Most of us have had a sleepless night or two. In fact, the Sleep Health Foundation reports that up to 45% of Australians have poor sleep habits, including difficulties falling and staying asleep, and not surprisingly experience sleepiness and irritability during the day. So it looks like we are a nation of poor sleepers! https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/…/australia-we-have-a-sl…/

But is sleep ‘the problem’?

When we label sleep a ‘problem’, the mind cannot help but offer up a range of potential ‘fixes’, that might include trying new bed-time routines, various pills and potions, and all types of mental gymnastics in the service of encouraging sleep. Ironically, those for whom sleep is not a ‘problem’ mostly do nothing – they just fall asleep! Perhaps there is something to learn from this?

According to Guy Meadows, ACT practitioner and founder of London’s Sleep School, poor sleep is often not the problem per se, but what we do to try and ‘fix’ it can be. “Your actions may help to get rid of unwanted thoughts, sensations and urges, and even sleeplessness in the short-term, but they end up making sleep less likely”, he says.

ACT teaches ways for people to reduce their struggle with sleep. People learn to identify the contributors to poor sleep, ways to make room for difficult thoughts, feelings and sensations that show up around sleeplessness and insomnia, with the aim of achieving regular and good quality sleep.

If you or someone you know is struggling with sleep, contact The Sydney ACT Centre on 0417 130 672 to see if one of us can help.

Written by Janine Clarke