SWEET RELEASE OF SLEEP
Professor Sarah Niblock, CEO of the UK Council for Psychotherapy, and UKCP psychotherapist Heather Darwall-smith discuss the importance of a good night’s rest, why we may be wakeful and how therapy can help
We all sleep, yet when we have problems getting the rest we need, we don’t typically look at the psychological undertones regarding why. How do we know whether we are simply having a few bad nights or need professional support?
In the accompanying podcast, I speak to psychotherapist Heather Darwallsmith to find out how prevalent sleep difficulties are – and when psychotherapy is best placed to help. Sarah CEO of the UK Council for Psychotherapy
Heather Darwall-smith, who specialises in sleep, explores our inner experience of sleep in order to improve it
When it comes to sleep, our needs and how we sleep are unique. When thinking about how we sleep in times of difficulty, we must understand the importance of looking inward at our experience of sleep. For example, if you feel anxious about sleep, take longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, wake regularly during the night or if you are experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness, it may be time to seek support.
A global increase in sleep problems has been reported during the pandemic. Our sleep has been a ected due to the ongoing anxiety we feel about the unknown. We can think of sleep as the ultimate in letting go and, if we can’t do that, we may struggle. Or perhaps we are sleeping, but the quality isn’t great. Either way, there’s no quick fix, but there are steps we can implement to help.
When a client comes to see me, there are three levels to the initial sessions. Firstly, a screening to identify what is going on – there may be a need to refer to other services. The next step is to look at what 24 hours looks like for you. Here we consider your thoughts and cognitions about sleep and what you do to relax, among other things. Often sleep issues have deep-seated roots, which is when psychotherapeutic support is essential for exploring the reasons and options.
There is no answer to when someone might see a change. Some may find relief in a few weeks, others may take months and, for some, there are long-term issues that are trickier to alter. But a therapist can help those with ongoing di culties find acceptance and coping mechanisms.
Our sleep needs change throughout life, as do our external environments. We can’t always control our sleep, but we can work on other aspects of life to give overselves the best chance for better rest.