I can’t sleep at night
and it is destroying me
“Night after night you may find yourself lying awake, burdened by the weight of anxiety, stress, and ceaseless thoughts. Each minute spent awake feels like an eternity, deepening your sense of frustration and despair.”
The impacts of sleeplessness
Sleep is essential for both the body and brain, promoting healing, strengthening the immune system, and enhancing cognitive function. It helps us manage stress, improves mood, and keeps our energy levels high, contributing to overall wellbeing. Yet for many, it remains elusive. The exhaustion you feel is not just physical – it's a profound weariness that impacts your mind and spirit.
The battle for sleep can leave you feeling isolated and overwhelmed. It's more than just being tired; it's a feeling of helplessness as you navigate through your days in a fog of fatigue. You might find yourself more irritable, less focused, and perpetually on edge. The emotional and mental strain of sleeplessness can amplify feelings of anxiety and depression, creating a cycle that feels impossible to break.
Approaching better sleep
Having faced similar challenges, I deeply understand the frustration and despair that accompany sleepless nights.
My approach to improving sleep integrates breathing and mindfulness techniques into individual therapy sessions along with providing complementary strategies to be implemented at home, these can be found in the resources section.
Mapping out your sleeping patterns using a sleep diary can also help us track your patterns and habits affecting your sleep so we can identify issues and make targeted improvements.
Breathing techniques involve becoming grounded and exploring the location and depth of your breath. We then transition your breath to deeply regulated belly breathing. This method activates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering heart rate, reducing blood pressure, and promoting a sense of calm by counteracting the body's stress response. It also decreases stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, enhancing the mind-body connection by focusing on the present moment and breaking the cycle of stress-related thoughts. This rhythmic breathing further induces relaxation, helping to alleviate anxiety, improve mood, and enhance overall wellbeing.
Mindfulness involves cultivating a present-focused awareness, allowing you to acknowledge your thoughts and feelings without judgement. At times even taking a moment to thank the part of you for bringing things to your attention and reminding it that it is time to sleep and you will explore these areas of concern the following day. This practice helps create a foundation of calm and relaxation, which is crucial for achieving restful sleep.
Many people I work with are surprised at the positive impact of targeted breathing techniques and mindfulness. These exercises are straightforward yet powerful, and many people I work with report significant improvements in their sleep patterns after incorporating these techniques. However, for some people, this is not enough as trauma and hypervigilance prevent a restful nights sleep. In these cases, I switch to trauma therapy to help process unresolved embodied experiences and support the body to feel safe again.
If you're tired of struggling with sleepless nights and are ready to explore solutions, I am here to help. Together, we can identify the specific challenges you're facing and develop a personalised plan that incorporates exercises tailored to your needs. Better sleep is possible, and it starts with taking the first step towards change.
I invite you to book a free initial consultation to discuss your sleep challenges and explore how I may be able to support you in achieving the restful nights you deserve.