Paranoid...maybe.

For a while now I have been having problems sleeping. I've tried sleeping pills, which I hate taking, yoga, warm milk, sleepytime teas and everything else under the sun. Now I'm using sleep hypnosis. Normally I would love this type of self-therapy but my paranoid side has kicked in and my over active imagination has me thinking crazy thoughts.

 

I started to think about what the hypnosis was offering. This particular CD that I bought works with binaural beat technology. What the back of the jacket says is "A scientific digital modulation process inserts precise pules, beats and modulations that the brain hears." Hello! Am I the only person in the room that thinks that perhaps messing with your brain is bad idea?

 

Let me say that I usually support drug less ways to deal with my issues. If I have a cold, I try to use foods and garlic to cure myself. I feel that staying way from the pharmaceuticals as much as possible can only help the body. So when I heard of this I was on board. Perhaps my sleep deprivation has me thinking crazy thoughts and that's why I am feeling this way but I was a little scared when I first popped it in my headset. I had all kinds of far fetched thoughts ranging from silly notions (like I was going to run around acting like a monkey) to scary paranoid fears (like this was going to plant an idea in my brain training me to be secret underground assassin). Hey I saw the Manchurian Candidate.

 

So I have reluctantly used the CD. The first night I fought it. I heard the beats in the background of falling rain and consciously stayed awake defeating the purpose of allowing myself to relax. Needless to say I did not get rest that night. Oh and I should say that the CD recommends using this for 14 nights straight. So again, this sent up red flags. The second night I was more calm. I didn't jump around like a monkey that day so I felt that perhaps this CD is really all about sleep and not brainwashing me into something crazy.

 

That second night was easier because I didn't fight the hypnosis. I heard the rain and then the beats and thought maybe I should give this a chance. The CD session is a little over an hour so about 20 minutes into listening I started feeling a wave of calm and relaxation. I slept like the dead. I woke up refreshed and ready to take on the world. I was relieved. I felt more normal than I had in a while.

 

Last night was my third night. I actually looked forward to my sleep session and was ready for the rest. Well, it didn't work as well as it had. Last night was terrible. As I laid in bed listening to my CD I tossed and turned. I took off my socks then I put them back on. I added pillows, then removed them. It was awful. All of this while listening to my CD. It would put me to sleep then I would wake up in the middle of everything. AAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!! How completely frustrating. Finally around midnight I got to sleep. Of course I woke at 5am. So not much sleep there.

 

On Facebook one of my cousins mentioned not sleeping. I wonder if its genetic? Can sleep issues be passed down in the family? I don't know. I no longer fear being made to act like a monkey or being brainwashed as an unwilling secret assassin I just want some sleep. I will try again tonight. I guess it takes a full 14 days to train my brain to sleep. So, I will be writing about my sleep hypnosis journey and hope all goes well. If you (yes you my 5 readers) have any suggestions about what helps you sleep feel free to add your comments.

 

Until next time...