The average person requires 7 to 8 hours sleep per night and, although it is considered an old wives tale, the hours of sleep before midnight are the most beneficial. Bear in mind that our lymphatic system replenishes itself best during sleep. More than ten million people in the UK suffer from sleep problems, some having done so for many years. Poor sleep patterns lead to an increase in stress-related symptoms and result in a need to relax and escape life's hustle and bustle, as shown by a recent survey which estimated that 270,000 people take time off work as a result of work-related stress. In 1995, 15.9 million prescriptions were written for sleeping pills and tranquillisers. There are many symptoms of sleeping problems, for example difficulty in getting to sleep, recurrently waking in the night and a generally disturbed sleep. Looking at some of the factors that may contribute to this can help us to prevent or even cure some of these problems.


Dietary advice

Eliminate coffee and supplement this with a cereal or fruit coffee. The last meal of the day should be three to four hours before retiring to bed. After the last meal of the day, instead of lounging around watching the television, try going for a short walk and do some deep breathing exercises. This will help to stimulate the digestive processes.

An excellent bedtime drink of Chamomile or Lemon balm will have a soothing and sedative effect on the body.
A light supper of milk and a couple of biscuits should be eaten one and a half hours before retiring.


Exercises

Hara breathing exercises (See under H)


Remedies

Please remember that if you are taking any prescribed medication or have a medical problem,you should consult your own medical practitioner before starting any new course of treatment.

It is not appropriate to make specific recommendations via our website, please contact the clinic for an appointment or call our helpline.

Further complementary therapies available at Jan de Vries clinics:

Aromatherapy, Massage, Phytotherapy.