Lack of sleep is a very common problem and a huge topic. I read countless articles about it not just for this post, but also because my mother has suffered for many years from a severe lack of sleep. And I sometimes have a problem as well. Thus I decided I needed to look for solutions at least for her sake. I mentioned in a previous post that I am against taking pills unless it is the last resort. Therefore, I decided to dive in and see what I could learn.
There are a number of tips that experts recommend to get a better night’s sleep. The first is to stick to a consistent sleep schedule. This means going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day including weekends. It is also important to get some exercise, although it should not be too close to bedtime. Furthermore, eating a large meal close to bedtime should also be avoided.
Gentle stretching before bed may be helpful. Taking slow deep breaths while stretching will help relieve any tension you may feel. Taking a warm bath instead of a shower before bedtime can relax you and make it easier to fall asleep. This is a classic way to wind down at the end of the day.
Another suggestion is to go outside for a minimum of 30 minutes every day. People are also cautioned to avoid nicotine and alcohol as they are both stimulants that can keep you awake. In addition, we should avoid taking naps after mid afternoon and keep them short if we decide to take one. In short, anything that makes you happy is prohibited 😦 😦 😦
It is generally accepted today that looking at computer or cell phone screens or watching TV too close to bedtime interferes with our ability to fall asleep. It is recommended instead to read a book or listen to some relaxing music. Meditating before bedtime is an even better idea.
Another important component in getting a good night’s sleep is to have a good sleeping environment. This means keeping the room dark, cool, free of noise, and without distractions. This way you train your brain that your bedroom is for sleeping or sex only.
Lastly, if you have difficulty falling asleep, don’t toss and turn or lie in bed awake. If you’ve tried to fall asleep for 20 minutes and are still awake, get out of bed and do something that will relax you until you feel sleepy ( if cleaning the house relaxes you just go for it……:-)
If none of these are helpful to you, it is suggested to contact your doctor to discuss what other options are available to you. As you can see the challenge of getting good sleep is quite common and is something everyone needs to take seriously as it can lead to some significant health problems.
I was watching a TV show a few months ago where the host welcomed an expert on hypnosis as a guest. The expert claimed that hypnosis can be of help for anxiety, depression, and sleeping problems. As soon as he said it, I could see a scene from a movie in my mind where a man was dangling a watch on the end of a string in front of a person sitting on a chair.
He tells the person to follow the movement of the watch going back and forth with his eyes. At the same time, the man speaks in soft tones and tells the person they are getting more and more relaxed until they fall into a trance. Well, maybe this is what they do on TV or in movies, but I don’t think this is how it works in real life.
By encouraging relaxation and creating an opportunity to reorient thoughts and emotions, hypnosis may be a useful tool for enhancing sleep for people with conditions like insomnia. Hypnotherapy may also reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, both of which are correlated with sleeping problems. It has been used to treat pain as well, which can in itself also lead to disturbed sleep.
It’s important to know that hypnotherapy doesn’t work for everyone. Researchers have found that approximately 15% of people are very receptive to the treatment. Another 33% are resistant to it and aren’t likely to benefit. The remainder is somewhere in between.
Sleep hypnosis follows the same steps as hypnotherapy and involves therapeutic suggestions focusing on sleep to address sleeping problems. For example, the hypnosis session may encourage a person to feel less anxious about falling asleep or to follow a more consistent sleep schedule.
The goal is not to make the person fall asleep during the treatment. Instead, it works to change negative thoughts or habits related to sleep so that a person can sleep better once the hypnotherapy is complete.
Hypnosis for sleep may also be combined with other types of treatment. For example, it can be used with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-I), a type of counseling that reframes negative thinking about sleep. This form of focused hypnosis may also promote improvements in sleep hygiene to develop healthier sleep related routines.
I know it sounds like I’m promoting hypnosis, but that isn’t true. I’m simply attempting to summarize what I read. In fact, I have never tried this treatment myself. But if I knew of a good hypnosis practitioner, I would go see them, and not only to help with sleep………..
With Experience Comes Wisdom 
👏👏👏
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