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Anafer believed that she was born with insomnia. Sleep was a problem for her for as long as she could remember. Being very health-conscious, she spent many of her adolescent years focused on improving her sleep.

After years of doing her own research, speaking with health professionals, and taking various supplements and prescription pills, Anafer's insomnia was becoming unbearable.

After graduating from college, Anafer decided she needed to address her sleep issues before starting her career in dietetics. Two years ago, she came across my online coaching course and is now here to share her transformation and the ups and downs she experienced on her journey to better sleep and restored sleep confidence.

As a nutritionist, Anafer's goal is to help people obtain a healthy lifestyle without the added stress of dieting. Fortunately, she no longer has to contend with the added stress of thinking and worrying about sleep!

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Martin Reed:
Welcome to the Insomnia Coach Podcast. My name is Martin Reed. I believe that nobody needs to live with chronic insomnia and that evidence-based cognitive and behavioral techniques can help you enjoy better sleep for the rest of your life.

Martin Reed:
The content of this podcast is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. The statements and opinions expressed by guests are their own and are not necessarily endorsed by Insomnia Coach LLC. All content is provided "as is" and without warranties, either express or implied.

Martin Reed:
Okay, Anafer thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to come onto the podcast.

Anafer Barrera:
No problem.

Martin Reed:
So let's start right at the beginning. When did your sleep problems first began? What was it that you think caused your initial issues with sleep?

Anafer Barrera:
I'm pretty sure I was born with sleep issues because for as long as I remember, I was always the last person to go to sleep and my parents also suffer from sleep problems and they've been on pills for as long as they can remember. I was pretty certain it was by birth.

Martin Reed:
It sounds it's just something that goes back for as long as you can remember it, you just always had this sleep disruption. It was just part of who you are. Is that right?

Anafer Barrera:
Yeah.

Martin Reed:
So what'd you find the sleep disruption would just be every night or would it just be bursts where you'd just go through a few weeks of sleep disruption, things would get back on track and then you'd go back to struggling again. What was the pattern like?

Anafer Barrera:
It had no pattern. When I was a kid, I would have a random anxiety at night and I would be up all night panicking that I didn't want to go to bed. And then when I would go to camps, every time I'd go to some camp or a vacation with a friend or something, it would be the first night was an all nighter pretty much, even if I was in second grade or if I was a teenager and then the second night was iffy and then after that I would almost got used to it and sleep just everybody else. Then when I went off to college, I would have weeks of episodes and then something random would just let it go back to normal a...