A surprising solution helped Lisa feel rested, energetic and stress-free
Battling insomnia for more than a decade, Lisa Doggett, M.D., tried everything from prescription medication to acupuncture to get a good night’s sleep. But just when she’d given up hope of ever feeling rested, the physician found a surprising solution: mindfulness meditation!
Lisa Doggett lay in bed, her eyes trained on her bedside clock. She’d been watching the minutes tick by for hours. I’m going to be exhausted in the morning, the Austin, Texas, family physician and mother of two sighed wearily. Please, let me fall asleep soon, she prayed. Lisa had been suffering from insomnia for more than a decade, and the lack of sleep not only left her groggy and irritable, it also affected her health. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2009 at age 35, Lisa battled relentless dizziness, which worsened when she didn’t get enough rest. As she tossed and turned, Lisa’s worry about how she’d get through the day ahead grew, and the more she stressed, the harder it was to fall asleep. I can’t go on this way, she anguished.
Searching for sleep
Over the years, Lisa had tried a variety of sleep-inducing remedies, like acupuncture and Chinese herbs. When they didn’t help, she’d desperately turned to prescription sleep medication. It had worked— so well that Lisa quickly became addicted to the drug. As a doctor, she’d recognized that she was headed for trouble and slowly weaned herself off the medicine. Still, afraid she’d doze off behind the wheel or in a meeting, Lisa charged herself up each morning with caffeine. But while it jolted her awake, caffeine also exacerbated her dizziness. Now what? she thought, fearing she’d run out of options. Then in the fall of 2014, two physician friends suggested that she try mindfulnessbased stress-reduction meditation. “That won’t work for me!” Lisa scoffed, as her colleagues explained it’s a simple practice all about focusing on the present moment. “I once tried a yoga class that incorporated some meditation,” Lisa told them. “But the whole time, I just ran through my grocery list in my head.” But with her life and health slowly unraveling, Lisa realized she had nothing to lose and signed up for an eight-week guided mindfulness meditation course.
A change of perspective
At the first session, class leader, Geeta Cowlagi, presented studies supporting the benefits of mindfulness meditation on physical, mental and emotional
—Tara Brach, PH.D. “Just a few minutes of mindfulness can release the tensions that interfere with sleep”
well-being, which helped give the practice a bit more scientific credibility for Lisa.
Still, Lisa remained skeptical that it could work for her. But when she shared her misgivings, Geeta reassured Lisa that mulling over her grocery list or a patient’s chart was a normal part of the process. “The moment you realize your mind has drifted is actually a mindful moment,” Greeta explained, and instructed Lisa to use the sound of her own breathing to refocus on the here and now when her thoughts started to wander.
During the weekly sessions, Geeta taught the class to use various techniques to help them relax and be present in the moment. One technique that Lisa found very helpful was a simple body scan, in which she systematically focused on each part of her body, from head to toe, releasing any tension she felt as she went along. Inch by inch, Lisa felt her stress melting away.
Maybe this really can work for me, she thought, a spark of hope filling her heart.
Along with the formal sessions, Lisa began practicing a few minutes of mindfulness meditation every morning and at bedtime. To her amazement, after just a few weeks, she realized that she was falling asleep—and staying asleep— every night and waking up feeling refreshed. She also experienced another unexpected benefit: Her dizziness had dramatically diminished!
Today, Lisa continues to practice mindfulness mediation for 10 minutes in the morning and again before going to bed. It keeps her sleeping like a baby, which makes her days more productive and enjoyable. “Not only do I sleep well, but my concentration has improved, I am less irritable and after caring for patients all day, I still have energy to have some fun with my two daughters,” marvels Lisa. “Mindfulness meditation gave me my life back. I am so glad I gave it a chance. I’ve never felt more rested, energetic and stress-free!”