Trouble sleeping?

I love my sleep. In fact, every time I get into bed, I ask myself ‘Why didn’t I come to bed earlier?’. 

Sleep benefits us on a mental, emotional, and physical level. The most obvious benefit that springs to mind is the fact that it lets us recharge our batteries, thereby increasing our energy levels! It also helps us to regulate our emotions, improve our mental health and brain function, and strengthen our immune system. 

However, getting a solid eight hours a night is easier said than done for many of us. I find that my clients fall into one of two camps.

(1)    Have trouble getting to sleep. 
You may feel incredibly tired but your mind is buzzing, you can’t switch off, and counting sheep just isn’t working for you. You could be experiencing this a couple of times a week, or it might have progressed into full-blown insomnia.

(2)    Nod off easily but have trouble staying asleep. 
Don’t you hate it when you wake up during the night and, on checking the clock, get that panicky feeling knowing there are only a few hours to go until you need to get up? It’s then even harder to get back to sleep because you are worried that the day will probably be a write-off when it comes to productivity and energy levels.

I have suffered from both. I’m not sure which is worse, I’d say they are both as bad as each other! Either way, I wake up feeling unrefreshed and, on occasion, like I haven’t even slept! ARGH.

When I talk to clients with fatigue, one of the first things we explore is sleep, both quality, and duration. We then go through my sleep tips and talk about what they’ve tried and what helped. I wanted to share these tips with you today.

Check out these practical tips for a good night's sleep

If you are really fatigued right now, I recommend that you pick just ONE of these tips to avoid overwhelm. Choose something that you think is achievable and that you believe will make a significant impact. Once you have integrated this into your routine, then consider adding a few more in, one at a time.

1. Get on a sleep schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day reinforces your body's sleep-wake cycle. In fact, waking up at a consistent hour is actually more important than bedtime, which comes as a surprise to many.  
   

2. Let the light in (during the day): Natural sunlight improves daytime energy, as well as the length and quality of sleep. It’s also known to reduce the time it takes to fall asleep. Sometimes people struggle more with insomnia in Winter as they miss out on those crucial daylight hours in favour of staying inside in the warm. So I encourage you to wrap up warm and spend some time outside, maybe with a thermos of hot chocolate! 
   

3. Take technology out of the bedroom: Keep electronic devices out of the bedroom, especially those that emit blue light such as smartphones and computers. Blue light tricks your body into thinking it’s daytime, which reduces hormones like melatonin, which help you achieve deep sleep. Check out this interesting article from the Sleep Foundation. 
   

4. Avoid overindulging before sleep: Going to bed straight after a heavy meal is uncomfortable, and could even lead to indigestion, which will keep you up. It will also negatively impact the body’s overnight detoxification process. 
   

5. Create a restful sleeping environment: Try to minimise noise and aim for a cool and completely dark room. If you
   live in a busy city, earplugs and eye masks could be an option. 
   

6. Clear your mind: A notepad by your bed and write down anything that is causing you anxiety and/or any reminders of things you need to do the next day. 
   

7. Drink wisely: Some experts recommend that you cut off caffeine by 2pm, unless you want to be bouncing off the walls late at night! Alcohol may help you get to sleep but will be interrupted, and of poor quality. Both make you dehydrated so make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day. Don’t leave it until the end of the day otherwise you’ll be waking up throughout the night for another reason! 
   

8. Start a bedtime relaxation routine: Start winding down about an hour before going to bed. Try an Epsom salt or aromatherapy bath to relax muscles and reduce tension. If you aren’t into baths then try a spot of guided meditation or listen to an audiobook, relaxing music, or white noise such as ocean sounds. 
   

9. Perfect pillows for a perfect sleep: If you’re a side sleeper, your pillow should comfortably support your head, neck, ear, and shoulder. Consider a thinner pillow if you sleep on your back, to limit stress on the neck. Beware, sleeping on your front can twist your neck. Learn more from this study.
   

10. Cover up your alarm clock: This will stop you from checking it throughout the night to see how much longer you have left to sleep. Obsessing over time can make you feel panicky and make it harder to fall back asleep.
    

11. Magnesium supplements for insomnia:  One study of older adults with insomnia showed that magnesium supplements (500 milligrams daily for eight weeks) helped them fall asleep more quickly, stay asleep longer, wake up less frequently, and increased their melatonin levels (sleep hormone). 
    

12. Do some mindfulness meditation: It’s likely that you’ve heard of the benefits of mindfulness meditation. There’s a lot of research to show that it is very effective at helping people to manage anxiety. Those who took part in a study found that it helped them to sleep for longer and lessened the severity of their insomnia. Find out more about mindfulness meditation here.

Sleep problems? Homeopathy can help!

Below are just some of the remedies that I might refer to when looking for symptom similarity - there are plenty more! To prescribe effectively, I would take many factors into account. I would want to know how the person is experiencing the symptoms, what makes them feel better or worse, what else is going on for them right now (physical, mental and emotional), their medical history, and much more.

Carcinosin: Cause is grief, mental activity, anticipation, or anxiety. May wake after midnight and at 4 am from dreams. Helpful for chronic or acute insomnia, and unrefreshing sleep. 

Cocculus Indicas: Cause is that the person is too tired to sleep or it could be long-term sleep loss/deprivation (from night-time nursing, caring for others, a disruptive work schedule, travel, jet lag, mental/physical exertion, anxiety, or business thoughts). 

Coffea Cruda: Cause is too much caffeine, overactive mind, or worry. Sleeps until 3am then only manages to doze after that. 

Nux Vomica: Cause is a rush of ideas, mental strain, digestive troubles associated with overindulgence in coffee, food, tobacco, or alcohol. Cannot sleep from 3am onwards. Better after a nap. 

Passiflora: Cause is alcohol, exhaustion, worry or overwork. Restless and wakeful. This remedy quietens and calms the entire nervous system.

Sulphur: Cause is being overheated in bed, especially hot feet (soles), needs to throw off covers. Often awake from 2-5am.

Get in touch

If you are struggling to build my top tips into your routine and you need someone to help you to get going and/or hold you accountable so that they become habits that stick, perhaps coaching is for you. Alternatively, if you have tried all of these things but are still not seeing results, then you might wish to explore the healing powers of homeopathy. Please get in touch if you’d like to know more, and we can discuss the best approach for you.