Sleep is vital for good mental health and we have the proof. Lower your anxiety by improving your sleep! We spend up to one third of our lives asleep and whilst we do our body and mind are busy repairing, replacing, and re-energising. Hopefully, if we have had enough, we feel raring to go the next day.
I know I feel rank the day after a poor night’s sleep. I’m spiky, irritable and less tolerant of those around me and the dark circles and puffy eyes say it all. The bottom line is that sleep is a critical component to overall health and wellbeing and so it’s really worth addressing.
New evidence suggests that there are emotional consequences for not having adequate rest. A good night’s sleep helps stabilise emotions, whereas a sleepless night puts your body at a disadvantage when fighting off infection, particularly the common cold, and can trigger up to a 30% rise in anxiety levels the next day.
Neuroscientist Matthew Walker from the University of California, Berkeley says, “we have identified a new function of deep sleep, one that decreases anxiety overnight by reorganising connections in the brain.” It appears there is a causal connection between the quality of sleep experienced and resulting anxiety levels the next day.
I like to think of it like this….you put your car in for a service so it runs well and efficiently for you the next day and doesn’t break down. Equally, each night when you go to bed you are effectively putting your body and mind in for a service so you experience a greater feeling of well-being the next day.
Over the years I have seen many people with sleep problems and on reflection I feel over half could have sorted the issue by addressing the simple sleep hygiene tips below, the remainder however, needed one-to-one therapeutic intervention.
The most effective intervention has been the use of The Therapy Bubble’s “Sleep Tonic” audios and over a period of 17 years I have received great feedback regarding the effectiveness of them. Here is a sample for you to try:
This audio really is a “sleep tonic”. Play whilst going to sleep and drift off into a restorative sleep. Train your mind and body to let go of tension and accept the natural process of sleep.
Play whilst going off to sleep and enjoy the benefits the next day and thereafter.
Deep Sleep Tonic sample
Please contact me for bespoke audios for children and adults. If you are still having problems with sleep then please arrange a call with me, let’s talk.
TTFN, Hils & The Therapy Bubble x
Top sleep hygiene tips to make sure you can function like a smooth sports car and not a clapped out old banger.
- Adopt a relaxing bedtime ritual such as the SLEEP TONIC or DEEP SLEEP TONIC from the Therapy Bubble Library. Listen to whilst going off to sleep and train the mind to let go and enter into the natural process of sleep.
- Stick to a sleep schedule i.e. have a regular time for going to bed and getting up the next day.
- Limit caffeine and avoid alcohol….they are sleep stealers.
- Exercise daily.
- Use a blue light filter (go to settings in iPhone, it’s called “Night Shift”) if you are using electronic devices before bed. Ideally avoid devices one to two hours before bedtime.
- Make sure you associate your bedroom with sleep and relaxation, but not work.
- Assess the temperature, light and sound in your bedroom and make adjustments if necessary.