A Journey Through Insomnia and Anxiety

Having had my own problems with sleep has helped me to consider current approaches to treating it.   

I developed acute insomnia after a period of extreme stress in my life, around two years ago. My symptoms were difficulty getting to sleep and waking early in the morning.  I had many nights where I didn’t sleep at all. This started off being somewhat frustrating for me but as time went on, I became acutely anxious about the whole experience.  

It was ironic really.  I liked to think I was knowledgeable about sleep problems and how to treat them. I had helped many people to overcome sleep problems, and I taught other professionals to treat sleep problems, for goodness' sake, how could I possibly get into this situation myself?! 

Having been trained in CBT for Insomnia (CBTi), I took this approach to try to overcome my sleep issues.  Unfortunately, it didn’t help me very much, although it is often an ideal approach for many.  I became acutely unwell with anxiety and it was making my sleep worse.  I was stuck in a vicious cycle.  

I became a sponge, researching and learning more about the different approaches to treating sleep problems. I researched the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approach to insomnia and realised that some of the CBTi techniques I had been using were actually exacerbating the problem. 

When I was able to apply the ACT techniques alongside some of the CBTi tools I started to make progress.  As the sleep improved so did the anxiety. Anxiety can appear as a result of sleep problems (as was the case for me) but it can also precede sleep problems, it’s pretty chicken and egg in that respect. It’s important to know what came first to approach the problem effectively. 

My experience was truly horrible and impacted all areas of my life. It was a long journey back to good sleep.  Occasionally I still have sleep difficulties but on a much lower level and know how to tackle them before they get out of hand. 

I recently completed training in ACT for sleep.  It reminded me of the approach I used myself and I learnt many more techniques that ACT uses.  

It just goes to show how a personalised approach is so important when treating insomnia and sleep problems.