Insomnia
Insomnia is a sleeping disorder where people are unable to fall asleep or stay asleep. Long periods of insomnia can lead to fatigue, depression, social anxieties and a feeling of being out of control.
As well as the definition above for some of my clients it can be they only ever get a light sleep, or they wake at 2 or 3am and can’t go back to sleep.
Melatonin, the hormone that indicates to the body it’s time to sleep, kicks in around 10pm and tapers off around 2 or 3am and if your body is not is a state to use the melatonin e.g. you’re going to sleep stressed and with levels of cortisol still in your body you may struggle to go to sleep and/or wake up around 3am. Some of my clients also wake with anxiety or panic attacks.
Sleep issues can relate to lifestyle, stress, adrenal fatigue, breathing issues, pain, nutrition, inability to switch off and stressors. Worrying, frustration or anxiety about not being able to sleep compounds the issue. Often clients will nap during the day which further disturbs the sleep cycle.
It’s a complex web of things that are involved; hormones, nutrition, mental and physical state, some medications, alcohol, drugs and they’re all connected. I look at client’s lifestyles and recent happenings, medications, events, stimulants, commitments and daily routines. I look at the state of the mind, body and digestive system.
I start by looking for the weak links within the body – tension, blocks, issues, toxins and using a combination of massage techniques reset the neurological balance and hormonal rhythms as well as releasing digestion tension which can be a disturbance to sleep. Acupressure helps by targeting pressure points that turn off switches that are imbalanced. Relaxation or therapeutic massage helps neuro muscular release which allows the body and mind to relax.
It can take some time to resolve insomnia and it is important that the client can be patient and trust the process as worrying or becoming more frustrated only adds to the issue. I work with the client to get what we can get in place and look at what we can do going forward. Putting in place the basics of good sleeping habits and getting the basics right over a continuous period are key to building up the right state in the body. Insomnia is like steering a big ship, you turn the wheel a wee bit then waits for the boat to respond.
My clients tell that sessions with me help them to:
- Start sleeping again
- Have energy during the day
- Get their groove back!
- Feel more upbeat and cheerful
- Start living again and feeling ‘normal’
- Concentrate and be more productive
- Have the energy to socialize again