Factors that affect sleep can be hormonal or neurological, or both.

When you wake in the morning, your body releases Cortisol in a regulated measure to assist you waking up and re-starting the systems throughout your body. However, in some cases this very delicate process can be very easily interrupted and the release of Cortisol can become back to front, releasing at the wrong time. Have you ever wondered why you suddenly come alive at night time? You have unfortunately trained this habit into your body. Example’s of such would be working night shifts, regular nights out until the early hours, working till late in the evening, exposure to high stress or consistent stress throughout the day, poor eating habits during the day, eating / drinking stimulants late afternoon.

In most cases, trying all the usual sleep inducing strategies can help, IE; warm drinks, not eating late, a warm bath, lavender oil / spray in the bedroom, etc. Furthermore, there are even more effective strategies to help those with an even more deep rooted issue such as taking Valerian Root or Chinese Prunes. If this still does not work then some specific strategies might be in order.

Step 1) If you are coming alive at night time, work out what time of the night it is happening and then try to attribute a specific event to that time - it could be that something happened at that specific time which was quite traumatic, it may have been a while back, for example a phone call bearing bad news maybe?. By bringing this process from the deep unconscious to the conscious state can help to understand and deal with the issue.

Step 2) Try a grateful log. When you are in bed, get a note book and pen and write down as many things as you can that you are grateful for. Your sentence should start with 'I am grateful for...' or ' thank you for....'. You should be able to write down at least 10 different things you are grateful for. By doing this, you help to put your mind in a relaxed, content, state of mind to slowly allow it to switch off. Some articles have advised that you should write down all the problems of the day but this is absolutely inaccurate. When you understand how the brain works, it attaches a feeling and emotion to a thought and by thinking of things that worry or concern you, then you are simply attaching feelings and emotions of anxiety and worry which will have the opposite effect and keep you awake!

Step 3) Ensure you are not deficient in Magnesium. Try and identify the foods in which you source your supply of Magnesium. If you cannot find any foods in your diet that achieve this it could be that you are deficient. Given that Magnesium can have a calming effect on the body, simply taking on board more magnesium throughout the course of the day with each meal may help with sleep patterns. In addition to Magnesium is another product called Taurine. Taurine is an amino acid but can also have sedative like effects on the body, so again taking Taurine during the evening or at the last meal may also help in your pursuit of a better nights sleep.