Sleep Problems: Finding Relief Through Addressing Root Causes
If you’re struggling with sleep difficulties, you’re not alone. Many people find themselves lying awake for hours, unable to quiet their minds, or waking in the middle of the night with racing thoughts. Perhaps you wake too early and can’t get back to sleep, or you find yourself replaying the same worries over and over before sleep finally comes. These patterns can leave you exhausted, frustrated, and dreading bedtime.
While sleep hygiene strategies are important, most people seeking help for sleep problems have already heard these standard advice about keeping a regular schedule, avoiding screens before bed, limiting caffeine, creating a cool dark bedroom, and establishing a calming bedtime routine. These basics matter, but they often don’t address the real issue. Some clients have already taken the step to get medication. But the problem may still exist, now with side-effects, and the underlying problem remains outstanding.
Solutions to Sleep Disturbances
For most clients I work with, sleep problems are actually a side effect of something deeper. The true culprits are usually anxiety, persistent worries, and unresolved problems or challenges in their lives. These often include:
- Financial stress and uncertainty
- Marital or relationship difficulties
- Career dissatisfaction or workplace concerns
- Endless list of chores to conclude
- Feelings of unfulfillment or lack of direction
- Unresolved conflicts or decisions weighing on your mind
- General life stressors that haven’t been adequately processed
- Guild and embarrassment over avoidance of necessary tasks
The key to better sleep is learning to “swipe off” these repetitive, unhelpful thoughts—to recognize them for what they are and gently but firmly redirect your mind away from them. The solution often rests with power—specifically, your power over what you allow your mind to do; your attention. You may feel powerless against the flood of worries that arrive when your head hits the pillow, but you can reclaim control.
My Approach to Sleep Problems
The approach I teach involves building a set of non-stressful thinking subjects and patterns that distract from thoughts about the things that keep you awake. This is based on a fundamental truth about how human minds work: we cannot think of more than one or two things at a time. Once you master these techniques, your mind literally cannot generate the anxious, repetitive thoughts that previously kept you awake.
I’ll be honest with you: this approach is straightforward, but it requires practice and dedication. The strategies work, but they take effort on your part. You’ll need to commit to the process and consistently apply the techniques we develop together. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but with persistence, you can break free from the cycle of sleeplessness and rumination.
Effective treatment can help you feel calmer, more confident, and more in control of your life. I invite you to reach out to discuss how we can work together toward the relief you’re seeking.
Phone: 410-970-4917
Email: edgewaterpsychotherapy@gmail.com
I look forward to hearing from you and helping you on your journey toward greater peace and wellbeing.