Working with Dr. Jill McGarry
#8
#8
Holding difficult thoughts more lightly
Holding difficult thoughts more lightly
Holding difficult thoughts more lightly
A gentler way of responding to overwhelming thoughts when they show up at night.
ACT
Post Video Reflection
Post Video Reflection
Notice
If your sleep worries appeared as a person or animal, what would it look and sound like? Could you make it more playful and light hearted?
If your sleep worries appeared as a person or animal, what would it look and sound like? Could you make it more playful and light hearted?
Try
Try
Give a recurring sleep thought a fun name, outfit and personality, then imagine welcoming it in for a cup of tea.
Give a recurring sleep thought a fun name, outfit and personality, then imagine welcoming it in for a cup of tea.
Live
Live
How could you make room for difficult thoughts that happen, without allowing them to run the evenings activities that you want to do?
How could you make room for difficult thoughts that happen, without allowing them to run the evenings activities that you want to do?
I've answered these (e.g. in my notebook)
Session Recap
01
You do not have to win against your thoughts
A difficult sleep thought does not need to be conquered, disproved or replaced before you can rest. Trying to challenge every worry may create an ongoing mental debate at bedtime. Stepping out of the contest can reduce the amount of energy given to it.
01
You do not have to win against your thoughts
A difficult sleep thought does not need to be conquered, disproved or replaced before you can rest. Trying to challenge every worry may create an ongoing mental debate at bedtime. Stepping out of the contest can reduce the amount of energy given to it.
02
Thoughts are temporary mental events
Allowing a thought to be present is not the same as believing that it is accurate. You can notice “I won’t cope tomorrow” without treating it as a fact or instruction. Some thoughts stay longer or feel more intense than others, but they still come and go. The person noticing them remains more stable than the individual thoughts passing through.
02
Thoughts are temporary mental events
Allowing a thought to be present is not the same as believing that it is accurate. You can notice “I won’t cope tomorrow” without treating it as a fact or instruction. Some thoughts stay longer or feel more intense than others, but they still come and go. The person noticing them remains more stable than the individual thoughts passing through.
03
Playfulness can reduce the sense of threat
Giving a familiar sleep worry an exaggerated voice, appearance or personality can make it feel less authoritative. The aim is not to mock your distress, but to make the thought easier to observe.
03
Playfulness can reduce the sense of threat
Giving a familiar sleep worry an exaggerated voice, appearance or personality can make it feel less authoritative. The aim is not to mock your distress, but to make the thought easier to observe.
Next Session
How your day affects your night
How your day affects your night
Exploring how what you do during the day can gently influence your night.
Exploring how what you do during the day can gently influence your night.
An ACT & CFT based approach helping you to improve your relationship with sleep.
Sluzzle offers educational help for everyday sleep challenges and isn’t designed for medical sleep disorders.
©2026 Sluzzle - All rights reserved. Address: 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE
An ACT & CFT based approach helping you to improve your relationship with sleep.
Sluzzle offers educational help for everyday sleep challenges and isn’t designed for medical sleep disorders.
©2026 Sluzzle - All rights reserved. Address: 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE
An ACT & CFT based approach helping you to improve your relationship with sleep.
Sluzzle offers educational help for everyday sleep challenges and isn’t designed for medical sleep disorders.
©2026 Sluzzle - All rights reserved. Address: 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE