Bell Foundation®
Supporting Mental Health Research
  • ABOUT
    • OUR MISSION
    • OUR TEAM
    • IN THE PRESS
    • FAQ
  • GET INVOLVED
  • SEMINARS
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
  • VOLUNTEER
  • ABOUT
    • OUR MISSION
    • OUR TEAM
    • IN THE PRESS
    • FAQ
  • GET INVOLVED
  • SEMINARS
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
  • VOLUNTEER
In Sleep Disorder

7 Lesser Known Therapies That May Help People With Sleep Problems

therapies for sleep problems
Share this story

Now you know. 

Count sheep, take a long warm bath before bed, don’t have heavy meals before going to sleep are all great bits of advice that can help anyone who has sleep-related issues. However, there are less common and far more effective therapies that may help many with sleep problems.

Polyphasic sleep

Humans normally sleep 8 hours consecutively, but it hasn’t always been this way. Humans used to take 2 hour or 20-minute naps and distributed those 8 hours into small chunks instead. This is known as polyphasic sleep. It can help boost productivity on those intense days and isn’t recommended as a lifestyle. There are three types of polyphasic sleeping: 1) Everyman sleep, a long sleep time of around 3 hours with approximately three 20-minute naps throughout the day; 2) Uberman sleep, 3 hours of sleep per day in the form of six 30 minute naps throughout the day; and 3) Dymaxion, 2 hours of sleep per day, in the form of 30 minute naps every 6 hours.

Thought challenging

A strange yet seemingly effective way to fall asleep is to trick your mind into believing that if you don’t fall asleep soon, something terrible will happen. However, these thoughts can cause anxiety. Thought challenging is questioning, “how many times have these awful things happened because I didn’t sleep?” The probability is that the answer is zero. Taking this into consideration when having superstitious thoughts at night reduces irrational thoughts.

Paradoxical intention

Recommended for people that suffer from insomnia, the paradoxical intention is a cognitive technique that consists of persuading someone into engaging in their most feared behaviour. This therapy is based on the idea that performance anxiety actually inhibits sleep. Paradoxically, if someone stops trying to fall asleep and instead stays awake for as long as possible, performance anxiety will diminish; and sleep will most likely occur more easily. According to Michael Grandner, director of the sleep and health research program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, “This is a technique used for people who are very worried about not sleeping. If you need to obsess about something, don’t obsess about trying to be asleep. Instead, obsess about trying to stay awake.”

Biofeedback

Biofeedback is a mind-body technique that involves using visual or auditory feedback to gain control over involuntary bodily functions. It needs to be done professionally; a sleep specialist connects a device to a person and gains access to biological signals, such as heart rate, brain waves and breathing patterns. With this data, people can train themselves slow some of these signals down and use these skills at bedtime.

Stimulus control

Some people tend to do many things in bed like to read or watch tv. However, using your bed as a stimulus for only sleeping can make your mind and body associate that mattress with sleep. By doing stimulating actions outside your body, and on a sofa for several weeks, you’ll train your mind into sleeping when on your bed.  As part of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), it targets thoughts and behaviours for better sleep quality.

Sleep restriction

Another CBT-I method, it limits the amount of time they spend in bed not sleeping. It’s very much related to the stimulus control method, but differs in the hours you stay in bed after you wake up. Today, staying a couple hours in bed checking your phone is a commonality. However, it’s also the main cause of why people have poor sleep quality or don’t feel as refreshed after waking up. Reducing the time in bed may cause a person to feel more tired than usual at first, but this will cause the person to fall asleep easier the next day. This method is usually recommended by and overseen by a doctor.

Meditation

By re-training your mind to stay present and calm at the moment, mindfulness meditation changes the physical structure of your brain, creating long-lasting changes and positive, healthy habits. Try sitting on a sofa or on the floor, focus on your breath and relaxing through visual, sound or smell stimuli, and prepare your mind and body to rest. It’s a known method for people who suffer from insomnia and is recommended by many doctors.

Now that you know more about these therapies, mention them to your doctor next time you feel you’re suffering from a sleep disorder, and figure out which one works better for you.


Share this story

Want our blog delivered directly to your email?

Subscribe
Subscribe to our email list now.
help series sleep problems
Previous StoryThe 10 Most Common Sleep Problems
Next StoryMyth vs Fact: Older People Need Less Sleep

Related Articles

  • 8 Common Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder
    8 Common Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder
  • Borderline Personality Disorder Diagnosis & Treatment
    Borderline Personality Disorder: Diagnosis & Treatment

Leave your comment Cancel Reply

(will not be shared)

Archives

  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • November 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018

Categories

Tags

antidepressant anxiety bipolar disorder borderline personality disorder cancer children clean eaters coronavirus covid-19 depression early sign eating disorders fatigue guide series help series homeless housing inspiring story lockdown loneliness mental health missing person myth vs fact online therapy panic attack personality disorder postnatal poverty research study schizophrenia sleep problems social skills stroke suicide telehealth telehealth care work from home young adults

WHO WE ARE

  • OUR TEAM
  • PRESS
  • CONTACT
  • FAQ

WHAT WE DO

  • OUR MISSION
  • GET INVOLVED
  • DONATE
  • BLOG

FIND US ELSEWHERE

                   

ACCREDITATION

2021 © The Bell Foundation ABN 67 180 805 426 *All donations of $2 and over are tax deductible. •Sitemap •Refund & Privacy Policy •Accessibility

Subscribe to Email Newsletter

You have successfully subscribed to the newsletter

There was an error while trying to send your request. Please try again.

Bell Foundation® will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing.