10 ways to improve sleep; Hypnotherapy for Insomnia

I've just been completing a case study on the use of Hypnotherapy for Insomnia. It's estimated that each year more than a third of us suffer from insomnia and that can totally ruin the next day for you, can't it? If that is you, I thought you might be interested in some of the ideas that came up along the way in my case study. Many client's seeking Hypnotherapy help have literally tried every trick in the book in order to try and get to sleep, all to no avail. Sometimes they are not being completely honest with themselves and my first job is to work through their routines and lifestyle and make sure that their “Sleep Hygiene” is as good as it could be. This can reveal all sorts of thoughts and beliefs on the client's part. That's where Hypnotherapy comes in, it's brilliant at changing your thoughts and beliefs. As I like to say “Change your mind and change your life!”.

So do you really know how to get a good night's sleep? Be honest with yourself, is your sleep hygiene as good as it could be? Take a look at my top tips, it might make you think and re-evaluate.

1 Routine

A set routine last thing at night really helps to reset your mind and prepare it for sleep. It's really important to cultivate the perfect evening routine. This may be as simple as: 10:30 switch everything off, put out the bins, put out the cat, check the locks and retire upstairs to read for half an hour. This helps the mind and body wind down.

If at all possible leave your work at work. I know that's not easy, I was a teacher for 20 odd years and there was always marking and preparation that simple “had to be done” for the next day. Just try and set a cut off. That includes a time to stop looking at work emails.

Find the perfect bedtime and stick to it. This will help to regulate your body clock and help you fall asleep and stay asleep.

2 Turn off the Gadgets.

We are in the social media age.........the age that never sleeps! Is it any wonder with all those bright screens? Switch off the TV, Computers, Laptops, phones and any other light emitting devices a couple of hours before bed and I guarantee you will sleep better. These bright screens emit blue light which suppresses melatonin, the hormone that encourages your body to sleep.

If you absolutely must use a screen at least use something like the cross-platform Flux to keep bright light to a minimum.

3 Reduce stress

You have to get those mind monkeys under control.

If at all possible leave your work at work. I know that's not easy, I was a teacher for 20 odd years and there was always marking and preparation that simple “had to be done” for the next day. Just try and set a cut off. That includes a time to stop looking at work emails.

Consider ways that you can reduce your daily stress, delegate, take breaks..........I feel a whole new blog post coming on.......watch this space!

4 Daily Exercise

A regular workout can help get you a good night's sleep. You don't have to go out and bust a gut like Mo Farah. Sport is great if that's what you enjoy but the important thing is to just get moving at some point during the day. Maybe Walking the dog, a stroll in the park, some gardening oryoga will all do the trick.

5 Relaxation

Choose something low key to do before going to bed. A relaxed mind means a relaxed body.

Reading a book can help relax the mind. Non-Fiction technical books are best avoided as this is just giving you brain something else to churn over. Fiction works best because it is switching on the imaginative part of your mind and can help prepare for sleep.

Meditation is a great way to clear your mind and will leave you feeling relaxed

6 Avoid Napping

Napping during the day or a “Power Nap” can be beneficial but if you are if you are suffering from insomnia it may prevent you from getting the hang of a new routine. So best avoided for now!

7 Diet and Nutrition

The timing of meals is important. Plan your day so dinner time falls earlier in the evening. Don't eat a heavy meal within 2 hours of going to bed. Spicy foods and junk foods are said to encourage nightmares and that's probably because they are leaving you feeling full due to their fat content and possibly giving you indigestion if you are trying to sleep soon after. Late night trips to the take-away have got to go if you want a good night's sleep.

Magnesium plays an important role in hydration, muscle relaxation, energy production and crucially deactivation of adrenaline. Having sufficient magnesium in your body does not guarantee a good night's sleep but insufficient stores of this mineral guarantee that you won't. The best sources of magnesium are dark green vegetables, legumes, cereals, white bread, fish and nuts.

8 Create a calm bedroom

Make your bedroom a sanctuary for sleep (and sex!). Make your sleeping space calm and relaxing with no distractions.

Have a good look at your bedroom. Are all the clothes put away? Has it become a dumping ground? Put away the hover, find another place to put the washing and bikes really don't live in the bedroom (note to self!).

Is it free from noise that could disturb your sleep? Is it free from any light? Consider investing in blackout curtains, eye shades and ear plugs.

Keep the bedroom a little cooler, between 60 and 67 degrees. Have you ever noticed that it's easier to get off to sleep when it's cool outside? Maybe you had problems this summer in all the heat.

It may be obvious but is your bed actually comfortable? The life expectancy for a good quality mattress is 9 or 10 years, if yours is older it may be time for a change. Allergen free duvets and pillows are also worth considering if this is likely to affect you.

9 Avoid caffeine

It's a powerful drug. I gave it up recently and had a hell of a time with headaches in the withdrawal stage, but now I'm reaping the benefits, I feel so much better. Stay away from caffeine in the evening and even in the afternoon if you can, it will help you. Think about how much you are consuming, how big is that mug and do you really need that strength of coffee?

10 Avoid Alcohol

Alcohol may make seem like it helps you fall asleep,but it won't give you the kind of sleep your body needs. If you drink, do it a few hours before you go to bed for a better night's sleep.

If all that fails, get up! Lying in bed is the worst thing you can do, it just reinforces the sleep problem in your brain. If this happens avoid stimulating the brain any further. Maybe go back to reading or do something low key that won't make your body think it's time to wake up. There's a great story about Milton Erickson, who was one of the leading Hypnotherapists of the 20th Century. He told an insomnia client of his that if he couldn't sleep, he was to get up and go downstairs. He was then to get out the Johnson's floor polish and rag and to polish the floor all night. It wasn't long before this client was sleeping soundly.

If you need more help you could visit a hypnotherapist. Hypnotherapy is very relaxing and can help change your thoughts and beliefs. Quite often there are other issues going on in a client's life and the insomnia is just a symptom, so a good Hypnotherapist should be looking at the big picture, it's not as simple as “I can make you sleep!”, but it does work.

I hope you find that these tips help. I would love your feedback. Any other ideas?

Night night......Sleep tight!

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