I love to sleep. If I sleep, I can cope with (almost) everything, while if I don’t sleep well enough or for long enough, I can’t function properly. My brain slows down and hurts (I know that technically the brain can’t hurt but you know what I mean).
Until about 5 years ago, I had never had any kind of insomnia issues, it was quite the opposite; I was able to sleep very well and for very long. I could even manage to sleep until 2 pm without any interruption.
Then, in the last few years, I’ve been experiencing problems with sleeping. This book seemed practical enough, so I dived into reading it.
The first third was quite boring, but doctors and psychologists might find it exciting.
Then, the book kept repeating that to say goodnight to insomnia what you need to do is to work on your thoughts and behaviours (sorry for the spoiler). There was lots of emphasis on the self-esteem, which perhaps is typical of the majority of the self-help books out there.
Overall, I didn’t learn much because I already knew lots of the information that I found in this book, but I must say it was a good refresher.
It made me smile when the author mentioned to “listen to a cassette” or “renting a video” (the book was first published in 1998).
In Conclusion
Having a holistic approach, I found this book a bit too generic. There were some interesting points here and there, but the majority of the content was stuff that you’d already know.
I didn’t try the 6 weeks program so I can’t say, from my perspective, if it works or not.
Title: Say Good Night to Insomnia: The Six-Week, Drug-Free Program Developed at Harvard Medical School
Author: Gregg D. Jacobs
Year first published: 1998
From Goodreads:
Imagine an insomnia treatment that improves sleep in 100 percent of insomniacs, helps 75 percent of insomniacs become normal sleepers, and allows 90 percent of insomniacs to reduce or eliminate their use of sleeping pills.
This treatment is safe, natural, and has no side effects except improved mood, higher energy, increased mind/body control, and better health.
No, this is not a new miracle drug. It is Dr. Gregg Jacobs’s drug-free program described in Say Good Night to Insomnia.
At Harvard Medical School’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Dr. Jacobs has tested and developed a six-week, drug-free program that conquers insomnia in a large majority of patients.
The first clinician to offer proof that insomnia can be overcome without drugs, Dr. Jacobs’s program provides techniques for:
– Eliminating sleeping pills
– Establishing sleep-promoting habits and lifestyle practices
– Changing negative, stressful thoughts about sleep
– Implementing relaxation and stress-reduction techniques
– Enhancing peace of mind and reducing negative emotions