
How Wayne improved his sleep by thinking of sleep as a friend that doesn’t need to be controlled (#36)
Insomnia Coach® PodcastShow Notes
Wayne's battle with insomnia began during his board exam preparations when he tried to adjust his sleep schedule to wake up earlier. Unfortunately, this caused difficulty in falling asleep and led to sleep-related anxiety, making his nights stressful. To combat this, Wayne tried implementing sleep hygiene rituals and experimenting with sleep supplements, but these actions perpetuated his insomnia.
Wayne learned that sleep is a natural process that does not respond well to effort. He began going to bed later and making space for difficult thoughts and emotions instead of trying to fight them. He also reminded himself that sleep will always happen in the end. Although this process took time, Wayne now thinks of sleep as a friend, and no longer puts any pressure or effort into it. As a result, he sleeps well and is living the life he wants to live.
Watch/listen to this episode
More from Insomnia Coach® Podcast
Morgan rarely thought about sleep until a concussion in 2023 changed everything. As she dealt with dizziness, nausea, ringing in her head, and disrupted sleep, she tried medication, supplements, detailed sleep tracking, and strict sleep rules.
After one sleepless night around his 17th birthday, Joey began to fear the next night. Soon, thoughts about sleep followed him through the day. He stopped going out, struggled to watch films, and sat inside with the curtains drawn.
Lu spent most of her life as a great sleeper. Then, six weeks after having her first baby, a painful mix of pressure, anxiety, and one sleepless night made sleep feel difficult for the first time.
Casaundra’s insomnia first showed up in college. From then on, it would come and go during periods of stress. After getting married, insomnia showed up and this time it didn’t go away. Before long, Casaundra would notice a feeling of anxiety as soon as her head hit the pillow. Nights started to feel like a battle.
Today, I’m talking with Farrukh — someone whose experience with insomnia slowly began to take over more and more of his life.