Unable to sleep? Trick yourself into dozing off
The
next time you are lying awake in bed, try our natural tips for getting the
sandman to visit
We all know that a hot, milky drink
and a warm bath are supposed to relax you before bed, but many of us still
can't slip into slumber. Ten million prescriptions for sleeping pills are
written every year and a survey found that 86% of us suffer from sleep disturbance.
But you can trick yourself to sleep by trying these expert tips...
Inhale through your left
nostril
This yogic method is thought to
reduce blood pressure and calm you. Holistic sleep therapist Peter Smith says,
“Lie on your left side, resting a finger on your right nostril to close it.
Start slow, deep breathing in the left nostril.“ Smith, author of a book on
sleep, says this technique is particularly good when overheating or menopausal
hot flushes are preventing sleep.
Squeeze and relax
Relaxing all your muscles can
prepare your body for sleep. Anxiety expert Charles Linden says, “Lying on your
back, take in a deep, slow breath through your nose and, at the same time,
squeeze your toes tightly as if you are trying to curl them under your foot,
then release.“
A sleep expert adds, “With breath,
curl your foot up toward your knee, then release. Breath again, contract your
calf muscles, then your thighs, buttocks, belly, chest, arms, and so on until
you have moved all the way up your body , squeezing and releasing the muscles
one by one.“
When you have gone from head to toe,
your breathing should be steady and you should feel ready to sleep.
Try to stay awake
Challenge yourself to stay awake
-your mind will rebel! It's called the sleep paradox, says psychother apist
Julie Hirst. She explains, “Keep your eyes wide open, repeat to your self, `I
will not sleep'. The brain doesn't process neg atives well, so it interprets
this as an instruction to sleep and the eye muscles tire quickly as sleep creeps
up.“
Rewind your day
Remembering the mundane detail in
reverse order clears your mind of worries. Sammy Margo, author of a book on
sleep, says, “Recall conversations, sights and sounds as you go. It helps you
to reach a mental state that's ready for sleep.“
Roll your eyes
Sammy says that closing your eyes
and rolling the eyeballs up three times can do the job. She says, “It simulates
what you do naturally when you fall asleep and may help trigger the release of
your sleepy hormone, melatonin.“
Just imagine
Visualisation meditation works best
when you use at least three senses. Sammy explains, “Imagine yourself in a
situation where you feel content -a tropical paradise, sailing on calm waters,
walking in flower fields. As you explore your `happy place' imagine smelling
flowers, feeling grass or sand under your feet and hearing water lap against
the boat. You should soon feel relaxed and drift off.“
Hum to yourself
This meditation technique generates
an allpervading sense of calm, says Dr Chris Idzikowski, Edinburgh Sleep Centre
Director and author of a sleep guide.
Sit in a comfortable
position.
Close your eyes, drop your shoulders, relax
your jaw, but keep your mouth gently closed. Breathe in through your nose as
deeply as is comfortable, ensuring your abdomen, not chest, rises.
Dr Idzikowski says, “Breathe gently
out of your mouth, lips together so you hum. Try to hum for the whole
out-breath. Notice how it vibrates in your chest. Focus fully on this r chest.
Focus fully on this vibration over six breaths then sit quietly for a moment.
Tell yourself `I am ready for sleep', get up slowly and go to bed.“
Press here!
There are special points in the body
which promote sleep when pressed gently but firmly . Dr Idzikowski suggests,
“Put your thumb on the point between your eyebrows at the top of your nose,
where there's a slight indent. Hold for 20 seconds, release briefly and repeat
twice. “Next, sit on the edge of the bed and put your right foot across your
left knee. Find the slight indent between your big toe and second toe and press
in the same way . Still supporting your right foot, find the point just below
the nail on the upper side of your second toe. Using the thumb and forefinger
of your hand, gently squeeze the toe.“
Find your trigger
The key to this trick is to start
the habit as you drift off during a period when you are sleeping well, then you
can use it when you have difficulty. Do something unusual, such as stroking
your own cheek, as you nod off, says hypnotherapist Sharon Stiles. “Focus all
your attention on what the movement feels like,“ says Sharon. Over successive
nights, your body will learn to associate it with sleep and repeating it should
convince your body it's sleepy .
-Daily Mirror
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