Before I had my son, I had been a relatively good sleeper. Back in medical school, I suffered more from sleep deprivation due to the stress of staying up to study and ignoring the tell-tale signs that my body needed sleep. With insomnia, we usually talk about the predisposing, precipitating and perpetuating factors (the three Ps). My main predisposing factors included genetics from my mom who had sleep issues. My precipitating factors (main triggers) included the birth of my son, the loss of my dad six weeks after his birth, as well as the onset of my residency training. Finally, my perpetuating factors included habits like drinking caffeine, taking naps, and trying really hard to sleep. Most times, I was just exhausted and dreaded going to bed because I knew I was tired–but I was wired. I would be up for many nights in a row wide awake. As a physician myself, by the third month of my symptoms, I already knew what I was struggling with. I knew things needed to change, but initially felt helpless. I started reading a lot of books and educating myself, which empowered me I realized that since anxiety was playing a big role, I sought help for this first from a therapist. I started to implement elements of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and practiced healthy sleep habits. I stopped catastrophizing what I was experiencing, gave up what I couldn’t control and set boundaries. Right now when I have bouts of acute insomnia, it’s usually related to something I’m worried about or an upcoming project. I am able to pinpoint the underlying issue and address it, which helps a lot. I also continue to practice mindfulness activities as part of my bedtime routine in addition to practicing healthy sleep
What Helps Me Fall Asleep Now
I have a bedtime routine
My bedtime routine helps me destress. I have found two or three calming activities that help me unwind before bed and get my body ready for sleep. When I go to bed without some time to unwind, my mind is frequently racing.
I use my bed for sleep only
In sleep medicine, as well as my coaching practice, I talk a lot about sleep efficiency. When you spend a lot of time in bed not sleeping, it decreases your sleep efficiency. If you find you are not sleeping after laying in bed for about 20 minutes, or if your mind is racing, get out of bed and do something relaxing. This helps your brain associate your bed with sleep rather than with worry.
I limit daytime naps
If you have insomnia, napping is not your friend. It decreases your sleep pressure and makes it hard to fall asleep at night. You need a high sleep pressure to improve your sleep efficiency. Because of my journey dealing with insomnia, I have also gained experience that has helped me as a sleep physician. I have made it my mission to help busy professional women and their children prioritize sleep so they can thrive and reach their fullest potential. If you also have insomnia, know that it is treatable. Get expert help: For me, this was getting a therapist to help with some anxiety. I recommend seeing a sleep expert, especially one that specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI), which is the gold standard for treating insomnia. Next up: All the Treatment Options for Chronic Insomnia By Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown, as told to Emily Shiffer
