I hear time and time again clients say they do not sleep well, but seem to accept this as normal, and do not question the reason why. An adult should sleep between 7 and 8 hours every night. A recent article in The Guardian quoted 'Are we becoming a nation of insomniacs', questioning our sleep patterns and why we may be lacking in sleep and what effect it can have on our overall physical and mental health.

There are many reasons that may keep us awake; it may be stress, anxiety, or depression, whatever it may be, thoughts that are circling your mind, will not let it rest and fall into a sound sleep. It is not uncommon for us to occasionally not sleep well, but when this is an occurring on routine basis, we need not accept this is alright and believe there is nothing we can do about it.

Some people may resort to sleeping tablets, which while it may work short terms, it not the answer. When someone is sleep deprived they can find that they suffer from some side effects such as anxiety, low mood, memory loss, and irritatabiliety. It can cause anger management issues, when you're tired you may not always think rationally. The list of side effects goes on, and is as individual as we are. In fact the side effects of being tired will only exaggerate your symptoms that keep you awake in the first place.

So why is sleep so important to the brain? When we are sleeping, our brain needs to regenerate and recover from the previous day's thoughts and feelings, while our bodies rest. When sleep deprived, our brain doesn't have time to repair muscle and tissues. When sleeping your blood pressure will lower and your muscles will relax, thus encouraging your energy levels, for the day ahead.

So can we do anything about it? There are many ways to encourage sleep:-

Make sure your room is dark and quite.

Avoid stimulation; this includes TV, video games, and computers.

Avoid caffeine, and alcohol, even nicotine can stimulate you when smoking.

Listen to some relaxing music or guided meditation.

Do not nap during the day.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can be very useful in looking at changing your thinking and the behaviours that stop you sleeping, helping you to look at your bed as a place of comfort and relaxation, rather than a place where sleep eludes you. By talking to a CBT therapist, you can discover what's really keeping you awake and the tools which will enable you to empower yourself. The Mental Health Foundation charity is campaigning for improved access to CBT for insomnia.

Be proactive in your relaxation and sleep, the more we encourage ourselves to relax, the more normal it will feel. Sleep deprivation can be a habit we get into, without us realising it. Break that habit and become a healthier you.