Relaxation Tips Newsletter

I'm Candi, with Inner Health Studio. Welcome to Edition 33 of Inner Health Studio Relaxation Tips.

Did you receive this email as a forward? Click here if you would like to subscribe.

In This Issue...

Inner Health Studio Updates and News
New Relaxation Scripts
Tip of the Month: Fall Asleep Quick

Inner Health Studio Updates and News

Podcast Update

With the exception of a few new episodes coming soon, I will be putting new episodes of the Relaxation by Inner Health Studio podcast on hold. I am starting a second website, and need to allow the time to work on the new website and get it up and running. The podcast will still be available each week with a different relaxation download, but upcoming scripts will be recordings already featured on previous episodes.

Since 2008 I have recorded a number of different relaxation podcasts, so many of the upcoming "re-runs" may still be new to you. There are over 100 different relaxation scripts recorded to date, so please continue to download the podcast each week to get all the episodes.

New Relaxation Scripts

Retraining the Amygdala This retraining the Amygdala relaxation script, in two parts, will help you to retrain the brain’s arousal level and responses so the Amygdala can return to normal functioning.

Tip of the month: Fall Asleep Quick

Do you experience insomnia? Insomnia may include difficulty falling asleep or difficulty staying asleep (or both). Relaxation techniques can help cure insomnia by helping you fall asleep quickly and easily.

I used to struggle with insomnia, even as a child. I had difficulty falling asleep almost every night, and this sleep trouble continued into adulthood.

Each night as I tried to fall asleep, my mind would become busier and busier. The harder I tried to shut off all the thoughts and go to sleep, the more awake I would become. Minutes would turn into hours, and my thoughts became worries about sleeping. I worried about being tired the next day. I worried about how long it was going to take me to fall asleep. I worried about things I needed to get done.

The worries continued.

Think...think...think...

Worry...worry...worry...

Sound familiar? Insomnia is a common problem; in fact, according to Statistics Canada, one in seven Canadians suffer from insomnia (difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep "most of the time" or "all of the time").

Everyone has difficulty falling asleep (or staying asleep) once in a while. This occasional insomnia is normal and not a cause for concern, but it can be unpleasant when it happens. Relaxation techniques can help.

For those who experience frequent insomnia, it is important to seek medical attention to explore the cause and ensure physical or mental illness are not causing the insomnia and left untreated. After seeing a medical doctor to rule out treatable conditions that may be causing insomnia, there are some techniques that you can use to get rid of insomnia and get better sleep.

Getting Better Sleep

You may recall in a previous newsletter my story about progressive muscle relaxation. This was the one technique that allowed me to fall asleep and prevented me from experiencing insomnia every night. I practiced this passive progressive muscle relaxation technique on occasion as a child, and as an adult I began using relaxation techniques more frequently.

Through using a variety of relaxation techniques I was able to get rid of my insomnia problem. I still have occasional difficulty falling asleep, but most of the time I fall asleep much more quickly than I used to.

Easy Ways to Fall Asleep Quick

These simple methods can help with falling asleep. If you are experiencing insomnia, remember that you will sleep eventually and do not need to worry about how long it takes. If one technique does not work, that's okay! Get up for a few minutes and do a calm, boring activity, and once you feel sleepy, go back to bed and try a different technique.

- Passive progressive muscle relaxation, unguided. Start by focusing on your toes and allowing them to relax. Then focus on your feet...ankles...lower legs...etc...all the way to the top of your head. 



- Count backwards from 100. Start again at 100 every time thoughts wander or you lose count. Keep re-focusing on counting (it stops the busy mind that tends to keep you awake). Counting is very helpful for falling asleep. "Counting sheep" is a cliché for a reason - it works!



- From http://countingbreaths.com, I learned to do a breathing exercise where I touch my thumb to the index finger on the same hand for the duration of one breath, then I touch the thumb to the middle finger for the duration of one breath, then the ring finger, then the little finger, then the index finger...and just keep repeating and focusing on breaths.

- Focus on meditation. Not medication, meditation. Select a meaningful statement, one-line prayer, or calming phrase such as "peaceful and relaxed" and repeat the phrase with every breath out. Every time thoughts wander, just focus back on the statement and keep repeating it.



- Listen to relaxation audio that tells stories. Especially if the stories are a bit boring! It helps give the mind something to focus on, and for many people it seems to induce sleep more easily than any other technique. The monotony of the sound helps, as do the suggestions for relaxation. My favorite audio is "Relaxation for Taking a Nap" because it mainly consists of a series of unrelated relaxing stories. There are also some good sleep/insomnia audios by Jason Newland available at www.jasonnewland.com.

If you have tried some relaxation techniques and still cannot sleep, get up and take a break. Sleep does not have to be a chore. If you are going to be awake anyway, get up and do something enjoyable rather than tossing and turning. Insomnia happens to everyone once in a while.

When you start to feel sleepy, come back and relax. You will soon get some refreshing sleep.

For more strategies to fall sleep quick, reset your circadian rhythms, and adjust your sleep cycles, check out the following:

Sleep Articles:

Why Your Sleep Routines Don't Work

Get Better Sleep

Relaxation Scripts:

Sleep Relaxation

Get Back to Sleep

Relaxation for Taking a Nap



Body Scan Sleep Relaxation