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The strange insomnia cure that stops the cycle of sleeplessness
I write about insomnia a lot because it’s something I struggle with. I know exactly how awful it can be… especially when it goes on indefinitely.
So, whenever I find an insomnia remedy that helps me, excites me or just plain stands out in a sea of ineffective or dangerous options, I want to share it with everyone.
I want to scream about it from the rooftops (or publish an article about it on the internet), so anyone else who struggles to sleep can find relief too. I figure, if f I can help even one insomniac sleep a little better tonight, I’ve made a difference in the world. Because, as an insomniac myself, I know a good night’s sleep is more valuable than gold when you’re chronically sleep-deprived.
I recently came across an insomnia remedy that’s so unusual that I can’t resist sharing it with you. It’s something I’ve never tried before. And since I’m sleeping okay at the moment, and I hope to stay that way (fingers crossed), I may not get a chance to try it for a while.
But if you’re struggling to sleep right now, you may want to use yourself as a guinea pig. It’s nothing crazy or dangerous. Just a simple mind trick that has the potential to slay your insomnia…
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Paradoxical intention puts insomnia to rest
The worst thing about insomnia is that it easily spirals into a vicious cycle. Say you can’t sleep one night for whatever reason. The next night when you go to bed, you remember how much trouble you had sleeping the night before and you feel a little anxious. What if it happens again? Then it does happen again. And the next night you feel even more anxious.
The less you sleep, the more anxious you become about your lack of sleep, which makes you less likely to sleep. Sleeping becomes a source of performance anxiety. You put pressure on yourself to fall asleep. You lay awake in bed trying to fall asleep. You stare at your clock and obsess about how much time you have left to sleep. You get frustrated when you don’t sleep. And all this sets you up for failure because the more you cling to sleep, the more evasive it becomes.
So, what should you do instead?
How about trying your darndest NOT to sleep? This may sound crazy at first. Why would you try not to sleep when all you want is to do is sleep? But here’s why it may be genius…
Your mind is a master trickster
Sometimes, when you want something too badly, it gives you the opposite. So, you have to beat your mind at its own game. And to do that, you need to try something called paradoxical intention.
Paradoxical intention is a way to trick your mind into not obsessing about achieving a certain outcome… in this case, sleep. To do that, you confront your worst fear head-on. With insomnia, your worst fear is that you won’t sleep. Instead of trying to prevent that fear from becoming reality, you try to make it happen.
The theory is that if you try to keep yourself awake, eventually you’ll fall asleep because that’s how your trickster mind works. In fact, this very phenomenon has probably happened to you many times in your life. Have you ever tried your hardest to stay awake for a movie but eventually allowed yourself to succumb to a sweet, restful sleep? Or tried to stay up late studying but woke up in the morning asleep on your books? Everyone’s had experiences like this, and if you remember these experiences — and try to reproduce them — they could break the cycle of sleeplessness.
So, next time you’re tossing and turning in your bed, give up the struggle. Get up and try to stay awake. Don’t pretend to try to stay awake. Fully commit to it. Your mind always knows when you’re faking. Turn on a good movie. Pick up a page-turner. Eventually, because you’re not trying to sleep, you’ll start to feel tired and maybe even doze off.
This simple, counterintuitive trick may help you break through your performance anxiety and start sleeping better.
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Other options for serious insomnia
Paradoxical intention is a unique way to overcome insomnia, but if it doesn’t work for you or you prefer to tackle the issue from more than one angle, there are other insomnia fixes you can try.
First, you should make sure your lifestyle is helping and not hurting you in your quest for a good night’s sleep…
If you’re struggling to sleep, make sure you’re getting enough exercise (although, not too close to bedtime). Eat healthy meals (although, once again, not too close to bedtime). Cut out substances that interfere with sleep like caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Do something relaxing or meditative daily to trigger the relaxation response in your body. Cut down on screen time, especially before bed, because the blue light from digital screens can decrease your body’s melatonin production.
Once you try all of those things, you can turn to natural sleep aids like melatonin, L-theanine, 5-HTP, valerian root… or maybe even medical marijuana if you’re open to it. Most importantly, have faith in your body’s innate ability to fall asleep effortlessly. That ability is still inside you. Sometimes, our minds, lifestyles or health issues get in the way. But trust that eventually your body’s natural ability to sleep will come back to you.
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Sources:
- 18 Simple Practices to Help You Sleep Better — Psychology Today
By Jenny Smiechowski
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