041 - You Are Feeling Sleeeepy - Kathryn Pinkham & Dr Louise Newson

In this podcast, Dr Louise Newson is joined by Kathryn Pinkham, Founder of The Insomnia Clinic, the UK’s largest insomnia service.

Kathryn, along with her team at The Insomnia Clinic, help people who suffer with poor sleep and insomnia using NHS recommended techniques. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for insomnia is a structured programme which helps people to identify and change unhelpful behaviours and thoughts which maintain poor sleep. 

In this podcast, Dr Newson and Kathryn discuss:

• Why sleep is important but how putting too much pressure on sleep can cause us to get even less

• How sleep hygiene can make a sleep issue worse for poor sleepers

• The cycle of insomnia and how to break it

• Tips to strengthen your sleep drive to fall asleep faster and wake less but also how to improve quality of sleep

• The importance of managing anxiety in boosting energy levels

• Techniques to manage anxiety

Kathryn Pinkham's Three Take Home Tips to Aid Sleep:

1. Shorten your time in bed - go to bed later and get up earlier. Even if it's just by half an hour.
2. Set your alarm and then turn it over. When you wake up in the night, resist the urge to look at the clock.
3. Spend time managing your worries and anxieties instead of focusing on your lack of sleep. If you focus on lowering your stress levels then your sleep should improve too.

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