Written by: Tina Robinson, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Emotions can be so up and down, wouldn’t you agree? Have you ever woken up feeling wide awake and on top of the world, and the next day felt indifferent about the very thing that excited you the day before? confused.
I have tried following all the tips suggested in sleep books, such as avoiding caffeine, turning off electronics an hour before bed, reducing exposure to blue light, and establishing a bedtime routine. However, even with all these measures, I still wasn’t getting a good night's sleep and waking up feeling refreshed. I recently came across a study by the Sleep Foundation that sheds light on this issue. If you're interested in learning more, you can check out the link here.
Let’s take a deeper dive to explore other possibilities, shall we? I specialise in peak performance and work-life balance, so performing at optimal levels is an area I am fascinated with and it is a priority for me when working with clients. Could it be that a bad night's sleep can affect us subconsciously the next day and if so do we have control over it and could it be deeper?
I see and speak to so many successful people who constantly feel they have to push through those days to be as productive as they can even though they are not feeling it. What if there was a way to avoid those days and take control? In my experience, a bad night's sleep can more often than not affect confidence and productivity.
Have you ever woken up unsure of your purpose, yet the day before you were full of plans, hope, and focus? I have! Of course, if this was daily and it was affecting you getting up and taking a shower due to your mood then I would suggest there may be more going on here and perhaps it’s time to seek professional help.
What if this wasn’t a pattern and it was too inconsistent to put your finger on? This can leave you not only affected mentally but also frustrated because let’s say, the day before, you had made a list of the things you had planned to do for your business or had booked a meeting, and yet now are feeling, “why bother” if this resonates with you, I can tell you, my friend, you are not alone!
Now, knowing you are not alone doesn’t necessarily help you does it? but at least you know there are people like you all over the world waking up thinking “What’s the point” when all they want to do is hibernate for the day but can’t because they are adults and have to get s**t done!
As I mentioned earlier, is this a case of just a bad night's sleep and do we have any control over this, or is there more to it? In my practice, it’s a priority to offer my clients the best treatment plans for them to reach ‘their goals’ using my unique method of ‘Mind Artistry Hypnosis’ where I incorporate my 20+ years of entrepreneurship, creating a new canvas in their mind, along with any additional tools I can offer them to help achieve this!
I’m sure lots of you know that the subconscious mind is deep, it is like an iceberg and that it runs the show, so whilst sleeping it’s processing all the data from the day and trying to make sense of it but that’s not to say it’s always for your good, because as I say it’s in control, so as a hypnotherapist and wanting the best for my clients I have to bare this in mind during treatment because not only do I want my clients to be performing at their optimal levels from a subconscious level, it is vital they feel productive and driven more times than not from the moment they wake up.
Rewiring the mind after years of pre-programming takes time but the results are profound. I don’t fully agree with the sleep studies or doctors when they advise things for a good night's sleep like avoiding caffeine, switching off an hour before bed, or not drinking alcohol at night, of course, doing these things may help on a physiological level but can also set you up for a fall because while asleep you have very little control over what’s going on in your software!
What if you are unconsciously dealing with a trauma that your conscious mind is unaware of and it’s still affecting you because perhaps society says ‘It’s been two years and you should be over it’ so you push feelings down and then unresolved emotions appear when the mind is at rest, still trying to make sense of the event, even though it may have happened years prior.
Fortunately, there are a few things you can look for to start the process, the list below will help identify whether you could be suffering from unresolved traumas.
1. Emotional distress
Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, or fear.
Sudden mood swings or emotional outbursts.
Difficulty regulating emotions.
Feeling numb or detached from emotions.
2. Flashbacks and intrusive memories
Vivid recollections of traumatic events.
Flashbacks or intrusive thoughts that feel overwhelming and uncontrollable.
Nightmares or recurring dreams related to the trauma.
3. Avoidance behaviours
Avoid places, people, or activities that remind you of the trauma.
Difficulty discussing or acknowledging the traumatic event.
Emotional numbness or detachment from others.
4. Hyperarousal symptoms
Heightened startle response.
Difficulty sleeping or experiencing insomnia.
Irritability or angry outbursts.
Difficulty concentrating or staying focused.
5. Physical symptoms
Chronic pain or tension, especially in areas associated with the trauma.
Gastrointestinal issues, headaches, or other unexplained physical symptoms.
Fatigue or exhaustion, even after adequate rest.
6. Dissociation
Feeling disconnected from your body or surroundings.
Episodes of dissociation where you feel like you're observing yourself from outside your body.
Memory gaps or difficulty remembering details of the traumatic event.
7. Changes in relationships
Difficulty trusting others.
Strained or troubled relationships with family, friends, or romantic partners.
Fear of intimacy or difficulty forming close connections
8. Self-destructive behaviour
Engaging in risky behaviours such as substance abuse, self-harm, or reckless driving.
Sabotaging personal or professional success.
Engaging in compulsive behaviours as a way to cope with distress.
9. Hyper-vigilance
Constantly scanning the environment for signs of danger.
Difficulty relaxing or feeling safe, even in non-threatening situations.
Feeling constantly on edge or keyed up.
10. Impact on daily functioning
Difficulty functioning at work, school, or in social situations.
Difficulty completing tasks or focusing on responsibilities.
Feeling overwhelmed by daily life.
Now I’m not talking about those who have had a diagnosis of depression, ‘sleep apnea’, insomnia, or live with a chronic condition. I am talking to people like me who have tried over the years everything the media or online specialists suggest but still wake up feeling flat and lacking purpose for no apparent reason. I know the power of my mind, and how it works so I decided to do a bit of ‘mind excavation’ and discovered I was still affected by past events that I had thought were dealt with.
I went on a mission and it turns out, that I had become hyper-vigilant at night due to a break-in that had happened 10 years prior, and the reason my sleep pattern was so inconsistent was because I was still running with this old software and it was due for an update. I was in no danger (and yes, the hyper-vigilance was showing up during the daytime). The person had been caught, and the police called him ‘an opportunist thief.’ I wasn’t targeted, but this had left me subconsciously vulnerable. It’s important to add that the break-in happened during the day but I became more fearful at night and I rarely went into a deep sleep, I suspect this was, that in the event something happened, I was ready to flee.
This out-of-date programming was unhelpful, it left me baffled until I sought advice from a hypnotherapist with the correct training. What was unknown at the time was the emotion left over from the break-in was causing complex trauma, something that needs more future discussion. I can confirm that the results after a course of hypnotherapy to treat this and the complex trauma have been life-changing and I am a different person today because of it.
The unhelpful hyper-vigilance has all but disappeared, sleep, productivity, and daily life have improved tenfold. As a peak performance hypnotherapist, I have chosen to have specialist training in PTSD and trauma where I can help my clients heal from a deeper level. With any treatment, I think it’s vital, if there is any trauma that is compounded it needs to be addressed before we get into the peak performance element, you wouldn’t plant any seeds in a bed of suffocating weeds, would you? There is no point in creating a future version of you when the past hasn’t been dealt with, you would simply be masking and the issues may circle back at a later date!
I am consciously a glass-half-full person but it wasn’t the conscious mind at play here. So, if you are an entrepreneur, creative, sportsperson, or wellness professional and can relate, get in touch here. Let me help you by updating your software so you can become a more productive person, performing at optimal levels, with a much better sleep ratio. My work is offered online and globally.
I want to finish with an inspiring quote from a fellow Aquarian and someone who has overcome some of the worst possible traumas any human can experience, Oprah Winfrey “Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new centre of gravity”
Tina Robinson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Tina Robinson, is an expert when it comes to creating the perfect work-life balance. Overcoming many adversaries, aged 14 suffering the tragic loss of her best friend she consequently developed bulimia, life became unimaginable but her strong innate resolve and passion for the subconscious mind guided Tina on the right path. She has spent over 20 years as an entrepreneur working with her subconscious mind creating the perfect balanced life. A Certified Hypnotherapist specialising in 'Peak Performance' Tina offers globally, a one of a kind service to fellow entrepreneurs, who are on a quest for harmony, using her unique method in 'Mind-Artistry'. Her mission: is to transform lives from the inside out.
