Every year, in the US, insomnia is sited as a major factor in over 200,000 auto accidents
It is not unusual to have the occasional bad night’s sleep. But if the odd sleepless night becomes a more regular occurrence then you may be suffering from a form of insomnia. And if so you are not alone, a recent Which? report suggested that "Up to one in four people report difficulty sleeping at least three times a week, and the problem is more common in older people." Find out now, if you have any of the five typical symptoms associated with insomnia;
Difficulty falling asleep
Frequently waking up during the night
Difficulty returning to sleep
Waking up too early in the morning
Un-refreshing sleep
The amount of sleep needed varies from person to person. It’s as individual thing. Einstein needed ten hours whereas Freud managed on just a few. The key is to wake up feeling refreshed, with sufficient energy for the day ahead. So, generally anything between six and ten hours sleep is normal for adults. Children, until the age of twelve tend to need between nine and ten.
As we age, we sleep less. This is partly because the natural hormone, melatonin decreases. It regulates the body's circadian rhythms which in turn regulate sleep patterns. Sleep patterns may also change as a result of sudden changes in weight, or as a result of negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, tension, depression, or jet lag.
It’s estimated that one in every three people is suffering from some form of insomnia. In the Western World insomnia is responsible for skyrocketing sales of various prescriptions in general and specific sleeping pills. In the UK alone doctors wrote 12 million prescriptions for sleeping pills in 1992. In America $2.4 billion is spent a year on insomnia prescriptions and remedies. Non-prescription remedies sales including sales of melatonin top hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
Yet insomnia is rarely a physical problem, typically it is caused by a psychological issue. In 80% of insomnia cases seen by doctors in the UK, the most common cause is a range of psychological problems such as anxiety, depression and stress. Insomnia can have other major symptoms that include:
Feeling agitated and listless
Depression
Reduced energy
The weakening of the immune system.
Increased susceptibility to illness
Increased chance of being involved in an auto
Reduced mental capacity
Irritability
Transient or Intermittent Insomnia
Transient or intermittent insomnia are a disturbance in sleeping patterns which is typically short in duration, lasting for a few nights. There are many causes of this type of insomnia. Transient and intermittent insomnia generally occur in people who are temporarily experiencing one or more of the following: stress, worry, noise, extremes of temperatures, change in the surrounding environment, a change in sleep/wake patterns e.g. jet lag and the side effects of medication.
Short-term insomnia
Short-term insomnia is more of a problem because it persists for longer. Typically it lasts for two - three weeks. Contributing factors include a job change, divorce, serious illness, financial problems, or the death of a close friend/relative.
Chronic insomnia
Chronic insomnia is the most uncommon and most serious type of insomnia affecting 10-15% of the US population. It is more serious because of the duration of the problem, with symptoms lasting longer than a few weeks. If insomnia persists you should see a doctor to rule out the possibility that it is a symptom of some other underlying health problem.
Three ways to treat insomnia
First, consider diagnosing and treating any underlying medical or psychological problems that may be contributing to the insomnia. By removing the root cause of the problem, it’s likely that sleep patterns will naturally return to normal. The virtual therapist has a number of free downloads on Anxiety, Depression and Stress.
Second, identify behaviours that may worsen insomnia. Take some action to stop or reduce them. Known behaviours that can cause insomnia are if you have a large caffeine intake, drink alcohol before bedtime or smoke. Take the virtual therapist addiction test.
Third, use behavioural techniques to improve sleep, such as relaxation therapy, sleep suggestion audio, and re-framing.
Relaxation Therapy.
There are specific and effective techniques that can reduce or eliminate anxiety and body tension. As a result, the person's mind is able to stop
"racing," the muscles can relax, and restful sleep can occur. It usually takes much practice to learn these techniques and to achieve effective relaxation. The Virtual Therapist’s Relax into Sleep therapy is available as an immediate download. It will gently ease you through the process, helping you to relax into a deep and lasting sleep.
Sleep Suggestion Audio.
Some people suffering from insomnia spend too much time in bed worrying about trying to sleep. They may benefit from our Sleep Easy suggestion audio that first changes the focus of the conscious mind with a relaxing melody, whilst providing positive suggestions that aid the sleep process. This is complimented by binaural sounds that naturally reduce the mind into a sleep state.
Re-framing.
Another treatment for people with insomnia is to re-frame them to only associate the bed and bedtime with sleep. This means not using the bed for any activities other than sleep and sex. The use re-framing techniques will quickly condition the person to associate the bed and bedtime with sleep. Consider contacting a local NLP practitioner for this or download the virtual therapist‘s Sleep Reframe programme.
The Sleep Easy suggestion audios are some of our most popular therapies - 15 minutes of relaxing suggestions, binaural sounds and soothing music. Why not listen to one of the four the samples right now?
Try this four page Insomnia download with the compliments of the virtual-therapist
