Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy through the link below, it costs you nothing extra and helps support this site.
The word “struggle” in the title is doing real work. Fighting to sleep is part of what keeps people awake, and this book helps you trade the fight for something steadier. It’s one of the more complete self-help guides on sleep I’ve come across.
What this book is about
Colleen Ehrnstrom and Alisha Brosse blend cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia with acceptance and commitment therapy. You get the proven sleep-retraining methods, plus a way of relating to sleeplessness that lowers the pressure instead of cranking it higher.
Who this book may help
It fits well if you:
- Have tried to force sleep and only ended up more wired
- Want a full, individualized plan rather than scattered tips
- Like understanding why each step works before you do it
- Are ready to put in a few weeks of consistent effort
Key tools in the book
You’ll build a treatment plan tailored to your own sleep, using stimulus control and sleep restriction to reset the system. Then you’ll add cognitive tools for the anxious mind and acceptance skills for the nights that still go sideways, because some will, and that’s workable.
Clinical strengths
The pairing of CBT for insomnia with acceptance is thoughtful and matches where the field has moved. The book is well organized, and it includes downloadable audio to support the practice. It reads like working with a knowledgeable, patient guide.
Limitations
It’s thorough, which means it asks more of you than a quick-tips book. Sleep restriction can be tiring in the first week or two before it pays off. And a book can’t diagnose an underlying sleep disorder. If nothing shifts, or your sleep loss feels dangerous, a professional should take a look.
My recommendation
This is a strong pick for people who want the whole picture and are willing to work it. Alongside insomnia treatment, the acceptance pieces often land more easily with someone to talk them through. Go step by step, use the audio, and give the plan room to work.
View End the Insomnia Struggle on Amazon
This review is for general education and isn’t a substitute for professional care. If you’re struggling, a licensed mental health professional can help you find the right next step.
Dr. Joseph S. Weiss is a psychologist in Seattle, WA. He works with people dealing with anxiety, OCD, panic, insomnia, and phobias, drawing on CBT, EMDR, and other approaches with strong research behind them. What keeps him in this work is watching people get their lives back, one small step at a time.
