Insomnia and five nights of zero sleep is what triggered my first episode – though psychiatric professionals saw it as a symptom of the psychosis. I disagree.
Life stresses set off insomnia: worries; fears; betrayals; job losses; relationship problems; you name it. We’re hard wired to be able to quickly deal with threats through our fight or flight mechanism. And when this is switched on, our adrenals pump out doses of adrenalin, making sure we’re alert to danger. So getting to sleep is a matter of switching this back off. We have to tell our body the threat has passed so it can return to a rest and digest state.
So where’s the switch? Well it depends on the level of stress…
- If it’s fairly mild then a cup of camomile tea will do the trick. Researchers have discovered that camomile works on the brain in a way similar to that of the benzodiazepines i.e. Valium. Within twenty minutes you should start to feel droopy. But I’ve found something even better: a recipe I found in Pamplona called Insomnio: lime flowers 25%; orange blossom 35%; rosemary 20%; lemon balm 15% and valerian 15%. If you can’t get all these then a fresh sprig of rosemary will do.
- If it’s a bit more serious then I reach for the valerian. Scientists believe valerian increases the amount of a chemical called gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. GABA helps regulate nerve cells and has a calming effect. Drugs such as diazepam (Valium) also work by increasing the amount of GABA in the brain. Researchers think valerian may have a similar, but weaker effect. I take two 200mg tablets and for day to day stresses this usually works.
- You can also do a body scan and consciously relax any areas of tension. I take my mind into my toes. Sometimes I have to pinch my toes just so that I can feel where they are. Then I focus on letting go of each toe in turn. I stay with each one until I can feel that it has relaxed. I can usually feel my shoulders letting go unison. Why the toes? Because they’re as far away from my busy head as possible, thereby moving the energy down from my over thinking mind into my body, grounding me.
- By far the best technique, which requires a little more skill, is to press on 7 points on the ear for a minute at a time. 99% of the time this works. It settles the nervous system, working on the kidney energy. I might do a video demo of this so watch out for it.
- If this doesn’t work, I pray. Ask whatever greater power you believe in (even if it’s just your unconscious mind you’re asking) to please help you get to sleep. Reaching out for help feels important and keeps me from getting angry and frustrated about not being able to sleep.
If none of those work then I reach for the sleeping tablets. There’s no shame it it. I always have some spare in my bedside table for emergencies.
Here are 5 ways to prevent insomnia in the first place.
- Don’t use your bedroom as a living room or office if you can help it. So no computer, TV or stereo equipment to entertain you. The electrical energy is disturbing for sensitive people.
- Get a good bed. Treat yourself to a good mattress – one made with natural fibres that allows your body to breath. Ditto for your bedding. Nylon sheets suffocate. Make sure you’ve got clean cotton sheets, duvet cover and pillow cases. And splash out on a feather duvet and pillows. The skin is the largest organ in the body and needs room to expel toxins.
- Put a drop of lavender oil on your pillow.
- Keep off the caffeine – this goes for tea, green tea and dark chocolate too. You might get away with it first thing in the morning but it stays in your system for ten hours and affects your nervous system.
- Don’t go to bed hungry. Have a glass of milk or piece of toast or something. Hunger can trigger your stress hormones.
