Shakespeare was right, cares do keep you awake. Many insomniacs and troubled sleepers list red meat issues like health, relationships, jobs, taxes and finances as the cause behind not falling asleep, not staying asleep, waking up frequently throughout the night and generally tossing, turning, teeth grinding and greeting the morning tired and unrefreshed.
After Shakespeare, many scientists and researchers in our industrialised world have provided copious quantities of research proving that sleep deprivation affects our health ranging from poor quality concentration to fertility problems and heart disease. And if you are tired during the day, cannot concentrate on your job and your relationships are suffering, guess what? The cycle of poor sleep continues.
There comes a time in the life of any insomniac or poor sleeper when he or she becomes tired of trying and failing with all the established advice of well meaning gurus. We have all stood in the supermarket checkout and browsed those popular magazines that every week seem to have yet another article on how to sleep, all of which contain words such as no caffeine, aromatherapy baths, no electronic stimulation, eat turkey and the rest. You could just take the easy route and go to the Doctor and become addicted to pills and live with the mental and physical side effects of the medication.
I am a long time meditator and characteristically have such a laid back personality I am almost horizontal yet I had sleeping problems after a long stay in hospital. No one could give me an explanation for my sleep distress that made any sense to me. While living in New York, I was drawn to a sign for a Sleep Retreat conducted by Michael Krugman who is the founder of the SOUNDER SLEEP SYSTEM®. I had found his name through the Feldenkrais world in which I am a Practitioner and Michael Krugman was a Trainer who had insomnia and then developed this system through his own research and experience.
This retreat was my last resort. It was a three day workshop and Michael is brilliant with his intelligence, research and knowledge behind the science of sleep and sleep disorders and for me, it was the first time someone had offered a proven explanation as to why some of us just cannot sleep. We learnt about the brain and the central nervous system and how the Sounder Sleep System® exploits the two fundamental, opposing principles of the human nervous system, excitation and inhibition to produce its sleep inducing effects. The Sounder Sleep System® uses small, slow, gentle bodily movements to initiate and amplify the inhibitory process resulting in natural, restful, sleep whenever you need it.
My introduction to this Method gave me the most relaxing weekend that I have ever experienced and as I practised the Methods over the following weeks, my sleep returned to perfection. I could fall asleep and stay asleep without waking up at three in the morning and staying awake. I became a devoted fan and trained to be a Teacher of the Sounder Sleep System®.
"The best cure for insomnia is to get a lot of sleep." W. C. Fields
I am now teaching classes and workshops here in England, and I can teach the lessons via skype for those of you in far away places. Speaking of far away places, I have been contacted by folk in South Africa - yes insomnia is rampant and refreshing sleep is so necessary to us all.
The Sounder Sleep System® can be learnt as I said before in a Sleep retreat or workshop, or over a course of five sessions, with homework in between. There is a 100% success rate - providing you practice the homework every day. Yes that Dominatrix thing from my personality comes in now because your success depends on doing the homework, so I am strict and the advantage of a skype relationship or a visit to a class is that you will receive encouragement to practice!! The Sounder Sleep System® can work alongside medical advice as it will be a powerful ally in your healing process. In addition to enhancing sleep it is a great self help, self nurturing practice for anyone who suffers from worry, tension and anxiety from living in the modern world. Why not be pro-active and learn the methods just to keep you worry free and less anxious during the day, even if you can sleep?
Oh....... and mine is a double expresso. Thank you.
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