Struggling to sleep?

Frequently, a common trigger for sleeping difficulties is stress and worry. Often you may find it difficult to switch off your anxieties about work, home or your personal problems. Some people are particularly vulnerable because they are more likely to show a more extreme response to stress, such as people who are depressed or chronically ill. Some symptoms of depression include: a low mood, lethargy, poor concentration, tearfulness or persistent negative thoughts. Depression is very common and often treatment of depression or anxiety cures the poor sleep too.

Other common causes include working shifts, environmental noise, too much caffeine, drinking too much alcohol or the side effects of medication. Any physical illness or injury which causes pain can keep you awake or disrupt sleep. Other illnesses such as hot flushes or urinary or prostrate problems can cause night-time waking. As you would expect, insomnia is much more common in older people.

Unfortunately once a sleep problems occurs, it may then be exacerbated by your own behaviours and worries. You then get into a cycle of worrying about the effect that lack of sleep will have on you, start counting how many hours you have left before you have to get up again, clock watch and ‘try harder’ to get to sleep, which in turn makes you more anxious and makes sleep more difficult to achieve. Or you may sleep in late which can disrupt your natural rhythm, take daytime naps or use medicines or alcohol in the belief that this will help (most induce unnatural sleep patterns).

You can try simple things like winding down before bedtime, avoiding certain foods and drinks (avoiding stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol). Also, getting more exercise during the day, having a warm milky drink before bed, and herbs such as valerian and camomile can help. Make sure your bedroom is dark and cool, then try to follow a set routine. This could involve going to sleep and getting up at the same time as well as avoiding daytime naps. Also don’t work or watch TV in your bedroom.

Sleeping tablets are not the best way to help with sleep problems because you can get addicted to them, and they often stop working if you take them regularly.

They may be prescribed by your GP for short-term use only, when the cause of insomnia has been identified as bereavement or jet lag, for example.

However, it’s usually more important to address any underlying cause of the insomnia and then attempt to restore a normal sleep pattern through changes in behaviour and lifestyle.

Each individuals sleeping patterns and experiences are different, and therapy can be tailored to the individual, however some general themes or areas that are covered in the Readymade recording and would also be covered in a 1:! session are below.

Relaxation : to help you to reduce stress and tension and get off to sleep at night, as well as helping you back to sleep if you wake up during the night.

Understanding and changing negative thought patterns which can help you to worry less.

Providing help with any underlying issues you may be having that are causing the insomnia (e.g. past regrets, self love, fear of unknown, worries about others).

Here is more information on sleep issues and how hypnotherapy can help, via the National Council for Hypnotherapy site. (opens in new window)