How Eddie got through the ups and downs of insomnia by committing to a workable plan (#46)

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Eddie struggled with sleep for over 10 years. During that time he would experience a lot of ups and downs — whenever he thought his sleep was back on track, things would get difficult again.

The more difficult sleep proved to be, the more he would struggle. And, when he struggled, he found himself doing less of the things that mattered to him.

Eddie’s transformation began when he moved away from chasing after sleep and practiced habits that helped create and maintain good conditions for sleep. Perhaps most importantly, he also took the time to identify what insomnia seemed to be stopping him from doing. What it seemed to be taking from him. And then he started to do those things, to take them back, even after difficult nights.

As Eddie shares in this episode, the process wasn’t easy — but having a clear plan in place and committing to that plan, even when things were difficult and even when his mind was trying to distract him and pull him away from that plan, kept him moving forward.

Eddie now reflects on his experience with insomnia as something that was actually quite empowering. In Eddie’s own words, he’s not happy he went through this experience but he’s not sad that he went through it, either.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:16 Eddie’s Struggles With Sleep Begin
00:05:27 How Lack of Structure Affected Sleep
00:07:07 The Role of Daytime Habits
00:08:34 What Nights Were Like
00:10:05 Misinterpreting Fatigue as Sleepiness
00:12:04 The Toll on Daily Life
00:13:38 Getting Caught in Sleep Cycles
00:15:06 Motivation During Ups and Downs
00:17:03 Realizing the Need for Help
00:19:04 Turning Struggle Into Growth
00:21:13 Gaining Confidence Through Skills
00:23:19 Emotional Benefits From the Journey
00:25:44 Too Much Effort Into Sleep
00:27:08 Discovering Sleep Restriction
00:30:03 Letting Go of the Need to Sleep
00:33:29 Navigating Setbacks and Expectations
00:36:04 Making a Commitment to Change
00:38:25 Taking Responsibility and Moving Forward
00:41:00 The Mind Isn’t Always the Boss
00:43:02 Responding to Difficult Thoughts
00:45:11 Choosing Actions Over Avoidance
00:47:00 Living Life Regardless of Sleep
00:49:00 Fighting Insomnia on Multiple Fronts
00:51:00 Commitment to Daily Actions
00:53:02 Reflecting on Life and Values
00:55:02 Doing What Matters Now
00:57:05 Building Confidence and Resilience
00:59:05 Acceptance and Moving Forward
01:00:20 Long-Term Sleep Discipline
01:01:04 Final Advice for Listeners
01:02:05 Farewell and Closing Remarks

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My name is Martin Reed and I am the founder of Insomnia Coach®. I offer sleep coaching services that give people with insomnia all the skills and support they need to enjoy better sleep for the rest of their lives. I also offer a free two-week sleep training course for people with insomnia at https://insomniacoach.com/sleep-train...

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All content found on the Insomnia Coach YouTube channel is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. The statements and opinions expressed by guests are their own and are not necessarily endorsed by Insomnia Coach LLC. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

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