What People With Insomnia Blame Themselves For (It's Not Your Fault)
"I think my sleep drive is broken."
"It's like I forgot how to sleep."
"My body hates me."
"I tried everything, I must be broken."
I frequently hear versions of these statements. Often from incredibly driven, intelligent people who are used to solving problems through effort and determination.
And that's exactly what makes insomnia so confusing because trying harder to sleep doesn’t work.
People often tell me they can get relaxed before bed, but even just thinking about the bed makes them feel like they've been plugged into an electrical outlet.
They're tired... but wired.
This is a survival strategy your nervous system learned. It's not a character flaw.
The Counterintuitive Truth About Sleep Treatment
A lot of what helps with insomnia is very counterintuitive. It's never that you weren't doing enough.
That's why very intelligent, driven people get stuck, because the approach that works is the opposite of what we've been taught works for everything else in life.
When it comes to healing sleep, it’s not about more, harder, better.
You've probably taken many positive steps to try to improve your sleep. Maybe you've tried relaxation exercises, supplements, meditation apps, sleep hygiene tips from every corner of the internet. And it's falling flat.
Here's why: sleep is unique in that it's an involuntary process. While taking positive action to improve your life usually works. With sleep, it's the opposite. Trying hard to sleep, makes sleep less likely.
Sleep treatment shouldn't feel like guesswork, trying to patch together what worked when you had that one good night, only for it to flop the next night with a frustrated return to tossing and turning and back to the drawing board.
What Actually Helps
There's a strategic (but counterintuitive) step-by-step approach that is the first line recommended treatment for insomnia, called CBT-I.
I know it can sound impossible when you've been struggling for months or years and tried what feels like everything. Clients are often shocked when they finish treatment, not just that it worked, but how efficient it was.
This isn't about patching together tips and hoping something sticks. It's about understanding what's actually happening in your body and giving it the conditions it needs to remember what it already knows how to do.
If you’re interested in learning more, you can schedule a free consultation, or click below to learn more about the approach.
Hi, I’m Kasryn (she/her)!
I love helping clients discover how great-quality rest improves their lives.
Learn more about me