Say Good Night to Insomnia

whereas waking during the night and lying awake for an average of thirty minutes or more is known as sleep-maintenance insomnia. (Location 843)

Accordingly, if you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night but feel alert and rested during the day, you are not an insomniac but a person who just requires less sleep. (Location 849)

Occasional bouts of insomnia are normal and inevitable reactions to significant life events such as losses like death or divorce; family or work-related stressors; health problems, hospitalizations, or recovery from surgery; and relationship changes. Insomnia is such a customary reaction to these stressful life events (only 5 percent of adults report that they have never experienced insomnia) that some sleep experts surmise insomnia may serve an adaptive purpose in that it compels us to spend extra time thinking about and coping with these stressors. Fortunately, this type of insomnia, called short-term insomnia, typically persists for only a few days or weeks, and once the precipitating stressor fades or we have adjusted to it, life and sleep revert to normal. (Location 883)

treatment of chronic insomnia must focus not on the precipitating factors but on changing the thoughts and behaviors that play the main role in perpetuating insomnia. Since these thoughts and behaviors are learned, they can also be “unlearned,” (Location 909)

negative sleep thoughts (NSTs) can have a profound adverse effect on sleep. Below are some examples of NSTs, which will likely sound very familiar: “I didn’t sleep a wink last night.” “I must get eight hours of sleep.” “My insomnia is going to cause health problems.” “I’m dreading bedtime.” “Why does sleep come so easily for everyone but me?” “I feel miserable because I didn’t sleep well.” “How will I function today after such a horrible night of sleep?” (Location 1584)

Here are three questions to determine whether you are getting enough sleep: 1. Do you need an alarm clock to wake up? 2. Do you habitually sleep late on weekends? 3. Do you frequently fall asleep during meetings, lectures, boring or sedentary activities, or while watching television? If you answered no to each of these questions, you may be getting enough sleep and trying to get more sleep than you really need. (Location 1614)

First, studies on insomniacs indicate that they average about five and a half hours of sleep—only two hours fewer than normal sleepers—and do not exhibit poorer daytime performance compared to good sleepers. Second, daytime alertness does not suffer significantly unless sleep is reduced below five and a half hours. These studies suggest that insomnia usually won’t impair your daytime alertness or performance. (Location 1681)

Telling yourself that you can function on core sleep is a highly effective strategy for managing NSTs. In fact, this technique has helped almost all of my patients to become more relaxed about sleep and, as a consequence, to sleep better. This strategy will also create a placebo effect that will improve your sleep and your daytime functioning and will empower you with the realization that the ability to control insomnia resides within your thoughts. (Location 1704)

Think about this and you will realize that the primary effect of insomnia is impaired daytime mood in the form of irritability, frustration, anxiety, mild depression, fatigue, or reduced motivation. This realization is important for reducing your fear of insomnia and minimizing NSTs: it means that, in most cases, the worst thing that will happen if you don’t sleep well is that your mood may suffer. (Location 1710)

Marilyn came to me for biofeedback treatment of Raynaud’s disease, which is characterized by painful episodes of cold hands caused by constriction of blood vessels, especially during cold weather. (Location 2469)

Dr. Benson also defined the four key elements necessary to elicit the RR: • A quiet place with eyes closed to minimize distractions • A comfortable position and muscular relaxation • A mental focusing device such as breathing, a word, or an image to shift the mind away from distracting thoughts • Passive disregard of everyday thoughts (Location 2486)

Optimists are people who focus on and expect positive experiences. They are more likely to attribute positive outcomes to themselves and believe they can influence events through their actions. Optimists also expect the best when faced with uncertainty, look on the bright side, are positive about the future, count on good things to happen, and remember success better than failure. In short, optimists see the silver lining in every cloud. (Location 2981)

Seek out funny people and avoid those who are too serious. When you hear a good joke, remember it and tell it to others. (Location 3142)

Psychologists have found that stress-resistant people are more than just optimistic: they distort reality and view it in the best possible light. Specifically, these individuals: • Exaggerate how competent and well-liked they are • Remember past behavior with a rosy glow • Describe themselves primarily positively • Exaggerate their belief in the control they have in what occurs around them In short, stress-resistant individuals see themselves through positive illusions that are stress-reducing and mood- and health-enhancing. Because positive illusions are present in an even stronger degree in children, they may be evolutionary accommodations that are “wired in” and necessary for health. (Location 3177)