Sleep Easy By Nicolle Mitchell

Generally, I’m a very lucky bunny who sleeps very well, & I get enough sleep (7-8 a night). However, there have been points in my life when anxiety & niggles have crept in & sleep has become an issue as I’ve laid awake until the wee small hours vexing. Good news is though, that you can usually do something about it without having to reach for the sleeping pills first.

In my experience, sleeplessness is often connected to some form of worry or anxiety. In fact, many people who suffer from insomnia, which is chronic or long term lack of sleep, have often been through a trauma or grief which they haven’t been able to work through. This is why when I treat people for this condition I ask if they have had some major life event which was very traumatic or sad. They usually have, & often have had to put their grief on hold as they had family or work to deal with.

When I consult with them, the client often concludes that the sleep problems started after the event or trauma or stress. Once we have established this connection, it makes our journey easier, as I am equipped to tailor a massage to suit, & know what oils to prescribe. Usually oils like benzoin & rose to help gently work through their grief on a subconscious level, bolstered by frankincense for acceptance, and juniper berry or palmarosa to help clear emotional blockages.

Goodness knows I have sold gallons of my dreamy drops over the past 10 years to many people who have been so grateful to find something which worked, sometimes like a magic wand, sometimes taking a few weeks or months depending on how long they had been feeling grief stricken. Details of this product can be found at www.tlcinabottle.co.uk

When a client comes to me, there are a number of suggestion I may make about lifestyle choices, depending on what suits them. Here are just a few of them:

Think positive and the following tips are more likely to work for you.

• reduce your intake of stimulants like tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, salt, sugar, processed foods. Cut them out altogether if you can, but remember this can cause side effects e.g. Headaches, so reducing them a little at a time can be wiser for some.
• drink plenty of water; it can flush through toxins and stimulants harboured in your body.
• exercise regularly, 3 times a week for 20 minutes aerobically is recommended; that means exercise vigorously but so you can still talk while exercising. Again build up to something you can manage. Some exercise is better than none at all.
• avoid exercise 3 hours before bedtime.
• try listening to relaxing music; choose something bland, repetitive and soft, avoiding tunes that remind you of past memories.
• try drinking chamomile tea, lemon balm infusions, or a milky drink before bedtime. Maybe have them with some dry biscuits like digestives or rich tea (not chocolate!!).- although lavender is a good oil to help you relax, other oils are more sedative e.g.
  Benzoin, frankincense, clary sage, sandalwood, rose, vetiver or valerian. Pop 2 drops in a teaspoon of base oil, apply to the soles of your feet, temples and chest, or
• try a warm bath, but not too hot as this can be a stimulant. Add 6-10 drops of your chosen oils to 12 an eggcupful of milk, and add to your bath once you have drawn it to the correct temperature. Swish round and soak for 20minutes. Pat yourself dry with a towel to ensure you continue to soak up the goodness of the oils.
• try massage to ease tension and reduce stress. Ideally time it so you can relax or go to bed afterwards.
• take time out in your life to relax, it’s easy to make excuses not to. There is a chinese saying, “that the time to relax is when you don’t have time”, so the trick is to build in time in your hectic schedule. Put it in your diary & keep to it.
• do some visualisation or relaxation exercises. There are many books on this subject available in bookshops or in your local library. Alternatively consult a therapist for details. Often breathing exercises are simple but effective.
• dim your lights 2-3 hours before bedtime.
• burn some of the aforementioned oils in a burner during this time to enhance sleep.
• ensure your feet are warm with socks, or a hot water bottle/wheatbag. Cold feet can be a cause of sleeplessness!
• then again avoid too much heat in your room. Research shows that being too hot can make you uncomfortable and wake you during the night.
• paint your room relaxing colours, e.g. Blues, purples, greens and turquoises. Avoid reds, yellows, whites, creams and oranges (although if you want a passion pit orange is recommended! ).
• choose a small bedroom to sleep in, or if this is not possible, invest in some drapes around your bed. Research shows that we feel safer and less exposed in smaller, confined spaces as a general rule.
• invest in a good quality mattress. Ideally we should change our mattress every 3-5 years. So chuck the old, lumpy one away.
• try some acupressure points to induce peaceful sleep. These can be found in self help books, or if you prefer consult an acupuncturist or myself for details.
• try a relaxing treatment e.g. Acupuncture, massage, reiki, shiatsu, counselling, etc, etc, etc,. The list is endless, but choose a therapy that suits you. Ensure you get on with your therapist, and book a course of treatment for the best results,
• or take up a gentle form of exercise like tai chi or yoga, which rebalances your body inside and out.
• talk to your local health food shop about natural supplements; hops, passion flower & valerian tinctures work well for many.
• remember, it is ok to have broken sleep, so long as you get enough. So don’t worry if you wake frequently.
• if you do wake & can’t get back to sleep, get up & do something relaxing like reading, listening to music, watching tv etc. Go back to bed when you feel drowsy. This also helps you associate your bedroom with sleeping rather than insomnia. If you do get up, try to avoid turning on any bright lights, use low key lighting so your body does not go into wake-wakey mode.
• some people find it helpful to walk around in bare feet outside for 20 minutes towards the end of the day. This is because walking around in shoes on manmade carpet can create static electricity which can prevent sleep.
• keep computer time & gaming to a minimum at night-time.
• use black out blinds to help keep out streetlight glare or early morning sun.

Of course, if you need a helping hand, or some support, please feel free to arrange a consultation.

Copyright 2009 Nicolle Mitchell ITEC, CThA, Holistic Massage Specialist, The Little Massage Clinic | www.lifenlimb.co.uk | www.tlcinabottle.co.uk

Disclaimer: we do not diagnose or guarantee cures. We aim to help people make informed choices about their health. Any changes in lifestyle, diet, medication, supplementation or remedies, should be taken with your GP ’s or health professional’s support.