What your week actually shows
You do not need to change anything yet. First, look at what a week of information actually shows. You will probably find variation, not seven equally difficult nights.
You have been completing your sleep diary for a week. This lesson will help you read it as information about a pattern, not simply as a record of difficult nights.
The first thing you may notice is variation. Your nights were probably not all the same. Some were better, while others were worse. The week may include at least one night that was reasonably good or better than you expected.
Notice that before looking at anything else. Insomnia can create the impression that every night is equally bad, but a full week of information often shows a more varied picture.
The second thing to examine is the numbers. Two measurements will matter in Unit 2, and it helps to understand them before they become part of the instructions.
Sleep efficiency (SE) shows how much of your time in bed was spent asleep. To calculate it, divide your total sleep time by your total time in bed and express the result as a percentage.
For example, if you spent eight hours in bed and slept for six of them, your sleep efficiency was 75%.
People who generally sleep well typically have a sleep efficiency above 85%. If yours is lower, as it often is for people experiencing insomnia, this is one of the main measurements Unit 2 will aim to improve.
Total sleep time (TST) is the amount of time you estimate that you were actually asleep. It is not the total time you spent in bed.
Most adults need somewhere between six and nine hours of sleep, although individual needs vary. Your total sleep time shows what you are currently getting, not how much you need. The difference may be larger than you would like or smaller than you expected.
Looking at the entire week changes what you can see. One difficult night is a single piece of information. A week begins to reveal a pattern, and patterns are what this program can help you address.
Lessons 7 to 9 will turn this information into specific instructions. Some of them may feel counterintuitive. The first thing Unit 2 asks you to do is spend less time in bed, not more.
This lesson has shown you what the measurements mean and why that instruction can make sense when viewed against the pattern in your diary.
