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How can I get to sleep? 

Firstly the really important thing to acknowledge here is that TRYING to go to sleep will never work, in fact if you are actively trying to  get to sleep you will probably lie awake for hours and you are unlikely to get to sleep

I like to encourage my clients to become what I call a "carefree sleeper"  This is someone who doesn't really think or care about sleep. They know that most nights they will go to sleep and if they don't it's not the end of the world. You see it's only by letting go of the anxiety and worry about not sleeping that you can get on the path to enjoying a good nights sleep. I know, I know it's not as simple as that but this is actually  the first stepping stone to treating insomnia. 

Here are some more ideas that I use  with my clients which you might find helpful...

Sleep is a natural process and you were endowed with the ability to sleep from the moment you were born. As a baby, you might have required assistance in regulating your sleep cycle, but the fundamental ability to sleep was inherently present. 

So the first thing to consider is that you still have the ability to sleep, this is a very important concept. Have the belief that you can sleep and then improve your  knowledge about what affects your sleep and hopefully you will soon be enjoying restful nights.

So lets think about what is stopping you sleeping right now?

Over time, you have accumulated habits and stressors that are now hindering both the initiation and preservation of  your sleep.

Things like:-

Having an irregular sleep pattern, lying in bed at weekend, hitting the snooze button in a morning

Spending time in bed awake, tossing and turning

Eating processed and sugary foods in an evening which spike your blood sugar levels.

Using your Phone/ ipad etc before bed which reduces melatonin production

Developing anxiety and worrying which causes rumination and poor sleep

Having a sedative lifestyle.

Continually being busy and never having "down" time

These are just some of the things that affect your ability to sleep.

Having an understanding of your behaviour and how that affects sleep and also grasping how sleep works can empower you to relearn healthy sleeping patterns and discard habits that obstruct your rest. Here is some information about the physiological process of sleep and how you can use this knowledge to your advantage to improve your sleep.

MELATONIN

Melatonin, a hormone produced in the brain which regulates your sleep-wake cycle. It is sensitive to the light-dark cycle of your environment. As evening approaches and darkness sets in your melatonin levels increase, helping you to fall asleep. Conversely, as morning light emerges, the production of melatonin reduces, encouraging wakefulness.

So, in a morning seek early bright light exposure, preferably outdoors or near a brightly lit window. Indoor light is not bright enough to stimulate the production of hormones and chemicals required to enhance your sleep so make it a priority to get outside, preferably for a walk. 

In the evening,  dim the lights a couple of hours before bed and strictly avoid any blue light emitted from phones, tablets, and computers. We have sensors in our eyes which are very sensitive to blue light.  Watching TV is acceptable, provided it's not too close to you.

ADENOSINE

Adenosine is a neurotransmitter produced in your brain which is vital in facilitating sleep. Its levels are lowest in the morning when you first get up and  they gradually increase throughout the day, peaking by evening. Having good levels of Adenosine is essential to good sleep and the way to ensure that you have enough adenosine is by:-

Daytime: Rising  early and resisting daytime naps. If you do feel that you need a  nap during the day, limit it to 20 minutes and ensure it's before 4 PM. In the evening, try to delay your bedtime until you feel really sleepy. Remember the longer you are awake during the day, the more adenosine you build up

CULTIVATING A POSITIVE MINDSET 

Having a negative outlook on sleep can significantly disrupt your rest. Your brain tends to act on what you continuously affirm to it. Hence, if you are continually negative about your sleep then you brain is going to work hard to make your negative talk and thoughts become a reality.  Transforming your mindset and alleviating anxiety can be revolutionary in enhancing sleep quality.

Emile Coule a French Psycologist  introduced the law of auto suggestion in the 1800's. He demonstrated that "Ideas upon which attention becomes focused become correspondingly magnified in their effect." and that if you repeat conscious auto suggestions with mental focus, certainty and faith in them they will become a reality. 

 What that means is that if you repeat negative or positive affirmations, those thoughts will increase their effect. So today instead of negative talk about your sleep have a positive outlook.

An example of a positive affirmation about your sleep is, "Every night, my sleep gets better and better." Repeat this with conviction and belief and watch your sleep improve night by night. 

ANXIETY AND WORRY

With regards to anxiety, the best way to externalise your anxieties is  by journaling. This has been proven to foster a calm, ready-for-sleep mind.

Every night before bedtime write in your journal and  if you want to know more about constructive worry journals which have been proven to help with sleep head over to my blog post HERE where you can find out what a constructive worry journal is and how to do one.

CONCLUSION

By understanding the biology of sleep and embracing a proactive approach, you CAN foster conditions that aid natural, restful sleep. Remember, the power to sleep well lies inherently within you; it's all about rediscovering and nurturing that ability, altering learned behaviours and managing stress.

Want to know more about how you can help your sleep if you are stuck and feel you have tried everything? 

Register for the next sleep masterclass HERE