In order to find a cure to your sleep problems it is important to firstly understand the causes behind your insomnia.
Make a list if you have to – it’s one thing that worked well for me – but do whatever it takes to get a close, objective look at your lifestyle to determine what isn’t working in your life.
Now, you may say you have an extremely successful marriage, a good business or enjoyable career, a lively circle of friends, and a steady bank account, but look beneath the surface just a bit. What, really, is going on physically or in that restless unconscious of yours?
You probably wouldn’t be reading this article if you were perfectly healthy and happy and could fall asleep at the drop of a pillow. You’re struggling to function at your peak, and you’re fighting something that you may feel you can’t control.
The good news is that you can control many causes of insomnia. These are the most common:
• A change in diet, or a poor diet;
• Generalised or specific stressors;
• Depression and anxiety;
• A recent traumatic experience;
• Any new medications;
• Additional health problems, or new health problems;
• A change in your everyday routine;
• Frequent travel, or recent travel, particularly crossing time zones;
• Lack of exercise, or being overweight or underweight;
• A poor sleep environment, with noise or too much external stimulus;
• An irregular sleep schedule;
• A negative/hopeless attitude about sleep, and a dread of bedtime for fear that you won’t sleep;
• Clockwatching;
• Shallow or ineffective breathing;
• Use or overuse of over-the-counter, prescription, or herbal supplements to aid in sleep, which often disturbs the quality of sleep; and
• Smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking in too much caffeine.
So try to identify the cause or causes that most apply to you, and then look towards altering that aspect of your life.
Remember, getting the right kind of sleep is as crucial to maintaining your health as breathing. As you age, your ability to withstand life’s stressors reduces. It is critically important that the first step you take toward reconditioning your body and mind is to make sleep a priority.
The best sleep occurs when you are comfortable and not over stimulated or distracted. To help get to sleep and stay that way, you need to firstly identify which aspect of your life is causing this distraction or stimulation and then begin to work towards changing it.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Monday, 26 July 2010
Acupuncture without needles to help you say goodnight to insomnia
Here is some information about a simple technique called Acupressure that you can use to help you overcome insomnia that helps you to promote drowsiness.
Acupressure is part of the tradition of Chinese medicine and has been used for hundreds of years in the Far East. It is often described as acupuncture without the needles!
Like acupuncture – it’s based on the idea that energy flows through channels in the body called meridians. An even flow of energy needs to flow through the body to promote good health – and therefore disruptions of this flow of energy can lead to illness at any point along it.
This flow of energy can be directly influenced by loads of different things including:
Stress
Emotional Distress
Diet
Environment
Now this life energy or Qi as the Chinese call it, is most concentrated at points along the meridians called Occupants.
There is scientific evidence that stimulating particular acupoints can relieve stress, anxiety, nausea as well as pain. But more recently scientists from the Sleep Disorder Centre in Arizona have started to collect evidence as to the benefits of both acupuncture and acupressure with relieving insomnia.
Whilst more research is needed – here are some simple acupressure techniques you can try yourself without the use of any needles!
Third Eye
To help you fall off to sleep, use your middle finger of your left hand to gently massage the third eye point. This is situated right between your eyebrows , just below the bottom of the centre of your forehead.
Just 5 minutes will really help you to relax and should help the onset of drowsiness.
Close Eyes
To work the close eye acupoint (or Ki 6 as professionals call it) – use your right thumb to massage the inside of the left heel gently in a circular motion – then apply pressure for a few seconds.
Then you need to repeat this again on the right heel using the left thumb.
Calm Sleep
The calm sleep acupoint (or BI 62) – simply follow the instructions for the Close eyes acupoint but only massage the outside of the heels.
Now I tried these simple techniques and it didn’t cost a penny. They were easy to do just before bedtime and they really seemed to help me relax and focus on getting rid of the everyday stresses and replace them with calm.
I hope you’ll be open minded and give it a try. There’s definitely something there and it isn’t just mumbo jumbo. I would definitely say it added to my armoury of techniques that helped me cure myself of insomnia after 3 long years of sleepless nights.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Acupressure is part of the tradition of Chinese medicine and has been used for hundreds of years in the Far East. It is often described as acupuncture without the needles!
Like acupuncture – it’s based on the idea that energy flows through channels in the body called meridians. An even flow of energy needs to flow through the body to promote good health – and therefore disruptions of this flow of energy can lead to illness at any point along it.
This flow of energy can be directly influenced by loads of different things including:
Stress
Emotional Distress
Diet
Environment
Now this life energy or Qi as the Chinese call it, is most concentrated at points along the meridians called Occupants.
There is scientific evidence that stimulating particular acupoints can relieve stress, anxiety, nausea as well as pain. But more recently scientists from the Sleep Disorder Centre in Arizona have started to collect evidence as to the benefits of both acupuncture and acupressure with relieving insomnia.
Whilst more research is needed – here are some simple acupressure techniques you can try yourself without the use of any needles!
Third Eye
To help you fall off to sleep, use your middle finger of your left hand to gently massage the third eye point. This is situated right between your eyebrows , just below the bottom of the centre of your forehead.
Just 5 minutes will really help you to relax and should help the onset of drowsiness.
Close Eyes
To work the close eye acupoint (or Ki 6 as professionals call it) – use your right thumb to massage the inside of the left heel gently in a circular motion – then apply pressure for a few seconds.
Then you need to repeat this again on the right heel using the left thumb.
Calm Sleep
The calm sleep acupoint (or BI 62) – simply follow the instructions for the Close eyes acupoint but only massage the outside of the heels.
Now I tried these simple techniques and it didn’t cost a penny. They were easy to do just before bedtime and they really seemed to help me relax and focus on getting rid of the everyday stresses and replace them with calm.
I hope you’ll be open minded and give it a try. There’s definitely something there and it isn’t just mumbo jumbo. I would definitely say it added to my armoury of techniques that helped me cure myself of insomnia after 3 long years of sleepless nights.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Monday, 19 July 2010
Natural Remedies to Help Cure Insomnia
Natural Remedies to help cure insomnia and sleeping problems
This article details some supplements and natural remedies which are reported to help promote restful sleep.
Now a word of warning
There are many natural remedies on the market – but I’d advise you to be wary of anything that promises a miracle cure. There isn’t vast amounts of scientific evidence as to how some of these natural remedies work but there is huge amounts of anecdotal evidence from people who have tried things that have worked as well as traditional herbal remedies that have been passed down over the years.
Another word of warning is if you try anything which has an adverse effect stop taking it immediately as people can be allergic to different things. Also just read the small print to make sure that there are no problems with the herbal remedies interfering with any other medications you are taking.
Some Natural & herbal remedies to help cure insomnia
The one thing which seemed to work for me when I had insomnia was something called valerian. I’ll explain a bit more about this in a bit. The other things I’m going to list here are all things that fellow insomnia sufferers have recommended to me or tips emailed which they found really helped them. These things can be got from most health food shops, pharmacists or over the internet – so it might be worth choosing one and give it a go if you have sleep issues.
Melatonin
This is a hormone which is made in the brain naturally. It is secreted at night by the pineal gland to help calm the brain down and induce sleep.
You can buy melatonin supplements as a sleep aid (it is also available as a prescription medicine as well). It is quite often found under a different name –
Citadin.
In Wendy Greens famous book on managing insomnia - Journalist Jessica Brown reported that having suffered from chronic insomnia she found Melatonin “ helped her to drift off to sleep more easily” and was the one thing that really worked for her.
5HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan)
This supplement comes from a West African plant called the Griffonia Plant. Scientific studies have shown 5HTP helps people fall asleep quicker and stay asleep for longer. It also is thought to increase the amount of sleep and REM sleep.
You should look to buy 100mg tablets and take just one a day at least an hour before bedtime. Just one thing to be careful of – don’t take this if you are taking anti depressants as they have been recorded as causing an adverse effect in some cases.
St Johns Wort
This herbal remedy is more well known for its positive effects of treating depression, but lots of people say it has really worked for them with helping them sleep (particularly if their insomnia is linked to depression). It works by naturally regulating levels of melatonin in the body .
Skullcap
This natural remedy works by providing a mild sedative effect which helps with insomnia. It is also a great help with things like nervous tension, pain and avoiding night time muscle cramps. Skullcap come from the United States and was listed as far back as 1863 as a type of tranquilizer
Wild Lettuce
This is a natural remedy which has been used since roman times. It has mild sedative, pain relieving properties which have been reported in a number of
instances to help with insomnia.
Vervain
Otherwise known as Holy Wort and found across the UK – it has been used as far back as Druid times as a cure for sleep related issues. It combines its sedative and relaxing properties to help with depression and insomnia.
Passion Flower
This is a traditional South African remedy for insomnia. It again has a mild sedative effect and is particularly successful with people who have problems staying asleep. It is more often used as part of a concoction of sleep inducing herbs rather than just on its own.
Hops
This is a very popular sleeping aid – using the flowers from hops to help aid insomnia. This is one of the better cures for insomnia linked to anxiety and stress. One thing to remember is that herbalists advise against using hops if you suffer from depression.
Valerian
Now this is the remedy which I found helped me the best. I can see why some scientists call it “natures valium” as it really does help reduce your anxiety and help you sleep. Valerian is a herb and was recently described by expert in the field of insomnia - Professor Jim Horne as “the most effective of all herbal treatments for insomnia”. Valerian contains GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) – which is an amino acid which is believed to help regulate sleep.
Valerian is usually recommended to be tried for a 4-6 week period and it is usual to take a 2 week break between treatments.
There are some products on the market which are easily available and combine some of the herbs and natural remedies I’ve listed above. Perhaps the best known of these is something called Nytol.
Nytol combines hops, valerian and passionflower to help promote calmness and sleep. I found wasn’t quite strong enough for me, but I have heard from a lot of fellow sufferers that it helped them lots.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
This article details some supplements and natural remedies which are reported to help promote restful sleep.
Now a word of warning
There are many natural remedies on the market – but I’d advise you to be wary of anything that promises a miracle cure. There isn’t vast amounts of scientific evidence as to how some of these natural remedies work but there is huge amounts of anecdotal evidence from people who have tried things that have worked as well as traditional herbal remedies that have been passed down over the years.
Another word of warning is if you try anything which has an adverse effect stop taking it immediately as people can be allergic to different things. Also just read the small print to make sure that there are no problems with the herbal remedies interfering with any other medications you are taking.
Some Natural & herbal remedies to help cure insomnia
The one thing which seemed to work for me when I had insomnia was something called valerian. I’ll explain a bit more about this in a bit. The other things I’m going to list here are all things that fellow insomnia sufferers have recommended to me or tips emailed which they found really helped them. These things can be got from most health food shops, pharmacists or over the internet – so it might be worth choosing one and give it a go if you have sleep issues.
Melatonin
This is a hormone which is made in the brain naturally. It is secreted at night by the pineal gland to help calm the brain down and induce sleep.
You can buy melatonin supplements as a sleep aid (it is also available as a prescription medicine as well). It is quite often found under a different name –
Citadin.
In Wendy Greens famous book on managing insomnia - Journalist Jessica Brown reported that having suffered from chronic insomnia she found Melatonin “ helped her to drift off to sleep more easily” and was the one thing that really worked for her.
5HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan)
This supplement comes from a West African plant called the Griffonia Plant. Scientific studies have shown 5HTP helps people fall asleep quicker and stay asleep for longer. It also is thought to increase the amount of sleep and REM sleep.
You should look to buy 100mg tablets and take just one a day at least an hour before bedtime. Just one thing to be careful of – don’t take this if you are taking anti depressants as they have been recorded as causing an adverse effect in some cases.
St Johns Wort
This herbal remedy is more well known for its positive effects of treating depression, but lots of people say it has really worked for them with helping them sleep (particularly if their insomnia is linked to depression). It works by naturally regulating levels of melatonin in the body .
Skullcap
This natural remedy works by providing a mild sedative effect which helps with insomnia. It is also a great help with things like nervous tension, pain and avoiding night time muscle cramps. Skullcap come from the United States and was listed as far back as 1863 as a type of tranquilizer
Wild Lettuce
This is a natural remedy which has been used since roman times. It has mild sedative, pain relieving properties which have been reported in a number of
instances to help with insomnia.
Vervain
Otherwise known as Holy Wort and found across the UK – it has been used as far back as Druid times as a cure for sleep related issues. It combines its sedative and relaxing properties to help with depression and insomnia.
Passion Flower
This is a traditional South African remedy for insomnia. It again has a mild sedative effect and is particularly successful with people who have problems staying asleep. It is more often used as part of a concoction of sleep inducing herbs rather than just on its own.
Hops
This is a very popular sleeping aid – using the flowers from hops to help aid insomnia. This is one of the better cures for insomnia linked to anxiety and stress. One thing to remember is that herbalists advise against using hops if you suffer from depression.
Valerian
Now this is the remedy which I found helped me the best. I can see why some scientists call it “natures valium” as it really does help reduce your anxiety and help you sleep. Valerian is a herb and was recently described by expert in the field of insomnia - Professor Jim Horne as “the most effective of all herbal treatments for insomnia”. Valerian contains GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) – which is an amino acid which is believed to help regulate sleep.
Valerian is usually recommended to be tried for a 4-6 week period and it is usual to take a 2 week break between treatments.
There are some products on the market which are easily available and combine some of the herbs and natural remedies I’ve listed above. Perhaps the best known of these is something called Nytol.
Nytol combines hops, valerian and passionflower to help promote calmness and sleep. I found wasn’t quite strong enough for me, but I have heard from a lot of fellow sufferers that it helped them lots.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Muscle Relaxation Therapy
Muscle Relaxation Therapy to help aid sleep for insomniacs
Muscle Relaxation Therapy – is the title given to a common treatment used to treat anxiety and improve relaxation. It was first used as far back as 1930 and is used as for a range of anxiety issues and not just sleep related ones.
A number of doctors believe that anxiety which can lead to stress and then sleepless nights – can be traced to tense and rigid muscles in the body.
This Progressive Muscle Relaxation can be used to reduce tension and relieve anxiety, leading to a good nights sleep.
How does it work then?
It’s a simple process where you basically go through and tense and relax different muscle groups.
It helped me and I’ve heard off quite a few other people who have found that it really did help their insomnia – both in their getting to sleep and getting a good relaxed night sleep.
Muscle Relaxation Therapy works on the principle that as you release tension in your muscles, your body relaxes and releases tension in your mind. Combining this with deep breathing is something which helps further.
Detailed below are the basic instructions for if you want to try it.
Getting started...
1. Wear loose clothing or your night clothes and lie on your bed.
2. Make sure you have nothing on your feet.
3. Take a few minutes to relax – breathing in and out with slow deep breaths.
4. When you are feeling relaxed – concentrate on your right foot.
5. Take a moment to focus on the way it feels.
6. Slowly tense the muscles in your right foot – squeezing as tightly as you can. Hold and count to 10.
7. Relax your right foot. Focus on the tension flowing away and the way your foot feels as it becomes limp and loose.
8. Stay in this relaxed state for a moment, breathing deeply and slowly.
9. Then repeat this another 4 times with your right foot.
10. When you have finished with the right, focus your attention on your left foot. Follow the same sequence of muscle tension and release.
11. Move slowly through your body – contracting and relaxing the muscle groups as you go.
12. When finished you should feel tired and relaxed – some people claiming to fall asleep before they have finished.
The usual Muscle Relaxation Sequence is as follows
Move through the body one area at a time – remember tense each area 5 times and hold to 10 each time.
1. Right foot
2. Left foot
3. Right calf
4. Left calf
5. Right thigh
6. Left thigh
7. Hips & buttocks
8. Stomach
9. Chest
10. Back
11. Right arm & hand
12. Left arm & hand
13. Neck & shoulders
14. Face
Here’s hoping it gives you some helpful relief
It doesn’t cost a penny to try and it might just help take your mind off that clock watching and the negative thoughts about another sleepless night. It’s pretty easy to give it a go.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Muscle Relaxation Therapy – is the title given to a common treatment used to treat anxiety and improve relaxation. It was first used as far back as 1930 and is used as for a range of anxiety issues and not just sleep related ones.
A number of doctors believe that anxiety which can lead to stress and then sleepless nights – can be traced to tense and rigid muscles in the body.
This Progressive Muscle Relaxation can be used to reduce tension and relieve anxiety, leading to a good nights sleep.
How does it work then?
It’s a simple process where you basically go through and tense and relax different muscle groups.
It helped me and I’ve heard off quite a few other people who have found that it really did help their insomnia – both in their getting to sleep and getting a good relaxed night sleep.
Muscle Relaxation Therapy works on the principle that as you release tension in your muscles, your body relaxes and releases tension in your mind. Combining this with deep breathing is something which helps further.
Detailed below are the basic instructions for if you want to try it.
Getting started...
1. Wear loose clothing or your night clothes and lie on your bed.
2. Make sure you have nothing on your feet.
3. Take a few minutes to relax – breathing in and out with slow deep breaths.
4. When you are feeling relaxed – concentrate on your right foot.
5. Take a moment to focus on the way it feels.
6. Slowly tense the muscles in your right foot – squeezing as tightly as you can. Hold and count to 10.
7. Relax your right foot. Focus on the tension flowing away and the way your foot feels as it becomes limp and loose.
8. Stay in this relaxed state for a moment, breathing deeply and slowly.
9. Then repeat this another 4 times with your right foot.
10. When you have finished with the right, focus your attention on your left foot. Follow the same sequence of muscle tension and release.
11. Move slowly through your body – contracting and relaxing the muscle groups as you go.
12. When finished you should feel tired and relaxed – some people claiming to fall asleep before they have finished.
The usual Muscle Relaxation Sequence is as follows
Move through the body one area at a time – remember tense each area 5 times and hold to 10 each time.
1. Right foot
2. Left foot
3. Right calf
4. Left calf
5. Right thigh
6. Left thigh
7. Hips & buttocks
8. Stomach
9. Chest
10. Back
11. Right arm & hand
12. Left arm & hand
13. Neck & shoulders
14. Face
Here’s hoping it gives you some helpful relief
It doesn’t cost a penny to try and it might just help take your mind off that clock watching and the negative thoughts about another sleepless night. It’s pretty easy to give it a go.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Different Types of Insomnia
Different types of insomnia
I’d never realised that there were lots of different types of insomnia - but looking into it in a bit more detail I found there to be different types and levels of this common sleep problem. Each has different causes and effects – so understanding this can really help you to start identifying the correct cure for the specific type of insomnia.
Sleep Onset Insomnia
This basically is the type of insomnia where you find it really hard to fall asleep.
The average sleeper takes between 1 and 20 minutes to get to sleep on a night time. Insomniacs are people who take longer than this.
This was always my problem – I’d go to bed and just lie there, wide awake, tossing and turning. No matter what sort of tiring day I’d had at work – I just couldn’t nod off. I’d just lie there with my mind racing, clock watching every half hour. It would sometimes take me 3 or 4 hours to finally drop off.
Sleep Maintenance Insomnia
This is the other type of insomnia, where people have problems staying asleep.
This wasn’t my problem, but during my research I’ve met or heard off hundreds of people experiencing this sort of insomnia where you constantly wake up during the night.
It is normal believe it or not to wake up momentarily several times during sleep without ever being aware of it. But with insomniacs once they are awake it isn’t a minor temporary intrusion – they lie awake for minutes or even hours unable to get back to sleep.
Sleep scientists define someone suffering from Sleep Maintenance insomnia as someone who awakes at night for more than half an hour at a time.
Once you’ve worked out which type of insomnia you are – you can now start to define this further by how often it happens. Hope you are still with me but it’s really important to take a step back and look at where you are now before being able to create the right mix of treatments to act as a cure.
Transient Insomnia
This is where you might only have problems sleeping for a few nights, then you slip back naturally into a normal sleep pattern.
Generally this isn’t too much of a problem as it’s only temporary. It’s usually triggered by an event such as a big night out, a trauma, the stress of a forthcoming presentation or even eating something too late at night.
Short Term Insomnia
This is where you might experience sleep deprivation for as much as a month. It’s more severe than the transient type of insomnia and if not treated or cured can lead onto the more extreme version of the condition.
Chronic Insomnia
This is the inclusive term for people who experience lack of sleep – either sleep onset insomnia or sleep maintenance insomnia for over a month.
I did find out that some sleep scientists do have another category called a Semisomniac. This is the term for what some people including a leading sleep scientist Dr Neil Stanley give to the majority of people who sleep, but poorly most nights. This they believe is down to the stresses and strains of modern life.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
I’d never realised that there were lots of different types of insomnia - but looking into it in a bit more detail I found there to be different types and levels of this common sleep problem. Each has different causes and effects – so understanding this can really help you to start identifying the correct cure for the specific type of insomnia.
Sleep Onset Insomnia
This basically is the type of insomnia where you find it really hard to fall asleep.
The average sleeper takes between 1 and 20 minutes to get to sleep on a night time. Insomniacs are people who take longer than this.
This was always my problem – I’d go to bed and just lie there, wide awake, tossing and turning. No matter what sort of tiring day I’d had at work – I just couldn’t nod off. I’d just lie there with my mind racing, clock watching every half hour. It would sometimes take me 3 or 4 hours to finally drop off.
Sleep Maintenance Insomnia
This is the other type of insomnia, where people have problems staying asleep.
This wasn’t my problem, but during my research I’ve met or heard off hundreds of people experiencing this sort of insomnia where you constantly wake up during the night.
It is normal believe it or not to wake up momentarily several times during sleep without ever being aware of it. But with insomniacs once they are awake it isn’t a minor temporary intrusion – they lie awake for minutes or even hours unable to get back to sleep.
Sleep scientists define someone suffering from Sleep Maintenance insomnia as someone who awakes at night for more than half an hour at a time.
Once you’ve worked out which type of insomnia you are – you can now start to define this further by how often it happens. Hope you are still with me but it’s really important to take a step back and look at where you are now before being able to create the right mix of treatments to act as a cure.
Transient Insomnia
This is where you might only have problems sleeping for a few nights, then you slip back naturally into a normal sleep pattern.
Generally this isn’t too much of a problem as it’s only temporary. It’s usually triggered by an event such as a big night out, a trauma, the stress of a forthcoming presentation or even eating something too late at night.
Short Term Insomnia
This is where you might experience sleep deprivation for as much as a month. It’s more severe than the transient type of insomnia and if not treated or cured can lead onto the more extreme version of the condition.
Chronic Insomnia
This is the inclusive term for people who experience lack of sleep – either sleep onset insomnia or sleep maintenance insomnia for over a month.
I did find out that some sleep scientists do have another category called a Semisomniac. This is the term for what some people including a leading sleep scientist Dr Neil Stanley give to the majority of people who sleep, but poorly most nights. This they believe is down to the stresses and strains of modern life.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Does Insomnia Cause Migraines?
How sleeping habits can affect headaches – does insomnia cause migraines?
We know that lack of sleep has a negative effect on concentration, energy levels and general health – but more recently research has shown that insomnia can have a significant effect on migraines and headaches.
A disturbed night’s sleep can lead to onset of headaches, and in cases where people have chronic insomnia this can lead to severe migraines. Experts are now exploring the links between insomnia and headaches to understand the problem and help with finding a cure.
The definition of insomnia is the inability to fall or stay asleep. It affects a huge number of people and there is debate as to whether the headache leads to insomnia or insomnia leads to the headache. Experts now believe where people suffer from both headaches and insomnia, that in some cases they are related and in others not. Where the 2 are related, treatment can mean a better night’s sleep as well as a reduction in headaches.
Incidentally, there is research to show that headaches are not only caused by too little sleep but also too much sleep. Headaches relating to too much sleep usually occur first thing in the morning. In the same way that sleep patterns vary dramatically between people, so does the effect of sleep on the type and length of headache.
Two main things to consider reducing headache related insomnia:
Posture
If a person works long hours and is in an uncomfortable position then this can lead to headaches. If a person has to stand up operating a piece of machinery or sit in a badly designed chair operating a computer it can lead to a build up of tension in the body. This tension can manifest itself in headaches.
Stop and consider how you may change the way you sit or stand and change your posture into a more relaxing position. This can have a dramatic effect on headaches and can lead to less stress in the body when you are trying to sleep.
It’s also worth considering posture when you sleep and irf you’re not sleeping well getting a new mattress.
Caffeine
It may seem obvious, but too much caffeine can lead to severe headaches directly. But with coffee and caffeine based drinks acting as a stimulant – it can also lead to a lack of sleep which can also lead to headaches – doubling the problem!
So for a good night’s sleep and to alleviate your headaches – try cutting back on coffee slowly to see if it has a positive effect.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
We know that lack of sleep has a negative effect on concentration, energy levels and general health – but more recently research has shown that insomnia can have a significant effect on migraines and headaches.
A disturbed night’s sleep can lead to onset of headaches, and in cases where people have chronic insomnia this can lead to severe migraines. Experts are now exploring the links between insomnia and headaches to understand the problem and help with finding a cure.
The definition of insomnia is the inability to fall or stay asleep. It affects a huge number of people and there is debate as to whether the headache leads to insomnia or insomnia leads to the headache. Experts now believe where people suffer from both headaches and insomnia, that in some cases they are related and in others not. Where the 2 are related, treatment can mean a better night’s sleep as well as a reduction in headaches.
Incidentally, there is research to show that headaches are not only caused by too little sleep but also too much sleep. Headaches relating to too much sleep usually occur first thing in the morning. In the same way that sleep patterns vary dramatically between people, so does the effect of sleep on the type and length of headache.
Two main things to consider reducing headache related insomnia:
Posture
If a person works long hours and is in an uncomfortable position then this can lead to headaches. If a person has to stand up operating a piece of machinery or sit in a badly designed chair operating a computer it can lead to a build up of tension in the body. This tension can manifest itself in headaches.
Stop and consider how you may change the way you sit or stand and change your posture into a more relaxing position. This can have a dramatic effect on headaches and can lead to less stress in the body when you are trying to sleep.
It’s also worth considering posture when you sleep and irf you’re not sleeping well getting a new mattress.
Caffeine
It may seem obvious, but too much caffeine can lead to severe headaches directly. But with coffee and caffeine based drinks acting as a stimulant – it can also lead to a lack of sleep which can also lead to headaches – doubling the problem!
So for a good night’s sleep and to alleviate your headaches – try cutting back on coffee slowly to see if it has a positive effect.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Cure Your Insomnia with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Recent research shows that one of the most effective cures for insomnia is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or CBT. It was initially pioneered by two leading researchers, Albert Ellis and Aaron beck throughout the late 60’s and early 70’s as a cure for depression. But further research has shown that the approach can also be highly effective as a treatment for other psychological disorders such as anxiety, stress and insomnia.
With nearly 10% of adults experiencing some form of insomnia or sleep depravation throughout their lives – it is a huge problem which is rarely discussed in public.
Lack of sleep can lead to side effects such as a constant “hung over” feeling (without any alcohol intake) to stress and depression and even physical danger from sleep driving or accidents whilst fatigued.
Whilst there are medicines to treat insomnia, many people experience long term side effects or find they only treat the condition temporarily. The greatest benefit of using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy as a cure for insomnia is that it treats the cause of the insomnia itself and not just the symptoms as medication does.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy works by helping to reduce the arousal associated with stressors in the brain. This over arousal (or a too addictive awake system in the brain) is the main cause of most sleep issues and a key reason for insomnia. CBT helps reduce arousal through positive thinking – helping sufferers from banishing negative thoughts associated with the condition.
The key principle behind Cognitive Behaviour Therapy working when tackling sleep depravation and insomnia is in reducing worry, anxiety and fear that one won’t sleep by providing “real” accurate information about sleep. Using real examples – we can now look at how you could use CBT to challenge self deprecating thoughts that fuel insomnia.
Some worries which seem to regularly re-occur with insomniacs are as follows, along with the sort of suggested method of turning these thoughts around:
1.” I’m not getting enough sleep”
But you maybe getting more sleep than you think, by misconceiving the lighter stages of sleep as wakefulness. Or in understanding that you may need less sleep than you thought – can help reduce anxiety about not getting enough sleep and paradoxically lead to being able to sleep better.
FACT
The minimum amount of sleep people need to maintain alertness is 5.5 hours. (You might not feel fully refreshed but it is adequate for normal functioning)
2. “I’m never going to get to sleep – how will I cope with tomorrow”
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy techniques can help people to challenge these negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.
So with the above example, CBT teaches you to change this thought to “I’m not sleeping well tonight, but I’ve had other nights like this and I did function reasonably well at work anyway”.
3. “I’ve been lying here for ages unable to sleep”
If you are spending 8 hours in bed, but need only 6.5 hours sleep – cut your time in bed to 7 hours. This will reduce the amount of time you experience the unpleasant, stressful feeling of being in bed awake at night.
4. “I should be able to sleep well every night like a normal person”
Understand that this is a fairly unrealistic statement. Lots of people struggle to slppe from time to time. Think “I will be able to sleep with practice”.
5. “It’s the same every single night, another night of sleepless misery”
Isn’t this a slight exaggeration – not every night will be exactly the same. Some nights don’t you sleep better than others?
6. “If I don’t get some sleep I’ll blow my presentation tomorrow and jeopardise my job”
This is catastrophizing at its worst. You’ll be able to get through that big presentation even if you’re tired. You’re still resting even if you’re not asleep.
7. “It’s going to take me at least 2.5 hours to get to sleep tonight”
Stop “fortune telling”! You don’t know what will happen tonight. You could get to sleep quickly if you’ve used the techniques of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
8. “I’m never going to be able to sleep well – it’s out of my control”
This feeling of hopelessness has to stop. You can cure your insomnia. Stop focussing on the negatives and focus on being positive – “you can beat insomnia”
There are many more examples but Cognitive Behaviour Therapy as you can now see is about replacing those self defeating thoughts. If you are suffering from insomnia try it yourself.
Write a list of negative thoughts you have had about your lack of sleep – now see if you can come up with a positive way of disputing this thinking. It’s easier than people think.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
With nearly 10% of adults experiencing some form of insomnia or sleep depravation throughout their lives – it is a huge problem which is rarely discussed in public.
Lack of sleep can lead to side effects such as a constant “hung over” feeling (without any alcohol intake) to stress and depression and even physical danger from sleep driving or accidents whilst fatigued.
Whilst there are medicines to treat insomnia, many people experience long term side effects or find they only treat the condition temporarily. The greatest benefit of using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy as a cure for insomnia is that it treats the cause of the insomnia itself and not just the symptoms as medication does.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy works by helping to reduce the arousal associated with stressors in the brain. This over arousal (or a too addictive awake system in the brain) is the main cause of most sleep issues and a key reason for insomnia. CBT helps reduce arousal through positive thinking – helping sufferers from banishing negative thoughts associated with the condition.
The key principle behind Cognitive Behaviour Therapy working when tackling sleep depravation and insomnia is in reducing worry, anxiety and fear that one won’t sleep by providing “real” accurate information about sleep. Using real examples – we can now look at how you could use CBT to challenge self deprecating thoughts that fuel insomnia.
Some worries which seem to regularly re-occur with insomniacs are as follows, along with the sort of suggested method of turning these thoughts around:
1.” I’m not getting enough sleep”
But you maybe getting more sleep than you think, by misconceiving the lighter stages of sleep as wakefulness. Or in understanding that you may need less sleep than you thought – can help reduce anxiety about not getting enough sleep and paradoxically lead to being able to sleep better.
FACT
The minimum amount of sleep people need to maintain alertness is 5.5 hours. (You might not feel fully refreshed but it is adequate for normal functioning)
2. “I’m never going to get to sleep – how will I cope with tomorrow”
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy techniques can help people to challenge these negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.
So with the above example, CBT teaches you to change this thought to “I’m not sleeping well tonight, but I’ve had other nights like this and I did function reasonably well at work anyway”.
3. “I’ve been lying here for ages unable to sleep”
If you are spending 8 hours in bed, but need only 6.5 hours sleep – cut your time in bed to 7 hours. This will reduce the amount of time you experience the unpleasant, stressful feeling of being in bed awake at night.
4. “I should be able to sleep well every night like a normal person”
Understand that this is a fairly unrealistic statement. Lots of people struggle to slppe from time to time. Think “I will be able to sleep with practice”.
5. “It’s the same every single night, another night of sleepless misery”
Isn’t this a slight exaggeration – not every night will be exactly the same. Some nights don’t you sleep better than others?
6. “If I don’t get some sleep I’ll blow my presentation tomorrow and jeopardise my job”
This is catastrophizing at its worst. You’ll be able to get through that big presentation even if you’re tired. You’re still resting even if you’re not asleep.
7. “It’s going to take me at least 2.5 hours to get to sleep tonight”
Stop “fortune telling”! You don’t know what will happen tonight. You could get to sleep quickly if you’ve used the techniques of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
8. “I’m never going to be able to sleep well – it’s out of my control”
This feeling of hopelessness has to stop. You can cure your insomnia. Stop focussing on the negatives and focus on being positive – “you can beat insomnia”
There are many more examples but Cognitive Behaviour Therapy as you can now see is about replacing those self defeating thoughts. If you are suffering from insomnia try it yourself.
Write a list of negative thoughts you have had about your lack of sleep – now see if you can come up with a positive way of disputing this thinking. It’s easier than people think.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
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