Do you have an over active mind that won’t shut off at night? Do you find yourself dragging at work because you could not get to sleep the night before?
Often people with unresolved trauma have difficulty consistently getting a good night’s sleep. I read on one book that having insomnia is a kind of trauma in and of itself. Even going to bed begins to have a negative association for these people who fear another long night being awake when it feels like everyone else is sleeping.
In this video I hope to present some ways to reduce insomnia that is not well known compared to the typical good sleep hygiene tips: https://youtu.be/QdltoHRevos
1) Use an app called Mindroid that can be downloaded for free. An upgraded version cost $2.99. This clever app turns your smart phone into an audio visual stimulation device. (It would not be good for people with seizures to use as the flashing lights are too hard on their nervous system) These 2 yellow flashing lights in combination with background sound of whales is surprisingly relaxing. It is an app that uses science to change the brain wave frequency. Most brain machines that do the same cost $300 or more. It has a rating of 4.3 out of 5 from over 1000 votes. It can be downloaded to apple cell phones also. I bought a $20 3 D pair of glasses to nestle my phone in for when I use this app but you can just use your cell phone to make it simpler. The only downfall is if you have notifications on and hear them when using this app.
2) A friend of mine told me about a special calcium supplement I found to be very relaxing with out feeling groggy the next morning when taken an hour before going to bed. The brand is Progressive Laboratories, the name of the supplement is M.C.H.C. CAPS. The initials stand for Microcrystalline Hydroxyapatite Complex. It is said to be bones heated at lower temperatures than other calcium supplements to make it more bio available. There are not many reviews on amazon for it (rated 5 for 12 reviews) and the ones there say it has helped reduce the user’s osteoporosis or improved their nails. There is another brand that looks like the same kind of calcium that has many reviews rating 4 out of 5. Again the reviews with that brand speak of other benefits.You would want to check with your medical doctor before taking this. Many amazon reviewers said their medical doctors recommended the product to them.
3) Using essential oils in a essential oil diffuser. There are essential oil blends made to help people sleep. There are many brands of essential oils that can be used. I use a blend put out by Edens Garden called Good Sleep but I am sure other brands would work just as well if not better. About 3 to 4 drops of the essential oil blend is put in a diffuser that sprays a very find mist for several hours. It is said the essential oils go straight to the blood stream to have quick effects. I can feel the difference as well as many people I have introduced this method to. Another method would be to put a few drops on a sleep mask near the nose area. A friend of mine that is a distributor for Young Living essential oils let me use her AromaDome, that put the oils in a fine mist into a small tent made for the purpose that kept the scent strong around me. This made me very sleepy.
4) Using art therapy. I recommend using any kind of medium -whether it be crayons, magic markers, paint, or oil pastels- to put feelings onto paper. There is something about using art that is able to express emotions and thoughts that otherwise can circulate over and over in one’s brain. As one art therapist told me, you choose what ever color you feel led to use and draw, stroke, spatter, just put those feelings on paper! If the feelings become too strong or painful memories surface that feel over whelming, then stop the art therapy. If you feel you need more specific ideas how to use art there is an excellent article describing 100 different art therapy exercises found at this link.
If you would like to learn more how I help people heal from trauma, go here
