Working with Dr. Amanda Mwale
#2
#2
The control trap with thoughts at night
The control trap with thoughts at night
The control trap with thoughts at night
Relating to thoughts around sleep differently instead of getting caught up in them.
ACT
Post Video Reflection
Post Video Reflection
Notice
What happens when you try to stop yourself thinking about sleep, does the thought disappear or become your “pink elephant” that doesn't go away?
What happens when you try to stop yourself thinking about sleep, does the thought disappear or become your “pink elephant” that doesn't go away?
Try
Try
When a sleep thought arrives, practise three steps: notice it, name it and let it move on without solving it.
When a sleep thought arrives, practise three steps: notice it, name it and let it move on without solving it.
Live
Live
Which life decision could you leave until daylight rather than allowing a night-time thought to make it for you?
Which life decision could you leave until daylight rather than allowing a night-time thought to make it for you?
I've answered these (e.g. in my notebook)
Session Recap
01
Thought suppression rebounds
Deliberately trying not to think about sleep and block out sleep worries often makes the unwanted thought louder and more persistent. The effort to remove these thoughts requires repeatedly checking whether it is still there and adds to the pressure.
01
Thought suppression rebounds
Deliberately trying not to think about sleep and block out sleep worries often makes the unwanted thought louder and more persistent. The effort to remove these thoughts requires repeatedly checking whether it is still there and adds to the pressure.
02
Helpful activities can become tests
Reading, music, yoga or meditation are not inherently problematic, but can add stress. They become counterproductive when used as urgent tests, or activitties to force relaxation, that must produce sleep within a particular amount of time.
02
Helpful activities can become tests
Reading, music, yoga or meditation are not inherently problematic, but can add stress. They become counterproductive when used as urgent tests, or activitties to force relaxation, that must produce sleep within a particular amount of time.
03
Fixing can become a loop
Worry about sleep can trigger another strategy, followed by checking whether it worked and becoming more frustrated when it did not. Each attempted solution can then focus even more attention on being awake.
03
Fixing can become a loop
Worry about sleep can trigger another strategy, followed by checking whether it worked and becoming more frustrated when it did not. Each attempted solution can then focus even more attention on being awake.
Next Session
The quicksand effect keeping us stuck
The quicksand effect keeping us stuck
How trying harder with sleep can make things worse and make you feel more stuck.
How trying harder with sleep can make things worse and make you feel more stuck.
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