Ditch Insomnia and Reimagine Better Sleep

All of us have experienced at least one night of bad sleep. Conservative estimates reveal that 10 to 30 percent of adults live with chronic insomnia.

Newborns require up to 18 hours of sleep throughout a 24-hour day. By the age of 5, a child’s sleep architecture begins to mirror an adult’s.

But how much sleep do we really need?

The average amount of sleep  most adults need for optimal functioning is approximately 8 hours, with a range of 7 to 9 hours. However, these are just averages and the perfect amount of sleep varies for everyone.

Insomnia looks different for everyone. Whether it’s caused by stress, a traumatic life event, or even a snoring partner, poor sleep can affect the quality of your waking life. But Dr. Pedram Navab, author of Sleep Reimagined: The Fast Track to a Revitalized Life, wants readers to know that it’s not a lost cause―falling asleep can be just as easy as waking up.

Because poor sleep can be caused by so many different factors, Dr. Navab features a variety of sleep disorders and their solutions.

With his cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-I) program, paired with relatable case studies of different sleep disorders, readers are guided to new and improved sleep in as little as 4 weeks.

In Sleep Reimagined, the 6-step CBT-I program teaches readers how to understand sleep, rewire their arousal system through therapeutic relaxation, practice sleep restriction and stimulus control, restructure attitudes towards sleep, use mindfulness intervention to continue cognitive components, and prevent insomnia relapse through planning.

Here are some steps Dr. Navab recommends for insomnia:

STEP 1 — Create a sleep log or diary to be completed when you wake up in the morning.

Just quickly note:

• How long it takes you to fall asleep.
• If you awaken during the night.
• What time you rise in the morning.

STEP 2 – Review your sleep log from the past week and:

• Determine the average hours you slept and your sleep efficiency for that week (the number of hours slept divided by the number of hours in bed).
• Establish a consistent wake-up time.
• When you wake in the morning, motivate yourself to get out of bed.
• Evaluate whether medications are conflicting with your sleep restriction practices.
• Continue to maintain your sleep log.
• Note any outside factors that may be disrupting your sleep.

STEP 3 – Consider what you can do to help your sleep:

• Get at least 30 minutes of natural light, if possible.
• If you can’t fall asleep in 20 minutes, leave your bedroom and go to the living room where you can browse through magazines or conduct dull activities in minimal light.
• Try to minimize noise or other stimuli that might disturb sleep.
• Create a buffer zone prior to going to bed so you can transition naturally from activity to passivity.
• Ensure your bedding is optimal.
• Avoid electronic equipment.
• Feel safe in your sleep cocoon.

STEP 4 –- Try and stop “catastrophizing” when trying to get to sleep and calm yourself:

• Engage in meditation – mindfulness, muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, or guided imagery.
• Reimagine sleep and transport yourself to your own private and serene “Shangri-la.

STEP 5 —  When insomnia does not abate with all of these steps, look for other issues that might be interfering with a good night’s sleep. For instance, look into:

• Sleep apnea or other sleep-disordered breathing is a serious condition that can ruin sleep and cause other health issues.
• Restless leg syndrome can make it difficult to sleep.
• Anxiety and depression can foster insomnia.
• Chronic pain is another sleep culprit.
• An overactive thyroid can cause anxiety, rapid heart rate, and insomnia.

STEP 6 – If it’s not a health-related problem, try not to overthink your insomnia and let your body, not your mind, take over at night.

Both comprehensive and entertaining, this book is the perfect bedside companion to discover better sleep and better life.