Multiple Reports of Relief from Sleep Problems
Multiple Reports of Relief from Sleep Problems
The names of the clients have been changed to protect their identity.
Sally attended only one class though she paid for three classes. Her friend who referred her to me emailed “Sally said she is so happy with the results from one session with you and how much better she is sleeping that she doesn’t feel she needs to come back. Your technique is so simple and so effective. Everyone should know it.” ..........Sally
Mary explained in her email “I have also been using the breathing technique you shared with me at night. I am falling asleep much more quickly. The other night, I slept completely through the night, for the first time in years! 🙂 Thank you!”
She visited me to set up my seminars as part of adult education classes for some school districts. I gave her my handouts. At the end, in just 5 minutes, I demonstrated the folding mode (folding one finger at a time and counting three breaths) and also made her practice it on one hand. She was open to practicing the technique and enjoying its benefits of better sleep right away! ..........Mary was an adult education professional of a school district.
Jessica attended my seminar at the Castleton library in March 2014 (Last name deleted). On receiving my e-mail of Annual Update 2015 in January, her memory of sound sleep after the library seminar prompted her to relearn it to get over her chronic insomnia. It shows once again, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears”. The potential of ‘focusing on breathing’ tailored to the individual, is amazing.
“C S is a life-saver and helped me tremendously with both my stress and insomnia. I would fall asleep completely exhausted and would wake up after about 4 hours of sleep, to use the bathroom. After that, I would toss and turn for hours, never falling back asleep. The more sleep I lost, the more stressed I would get and even more anxious. All of this lead to my depression. A vicious cycle which even medicine wasn’t helping to alleviate. After taking a brief class of C S at the library, I remembered how great I slept that night, after the class.
I contacted C S and he immediately set me up for an appointment. We worked together on the ‘Tip mode’ and I practiced that for the week. Still having some difficulty with falling back to sleep the next week, we worked on the ‘Segment mode’. This was the cure-all! It has been the medicine I have needed, for a long time. This method helps me relax and fall back to sleep without spending hours, tossing and turning. The more sleep I am getting the less anxious I am and less stressed. My relationships with both my children and my husband are so much better too. I am not yelling like I was nor am I downright miserable either. I am my old self again, thanks to CS’s segment mode.
C S takes all of the time in the world, to help you and would check on me throughout the week, both by email and phone calls. He has a genuine heart and an even bigger desire, to bring peace to our world. May sitting at red lights bring you as much peace as it has brought to me (When waiting at a stop light, don’t watch the moving vehicles or read the signs on them. Instead, keep staring at the red light and count your breaths, till it turns green). C S, you are one in a million.”
Amy attended my seminar at the East Greenbush Community Library, followed by 4 of my classes.
“I’ve been meaning to let you know how helpful the workshops I took with you were and still are. I have been using your ‘counting breaths’ method to help me sleep for the last 2 years. Whenever I have trouble falling asleep, I begin to become aware of my breathing. Just the relaxed way you taught me. And I count and use the Tip mode. It’s amazing! It clears my mind of all other thoughts. I begin to relax, and after a short while, I fall asleep. I also find the relaxed breathing you encouraged me to do before getting out of bed, helps me start the day with a more relaxed attitude and I am less anxious”.
Report from a client aged 52 who attended three of my classes over 3 weeks. He picked up the techniques very quickly, practiced in all earnestness and derived remarkable benefits in just 3 weeks. When I see improvement achieved by such people, I get the thought “How many people are suffering from not knowing these simple techniques or similar ones? Should we not teach them in school and college?”.
His responses to my standard questions are here.
What were the issues which prompted you do the classes?
(1) Insomnia: I have sleep apnea and using CPAP machine. I had a hard time falling asleep . I was waking up 2- 3 times in the night.
(2) How to manage stress.
(3) Managing anger (as it affected my relationship with my fiancée)
What techniques have you learned and practiced and at what times?
I practiced ‘Counting mode’ primarily, the ‘Segment mode’ or the ‘Tip mode’. I also practice the ‘Staring mode’ when at a red light. I find myself being disappointed when the light turns green, as it interrupts my breathing practice . I also use the feeling mode sometimes when at work. I do the ‘waking up routine’. After returning from work, I lie down on the carpet with a yoga mat under just below the knee and complete four hands using the ‘Segment mode’ (1). I do the going the ‘bed routine’ every night.
What improvements have you noticed in mind, body and relationships?
My insomnia has improved dramatically. In just the three weeks practicing these techniques, I have only woken up once in the middle of the night and I fall asleep much faster. I’m much more patient in circumstances where I’m usually impatient such as waiting at a red light. I feel much more relaxed. Especially after coming home from work and doing the after work routine. I feel incredibly relaxed after that, like all the day’s tension has gone.
It has improved my relationship with my fiancé. I’m much calmer in situations where normally I would react in anger or feel tension rising within me. Instead of responding back to her in anger and frustration, I try ways such as telling her that I appreciate her feedback but I get negative feelings when she expresses it to me in that manner. This has worked in preventing the situation from escalating. I try not to feed the fire.
Feedback from a young Engineer who just completed his masters and looking for a job. Seeing the great distress he was in, his friend, a patient of my daughter Padma Sripada (1) asked me to help him. He did three classes at frequent intervals, as he was to leave Albany shortly. He learned the basic techniques – ‘Waiting for sleep’ , ‘Waking up routine’, ‘Stretching for beginners’, ‘Loosening exercises of Yoga’. After he left Albany, I am continuing to work with him by periodic phone and e-mail contacts.
“Using ‘Focusing on breathing’ techniques helped me handle insomnia and anxiety in a better way. For a long time, I always got anxious during those situations where I had to deliver my best, to achieve success. Unknowingly, I was getting anxious, failed to control my anxiety and over stressed myself. Due to chronic high stress level, I lost my daily routine and had very poor sleep. I became restless, could not focus and concentrate on anything and failed to perform even minor tasks which were easily handled by me, during stress free times. I figured out that I had to get back to good sleep routine to help my mind and body. Even after knowing this fact, no matter what I did, I could not help myself to get sleep, for more than an hour or two at night.
I was advised by my friend, to meet Mr. Suryanarayana Chennapragada (C S). He carefully listened my problem and analyzed my situation with great patience. Later the same day, he walked me through his ‘focusing on breathing’ techniques, one by one. His breathing techniques are “very simple to learn and adapt”. That night I practiced the techniques lying on the bed. After a week of sleeplessness nights, I finally had a good night sleep. During three more sessions, Mr. C.S taught me how to use the breathing techniques in various combinations. As per his strong advice, I consulted a Doctor who prescribed a medication to bring my anxiety under control quickly. I am continuing both medication and breathing practices. My long term goal is to completely depend on breathing practices, rather than medication. I totally believe it is possible. I thank Mr. C S for his “patience and dedication”.
Remarkable feedback from a client Daw (not her real name), one week after attending my first class. She is an immigrant from Burma. She lived in a refugee camp in Thailand before coming to the US. She has limited vocabulary in English and is attending language classes. She was brought to me by a friend who helps her in many ways as a volunteer. Daw was suffering from severe insomnia for the last 8 years, able to sleep for only 2 to 5 hours. My friend came to know from her previous conversations with Daw that she was kept awake thinking about her old life and people in the refugee camp in Thailand before she came to the US and the struggles of her family here.
What did she learn in the class?
In view of Daw’s language limitation, I demonstrated only the ‘Folding finger mode’ to her, asking her to join me in practicing it on one hand and then the other. Then I asked her to close her eyes and practice this mode on her own, completing both hands. I was watching. She practiced perfectly. I suggested to her to practice this mode when she lied down in the bed and wanted to sleep. I also demonstrated the ‘waking up postures phase I’ and suggested to try them in the morning, lying on the bed, eyes closed when she wakes up.
When did she practice it?
Daw practiced it every night and also on waking up in the morning.
How did it help her?
Just after a week of practicing the ‘Folding mode’, Daw said that she enjoyed uninterrupted sleep for 10 hours! She was sleeping from 9 in the night to 7 in the morning. Unbelievable! When I asked her about her thoughts and worries, she said with a smile “No thoughts. No worries.” Her face showed her relief and happiness.
My friend e-mailed these comments a day after the class
“I was amazed by the change I saw in Daw yesterday. She was very talkative with me in the car. Previously, when I visited her , sometimes she was too tired to talk. Some days, she really struggled to function at all. I think if she can continue to have success in sleeping, her life will be hugely improved. Daw said to me after yesterday’s session that she felt she had not thanked you properly. So can I say “Thank you” now, on her behalf? You have really made a difference in her life!”
Periodic updates
I try to get periodic updates for such beginners. In this case, my friend gets to meet or talk with Daw often. On my request, she e-mails her observations to me. I am thankful to her for these updates.
Jan 21 2013: “I saw Daw briefly on Jan 14 and asked her about her sleeping. She said, “Good, every night, good.”
Jan 31 2013: “Daw has once again asked me to let you know that she continues with “good sleeping, good eating, everything good!” She looks very well and happy.
Mar 7 2013: “Daw is still doing very well! She seems to have a very positive attitude about life at the moment, which is great. She is still sleeping well every night. I have been encouraging her to teach her 14-year old daughter the technique as she has to have a lot of dental treatment and she is nervous about it – the breathing should help her relax and make the procedures less scary.”
April 2 2013: Daw had a setback with her sleep. In the first class she was taught only the ‘folding mode’. She came for another class and learned the ‘Segment mode’ . After a week my friend reported that Daw was able to sleep well and did not need another class.
Oct 30 2013: “Daw is doing very well. Her domestic problems seem to be settled and when I see her she seems to be on top of everything and in a positive frame of mind. She often speaks of you warmly, and is appreciative of the help you gave her at a challenging time. Honestly, I don’t know if she continues to practice the breathing, but at least she has it as a resource if life gets difficult again.”
Lalitha practiced ‘Focusing on breathing’ by visiting this website and with a few tips from me over the phone. I met her along with her husband, by chance, at a party, as we were sitting at the same table. During casual talk with her husband, I told him about my activities. I told about ‘Focusing on breathing’ and this website helping people. He said his wife was suffering from insomnia and may be interested in it. I gave him the name of this web site. He gave me his business card. I called his wife about once a week, to address any questions she may have and suggest some tips. It is very satisfying to receive this remarkable feedback from her.
“I was suffering from insomnia since past few years. I practiced the ‘Segment mode’ of the breathing technique since past few months, as suggested by Mr. C.S. Rao (Suryanarayana Chennapragada). I have been practicing the technique at bedtime and after waking up in the morning. I find tremendous improvement in my sleeping pattern. I am able to sleep better and I no longer feel tired. I feel calm and relaxed the whole day. I strongly recommend this technique to everyone who has insomnia. I thank Mr C. S. Rao for developing these modes of breathing which will benefit lot of people.”
Updates on 2/6/13: “I am sleeping better these days. I am still doing the ‘segment mode’. I find a lot of improvement.”
Feedback from an African American client Christine (not her real name) who attended four of my classes over 5 weeks. She reported multiple problems when she came in. She absorbed the techniques and practiced them with all her heart. On my advice, she read most of my articles on Relationships (1). She came out of most problems in a surprisingly short time of 5 weeks.
“I was really stressed out on my job at a medical office, due to my boss. I had to always to prove myself and be constantly on the go. I could never stop to even think where I was and what I was working on. I learned in the classes how take breaths and relax more effectively in my daily life. The breathing techniques I have been using are the ‘Tip mode’ and the ‘Segment mode’, in the morning and night. I also do a lot of breathing during the day. Due to these practices, my body balance has changed and my mind has become so relaxed that nothing and no one stresses me. I am so calm even when dealing with others at work. My skin complexion has changed. I now have a bright glow in my face. I thank ‘C S’ (Suryanarayana Chennapragada) for helping me achieve total peace of mind.”
I had a personal interview with her to inquire about the several problems that she had but did not mention in her above feedback. She let me know their status as described below.
Stressful interactions with boss
Before: Her boss was very intimidating and being mean in his daily interactions with her as well as other employees. She used to take his words seriously to her heart and tried to respond to them in all earnestness. As nothing she said or did made any difference to his behavior she was getting angry and frustrated. She used to clench her jaws and grind her teeth.
Now: After practicing the breathing at bedtime and during her interactions with her boss, she stopped taking his mean style seriously. She listens to him and tells herself that he is the one who has the problem, not she. His verbally abusive behavior has nothing to do with her.
Jaw tension and Grinding of teeth
Reduced by 95%
Migraine pains
Before: Almost every day, lasting for 2 hours.
Now: Once in a while.
Shoulders puffed up
Before: Whenever she heard his mean words, which was every day.
Now: None, in spite of his behavior being same.
Hears everything in sleep
Before: In her sleep she used to hear all sounds around her. She used to wake up twice in the night.
Now: She sleeps undisturbed, till the alarm goes off. She does not hear any sounds. Recently her husband commented with a surprise that she was able to fall asleep even when the the TV was on.
Hours of sleep
Before: She used to sleep at 10 and wake up at 3 am and was not able to get sleep for at least 30 minutes, due to her racing mind.
Now: She sleeps undisturbed all through the night, till the alarm goes off at 6 am.
How she felt on waking up
Before: Felt exhausted
Now: Feels great.
Back pain and Neck pain
Now: She has them only slightly. To avoid neck pain she stopped holding the phone between her cheek and shoulder. Her chronic stress was straining her muscles in her jaws, neck, shoulders and back.
Feedback from Emily who attended 4 of my classes over last one and half months.
“I had some anxiety issues and sleep problems. I was looking for solutions for these issues not willing to take any medications. So, it was a blessing to come across the countingbreaths.com website and get to meet CS (Suryanarayana Chennapragada). I used to have headaches almost everyday, due to my anxiety. The more I worried about my headaches, the more intense they became. I had sleep problems as well. Once I got into bed, it used to take me about 3 hours to fall sleep. Thanks to the breathing techniques, those problems were fading away gradually. I use the ‘segment mode’ of the technique to fall sleep (1). Now it only takes me 10-15 minutes to fall asleep! Every time I feel a little stressed I use ‘counting mode’ (1). It helps me to feel more relaxed. The ‘911 technique’ (2) helped me to cope better with my anxiety issues. Since working with CS and using the techniques he has taught me, I feel I have a better quality of life. I feel great, no more anxiety, no more headaches and I sleep better!”
Feedback from a Software Engineer who attended three of my classes: “I am a software Engineer from India, working In USA with my wife and two young boys. I noticed some negative changes in my thinking in early Feb 2012 due to lot of stress about my residence status in this country and other personal issues. I was spending restless nights for 5 to 6 weeks without proper sleep. The lack of sleep caused depression. All my activities got disturbed – not interested in work, not enough money etc., affecting my family and my kids’ studies. Although I used medication for depression, I did not see noticeable change. I went back to India, slowly regained my health and returned to USA. After returning, I thought of taking some precautionary measures to manage stress. This made me a student of Suryanarayana Chennapragada (C S). The course I had undergone was “Counting Breaths” . It helps me focus better on my work and also improves my attitude. Now I am managing stress in my life very well, enjoying sound sleep and living peacefully. Now my physical and mental strength has improved and I am perfectly balanced in my life. Overall, I can say that these techniques consume less time and are valuable. I thank C S for guiding me in proper direction to overcome my difficulties.
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