I really enjoyed your talk and it wasn't too long either I'm going to use that as a template too. So again thank you for excellent information which I'm going to try to incorporate incorporate in my Path to learn how to conquer insomnia. Nice to meet you and I will stay in touching that you know how I am doing. Liked your videos very much and looking forward to watching the rest. Please don't change the state like this it's so helpful when someone is calm I'm centered and and can talk about information with some authority bit's on the flority but without coming off like a know at all. Excellent Presentation glad to be here and meet you. Cheers for now, Michael
I've suffered from horrific insomnia and have talked to my GP, my psychologist, my pulmonologist, and have looked for ANY advice that's helpful and haven't really found ANYTHING helpful until I heard this.
Thanks for saving my life.
Wow wow wow!!!!!!!! I’ve been on klonopin for sleep and jet lag for 20 years. Insane how I did train my brain 🧠 that my bed, hotel room was for overthinking. I used to fall asleep on park benches, safely that is, and beaches. I’m still on ambien, only 2.5 mgs. This therapist is sent to all of us from God. I sometimes feel so hopeless about my insomnia.
Has Ambien helped? I have taken lunesta for the past 2 months. Doesn't always work and next day hang over is bad.
Take care!
I've created a playlist on RUclips with bedtime stories that are relaxing. It sounds silly, but really helps
Can you share it? It'd be helpful for other people as well maybe. Thankyou.
@@shrutigupta5864 all the playlists are on my RUclips profile. But this is my sleep story favourites. I keep adding to it too
Thank you for your interest ruclips.net/p/PLVjWzoXG9xuazP5t_16GEb9_OW_lzSQ8G
Not silly, it can help. A few of my family at home use audio bed time stories or nature sounds to relax and fall asleep and it works well for them.
@@shrutigupta5864 a few months late but here you go ruclips.net/p/PLVjWzoXG9xuazP5t_16GEb9_OW_lzSQ8G
Anything that works is not silly❤️
You're Very good at what you as I have spent time with many therapists but you're really really good at simplifying things
Wow thanks Emma!
I will try this!
For years I've been laying in bed for hours can't sleep but never got out of bed.
Thank u so much that absolute helped me i have been cryin for the past few days that I can’t sleep
What’s been keeping me up is my health anxiety, feeling my heart race and pound I feel doomed, the past 2 weeks have been miserable it’s been taking me so long to get to bed any where from 30 minutes to over an hour I don’t even remember falling into my sleep. I’ve been waking up so sore and depleted. I’m definitely going to try this!!
oml same I thought i was the only one i probably could fall asleep but the chest discomfort i feel so much because of my heart racing makes it so harder to fall asleep its 4am right now i rlly hope i will be able to sleep well in the day and i hope your doing well stranger healthy anxiety is not a joke its the worst ❤
GREAT TIP! I’m guilty of trying to force myself to sleep early
Thanks for this. My wife has insomnia and I show this to her.
As soon as I get into bed my mind starts thinking of about all kinds of stuff & I can't shut it off. Will have to try this
I tried a lot of things, but this technic helps me. Thank you!❤
Hi, hows your sleep now?
That was a great video. Thanks..I'm going to get my wife to watch it . She's had insomnia for years.
I’ve been dealing with this for 6 years , insomnia keeps me up and I have sleep anxiety so I fear not being able to sleep , idk why I keep on going through this struggle it use to be worse way worse but I told myself if I die the pain go away so why fear it , now I get random bad moments where I can’t sleep and the anxiety fuels my insomnia and I fear more , I don’t want to be on medication but I just don’t understand why I can’t have a normal life . Hopefully things get better for y’all who deals with this I love you all and god bless
Thank you so so much... you're a life saver!❤
Another person here with sleeping issues... Thank you for teaching us this skill. Greetings from Pakistan! 💝
This made me cry, probably because my brain is fried by now from sleep deprivation. But thank you for uploading this and trying to help us.
All that is true and helpful advice.
So is this: Meditation in your daily life. Besides creating a calmer you in general, it teaches two specific things that help when trying to fall asleep.
If you're amped up or upset, the deep breathing techniques you practice in meditation can help you calm down again. You can quickly turn on the parasympathetic nervous system, and slow your heart rate down.
And half the point of meditation is focusing on something you want to focus on, instead of letting the default mode network dictate your thoughts. And that helps you in bed, too. Focus on the lights behind your eyelids, as they grow and dissipate with your breath. Or go classic-style and focus on counting sheep.
Caveat: Counting is so ingrained in us that it's very easy to count while our mind wanders. To make sure you are actually focusing on the counting, don't just say the numbers in your mind, PICTURE the numbers (or sheep, or whatever).
Counting down without trying to picture the numbers usually gets me nowhere because my mind wanders. I go from 100 to 0 easily. Once I began trying to PICTURE the numbers, I barely ever get to 90 before I'm asleep.
Also, slamming melatonin isn't really a great idea. That stuff is best left for the times you have to overcome jetlag. I've run experiments on myself multiple times regarding melatonin, and for me it's absolutely a placebo effect. Your mileage may vary of course.
Which meditation or breathing technique that is best for sleep?
Any instructional video / app you can share?
Some things that have helped me also are ear plugs and a sleep mask to block out light. I resisted wearing these for so many years, but they do make a difference. A weighted blanket can help, too.
Emma i really love your❤️ videos and the information you share, i have problems falling asleep , my mind stays on , and I wish I Just could fall asleep again, my brain wont shut off , can you maybe share more information about how to manage your brain to fall asleep.
I’m definitely going to try this. I’m so over feeling tired!
Thank you for the info! ❤❤
Yes, it helps to get up …thank you so much, Emma. ❤️🙏😴
My therapist just mentioned CBT for sleep the other day. Thanks for this video!
I have anxiety but I also get physical symptoms such as constant diarrhea late at night and sometimes body twitching/tremors. I’ve been at a clinic to learn how to get off anti anxiety medications and sometimes my brain won’t stop wondering. I’ve done SSP training. I have come a long way to not feel as anxious. I feel exhausted the whole time but it’s hard to settle down.
If you have digestive problems it can definitely be the cause(or one of the causes) for your poor sleep. When my sibo was really bad i could barely sleep at times and i used to wake up multiple times at night
I am an insomniac for a while, almost a year now, even these past 2days i slept, 2,3hrs each but i do sleep well somedays maybe 5,6hrs , i will definitely try this later on at night, I've heard this before but didn't take it seriously
Thank you! Best common sense thing I have ever heard.....
Your way of talking is superb, & information is valuable really !!
When you're lying in bed silencing your mind becomes overwhelming then it becomes you panic zone 🖤 excellent and well said. You have to retrain your mind that your bed is for sleeping!! Excellent advice 😴🛌
This is such solid advice~ I have always worried that getting out of bed will become a habit, but staying in bed ruminating is worse. Thank you for this!
I've had chronic insomnia for over half my life, and think it may have been "triggered" when I was a college student and was almost murdered at my part-time job as a "graveyard-shift" clerk at a convenience store. That said, I will try your suggestion in this video. Thank You!
My insomnia began after my husband passed away. After a few years,,it got better. Then I began to have knee pain. Months of insomnia. Now I'm recovering from knee surgery. More insomnia. But I realise now that bed time has become my overthinking time!, So,,I will try reading a while. First,,I will make a hot drink......
Just found this video and I've had enough of insomnia, it's the last straw with it, hopefully this info helps
Update it has not
My psychologist suggested this and I can't believe I never heard before. I only hear the opposite, to stay in bed and never get up if you want to sleep.
I was told by a therapist that insomnia is resistance to fears you might have to face in your dreams/nightmares, now when it happens I get up, do something and tell myself it's OK, what may happen in my sleep is fine, I'm ready for whatever dream will come.. And I must say it's rather efficient.
Literally watching this from my bed - damn. Part of my issue is that I find so much comfort from being in the bed during the day. Like today I got up and went to the gym, had a healthy breakfast, sat down to work, and I just prefer to work from bed... how do I find comfortable places to work from home that aren't bed?
I have such chronic insomnia for 3 years. I have tried every sleep hygiene, over the counter medication, Ambien, lunesta helps a little bit.
Im 53 now, this has caused me chronic fatigued. Exhausted daily at 53 years old. I am going to try this. Getting up 6am for work on 2 hours sleep is brutal
Thank you God Bless you
I had a terrible bought of insomnia and found an audiobook called The Sleep Book: How to Sleep Well Every Night by Guy Meadows and that really helped me learn to stop worrying about Sleep which let's you relax and sleep.
@@dalewr38 thank you so much , just saw this
God Bless You
@@michaelthau1007 God Bless you too you pure soul. ❤ I also have a sleeping problem at the moment. It feels like it just started out of nowhere. A couple weeks ago, I was sleeping 8-9 hours every night. Then on Wednesday night, I woke up at 1 AM and that's where this all started. It's the worst feeling ever. It's not the feeling of not sleeping that bothers me (the fatigue and tiredness, I usually don't get that) but it's more the thought that I didn't sleep that drives me nuts. I could just be happy and drinking a cup of coffee and then my brain reminds me I only slept 3 hours last night.
@@noneya262Hello I hope you are doing well! Has your sleep gotten any better? Anything helping? Im still experiencing chronic insomnia for about 3 years now. Wake up after a few hours, and have a awful time falling back to sleep. Im exhausted. I hope you found some rest, and peace at night!
I've got to say, getting up is really the best advice and I fought it for so long because it seems counterintuitive.
I had some anxiety-induced insomnia that lasted for quite some time, and I only noticed a major difference when I started getting up going to another room to watch TV.
You don't realize how strong that negative association becomes with your bed. Mine was so bad I'd start getting stomach aches and anxiety as soon as I'd lie down.
Even if you only sleep a few hours that night or the next, you're making mental progress by breaking that association and getting up.
I started sleeping on the couch downstairs for a week, and noticed as soon as I'd get on the couch I'd get sleepy and fall asleep. So my brain was beginning to associate the couch with rest. After about a week, I was able to return to my room. I really prolonged my insomnia by staying in bed worrying.
As someone who didn’t sleep for a week or two due to heartbreak, thanks
This is what I do. I don't usually have trouble falling asleep but if a noise or something wakes me before I had enough sleep, falling back asleep can be hard. I read a book or get up and try not to be bothered by not sleeping. Or I deep breathing and count down slowly.
Very clear and I understand it. Problems to me arrived though at the point where I turned out to be a night owl and others getting restless from me being awake and doing things OUT OF BED at night. Them caring and therefore worrying about my sleeping (or not sleeping when they are sleeping) got such a nightmare to me I can only sleep when they're awake. So getting out of bed feels like no option if it causes others around me insomnia. Which causes me insomnia. Sometimes feels like they better get rid of me or I better get rid of them; to illustrate how bad it can get.
I hear you. Very few people appreciate how difficult it is for an insomniac to co-habitate with others. *hug*
@@katesmiles4208 thanks for the hug. But I mean it's apparently harder for "a somniac" to live with. I don't want to live alone or probably I have no other choice. My disabilities killing others is what's killing myself most of all.
Im a new mom...and i fall a sleep around 06am(no matter when I lay down) and than sleep till noon..
My husband is an early bird so he is with ours daughter in the morning...and i know im lucky...but i feel so bad. My husband HAS to be with her in the morning...and if i have something to do during the day i dont spend so much time with her. And its killing me... It really is hard to live with insomniac..😢
melatonin nasal spray helped me a lot! Ive been using it for a month
You nailed it precisely in such short time - I trained my brain to not fall asleep in my bed anymore and this is lasting 3-4 months now and i`m trying to reverse it with the technique you discribed - The tough proof of this effect is, that it`s exclusively my OWN BEd with is 10x more comfy than my sofa in the living room, where i have to detour in order to fall asleep - So i try to trick my brain in using the uncomfortable sofa to fall asleep and s soon as i wake up (which actually happens within the first hour) i go back to bed and usually can continue to sleep there.
same thing here. And now I'm at a point where the sofa isn't doing the trick anymore. That's what brought me here. I hope this videos helps us both!
How are you guys doing ?
Great video to watch while I am up because I couldn't fall asleep
I'm on my third day of not sleeping. I started getting auditory hallucinations and then overtime I got insomnia. I am on treatment for the hallucinations.. somehow it works now after a long time but can't seem to get rid of insomnia. I work as a teacher and just imagine not sleeping and getting to work with turbulent kids the next day.. insane!
Relax ur mind and dont think about ur surroundings and u can have ur tv on and Watch something so it helps u stop the hallucinations and it will stop my 10 year insomnia hasnt been worse
You cannot nap during the day, that may be very helpful.
This makes sense when you think about how we put babies down. We wait until they're sleepy before we put them to bed and if they wake up we pick them up and repeat the process until they learn to sleep on their own (not including the likely scenario that they're just hungry and need a feed anyway.
Thanks for this, I'm gonna give it a try. My brain is already going "but what if I don't get sleepy at all from getting out of bed?" But it sounds like something I can't just try but persevere with.
Thanks for making this video I’m trying it tonight! 😃
Best of luck! 💓
I’m on my second night of absolutely no sleep and I simply can’t live like this anymore. My body and brain is shutting down. Insomnia is a cruel cruel thing, I’ve tried so many things 😔
I so enjoy your invaluable input, guidance and advice which I share with my clients. Thank you!! Greetings From South Africa
Thank you! I will try this for sure!
good thanks
This video is for me (unfortunately) but I trust that this will help!
I've had problems falling asleep since having Covid 19. since then I wake every two hours . It's really annoying. I want to sleep through the night . I fall asleep praying.
Ok, ok. But how does it help frequent awakening?
This is actually such good advice. Thank you so much. I'm going to try and retrain my brain to associate sleep and rest and relaxation for the bed space. I do have the urge to get up and walk around when I can't sleep ... maybe next time I'll try reading some :) will definitely follow and subscribe for more tips!
Thank you so much!
Oh my god
I always have a little trouble sleeping. Sometimes when i have really bad nights, like up til four or five, i go to sleep the wrong way round, with my head at the foot of the bed. It always works and I've never figured out why. This makes so much sense.
This makes so much sense. I haven’t been able to sleep in my bed…I went to the couch and crashed in under an hour!
I haven't found this particularly helpful but what does tend to work for me is to debrief.
I go over what I did that day, sometimes in annoying detail. That's about it.
Of course it might not hurt to get up if that's what works for you but cbt just means nothing to me and I know a lot of people who get no help from it. They all end up in 12 step and self help groups. Thousands and thousands of people.
Of course Sleep Hygiene can help, so too antidepressants and experimenting with diet.
Exercise might help you. Vitamin D before bed might help. Journalling perhaps. Meditation and so on...
I've tried it all. Debriefing is the only thing that works for me. Second would be using the Depressed Anon workbook before bed.
Then diet, supplements, Meditation, Exercise.
Mattress and pillow adjustments, regulating temperature, opening a window periodically, using a snake plant,... these all help too.
I really love your videos! each one has different and new info... I would really like if you make a video on why venting is bad and how to stop it is something I struggle with! Thanks a lot for this channel
I'm slowly beating insomnia, emma is right when she says get out of bed for a while. I also find that if I can't sleep for most of the night I get up in the morning then go back to bed as I fall asleep naturally in the morning then wake up in the early afternoon with enough sleep. It would be hard for those to sleep until the afternoon if they have to work but you can try sleeping on a none work day.
5 am my body produces those wonderful *go to sleep* chemicals. Its a shame i have to wait 5 hours to get there 😁
@@katesmiles4208 mine is around 6 to 8 am, it is a shame that it takes so long but it would be worse if it didn't happen at all.