Yes. Sleep anxiety can cause chronic insomnia when the fear of not sleeping keeps the nervous system alert night after night. A person may begin with a short period of poor sleep, but the fear that develops around sleep can become one of the main reasons the insomnia continues.
Many
Why Do I Miss My Sleepy Window and Then Feel Wide Awake? By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. In my previous post “Can Screen Addiction Cause Insomnia?”, I mentioned a concept of a sleepy window, and today I want to elaborate on this phenomenon. What happens is that if you
Cognitive distortions can keep you awake at night by turning normal worries into threats, mistakes into disasters, and wakefulness into panic. The body may be tired, but the mind stays active because it is interpreting thoughts as danger.
Many people with insomnia believe they have a sleep problem only. They
Trauma affects sleep for years because the body may continue operating as if danger is still nearby, even when the traumatic event is over. That is why trauma affects sleep long after the event has ended. A person may intellectually know, “I am safe now,” while the nervous system still
EMDR for trauma-related problems may help when painful memories, body reactions, nightmares, shame, fear, or relationship patterns continue long after the original experience has ended. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a structured trauma therapy that helps patients work with disturbing memories without simply talking in
Sleep anxiety can keep insomnia going because the fear of not sleeping activates the same nervous system response that prevents sleep. The person may be exhausted, but the mind starts monitoring, calculating, predicting failure, and worrying about tomorrow. At that point, the first treatment target is often not sleep itself,
f you struggle with insomnia, you may have wondered whether certain foods can help you fall asleep faster or sleep more soundly. The answer is yes, some foods appear to support healthy sleep. However, it is important to understand that no food can cure chronic insomnia. Nutrition can help create
Can EMDR help reduce nightmares? Yes, EMDR may help reduce nightmares when the nightmares are connected to trauma, PTSD, anxiety, or disturbing memories that the nervous system has not fully processed. EMDR does not work by trying to force the dream to stop. It works by helping the brain process
Foods That Help You Sleep: What to Eat Before Bed for Better Sleep By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. If you are struggling with insomnia, you may wonder whether certain foods can help you sleep better. The short answer is yes. Some foods appear to support healthy sleep, while others
What Is Sleep Coaching and Can It Help You Sleep Better? By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. You might be wondering, what is sleep coaching and can it help you sleep better? You may have come across the term “sleep coach,” but what exactly is sleep coaching, and can it
Why Can’t I Sleep When It’s Hot? By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. You may have trouble sleeping when it’s hot because your body needs to cool down in order to fall asleep and stay asleep. You may be asking yourself, “Why can’t I sleep when it’s hot?” When your
When Should You Seek Help for Insomnia? By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. You should seek help for insomnia when sleep problems last more than a few weeks, affect your daytime functioning, increase anxiety about bedtime, or lead you to rely more heavily on medication, alcohol, or other sleep aids.
