Make sure you have done everything in Day 1 of the Insomnia Self Help Tutorial, even if it takes longer than one day. It could take three or four days, and that's fine. The main thing is not to pressure yourself for results, because that only makes your insomnia worse.
Day 2 requires learning 2 basic techniques:
- One is a cognitive behavioral technique that can be applied to sleep anxiety and other worrying thoughts that may be keeping you awake.
- The other is beginning your program of postponing your thoughts, worries, problem solving and creativity to daytime hours (or waking hours if you are a day sleeper).
Both of these techniques are logical, rational methods that can absorb a busy mind's restless energy.
One of the biggest causes of insomnia is hyperarousal of the nervous system, which you can read more about here.
The first technique you might think would be helpful at this point in an insomnia self help tutorial is some sort of relaxation practice, right?
Nope.
I have found that is not always the best way to go. Trying to learn relaxation techniques when you're stuck in a hyperarousal state is always a slow, difficult process. If you try to "force" yourself to relax, you are likely to get more wide awake than ever. Remember the paradox of insomnia?
(When you feel very angry about something and begin to express this anger, and someone tells you to "lighten up," do you immediately do what they say, or do you get more riled up than ever?)
It is best to USE that busy, restless THOUGHT energy that's flowing through your brain -- only use it in more positive, helpful, productive ways.
There will be a time to take on the relaxation and letting go techniques, but not yet. It will be Day 4 of the Insomnia Self Help Tutorial, so hang in there.
Penciling in your insomnia work
The most important step in Day 2 of the Insomnia Self Help Tutorial is making time to work on your insomnia. I recommend at least 10-15 minutes for writing in your sleep diary, and at least 20-30 minutes for working on your cognitive behavioral techniques.
I also highly recommend another 20-30 minutes scheduled in to do your awake-time worrying so you don't have to do it at night. This is really important.
Finding the Time
So I have just recommended you spend at least an hour a day on your insomnia. I'm sure your wondering, where you will ever find the time?
I will tell you.
If you followed the sleep schedule chart and recommendations, you have already eliminated an hour or more from the time you spend in bed. You can use that hour for working on your own insomnia cure.
But that doesn't mean you should use the same hour!
I have already recommended in the introduction of the Insomnia Self Help Tutorial that when you begin working on your insomnia cure, you need to schedule in time to do it... but that time shouldn't be too close to your bedtime.
You shouldn't be doing anything before bedtime that could stimulate you or cause you any extra anxiety. Just do your pre-sleep routine and if you get up during the night, you can work on some light, boring tasks for short periods of time.
It's Your Call...
That would be my recommendation, but it's really up to you in the end. This is your own personalized insomnia cure, and if you want to work on it during the times you would normally be sleeping, try it and see how it goes. If it doesn't make your insomnia any worse, it's probably fine.
It's also fine to work on these techniques in the morning when you get out of bed.
You can also try your lunch hour, break times, and so on. If you have a family that's very demanding of your time, it will be very difficult to come home from work and go into your room and shut the door so you can work on your insomnia cure. You'll have to get creative and find little bits of time and solitude wherever you can find them.
The one hour doesn't have to be one solid hour. You can break it up into 15 minute segments.
And yes, you can shorten it to 30 minutes if necessary.
The important thing to understand during Day 2 of this Insomnia Self Help Tutorial is that real, lasting change doesn't happen without some kind of action. In this case, your action is focus.
Step One: Begin writing down your thoughts about your insomnia, about sleep, and about any worries or anxiety you have over your insomnia.
Step Two: After you've written down a few thoughts, read them over and ask yourself these questions:
- Is this thought accurate?
- Is this really true?
- Is there another way to look at it, another perspective, that would be more helpful?
- If I replaced my current thought with the more helpful, accurate thought, would I feel better?
You will learn more about cognitive behavioral treatment for insomnia in Day 5. For now, just get used to writing down your most worrying thoughts and evaluating them for accuracy and helpfulness.
Learn more about setting up your appointment times and "worry journal" here.
Ready for Day 3 of the Insomnia Self Help Tutorial? Here you go...