The word hypnosis comes from the Greek word ‘hypnos’ which means sleep. An inability to sleep naturally and peacefully is main problem for the majority of adults who complain of insomnia.

 

There are generally three types of insomnia:

(1)   Primary Insomnia where the person has great difficulty in falling asleep.

(2)   Mid Insomnia where the person wakes up halfway through the sleep cycle

(3)   Terminal Insomnia where the person wakes up too early and is unable to get back to sleep.

 

Usually, the main cause of sleep disturbance is “rumination”, that is the persons thoughts keep going round and round in their heads and they are unable to stop the process.

 

The law of reversed effect

The law of reversed effect in this case means that the more the person tries to go to sleep the more wide awake they become. Hypnosis is an excellent way to stop this process and allow sleep to take over naturally.

 

Anxiety – stress – depression – worry

Insomnia and loss of energy are the most common symptoms of people who suffer from depression and may effect 80% – 90% of such individuals.

 

Other factors related to insomnia

Sleep apnoea, restless leg syndrome, medical conditions, pregnancy, menopause, medication, substance abuse, environmental factors, habits and lifestyle.

 

Insomnia – symptoms

Symptoms and causes of insomnia are different for every patient. Insomnia symptoms may include:

  • Daytime sleepiness
  • Frustration or worry about your sleep
  • Problems with attention, concentration or memory (cognitive impairment)
  • Extreme mood changes or irritability
  • Lack of energy or motivation
  • Poor performance at school or work
  • Tension headaches or stomach aches

 

There are two types of insomnia based on duration. Acute insomnia is more common than chronic insomnia.

 

  • Acute insomnia: This type of insomnia lasts for a short time – from several nights up to three weeks and goes away on its own without treatment.
  • Chronic insomnia: Insomnia that lasts longer than three weeks is classified as chronic insomnia. Nearly 1 in 10 people have chronic insomnia which often requires some form of treatment to counter it.

 

The hypnotherapist will identify the client’s current problem and design a solution-focused cd to change his/her negative thinking process. This is intended to be played at night to quiet the rumination process and let sleep take over naturally.

To teach the client the ability to compartmentalise and to address boundary issues relating to the waking sate and the ability to sleep. (rumination is a key factor in depression). Rumination is usually about either irresolvable issues or else issues that cannot be readily resolved. It is necessary to establish a boundary that separates ones waking activities from being able to both fall asleep and stay asleep. Need to create a separate time to analyse one’s life and to try and solve all of ones problems, for example, lying in bed while waiting to sleep is definitely the wrong place. One needs to make the bedroom a stress-free place.

 

General insomnia statistics

  • People today sleep 20% less than they did 100 years ago.
  • More than 30% of the population suffers from insomnia.
  • One in three people suffer from some form of insomnia during their lifetime.
  • More than half of Americans lose sleep due to stress and/or anxiety.
  • Between 40% and 60% of people over the age of 60 suffer from insomnia.
  • Women are up to twice as likely to suffer from insomnia than men.
  • Approximately 35% of insomniacs have a family history of insomnia.
  • 90% of people who suffer from depression also experience insomnia.
  • Approximately 10 million people in the U.S. use prescription sleep aids.
  • People who suffer from sleep deprivation are 27% more likely to become overweight or obsess. There is also a link between weight gain and sleep apnoea.
  • A national sleep foundation poll shows that 60% of people have driven while feeling sleepy (and 37% admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel) in the past year.
  • A recent Consumer Reports survey showed the top reason couples gave for avoiding sex was “too tired or need sleep.”

 

Financial implications of insomnia

Insomnia statistics aren’t confined to the relationship between insomnia and health. This sleep disorder costs government and industry billions of euros a year.

  • The Institute of Medicine estimates that hundreds of billions of dollars are spent annually on medical costs that are directly related to sleep disorders.
  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics who that 100,000 vehicle accidents occur annually through drowsy driving. An estimated 1,500 die each year from these collisions.
  • Employers spend approximately $3,200 more in health care costs on employees with sleep problems than for those who sleep well.
  • According to the US Surgeon General, insomnia costs the U.S. Government more than $15 billion per year in health care costs.
  • Statistics also show that US industry loses about $150 billion each year because of sleep deprived workers. This takes into account abstenteeism and lost productivity.

 

Treatment

We use a combination of hypno-cognitive therapy and hypnoanalysis to find the cause and thereby eliminate the emotional effects.