From ROLLING panic attacks to a NEW LEASE on LIFE (Talking insomnia

[@mouthearnose]

11:43 "My whole life changed, started embracing anxiety" 12:17 "I let it pass by like clouds in the sky. I started sitting with my anxiety and it started to dissipate" 12:55 "Radical acceptance. Anxiety started dimming gradually." 13:20 "It got better but then I started stressing out again and it kept coming back until I totally let go, appreciate the present moment " 13:53 "If I am having a `bad night` then I know I'm going to be having a great day tomorrow. Appreciating the anxious response of the body to remind you to slow down and catch a breath." 14:20 "Anxiety is the best thing that happened to me" 23:10 "It yoyo-s for a while, you think it's gone but it comes back, it then gets better again. It just takes a while." 24:30 "Breaking the association of sleep with anxiety by realizing that having a `bad` night doesn't really lead to a `bad` day" 24:50 "How I'm feeling depends upon how much I think I slept, not how much I actually slept. Decoupling the time you slept with your day's performance is key. " 27:30 "Appreciating life as it is. Just being. No pressure to perform or anything." 28:10 "Realizing the tie between insomnia and the fear of exhaustion"

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Amazing. Just took a screenshot, this shows what incredible insight there are in interviews like this. 🙏

[@mouthearnose]

@@thesleepcoachschool8192 Hey! Thank you so much! I left this comment as bookmarks for myself so that whenever feelings of anxiety arise in regards to sleep, I can come back and see that it is totally reversible. Appreciate your service to the world so much, you gave a platform to a seemingly `minor` issue (insomnia) but that which affects us quite intensely.

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Anytime! Thanks for all the support and you know, I pinned this comment, so hopefully, lots of people will find it!

[@carriebilbrey]

He said “phobia of exhaustion” and I said “THATS IT” I hated staying awake all night but what I have been really afraid of of the exhaustion the next day. I love that he put words to it!!! Wrote that down. Another guest said she had performance anxiety and that too is what I struggle with. If I have anything “important” the next day, anxiety kicked in. Important could be anything from lunch with friends to waking early to open Christmas presents with my family. It’s been a wild journey but I am so thankful to have found you!!!

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

So so glad you did find your way here Carrie, and you’re doing wonderful work of learning and contextualizing 😊

[@jamierabot4784]

“You can intellectually understand something so much more quickly than you can emotionally understand it.” When inner work is done to be okay with discomfort and let go of attachments, magic happens! Alexander is such a great story teller, I hope his story reaches more people.

[@Sunflowersarepretty]

The ways i was nodding along all throughout this video 😅. I could relate to many things. Alexander is a wonderful speaker. Loved this episode. It's actually low-key comforting watching this because it reminds me I'm not the only one and others before me have experienced it similarily and what makes a difference is our response to it. ❤❤

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

So glad to read this 😊

[@gerrym-cat7119]

Daniel, you’re doing God’s work! More power to you! Blessings

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Appreciate this so much Gerry 🙏🤗

[@jacobtamkin6122]

I always go back to this video when I need encouragment

[@aronjohnson2553]

I can't wait to get better and help others.

[@leanneweston]

wow another very powerful story thank you! im literally going through all that alexander went through. from the panic/anxiety attacks too isolating myself too the drinking most nights (as nothing else has helped me} i really wish i could afford the immunity program right now. would sign up today but unfortunatley financial circumstances unable. so for now i will keep watching the sucess stories and pray one day i can have my own. my children need me ...i need me back again!! chronic insomnia has taken so much from me and i cant do this much longer. gives us all some hope and light at the end of this dark lonley tunnel. x

[@LorenzKadounArt]

From the type of anxious thoughts, drinking at night to being somewhere for an education you don't actually care about, this is a guest story I can really relate to...Great Video! ✌🏻

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Thank you for your heartfelt comment! We want to assure you that your comments are seen and deeply appreciated. We're grateful that the message resonated with you and that it's contributing to a meaningful conversation. Your support means a lot, and we're glad it made sense to you. 💙

[@rosiemac2538]

oh my word - this just made me weep. I was in the same boat as Alexander and so glad that this painful ,lonely experience has passed . The trouble is ,insomnia becomes a habit ! ....But Thank you Daniel as always for the education here and the videos plus your wonderful books . I have to say the humour in the Set it and Forget it book was a game changer for me . Keep them coming if you can ☺ Your saving lives.

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Wasn’t this an incredibly strong story? So glad you found the book and everything else and - I sure will 😊!

[@rosiemac2538]

@@thesleepcoachschool8192 It sure was !!!! Thank you for sharing.

[@rahulpardeshi6646]

In how many months u recovered?

[@skeptik-ci5xo]

What a thoughtful and articulate young man. I feel for him, and I identify both with the torture of insomnia, but also taking a path that not only did we not not choose, but hated at a visceral level and made us miserable. And I don't know about Alexander, but not being able to find a passion and forcing myself to pursue things just to gain others' approval, very much at my own expense, is devastating. It is also insidious, because it's only in retrospect that we realize that it's not our fault, and we are not failures for not following through on something that was never in line with our our true purpose (even if we don't know what that is - yet). So it's no small wonder that we would develop anxiety and crippling insomnia when we are not living our lives authentically. He also looks a lot like my nephew, so I think that I have an extra soft spot for him :)

[@toriknuppe7089]

Wow, this video brought me to tears multiple times, as I relate so much with his experience. Even down to the fear of being the last one to fall asleep at a sleepover! So glad to hear he has recovered. Hoping for similar healing in my life.

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Hi Tori, So glad you could relate so much, knowing we aren’t alone often helps more than anything else. Rooting for you!

[@adamleonard4141]

This is like looking into a mirror. Such a similar experience to my own. It gives me hope I'll get to the same point eventually. I'm still in the early education stages right now but perhaps I'll enrol and see you soon. When I get better I swear I will help other people with this problem

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

So glad it resonated Adam, and I have no doubt you’ll find a nice way 😊

[@Rosa2O6]

This is such a relatable story!! Thanks for sharing Alexander!

[@matthewparisien3504]

Thank yo so much Alexander for sharing your story and for your wonderful insights! And Daniel of course. Forever grateful

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

🤗

[@davegordon9404]

Wow another person with similar story.. mine started @ 8 yrs old -lay in bed hours slake while my older brother was snoring in the same room in less than 10 minutes

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

It’s so nice you’re finding stories that resonate Dave, it helps much

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Do you like our way of teaching? Would you want to unpause your life, sleep well and feel like yourself again? We can help! For personal coaching, head over to www.thesleepcoachschool.com and find an option that fits you. We look forward to seeing you on the inside!

[@antoniojesus410]

I understand him I been having insomnia 7 years I try to control my stress 🙏💫

[@MrStoneedman]

How much do you sleep on average?

[@Nicole-pv2zw]

Great interview ❤

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Thank you for your heartfelt comment!

[@robertlewis167]

I currently am in the horrible stage that he was in. I believe I am suffering from long Covid on top of it. It is horrible and I wouldn’t wish this insomnia or a problem like this on anyone. I’ve developed deep dark circles and lots of weight gain in the last 5 months. I’ve listened to mostly all of your videos. I’ve listened to Sasha stephens book, sleep restriction, exercise, better diet, etc… thank you for all the videos and information it has improved me but I just can’t get out of this vicious cycle. I can relate so much to when he said sleep is happening and then my mind notices it and BAM. I’m awake. A couple curious questions have you ever considered having someone on that is currently struggling with insomnia instead of a success story? Lastly, any tips for someone like me to finally overcome this problem? Thank you

[@Rosa2O6]

Hey Robert! No advice here. I just want to say, hang on! I’ve been there. And it gets better. Recovery is inevitable!

[@robertlewis167]

@@Rosa2O6 I appreciate that❤

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Hi Robert, Sorry to hear of the struggle… but glad you’re here. And I’d be happy to have a guest who’s still in the struggle. If you go back a year or so, there were several episodes when I did this. If you’d like to be a guest, just send an email to the address on our website. Hang in there

[@pattidunegan8395]

Hi Robert. I see you've been watching all the videos, but, have you read any of his books? I haven't yet, but I have read Radical Acceptance, and I understand the NATTO book is sort of similar. It's about what Alexander says re: just sitting with all these anxious/panicky feelings and starting to NOT try to get them away from you, but just looking at them and allowing, accepting and noticing where in your body you are feeling them? When you start sitting with them and noticing them and allowing them to stay if they want, they almost immediately start losing their power. Also, along these same lines, look up ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). May help you move forward

[@JenS0513]

Hi Robert any improvements? I’m currently struggling

[@shariwithey2704]

I daniel. I feel that u need to reach out for help and support. I have been experiencing very intense and what I would call extreme insomnia for the past 5 weeks. It started with what felt like a traumatic event and then spiralled. I initially went 5 nights with zero sleep. As you can imagine I felt as though I was going insane. I was frantically googling anything that could help me. I've spoken to doctors every week. They just seem to perscribe anti depressants. I was extremely hesitant to take mertazipne but I tried it for 3 nights. It worked somewhat for 2 nights but failed on the third. The side effects were absolutely awful. I have tried 5htp gummies, cbd oil, valerian root ect. I now understand that doing all these things were sleep efforts and making the problem worse. I have been only surviving by having a glass of wine before bed which sends me to sleep for 2-3 hours. I can across your channel 2 days ago and have been binge watching all content. The success stories have given me hope. I had one good ish night sleep after what i felt was accepting the way things are. I felt like this was a turning point. Last night however was straight back to zero sleep again. I feel completely wired. I have 2 children to look after a husband and a job that I love. I have been off work on the sick as I am unable to function. Especially as I work as a carer. I cannot even seem to look after myself at the moment. Obviously I'm so scared. I have tingling all over my body most of the day which gets worse at bedtime. I just wasn't to escape this hell. It truly is the worst experience of my entire life. I want to be brave. I lay watching tv last night for hours. I also watched your videos throughout the night. I then lay resting with my eyes closed for a few hours. When I felt as if i was falling asleep I would have jerks that wake me up. I understand that I should do nothing and let the feelings come and go but it feels almost impossible when sleep is all I can think about..Especially when I've had zero sleep. I wish I could go back to the way I slept before. I was always a great sleeper. I'm trying to make the best of the situation and just embrace wakefulness. I does somewhat calm me in the night but in the day I feel completely wired. I worry about the damage that this is having on my relationships and children. Please help me!!! I cannot afford to join your program as I am out of work. Shari

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Hang in there Shari! If you write a short question I’ll reply!

[@shariwithey2704]

@@thesleepcoachschool8192 Thank you for replying. Last night I fell asleep at 8pm. I was watching a film on the sofa. I stayed asleep until what I think was around 3am. I then watched tv until morning. I guessed that I might aswell do something I enjoy. Should I see this as progress. I'm scared to get my hopes up.

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Hi Shari, most of us sleep like 6-7 hours per night so you know, if we fall asleep at 8 we probably won’t sleep much longer than 3 or so. Now, being awake doing something we like feels nicer thang being awake fighting anxiously to sleep.. so I think it’s a nice thing when we leave the struggle 😊

[@shariwithey2704]

@@thesleepcoachschool8192 Thank you. That makes sense. I went to bed at 10.30 last night. I had lots of broken sleep but it's the first "normal night" I've had in ages. Your channel is very helpful. Thank you 😊

[@sharang747]

Hey Daniel there is a red talk on sleep apnea having a massive impact on sleep. I have found breathing better helps massively my tongue caused a lot of issues to. So I’d keep waking up in alarm and high alert unable To sleep again. So sometimes it is important to check the physical things also

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Hi there, Oh yes it absolutely can!!! I saw this all the time as a sleep doctor. So of course to everyone, please talk to your doctor if concerned about health! All we do here is education for someone who’s become scared of being awake.

[@sharang747]

I used to sleep with anxiety no matter how bad. I have no idea why sleep anxiety is so different. I mean sleep was not amazing with anxiety sure but still better then no sleep all night. So I’m trying to be ok with anxiety exactly how you teach I also noticed I dose off with out my sleep mask massive massive improvement But sleep anxiety is an enigma. I hope just like Alan Turing you will break this machine. Win the war! Insomnia is no different to abuse during that war period it’s the current day tryrant and evil that can not be explained. So for being dramatic. Just gets ugly when we seem to have no understanding or control over the struggle.

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Hey Sharan, It’s so true, things we don’t understand can be quite scary. But with this said, I think we have understood quite a lot and one thing that’s sooo clear to me is that when we look to win or fight … 100% there WILL be struggle, anxiety, because it’s us vs us. When we become students, when we abandoning the battle… then we find more and more peace

[@maturomero47]

Wow, this exactly the feelings which was for me! Excellent and very powerful! So bizzar if that can happens to someone and after this experience it could be the best was happend to him! Hope I will see this as well! Thank you for this incredible story and insight!

[@idragonfly]

Very helpful interview! Mahalo ... 🌴and Aloha 🤙

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

So glad you found it and thanks for the encouragement 😊

[@danh2310]

Its coming its coming its coming then boom there is that adrenaline anxiety rush 😅 had me laughing hard because same happened to me. Soo looking foward to sleep we can feel it finally coming then we loose it with hyperarousal

[@danh2310]

What a lovley young chap really enjoyed this episode I can relate to Alexander alot.

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

So glad you found it, one of my favorite guests 🙂

[@strykaalmighty5743]

Is there a way I can reach out to Alexander? My story is identical to his. Beat it for about two years but it came back even stronger.

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Hi Stryka, This is the way, if Alexander sees the comment, he may reply. We often get questions about how to get in touch with guests and yes, leaving a comment is the way this can happen.

[@tricia2633]

can’t afford to sleep at school 😢

[@DanyaPlumley]

How do I join your Insomnia program?

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Hi, you can join from our website where it says “Join the program”. With that said, if you’re new to the teachings, you may want to do our free course Ready-to-Sleep in 5 days (also on our website) to become familiar so it’s a nice fit. Rooting for you!

[@dodgdurango6128]

When you start drinking to hide your pain. that’s when you’ve hit rock bottom

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

So glad you found your way here 😊Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@rajanmaharjan6387]

Hey Daniel, thanks for sharing. should a person should wait for sleep time or can sleep when ever they felt if you have sleep problem? I sleep for 7 hours a day and next day i cannot sleep. should i try SRT.

[@thesleepcoachschool8192]

Hi Rajan, We call this a pendulum pattern and seeing how the night of sleep is thanks to not trying and the night of less sleep is a result of effort can helps so much