A recent scientist research programme is said to have found the mechanism by which a good night’s sleep improves learning and memory. The scientists in China and the US used advanced microscopy to witness new connections between brain cells – synapses – forming during sleep.
Their study, published in the journal Science, showed even intense training could not make up for lost sleep.
But how many of us actually get a good night’s sleep?
According to the NHS, most people experience problems sleeping at some point in their life. It’s thought that a third of people in the UK have episodes of insomnia. It tends to be more common in women and more likely to occur with age.
A known cause of insomnia is stress and, says the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH), about one in seven people are suffering from stress or anxiety at any one time in the UK.
And while some people manage, more and more people are showing signs of over-anxiety, which leads to stress, which can make a significant impact on the quality of sleep, life and well-being.
A new reason for sleep was discovered last year when experiments showed the brain used sleep to wash away waste toxins built up during a hard day’s thinking. But they said there are concerns that people are not getting enough sleep.
As part of the BBC’s Day of the Body Clock, Professor Russell Foster argued that society had become ‘supremely arrogant in ignoring the importance of sleep, leading to serious health problems.
These include cancer, heart disease, type-2 diabetes, infections and obesity.
The reward for more sleep, Prof Foster argues, is we would all be ‘better human beings’.
Stress and anxiety are common causes of insomnia, says the NHS, but it can also be caused by conditions such as depression, schizophrenia or asthma, some medications, and alcohol or drug misuse.
In some cases, the NHS adds, cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT) may be recommended. CBT is a type of talking therapy that can help avoid the thoughts and behaviours affecting sleep.
A qualified hypnotherapist from the NCH can help assess a client’s anxiety, identifying the root of stress or anxiety whether it is a situation, a physical issue, a past experience or a relationship.
Following this, they will set a goal asking how the client would like to be in a life you were free of anxiety. They will then work with the client to reach these goals using a range of different techniques.
Each therapist may use slightly different techniques, but working towards the same goal. After sessions with a hypnotherapist the client may feel more confident; more relaxed in situations that have previously been challenging.
Clients who have experienced side effects of anxiety such as insomnia, find that they are sleeping much better and as a result are able to work more effectively. It is as if hypnotherapy unlocks the potential you have to break free of negative thought patterns, and to react more positively and more confidently to situations in your life that may have previously made you anxious.
So, if insomnia or anxiety is your problem, seek out a hypnotherapist by using the NCH directory and soon your quality of life will improve.