Getting a good night’s sleep is something some of us only dream of! We all know that sleep is essential as it’s during this restful part of our daily cycle that our body’s cells repair and renew. Sleeping well helps you feel more rejuvenated when you wake. This in turn leads to a positive cycle as the following day you are more likely to look after yourself better and continue to have a good sleep pattern.
Poor sleep and insomnia is, however, a modern epidemic in today’s busy world. We are generally on the go all the time and have forgotten how to rest. We even prioritise ticking more items off our to-do list over sleep.
It is important to remember that not having a night of peaceful slumber affects your concentration and ability to focus. If that wasn’t bad enough it can leave you feeling tearful, irritable and generally lacking motivation. On a long term basis a poor sleep habit has been linked to more serious health problems including weight gain, depression, anxiety and cardiovascular disease.
Holistic Therapy looks at the person as a whole and reasons why a certain symptom may be presenting. Poor sleep is the result of a wide range of factors. It’s important to identify what your trigger is and look at possible lifestyle and dietary changes that may help you get to the land of nod easier and stay there!
On a regular basis I see women who regularly do not get enough sleep and not all the ones with small children. Quite often they are on the go until they collapse into bed and either find it difficult to drift off or wake in the early hours, mind racing and feeling agitated. If they do sleep, more often than not they wake still feeling exhausted.
As a Holistic Therapist I love to get messages and feedback from my clients following a treatment such as “I had the best night’s sleep in ages”, “I slept really well and am feeling energised and more focused today”. Of course everyone’s circumstances are different and reactions to treatments will vary.
So how can Holistic Therapy help you?
Visiting my Practice for a treatment can help you relax and just “be”. My therapy room is warm, softly lit, aromatherapy oils are diffused, relaxing music played. This is time just for you to discuss your health concerns and how you are feeling. The treatments themselves further add to this experience.
Massage and Aromatherapy
Massage is the manipulation of the body’s soft tissues to produce beneficial effects on all the body’s systems. This therapy helps you get into a relaxed state by easing muscle tension, calming your mind and boosts serotonin levels, which has been proven to help with sleep. Adding sleep-inducing Aromatherapy essential oils to the treatment can have added benefit. Furthermore I use oils to tackle the underlying reason as to why you may be having sleep problems such as back pain or anxiety.
Reflexology
Reflexology uses special pressure techniques to stimulate reflex points relating to your whole body to restore balance and well-being. The treatment itself is deeply relaxing and if sleep is an issue for you I will focus on specific reflexes linked to this problem.
Reiki
Reiki is a hands-on therapy whereby energy is channelled to promote self-healing. Many of my clients have commented on having a sense of inner calm following a session. They feel more grounded which may help them have a more peaceful and deeper sleep.
Other than boosting your well-being with Holistic Therapy here are some other tips to help you on your way to a good night’s sleep.
Declutter your bedroom
Set your bedroom up so it is conducive to a blissful night’s sleep. If you are tripping over everything to get into bed you will be wound up before you hit the sheets. Your bedroom needs to be a comfortable, stress free zone. Use dim lighting, keep the temperature cool and avoid having a TV or tech gadgets in your room.
Wind down properly before bedtime
Supercharge your bedtime routine and allow yourself the time to properly switch off before you actually go to bed. This will help reduce your pre-sleep stress, alleviate a racing mind and generally aid relaxation.
Soak away the day
The relaxing effects of having a bath are pretty much instant. Having a soak helps to ease muscle tension and soothe away the stresses of the day.
Unplug from technology
It is important to disconnect from the constant stream of information overloading our brains. The light emitted from your screen also disrupts production of the sleep-inducing melatonin hormone.
The Magic of Magnesium
Magnesium is reported to help with sleep so include plenty of magnesium-rich foods in your diet such as leafy green vegetables and pumpkin seeds.
So think about reasons why you are not getting enough “ZZZs”. Implement some of the above and look at other ways you may be able to help yourself. If you would like to explore the benefits of Holistic Therapy further and see how it can help you then please get in touch.