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01/23/2026

Being a first responder comes with responsibility — and sometimes trauma.

Even after retirement, memories and experiences from your career can resurface:
• Repeated nightmares about the same event
• Avoiding sleep to prevent nightmares
• Waking in panic (short of breath, heart racing, sweating)

Nightmares aren’t just bad dreams — they’re your mind signaling unresolved experiences.

💡 Therapy skills learned in CBT-I can also be used to help reduce trauma-related sleep disruptions and teach strategies to regain restorative rest.

👉 Read our blog to learn how retired first responders can reclaim healthy sleep. https://teletherapymaryland.com/stuck-living-in-c-shift-insomnia-and-treatment-for-retired-first-responders

01/22/2026

Relaxation is easier said than done — and just because you’re retired doesn’t mean your brain knows how.

Here’s the truth:
• Relaxation strategies are active, not passive (deep breathing, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery)
• Lounging doesn’t mean your mind is relaxed — racing thoughts can still keep you awake
• Like sports, practice makes perfect — the more you practice relaxation, the more automatic it becomes

💡 CBT-I teaches practical skills so your body and mind know how to truly relax, even after years of shift work.

👉 Read the blog to learn step-by-step strategies to reclaim real relaxation. https://teletherapymaryland.com/stuck-living-in-c-shift-insomnia-and-treatment-for-retired-first-responders

01/21/2026

Retirement doesn’t automatically equal relaxation.

Many first responders find that after leaving the station, new stressors appear:
• Feeling lost or bored
• Missing purpose or productivity
• Adjusting to a new routine

Even activities like golfing, reading, or traveling are enjoyable — but they don’t always activate the rest-and-digest parasympathetic system your body needs to truly relax.

💡 Active relaxation strategies — like deep breathing, meditation, or guided imagery — help calm your body and mind so sleep can finally come easier.

👉 Read the blog to learn how CBT-I helps retired first responders reclaim real relaxation and rest. https://teletherapymaryland.com/stuck-living-in-c-shift-insomnia-and-treatment-for-retired-first-responders

01/20/2026

Ever feel like your brain turns on when your body finally wants sleep?

Insomnia often isn’t about lack of tiredness — it’s about overthinking.

At 3 a.m., you might be worrying about:
• Work
• Bills
• Relationships
• “What if” scenarios

People with insomnia often clock-watch, calculating how much sleep they might get if they fall asleep “right now.”

💡 CBT-I helps retrain the mind so racing thoughts don’t sabotage your sleep.

👉 Read the blog to learn how CBT-I can calm your mind and help you actually rest.
https://teletherapymaryland.com/stuck-living-in-c-shift-insomnia-and-treatment-for-retired-first-responders

01/19/2026

Your body has an internal clock — and it doesn’t care about your shift schedule.

Your circadian rhythm runs on a roughly 24-hour cycle and helps regulate when you feel awake and when you feel sleepy.

When you work overnight or 24-hour shifts, you’re often awake during your body’s usual sleep window — and trying to sleep when your body expects to be alert.

That mismatch can make falling asleep, staying asleep, or feeling rested much harder — even when you’re exhausted.

💡 This is why insomnia isn’t a willpower problem. It’s a rhythm problem.

👉 In CBT-I, we don’t just talk about sleep — we actively retrain this internal clock.

📌 Follow along as we break down what CBT-I actually does next. https://teletherapymaryland.com/stuck-living-in-c-shift-insomnia-and-treatment-for-retired-first-responders

01/16/2026

Ever feel exhausted all day… then wide awake at bedtime?

That’s where sleep drive comes in.

Think of sleep drive like a gas tank:
• In the morning, the tank is full (low need for sleep)
• As the day goes on, the tank empties
• At bedtime, it should be empty — ready for sleep

But naps, dozing, or “just resting your eyes” during the day can refill the tank just enough to make falling asleep harder at night.

For people with insomnia — especially after years of shift work — sleep drive often isn’t working the way it should.

👉 Read the blog to learn how CBT-I helps reset sleep drive so your body knows when it’s time to sleep. https://teletherapymaryland.com/stuck-living-in-c-shift-insomnia-and-treatment-for-retired-first-responders

📌 Follow for the next post where we explain circadian rhythm and your internal clock.

01/15/2026

If you’re in bed for 8 hours but still feel exhausted — this might be why.

Sleep isn’t one solid block. It moves through stages, and each one serves a different purpose.

Here’s the short version:
• REM sleep → dreaming, emotional processing (more common later in the night)
• Non-REM sleep → physical restoration
• N1 (light sleep) → easy to wake, not refreshing
• N2 (deeper sleep) → you know you were asleep
• N3 (deep sleep) → the most restorative stage

For people with insomnia — especially after years of shift work — sleep often gets stuck in lighter stages with frequent awakenings. That’s why you can be in bed all night and still feel wiped out.

👉 Read the blog to learn how CBT-I helps restore healthy sleep cycles. https://teletherapymaryland.com/stuck-living-in-c-shift-insomnia-and-treatment-for-retired-first-responders

📌 Follow for the next post where we explain why waking up at night is normal — and when it’s not.

01/14/2026

Ever lie awake staring at the ceiling so long it feels like you’re on another planet?

In The Martian, the solution wasn’t hope — it was science. And chronic insomnia works the same way.

Sleep isn’t random. It’s biological. Predictable. Governed by systems that can be retrained.

In our latest blog, Dr. Christina Pimble breaks down the science behind sleep and how CBT-I uses that science to treat insomnia — not just cope with it.

🧠 Sleep is a basic human need, like food and water. When it’s disrupted for years (hello, shift work), your body doesn’t just “figure it out” on its own.

👉 Read the blog to learn how sleep actually works — and why CBT-I is effective. https://teletherapymaryland.com/stuck-living-in-c-shift-insomnia-and-treatment-for-retired-first-responders

📌 Follow along as we unpack sleep science in plain language.

01/13/2026

“Therapy is too expensive.”

We hear this a lot — often from people who spend money every day on things that help them cope, unwind, or get through the day.

Think about your regular investments:
• Daily coffee
• Gym membership or personal training
• Massages, hobbies, golf, or social clubs

Those matter. But so does your mental health — and your sleep affects it every single day.

CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) is:
• Evidence-based
• The gold-standard treatment for insomnia
• Skill-based (you keep the tools long after therapy ends)

You’ve tried everything else. This treats the system that’s keeping you awake.

👉 Read the blog to learn why CBT-I is worth the investment. https://teletherapymaryland.com/stuck-living-in-c-shift-insomnia-and-treatment-for-retired-first-responders

01/12/2026

“I’d give anything for a good night’s sleep.”

We hear this all the time — especially from first responders who’ve already tried everything:
• New mattress
• Pillows and bedding
• Sound machines and air purifiers
• Sleep medication

Those are purchases. But what about an investment — one that actually retrains your sleep?

CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) is a structured, evidence-based treatment that addresses the root causes of insomnia — not just the symptoms.

👉 Read the blog to learn why CBT-I works when other sleep fixes don’t. https://teletherapymaryland.com/stuck-living-in-c-shift-insomnia-and-treatment-for-retired-first-responders

📌 Follow along — we’re breaking down what real sleep treatment looks like for first responders.

01/09/2026

Insomnia isn’t just about feeling exhausted — it affects how you function, think, and cope.

For first responders, poor sleep doesn’t stay in the bedroom. It shows up in your mood, your health, your focus, and your reactions.

Chronic insomnia is linked to:
• Depression and anxiety
• Heart and cardiovascular issues
• Weakened immune system
• Weight changes
• Difficulty managing stress
• Increased day-to-day errors and accidents
• Memory and concentration problems

This isn’t about willpower. It’s about what years of disrupted sleep do to the brain and body.

👉 Read the full blog to understand why this happens — and what actually helps. https://teletherapymaryland.com/stuck-living-in-c-shift-insomnia-and-treatment-for-retired-first-responders

📌 Follow along as we continue breaking this down for first responders.

01/08/2026

The shifts may be over — but your body didn’t just reset.

Years of 24-on / 48-off schedules train your nervous system to stay alert when it should be resting. Even in retirement, your brain may still be operating like the next call is coming.

Shift work forces the body to be awake when it’s biologically programmed for sleep — and that disruption can last years after the job ends.

In our latest blog, Dr. Christina Pimble explains why insomnia often continues after retirement and what actually helps your body relearn a healthy sleep rhythm.

👉 Read the blog: https://teletherapymaryland.com/stuck-living-in-c-shift-insomnia-and-treatment-for-retired-first-responders

📌 If this sounds familiar, follow along — we’re breaking this down step by step.

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