Poor sleep is associated with ill health. This might not seem like an earth-shattering statement as we all know we feel a bit down after a poor night’s sleep. 
But a good night’s sleep is important and a recent study shows that people who have difficulty breathing while asleep are more likely to develop memory problems early on, according to a BBC report.
The journal, Neurology, said US scientists checked medical databases involving 2,400 people aged over 55 and those who said they suffered from sleep apnoea reported problems with their memory and thinking skills a decade earlier than people who slept well.
Further research is under way to clarify the link and Dr Doug Brown, at the charity the Alzheimer’s Society, told the BBC: “Several earlier studies have shown that the quantity and quality of sleep we get can have an impact on our cognitive health. As sleeping disorders are common among the elderly, it is vital that we see more research into this area.”
It is well known that sleep plays an important role in memory and learning. What actually happens inside the brain has been a source of considerable debate.
But late last year the mechanism by which a good night’s sleep improves learning and memory was discovered by scientists. The team in China and the US used advanced microscopy to witness new connections between brain cells – synapses – forming during sleep.
Their study, published in the journal Science, showed even intense training could not make up for lost sleep, the BBC said.
So sleep is vitally important for our well being and, if you’re struggling with this, hypnotherapy can improve things.
The 1800 registered and qualified hypnotherapists who are members of the National Council for Hypnotherapy in the UK are well versed in dealing with sleep problems and know that there are a variety of causes for a bad sleep pattern.
This can range from stress and anxiety to being overweight or even phobias. Lack of sleep can lead to other problems, too, like ill health and depression. Insomnia and depression feed on each other. Sleep loss often aggravates symptoms of depression and this can make it more difficult to fall asleep. On the positive side, treating sleep problems can help depression and its symptoms, and vice versa.
A hypnotherapist can create a programme of personalised treatment that identifies your sleeping patterns and teaches you self-management techniques which make a big difference not just to how long you sleep but the quality of sleep you enjoy. Improve your sleep by getting in touch with an NCH therapist near you by using their directory and you can look forward to a better and healthier life.
