Millions of people struggle with insomnia in today’s world, but a technique called paradoxical intention might help. The method instructs patients to stay awake longer rather than fall asleep. It may sound counterintuitive, but it takes the pressure off falling asleep by telling people to do the opposite.
Many people with insomnia feel anxious at bedtime because of poor sleep performance. Instead of winding down before bed, they feel wide awake and restless. Their fight-or-flight response becomes activated due to heightened anxiety, making them dread nighttime.
However, psychologists have found that paradoxical intention tricks the brain into falling asleep. By not obsessing about nodding off and letting it happen naturally, insomnia begins to lose its grip. Below, we’ll delve more deeply into this technique to help you get better sleep.
Psychologist Explains How Paradoxical Intention Helps Insomnia
People with insomnia tend to have performance anxiety regarding falling asleep. Due to nights spent tossing and turning, they begin to fear the consequences of staying awake. Eventually, they start to feel apprehensive about nighttime altogether, and intrusive thoughts about sleep anxiety become more common.
However, sleep therapists say that paradoxical intention removes the trepidation about falling asleep. Patients can learn to accept natural physiological responses by confronting the fear of staying awake. For example, people without insomnia may have a few nights of poor sleep every so often. However, they don’t obsess over sleepless nights, accepting them as a part of life.
The premise behind paradoxical intention stems from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques. Psychologists and sleep therapists instruct patients to engage in their most feared behavior. Meeting the fear head-on removes its hold over them in the future.
Regarding insomnia, the behavioral technique involves accepting quiet wakefulness without judgment. In other words, no matter what happens at bedtime, you embrace it rather than fight it. Instead of trying to force sleep, you allow it to happen naturally. As you practice the technique more, you learn to surrender control and flow with your body’s rhythm.
Psychologists utilize paradoxical intention to treat various mental health conditions, such as OCD, anorexia, and phobias. In the 1990s, the idea of treating insomnia patients with paradoxical intention became widespread. However, psychologists have used the sleep technique in behavioral programs since the 1970s.
In one recent study on the effectiveness of paradoxical intention, researchers found it significantly improved insomnia symptoms. In addition, they observed reductions in sleep-performance anxiety and enhanced perception of feeling rested. The team found that the sleep technique was helpful for those with sleep-onset insomnia.
How to Fall Asleep Faster With Paradoxical Intention
To practice this technique, create an ideal sleeping environment first. Even though you want to avoid expectations about sleep, you should still make your bedroom as relaxing as possible.
To make the environment conducive for sleep, turn off all the lights and distractions. Keep your smartphone in a different room or an area where you can’t reach it. Also, the body requires a cool temperature for sleep, so set the thermostat to 60-68 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooler temperatures trigger the release of melatonin, the hormone that encourages sleep.
Finally, have a regular sleep routine, so your body knows when to wind down. Bedtime rituals don’t guarantee you will fall asleep at the same time each night, of course. It helps your mind and body become accustomed to a schedule and regulate sleep hormones more effectively.
Once you have completed these steps, you’re ready to begin the paradoxical intention exercise.
1 – Lie down and attempt to stay awake as long as possible.
Remember, you don’t want to focus on sleep since that increases …
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