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Poor sleeper? Sleep expert and hypnotherapist Malminder Gill was the same until she managed to turn it all around. Here, she shares the four changes that made a difference.
It seems like everyone has some sort of sleep-related problem these days, whether it takes you hours to get to sleep or you wake up in the night and feel groggy the next day. And sleep expert Malminder Gill was no different.
Gill, 43, who’s also a clinical hypnotherapist, was once like many of us, tossing and turning at night. Insomnia disrupted her life during a transitional period around 20 years ago while she was studying for exams at university, and it took a series of changes for her to get a handle on it.
“I was under a lot of pressure, not only worrying about performing well but what the future held for me,” Gill says. “I was totally unaware of how to care for myself and my mental health.”
She wanted to perform well, but without sufficient sleep, it was difficult. “One anxiety led to another, which led to insomnia, which disrupted my day-to-day life,” she says. Many of us will know stress loops like this all too well. There’s the wanting to get to sleep, then feeling stressed because you know you need to go to sleep, but the stress is preventing you from getting to sleep. And thus, the cycle continues.
It wasn’t until Gill took a trip to India that everything changed, and she was able to completely reset. She was off on a long holiday, looking for an adventure, but it was getting out of her routine that solved everything for her. Around the same time, she uncovered triggers that were stopping her from sleeping and learned new, healthier habits.
Since then, Gill has not only become a much better sleeper but has also made a career out of it, working as a sleep expert and hypnotherapist on Harley Street. Below, she shares the four simple changes that helped her to get the sleep she craved.
1. Getting out of a routine
It was no coincidence that Gill’s ability to sleep changed following her trip to India: it allowed her to shake up her routine. “Now, as a sleep expert, I know that getting out of a routine is an excellent way to combat insomnia,” she says.
Obviously, jetting off to India isn’t possible for everyone. For this reason, she suggests camping for any clients struggling with sleep. This can help break up a routine that has you feeling a little stuck.
“It [also] allows nature to reset your circadian rhythm, waking up with the sun and going to bed when it’s dark. Plus, nature is so healing. If you add a digital detox to the camping trip, you get even more incredible benefits,” she adds.
2. Practising mindfulness
Around the time that she went on holiday to India, she received her first session of hypnotherapy. This helped give her the tools she needed to get out of her own head. “It also uncovered emotional triggers that were keeping me from sleep,” she says.
She learned visualisation tactics that took her mind off the stresses of sleep. “I clearly remember being led through a visualisation of walking down steps and into a calm, serene environment. I was able to get out of my head and be totally present in that moment. It gave me my first taste of mindfulness, I suppose.”
This helped uncover what was triggering her emotionally and, ultimately, stopping her from sleeping. Instead, she pictured herself in a calm environment where she could drift off. Many people find it helpful to shut off their minds and relax through mindfulness and meditation, which can take many different forms.
Gill says that while she has great sleep most of the time now, when stress arises, it’s easy to fall into the old patterns that interrupt sleep. But now she has the tools to help manage this. “I love using breathing techniques and visualisations. By calming the nervous system, we can calm our emotional triggers, whatever they may be,” she says.
3. Assessing room design
When we say assess the room design, you don’t need to start demolishing walls to follow this advice, but there are a few bedroom-related things that can help improve your sleep.
“Essentials are low, warm lighting; blackout curtains; a cool room; and a bed that is comfortable,” Gill says. “But beyond this, keeping your bedroom and living space tidy is also important. If your environment feels busy and chaotic, so does your nervous system.”
She encourages keeping things clean and uncluttered as this helps the brain relax, allows for moments of calm, and eases you into sleep more easily each evening.
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Jul 27, 2025 @ 07:28:31
Very useful post.
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Jul 27, 2025 @ 07:31:47
Thank you sir! I have sleep problems also.
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