Dr. Freeman's Blog Posts

A calm bedroom at dawn with soft natural light suggesting recovery from insomnia and nighttime rumination

When Insomnia Is Not Really About Sleep

Sometimes insomnia is not really about sleep. The sleep problem is real, but the cause may be anxiety, trauma, perfectionism, stress, rumination, or a nervous system that has learned to stay on alert at night.

Many people come to treatment after trying sleep hygiene, supplements, medications, meditation apps, or advice

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Adult with sleep anxiety talks with a psychologist in a calm therapy office

Sleep Anxiety and Insomnia: Why Fear of Not Sleeping Keeps You Awake

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,

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How to help insomnia through practical questions and solutions written on a napkin beside a coffee mug

How to Help Insomnia: Focus on Solutions, Not Causes

How to Help Insomnia: Focus on Solutions, Not Causes By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. How to help insomnia is one of the most common questions I hear from patients. Many people spend years searching for reasons they cannot sleep, hoping that understanding the cause will solve the problem. While

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Dr. Freeman's Articles on Sleep, Trauma, and Behavioral Medicine