Worry About Lack of Sleep Causes Lack of Sleep!

This will be short today because I don't have much time. We're off out to see one of my kids sing in a school choir. We've been busy lately, as I expect many people are at this time of year, and the last four nights I've been later to bed than I'd like.

I have a theory that if I go to bed late I don't sleep as well. I don't actually know if this is true, because as McKenna points out several times, those of us who have trouble sleeping have a multitude of stories about sleep that generally are not helpful. In a "Questions" section at the end of the book, he lists a question from someone who says they have always been a light sleeper. This person wonders if the system can help them. McKenna says yes, and suggests that even being a light sleeper could be the result of believing you are. It seems reasonable to assume that if I get into bed late, and then tell myself that I will sleep badly it's likely that I will. After all it creates a good bit of tension just when I least need it. 

Of course, like most beliefs, this one has laudable intentions. If I remind myself often enough that I don't sleep well if I go to bed late, then maybe I'll always get to bed early. I notice that many, many article that are written about sleep try to scare people into getting to bed earlier. This comes from a general belief that as most people in Westernised societies skimp on sleep and deliberately don't get enough. I even read one article about a number of issues in which the author suggested whether using "the carrot" or "the stick"was more likely to be effective. I can't remember what any of the other issues were, but I do remember she recommended the stick for sleep issues: you should punish yourself into sleeping better! Likely to be effective? I think not. 

This was something I found so refreshing about I Can Make You Sleep when I first read it - and I still do. McKenna repeatedly says that worrying about lack of sleep is the main cause of insomnia. It would be funny if people weren't so exhausted from the tiredness and worry! 

Day/Night 11 of McKenna's I Can Make You Sleep

One thing McKenna doesn't say much about (or it's possible I've just missed it even after rereading the book) is about nightmares. I had one last night, and it woke me some time after four. Fortunately I don't often have nightmares, but this one was one of those dreams that feel very real, and left me feeling quite shaken for some time. Even so, I wasn't awake nearly as long as the night before. I did one of the exercises for night waking, but found my mind kept going back to the dream and when I fell sleep it felt lighter than other nights. Nevertheless, this kind of dream could easily have kept me awake the rest of the night in times gone by, so it's still progress.