We live in a fast-moving world these days. Even in the midst of a pandemic when we weren’t physically moving around as much as we might have in the past, our minds were certainly racing.
Mental distractions and anxiety can play a huge role in our ability to relax, let things go, and at some point drift off into a peaceful sleep.
When you have an overwhelming sense of unease, feel stressed, are filled with worry, or just can’t clear your mind from a never-ending stream of consciousness sleep can feel as unattainable as touching a bonafide unicorn.
Insomnia: The Facts
Insomnia affects approximately one-third of the UK population at one time or another.
The onset of insomnia can be for any number of reasons.
For chronic insomnia, these include stress, travel or work schedules, poor sleep habits, and eating late at night.
Acute insomnia can be related to mental health disorders, medications, sleep disorders, caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. For many women, menopause causes severe hormonal fluctuations that impact sleep quality.
What Can Help Me Sleep Better?
In the short term natural or prescribed sleeping medication can help, but this isn’t something you really want to be relying on long term. People can become dependent on them and they can actually exacerbate insomnia when used excessively.
Apps that purport to improve sleep and relaxation are a harmless alternative to try and can work for some people experiencing the occasional sleepless night, but they may not be effective for someone who has chronic insomnia.
Developing a sound and consistent pre-bedtime ritual is also useful to establish good sleeping habits.
We naturally lower our body temperature when we fall asleep, so a warm bath can mimic that temperature drop that can encourage drowsiness.
Switching off digital devices is extremely important. Use the tools your devices have that lower the brightness and make use of reminders available that you should be getting ready for bed and going offline. Digital devices are highly stimulating and can dramatically impact your ability to relax and let the day's events go.
Many think that having that glass of wine to unwind will help them sleep, but alcohol disrupts your natural brainwaves that allow for a restful sleep. It reduces the amount of time spent in REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement) which is the more restorative state of sleep our bodies need.
You would be better to reach for a glass of milk or to make a lettuce sandwich, lettuce contains high levels of Lactucin and Lactucarium which makes you sleepy, relieves mild pain and promotes relaxation. Milk contains Tryptophan which improves both sleep and mood (especially in older people) as it is plays an important role in the production of serotonin and melatonin.
We are often told if you are tossing and turning all night to just get up and do something productive. Watch a program, read a book. You will eventually get drowsy and fall asleep. But this shouldn’t be a recurring thing. If it becomes a habit then you should seek help to remedy the sleepless situation.
Hypnotherapy is a valuable therapy that can reassuringly assist you in your quest for a restful night’s sleep long term.
How Can Sleep Hypnotherapy Help Me?
Just like all hypnotherapy works on the principle of therapeutic suggestion it can encourage a client to feel less anxious about sleep and follow a sound sleep schedule as well as pre-sleep ritual.
Hypnotherapy can help you reprogram your mind to orient your thoughts and emotions to a more constructive and conducive place that encourages deep sleep.
Being a non-invasive and drug-free alternative it has great appeal as an alternative treatment that precludes dependency and overreliance on foreign substances.
Hypnotherapy is safe and can be tailored to every individual based on their needs and sleep experiences.
If you are interested in learning more about how hypnotherapy could assist you to achieve peaceful and restorative sleep while reducing stress and the worries of daily life get in touch with Sally Davies for an informal chat or book a consultation.
Sally Davies D.Hyp, PDCHyp, MBSCH
Tel: 07515 991599
Blog by Allison Cruise for My Calm Life
Photos by Anita Jankovic
and Mpho Mojapelo on Unsplash
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