Table Of Content
THE EFFORTLESS SLEEP
METHOD
The Incredible New Cure for Insomnia
and Chronic Sleep Problems
Sasha Stephens ****
Published by:
Sasha Stephens
Copyright © 2010 Sasha Stephens. All rights reserved ****
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any
means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission
of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
Effortless Sleep Products [email protected]
The author and publisher of this material make no medical claims for its use.
This material is not intended to treat, diagnose nor cure any illness. If you need
medical attention, please consult your doctor.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: The techniques, ideas, and opinions here are not intended
as a substitute for proper medical advice. The information provided here is
solely for informational purposes only. All information is generalised, presented
for informational purposes only, not medical advice, and not to rely on this
information as medical advice and to consult a qualified medical, dietary, fitness
or other appropriate professional for their specific needs. This information has
not been evaluated by any government agency and the information is not
intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."
You MUST consult your doctor or health care professional before making any
changes to the prescribed medicine you are taking. If you are pregnant or
nursing, or if you are elderly, or if you have any chronic or recurring conditions
other than insomnia, I highly recommend you contact your doctor before
embarking on this programme.
Any application of the techniques, ideas, and suggestions here are at the reader’s
sole discretion and risk. The author and the publisher expressly disclaim
responsibility for any adverse effects arising from following this advice.
No responsibility or liability is assumed by the author for any injury, damage or
financial loss sustained to persons or property from the use of this information,
personal or otherwise, either directly or indirectly. While every effort has been
made to ensure reliability and accuracy of the information within, all liability,
negligence or otherwise, from any use, misuse or abuse of the operation of any
methods, strategies, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein, is the
sole responsibility of the reader.
Any copyrights not held by publisher are owned by their respective authors.
All trademarks and brands referred to in this book are for illustrative purposes
only, are the property of their respective owners and not affiliated with this
publication in any way. Any trademarks are being used without permission, and
the publication of the trademark is not authorized by, associated with or
sponsored by the trademark owner.
Also by Sasha Stephens
The Effortless Sleep Companion
Coming in December 2013
Bedtime Stories for Insomniacs
CONTENTS
PREFACE
Part One –
GROUNDWORK
Chapter 1: My Story
How it all Began
Go and See Your Doctor
The Online Information Explosion
No More Pills
Turning the Corner
A Word of Warning
Part Two –
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION AND STANDARD
APPROACHES TO TREATING INSOMNIA
Chapter 2: The Medical Approaches
Introduction
Can’t You Give Me Something to Make Me Sleep?
Chapter 3: Some Facts About Sleeping Pills
Sleep Quality and the Stages of Sleep
The Effects and Side-Effects of Sleeping Pills
Sleeping Pills That Don’t Make You Sleep
The Truth About Sleeping Pill Research
The Secret No Doctor Will Tell You
Chapter 4: Sleep Restriction Therapy
When Good Sleep Hygiene Rules Go Bad
Sleep Restriction Therapy as a Crutch
Part Three -
PRELIMINARIES AND PHILOSOPHY
Chapter 5: Philosophy Behind The Effortless Sleep Method
The Best Type of Safety Net
Chapter 6: Preliminaries
You Will Need to be Really, Really Honest with Yourself
Your Problem is not Special
Don’t Look for Ways to Make Me Wrong
The Two Negative Principles of the Mind
Part Four -
THE MAKING OF A MONSTER
Chapter 7: Why Insomnia Occurs
The Two Main Types of Insomnia
Chapter 8: A Recipe for Insomnia in 13 Easy Mistakes
Mistake 1
Mistake 2
Mistake 3
Mistake 4
Mistake 5
Mistake 6
Mistake 7
Mistake 8
Mistake 9
Mistake 10
Mistake 11
Mistake 12
Mistake 13
Part Five -
THE CURE
Chapter 9: Introduction and Preparation
The First Six Promises
The Second Six Promises
Chapter 10: The 12 Promises
Promise 1
Promise 2
Promise 3
Promise 4
Promise 5
Promise 6
Promise 7
Promise 8
Promise 9
Promise 10
Promise 11
Promise 12
Chapter 11: Synopsis
For Those Still in Doubt
For the Hardcore Insomniac
Chapter 12: Q and A
Conclusion
Appendix – The Relaxation Techniques
PREFACE
By Sasha Stephens, Bsc, MA,
Creator of the Effortless Sleep Method, Sleep Therapist,
Recovered insomniac
I understand
There is no need for you to tell me how bad your insomnia problem is.
I know
I know what you are going through. I really know what you are going through. I
have experienced the full horror of chronic, long-term insomnia.
I know
I know the way that insomnia feels like a curse, a disease, an affliction which
infects every part of your life. I know that it can take over your life, ruin your
life, and ultimately be your life. I know the desperate, panicky, desolate, pitiful
loneliness of lying awake at night and the living hell of going through day after
day of work and social activities having not slept. I have wept, prayed, begged,
raged, broken down, given up, and been left numb by insomnia.
I know
I have tried the herbs, the Valerian, the Passiflora, the 5HTP, the melatonin, the
positive thinking, the wishful thinking, the antihistamines, the vitamin B
complex, the zinc supplements, the turkey sandwiches, the exercise before
breakfast, the exercise six hours before bed, the relaxation cds, the hypnosis, the
sleeping pills, the sleep restriction, the milky drinks, the lavender pillows, the
magnetic coils under my mattress, the crystals, the fan in the room, the ioniser in
the room, the earplugs, the eye shades, and I’ve lost count of how many wild and
wacky therapies and therapists. So many therapists!
I know
I have made silent pleas to God, offered up deals to the universe to exchange
everything I own for the ability to sleep. I would have taken heroin if I thought it
would make me sleep. I would have sold my soul to the devil if he had asked.
I know
In the deafening, screaming blackness of the sleepless night, I discovered that
the fundamental state of the insomniac is one of profound loneliness. By night,
insomnia separates you from the gently slumbering world of normal sleepers. By
day it isolates you from the bustling world of active, happy people. Locked in a
bubble of misery, the day of the sleep-deprived person is a semi-real nightmare –
a half-life, a non-life.
As insomniacs we have two choices when it comes to normal, everyday work
and social activities: we either complain to a largely non-understanding and
sometimes unsympathetic social circle, I didn’t sleep well, I can’t stay long, I
don’t think I’m up to that, sorry I’m not on top form today. Or we learn to ‘fake
it’ – to smile through the misery, to hide the secret truth I feel like death, I don’t
want to be here, if you knew how tired I feel, why can’t I feel like you do, why
can’t I enjoy life? What’s wrong with me?
Insomnia may seem almost to have a life of its own, an autonomous persona, or
a self-sabotaging part of you over which you have no control; a monster, a
possessing demon which taunts you by day and tortures you by night. This cruel
tormentor judges you unworthy, undeserving of sleep and punishes you, over
and over and over, night after night after night. A sadist, a bully: insomnia is
ruthless…and relentless.
I feel your pain like no doctor or therapist, or well-meaning family member has
ever done, I feel your pain like only a fellow insomniac can. Because I know
how you have suffered, and how you still suffer, I want nothing more than to
help you. It breaks my heart to hear about the appalling advice given to
insomniacs, and the insensitive and downright negligent way in which they are
sometimes treated by the medical profession; treatments which bring with them
a whole plethora of new problems and which, unbelievably, often make the
sleeping worse.
But now, my friend, it stops here! Your battle with insomnia is over. I am about
to give you your life back. It is time to share with you, the gold – the treasure
which took a decade and a half to discover. Using exactly the methods laid out in
this book I kicked a 15 year chronic insomnia problem and now sleep better than
I did even as a child. Follow this programme, and you can turn your back on
insomnia for good.
I will not disappoint ...
• • • 1 • • •
GROUNDWORK
