The Way To A Peaceful Night’s Sleep, Aka: Overcoming Insomnia

It’s 3 o’clock in the morning!!!  Can’t sleep?  Sometimes it happens.  However, if it’s happening too often it can cause several problems in your life.    It’s a well-known fact that sleep deprivation can lead to hypertension, heart attack or stroke, weight gain, diabetes, depression & anxiety, flawed brain function, memory loss, immune system deficiency, decreased fertility, and more… 

There are several reasons for restless nights, but the #1 cause is stress.  When stress, fears, or concerns keep you up at night, it’s an indication that your sub-conscious mind is working overtime.  Now, your sub-conscious mind can be your best friend or an ol’ nag, depending on what it believes will protect and assist you the most.  It’s not uncommon for the sub-conscious mind to get the notion that your conscious mind needs to be kept on HIGH ALERT, or something very unpleasant could happen.  When this occurs, insomnia is often the result, setting up a brutal cycle, as the less sleep you get the more stressed you feel. 

The good news is that there are simple and effective ways to lull you into sleeping like a baby again, simply by helping your sub-conscious mind understand it is safe for you to sleep peacefully.  Follow these (3) easy steps, repetitively, to give yourself a good night’s sleep.

1.  Prepare your room for a restful night; comfortable temperature, limit distractions, turn on soft background nature sounds such as rain, waterfall, crackling fire, etc…,  (for example Calm app or YouTube.)    
2. Repeat this phrase 5-10 times slowly and quietly: “I gladly release the day & slip into peaceful sleep, knowing that tomorrow will take care of itself” (Louise Hay).
3. Slowly breathe in deeply, hold your breath for 3-4 seconds, then exhale very slowly about 5-10 times.  Begin counting slowly backward from 100, 99, 98, …  .  In-between numbers, think in your mind “I am at peace.  I am safe”. 

You will likely slip into a restful sleep and continue sleeping all throughout the night.  Remember, it’s little like building a muscle, continue practicing this technique because your sub-conscious mind has no other option than to eventually accept what you focus on.  So, if at first it feels unfamiliar, keep going, it will get easier and better quickly. 

A BONUS TIP is to write down the top 3-5 things you’re concerned about right before you go to bed.  This will make it easier for your mind to let go of the need to alert you in the middle of the night, and it’s a great time to give those worries a break.  In all fairness, there is probably nothing you can do in the middle of the night to resolve a problem, so put it on paper and let the universe work on some of those for you!  Here’s to a good night’s sleep, SWEET DREAMS!

Nancy Holguin, Clinical Hypnotherapist

To book a free consultation with Nancy you may call her at.  951-319-7819 Ext 2433