Sleep is fundamental to your physical, mental and social wellbeing.
Chronic and Acute insomnia, nightmares, sleep terrors, restless leg syndrome and teeth grinding often respond well to hypnotherapy to change the negative habits or thoughts that could be keeping you awake at night. Hypnotherapy could prompt you to adopt new habits, to help you sleep.
Lack of sleep can lead to:
- Exhaustion
- Anxiety
- Weakened immune system
- Obesity
- Memory issues
- Trouble concentrating
- Poor balance
- Risk of diabetes/high blood pressure/heart disease
Sleep Hygiene:
Adopting good sleep hygiene can assist in getting a good night’s sleep, try putting these into your bedtime routine:
- Go to bed at the same time each night
- Wake up at the same time each morning
- Make sure your room is quiet, dark and at a comfortable temperature
- Spend an hour before bed doing relaxing activities (take a bath or meditate)
- Avoid heavy meals a few hours before bedtime
- Reduce alcohol intake
- Refrain from caffeine at least a few hours before bedtime
- Sleep in a well-ventilated room
- Sleep in a clean room
- Change your bed linen regularly
- Refrain from using electronic devices at least 1 hour before bedtime
Nutrition:
Certain foods are known to calm the brain, so including the right things, is definitely part of a recipe for a good night’s sleep
- Red & orange coloured foods contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.
- Nuts, meats, and fish contain selenium.
- Fish, chickpeas, bananas, papayas and cantaloupes contain Vitamin B6 which encourages production of serotonin and melatonin.
- Green leafy vegetables and legumes are rich in calcium, which helps in neutralising the stress hormone, cortisol.
- Seeds, bananas and almonds contain magnesium promoting sleep and muscle relaxation
- Poultry, milk, cheese, fish, oats, eggs, nuts and seeds are all foods that can increase the availability of tryptophan in the bloodstream. Tryptophan is an amino acid that the body uses to make sleep inducing serotonin and melatonin, the relaxing neurotransmitters that reduce nerve traffic and stop the brain from buzzing.
Disclaimer: Each individuals’ dietary needs and restrictions are unique to the individual. You are ultimately responsible for all decisions pertaining to your diet and should not proceed with any of the above unless you know you are safe to do so. If you are unsure, then don’t use it.
