Our sleep is very sensitive to our overall wellbeing so it is normal for sleep to be disrupted when we feel stressed or worried or when we are unwell.

The most reassuring thing about sleep is that it always happens in the end. Your body will always give you at least the bare minimum amount of sleep you need.

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Right now, you might not be getting as much sleep as you want to get. You might be waking more often and spending more time awake during the night. Your sleep might not be feeling as restorative as you want it to feel. However, you will always get enough sleep to keep you going.

Yes, you might not get any sleep on one night (or maybe for a few nights in a row) but there will always be some sleep in the end — because sleep pressure builds with every minute of wakefulness and makes sleep happen.

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If you keep blowing air into a balloon, it will eventually burst. Imagine a balloon is what keeps you awake and you are blowing an extra puff of air into that ballon with every hour of wakefulness. Sooner or later that balloon is going to pop — and when that happens, you will sleep.

Please do not be concerned that insomnia is going to compromise your immune system or cause you any health problem. There is absolutely no evidence that insomnia causes any health problem whatsoever.

The body always prioritizes the deepest, most restorative sleep. As a result, the body is pretty much done with deep sleep within just a couple of hours. So, even if you only get around two or three hours of sleep, you are almost certainly getting all of your deep sleep. And, if you don't get it all in one night, that's OK — the body will make up for it on subsequent nights.

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As you adapt to the current situation, your sleep will almost certainly recover all by itself. To give this the best chance possible, it's important to avoid the thoughts and behaviors that can perpetuate insomnia. This includes things like:

* Excessive sleeprelated research,
* Going to bed earlier than normal,
* Staying in bed later than normal,
* Trying to conserve energy during the day,
* Experimenting with new sleep rituals (for example, herbal teas, supplements, the timing of meals and exercise, or using sleep trackers or other gadgets and gizmos).

Right now, the best things you can do are:

* Trust your body's natural ability to sleep,
* Accept that sleep disruption at the current time is completely normal,
* Go to bed only when you feel sleepy enough for sleep,
* Try to observe a consistent out of bed time in the morning,
* Try to add as many enjoyable, pleasant, engaging, rewarding, and enriching activities to your day as possible.

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My name is Martin Reed and I am the founder of Insomnia Coach®. I offer sleep coaching services that give people with insomnia all the skills and support they need to enjoy better sleep for the rest of their lives. I also offer a free twoweek sleep training course for people with insomnia at https://insomniacoach.com/sleeptrain...

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All content found on the Insomnia Coach YouTube channel is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

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