For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a night owl. School nights, work nights, weekends… it didn’t matter. I was always up late.
One of the reasons I actually enjoy my shift is that I work late (until 2AM), but when I clock out, it’s still dark. I get home, and it still feels like nighttime. The problem was, I never really wound down. I’d lay in bed, exhausted, staring at the ceiling thinking about everything, or sometimes just thinking about why I couldn’t fall asleep in the first place. That was my normal.
Recently, I had the opportunity to try Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy and it’s no exaggeration to say it changed my life. I don’t struggle to fall asleep anymore. I’ve been doing TMS for about a month, and for the first time in my life, my sleep schedule feels normal. I get home, hit the pillow, and I’m out. On top of that, I’ve been having vivid dreams almost every night; something that hardly ever used to happen.
Before TMS, mornings were brutal. It didn’t matter if I had two hours of sleep or twenty-two, I’d wake up feeling like absolute shit. Since starting treatment, I actually wake up refreshed. I don’t feel like death when I roll out of bed. I don’t dread the day. I wake up and feel… normal. Conveniently, it’s bow season right now, and I’ve been getting up early to hunt almost every morning without issue. Alarm goes off, I’m up. A few months ago, that would’ve been impossible.
Daytime drowsiness was another struggle. No matter how much sleep I got, I often felt drained. While I still have the occasional sluggish day (because, let’s be real, I’m human), it’s rare now. Most days I feel alert and capable.
TMS hasn’t just helped my sleep. It’s also helped with my anxiety and depression. I used to dwell on the smallest things, letting them consume me until I melted down inside. Now? I can acknowledge them, process them, and move on. No spiral, no overthinking loop. Just clarity. That’s not to say I still don’t have my moments. TMS isn’t a cure-all. But it definitely helps me process my laundry list of thoughts so I’m not dwelling on them.
If you struggle with sleep, anxiety, depression, PTSD, or even alcoholism, I’d recommend giving TMS a try. I can’t speak much on the alcohol side since I’ve never been a big drinker, but for sleep and anxiety, it’s been nothing short of life-changing.
And to be fair, I get the skepticism. Hell, I was the biggest skeptic. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a “see it to believe it” kind of guy. The only reason I gave TMS a shot was because I kept seeing good reviews… but to me, it looked no different than snake oil. Now that I’ve experienced it firsthand, I’m a believer.
TMS is a non-invasive way of stimulating your brain with magnetic pulses. It’s not “shock therapy,” but it does activate areas of the brain that are usually underactive. I’m no scientist, so don’t ask me for the jargon, but basically TMS helps balance brainwave activity. It sounds weird, I know, but trust me… it works. Don’t ask me why, just know that it does. The best part is, is that treatment is only a month. People with really severe symptoms sometimes do it a second time, but the success rate after a month of treatment is high. The person that operates the machine told me that healthy lifestyle habits generally improve TMS’ overall effectiveness. So here’s to being healthy!
Next week I’ve got a follow-up EEG to compare my brainwave output from before I started treatment. Again, I can’t explain the science, but the gist is: more output = healthier brain activity.
Needless to say, I’m sold. I feel more balanced, more mentally clear, and my sleep is better than it’s ever been. If you’ve got questions about TMS, hit me up! I’ll answer them the best I can. Just don’t expect a clinical breakdown from a doctor; you’ll be getting the “regular guy who went through it” version.
Peace.
For a Thought 
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