Sleep & Tms /book?

Hi everyone,

I have long covid since dec 2020. Alan’s book (the way out) helped me so much! I discovered this forum lately and the advices & succes stories are really helpful.

I still have symptoms every day, but it’s a lot less then a year ago. Only my sleep is really bad. Waking up realy early and really hard to fall asleep again. I read some succes stories here on the forum (from Ellen for example). This is really helpful!

I also read something about the book ‘Say good night to insomnia’. was this helpful for anyone? I really want the approach to be a mind-body approach. Is this book also like Tms?

Maybe you also have another succes story for me about your insomnia!

Thank you!

 

My wife has read and used "Say Goodnight to Insomnia," and claims that it has been a tremendous help to her.

 

Thank you for sharing!
Do you know if it aligns with Tms?

 

Since the author employs Cognitive Behavior Therapy techniques, I would say that it is compatible with TMS treatment modalities.

 

I have also used "Say Goodnight to Insomnia", and even without reading the book in full, it has helped me SO much. Just follow what it say and it will help you, I believe. For me, the first few weeks involved getting better sleep, but not more sleep. Then, once sleep ceases to be scary, you can actually start enjoying it and being comfortable with it, which can result in better sleep. I am sleeping through the night every night and spending no more than 20 minutes laying in bed before sleep for the first time in several years, directly as the result of the information in the book. Good luck!

 

Thank you so much for your reply! Good to hear that it was so helpful. I’m really curious about it. I just want it to be like TMS because I believe in this approach! Do you think the book is also approaching sleep in a TMS way?

 

In some ways it does approach it in a TMS-esque way, but it isn't a one to one correspondence. The basic idea is that we can't "force" ourselves to sleep, so we pretty much have to create a space in which sleep can come, and have to create positive thoughts around sleep, only be in bed when you are absolutely ready to sleep, etc. It isn't *just* like TMS, but it is very compatible with TMS treatment in my opinion, and is worth a try. It is very different from other books on sleep like those by Matthew Walker that focus a lot on "mechanical" aspects of sleep, such as light exposure, darkness, etc. This book mentions them, but focuses a lot more an the attitude you use when approaching sleep, your sleep thoughts, and things of that nature. Definitely give it a read -- I started having relief very fast and so did my mom who tried some of the techniques. As I said, so far I am not necessarily sleeping that much *more*, but I am actually sleeping comfortably and am not stressed about my sleep at ALL, whereas it used to be one of my main stressors.

 

your comment means a lot to me! I don’t want another book telling me about sleep hygiene. We’ve been there & done that, right? I know the drill.. It’s the fear of not getting enough sleep and how it is affecting my daily life. I sleep in a seperate room, holidays are difficult and when I have a nice thing planned the day after, I always have a bad night. So you’re explanation about the book is exactly what I’m looking for. In a way it does align with TMS, like the positive thought around it. Thanks again and I’m gonna buy the book right now

 

Glad to hear it, I hope you give an update afterwards! Sleep has been one of my MAIN issues for years -- just today I was looking at an old journal from 3 years ago complaining about my sleep issues in the same way I was right before finding the book. One takeaway from the book is that sometimes we won't sleep as much as we want and that's fine. I still get less sleep than is ideal and it's a work in progress, but it is like day and night compared to how it was in the past. Now, when I get a bad day of sleep I just say "eh, I may be a bit tired today, whatever. I'll sleep even better tonight!", rather than "I slept horribly, I'm going to be soooo tired today, I won't be able to work or exercise obviously". I also started taking a 20 minute "rest" in a chair every day, but I don't fall asleep during it -- he discusses naps and such in the book.

Sleep hygiene isn't unimportant, but I feel like it is nowhere near being the cure for insomnia. Based on my experience and what I have read, it provides marginal improvements in sleep, and can help people who aren't insomniacs sleep better if they aren't sleeping well in a way that isn't quite insomnia. Ok, that's enough from me, good luck!

 

Couldn’t agree more about the sleep hygiene.
And I can’t wait to read the book. Thanks again and I will give an update later on!

 

thank you! I also do some of this. Put my thoughts aside or right then down. Breath, etc. But it’s just not enough..

 

Have you tried meditation?

 

I’m meditating several times a day. Also when I go to sleep. It’s soothing, but sometimes it’s not enough. The book is on it’s way. Really looking forward to read it!