Counselling for Sleep Problems

A Sleep Problem is a chronic inability to sleep normally; it affects 10-15% of adults and 20% of children and is more common in women and older adults. Sleep problems can include Insomnia, Sleep Apnea, Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and Sleep Walking. Sleep problems can be closely linked to mental health – for example, people experience feelings of worry that lead to lack of sleep, which results in tiredness and subsequent difficulty coping with day to day life, resulting in low self esteem taking you full circle to more worry and lack of sleep.

Who Can Counselling for Sleep Problems Help?

Do you have difficulty falling asleep?  Do you frequently wake in the night?  Do you wake early in the morning?  Do you have difficulty falling back to sleep once awake?

If you have answered ‘yes’ to one or more of these questions you may benefit from our counselling services for sleep issues.

What Does Therapy for Sleep Problems Involve?

Step 1

You will begin by meeting with one of our Psychologist for an initial assessment to discuss the difficulties that you have been having with your sleep and its impact on you. Your Therapist will also ask you some more general questions about your mood, background, commitments and responsibilities and what you would like to achieve through your counselling.  This information will help your Therapist to design a treatment programme that will meet your specific needs and help you to achieve your particular goals.

Step 2

Next you will be taught skills to improve your sleep habits referred to as ‘Sleep Hygiene’. This will include some of the following:

• Establish a good quality sleeping routine by going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time everyday.
• Sleep in a quiet (use ear plugs if necessary), cool, well ventilated and dark room.
• Create a ‘wind down’ routine before going to bed e.g. have a bath, listen to calming music.
• Avoid napping during the day.  Instead practice relaxation or deep breathing which have a restorative effect.
• Introduction of a sustainable form of outside exercise (e.g. walking or cycling instead of driving).
• Limit the consumption of nicotine, caffeine and alcohol.
• Make sure you are not too full or hungry at bedtime.
• Challenge worrying thoughts about not getting enough sleep by remembering that we can survive on very little sleep, it is not the lack of sleep that causes us distress and discomfort but the worry about it.  An adult needs somewhere between 6-7 hours sleep per night, but this is an average across the weeks, i.e. some nights you can have more others less.

Step 3

In the majority of cases sleep problems or insomnia are a symptom of another problem so you will then work with your Therapist to identify this and resolve it. If it is a problem with your mood (e.g. Anxiety, Depression) it is likely that your Therapist will use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help you to tackle this.  For other problems for example relationship problems, physical pain, low self esteem, eating disorders, PTSD, OCD, life change/dissatisfaction your Therapist will use an approach similar to those described on the relevant pages for these problems on this website.

Fees

Prices can be found on our Fees Page. If you have any questions then please do not hesitate to call 0800 002 9068 or fill out a contact form.

Locations

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Therapists

All of our Therapists offer counselling for Sleep Problems/Insomnia, click here to view the team.

More Reading on this Subject

Should you wish to find out more about Sleep Problems/Insomnia, please check out this article on our blog section.