Eileen is a registered nurse of almost 30 years. She was always a light sleeper who felt that she needed perfect conditions for sleep to happen. After becoming a parent she started to get less sleep and this triggered more sleep-related stress and worry that made sleep even more difficult.

Before long, Eileen became totally focussed on sleep and soon developed the mistaken belief that she just couldn't sleep. After seeking help from her physician, Eileen ended up on Ambien — a drug she took almost every day for 15 years.

In this episode, Eileen describes how insomnia became part of her identity and how she went from constantly worrying about sleep and struggling with sleep to someone who now sleeps very well without sleeping pills.

Listen to this episode