Video - Digital CBT for Insomnia

Video Transcription

Jack: My sleep had been poor since my A levels really, and it got a lot worse when I moved away to uni. I tried everything I could to try and sleep better, but nothing seemed to work. I was irritable and really struggling to cope with all my classes and deadlines and attending lectures and seminars, because I was just so exhausted. All of my friends were out enjoying themselves and I was just caught up in a cycle of trying to get sleep till the early hours. Then when I finally got to sleep, it would be time to go to campus for my job at the coffee shop. I relied on coffee to get me through the days to be honest, and then I’d try to catch up on my sleep in the evenings, but it’s a good job I got it free at work.

My mood started to really drop too. It was my housemate that suggested to speaking to Insight, as she’d done a placement there as part of her course the year before. I wasn’t expecting much, I thought they might offer me a leaflet or suggest speaking to my GP about medication, but they were really friendly, and they asked me all about my mood and my sleep and suggested that I could do a programme for insomnia, either attending sessions with a PWP or via a digital programme called Space for Insomnia, with their support via email. With all my deadlines and uni work, I thought I would give the digital programme a try. That, and the support from them, really blew my mind, it was so helpful. It felt like for the first time, someone understood.

My mood improved too, and within weeks, my sleep was getting better, and I was starting to drop off to sleep more easily. I wouldn’t say it was the easiest thing I’ve done, especially having to get out of a warm bed to restrict my sleep at one point, but it did the trick and I’m so grateful. I could use it with my Airpods in on the bus, and no one else would know what I was doing. I could use it anywhere, anytime, around uni and work.