It’s Barnaby, and I just wanted to pop in to address some questions I’ve recently been receiving from loyal CantSleep readers. Many who believe that they suffer from sleep apnea have asked about all sorts of bizarre cures they’ve read about online. First and foremost, it is important to point out that only a qualified health care professional can accurately diagnose and devise the appropriate course of treating sleep apnea for your personal instance. That being said, there are some purported cures that are absolute nonsense. I’ve seen advice ranging from hanging upsidedown from a bar for 20 minutes before sleep, eating 10oz of dark chocolate each night (a bogus cure, but sounds fun anyway!) or using black sheets only. All of these are Internet myths, and they will not prove to be an effective way of treating sleep apnea.
The appropriate way for treating sleep apnea depends upon the type of sleep apnea you were diagnosed with. For some, losing weight is key towards treating sleep apnea. Others can benefit by using a better pillow and/or changing their sleeping posture. Treating sleep apnea in some instances requires a CPAP mask. In the most severe cases, treating sleep apnea can involve surgical intervention. As I indicated, treating sleep apnea effectively can only be done by a qualified health provider, so if you are suffering from sleep apnea symptoms you should seek help immediately.
As for my own sleep problems — they are getting much better. My hypnotherapy sessions are continuing, and the past week or so have been relatively insomnia-free. I don’t want to get my hopes too high seeing I’ve experienced prior remissions from my insomnia, but I think maybe this time it might be for good. I’ll update everyone again soon!
It’s Barnaby checking in with an update on my progress treating my sleeping disorder with hypnotherapy. I’ve previously recounted here at CantSleep my sleep issues going back several months now. I went through all sorts of tests, and no one was able to pinpoint the exact cause of my sleeping disorder. I experienced occasional periods of relief, but inevitably I found myself once again tossing and turning the night away. After quite a few unsuccessful treatments, a kind reader of CantSleep suggested that I try hypnotherapy to address my sleeping disorder. I just had my third session with my therapist Sharon, and I actually think it is beginning to work. Last night, I actually fell asleep on the sofa while watching a movie with my wife — not a strong testament to Letters To Juliet! A movie so bad it can put an insomniac to sleep. Well, I shouldn’t be too harsh — the film wasn’t meant for those of my gender.
So my wife was amazed to see me actually falling asleep that easily, and when she eventually woke me to move to our bed I then fell asleep in rapid order again. She really thinks it is the hypnotherapy, and I am beginning to think (hope) that she is right. I’ve increased my sessions with Sharon (my therapist) to several times a week, and I am really getting hopeful that this treatment proves to be the magic bullet for my sleeping disorder. Sharon warned that it might be a “placebo effect” — but I do not care, just so long as it is working! I’ll keep everyone updated.
It’s Barnaby here, and I’m back with some interesting new information. A kind lady contacted me about me sleep troubles and suggested that I explore hypnotherapy as a possibly effective way to treat insomnia. Over the past few months I have attempted to treat insomnia with all varieties of methods and tests — unfortunately to no avail. After my initial research, I am quite excited about the prospects of hypnosis being able to treat insomnia. There is much agreement that stress can be a major contributor to insomnia, and in my case insomnia creates more stress thus creating a vicious circle.
Hopefully, hypnotherapy can be the trick needed to break this cycle and finally facilitate a decent night’s sleep. I am far from an expert on hypnosis, but my research so far has indicated that the relaxed state achieved by hypnotherapy is one of the best ways to combat stress. Hypnotherapy can be achieved either via self-hypnosis or through the assistance of a trained hypnotherapist. I have yet to decide whether I am going to purchase a guide for self hypnosis or alternatively seek the guidance of a professional. However, I have definitely decided that I will give this route a try — I am willing to give anything that can treat insomnia a shot. I’ll share my progress with hypnotherapy soon.
It’s Barnaby here, and I’d like to continue my discussion about hypnotherapy as a sleep treatment. As I disclosed in my last post here, I’ve decided to focus on hypnotherapy as a potential solution for my chronic insomnia. I just had my second session with my therapist, Sharon. Afterwards, she had a few spare moments, and we discussed the history of hypnotherapy and how it works. I was fascinated to find out that the use of hypnotherapy dates back thousands of years all the way back to the ancient Sumerians. Although it has been used for thousands of years, science has yet to figure out exactly how it works. Sharon explained that much of how the human brain functions is still an utter mystery. One of the most important functions — necessary for life itself — is the brain’s ability to regulate your sleep cycle.
Those with chronic insomnia like us often have a really hard time pinpointing the exact cause of our sleep problems. This results in a quest for a sleep treatment entailing myriad tests and almost a trial and error methodology of solving the issue. Unfortunately, in my case, it has been all errors during my trials. Nothing I have tried so far has worked, but my hopes are high that hypnotherapy might prove to be an effective sleep treatment in my case. Sharon conceded that many who benefit from hypnotherapy do so because of the placebo effect. This relates to the power of the human mind to cure a malady — purely from the belief that a sleep treatment you are using will work. For this reason, I am keeping a positive outlook, and I am convincing myself that hypnotherapy will prove to be an effective sleep treatment for my insomnia. Candidly, I don’t care if my results are from the placebo effect or actually from the hypnotherapy itself. Just so long as it works allowing me to begin getting a full night’s sleep, I will be happy.
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