Insomnia
Is your sleep elusive?
Sleep is so important for us and there are now many books written on the subject and importance of it. We spend about half our life in this state, and when we get the correct amount it has such a positive effect on one's health. But, when sleep is elusive, as it is when one suffers from insomnia; it has such a major impact on us. It cannot only affect our mental health but our physical health too.
What is insomnia?
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can either mean the person has difficulty dropping off to sleep, difficulty staying asleep or cause one to wake up too early and not be able to return to sleep.
Sometimes it is not always obvious what triggers insomnia. There may be lifestyle factors that contribute such as stress, poor sleep habits, eating or exercising too late in the evening, or not sleeping at a regular time due to travel/ jetlag, or work commitments.
Things such as uncomfortable beds, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine or recreational drugs can be factors too. However, people can often suffer with insomnia due to medical reasons. Such as their medication, or conditions like chronic pain, sleep apnoea or restless leg syndrome.
Insomnia is often put into different categories:
- Short term acute insomnia – which can lasts for days or weeks, or
- Long-term chronic insomnia, this can last for a month or more.
- Onset insomnia – difficulty falling asleep
- Maintenance insomnia – inability to stay asleep
What are the Symptoms?
- Difficulty falling asleep at night
- Waking regularly during the night
- Waking too early and not being able to go back to sleep
- Not being rested after sleep
What mental health disorders & physical health issues does insomnia contribute to?
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Lack of concentration
- Frustration and anger issues
- Poor performance at work or in your home /social life
- Poor memory and judgement
- Lack of libido
- Shortened life expectancy
- Lack of confidence and belief in oneself
Increased risk of:
-
- Hypertension
- Cardiovascular disease
- Obesity
- Heart attack and Strokes
- Diabetes
- Depleted Immune system
What can I do to help?
In short, we need to work on lowering anxiety levels. You may not be unaware of the stresses that are disrupting your sleep. And when you start peeling back the layers, you often find simple little changes that can have a massive impact. We would work together, and if you can keep an open mind, you will often find that things begin to shift pretty quickly.
Viv is a really gifted therapist who has helped and inspired me to recover my enthusiasm for life, develop a greater sense of self-determination and overcome some of the lingering impact of long-term trauma. Working with Viv has enabled me to develop practical strategies for coping with stress and emotional dysregulation as well as better sleep and relaxation. She’s also helped me find the mental space and clarity to set clearer goals for the future and a greater belief in myself to reach them. I feel I’ve made more progress more quickly than with many of the talking therapies I’ve tried over the years, and it’s been a relief not to have to delve into the past. Working with Viv is a really positive and forward-looking experience and I’ve loved my weekly sessions with her.
I was struggling big time with my sleep patterns, initially hormone-based, but had got into a bad habit of waking up early hours of the morning and not returning to sleep.
When I met Viv in her lovely, cosy room, I felt very at ease, and Viv's explanation of how the brain worked helped me understand what was actually happening. Viv is very empathetic and was very easy to talk to as well as having good listening skills. After a course of treatment and listening to Viv's hypnotherapy at home, things improved lots. Viv was always so pleased to hear how my week had progressed and was genuinely excited when my sleep started to improve.
I would have no hesitation in returning or recommending Viv, what a lovely lady inside and out.