Mastering Restful Sleep 40+ Program

The next program cohort will run for 3 months from January 2023 - March 2023. This program has a prerequisite: First Things First sleep self-assessment and tutorial (free).

Overview

The Mastering Restful Sleep program is for women who wish to reset and restore their sleep patterns in order to regain energy and freedom from stress about sleep. It is designed with women in mind and is aimed at providing personalized guidance for chronic restless sleep.

The program was formed for the purpose of bringing together women who have chronic sleep problems, who value intentional living, and who wish to use sleep physiology and well-tested behavioral principles to guide sleep decisions. While we practice accountability and using our "grit," we also practice self-compassion towards ourselves and others as we move through the process of transforming sleep patterns.

This program is for you if:

• You've followed the sleep hygiene recommendations and they don't improve the situation fully. In fact, you have tried everything you can think of to sleep better.
• You have sleep problems that are quite chronic in nature, perhaps from years to decades.
• Despite having fewer life stressors than when the sleep problems first started, sleep remains an unsatisfying and frustrating aspect of your life.
• You have cobbled together habits and meds that are sort of working, but you have mixed feelings about relying on medication to sleep over the long term.
• You love learning, and you aren't into the idea of a phone app telling you how to address your sleep problems.
• You are energized by practicing kindness and compassion.
• You are ready to invest the next few months in improving your sleep.

Additionally, this program is especially for you if:

• You tend to run a little on the anxious and worried side (we integrate mindfulness and calming approaches into the program).
• You feel ready to be more energized to enjoy life and all it has to give.
• You want to be able to trust your body's ability to sleep well.
• You want more freedom from worrying about sleep, such as when you travel across time zones or have something fun or important the next day.
• You want to know that your body is getting what it needs for sleep, so that it receives all of the benefits of restorative sleep to support good physical and mental health, now and in the future.
• You have time to meet online on some Wednesday's from 11am-Noon EST.

This program is NOT A FIT for you if:

• Your life is very full at the moment, and meeting twice per month for a few months is going to be hard to do, or you'll feel resentful of having that time commitment.
• You don't believe in using science and behavioral principles in order to improve sleep.
• You have given up on sleeping better or you believe that you have found all of the answers to your sleep questions already.
• You only want a quick fix to knock you out without understanding the underlying process of good sleep
• You intensely fear change, as it feels too scary to shake up any part of your current sleep routine.
• Nightmares or trauma keep you awake at night, you are actively experiencing acute mental health problems which would interfere with your learning and implementation of new skills, or you are awakened by breathlessness or panicky sensations (see our free tutorial course, First Things First).
• You are a college student or young adult; with that said, we will make exceptions for women who are younger than 40 with chronic health issues (email us: [email protected]).

The details

Sleep problems don't develop overnight. The body gets conditioned over a series of repetitions. These repetitions lead the body to be trained into its current sleep pattern. While there is not a magic overnight fix for this, our program is designed to give you the tools needed and the nuanced bits of information for your particular sleep needs, so that you can re-condition and re-train your body for better sleep.

The framework for the course:

• 5 stages of short, easily-digestible, online lessons accessible 24-7.
• Between lessons, you will be applying what you learned to your body and collecting data. At the end of the Sleep Q&A sessions (6 total), people tend to have some finishing touches and repetition to practice yet, but have experienced a resetting of sleep, are over the "hump" of the hardest changes, and are confident in what they need to do at that point.

As a bonus and to assist with the "finishing touches" of the sleep formula, there will be 2 extra Sleep Q&A sessions after the last session, at no additional cost.

Tools that are taught are based upon the physiology of sleep and behavioral principles of our bodies, and we'll dig into the nitty-gritty of your sleep so that you can land on a formula tailored to your individual sleep needs and unique challenges, regardless of whether your sleep has been unsatisfying for weeks, months or years.

The Mastering Restful Sleep Program includes a step-by-step process. It includes guidance and accountability for:

• Setting up your body to have a stronger drive into deeper, more restorative sleep
• Effective use of a "diligent grit" mindset instead of a sabotaging mindset
• Shutting off your mind so you can sleep
• Changing what keeps your sleep problems coming back in your life
• Identification of your body's personal sleep formula and needs

What makes this program unique?

• We believe that the most effective version of sleep improvement occurs when a person is allowed the freedom to learn at their own pace, while having a trusted place to ask questions as they arise. This is what we do. Most programs are more of a one-size-fits-all approach, and the ability to ask your unique questions and hear from directly from people about what works can be the difference between a positive outcome and a mediocre one.
• The group Sleep Q&A sessions are by far one of the most often-cited aspects of our program which people appreciate in hindsight. The experience of being awake when the rest of the household is sleeping can be lonely. Having a small cohort of people who can foster being smartly curious about sleep and who provide positive motivation (rather than catastrophic thinking or judgment) is invaluable.
• While we are not a full substitute for insomnia treatment or other medical conditions, this program certainly overlaps with insomnia treatment principles from CBT-I (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia). Members need not have a formal diagnosis of insomnia to participate or to benefit. Lessons are rooted in empirical knowledge and current thinking around best practices for sleep.
• If you are a woman who has suffered sleep problems for years, such as since your children were born or since you had a major life transition (such as a loss or health change), you will be in great company! Your sleep problems will be extremely well-understood and supported throughout the program.

What is included in the Mastering Restful Sleep Program?

• Short written lessons of easily-understood instructions about how to understand your sleep patterns and make step-by-step changes toward resetting and restoring your ability to have restful, predictable sleep
• Small group Q&A sessions every other week to keep you on top of your sleep changes and get your questions answered by an expert, as well as learn from your classmates' successes.
• Recommended time frames for progressing through sleep changes but self-paced so that you can adjust to your schedule
• Downloadable, fillable worksheets to facilitate learning and important sleep calculations
• Straightforward, brief instructional videos for more detailed concepts
• Regular reference to science-based explanations for all sleep adjustments
• Unlimited access to downloadable, pre-recorded, guided relaxation audio recordings.

Of course, I am biased, but I hope you will join us if this program suits your goals for changing chronic sleep problems.

To enroll in the program, you must apply and be accepted. To apply: Go to the application (located at https://forms.gle/shBefvQkKzpuchrx6). All applicants will receive a response.

If you are an accepted student and looking to make a payment for January 2023 Cohort, go here.

Sincerely,

Alissa S. Yamasaki, Ph.D.

Instructor

Please note: This program and other Smart Restful Sleep courses are not appropriate for certain types of situations, including the following:

• Those who are in crisis or suicidal
• Those who have signs of untreated apnea
• Those who cannot imagine that behavior/thought changes will improve sleep
• Those who have not slept at all in days.

To get immediate help in a crisis, go to your local emergency room or dial 911. Suicide lifeline support is available through the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (US only) at (800) 273-TALK (8255), by texting HOME to 741741 (US only). For sleep apnea, unrelenting serious sleep problems, or medical conditions, see your physician.