The Sleep Forum and World Sleep Society have come together to produce TEN podcasts about sleep as we countdown to World Sleep Day on March 13, 2010.
In this podcast, Ruth Marion, Executive Editor of The Sleep Forum and Allan O’Bryan, Executive Director of The Sleep Society speak with guest speaker Ricky Kalmon, world renowned hypnotist and mindfulness expert.
O’Bryan begins the podcast by explaining that “world sleep society is a non-profit, membership based organization representing sleep researchers and clinicians around the world focusing on awareness and education. We use World Sleep Day, one of our biggest events, as opportunity for our membership reach out to the public and highlight the importance of sleep.”
O'Bryan reminds listeners that "World Sleep Day is designed to raise awareness of sleep as a human privilege that is often compromised by the habits of modern life."
When Marion introduced Kalmon and asked him to tell the listeners what he does, his reply was "I help people change the way they think so they can change what happens around them. How cool is that?"
Kalmon is a professional hypnotist who says that all hypnosis is self hypnosis. Kalmon explains that the only thing holding anyone back from doing something is a thought or a doubt.
If we believe something is true, chances are that is what the outcome will be. When we say things like, I can't sleep, I can't lose weight, and the like they become very powerful in our subconscious. "Our thoughts can be our best friend or our worst enemy," says Kalmon.
People need to take a few minutes every day to reduce stress, focus and leverage their mindset. When we start to give ourselves more time to calm and relax during the day, we can bring that same calm to bed with us when we go to lay down and sleep. We learn how to leave the thoughts behind and fall asleep naturally. Kalmon says, "Give yourself permission to feel great. Self talk is very powerful stuff. Negativity and doubt can hold us back from having a great night's sleep."
Kalmon agreed with all Ten Tips For Better Sleep provided by the World Sleep Society and added, "just breathe." The simplest things in life are most powerful.
Kalmon also recommends taking four or five minutes out of your day and just be calm and breathe. He recommends no books or music. "You will come to see how this exercise brings on gratitude and happiness," Kalmon says.
O'Bryan comments about insomnia and how the first line of treatment is cognitive behavior therapy. Kalmon adds that cognitive behavior therapy teaches you how to change a behavior that could be contributing to your insomnia and "give yourself permission to fall asleep".
Kalmon ends the podcast with one more recommendation to our listeners: "We are all a student of life. Everyday we should learn something or educate ourselves with something new. Just say to yourself, today I am going to be a better version of myself."
Kalmon puts out a newsletter with tips to help you become more mindful and learn something new - go to www.rickykalmon.com to sign up today.
