Insomnia

Insomnia is a difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep long enough to feel refreshed in the morning, even if you had enough opportunity to sleep.

Every individual has a different need for sleep, varying from 16 hours for new born babies to average of seven to nine hours at night for an adultsand it really depends on your age, environment, diet, health and so on. At some point in their lives most people have problems sleeping. It is thought that a third of people in the UK have bouts of insomnia (source NHS choices).

The most common symptoms of insomnia are:

• lying awake for a long time at night before falling asleep

• waking up several times in the night

• waking up early in the morning and not being able to get back to sleep

• feeling tired and not refreshed by sleep

• not being able to function properly during the day and finding it difficult to concentrate

• being irritable

As with any other complaint, you should see your GP first to rule out and treat any underlying health conditions that maybe causing the insomnia.

Counselling and forms of Complimentary therapies can be beneficial in treatment of insomnia as well as complimentary to other forms of treatment. They also aim to address the underlying emotional issues, such as anxiety, that keep you awake at night.

The sessions can help you:

• • Relax  and teach you self-help techniques to relax

  • Address thoughts and behaviours that affect your ability sleep.

  • Address your beliefs that go with your ability to sleep

  • Address the underlying emotional causes such as anxiety

  • Undertake sleep training and fast track learning of habits associated with sleeping and drowsiness.