Qualification

There are some cases for whom this course is not best suitable. This does not mean, that the methods will not work, but solely that their effectiveness will be lower.

 

In such cases specific factors play such a major role in individual's life that they heavily impact the quality of sleep. These factors are not addressed in the Sleep Coaching Modules and may require different treatment methods as the one used here.

 

Such cases are:

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Children and Teenagers

In this category are newborns, toddlers, and all ages up to the time of including teens (age of 18 year old). Many different and fast-changing factors play a role in this early time of human development. Younger parts of the population often do not have the same origins of sleep problems that adults have. Consequently, a behavioral sleep improvement coaching for this group would be a topic of a completely different course.

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Young Families

Sleep Coaching Method can be used by young parents to help them with their sleep. The method however will not help newborns to sleep. If your primary source of insomnia is originating from your newborn's lack of sleep, then before purchasing this course I recommend investigating sleep methods and approaches for ensuring newborn's sleep.

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Women during the Pregnancy period

The hormonal changes, mixed with the body and environmental changes that occur during this time can have very different effects on female physiology, emotions, and cognitions, potentially also leaving its mark on the wake-sleep schedules and sleep patterns.

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Therefore, if possible, I would advise that the course is performed beforehand or after pregnancy periods. Otherwise, the effects of introduced sleep improvement techniques will be heavily distorted by activities and priorities that the pregnancy period may require.

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Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders

(e.g. Shift-Workers and Jet – Lag insomnia)

The course will not help greatly, as the reason for the sleep problems does not reside in insomnia, but in the disturbance of the so-called sleep-wake cycle. The advice in this course will help you in general, but there are some sources that explain specific and more effective countermeasures especially for this case – ie. a combined mixture of behavioral rules, light therapy, and even potential stimulants/hypnotics for extreme and transient cases. For all of you who are interested in this topic refer to Morgenthaler et al. Practice Parameters for the Clinical Evaluation and Treatment of Circa­dian Rhythm Sleep Disorders. 2007.

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Elderly (65+)

Similar to the case of youngsters, this group is also associated with unique physiological developments and challenges. Notable overall changes in the area of sleep are a reduction of overall sleep time, sleep regime, and sleep architecture. Due to the aging of the body a number of psychosomatic problems arises as well. The Sleep Coaching cannot help with any of those changes.

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However, several studies have been made that after eliminating the effects of old age-related problems (source: Sonia Ancoli-Israel, Sleep and its disorders in aging populations, 2009), the cognitive and behavioral treatment approaches (as presented in the Sleep Coaching Method) did provide effective treatment of insomnia.

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Breathing-related sleep disorders (e.g. sleep apnea, snoring)

Sleep Coaching helps individuals with insomnia and problems with waking up. An individual with a breating-related sleep disorder and with an improved or even completely removed insomnia will most likely still suffer from daily sleepiness. This is a result of insufficient oxygenation of the body during sleep, leading to inefficient sleep. Similar as if you would be driving a car with a partially active handbrake. The car would still drive, but less efficiently.

 

Snoring can often be improved with certain behavioral methods (positional changes, food type, timing, etc.) and I recommend testing this approaches first, to see if they bring desired results. If they don't, the breating-related sleep disorders cannot be properly assessed and treated without a visit to a licensed physician for a medical examination.

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Parasomnias (e.g. restless legs syndrome, sleep-walking, nightmares) and Hypersomnolence (e.g. narcolepsy)

These sleep disorders require individual treatment by licensed medical personnel. Behavioral therapy is generally also not sufficient to treat them.

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Medication-induced sleep disorders

Numerous possibilities and ways of influencing sleep exist, so a standardized behavioral treatment is not possible. If you are suspecting sleep disorders as a result of medication usage, you have to consult your doctor about how to proceed, and if, and to what extent sleep coaching can be applied to you.