Sleepless in Germany

A German reader of The Insomnia Solution writes:

Hi Michael. I am writing from Germany. I bought your book and my sleep improved considerably during the last months. But since a few days it collapsed again. Usually I slept till three in the morning and was then awake. But the last days I couldn't sleep at all. I changed my diet recently and wanted to ask whether the change in diet could be responsible for the crisis. I substituted all oils and butter with coconut oil and ate a lot of dried coconut, because I read that this is very healthy. My digestion accelerated and my whole metabolism. Besides this nothing changed. Should I simply go on witht the moves and do nothing?

Thanks for reading

Coconuts

My answer follows:

Hi, Coconuts--

I am glad to hear your sleep improved so much by following the program in my book!

Yes, a change in diet could affect your sleep, especially if the change is sudden. ANY big change in your life is stressful, and stress is the main cause of insomnia. I suggest you approach your dietary change a little more gradually--nothing extreme.

Also, while coconuts are an excellent food, dried coconut can be irritating to the gut, and eating a lot of it could be very harsh. If your gut is irritated, that can certainly cause insomnia. Go easy! And please consult a nutritionist or diet counselor. Okay?

As for techniques, with the acute insomnia that you're experiencing now, you should be practicing "A Twist of the Wrist" or "Main Squeeze" (in Chapter 4) three times per day for ten minutes each time. Regular practice of those daytime relaxation techniques is very important. They will make your life more peaceful, and when your life is more peaceful, your sleep is more peaceful.  

Then, each night when you get into bed, do "LESS is More" for ten minutes or more. The purpose is not to fall asleep, but simply to help your body unwind after a busy day. After "LESS is More," you can do any one of the sleep-inducing techniques in Chapter 5 of the book. Simply do several movements, then rest for several breaths or more, and allow some time to pass. You can repeat the technique as desired, remembering to rest and allow some time to pass after each round of movements. 

Be aware that you will probably drift in and out of sleep several times before you truly, deeply sleep. Lying there with your eyes closed, breathing softly, you will experience periods of dreamy repose punctuated by moments of lucidity or apparent wakefulness. Do not be concerned. Those brief awakenings are a good thing--they are the proof that you have already been asleep, and soon will be again. It's all part of the natural process of falling asleep.

I hope this helps. In which city do you live? We have lots of very good teachers of the Sounder Sleep System® in Germany, and they can help you more in person than I can via email. You can find a directory of German teachers on our web site. Just click the link for "Find an Instructor."

sweet dreams,

Michael