Sleep Easy

Sleep Easy Method FAQ

How Does this Method Work?

Richard Shane, PhD, discovered there are several body sensations that are like neurological switches that create the body feeling of falling asleep. By using this method, you don't have to try to calm your mind or emotions. In the midst of whatever circumstances the person has going on, there is a simple way to get the body into the state of falling asleep which allows them to become calm and quiet automatically.

That discovery, plus years of professional training in mind-body medicine, combined with years of research, enabled Dr. Shane to unlock the code of how sleep naturally occurs and create the Sleep Easy method.

From 25 years of working with thousands of clients with insomnia, the other discovery is that the body sensations of sleep are the same in everyone. When people learn this method, they report it feels like the natural way sleep happens, not an artificial method.

In a study published in the Journal of Sleep Disorders and Therapy, the Sleep Easy program was tested by police, firefighters, commercial airline pilots and the general public. 81.6% of the participants reported improved sleep, and the vast majority reported their sleep began to improve the first night or within the first few nights.

Can this help me quiet my mind?

Yes. Please first read the above answer to "How does this method work?" Sleep Easy is a way to calm your mind and emotions that is easy and doesn't require meditation or concentration.

Can this help and calm my anxiety?

Yes. Instead of trying to calm your anxiety in your mind or emotions, there is an easier way. When you get anxious, your heart beats more quickly. We use that connection in reverse. Sleep Easy gives you an easy way to deeply calm your heart, which is a neurological switch that calms your anxiety.

Can it help me fall asleep more quickly?

Yes. This method gives you a simple way to fall asleep more quickly and easily.

My problem is I wake up too early. Can this method help me fall back to sleep?

Yes. This method gives you a simple way to fall back to sleep more quickly and easily. As you use the method more, something very interesting happens: When you just begin to sense yourself awakening, you use the method and fall back to sleep before fully awakening. The next morning, when you remember that happened during the night, you'll be pleased. This method also helps you sleep more deeply (see the answer below) so you have fewer unwanted awakenings.

I don't sleep deeply. Can this method help me sleep more deeply?

Yes. When your mind is even mildly active, it creates tension in your body. Mind doesn't like feeling tension, so it gets more active as a way to avoid the discomfort. Body tension + active mind = light sleep. Sleep Easy gives you a simple way to calm tension deep in your body. Your mind likes feeling that comfort and rests in that. Mind and body come back together in comfort and that causes you to sleep more deeply. It's easy.

How soon might I feel some improvement in my sleep?

Most people sleep better the first night they use this method and experience significant improvement over the first few nights. Not complete resolution in the first few nights, but enough so it becomes very encouraging. You will then feel confident that as you use the sequence of recordings, it will resolve your sleep difficulties.

I've tried deep breathing and it hasn't worked. Is this different?

People often try deep, slow or abdominal breathing. While those can be useful for relaxation, they are too much work for sleep. Instead, there is a way you naturally breathe when you're asleep, which does not use any deep, slow or abdominal breathing. The Sleep Easy method gives you an easy way to breathe - what we call your Inner Sleep Breath. This will feel familiar to you. It is very pleasurable and it gently pulls you toward sleep.

I've tried relaxing my entire body and that hasn't worked. Is this different?

Relaxing your entire body is often too much work on the way to sleep. With Sleep Easy, you don't have to relax your entire body. Simply calm a few body sensations that are switches in your nervous system that calm the rest of your body without effort.

I've tried visualization and it hasn't worked. Is this different?

People commonly use visualizing being in a peaceful scene. While that can be useful for relaxation, when wanting to sleep, visualization can often just be another form of thinking. Sleep Easy does not involve visualization. When your head is on your pillow, you don't need to visualize the pillow—you just feel it. With Sleep Easy you feel the comfortable body sensations of sleep—no need to visualize anything.

Does this involve meditation?

No. Almost all other sleep methods utilize some form of relaxation or meditation method and apply it to sleep. Sleep Easy is different. It engages the way your body and mind naturally fall asleep. It feels like the way sleep naturally happens, without needing meditation, general relaxation or concentration, which can feel artificial.

Does this involve hypnosis?

Sleep Easy does not rely on hypnotic suggestion. There is nothing mysterious in this method. Everything is explainable to your logical mind. Most people's logical mind respond, "I never thought about sleep in this way, but it makes complete sense." When your logical mind understands and agrees, then it participates to help you sleep, rather than (as previously) interfering with sleep.

Who is at risk for Sleep Disorders? How do I know if I have a Sleep Disorder?

Each sleep disorder has its own unique set of risk factors. People suffering from psychiatric and medical conditions, have frequent major shift changes at work, and have a family history of sleep disorders may overall be at higher risk for developing sleep disorders. Some signs and symptoms for sleep disorders include; consistently taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, perpetual fatigue and irritability during the day, even after getting seven or eight hours of sleep a night, waking up several times in the middle of the night and remaining awake, sometimes for hours, falling asleep at inappropriate times, and irregular breathing or increased movement during sleep. If you think you have a sleep disorder it may be helpful to start a sleep journal to examine your sleep for any patterns of behavior that could be causing it.

In what way can the quality of my sleep affect my health?

Many experts have concluded that getting enough high-quality sleep is just as important to your health and well-being as nutrition and exercise. Every organ system in your body is influenced by sleep, so the entirety of human health relies on good quality sleep. Regular poor sleep decreases your immune system function and can put you at high risk for serious medical conditions, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes and it shortens your life expectancy. Sleep deprivation can leave you feeling irritable and exhausted in the short-term, but it can also have serious long-term mental health consequences. Research suggests that poor sleep can play a causal role in both the development and maintenance of different mental health disorders, including, depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

What are the main factors that can disrupt my sleep?

If your sleep is continuously disrupted, take a look at your lifestyle to see if there are things that may be causing your sleep disruption. There are both internal and external factors that can cause disruption in your sleep. The biggest external factors include, sleeping environment, diet, and exercise. Your sleeping environment may consist of other people in your bed, how comfortable your bed is, the temperature of the room, and how safe you feel. Internal factors may include stress or anxiety. Our bodies are built in such a manner that they respond to stressful situations by remaining awake. Ideally you would enjoy a regular relaxing bedtime routine that allows your mind to unwind and you will be going to bed and getting up at the same time, even at the weekends.

After you address these external factors, Sleep Easy is for when your head is on your pillow, giving you an easy way to fall asleep and fall back to sleep.

How many hours of sleep should I be getting per night? How much sleep do I need?

While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more sleep, between 9 and 12 hours, because sleep is critical during the development.

What causes insomnia?

Insomnia is usually a symptom of another problem. The problem causing insomnia differs from person to person and can range from psychiatric and medical conditions to stress and unhealthy sleep habits. If you suspect your sleep difficulty is due to a medical condition, consult with your physician. If your sleep difficulty is due to stress or your mental or emotional state, Sleep Easy will make it possible for you to sleep well, and that will have a positive effect on your thoughts and emotions. Sleep Easy also gives you easy-to-implement tips for improving your daily habits and sleep environment.

Why can sometimes I fall asleep just fine and other times I have the hardest time falling asleep?

Having trouble falling asleep can be linked to some lifestyle habits such as; an inconsistent sleep schedule, too much light exposure before bed (devices), exercising too late, stress and caffeine. Stress is one of the most common reasons people have trouble falling asleep. Completely eliminating stress from your life isn't realistic. Sleep Easy gives you a way to sleep well even in the midst of stress, and then good sleep reduces your stress.

How common are sleep problems?

According to the American Sleep Association (AMA), sleep disorders currently affect as many as 50 to 70 million U.S adults. The four most common sleep disorders are; insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome. The amount of American's getting less than six hours of sleep each night has increased by 31% in the last 33 years.

When I seem to get the same amount of sleep, why do I feel rested some days and tired other days?

A consistently good amount of sleep does not necessarily mean good sleep quality. When you go to sleep, how late you eat or exercise, certain medications and stress can all affect the quality of your sleep and leave you feeling tired during the day even though you are getting the proper hours of sleep. Additionally, feeling tired during the day can be due to not eating properly, lack of exercise, low mood, certain medications and other factors unrelated to sleep.

Who is at risk for Sleep Disorders? How do I know if I have a Sleep Disorder?

Each sleep disorder has its own unique set of risk factors. People suffering from psychiatric and medical conditions, have frequent major shift changes at work, and have a family history of sleep disorders may overall be at higher risk for developing sleep disorders. Some signs and symptoms for sleep disorders include; consistently taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, perpetual fatigue and irritability during the day, even after getting seven or eight hours of sleep a night, waking up several times in the middle of the night and remaining awake, sometimes for hours, falling asleep at inappropriate times, and irregular breathing or increased movement during sleep. If you think you have a sleep disorder it may be helpful to start a sleep journal to examine your sleep for any patterns of behavior that could be causing it.

In what way can the quality of my sleep affect my health?

Many experts have concluded that getting enough high-quality sleep is just as important to your health and well-being as nutrition and exercise. Every organ system in your body is influenced by sleep, so the entirety of human health relies on good quality sleep. Regular poor sleep decreases your immune system function and can put you at high risk for serious medical conditions, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes and it shortens your life expectancy. Sleep deprivation can leave you feeling irritable and exhausted in the short-term, but it can also have serious long-term mental health consequences. Research suggests that poor sleep can play a causal role in both the development and maintenance of different mental health disorders, including, depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

What are the main factors that can disrupt my sleep?

If your sleep is continuously disrupted, take a look at your lifestyle to see if there are things that may be causing your sleep disruption. There are both internal and external factors that can cause disruption in your sleep. The biggest external factors include, sleeping environment, diet, and exercise. Your sleeping environment may consist of other people in your bed, how comfortable your bed is, the temperature of the room, and how safe you feel. Internal factors may include stress or anxiety. Our bodies are built in such a manner that they respond to stressful situations by remaining awake. Ideally you would enjoy a regular relaxing bedtime routine that allows your mind to unwind and you will be going to bed and getting up at the same time, even at the weekends.

After you address these external factors, Sleep Easy is for when your head is on your pillow, giving you an easy way to fall asleep and fall back to sleep.

How many hours of sleep should I be getting per night? How much sleep do I need?

While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more sleep, between 9 and 12 hours, because sleep is critical during the development.

What causes insomnia?

Insomnia is usually a symptom of another problem. The problem causing insomnia differs from person to person and can range from psychiatric and medical conditions to stress and unhealthy sleep habits. If you suspect your sleep difficulty is due to a medical condition, consult with your physician. If your sleep difficulty is due to stress or your mental or emotional state, Sleep Easy will make it possible for you to sleep well, and that will have a positive effect on your thoughts and emotions. Sleep Easy also gives you easy-to-implement tips for improving your daily habits and sleep environment.

Why can sometimes I fall asleep just fine and other times I have the hardest time falling asleep?

Having trouble falling asleep can be linked to some lifestyle habits such as; an inconsistent sleep schedule, too much light exposure before bed (devices), exercising too late, stress and caffeine. Stress is one of the most common reasons people have trouble falling asleep. Completely eliminating stress from your life isn't realistic. Sleep Easy gives you a way to sleep well even in the midst of stress, and then good sleep reduces your stress.

How common are sleep problems?

According to the American Sleep Association (AMA), sleep disorders currently affect as many as 50 to 70 million U.S adults. The four most common sleep disorders are; insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome. The amount of American's getting less than six hours of sleep each night has increased by 31% in the last 33 years.

When I seem to get the same amount of sleep, why do I feel rested some days and tired other days?

A consistently good amount of sleep does not necessarily mean good sleep quality. When you go to sleep, how late you eat or exercise, certain medications and stress can all affect the quality of your sleep and leave you feeling tired during the day even though you are getting the proper hours of sleep. Additionally, feeling tired during the day can be due to not eating properly, lack of exercise, low mood, certain medications and other factors unrelated to sleep.