How to Sleep Better (By Not Trying) with Dr. Guy Meadows

Sweet sleep - a good night’s sleep refreshes you, a bad one frustrates you. If you lie in bed tossing and turning, worrying about how knackered you’ll be in the morning without the perfect night’s sleep, then this episode is for you.   I spoke to Dr Guy Meadows about how to get a good night’s sleep, how to stop struggling against ‘bad sleep’, and what to do when you just can’t sleep due to young children or anxious thoughts.    Dr Guy Meadows is a leading figure in the area of chronic insomnia, pioneering the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness treatment. He has worked with thousands of insomnia sufferers over the last 10 years at his London-based clinic and around the world, and has set up the Sleep School to help stop insomniacs needlessly suffering around the world. Guy is the author of The Sleep Book – How to sleep well every night.    We cover:   Insomnia and its causes Circadian rhythms, sleep cycles and sleep drive Why the world isn’t sleeping well Myths around sleep The 8h myth Deep sleep is the best sleep Sleeping through the night - Sleep helps us be focused, motivated and problem solve - Biological sleep needs and genetics - The majority of us wake up unrefreshed - Deep sleep, light sleep and REM sleep - Why we sleep, and why we wake - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - The struggle with insomnia = fight/flight boosts alertness - Physical/mental aspects of the sleep conditioned response - Insomnia as a heightened sense of awareness - The steps to sleeping well - 1. Accepting the discomfort - 2. Open to difficult thoughts and feelings   - 3. Live your life to lesson resentment - Start living a valuable life _with_ insomnia, to feel more content - The links between sleep and mood - The science of sleep and the brain - Changing what you can, accepting what you can’t - Letting go of the rigid rules around sleep - The benefits of rest if you can’t sleep - Quiet wakefulness vs. active wakefulness - Pause pockets Order my book, The Lasting Connection, here Find out more about my upcoming group coaching for women who struggle with perfectionism and not feeling enough by messaging me - www.thethomasconnection.co.uk/contact-us/ Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk Instagram: @the_thomas_connection Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection Pause Purpose Play Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/pausepurposeplay    This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media