py, each individual was interviewed to ascertain his or her sleep pattern. After completion of the group process, we met with Theory each participant again to compare and evaluate sleep patterns Participants were made more conscious of external factors before and after treatment. that negatively influence sleep: ingesting coffee, tea, alcohol, or tobacco before going to bed and watching nightly news pro- Sleep theory grams. Sleep hygiene, sleep-awake rhythm, and the connection It is very important for a traumatized person to know that between bed and sleep and its influence on sleep quality were the number of hours of sleep required during a twenty-four- addressed. In addition, we discussed trauma’s consequences and v HEMI-SYNC® JOURNAL significance in a person’s life. however, she began listening to the whole CD. For the women who listened to the CD, the time necessary to fall asleep Results became shorter and the time it took to fall asleep after waking Three out of five participants in both groups fell asleep up during the night was also shorter. Some had better dreams. more quickly after the group process than before. Using a scale We think the effect of binaural-beat sound is intriguing and from one to ten, individual participants’ evaluations of the worth further investigation. importance of sleeping problems in their lives indicated improvement. This created hope that something could be “Conflict-free imagery”
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Hemi-Sync® Journal 2005-3&4 (Summer/Fall) · 1 Hemi-Sync Journal 2005-3&4 Summer-Fall.pdf
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“moved.” The participants were asked to find or create a conflict-free The three participants in each group with the strongest or peaceful image that resonated through all of their senses. personalities profited most from the group process. Personality The “peaceful” image was not used systematically. Originally, it traits were greater determinants of how traumatic effects were was to be used during the day when the participant felt preoc- managed than the number of traumas or the degree of violence. cupied or afraid, as well as before falling asleep and after The two participants in each group with less intact person- Sleeping through the Rain as a pleasant way to fall asleep. The ality structures were often out of contact, late for appointments, three participants who used conflict-free imagery achieved the and absent without notification. Some of the women broke the desired effect of relaxation. It would be interesting to combine new rhythm they had learned because of pain and acute illness. the Hemi-Sync music CD with the conflict-free imagery and We emphasized the importance of starting again as soon as the to study whether there is a greater calming effect on the ner- pain lessened. vous system. The men’s interpreter was positively surprised that Arab men could talk together so well and be in the same room deal- Conclusions ing with something as personal as sleep problems. He surmised To draw generally applicable conclusions would demand
that the participants had developed a feeling of trust and felt more groups with more participants. Through the process with they could count on one another. these two groups, however, we found that most participants became more conscious of the effects of external events, stimu- Body therapy lants, and worries on their sleep, as well as how a calm environ- In both groups, participants who used the instructional CD ment for sleep and doing relaxing exercises can affect sleep to practice the exercises regularly at home experienced a greater quality. They learned that improving sleep depends on person- degree of calm and relaxation in their daily lives, and most of al effort. Because those with a well-integrated personality them experienced better sleep quality. Some described reduced structure appeared to benefit more from our approach, it would pain. The women’s feedback indicated a general development of be worthwhile to explore resiliency factors. body consciousness. Some men found it easier to do the exercis- Fasting for Ramadan and the world political situation— es together. Perhaps because of exposure to imprisonment and the attack in New York on September 11 followed by the war torture, they felt more secure in the group. The women were in Afghanistan—greatly influenced our clients. Their resultant usually better about practicing the exercises every day. anxiety and insecurities made it harder for them to focus on sleep improvement.