Nicole Moshfegh - The Book of Sleep 75 Strategies to Relieve Insomnia

Copyright 2019 by Rockridge Press, Emeryville, California

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ISBN: Print 978-1-64152-791-0 | eBook 978-1-64152-792-7

Contents

Strategies

N ot getting the sleep you need is a universally frustrating experience. Perhaps youre here because you can relate, and youre desperately searching for ways to get better sleep.

You are not alone.

Millions of individuals experience insomnia and other sleep difficulties. But the good news is we now have decades of research on natural, drug-free techniques scientifically proven to help you sleep better with practice, patience, and time.

As a clinical health psychologist and insomnia specialist, I have over a decade of training and experience helping hundreds of individuals overcome sleep difficulties and boost their overall well-being. Although insomnia has been on the rise, theres a shortage of healthcare professionals with sufficient training and expertise in sleep disorders. For physicians, this is usually because they have so much theyre already learning about the human body in medical school, and they only receive a few cursory lectures on sleep. In conjunction with the unique stressors of our modern society, this lack of expertise has contributed to a growing epidemic of sleepless people in search of the right help, but unable to find it. Many have come to see me after experiencing insomnia for years on end, often trying every pill imaginable and at their wits end. I have also seen all these individuals improve their sleep once offered the correct tools and understanding.

My goal in writing this book is to also provide you with the education and skills necessary to work through your insomnia and finally get the sleep youve been longing for. With simple strategies based on thousands of research studies, clinical trials, and my own experience in treating individuals with insomnia, you, too, can tackle your sleep difficulties in a matter of a few weeks to months. A well-rested you is on the horizon.

IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING INSOMNIA, its likely that youve been struggling to find a solution for some time now. The road to recovery can sometimes be a frustrating process with many ups and downs. Any setbacks you might experience while addressing your symptoms are normalkeep that in mind so you dont get discouraged. Keep trying, be patient, and treat yourself with kindness throughout this process.

Before moving forward, I would like you to take a few seconds to acknowledge, congratulate, and thank yourself for taking this first big step toward achieving natural insomnia relief. Im glad youre here. Now, lets dive in together and find out more about how you can take control of your sleep and establish a well-balanced life.

YOURE NOT ALONE

W hen youre suffering from symptoms of insomnia, it can indeed feel like you are alone in your pain. This can cause you to feel isolated and cut off from the joys of life, contributing to feelings of hopelessness that you will ever be able to feel normal again. If you can relate, its important to know that at any given moment, there are millions of people feeling the exact way you do.

In fact, one in every three adults suffers from symptoms of insomniathats over eighty million people in the United States alone! Its estimated that about 6% to 10% of individuals meet criteria for an insomnia disorder and up to 20% of people report significant insomnia symptoms during primary care visits. Even among those who dont meet the diagnostic criteria for an insomnia disorder, many experience daytime impairments like distress and fatigue due to their symptoms.

To be diagnosed with an insomnia disorder, you need to be subjectively (or, in other words, in your perception ) dissatisfied with either the quantity or quality of your sleep. This can manifest in different ways, from difficulty falling asleep (known as sleep-onset or initial insomnia), difficulty staying asleep (known as sleep maintenance or middle insomnia), waking up earlier than you intended and not being able to get back to sleep (known as late insomnia), or consistently experiencing nonrestorative or non-restful sleep, despite having an adequate opportunity to sleep.