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Please read our Golden Rules of self help before considering the information on this page.
Insomnia
Have you noticed how little sympathy people with insomnia get? If you say: “I have insomnia” people often reply: “Oh, really? As soon as my head hits the pillow I'm off!” Great! How would it sound if someone said: “I am blind” and the answer was: “Oh really? I can see really well, no problems.”
Insomnia is a serious problem. During sleep we do a lot of repair. The mind reorganises and sorts itself out: this is why we dream; and the body actually repairs itself. There are thousands of functions that the body can not do very well while we are running around consciously. This is why it is so important that we have this time when we cannot consciously get in the way of our mind and body and their wonderful “house keeping” work.
You suffer from insomnia if you can't fall asleep, can't stay asleep
or sleep fitfully and wake up as though you were awake all night.
Different people have different needs but if you wake up and wish you
could stay in bed and sleep some more, chances are you are suffering
from insufficient sleep.
The Simplest and Most Common Cause of Insomnia
Is eating a big meal at night. Two things happen: first of all your
body is burdened by heavy digestion. Then when it is all done both your
body and your mind want to get up and boogie! Having a light meal and
avoiding eating meat at night allows your body to be light and sleep
peacefully with the added bonus of waking up refreshed. On the other
hand hunger can wake you at night, so fruit and yogurt for supper are a
good snack, so is toast and honey. It is amazing how sleeping is
improved if you change your eating habits.
Other Causes of Insomnia
... are unfortunately not so easily dealt with. They include depression, anxiety, tension, physical pain and discomfort; medical problems such as: asthma, circulatory disorders, ulcers, headaches. Of course some causes are environmental such as: noise, heat, cold, a bad bed (too soft or too hard). It seems as though everything can cause insomnia! The problem is the more you can't sleep, the more you worry about it and the less you can sleep, especially if you have to get up next morning to go to work. So how do we go about breaking this vicious cycle and improving our sleep?
First Things First
Always deal with the things that you have control over first. I just mentioned a light dinner. That's easily done. Next check out the environment: is your bedding up to standard: not to hard, not to soft? Are you always cold and your partner is too hot? Why not have two single doonas instead of one large one? That's the way they make beds in Scandinavia, this way people are free to huddle or kick the covers. If you live on a noisy street, keep the window shut tight at night, leaving it opened during the day to aerate the room. On the other hand, if your bedroom window opens onto a quiet garden, then leaving it slightly open to let in the fresh air will actually help you sleep soundly. Thick drapes to block out lights will also create a quiet restful environment. Of course make sure that there are no underlying medical reasons by having a check up by your GP.
Don't Panic!
WORRY is a really bad cause of insomnia and so of course are depression and anxiety. We all know that we can't just snap out of worry, depression or anxiety. So the best thing we can do is to develop techniques to help us find some peace of mind so we can get some sleep.
Remember the more you worry that you are not sleeping the more mental and physical tension are created. You need to relax your busy mind to relax your tired body. After making sure that your digestion is simplified and that the environmental factors are minimised follow these simple steps:
- Go to bed earlier. Yes, earlier , the more tired you are the harder it will be to relax and fall asleep, not the contrary. Aim for 10 or 10.30pm.
- Have a bath with calming essential oils such as lavender and clary sage. Not too hot though, if you get too hot this sends your heart racing and you won't be able to sleep.
- Have a night cap. The classic hot milk and honey is great because the combination releases a substance called tryptophan which has sleep inducing properties. You can also have hot grape juice with spices and honey or sugar. Of course there are several herbal teas which really help. They are: skullcap, linden flowers, chamomile, lemon verbena, vervain, passionflower, hops, singular or in combination. In case of nightmares, add catnip to your mix and of course add a generous spoon of honey or sugar.
Let Go!
Once in bed, the tricky bit is to stop your mind going round and round in circles. The best way to do this is to first concentrate on breathing. Think of nothing but air going deep into your lungs and out again, then think of all your muscles going soft one by one and let the bed carry you, make sure you don't hold yourself up with muscular tension. Being a rag doll is what you are aiming for. If your mind is pushing for worrying thoughts, you need to think about pleasant things. What ever the pleasant though is for you: a holiday on a tropical beach, any fantasy as long as it has nothing to do with reality. Whenever your mind wants to stray to worrying thoughts gently bring it back to the pleasant image, breathe and relax those muscles. Before you know it you will be in Morpheus's arms.
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The information on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. None of the products mentioned on this website are intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
The information on this website is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained from a medical professional.
This information is made available with the understanding that the author and publisher are not providing medical, psychological, or nutritional counseling services on this site. The information on this website does not cover all possible uses, actions, precautions, side effects, and interactions.
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