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The insomnia club is not one I begged to join! (I bet you didn’t, either.)

I am a certified sleep coach, trained life coach, health writer, and author of four books on brain function, personal energy, and Restful Insomnia.

But the foundation of my work drives me.

I’m passionate about helping people so they have peaceful nights and a life that renews them – even in a stressful world. And that usually starts with sleep, because if you’re struggling to rest, you don’t have the energy to be much of anywhere.

In the beginning: stressful nights and exhausted days

More than 15 years ago, I had an intense bout of chronic insomnia that lasted for over a year. I know some of you have suffered for much longer, but that steeped me in the sleep-deprived life.

I woke most nights around 2 or 3 AM and was up for hours. It wasn’t PMS, peri-menopause, or anxiety. I was just awake.

None of the cures I tried helped – or if they did, it was just a night or two.

Nothing helped – not strict sleep habits, not exercising in the morning, not magnesium, sleepy teas, melatonin… not nothin’!

I felt trapped. Seemed like all I could do was:

  • Stay in bed and hunger for sleep
  • Get up to try do something useful, or
  • Take meds.

I might have gone that last option but even over-the-counter sleep aids made me spacey the next morning.

Actually, I was already spacey… my days after insomnia were the pits. I was cranky, zoned out, had serious blues, and wouldn’t even have made the playoffs if there were a Mom World Series.

Sondra Kornblatt

Practicing returning to myself

Fortunately, after a few months of insomnia, since I was up anyway, I started practicing at night what I was exploring – things like noticing energy in my body, visualization, meditation (I had absolutely no concentration, but I liked the moments of letting go).

And I discovered deep rest. Deep rest changed my whole experience of sleepless nights… and even my days. It reduced the struggle of sleepless nights, helped me be myself, with better health and energy, and opened the door to restful sleep.

But what was deep rest, and how do you access it? I had plenty of time to explore rest during that remaining chronic insomnia journey, over a year.

I created tools, approaches, perspectives, physical changes to access deep rest. I discovered that while I still preferred sleep, I could manage insomnia and even befriend my nights when I couldn’t sleep. And that became the foundation of Restful Insomnia.

In the years since then, I’ve added many new skills and perspectives. and used them to create more tools to help when sleep won’t come.

The long bout of chronic insomnia is gone (I’m glad for that, I love sleep as much as anyone), but insomnia still perks its head up, from time to time.

The thing is, insomnia is no longer a problem – even during emotionally stressful times in my life. I trust my ability to replenish at night, align with myself, and welcome sleep without the impossibility of chasing it, and I love bringing that to my clients as well.

My background

I’ve been part of both traditional and innovative/ alternative realms, which allows me to know the “box” and think outside it as well.

I mentioned that I am a certified sleep coach and author of four health books, but my interest in healing goes way back. My degree focused on counseling and community affairs, and I graduated the Coaches Training Institute, one of the few programs certified by the International Coach Federation. I’ve also worked for many years at Group Health Medical Cooperative (which is now Kaiser Permanente).

In addition to sleep coach, my other certifications include hypnosis and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). I’ve avidly studied many personal development modes and communication, such as meditation, yoga, energy psychology, somatic body healing, Reiki, and more.

Writing my four books (on brain function, personal energy, and Restful Insomnia) helped me to research and verify new cutting edge healing modes. And I also understood more deeply how brain function affects sleep and rest.

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

I’ve combined everything I’ve learned – and still learn  – to help those struggling with sleep, struggling to live their (as Oprah says) best lives.

I’ve worked with sleep doctors on Restful Insomnia, who’ve confirmed that this is a powerful program to soothe difficult nights and create the inner environment for sleep. I provide coaching, online and in-person classes, online training, and speaking.

It gives me ginormous joy to help people find a new way to manage insomnia and their alignment with life. I’m curious about how we can build your path to nightly rest… all so you can live your fullest life.

Contact me for a free consultation. We’ll assess your insomnia and explore how you can become aligned with your nights and life.

Truths and a lie*

  • I have two adult kids, one of whom has led me all over the world with her Ultimate (frisbee).
  • I am a four on the Enneagram (and a Pisces, though I’m not as into astrology).
  • I love to make fabric arts, like beaded embroidery and knitting. But I never make more than one of the same – hat, shopping bag, or mobius strip scarf.
  • I was a cat person until my kids begged me to adopt Sadie. She was the sweetest dog in the world (a cat in a dog’s body?) and I miss her.
  • I have autographs from Gilda Radner, Idris Elba*, and Lily Tomlin.
  • While doing Zumba feels like I’m about to be cut from cheerleader tryouts — I can out-dance most people.