Dan’s Blog

The Anxiety and Sleep Cycle – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Jul 2, 2023 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

The Anxiety and Sleep Cycle – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

We’ve all experienced it. There’s something from your day that is causing anxiety, stress or worry and that has been on your mind. You might feel shattered and exhausted from thinking about it and trying to handle it. And then you go to bed and that little voice in your head, and the troublesome scenarios, just keep going around and around inside of your mind. You just want to switch off and sleep yet it’s like your brain has other ideas.

If you are just dealing with something that will get sorted the next day, like an upcoming important meeting or interview, then your night time restlessness may be short lived. You struggle to sleep well for a night or two, the situation or event passes, and things return back to your normal sleep pattern.

And of course, your anxiety and sleep disturbance may stop you getting to sleep easily when you first close your eyes, or it may be that you wake in the night (from anxiety or from something like needing the loo, the kids disturbing you or you other half snoring) and then in an instant your brain is whirring away and you start thinking all sorts of negative things. At night those thoughts can often be very negatively distorted and things can seem a lot worse than they actually are. The whole time you lie there awake and thinking and you may be very conscious of time passing, your opportunity for some sleep reducing and the growing likelihood of needing to cope with the next day whilst feeling exhausted.

And that’s all just where there is something short term and specific to deal with. When you struggle with more persistent and enduring anxiety or insomnia, you can quickly get drawn into a cycle where your tiredness exacerbates your anxious thoughts and feelings, and your anxiety strengthens your sleep issues.

Erectile Dysfunction and Premature Ejaculation – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Jun 30, 2023 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Erectile Dysfunction and Premature Ejaculation – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Most men at some point in their lives are likely to suffer with erectile dysfunction and/or premature ejaculation. Yet it isn’t the sort of thing you are necessarily likely to bring up in conversation with your work colleagues and friends, and perhaps you don’t even feel comfortable enough discussing it with your partner.

Erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation ruin those intimate moments because things just don’t happen or they happen way too quickly. Sometimes, if it is just a one off you may be able to shrug it off and forget about it happening. You carry on and the next intimate encounter goes swimmingly fine.

Yet, all too often when I help men with these issues, one or more experiences of not being able to get or keep an erection, or of finishing way too soon, start to play on your mind. You might find yourself worrying about it all, feeling anxious about what might happen the next time you need to ‘perform’ or maybe your self-esteem takes a big step backwards. The more you worry about it happening again, the more likely it is to happen again, and so you get stuck in a cycle of embarrassment, disappointment and perceived failure. Either that or you simply try and avoid all of that stuff altogether to save yourself from the stress.

Now, assuming that all is well physically (and it may be worth a trip to your GP, although the people I’ve helped normally find that when they are on their own things work just fine for them), erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation are more of a psychological issue. You feel under pressure to perform, you get tense and anxious about it happening again and you can’t just relax and enjoy the moment with someone. You need to learn to relax again, to take your time and to enjoy the experience.

Sleep and Insomnia Issues – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Jun 16, 2023 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks, Insomnia and Sleep Disorders

Sleep and Insomnia Issues – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

We all know the importance of getting enough quality sleep each night. It’s right up there in how we can actively support our own physical and mental health, alongside drinking enough water and eating healthily.

Yet perhaps one of the most interesting things about our sleep is that, even now, we aren’t entirely sure why we sleep. There are lots of theories and persuasive reasons that can be put out there, yet none where we can be certain of the function of sleep. We know it is important, even if sometimes we don’t give it the priority it deserves or sometimes we even actively avoid it or put it off in favour of doing something else during our waking hours so we don’t ‘waste’ time on sleeping.

And, of course, if you are struggling to sleep or battling with insomnia, then rather than putting off sleep, you would probably give just about anything to be able to sleep better. Sleep deprivation causes all sorts of psychological and physical headaches, and for those who struggle to get to sleep and stay asleep, night time can be a waking nightmare of frustration, stress and anxiety.

Given the importance of sleep it is funny how when we are younger we often try and avoid bedtime and want to stay up later. I’m pretty certain if my children, who that bit older now, had access to the internet all night then they’d be up until the early hours at every conceivable possibility. We might know we should go to bed yet decide instead to watch some more TV or stay out late or do whatever else with out dwindling waking hours. We can engage in unhelpful behaviours (as far as sleep is concerned) like relying on caffeine to stay awake and alcohol to nod off. And given how problematic sleep deprivation can be, if you are going without enough sleep or have insomnia, then every aspect of your life can be adversely impacted upon.

Ely Standard Cover My Business Award! Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Jun 13, 2023 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Ely Standard Cover My Business Award! Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

I recently shared my success at the Ely Business Awards 2023 where I was fortunate to pick up another award for Service Excellence.

The Service Excellence category recognises a business that delivers outstanding assistance and advice to those who use the businesses products or services. Thanks so much again to all of you for your ongoing support and for continuing to share your positive hypnotherapy reviews and to recommend me to others who are seeking help and support with issues like anxiety.

I’ve already covered all about the award and how grateful I am for my hat-trick of winning an award three years in a row in previous articles. And recently the Ely Standard covered my awards success (thank you Ely Standard!) and I thought you might like to take a look at their news article today…

Hypnotherapy Reviews: Can You Trust Them: Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Jun 12, 2023 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Hypnotherapy Reviews: Can You Trust Them: Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Now I don’t know about you, but these days when I’m deciding to buy something online, or when I’m researching a local business or service I need, then I always take a bit of time to check out the reviews and to see what other people say about their experience or about the thing I’m thinking of getting.

And I’m not just checking the ‘top’ reviews or those deemed ‘most favourable’ (by some online algorithm), I want to scan through what people have said more generally, the pros and cons they list, the proportion of people rating things at different levels and the most recent reviews in case something has changed. Quality and service can change over time so it’s useful to spend a few minutes checking out the reviews to gain a level of assurance before buying that thing or contacting someone about a service.

Whether I’m buying a book or some more guitar plectrums (because they tend to walk off on their own!), or I want to switch bank or find a plumber, I’m either going with a recommendation from someone I trust or conscientiously checking out their reviews. These days, reviews really do matter. I know this with my own hypnotherapy reviews because people want a level of confidence before contacting me about their mental health, or they come because a family member or friend has recommended me.

Yet the upside of being able to quickly check out what other people have said in online reviews sadly comes with the downside that, because reviews really do matter, it can be a breeding ground for those who seek to inflate claims, misrepresent their success and play the system. For some, there can be an unbearable urge to cut corners to boost their profile rather than to do the work and let the good reviews grow organically.

There have been several articles in the news recently about fake reviews and plans about future laws to make them illegal. Yet, right now, if you were to do a quick search online, you could quickly find dozens of companies who are only too happy to sell business reviews on Google, Facebook or anywhere else online that hosts reviews. And we aren’t talking about a service that contacts actual customers to encourage reviews (like those emails you get a few days after you buy anything online asking you to review it). They are openly selling made up reviews from people who have never used the services of the business, either using deliberately created accounts or sometimes using the same reviewers (so them seem legitimate at first glance) to fabricate some words and leave some stars.

Over the years I’ve had cause to speak to a lot of other hypnotherapists and to look at maybe hundreds of online hypnotherapy websites and profiles and until recently, I’d never knowingly come across the use of fabricated reviews or fake reviews in the field of hypnotherapy. Yet more recently, a bit of research has shown that certainly and sadly there seems to now be this more shady element within the world of hypnotherapy reviews.

Hypnotherapy To Help With Sleep Disorders – Insomnia Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Jun 9, 2023 | Insomnia and Sleep Disorders

Hypnotherapy To Help With Sleep Disorders – Insomnia Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Is there anything worse than sleep deprivation? Well, maybe there are some things that are worse but a lack of regular, quality sleep definitely appears high up on the list of things that can affect your mood, mindset and well-being.

If you struggle with anxiety, stress, worry or have a tendency to overthink then getting to sleep, and staying asleep, can be a real issue. The state of your sleep is something I always ask about when you first come to see me because of how much it can impact upon your daily functioning. It becomes harder to challenge your own thoughts if you are tired and can lead to feeling low, down and sluggish. Even small daily tasks can seem like huge challenges to overcome and you may find yourself turning to caffeine and sugar to get through the day.

Probably most of us have the odd night that is disturbed. Perhaps we have something on our minds, or you wake up from a noise or needing the loo and your mind starts going, or maybe the kids are going through one of their phases of disturbed sleep that then impacts upon everyone. If it is the occasional night then it is probably something manageable and may not adversely impact upon things too much.

There are few things that aren’t improved by sleeping well. It becomes easier to manage your own thoughts and feelings and to make better decisions. You have more energy for things and you can feel more ready to handle, deal, cope with whatever comes your way.

Yet poor sleep and insomnia can exacerbate anxiety and stress, make your racing thoughts harder to manage and can lead to weight gain and less reasoned decisions. And if you are in a pattern of poor sleep, you may even feel anxious or dread going to bed because of the hours of struggle and frustration ahead. You may start to delay going to bed because of your insomnia and you may have started to develop all sorts of unhelpful thoughts, feelings and habits that means a decent night’s sleep is now seemingly further away from you than ever.

Online Hypnotherapy – Dan Regan Hypnotherapy Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | Jun 4, 2023 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Online Hypnotherapy – Dan Regan Hypnotherapy Ely and Newmarket

Since the pandemic I think we’ve all got a lot more used to interacting online for a much wider range of purposes than we ever used to. Working from home, lockdowns, home schooling and so on accelerated our willingness to communicate over things like Zoom and Teams.

That said, even before the that I’d helped a lot of people across the world using Zoom and Skype. I often get enquiries from people who live abroad or too far away from Ely and Newmarket to attend in person, yet who still want to engage in hypnotherapy sessions with me for issues such as anxiety, worry and overcoming phobias. During the pandemic all of my work had to switch to online hypnotherapy due to restrictions, and even hypnotherapy sessions with people who were local to Ely and Newmarket continued online. Working in this manner has only continued where someone lives several hours away around the UK, or abroad, or where someone may struggle to travel or need to avoid being around others for various reasons (e.g. they are immuno-compromised or need to avoid any possible infection for medical reasons).

In my experience, online hypnotherapy sessions can work smoothly and successfully. Yet, when someone does contact me about working over Zoom, that question of whether online sessions are as effective as in person sessions, usually looms large in their minds.

Excessive Drinking Impacts on Muscle Loss – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | May 31, 2023 | Excessive Drinking and Binge Drinking

Excessive Drinking Impacts on Muscle Loss – Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Alcohol can easily creep into your life and become an ever increasing habit. Rather than just enjoying the occasional drink with a nice meal or when socialising, you may have found that your alcohol consumption has just crept up and up. Many people reported that during lockdown their excessive drinking increased, and many have found it difficult to bring that drinking level back down again.

You might find that you look forward to that first glass of wine or beer at the end of the day. It becomes the way of switching off from the busyness of the day and relaxing into the evening. Yet soon that glass or two, or a couple of beers, doesn’t seem quite enough and so you finish the bottle (and maybe even break into the second one) or you find that a couple of beers has turned into much more.

Excessive drinking and binge drinking alcohol have an impact on your mental health, as well as your physical health. You may find you feel more sluggish, can’t think quite so clearly, that you lack energy and that your mind races if you don’t quieten it with booze. You may have tried cutting back or stopping drinking for a while, only to slide back into the same sort of habits and loved ones may have started making the odd reference to how much you drink or that they are concerned (whether you get angry and irritable, or tired and uncommunicative). You get to sleep easily but wake not feeling totally rested. The weariness makes the day more of a struggle and the prospect of a drink to unwind proves an ever greater habitual urge.

For some drinkers, the guilt of hiding their drinking or secret drinking also adds to their stress and misery. You may have lost the joy in your life. And the drinking may also mean you aren’t as productive as you want to be and you don’t get the things done that you planned. And whether it’s the embarrassing situations, the ever growing sense of pointlessness or the worry about your health and well-being, there comes a time when you no longer want to be under the control of your excessive drinking habit.

Overcoming Social Anxiety – Hypnotherapy in Ely & Newmarket

by Dan Regan | May 30, 2023 | Anxiety Stress and Panic Attacks

Overcoming Social Anxiety – Hypnotherapy in Ely & Newmarket

As someone who used to struggle with social anxiety, nothing beats that feeling when a client tells me how good they feel after their hypnotherapy sessions when that anxiety around others no longer limits them.

Social anxiety can stop you doing the things you want to do and leave you trapped in a never ending cycle of negative rumination and self-criticism. You want to go out and do things and so you make plans with others, only to get so anxious that you cancel just before the event. You feel anxious and worried before going to an event to the point where if you go then you don’t really enjoy it because you are so tense and worried about messing up or being judged by others. After being around others you hyper analyse every word you said, action you took and how you perceive others responded to you. You beat yourself up (maybe for days) and feel like you aren’t good enough and that no one will ever want to spend time with you again.

Social anxiety can make you feel like there is something wrong with you, that you can’t feel comfortable and do what other people seemingly do with ease, and that you will never fit in. All of this is made worse because there are times when you are totally relaxed in yourself and can just enjoy being yourself, perhaps around those you are especially close to. Yet factors such as new people, bigger crowds or where you may feel under the spotlight a bit can exacerbate your social anxiety to levels where you are just lost in your own head, can’t think straight and just want to get away to somewhere you feel more safe.

Yet, just as with any anxiety, social anxiety is a bunch of learnt thoughts, feelings and behaviours that at some point you developed, then repeated, then inadvertently got good at and then you found it all became seemingly automatic and habitual. You know you can talk to others, you know you can go places and do things and that you are capable and a decent person, yet the anxious emotions, beliefs and thoughts cloud everything and drag you back into that mass of worry.

Winner for Service Excellence at Ely Business Awards 2023!! Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

by Dan Regan | May 26, 2023 | Hypnotherapy Hypnosis and NLP

Winner for Service Excellence at Ely Business Awards 2023!! Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Wow! What a week that was! As well as donating blood, working with some fantastic clients, receiving a whole load of awesome reviews and managing to complete a fourteen mile run as part of my ultra marathon training, I also attended the SME Ely Business Awards ceremony at The Maltings, here in Ely.

It was an absolutely fantastic evening spent alongside the best of businesses in the Ely area. And I’m delighted to let you know that I was the Silver Winner of the Service Excellence at the awards! I’m absolutely delighted with this as the standard of businesses short listed in this category was exceptional. A huge thank you to you for your ongoing support and encouragement that allows me to keep on helping so many people with issues such as anxiety and low self-esteem.

The Service Excellence award is all about giving outstanding assistance and advice to people who use my products and services so I’m delighted with that. Of course, testimonials and reviews form a large part of that so thanks again to everyone who continues to submit such positive reviews about their hypnotherapy sessions!

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