Often when people have experienced a series of bad nights’ sleep, the mind starts to expect that sleep won’t come at bedtime and this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, says leading Cheshire homeopath Irene Roberts.
 
Irene, who is based at Cheshire Natural Health, recommends adopting a winding down process before bedtime.  She advises a relaxing bath, a warm glass of milk, no exercise or caffeine drinks in the evening.

“The main thing is to train the mind that sleep time is coming and to expect to sleep.  Shift workers and those with day to day worries about relationships, jobs, mortgages, difficult offspring can find sleep very elusive and a vicious circle of sleeplessness and anxiety about it ensues,” says Irene.

She recommends taking the television out of the bedroom. “In my opinion the TV is probably one of the worst things for your overall health, providing unwanted stimulation just at a time when you should be feeling calm.  Read a little, preferably something quite boring, or try listening to a story tape read by someone with a quiet and mellifluous voice!”

Cheshire Natural Health’s Clinical Hypnotherapist and EFT Practitioner, Rosemary Reeves, says the value and importance of a good night’s sleep should not be underestimated.  “For those of us who are watching our weight, it is even more important. Insomnia has, for a long time been associated with depression and weight gain. A recent study has suggested that sleep loss results in an imbalance of two specific hormones that stimulates appetite and may well explain why insomniacs gain weight.

What can you do if you have difficulty sleeping?

Firstly, identify which type of insomnia you have:  - 

1. difficulty getting off to sleep
2. difficulty staying asleep (waking in the night and finding you can’t drift off again) or
3. waking too early and can’t stop your mind from jumping around.

Secondly, identify any stressors that you are aware of – these might be chronic, ongoing worries such as health or relationship problems or one off stressors such as an upcoming job interview.

Thirdly check whether or not you are suffering from undiagnosed clinical depression – there are many symptoms but sleeplessness at night and waking too early in the morning are amongst them (and so, conversely, is needing to sleep all the time!) See your GP if you are in any doubt.

ENDS

Media enquiries: Denise Wales
Dewcom Media Services
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