Hypnotherapy for sleep disorders
WHAT IS A SLEEP DISORDER?
Most of us will be familiar with those rare times when we find ourselves lying awake at night, unable to sleep. This tends to be when we are either anxious, excited or disturbed by a bad dream and usually we will be able to return to our normal routine when things have quietened down. However, for some people difficulty sleeping is something that happens on a regular basis and sleep issues are now considered to be one of the most common health complaints. Sleep problems can have a serious impact on the physical, mental and emotional functioning of many individuals.
Sleep disorders is a term used to describe any problems relating to sleep. These include insomnia, excessive sleep, night terrors, sleep bruxism (teeth grinding) and nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting). Some sleep disorders may be related to an underlying medical condition or be the side effect of prescribed medication, whilst others may have no known medical explanation.
There are a number of warning signs which may suggest a sleep problem:
Feeling very tired throughout the day
Drifting off mid conversation
If your partner is regularly disturbed by snoring, physical movements, sleep talking or sleep walking
If your quality of sleep has changed after starting a new medication
Please note that not everyone who exhibits some or all these symptoms will necessarily have a sleep problem and the symptoms of sleep disorders will vary from person to person.
HOW CAN HYPNOTHERAPY HELP?
If you are experiencing a sleep disorder then it is important that you visit your GP who will be able to provide you with a diagnosis and advice as well as being able to rule out any serious underlying medical conditions. At this stage your doctor may then recommend or refer specialist treatment and services, one of which may be hypnotherapy.
Hypnotherapy is all about changing patterns of behaviour and that is why it works so effectively as a treatment for many sleep disorders. There are a range of sleep related conditions that respond well to hypnosis*:
Sleep Walking
Nightmares
Night Terrors
Sleep Talking
Teeth Grinding
Bed-wetting
Sleep Paralysis
Restless Leg Syndrome
Confusional Arousals
Although the exact cause of sleep problems will vary from one person to the next there are certain factors which seem to be related to an increased likelihood of some people experiencing them. Personal trauma, anxiety issues, sleep deprivation, medical conditions and some medications are all thought to be underlying causes of sleep disorders.
Hypnotherapy for sleep and anxiety
Hypnotherapy has been used for a long time as a very effective way of altering and reconditioning negative patterns of behaviour. Hypnosis works by accessing the subconscious mind so that old behaviour patterns can be changed and replaced with positive patterns instead. A good example is that many sleep disorders are worsened by stress and anxiety. Usually it is not a situation itself which causes stress but the way in which we react to it; and this is where hypnotherapy can help. By inducing a state of deep relaxation under hypnosis it is possible to gain access to the subconscious mind so that negative thought patterns and reactions to a particular situation can be turned into more positive ones.*
Other techniques used may include that of hypnoanalysis which is a combination of hypnosis and psychotherapy as well as visualisation techniques. Visualisation may involve asking someone to imagine being in a particular situation feeling relaxed and calm.*
Regardless of which technique is used, hypnotherapy can offer a very effective way to resolve sleep problems and your treatment plan can be tailored to your own personal circumstances.*
If you would like to discuss how hypnotherapy can help you with sleep please get in touch for a free initial phone consultation: info@harbourhypnotherapy.co.uk
To arrange an appointment:
Contact Kate today and she will arrange a free initial phone consultation with you.
“I now have a good nights sleep and have done so for the last 6 months since starting the hypnosis. Thank you!*”
Hypnosis can be a very effective way to resolve sleep problems.
Try a hypnosis download with Kate
If you would like to get a taste of how hypnosis can help with pain relief, one of Kate’s hypnotherapy downloads can be a good place to start:
References
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A good nights sleep is one of the most important ingredients for health. If you are struggling to fall sleep or wake in the early hours then this is for you...