Day 1 Curing Insomnia

[Tacosaurus Tex]

Ok, well here's fifth visit to this wiki or so. I've had a variety of TMS symptoms over the past 6 years, ranging from back pain, carpel tunnel, insomnia, runner's knee, etc. Each time I was able to cure the problem by either going through the structured program or reading some of Sarno's work.

For the past two weeks I've had insomnia, mostly in the form of fragmented sleep. I think this has been brought on by the fact that I just started meditating. I can't say for certain but it seems like the meditation is trying to unleash some negative unconscious emotions and my brain is giving me insomnia to try to distract me from feeling these emotions. Most of the time, when I think something is TMS, it turns out to be TMS, so here I am going through the program once more.

If any one has any expertise in meditation or insomnia please let me know what you think of my explanation.

 

[Ellen]

Hi TT,

I'm dealing with the same type of insomnia right now--sleep maintenance insomnia. I can fall asleep OK but wake up often throughout the night and feel tired when I get out of bed in the morning. It's very frustrating and I haven't found anything to help with it yet.

Your question about whether or not the practice of meditation is causing it is interesting. I've wondered the same, but everything I read about meditation states that it only helps with sleep. One area I've read where meditation can cause problems is for people with a history of trauma. Author and meditation expert Tara Brach writes about this.

But I feel the insomnia is likely the symptom imperative at work. We've conquered TMS pain syndromes, so now our unconscious is throwing something new at us as a distraction. It is working well in that regard for me right now. I'm trying my best to treat it the same way I would any type of TMS--ignoring it and not letting it keep me from doing anything, but it is very challenging to keep exercising and staying active when you are very sleep deprived.

Keep us posted on how you're doing and if you find something that works for you. Best wishes...

 

[Tacosaurus Tex]

Hi Ellen,

Have you tried journaling or tackling it like you would any other TMS symptom? I've done this a number of times with insomnia and each time it turned into something else (back pain, etc.) within 5-10 days, which of course demonstrated to me that it was in fact TMS. I'm going through the structured program again, and I'm pretty sure I'll be rid of my symptoms within a few weeks. The biggest thing for me has been to accept that I have TMS and just kind of shrug it off. There's worse problems than feeling tired (and the worse problem is probably whatever unconscious emotion you're brain is trying to suppress).

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Many millions of Americans along are suffering from insomnia, or not being able to fall asleep or stay asleep.
I'm in the latter category. Not every night, but often enough.

I believe it's TMS because I work a lot of hours on the computer every day as a writer-editor-proofreader
for a book publisher, sometimes 7 days a week, often 6 hours or more. I know it's too much, but I need the
pay, small as it is, to keep paying the mortgage, credit cards, and utilities. I'd also rather be too busy than
not busy enough.

Sometimes I try different herbal/natural supplements, and hope they help in sleep, but so far no luck.
They may help some people, but not me.

I get to sleep better with deep breathing and visualizing myself on vacation on a sunny beach.
I also tell myself I will think-worry about things in the morning.

I also need to stop channel-surfing with the tv remote at night, hoping to find a movie that I want to watch.
That just bombards my mind with disconnected visuals. I need to just watch one thing or turn the idiot box off.

We have to find ways to make our minds less active during the day and especially at night.

I think meditation is one of the best ways to prepare for sleep. I like watching Youtube videos on
relaxation for sleep.

Today I'm trying to stop wondering if Brian Williams has any physical pain. If so, it could be from TMS (guilt?).
I'd hate to be him and try to get to sleep.

 

[Ellen]

Hi Ellen,

Have you tried journaling or tackling it like you would any other TMS symptom? I've done this a number of times with insomnia and each time it turned into something else (back pain, etc.) within 5-10 days, which of course demonstrated to me that it was in fact TMS. I'm going through the structured program again, and I'm pretty sure I'll be rid of my symptoms within a few weeks. The biggest thing for me has been to accept that I have TMS and just kind of shrug it off. There's worse problems than feeling tired (and the worse problem is probably whatever unconscious emotion you're brain is trying to suppress).

Yea, I'm journaling every day, and treating it like TMS, which I know it is. But it's a difficult form of it because sleep deprivation doesn't just effect the body, but also cognition and emotions. I guess that is why my unconscious has given it to me---it's the ultimate distraction and hard to just push through. But I'm doing a good job of not being fearful of it or letting it get me too upset. But I'm glad I'm not expected to do brain surgery

Hope your strategy works for you. Keep us posted.

 

[Dahlia]

Hi TT,

I'm dealing with the same type of insomnia right now--sleep maintenance insomnia. I can fall asleep OK but wake up often throughout the night and feel tired when I get out of bed in the morning. It's very frustrating and I haven't found anything to help with it yet.

Hi Ellen & TT:
I just had an off-the-wall idea when I read your posts. This is something I have tried in the past. My logic goes something like this: If my unconscious mind is disturbed about something, one way to find out directly might be to see if your unconscious will tell you in a dream. When going to sleep, I tell my unconscious to please let me know in a dream what the trouble is. I keep paper by the bed so I can write it down as soon as I wake up, and I note as many details as possible. The meaning is usually not obvious to me until I go back later in the day and read the dream description - or even read it in a day or two.

This may be nonsense to you but I'm trying to get it to tell me the message some way other than waking me up over and over during the night.

Good luck. I know how frustrating/exhausting this is!

 

[Ellen]

Thanks, @Dahlia. I'll give that a try. Now if I can just get into some REM sleep...

 

[Andy Bayliss]

I have a hard time going to sleep if I meditate right before sleep. I can almost fall asleep meditating, but then when I am in bed, there is some kind of mind activation after the meditation.

I know someone who is successfully treating insomnia with Dr. Schubiner's workbook Unlearn Your Pain. So I know of good experience applying Dr. Sarno's work to insomnia.

 

[alanna19]

Hi.
I have never had insomnia before. But, here is what I do. When you feel sleepy, find where the signal comes from in your head. Be there with your attention. And wait for dream picture that comes.

 

[Ithantech]

I too have been wrestling with the stay asleep version of insomnia. These post are really helpful. I have considered adding a pre-bed journal routine, but haven't tried yet. I was considering adding more journal time but after reading the comments about meditating, I think I'll stick with reading a few pages of Dick Francis!