Insomnia and Sleep Problems

[@loro5ka]

I have been able to eliminate my daytime chronic pain. For some reason, I’ve not been able to overcome nighttime headache and so still sleep with a cold pack on my head. I so want to overcome this

[@wednesdayschild3627]

I have surges if anxiety at night and have to sleep with a water bottle.

[@ritasmith3833]

I think a lot of people (me included), use tablet devices in bed at night to try and distract ourselves from worrying and overthinking and this then becomes an ingrained habit that’s difficult to break. I’m going to try and stop doing this and maybe turn the light right down on my device and listen to a meditation instead as a distraction technique. Also, not going to bed until I’m really tired, however late it is, has been recommended to me as a good technique, but you still have to get up at your usual time in the morning or it won’t work the next night!

[@PainFreeYou]

Turn down the light on the device. Consider getting yourself a pair of "blue blocker" glasses to block out the harmful light. Or read a paper book.

[@sandyg7291]

Grateful for this video. Insomnia and waking during the night have been my constant companion for years. Thanks for your common sense approach and support,Dan.

[@PainFreeYou]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TheMariza75]

That’s so true. That happened like a week for me fearing I won’t be able to sleep. Now I don’t do that and I fall asleep like baby. Thanks ❤️

[@PainFreeYou]

Exactly!!

[@sudharoy1639]

Dan, you are doing a great job with your videos. Thank you.

[@PainFreeYou]

I appreciate that!

[@patobrien3717]

My worst flares are in the middle of the night. 8/10 throat pain. Nice to hear the reassurance in this video. Thanks Dan 👍

[@PainFreeYou]

You got this!

[@gayleosborne5109]

Yes, I do dread going to bed as I find it hard ro settle both mentally and physically. My mind and body can go a bit crazy. Thanks for this Dan 💜 I also repeatedly tell myself that I can't cope if I'm tired 🙄

[@PainFreeYou]

What would happen if you told yourself, when I'm tired, I sleep wonderfully. ?? Try it.

[@Octaviacliosisley]

I also use the blue light glasses and keep the blue light filter on my phone all the time! I found my glasses on Amazon for $15 qnd they're cute. Also, tart cherry juice is pure melatonin if people are inside a lot, it's a totally natural and healthy juice! Thanks Dan!

[@PainFreeYou]

Thanks for the comment. I know several people who use the tart cherry.

[@natalieb9787]

I need to try the positive afformation. I fall asleep okay most nights but always wake up in the middle of the night. Sometimes I can go back to sleep and other times I cant so I just accept it. I know once I'm back to work and busier I'll get better sleep.

[@PainFreeYou]

Give it a try!

[@saraw6194]

You read my mind

[@PainFreeYou]

Glad the timing worked out.

[@cdracos1]

For me it was caffeine after 6pm....puts your bs thoughts into overdrive! Secondly, if that day I had a dramatic episode , argument, or something upsets me or scares me and I'm still thinking anxious over it in bed. Bloody nightmare this one. Basically mine is over active anxious thinking. Pre meditation / somatic tracking works great to calm thoughts. Zzzzzzzz. 💜

[@alilrazzledazzle992]

I use the Blue Light app. It's free. I have it set to come on at 7pm and turns off at 9am. I'm usually up by 7am.

[@PainFreeYou]

Perfect. Technology can really help.

[@christieharrison560]

Thanks Dan. This was helpful. At the moment I am going through a phase when I am waking up early which isn't too much of an issue but I also wake up super tense. It's like I have been clenched in a tight ball which gives me a bad headache to wake up with. Obviously, it's hard because I am asleep so can't tell my brain that I am safe etc I am aware like you say that I need to not focus on this and for this to become a problem so I will try what you say about anticipating a long, relaxed sleep because as you explain... when I am in the zone, I sleep for double the amount of time and super relaxed with no tension. What doing some daydreaming about this help? I think I'll now watch your videos on different topics and not just sleep... It's no big deal brain. I'm not worried about it. We are super great sleepers, remember!

[@PainFreeYou]

No, you can't tell yourself you are safe when sleeping. But you can CHOOSE your response if you wake up tense.

[@christieharrison560]

@@PainFreeYou That's exactly what I did. I wasn't indifferent that day as I couldn't manage it but I wasn't in freak out either. Just a nice middle ground which was still progress.

[@PainFreeYou]

@@christieharrison560 The middle ground between freak out and indifference is our ability to choose calm reassurance. That's a great place to be when indifference isn't available.

[@roddog4386]

What about whn wake up with severe headache and tinitis sound in ears cant fall back asleep cause of it what do i do dan ive tried not stressing just accepted it but still cant get a good nites sleep

[@nellygarcia2699]

I stopped watching Netflix on my tablet at night and instead started reading a book and I do fall asleep more easily. My question is how to fall back asleep when I wake up during the night. I either do my meditation on calm or listen to a sleep story (which involves using my phone). I would like a solution free of technology if possible. Thanks

[@PainFreeYou]

Smile when you realize it's not time to get up yet. Focus on gratitude as you breathe deeply. Remember a fun time from your past. Visualize yourself falling back asleep.

[@natashawilliams9958]

I am having insomnia really bad now! As I approach the bed I am asking myself if I will get any sleep. How do I calm the body down? The doctor is prescribing sleeping pills I don’t want to take it though About to take a hormone test to see if that is the problem

[@PainFreeYou]

Often it's the fear of not being able to sleep that perpetuates the problem. Try to do some visualization before heading to bed about you having a great night sleep. Remember a time when sleep was easy. Convince yourself that your bed is your comfy sanctuary where you can simply relax and drift off to sleep.

[@WildWave]

Dan, a little off topic but I have tms (doctor said chronic fatigue syndrome) that doesn’t matter tho. In a horrible flair up right now, I know I shouldn’t be making these connections but I went golfing today and it was cold outside, first time I ever got the pain was when I was golfing and it was cold out. How can I break this connection? Trying not to make a big deal of it and not strengthen the pathways. Love your vids.

[@PainFreeYou]

CFS is TMS. The way to break the connection is to know that TMS is not pain caused by golfing in the cold. It all gets down to the fundamentals of TMS. What is it. Do you have it. Know that situations that create fear or expectation of pain can literally create it out of thin air. How to break it? Reassure yourself that you are well. That there's nothing wrong with your body. Don't care if you have fatigue or not. The more focus you place on it and the more desperate you are to "fix it" just confirms with the brain that there is danger. Soothe your body. Soothe your mind. Focus on your life, not the fatigue. I map it all out in this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaetmHWkp815qpo

[@WildWave]

Pain Free You thank you so much !

[@lennekevanrossum8422]

I fall asleep but I wake up after 4 to 5 hours and then I can't fall asleep again I don't bring my phone don't drink coffee or tea and eat before 7 o'clock also I am sweating a lot not nice now I stopped taking sleeping piles and tranquilizers for 14 days now after 23 years so maybe this is the Reason?

[@PainFreeYou]

One of the main reasons for sleep problems is stressing out whether you sleep or not. Go to bed expecting to fall asleep easily. And if it doesn't happen, do your best not to care. You will fall asleep when you no longer stress out about sleep.

[@natashawilliams9958]

I am wondering if anxiety and depression are the cause of my insomnia? Sometimes I can sleep and other times I can not I have a quick temper and gets annoyed about simple things . Just weird to sleep sometimes and others are more challenging to drift off to sleep

[@PainFreeYou]

Stress impacts sleep a lot. Emotional stress too. When angry or stressed out, we have more adrenaline and cortisol in our body which amps up our nervous system and makes it more difficult to relax and drift off to sleep. Practice soothing before bed. Calm your body. Calm your thinking. Imagine a great night sleep before you ever walk into the bedroom.

[@wednesdayschild3627]

My gassy stomach is keeping me up.

[@dr.amitabhamukherjee3601]

As a doctor suffering from CPPS for the past nine months, I think Dan's central premise -- and solution -- is circular and fallacious. Even though there IS such a thing as 'the expectation effect' it's natural to dread the prospect of severe pain ruining your sleep for the umpteenth time. Conversely, a good night's sleep refreshes you like nothing else and gives you the necessary confidence to carry on. I say this from personal experience: this is a classic chicken-and-egg problem. That said, Dan is spot on about the practical do's and don'ts, especially natural melatonin and blue light.

[@gayleosborne5109]

Oh and melatonin tablets make me feel like shit!!!