Tossing and turning all night just to catch an hour or two of sleep can feel excruciating. Especially if it happens too often. Not being able to sleep brings about more than just tiredness. Anxiety, irritability, aggression and physical illness can all ensue. If this sounds too familiar, you might want to try hypnotherapy for insomnia.
It’s a non-invasive approach to solving sleep issues. And it’s becoming more and more popular!
But, is there any merit in this approach?
Read on to find out.
What Is Insomnia?
All of us have experienced an occasional sleepless night.
It usually happens when we’re very nervous or too excited about the day ahead. Jet lag or too much caffeine are also common causes. But true insomnia is not a one-night occurrence. People who suffer from it toss and turn regularly.
Insomnia can be temporary, lasting anywhere from a single night to as long as four weeks. And it can be chronic, persisting longer than four weeks. This type often appears because of chronic pain or as a side effect of certain medications. Many people come to me for Hypnotherapy for insomnia in London, when they’ve tried everything else but nothing works. If you’re struggling with insomnia, you may experience some common symptoms.
The most common symptoms are:
- Inability to fall asleep
- Inability to stay asleep
- Waking up multiple times during the night
- Waking up too early
- Irritability
- Difficulty to focus or function properly
- Feeling tired or groggy
Insomnia can lower your work performance and put a strain on your relationships. That’s why it shouldn’t be ignored.
And why would you ignore it when there are some really effective steps you can take today!
Is Hypnotherapy for Insomnia Effective?
There is some decent research showing that hypnotherapy can indeed be an effective solution for insomnia and other sleep disorders.
That’s especially so if you can’t clearly pinpoint a single reason for your sleepless nights.
For some people persistent physical or mental tension can be the cause. A certified hypnotherapist can teach you how to relax and let go of your daily stressors, at least for a while. Deep controlled breathing, “scanning” your body with your mind or progressive relaxation are all frequently used relaxation techniques. You can even learn to do them on your own! They’re great hacks to use when you’re struggling to fall asleep.
Your hypnotherapist can also teach you some self-hypnosis techniques that’ll help you calm your mind. Guided visualisations can be of great use here! Especially if you feel like you just can’t stop thinking.
But most importantly, hypnotherapy for insomnia can help you solve potential psychological causes – issues and struggles that keep you awake at night. Learn more about your triggers and make peace with your past.
Everyone is different and it’s up to you when you feel it’s the right time to reach out for help. But you don’t have to struggle alone. If you’ve tried lots of other techniques and treatments, it might be worth seeing how I can help you with Hypnotherapy for insomnia in London or worldwide online.
And if you can’t sleep because of chronic pain, there’s good news! Hypnotherapy is considered an effective solution that significantly decreases pain in a variety of illnesses. And it has no side effects.
It’s worth a try, don’t you think?
Tips to help you sleep better
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto:
Ok, so now you know how hypnotherapy for insomnia might help you.
But maybe you’re not entirely sure if you really need professional help. Or you have to wait a few days for your first session, but you could really use some relief now.
Luckily, there are some lifestyle changes you can make. It’s generally a good idea to try to stick to these habits because they can really do wonders for your stress and energy levels. I suggest you choose at least one and try to implement it over the next few days.
It will even make your therapy more effective!
So, here are some healthy, sleep-inducing habits you can start implementing immediately.
1. Build a sleep routine
If your days are stressful and full of obligations, it’s important to give your body consistent cues when the time comes to wind down.
Decide on a fixed hour when you’d like to fall asleep. And then, create a bedtime routine that starts 2 to 3 hours beforehand. Dim the lights in your house, put your kids to sleep, take a shower, cuddle with your significant other or read a relaxing book.
Also, make space for self-soothing and relaxation techniques that your hypnotherapist has taught you!
Create a string of activities that you love and that relax you. And then engage in them consistently. With time, your body will learn when it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep.
2. Regular exercise
It’s not unusual for people who have a desk job and don’t move their bodies much to feel restless at night.
Stress accumulates in their bodies because they never let it out (aside from randomly snapping at someone…) Regular exercise helps you digest and shake off all the tension. Plus, exercise makes your brain release ‘happy hormones’ that lift up your mood and give you extra energy.
But the most important part is this – working out makes your body tired.
And a tired body is more likely to fall asleep.
3. Limit exposure to screens
Our screens give us interesting insight into other people’s lives.
But the blue light they emit messes with our brain. It suppresses the secretion of melatonin – a hormone that signals to our body that it’s time to get some rest. Without melatonin, our body gets confused and thinks it needs to stay awake.
That’s why your bedtime routine should exclude all screens.
But the blue light isn’t the only thing that keeps you awake. Watching emotionally provoking content before bedtime can really get you riled up and even push you into anxiety or anger. It’s easy to get absorbed by your spiralling thoughts. Or go down the social media rabbit hole!
So it’s best if you just put your phone safely away well before bedtime.
4. Cut down on stimulants
Caffeine, alcohol and nicotine…
Many of us use them on a daily basis to “get more energy.”
But did you know that caffeine doesn’t really give you any extra energy? It just blocks adenosine, a chemical your body creates to regulate its energy levels. Essentially, your body is still tired, it just doesn’t know it.
And the thing is, the longer you use stimulants, the more you need to take for them to stay effective. So you get from 1 cup of coffee a day to 3 or 4 just so you can function. It’s because you keep blocking your body’s messages to the brain that are saying: “I’m tired! We need to rest!”
So, it starts yelling. Sending louder and stronger messages. And you need more stimulants to shut them up.
Basically, you’re doing yourself a disservice.
Cut down on stimulants and your body might finally find the space to rest.
Hypnotherapy for Inomnia in London or online can be an ideal additional treatment on your path to healing. If you’re considering trying hypnotherapy in London, feel free to book a free consultation with me.