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Hypnosis for Insomnia: YOU Better Sleep!

By: James Malone

“If only I could get to sleep ” moans the already exhausted and highly stressed single mom. Yet the harder she tries to fall asleep the more awake and annoyed she becomes. Even if she falls asleep now she will have only 4 hours before she has to get the kids to the bus stop. Where is the justice? Well at least she is in good company as public health statistics indicate that a large percentage of American adults have some sort of sleep problem.

Getting an adequate amount of sleep and rest is vital for overall mental and physical well being. There is also some research that suggests that a lack of sleep can be a factor in overweight and obesity.

When a sleep problem is persistent and severe it is most important to have a medical exam as sometimes insomnia can be a symptom of a more serious underlying physical or emotional disorder. With this type of problem ruled out, there are some options you can pursue to improve your sleep quality.

There are any of a number of sleep aids on the market, some requiring prescriptions and others available over the counter. Yet most are not intended for long term use, have potentially problematic side-effects and do not address the usual root cause of being unable to fall asleep-unrelieved tension.

Some safe and natural ideas for improving sleep you may wish to consider:

-Many people are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than they realize. Avoid caffeinated foods and beverages 5-6 hours prior to your scheduled sleep time and see if this helps.
-While alcoholic beverages may seem to have a relaxing effect, they tend to disrupt sleep quality if taken in excess.
-Nicotine is a stimulant and you should consider quitting altogether-a Certified Hypnotist can help you with this process. At the very least, cut back on your smoking in the evenings.
-Exercise is a great stress reliever, however it can be a stimulant for some people if performed too soon before bedtime.
-Make sure your sleeping area is cool and well ventilated.
A warm bath or shower before bed can help you fall asleep more easily.
Avoid watching the news or anything else that may be disturbing for at least one hour prior to your scheduled bedtime. We are in a naturally heightened state of suggestibility as we drift off to sleep and when we first wake up-be careful what you dwell on at those times!

When sleep problems are the result of tension, what the person often discovers is that it is challenging to simply turn off the worrying and other “mental chatter” that they engage in throughout the day. It is similar to driving along the highway at 60 or 70 miles per hour and then trying to slam on the breaks.

So you want to establish a routine of gradually slowing down prior to your desired bedtime. And as previously mentioned, by all means avoid watching the news right before you fall asleep. Why? By and large a news broadcast is chock-filled with negativity that we are for the most part helpless to do anything about.

There is also some concern that the flickering light given off by the TV may have a stimulating effect on some individuals and hamper the ability to fall asleep. (Look at the wall opposite a TV screen in darkened room to see the strobe-like effect it has).

As someone who has had difficulty falling asleep you are probably aware of the Rule of Reversed Effort, although you probably didn’t call it that. Long known to hypnotists, this rule states “that the harder we try to do something we are not confident about, the harder it becomes to accomplish.” Don’t try to force yourself to sleep as this will only create tension and discouragement as this is actually impossible to do. Getting relaxed sets the stage for sleep, which then happens on its own.

Learning how to use a relaxation technique about 15-30 minutes prior to your intended bedtime will greatly increase that chances that you will get better nights sleep. Self-hypnosis, meditation and prerecorded guided imagery audio programs are all safe and affordable remedies for the sleep challenged.

New Jersey Hypnotist James Malone is a self-help educator who conducts private and group sessions for a variety of issues and has authored several well received e-books and audio programs. Realizing that a lack of sleep has a negative impact on the health and wellbeing of so many, he offers his YOU: BETTER SLEEP audio program as a FREE download to anyone who may be interested. To learn more please visit: www.njhypno.com/therapeutic_metaphors.html