Real Health Podcast: How to sleep better with clinical hypnotherapist Fiona Brennan

This week’s Real Health Podcast features clinical hypnotherapist Fiona Brennan, author of the best-selling book Sleep Better: 8 Habits to Fall asleep, Stay Sleeped, and Wake Up Refreshed.

Fiona shares some of the habits she uses in her book to help you get a good night’s sleep. The first thing she mentioned was going to bed and waking up at about the same time every day. “People tend not to think about sleep until the end of the night. They think I need to sleep already. Well, as soon as I wake up, that’s when I program myself to sleep well. So, yes, going to bed at about the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning will improve your sleep,” she said.

Sleep experts tell us we need to carve out a blissful moment of relaxation before bed. she says: “Nighttime routine is something that many people don’t really appreciate or give time to. But essentially it’s about knowing the difference between bedtime and sleep time. They’re not the same thing.” So most people say, ‘I’m going to bed,’ and then they expect to go to sleep. There’s a process of relaxation that you have to go through, just like you would with a young child.”

One of the eight habits of clinical hypnotherapists is a power nap. “It’s called a strategic nap, and it’s actually 23 minutes and no more. When people say, ‘Oh, I’m taking a nap and I don’t feel well,’ you go into a deep, deep sleep.” I don’t want to. They are in a deep sleep from which it is difficult to wake up,” she said.

You can listen to the entire episode here or wherever you get your podcasts.