How I Overcame Insomnia

Hi,

I wanted to share with you a story that happened to me recently that I think it would be a nice thing for you to publish so people can benefit from the story.

For the last few years since I was learning Smicha I have been suffering from from a mild form of insomnia (which is a sleeping disorder which the person who is suffering has the inability to fall asleep or to stay a sleep as long as desired) where I periodically wake up in the middle of the night and I cant fall asleep again and the next day I am not able to function properly because of lack of sleep.

Over the last few months I have been waking up in the middle of the night more often than usual. About two weeks ago on a Motztie Shabbas I woke up around 2 o’clock in the morning and I wasn’t able to fall asleep. The next day I was learning around 3 pm in Yagdil Torah and I was struggling to stay awake from exhaustion. While I was trying to stay awake a certain individual named “Reb Yosef” (this isn’t is real name, just for purposes of remaining anonymous I changed his name) approached me by asking me why I was so tired, so I told him about my sleeping disorder.

He then gave me the following advice, he told me a story that there was a certain individual who was not having any success in his business, so the Rebbe asked him while his store is empty how does he occupy his time to which he responded that he either reads the local newspaper or listens to the news. The Rebbe then told him that if he would learn during the times when his shop is empty the Yeitzer Hara would send him customers in order that he shouldn’t be learning the whole day.

Therefore Reb Yosef told me that I should put a sefer by my bedside table so in cases when I am waiting to fall a sleep or I wake up in the middle of the night I should read from the sefer and since the Yeitzer Hara doesn’t want me to be awake the whole night learning that within 30 minutes he guaranteed that I would fall asleep. In short, I took his advice and for the last two weeks I have slept perfectly without any disturbances.

For last few weeks Reb Yosef has come up to me almost everyday asking me how the “prescription” is working, to which I have been able to respond happily that I haven’t felt this good in a long time. This morning Reb Yosef approached me requesting that I should publish this story so that other people who have the same problem can benefit from the advice that was giving to me.

Take care and sleep well,
Anonymous.