3-Myths about Overcoming Insomnia.

There are many myths and misconceptions around insomnia and how to overcome it. If you do a simple google search about overcoming insomnia, you will see lots of conflicting information. If you have struggled to overcome insomnia, it's not your fault. How on earth are you supposed to know what to believe and what will work for you with all this contradictory information out there. I'm going to help clear some things up by sharing three common myths about insomnia. 

Myth #1 

You have disrupted sleep; therefore, you have insomnia. Everyone experiences disrupted sleep occasionally from hormones, stressful life events, noise, light, medications, medical conditions, etc. This alone isn't insomnia. However, our reaction to this disrupted sleep is what can lead to insomnia. If we react like something is seriously wrong with us and with fear of losing sleep. That is what's going to trigger insomnia. 

It's our reaction to sleeplessness that can turn trouble sleeping into insomnia. If you react with fear and immediately start trying to fix the situation with supplements, sleep meds, CBD, melatonin, and whatever else is out there, you are telling your brain that you aren't safe, which activates the fight or flight response.  

Instead, the best thing to do is when you are having disrupted sleep, remember that this is completely normal and that your sleep will resolve itself. No need to try and control sleep and get in its way. 

Myth #2:  

Insomnia happens because your circadian rhythm is off. Yes, if you happen to have an "out of sync" circadian rhythm, you may sleep a bit later than usual, and that's ok. You can correct your circadian rhythm by making sure you wake up at your normal time no matter what time you are sleepy and able to go to sleep. However, it only turns into insomnia when you have that fear-based reaction mentioned in the last myth. 

Myth #3:  

Everyone has a unique reason they have insomnia. Insomnia is not as complicated as it seems. The only thing that creates sleep is having a high sleep drive (how sleepy you feel) and low hyperarousal (a heightened state of alertness). You may have a unique reason your disrupted sleep began (not insomnia yet). Still, it's your fear-based reaction to sleeplessness that caused your insomnia. It's that fear of sleeplessness that leads to anxiety around sleep. You are a unique and beautiful human, but your insomnia is not. 

All three of these myths have a lot in common, and we can learn a lot about our insomnia by understanding these myths. Yes, your trouble sleeping may have started for unique reasons, which is totally normal. When we react with fear and try to fix our sleep, the insomnia cycle begins. Understanding this puts your one giant step closer to overcoming your insomnia. 

Speaking of insomnia cycles, I created a free 5-step checklist to break the insomnia cycle. It's the perfect place to start your journey to overcoming insomnia… 

https://www.katelingates.com/5simplesteps