Restructuring Sleep Thoughts
You’re lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, watching the clock tick, and you start counting the hours of sleep and panicking about the next day if you don’t fall asleep this very second. Is this a familiar experience to you? I know it is for me. All my life, I’ve self-described as “a bad sleeper.” I struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling energized. After years of trying different techniques with minimal success, I was introduced to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). I’ve used it both as a therapist and a client, and my sleep has never been better. There are countless tips, but the one that has impacted me the most involves Negative Vs. Positive Sleep Thoughts. One of the key components of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy involves noticing and changing your thoughts, also called “catch it, check it, change it.” CBT-I focuses on acknowledging and reframing your sleep thoughts.
Negative Sleep Thoughts
Negative sleep thoughts are often automatic, meaning they are unconsciously formed without current logic or data. They tend to be based on inaccurate information stemming from anxiety, anecdote, or just unchecked beliefs. What are your automatic negative sleep thoughts? Do you notice having the same thoughts run through your mind every night as you’re trying to fall asleep? Do you tend to have the same worries every time you think about falling asleep?
Some common examples are:
I need 8-10 hours of sleep to function tomorrow.
I will be unproductive and won’t be able to focus tomorrow.
My whole sleep schedule will be messed up if I don’t sleep now.
I only slept a few hours, so I’m out of it today.
I’m a bad sleeper.
I can’t sleep without medication.
I’m going to be physically and mentally impacted by my lack of sleep.
Tonight, as you’re winding down or trying to fall asleep, see if you can keep track of your negative sleep thoughts.
Positive Sleep Thoughts
Positive Sleep Thoughts are more accurate, optimistic thoughts based on tangible information rather than anxiety or false beliefs. After identifying your negative sleep thoughts, the next step is to replace them with these positive ones. It can be helpful to start thinking about these throughout the day since our thoughts impact our behaviors and expectations for the night. Some examples of positive sleep thoughts are:
The amount of sleep needed varies from person to person.
My functioning tomorrow is impacted by more than just the amount of sleep I’m getting tonight.
If I don’t sleep well tonight, I’m more likely to sleep well tomorrow night.
My functioning tomorrow will not be impacted significantly if I get core sleep (5.5 hours).
I will be able to improve my sleep using these practices.
The efficacy of many medications is questionable, but these techniques have worked for many others before.
There is no evidence that my lack of sleep will impact my physical and mental health, especially if it’s short-term.
As you fall asleep tonight, remind yourself of these positive sleep thoughts. It takes practice for them to replace your negative sleep thoughts, but the effects are helpful and significant enough that it’s worth this practice. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy shows that our thoughts DO impact our behaviors, so our thoughts matter here if we want to get more sleep. At times, I still catch myself working backward and thinking about how many hours of sleep I’ll get, but now I’m able to correct and control my sleep thoughts to make them more realistic and positive. Doing this nightly has most consistently improved my sleep.
Restructuring your sleep thoughts is beneficial regardless on its own, but certain variables make it especially effective. Some tips to get the most out of this practice are: only getting into bed when you’re tired, getting out of bed if you can’t sleep, reserving your bed only for sleep, waking up at the same time every day, creating a relaxing wind-down routine, and changing your nighttime screen habits. I know that looking at all of those changes can feel daunting and unrealistic, and making multiple drastic changes at once is often unsustainable. Start with noticing your sleep thoughts and then integrate any other tips that feel manageable.
If it feels overwhelming, we’re here to support you through this process! Therapy can help you stay accountable and guide you through these CBT-I techniques. Reach out to our Client Care Coordinator to start improving your sleep with a Root to Rise Therapist!
Warmly,
Jessica Leader, LMFT
