This is for anyone experiencing sleep problems. I provide suggestions about what you can do to try to do improve your sleep, sleep issues can be also connected to mental health so always worth getting checked out by a health professional aswell.
*always check with your doctor before taking complementary therapy or complementary supplements
We all have times where we suffer some problems sleeping , either we struggle to fall asleep or find ourselves waking up in the night or have, this is normal. And often resolve themselves after a while However, if your sleeping issues last longer than a few months it can start to have an impact on your day-to-day life. Sleep deprivation can cause brain fog, fatigue, affect your energy levels, moods and even concentration.
Causes:
• poor sleep routine – going to bed too early or too late, or not relaxing properly before bed
• poor sleep environment – sleeping somewhere uncomfortable, or with too much light or noise and clutter.
• physical illness – being uncomfortable or in pain, having a physical sleep condition
• Stimulants alcohol, drugs, caffeine, sugar and poor diet
- medication –a side effect of certain medication
• stress, worry and anxiety – feeling nervous about a specific issue, such as work, money, family or relationships; or a specific event, such as an interview meeting, or appointment
• trauma – finding it hard to sleep after experiencing a traumatic event, such as an accident or a bereavement;
• also from the result of long-term trauma or abuse, even something that’s happened during childhood
• mental health issues
What can I do to help myself?
The causes for sleep problems often depend on the individual, and will vary according to your personal circumstances. This means that different techniques work for different people. You may need to try several different things in order to find what works for you.
Here are some suggestions
- Establish a routine
Try to establish a regular sleeping pattern by going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time every day. This will mean that your body starts to associate times of the day with sleeping. You may need to do this for several weeks in order to establish a regular pattern. - Go to bed only when you feel tired enough to sleep.
If you usually take along time to get to sleep, delay getting into bed until the point when you would normally fall asleep. Then get up at your usual time. This may mean you will spend less time actually in bed, but more of the time in bed actually asleep. Hopefully your sleep pattern will then improve. If you are in a different time zone after a flight, and if its due to traveling that you are out of sleep sync still do this. Go to bed same time as usual and wake up same time even if you feel tired in the morning still.
Your body should then adjust to the new pattern quickly.
- Make sure where you sleep is comfortable
Before you go to bed, make sure that where you sleep is comfortable, ,clean bedding, smelling fresh , the temperature is perfect (Keep the temperature in your bedroom at or below 70 degrees (21 degrees Celsius and that and light and noises levels are right for you. People have different ideas of what is comfortable, so you may need to experiment to work out what works best for you. On the whole, dark, quiet and cool environments generally make it easier to sleep.
If there is anything particular that is disturbing your sleep in the night, for example if you have a partner that takes up more room, moves a lot or even then try to find a solution. You may want to sleep in a different room from your partner for a few nights or remove any other item that might be noisy in the room.
Also sing blackout blinds or curtains may be helpful if light is stopping you from sleeping. - Relax before you go to bed
It’s important to relax and switch off from daily worries before you try to go to sleep. Write down your next day/ even weeks to do list, your meal preps and anything else on your mind, ideas, plans and events. Then stop any stimulating activities, such as working or doing exercise, and avoid looking at screens, like your phone, a computer, the
TV or a tablet, an hour before you go to bed., if you do go on your phone/ipad use ‘Regulate light exposure’ in settings
- More relaxation
Have a bath (I sell an amazing sleep well bath soak ) - Meditate – just 5 minutes is enough (headspace app is a great starter) you can learn meditation techniques at a class too or by finding self- help materials. Many people also find learning mindfulness techniques helpful. (google Be Mindful ‘ for more information and details of classes in your area.)
>Breathing exercises – in a comfortable position, breathe in deeply, then breathe out slowly – making your out-breath longer than your in-breath. Repeat until you feel relaxed.
>Muscle relaxation – consciously tense and relax your muscles, one after the other, starting with your toes and working up your body until you reach the top of your head.
•Visualization – picture a scene or landscape that has pleasant memories for you.
• Avoid doing stimulating activities in the bedroom
If you carry out stimulating activities in your bedroom, you may start to associate your bedroom with being active. This could mean you find it hard to relax and go to sleep. Avoid doing stressful activities in your bedroom, such as studying, working or doing exercise. Even doing supposedly relaxing activities like watching TV or using a laptop in bed can stimulate your mind and make it hard to fall asleep. (see above)
•Don’t try to force sleep – this will only make you feel more anxious. If you’re finding it difficult to sleep, get up, go to another room and try to relax there. Or read something light or do something soothing, such as listening to music, until you feel sleepy again.
If you’re lying in bed and are unable to sleep, try keeping your eyes open. As they start to close, tell yourself to resist. Often the more you try to stay awake, the sleepier you become.
If you can’t fall asleep because of unwanted thoughts, you may find it useful to use a distraction technique. For example, you may find that visualizing a pleasant place or occasion, or repeatedly saying a few words or a phrase, can help. Doing breathing exercises or focusing on your breathing can also distract you from unwanted thoughts that are keeping you awake. If you wake up during the night, go through your relaxation routine again before trying to go back to sleep.
•Catch up on missed sleep
If you have missed out on a lot of sleep, or you are not sleeping at all, you may find you need to catch up. For example, you may want to sleep an hour or two more at weekends, or have short naps during the day. However, it’s important to try not to sleep too much during the day as this may change your sleep routine and affect how well you sleep at night. Try to nap only when it’s essential – for example, if you are very sleep deprived and it would be impossible or dangerous to carry on with your usual daily tasks. Try not to sleep for too long, and nap at a regular time each day. Generally, 30–40 minutes in the early afternoon works well for most people.
•Light exposure Generally, you will sleep better at night if you have spent time in natural daylight during the day. If you spend most of the day inside, try and build in short breaks where you can go outside.
•Try to resolve stresses and worries
Try to identify anything in your life that is causing you stress or worry that might be affecting your sleep. For example, you may be worried about relationship problems or your financial situation. Or, you may be sleeping badly because you have a stressful job or take on too many responsibilities.
Once you have identified what is causing your sleep problem, there may be practical measures you can take to address the problem, such as visiting a financial advisor or if self employed delegating and reducing your workload or if work for someone else then try talking to your employer about reducing your workload.
Some people also find it useful to write a list of what is worrying them early in the evening, to help get rid of anxieties before sleep.
- Diet and physical activity
What you eat and drink in the day can affect how well you sleep. Be careful about using stimulants like alcohol, caffeine and nicotine, throughout the day. Also cut back on sugar, reduce as much as possible, remove refined sugars as much as possible. Large meals late in the evening should also be avoided - Doing regular physical activity can also help you sleep, as it makes you more physically tired – particularly if you exercise outdoors. This doesn’t have to be strenuous exercise. Any activity, for example housework, gardening or going for a walk, can help. However, avoid doing exercise too late in the evening as the brain chemicals it releases give you energy, which can affect your ability to sleep.
•Magnesium deficiency can cause insomnia; lack of potassium can lead to difficulty staying asleep; and vitamin D deficiency has been linked to excessive daytime sleepiness , Magnesium Deficiency is very common in more so those that train, lack of magnesium causes poor sleep and another side effect of magnesium deficiency is a sweet tooth, if you train and exercise, increase magnesium and vitamin c. Tissues salts in Magnesium are better as they are at a concentrate where you absorb more as you let them dissolve in your mouth rather than swallow. Amazon search for Magnesium tissue salts, also take Kali phos tissue salts, these help with brain fog which is often the result of lack of sleep.
Melatonin is one of the most important nutrients to help you optimize your sleep, as it plays a crucial role in your circadian rhythm or internal clock
HERBAL REMEDY /HOLISTIC OPTIONS
- Healing crystals, especially amethyst is ideal for sleeping issues, place on your crown chakra (forhead) and lay flat and relax (contact me for choice of crystals if need additional options)
- Lavender on your bedding, and in bath and massage with lavender oils
- There is also some evidence to suggest that valerian, passion flower and lemon balm help but always check with your doctor or naturopath before taking a herbal remedy to make sure it is safe,
particularly if you are taking any other medication. ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR *But I personally had an amazing experience with Valerian it helped me sleep. - Organic Ashwagandha Vegan Capsules | Certified Organic by Soil Association | Ashwanghanda KSM-66 100% Natural Supplement | these are suppose to be extremely effective but do your research and always remember to check with doctor before taking.
- Himalayan salt lamp, switch on 1 hour before you go to bed
- Meditation ( see above, use headspace)
- Crystal Therapy (book in for consultation and session with me)
- Yoga, do yoga, a natural medicine, join a class or do some by your self, there are so many youtube videos to make all types of yoga assessable to everyone
- Sage your bedroom (even house) cleanse and remove any negativity that may be lingering and unwanted energies
- Bath with Himalayan salts.- I make an incredible sleep well soak
- Say gratitude before sleep or write it.
Hope this helps, any questions then drop me a message, always check with your doctor before taking complementary therapy or complementary supplements.
Love & Crystals
Laila xoxox