How Kristina dealt with anxiety, worry, and stress as her insomnia shifted from difficulty staying asleep to difficulty falling asleep (#38)

Kristina had a demanding job that caused a lot of stress. One night, her husband woke her up after having a nightmare, triggering a release of anxiety that had been building up for some time. This made it difficult for her to fall back to sleep, which only caused more worry and anxiety in the following nights.

At first, Kristina could fall asleep but would wake up with a racing mind in the middle of the night and struggle to fall back to sleep. But then, she began having trouble falling asleep altogether, which caused more anxiety and sleep disruption.

Kristina discovered that the most effective way to combat her insomnia was to deprive it of the things it needed to survive. Rather than going to bed early or staying in bed late, Kristina adjusted her bedtime to when she felt genuinely sleepy, rather than just tired. She also made sure to get out of bed at the same time every morning, regardless of how much sleep she had gotten. If she felt uncomfortable being awake at night, she would engage in an enjoyable activity instead.

Most importantly, Kristina learned to focus on the present moment and what was under her control. She continued to work towards the life she wanted to live, independent of her sleep and even when experiencing difficult thoughts and emotions.

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