Both quantity and quality of sleep is essential! Fatigue has become an endemic condition in our modern 24 hour society, where TV makes people go to bed late, and alarm clocks make people get up early to meet the demands of their busy lives.
All of us have experienced extended periods of insufficient sleep, for example, we study for exams, work long hours, wake up to children, go out late at night. Inappropriate sleep can also cause fatigue. About one in five people have problems falling asleep or sleeping through an entire night. Further, even some of those who sleep through the night do not really get a good night’s rest. More than half do not feel refreshed and wide awake in the morning.
More and more research has been conducted on the subject of sleep and it is now generally recognized that both quantity and quality of sleep are essential for our overall health. For example the sleep process oscillates between rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep states. During REM sleep our bodies experience accelerated respiration, increased brain activity, rapid eye movement and muscle relaxation.
It is a fascinating phenomenon that the more you try to sleep the further you drive sleep away and the converse is even stranger – you are more likely to fall asleep when you try to stay awake.
Insomnia can be caused through excessive worry and too many things on the mind. It can also be a result of having trouble simply switching off from the day and allowing yourself enough relaxation time to begin your journey into sleep.
You may on the other hand, had no problem getting to sleep, but you wake up during the night and are then unable to get back to sleep, endlessly tossing and turning and getting worked up about the need to return to sleep.
Perhaps you have disturbing dreams and nightmares that result in broken sleep and leave you feeling in the morning as if you haven’t slept a wink.
Of course, physical pain in the body can be a contributing factor leading to insomnia. If this is the case for you, then that is something to discuss with your GP and doctor.
Practical things to encourage good sleep patterns.
- Avoid alcohol just before you retire, it may help you get to sleep, but it will also wake you up later in the night as your liver processes it. Your quality of sleep won’t be as good if you use alcohol.
- The bedroom should be for sex and sleep. Doing work, accounts or watching TV will create an association of alertness in what should be your sleeping area. Make your bedroom a place to shut out the concerns of the day.
- Avoid any stimulants such as tea, coffee, or hot chocolate after 6:00 pm, it’s important that you have a wind down period before going to bed.
- Vigorous exercise such as aerobics or jogging needs to be completed at least three hours before going to bed: this allows your body the chance to return to a normal state and to relax.
- Very important is to stop watching TV or surfing the net at least an hour before bedtime as these activities act as a stimulants.
Things to actively encourage deep sleep.
- Try having a small carbohydrate snack before you go to bed. Having biscuits or cookies or warm milk with no sugar, will stimulate the body to release serotonin, a monoamine neurotransmitter, which encourages slow wave deep sleep.
- Hot bathes can also be helpful, because in order to sleep bodies need to be cool. The cooling process after a bath will encourage sleepiness.
- Ensure your bedroom is comfortably cool and also dark.
- darkness encourages a brain chemical called melatonin which promotes sleep.
- if you get up in the night don’t switch bright lights on, because this will encourage your brain to respond as if the sun were coming up, and promote a waking state
- Don’t sleep in during the day, sleep needs to be exclusive to night times and sleeping during the day will drive out night time sleep.
Counselling is a gentle and self paced way in which the counsellor can help unravel the underlying causes of your disturbed sleeping patterns and bring to your awareness the way through, empowering you in the process.
Naturally, hypnosis can help provide you with the technique of being able to switch off from the worry, to relax and allow the natural restorative processes of sleep to be activated and accessed. We will work with you to train your mind and body to relax deeply. With our help and your own practice and dedication natural deep and refreshing sleep will begin to develop as a happy side effect.
Andrew who operates the Thinkshift Clinic in Brighton East, Melbourne can assist with overcoming insomnia. You could also attend a meditation group if you are willing, or listen to a “Hypnosis for Insomnia MP3” which would be a proactive way to start the healing process.
We look forward to helping you.
Andrew Reay is a Professional Counsellor and Hypnotherapist in St Kilda and Moorabbin who can help you find a better way of sleeping and beat that insomnia.
Article by Nancy Palmer that puts hypnosis under a new spotlight, away from Quitting Smoking and Weight Loss – and sheds light on a technique that is being increasingly used among business types desperate to overcome financial stress.
In this issue of the Thinkshift Bulletin we present