Most of us know the benefits of getting a better night’s sleep. We feel better, more alert, and more productive the next day. However, if, like me, you have spent much of your life not getting good quality sleep, you may not realise how much of a difference it makes.

Reiki changed my experience of sleep in a profound way.

When I set off on my Reiki journey over 20 years ago, I never in my wildest imaginings thought that it would profoundly and positively impact my sleep. I’d spent a good chunk of my life unaware of how poor my sleep was. In fact, the same person who eventually introduced me to Reiki also made me aware of my potential sleep problems.

We were out for lunch together when she asked me, “How long does it take you to get to sleep?” I replied, “Oh, about 2 – 3 hours on a good night.” Now that sounds crazy, but at the time, it seemed perfectly normal to me. Then, her jaw dropped; for real, one of those comedy moments. Apparently, she’d been worried because she usually falls asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow, but it had taken her 20 – 30 minutes recently. So now it was my turn to be utterly shocked.

I don’t know how long after that, I began my Reiki Training. However, I remember clearly the morning I woke up and realised I’d been sleeping well. It was about two weeks after my First Degree training. I couldn’t believe the difference in how I felt. When I mentioned it to my husband, he said, “Yes, and you’ve not been restless at all, like you usually are.” So not only was I now getting to sleep much quicker, I was sleeping deeply and well. For a while, sleep became like an addictive drug. It was so magical and refreshing. Admittedly it’s been twenty-plus years, and the novelty has worn off, but I still appreciate this gift that Reiki gave me and still sleep better than I ever did.

How did Reiki help me get a better night’s sleep?

I can only put it down to the Reiki healing meditations I did every morning and evening. I had tried meditation before without success. One of my major issues was an overactive mind, and the meditations I’d tried didn’t resolve that. But when I started practising the Reiki meditations, I found I could relax, and my mind was becoming calmer and quieter. There are a couple of reasons why I believe the Reiki meditations were a success when others had failed. One is that the Reiki energy naturally helps to calm and relax your mind, body and spirit. Reiki also encourages you to release and let go of everyday stress, even some of our more significant stresses, traumas and emotional baggage. All of which help us to settle into a meditative state more easily. In addition, the meditations keep you interested as you are only doing a few minutes of one thing at any moment, so you go through a sequence of different forms of meditation. I quickly found one that really suited me, and that became a source of learning and inspiration to help me make more of the rest of the meditations.

One thing to note here is that you don’t need a still mind to meditate. You meditate to help you have a quieter and stiller mind. It is perfectly human for our minds to wander, and even the most dedicated meditators will have thoughts go through their heads. A successful meditation is one where we feel we have increased our ability to put our focus where we choose. It can give us greater power over our minds, and greater awareness of the activity of our minds, so we can address feelings, thoughts and beliefs that are problematic in our lives. Meditation helps us to learn to let go of those things we don’t need to hold on to, so it’s not surprising we can sleep better at the end of the day.

Insomnia and Sleep Deprivation

The causes of insomnia are numerous and varied. Some people struggle with this condition because they cannot unwind after a long day at work or school. Others suffer from medical conditions that keep them awake at night, such as arthritis or depression. Regardless of the cause, there are several things you can do to help yourself fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer throughout the night.

Sleep deprivation can lead to increased irritability and fatigue, memory issues and difficulty concentrating, which can negatively impact your mood and daily life. It can also lead to health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

You’re not alone if you’re having trouble getting a good night’s sleep. According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 30% of adults report having problems falling or staying asleep. So, if you’ve not yet found the answer, it may be an excellent time to consider Reiki.

As mentioned, there are many potential causes, and one of the first steps in helping you resolve your sleep issues is to identify what is causing them.

Your Sleeping Environment:

Is your bed, mattress, pillow, duvet, or quilt right for you? It’s remarkable how many people sleep on a mattress that is too old, too soft or too hard. Spending money on this is a must investment. If you can’t afford to replace your mattress, then consider a cheaper solution such as a mattress topper. Explore different pillows and materials for your bedding and ensure you don’t have allergies affected by your bedding.

Is light an issue? Do you get disturbed at the crack of dawn because you don’t have the best curtains or blinds in your bedroom.? Again, a good investment that’s quick and easy to sort out.

Do I need to say it? What gadgets and blue light do you have in your bedroom? If you are serious about getting a good night’s sleep, please get rid of it.

What about noise? Is that disturbing you? Try setting up a recorder for the night in case something is waking you and you do not realise it. You can’t change something if you don’t know it’s happening.

Does your partner, your kids, or your pets disturb your sleep? If so, take some action. Sleeping in separate rooms has been shown to improve a couple’s love life because they have the energy after a good night’s sleep and are more likely to be in a better mood for romance. If noise is an issue that can’t be resolved, at the very least, invest in some good earplugs and get someone to wake you in the morning if needed.

Make the place where you sleep a place just for sleep. OK, sex is allowed too, but that’s it. Also, make it a nest of comfort and peace. Use lovely relaxing aromatherapy blends to ensure you go to bed feeling happy and blissful. Perhaps some calming and peaceful imagery that makes you think of relaxed, happy times.

Reiki can do wonders for your sleep, but if your mattress is rubbish and you are dazzled by sunlight at 4 am, Reiki can’t do much about that.

Pain and Sleep Disorders

Painful conditions can be a common cause of sleep issues. Seek medical advice on how best to manage pain, especially regarding your ability to sleep. It may be that some medication is the answer here. Indeed, ensuring that your bed gives you the best comfort possible will be necessary.

Pain is something that Reiki may be able to help you with. Reiki meditations can help us learn to dial down our focus on the pain. Pain is often exasperated by stress, so learning to manage stress means we learn to manage pain. Reiki can also deeply relax your muscles, which often become tense because of pain and aggravate painful conditions or cause more pain in the body. I’d always recommend doing the First and Second Degree Reiki Training for those looking to manage pain. Reiki Treatments may help, but learning to work with Reiki for yourself is the most effective and economical way to benefit from Reiki.

Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and PTSD can cause Sleep Problems.

Anything from being unable to quieten the mind at bedtime to significant anxiety and worry or feelings of hopelessness and despair, trauma, flashbacks, and nightmares. These are all things that can prevent us from falling asleep and staying asleep or cause us to wake up early.

This is where complementary therapies can really make a difference. Depending on what is at the root of your mental/emotional challenges will determine the best course of action. I love Reiki because it’s safe and gentle, an excellent place for anyone to get started improving the quality of their life and sleep.

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for your physical, emotional and mental well-being. Even your energy and your spiritual life are impacted by sleep. Exhaustion is not conducive to meditation, mindfulness, or compassion, and your subtle energy body will take a hit too. When clients come to see me regularly, on occasion when they have had a terrible night, it shows in the aura as a severe depletion. One night, we bounce back, but long term, this takes a toll on all areas of our lives. Sleep is such an essential part of our health and wellness.

Many YouTube videos, TED Talks, and blogs offer relaxation tips. Any methods of relaxation that work for you will help to improve the quality of your sleep. So make time for them in the evening, take a relaxing bath and read an easy-going novel before you take yourself off to bed. This will do much more for you than watching TV or being on any digital device that will disrupt your circadian rhythms.

If you suffer from stress, anxiety, depression or PTSD, I strongly advise that you ban yourself from all news at all times. If it’s essential information you need to know, trust me, you’ll hear about it somewhere. You don’t need to watch the news and be informed, particularly when that is contributing to mental and emotional health issues. You will not change the world; make it a better place if you can’t get a decent night’s sleep.

Would you like some help?

If you’d like to learn more about training in Reiki for your health and well-being, I’d be happy to chat with you about it.

If training in Reiki and meditation isn’t for you, or at least not yet anyway. Then regular Reiki Treatments can really help you. These sessions will not only help you relax and unwind, but they also help people to release pent-up feelings and stress. In addition, they help re-balance all your internal systems, including circadian rhythms.

I can’t help but smile when a client says they have insomnia or other sleep problems. I smile because of two things; I know there is a good chance they will be snoring away within 10 minutes of the treatment. Plus, they will likely get a better night’s sleep after the session. Through regular sessions, you could find your sleep improves long-term.

In addition, lack of sleep harms your health, and Reiki can help address those issues. It is said that a Reiki Treatment is equivalent to 4 hours of deep sleep, the stage where we do most of our physical healing and repairs. This is even the case if you don’t fall asleep during your session.

Other Therapeutic Options

I fit into the category of a psycho-spiritual therapist. This means I’m qualified to help using spiritual and alternative practices combined with modern psychological therapies. I can also include hypnotherapy as part of a program to help you resolve issues that keep you from sleeping well.

Remember all my therapy services are available over Zoom as well as at my Loughton venue.

If you’d like to book a free discovery call to identify a treatment plan specific to your needs, you can do so here: https://tinashaw.as.me/phone-consultation