Help for insomnia

[GiaK]

Help for Insomnia

AUGUST 11, 2013

Love this reframing that Shinzen Young is doing.

 

Help for Insomnia: Yet Another use for Mindfulness, from Shinzen Young’s blog:

Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep is a very common complaint. Mindfulness can help but one must first radically revision the nature of the problem.

People tend to get into a negative feedback loop with insomnia: Not getting to sleep leads to worry, leads to further difficulty sleeping, leads to more worry, leads to…. What to do? One possibility is to start thinking about the night in a different way. This is a conceptual reframing, a profoundly different paradigm regarding the issue of sleep.

The normal paradigm is:
“I have to get a good night’s sleep or I’ll be a mess tomorrow”.

The new paradigm is
“If I get a good night’s rest, I’ll be fine tomorrow”.

 

 

Amazingly, it’s possible to get a good night’s rest without necessarily sleeping much or at all. Two things are required:(continue reading)

 

 

 

Shinzen does a really great job articulating something I’ve been working on in my own quest to re-establish my sleep architecture that was so badly iatrogenically damaged.  It helped me to read the above post as it is said so well by a teacher I greatly admire. I’ve been learning to reframe my sleeping patterns for a good long while now. It’s a process given all that we’ve been taught. See:  Insomnia? Or is your body just asking to sleep like our ancestors did?

 

I have a category on this blog with the label reframe your experience because it’s such a vital thing to do if we want to heal from all the conditioning society and the psychiatric system dishes out. I also did an article  that highlights links to some of the best posts that highlight reframing:  About reframing: embrace your experience 

 

And for the topic at hand I also have an article that includes a collection links on how to cope and heal from insomnia. It has the very same title Shinzen Young used for the above article and thus this post.HELP FOR INSOMNIA

 

More Shinzen Young on Beyond Meds

•  When things are most challenging, we have great opportunity to heal and become whole
• “The endeavor of meditation is a utilitarian endeavor. It is to know the truth of one’s own internal processes”

 

You can also find Shinzen delivering dharma talks on youtube.

 

ORIGINAL POST HERE: http://wp.me/s5nnb-insomnia

[Nikki]

Hi GiaK....I am having an issue with insomnia over the last week or so.  I say the exact same thing "I'll be a mess tomorrow".

 

Sadly I am. I will spend some time this evening reading thru your highlights.  Thank you...

[GiaK]

Nikki...reframing takes practice and it really helps!

 

be patient with yourself 

[Aria]

I rested last night for a while with my cat next to me. When sleep didn't happen I got up at 4 AM and watched the sun rise than returned to bed for a few hours of zzz. Having the cat as company on those not sleeping nights but in bed makes it better.

[GiaK]

yes! my cats have always been a great comfort in the night...I now have two growing (rather large kittens) they perch on my chest and purr like a ritual in the night when I need them most...what lovely medicine!! 

[compsports]

I have decided to try Sleeptracks since they offer a 60 day money back guarantee.

 

http://www.sleeptracks.com/

 

Last night, after having several horrible nights in a row and waking up after 2 hours, I took a Temazapam to get back to sleep.   But after falling back asleep after eating breakfast and drinking several cups of coffee, this is not a good sign.

 

I just personally don't think any OTC remedies or prescription meds work long term for insomnia.

 

And of course, in my case, nasal obstruction issues may be an issue which I will see an ENT about in January.   But hopefully, this program can at least improve things even if it isn't 100% perfect.

 

I will keep people posted on my progress.

[Wildflower0214]

Let me know how this goes...

[compsports]

JDM1984,

 

I haven't yet ordered it for various reasons.   If I start using it, I will definitely let you know.

 

CS

[Junior]

I will also be interested in how you go.

[compsports]

Will do Junior..  I just sent an email to the owner asking if anyone with difficulties staying asleep on the pap machine had successfully used the program.   Even if he can't answer the question, I sitll may give it a shot since there is a money back guarantee.   Still, I am curious.

 

I also want to see how quickly he responds in case the program doesn't work and I want my money back.

[Wildflower0214]

Gotcha. Very interested. I almost ordered this months ago, but I wasn't sure it would help me because it seemed geared to "normal" people with sleeping problems, and my nervous system is anything but "normal".

 

But, would love to hear how it goes. I hope it helps you if you try it. Honesty, that machine sounds like a pain. sorry for u.

[compsports]

Thanks JDM for your empathy.  Last night, since I have been rediagnosed with mild apnea, I tried sleeping on my side and using a nasal extender to see if perhaps maybe I didn't need the machine.  I woke up prematurely with what felt like a very rapid heartbeat.    Fortunately, it seemed to quickly improve but I was scared to death.   Needless to say, back on the pain in the --- machine.

 

You are so right, the program seems geared to "normal" people with sleeping problems and as a result, it may not work for us.  I will let you know when this guy responds.

[Wildflower0214]

Thanks JDM for your empathy. Last night, since I have been rediagnosed with mild apnea, I tried sleeping on my side and using a nasal extender to see if perhaps maybe I didn't need the machine. I woke up prematurely with what felt like a very rapid heartbeat. Fortunately, it seemed to quickly improve but I was scared to death. Needless to say, back on the pain in the --- machine.

 

You are so right, the program seems geared to "normal" people with sleeping problems and as a result, it may not work for us. I will let you know when this guy responds.

Palpitations can be very very scary. I've had them off and on throughout my life. Back to the machine you go......

 

Wishing you rest, and deep sleep. I think of you often when I have trouble sleeping... There seems to be a camp of us on here who battle this. At the very least, we are not alone.

 

Anyways, wishing you peace.

[compsports]

Thanks JDM, I am sorry things are so bad for you also.   It stinks to high heaven.

[Wildflower0214]

Agreed.

[Courageous]

I had withdrawal insomnia from tapering Trazodone too quickly recently.  Two days after that I noticed when I got into bed my body was terrified by the memory of not being able to sleep.  Needless to say, the fear alone stopped me from sleeping.

 

That same night I discovered a technique called "paradoxical intention therapy" that enabled me to fall sleep!  It took all of my fear away.

 

From the article Paradoxical intention therapy is an easy technique to help you sleep:

 

Quote

 

In their book, 'Insomnia: A Clinical Guide to Assessment and Treatment', Morin and Espie summarize the instructions for paradoxical intention therapy as:

1. When you are in bed lie in a comfortable position and put the lights out.
2. In the darkened room, keep your eyes open, and try to keep them open 'just for a little while longer'. That's your catch phrase.
3. As time goes by, congratulate yourself on staying awake but relaxed.
4. Remind yourself not to try to sleep but to let sleep overtake you, as you gently try to resist it.
5. Keep this mind-set going as long as you can, and if you get worried at staying awake remind yourself that is the general idea, so you are succeeding.
6. Don't actively prevent sleep by trying to rouse yourself. Be like the good sleeper; let sleep come to you.

 

 

There seems to be science behind it, e.g.:

 

Paradoxical intention and insomnia: an experimental investigation

 

I found an eloquent articulation of the technique and the rationale behind it here:

https://www.insomnialand.com/paradoxical-intention-therapy-an-easy-technique-to-help-you-sleep/