How Emily transformed her sleep by accepting insomnia & committing to meaningful daily actions (#60)

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Emily’s insomnia struggle began around four months after the birth of her baby. Even though her daughter was sleeping well, Emily was finding it really difficult to fall asleep. She started to get nervous and anxious as her level of exhaustion intensified.

When the medication prescribed by her doctor didn’t work, Emily started to get really concerned. She started researching solutions but found that the more she tried to fix her sleep, the more difficult it became and the more stressful things got.

Emily’s anxiety intensified to the point where the arrival of bedtime would lead to a racing heart and a sense of panic. It felt like her body was preparing for a marathon while she wanted to get a good night of sleep so she could be the mother she wanted to be for her daughter.

Emily’s transformation began when she changed her approach to sleep and her response to insomnia.

She reduced the amount of time she allotted for sleep to more closely match the amount of sleep she was getting on an average night. She started to do something more pleasant whenever she found herself struggling with being awake at night.

She stopped calculating the amount of sleep she was getting each night and she began to look at sleep with less judgement and more neutrality.

Instead of trying to fight or avoid her racing heart and the anxiety, she surrendered to them — she acknowledged their presence and allowed them to exist.

And, she committed to doing things that mattered, even after difficult nights and even when she felt exhausted.

Today, Emily goes to bed sometime around 11 at night and wakes naturally around seven in the morning. Sleep is no longer a concern or a focus. Her focus now is on living the life she wants to live.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:52 Postpartum and the First Sleepless Night
00:06:23 When Sleep Anxiety Took Over
00:09:03 Searching for Fixes and Spiraling
00:11:00 Discovering CBT-I (but avoiding it)
00:13:34 The Beliefs That Made It Worse
00:16:00 The Turning Point: Choosing a New Path
00:18:45 Letting Go of Sleep Expectations
00:21:00 From Judgment to Neutrality
00:23:09 Responding Differently to Thoughts
00:25:04 Living Fully, Even When Tired
00:27:13 Small Actions That Built Momentum
00:29:40 Sleepiness Returns Naturally
00:31:28 Finding Safety in Being Awake
00:33:21 Reducing the Control Agenda
00:35:34 What Surrender Really Means
00:38:04 Shifting Self-Talk to Kindness
00:40:05 Trusting the Process
00:42:19 Creating New Sleep Habits
00:45:23 Getting Out of Bed Differently
00:47:32 Letting Go of Sleep Stage Worries
00:49:42 Reclaiming Joy While Exhausted
00:52:00 Education That Helped
00:53:55 Finding Support in Other Stories
00:56:06 New Habits, New Confidence
00:58:03 The Power of Feeling Understood
01:00:10 Five Months to Freedom
01:02:05 Setbacks Are Part of Progress
01:04:57 Awareness and Daily Practice
01:07:13 Life After Insomnia
01:07:30 Words of Hope for Others
01:08:27 Closing and Farewell

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My name is Martin Reed and I am the founder of Insomnia Coach®. I offer sleep coaching programs that will help you stop struggling with sleep so you can get your life back from insomnia. I also offer a free two-week sleep training course for 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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