O V E R C O M E I N S O M N I A As many as one in seven people live with long-term insomnia – whether that be disturbed nights, or hours spent lying in bed wide awake. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With help from expert clinical hypnotherapist Andrew Major, we explore the causes of insomnia, and get the low-down on putting sleep problems to bed once and for all Writing | Kathryn Wheeler
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lmost all of us will experience sleep problems at some point in our lives. Whether it’s tossing and turning throughout the night, or waking up every couple of hours, losing out on those precious hours of shut-eye can set us back for the day and can easily spiral into mental health problems. The point at which sleeping problems turn into insomnia is when they become regular – over months or years. This could show itself in a number of ways, from finding it hard to fall asleep at night, to waking up regularly through the night, or not being able to fall back to sleep again. When considering what may be causing insomnia, Andrew Major, a clinical hypnotherapist, points to the close link with mental health. “Some of the most common causes of insomnia are: ongoing stress, pressure, anxiety, and
Artwork | Charlotte Reynell
depression, which can creep up on us gradually, leading to excess worry and overthinking – especially when it’s time to sleep,” Andrew explains. “But there may be other psychological reasons causing insomnia, including anger, grief, or trauma.” According to the Sleep Council, of those who get less than five hours of sleep per night, 21% live with depression and 17% with anxiety. But when it comes to insomnia, it’s a vicious cycle. While mental health problems may be causing sleep problems, lack of sleep can then lead to poor mental health, including low mood, irritability, and problems concentrating – not to mention the added anxiety about not being able to sleep. “When we don’t get enough sleep, it can reduce problemsolving skills and our ability to cope with stressful situations – leaving us feeling overwhelmed
by things we’d previously been able to deal with,” says Andrew. “Getting enough sleep helps us build mental and emotional resilience so that we’re able to deal with the demands, challenges, and sometimes adversity, of modern life.” Clearly, there’s a lot at stake. And yet, only four in 10 people with insomnia go on to ask for help – something that is particularly common in older people, where 47% believe that nothing can be done to improve their sleep quality. “Whatever the issue – by taking action to address the underlying causes, and with some simple changes to our daily habits and routines – you can break the cycle of sleepless nights, and learn how to sleep well,” says Andrew. So how’s it done? Andrew advises that the first step is to take a good look at your daytime habits. >>>
