Working with Dr. Will Devlin
#3
#3
When emotions take over
When emotions take over
When emotions take over
How threat and striving drive sleeplessness and why calm isn’t something you can force.
CFT
Post Video Reflection
Post Video Reflection
Notice
When you try harder to make sleep happen, what happens to the volume of your drive and threat systems?
When you try harder to make sleep happen, what happens to the volume of your drive and threat systems?
Try
Try
Make a short list of what genuinely turns up your soothing system, not what you think ought to work.
Make a short list of what genuinely turns up your soothing system, not what you think ought to work.
Live
Live
What will you include tomorrow that helps you feel safe, connected or cared for without making sleep the goal?
What will you include tomorrow that helps you feel safe, connected or cared for without making sleep the goal?
I've answered these (e.g. in my notebook)
Session Recap
01
Drive keeps the brain active
The drive system supports doing, fixing, achieving and striving. Trying hard to make sleep happen can be activated by this system, when actually the brain needs to disengage from the effort with sleep.
01
Drive keeps the brain active
The drive system supports doing, fixing, achieving and striving. Trying hard to make sleep happen can be activated by this system, when actually the brain needs to disengage from the effort with sleep.
02
Sleeplessness activates threat
When attempts to make sleep happen fail, the brain may interpret this as evidence that something is wrong. This can activate worry, anxiety, vigilance and other threat responses. The drive system pushes harder to achieve sleep while the threat system reacts to not achieving it. Together, they can increase activation and prolong the struggle.
02
Sleeplessness activates threat
When attempts to make sleep happen fail, the brain may interpret this as evidence that something is wrong. This can activate worry, anxiety, vigilance and other threat responses. The drive system pushes harder to achieve sleep while the threat system reacts to not achieving it. Together, they can increase activation and prolong the struggle.
03
Soothing supports rest
The soothing system is associated with feeling safe, connected and cared for. These states allow the body to slow down and are more compatible with rest than striving or vigilance.
03
Soothing supports rest
The soothing system is associated with feeling safe, connected and cared for. These states allow the body to slow down and are more compatible with rest than striving or vigilance.
Next Session
Creating space to settle
Creating space to settle
Working with your body and imagination to gently change how your mind feels.
Working with your body and imagination to gently change how your mind feels.
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