Stephens - The effortless sleep method: the incredible new cure for insomnia and chronic sleep problems

THE EFFORTLESS SLEEP METHOD

The Incredible New Cure for Insomnia

and Chronic Sleep Problems

Sasha Stephens

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Published by:

Sasha Stephens

Copyright 2010 Sasha Stephens. All rights reserved

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All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

Effortless Sleep Products

The author and publisher of this material make no medical claims for its use. This material is not intended to treat, diagnose nor cure any illness. If you need medical attention, please consult your doctor.

AUTHORS NOTE: The techniques, ideas, and opinions here are not intended as a substitute for proper medical advice. The information provided here is solely for informational purposes only. All information is generalised, presented for informational purposes only, not medical advice, and not to rely on this information as medical advice and to consult a qualified medical, dietary, fitness or other appropriate professional for their specific needs. This information has not been evaluated by any government agency and the information is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."

You MUST consult your doctor or health care professional before making any changes to the prescribed medicine you are taking. If you are pregnant or nursing, or if you are elderly, or if you have any chronic or recurring conditions other than insomnia, I highly recommend you contact your doctor before embarking on this programme.

Any application of the techniques, ideas, and suggestions here are at the readers sole discretion and risk. The author and the publisher expressly disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects arising from following this advice.

No responsibility or liability is assumed by the author for any injury, damage or financial loss sustained to persons or property from the use of this information, personal or otherwise, either directly or indirectly. While every effort has been made to ensure reliability and accuracy of the information within, all liability, negligence or otherwise, from any use, misuse or abuse of the operation of any methods, strategies, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein, is the sole responsibility of the reader.

Any copyrights not held by publisher are owned by their respective authors.

All trademarks and brands referred to in this book are for illustrative purposes only, are the property of their respective owners and not affiliated with this publication in any way. Any trademarks are being used without permission, and the publication of the trademark is not authorized by, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owner.

Also by Sasha Stephens

The Effortless Sleep Companion

Coming in December 2013

Bedtime Stories for Insomniacs

PREFACE

By Sasha Stephens, Bsc, MA,

Creator of the Effortless Sleep Method, Sleep Therapist,

Recovered insomniac

I UNDERSTAND

There is no need for you to tell me how bad your insomnia problem is.

I know

I know what you are going through. I really know what you are going through. I have experienced the full horror of chronic, long-term insomnia.

I know

I know the way that insomnia feels like a curse, a disease, an affliction which infects every part of your life. I know that it can take over your life, ruin your life, and ultimately be your life. I know the desperate, panicky, desolate, pitiful loneliness of lying awake at night and the living hell of going through day after day of work and social activities having not slept. I have wept, prayed, begged, raged, broken down, given up, and been left numb by insomnia.

I know

I have tried the herbs, the Valerian, the Passiflora, the 5HTP, the melatonin, the positive thinking, the wishful thinking, the antihistamines, the vitamin B complex, the zinc supplements, the turkey sandwiches, the exercise before breakfast, the exercise six hours before bed, the relaxation cds, the hypnosis, the sleeping pills, the sleep restriction, the milky drinks, the lavender pillows, the magnetic coils under my mattress, the crystals, the fan in the room, the ioniser in the room, the earplugs, the eye shades, and Ive lost count of how many wild and wacky therapies and therapists. So many therapists!

I know

I have made silent pleas to God, offered up deals to the universe to exchange everything I own for the ability to sleep. I would have taken heroin if I thought it would make me sleep. I would have sold my soul to the devil if he had asked.

I know

In the deafening, screaming blackness of the sleepless night, I discovered that the fundamental state of the insomniac is one of profound loneliness . By night, insomnia separates you from the gently slumbering world of normal sleepers. By day it isolates you from the bustling world of active, happy people. Locked in a bubble of misery, the day of the sleep-deprived person is a semi-real nightmare a half-life, a non-life.

As insomniacs we have two choices when it comes to normal, everyday work and social activities: we either complain to a largely non-understanding and sometimes unsympathetic social circle, I didnt sleep well, I cant stay long, I dont think Im up to that, sorry Im not on top form today. Or we learn to fake it to smile through the misery, to hide the secret truth I feel like death, I dont want to be here, if you knew how tired I feel, why cant I feel like you do, why cant I enjoy life? Whats wrong with me?

Insomnia may seem almost to have a life of its own, an autonomous persona, or a self-sabotaging part of you over which you have no control; a monster, a possessing demon which taunts you by day and tortures you by night. This cruel tormentor judges you unworthy, undeserving of sleep and punishes you, over and over and over, night after night after night. A sadist, a bully: insomnia is ruthless...and relentless.

I feel your pain like no doctor or therapist, or well-meaning family member has ever done, I feel your pain like only a fellow insomniac can. Because I know how you have suffered, and how you still suffer, I want nothing more than to help you. It breaks my heart to hear about the appalling advice given to insomniacs, and the insensitive and downright negligent way in which they are sometimes treated by the medical profession; treatments which bring with them a whole plethora of new problems and which, unbelievably, often make the sleeping worse .