Sleep disorders can take different forms: difficulty falling asleep, waking during the night, repetitive thoughts, or the feeling of never being able to fully recover. These difficulties can persist over time and create the sense that it is no longer possible to regain restful sleep, despite various attempts to address the problem.
In my psychoanalytic consultations in Lyon, both in person and online, the work involves exploring what these sleep disorders may express or maintain in the individual’s psychic life, what they may represent for the individual, and how to understand what may be repeated or maintained through these difficulties.
Why is it impossible to sleep when I am exhausted?
Stress, worries, changes in routine, and various difficulties can disrupt sleep.
Sometimes the body is exhausted while mental activity remains intense. Thoughts continue precisely at the moment when one would like to be able to switch off.
Psychoanalysis can explore what emerges during these moments, without assuming that insomnia necessarily has a single underlying cause.
Going to bed can sometimes leave more room for thoughts and concerns that have been put aside during the day.
Sleep difficulties may appear during a period of change, conflict, or uncertainty. They may also have other causes.
When insomnia persists, a medical assessment may be necessary. Within an analytic framework, it can also become a starting point for exploring what occupies the individual’s thoughts.
Why do my thoughts and anxiety become so overwhelming when I try to sleep?
Thinking over a conversation, anticipating the following day, or trying to find an answer to a question can create the feeling that something needs to be understood or resolved before one can fall asleep.
A psychoanalytic approach allows us to explore why certain thoughts become particularly persistent, what they may represent, and under what circumstances they arise.
Anxiety can contribute to heightened mental activity at bedtime, while this activity can in turn increase tension.
It may therefore be useful to explore not only sleep, but also the concerns that occupy the individual during the day.
Why do I wake up every night?
Nighttime awakenings can have many different causes and may sometimes require a medical assessment. They can also occur during periods of stress, anxiety, or significant personal upheaval.
Observing what happens at the moment of waking can provide useful information: what thoughts arise? What emotion is present? What is the first thing that comes to mind?
These elements can help shed light on what may be maintaining a certain degree of psychic tension during the night.
How can I regain more restful sleep?
Regaining satisfactory sleep does not always involve simply changing one's bedtime habits. When insomnia is part of a broader experience of psychological distress, it may be helpful to understand what is maintaining the difficulty.
Psychological work can provide an opportunity to explore the concerns, conflicts, or tensions that make it difficult to relax.
A consultation does not, of course, replace a medical assessment when one is necessary, but it can provide a space in which to understand the psychological dimension of sleep disorders.
How can psychoanalysis help me understand my insomnia?
Sleep disorders can be considered within the individual’s unique psychological functioning.
Recent events, relationships, emotions, concerns, and personal history can be explored in order to understand what accompanies the symptom.
I offer psychoanalytic consultations in Lyon, both in person and online. An initial meeting provides an opportunity to get to know each other, clarify your concerns, and consider whether a psychoanalytic approach is appropriate for your situation and expectations.
If you would like to begin this work, you can make an appointment for an initial consultation.
Insomnia and sleep disorders: consulting a psychoanalyst in Lyon or via teleconsultation