×´Sleep is the best meditation.×´
The Dalai Lama
Sleep Disorders
Good sleep is essential for maintaining optimal mental and physical health because it is during sleep that the body and brain carry out critical restorative functions.
But for an estimated one in three people in the UK, or one in two over the age of 65, sleep becomes a dreaded battle. Restless tossing and turning, wakening in the early hours with little hope of getting back to sleep – it’s a description that is all too familiar to those who suffer from insomnia. It can be frustrating, depressing, stressful and can significantly impair health, work performance and quality of life.
Symptoms of Insomnia
So how do you know if you are not getting the amount of sleep that you need?
These are some clues:
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Difficulty falling asleep at night
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Relying on medication or alcohol to get to sleep
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Waking during the night and struggling to get back to sleep again
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Excessive tiredness and or low energy during the day
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Irritability, headaches, muscle tension, upset stomach and difficulty concentrating
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Increased worry and avoiding situations due to fatigue or fear of poor performance.
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Poor food choices ie more likely to grab unhealthy snacks.
Causes of Insomnia
It isn’t always possible to spot the root cause, but often it lies in the following:
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Stress and anxiety
Day to day stresses and worries can lead to difficulty sleeping as our thoughts race and churn over thoughts of the past day’s events and of what is to come in the future. Sometimes insomnia can persist even after the stressful event has resolved.
The brain has associated going to bed with being unable to sleep and this in turn results in more anxiety about sleeping.​
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Poor sleep hygiene.
Inconsistent bed times, use of electronic equipment running up to bedtime and limited time to relax naturally prior to going to bed.​
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Lifestyle factors
Excessive caffeine intake (found in coffee, tea and energy drinks), nicotine (a powerful stimulant found in cigarettes and cigarette substitutes), eating large meals close to bedtime, recreation drugs and shift working can all take their toll.
Evidence suggests that alcohol significantly reduces the quality of your sleep, leaving you even more tired and stressed the following day.
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Physical and mental health conditions
Including pain and some types of medication.
How can solution focused hypnotherapy help you ?
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Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can address the underlying causes of insomnia and promote better sleep.
Here’s how we can help :-
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Reducing stress and anxiety.
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Breaking the cycle of negative sleep associations.
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Encouraging positive habits and routines.
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Focusing on solutions NOT problems.
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Positive visualisations. Helps the client visualise themselves falling asleep easily and waking up refreshed.
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Actionable goals : Set realistic steps to improve sleep hygiene and address triggers.
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Why it works
By focusing on what the client can do rather than on what they can’t, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy reduces the pressure and anxiety around sleep. It empowers the client to make small meaningful changes that lead to lasting improvements in their sleep patterns.