How Kirstin regained her natural ability to sleep after feeling dependent on sleeping pills (#59)

Ready to get your life back from insomnia? Learn more about my sleep coaching programs at https://insomniacoach.com Kirstin began using medication every now and then to help her sleep on Sunday nights. When she faced a big personal challenge that made sleep more difficult, she started to use it more often. The plan was to take a small dose to get her through that difficult period and then stop the medication because she didn’t want to be reliant on something to help her fall asleep. Unfortunately Kirstin found that when she tried to stop taking the medication, sleep didn’t happen. She went without sleep for three or four days straight before reaching for the medication in a desperate attempt to make sleep happen. Kirstin developed the belief that she couldn’t sleep without medication and this created a lot of panic, distress, and confusion. Kirstin became obsessed with sleep. All she could think about was insomnia. Her days were filled with researching sleep remedies and experimenting with sleep-related rules and rituals. Nothing worked. Kirstin tried to stop herself from thinking about insomnia. That didn’t work either. As nighttime approached she would get extremely nervous, scared, and upset. People tried to be supportive but nobody understood what she was going through. Things changed when Kirstin came across the Insomnia Coach podcast and realized that she wasn’t alone. As she listened to the stories of others, insomnia started to feel less mysterious. At this point, Kirstin started to reclaim her life from insomnia. She made and followed through on daytime plans, regardless of how she slept. She prepared for difficult nights in advance so she had alternatives to struggling and battling all night long. She abandoned all her sleep efforts, rules, and rituals. She allowed all the difficult thoughts and feelings she was experiencing to exist — she acknowledged them and allowed them to come and go as they pleased. She practiced being kinder to herself. Kirstin’s journey was not easy. She experienced ups and downs. When things felt difficult she made the conscious effort to focus on actions that would keep her moving toward the life she wanted to live and the relationship with sleep she wanted to have. Kirstin is also applying many of the skills she gained from her experience with insomnia to other parts of her life. And, she is sleeping without medication. ▶ Subscribe to the Insomnia Coach channel (and be sure to click the notification bell afterward​ so you don't miss any videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL5LsLUeVA2j_Vsl5625shQ?sub_confirmation=1 You can subscribe to the Insomnia Coach® Podcast through the following platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/insomnia-coach-podcast/id1469454957 YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzlNKjoB23Ll7PSEJHquZjx4QSbZAtQy9 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eVnnsowPQAnS4cZX73dEf Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=432360 TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Health--Wellness-Podcasts/Insomnia-Coach(R)-Podcast-p1232227/ PodBean: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/gz957-98ea6/Insomnia-Coach%C2%AE-Podcast iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-insomnia-coach-podcast-46606122/ 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-training/?ref=youtube060324 You can also find me here: Website: https://insomniacoach.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/insomniacoach Facebook: https://facebook.com/insomniacoach Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myinsomniacoach/ 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. #insomnia #sleep