Hypnotherapy for
Sleep Problems
Helping us process the day, rest and heal, sleep has a huge impact on our overall health and wellbeing. But if you’re sleep deprived, you’re likely to be feeling exhausted, lacking in motivation and feeing more easily overwhelmed by daily stresses.
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After a prolonged period of poor sleep, both mental health and physical health can be affected. This can lead to conditions such as depression, heart disease and diabetes. It can even shorten your life expectancy.
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But you probably know this already, which is why you’re looking for support. When you’re not finding it easy to get a good night’s sleep, sleep can seem elusive and anxiety-inducing.
Understanding the sleep cycle
While sleep may feel like one long stretch of time where we’re unconscious, it’s actually made up of several different stages which form a cycle. Within this cycle, there are two types of sleep, rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (non-REM).
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The first type we experience in non-REM sleep. This is when we first fall asleep and gradually fall into deeper and deeper stages of sleep. During non-REM phases, our bodies have the chance to repair any wear and tear from the day, build muscle and bone strength, and strengthen our immune system. If you’re woken up during a non-REM stage of sleep, you’ll likely feel disorientated.
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The REM phase makes up about 20% of the sleep cycle and this is where we process the day. It’s vital for our memory, learning and replenishing hormones such as serotonin (the feel-good hormones).
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Our brains are most active during this stage, and this is when dreaming takes place. This is why sometimes you wake up remembering your dreams and sometimes you don’t - it all depends on whether or not you wake from a REM phase (we experience between three and five each night).
Sleeping for health
Together, these sleep phases help both body and mind calibrate, heal and re-energise, ready for the day ahead. It’s understandable then that when our sleep pattern is disturbed by sleep problems, our health can suffer.
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If your sleep disorder has links to anxiety, stress and unhealthy habits, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help. The aim of Solution Focused Hypnotherapy for sleep problems is to help you uncover what is causing them and to give you the tools to help change any related bad habits, negative thought patterns or issues.
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If you're experiencing chronic sleep problems, it's important to consult your doctor to make sure that your sleep troubles aren't a symptom of an underlying medical condition in the first instance (such as sleep apnea).
How I can help
In the first session we’ll discuss your challenges with sleep and how it’s impacting on your daily life and happiness.
In the following sessions, I’ll guide you into a relaxed hypnotic state and use positive suggestion to remove any anxiety you feel around sleep, helping you to achieve a good night’s sleep once again.
To find out how I can help you, contact me to arrange a free initial consultation or make a booking.
