Many people with chronic insomnia go through a lengthy period of poor sleep followed by a short period of better sleep, only for the bad nights to return and the cycle to continue where it left off.

This is actually quite common, and the good news is that the good sleep that follows the hard nights is evidence that your sleep system is working as it should — when sleep drive builds (through repeated nights of poor sleep) it soon becomes strong enough to overpower the arousal system (usually the culprit for the bad nights) and this leads to better sleep.

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Unfortunately, after you experience enough sleep to relieve this sleep drive, the arousal system can — once again — take over and make sleep more difficult. So, you end up trapped in a cycle of poor sleep followed by better sleep, followed by poor sleep, and so on.

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If this sounds familiar, I encourage you to look into cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) techniques. CBTI techniques specifically address the thoughts and behaviors that activate the arousal system and make sleep more difficult. The result is less worry and anxiety, better sleep, and fewer bad nights.

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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 for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice or medical treatment 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 other licensed healthcare provider. All content is provided as is, and without warranties.

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