You write that your problems began with the birth of your son. This is a very common complaint. Waking regularly with small children creates erratic sleep patterns and interrupted sleep for any parent.
The preferred treatment for insomnia is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Gone are the days when doctors happily dispensed mother’s little helpers in the form of valium and other sedatives. These pills may work in the short-term, but the body adjusts relatively quickly, making the additional sleep you get from a sleeping pill just twenty-five minutes more a night. This is a high price to pay for the fatigue, moodiness, impaired thinking, and clumsiness reported by regular users of these pills.
Cognitive behavioral therapy works by targeting three areas that support sleepless nights. These areas are thoughts, behaviors, and physical tension. CBT targets thoughts like I’m too stressed to ever sleep again, which help create the anxiety that is associated with insomnia. By taking a close look at your beliefs and thoughts, you can modify them to support you. The above thought might become I am stressed and tired from lack of sleep. Yet, before my son was born, I easily slept through the night. Thus, I am more than capable of sleeping soundly again.
CBT also helps you gain insight about your actual sleep patterns and modify your behavior accordingly. Your practitioner will ask you to keep a diary of times you retire and wake. After a week of consistent monitoring, you may be surprised to find that you are actually sleeping more or less than you originally thought. The next behavioral step is to create a soothing sleep routine. You would never put a child to bed at erratic hours, or without a story and a snuggle. You need to nurture yourself too, especially since you are feeling depleted and exhausted.
A comforting routine will help you associate sleep with restoration, not frustration and anxiety. Most sleep practitioners help clients create routines that encourage them to:
1) Avoid daytime napping
2) Create a sleep schedule and a regular bed time
