A conversation with a client today leads to the discovery of a teaching pearl. When we have hidden intent, secret intent, with things like meditation or exercise, we easily get entangled. When the secret is revealed, it no longer exists. In the same moment, the entanglement is resolved and allows sleep to happen!

Bibita struggles with hyperarousal after having asked several questions on the channel. Tammy is having frequent awakenings even with zero stress and Anonymous is concerned about somniphobia.

In this episode we explore how some goals will lead you towards struggle and performance anxiety while others lead to relief and freedom. We get practical and look at specifically how to chose, and we also get philosophical and ask ourselves: can there be a goalless goal?

Sierra is feeling much better after a speed bump. Bibita wonders how to delegate sleep without sleeping pills. Daniel asks if sleep restriction will work for him. Katie has tried CBTi but the struggle continues. Anon wonders if uncontrollable thoughts when closing the eyes are normal.

Michelle guests in this powerful episode on the isolation that can come from the struggle with insomnia.

We talk about how the fact that nobody in your circle understands what you go through can make it feel like there is a wall separating you even from people you love.

We see how understanding where this wall comes from, and seeing that you are not alone, leads to a place where you can be part of your community again.

It is one of the most common questions in the world of sleep. Along with "Won't I train myself to get out of bed?", "Won't I train myself to wake up?" illustrate the problems of thinking that insomnia is a Pavlovian association between being awake and the bed. In this episode we see that the true association that drives insomnia is between wakefulness and danger. And when this association no longer is present, peaceful sleep will happen.

Sierra has done well for many months but is hitting some speed bumps and is asking about some non-effort techniques that may help calm down anxiety. Davy has tried befriending wakefulness and anxiety, but still experiences those. Robing wonders what my qualifications/degrees are. Rover asks about circadian rhythms. Feeling sleepy during the day but awake at night, is it best to just accept this and become nocturnal?

As she had found so much hope in videos where others shared their journey, Marina decided to share her's, including her struggle with somniphobia. Her insomnia started when the process of falling asleep and being asleep, places where we have no control, became sources of anxiety and fear. Knowing that many others just like her experience this, but may not share it because they think it sounds too odd, Marina joined the channel to spread education and hope.

John is asking about the self-coaching program and what it includes. Diana cannot achieve restorative sleep no matter what she does. Don has re-opened his business and is facing a lot of hyperarousal. Evelia is looking to manage her insomnia and Rudy is wondering why sometimes he is tired both after sleeping little and a lot.

Do you find yourself wondering why you just can't sleep, why you can't control your anxiety and why you're feeling hopeless?

In this episode we introduce a new analogy where idealism, thinking there is a person with and ideal relationship with sleep, acts as a wedge and self-criticism as a hammer. We see that this creates a gap between who you are and who you think you should be that stands in your way of peacefulness, enjoying life and sleeping well.