33 Secrets to a
Good Night's Sleep
If you are having sleep problems, whether you are not
able to fall asleep, wake up too often, don't feel well-rested when you wake
up in the morning, or simply want to improve the quality and quantity of your
sleep, try as many of the following techniques below as possible:
·
Listen to white noise or
relaxation CDs. Some people find
the sound of white noise or nature sounds, such as the ocean or forest, to be
soothing for sleep. An excellent relaxation/meditation option to listen to
before bed is the Insight
audio CD.
·
Avoid before-bed snacks,
particularly grains and sugars.
This will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops
too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.
·
Sleep in complete darkness or
as close as possible. If there is
even the tiniest bit of light in the room it can disrupt your circadian rhythm
and your pineal gland's production of melatonin and seratonin. There also
should be as little light in the bathroom as possible if you get up in the
middle of the night. Please whatever you do, keep the light off when you go to
the bathroom at night. As soon as you turn on that light you will for that
night immediately cease all production of the important sleep aid melatonin.
·
No TV right before bed.
Even better, get the TV out of the bedroom or even out of the house,
completely. It is too stimulating to the brain and it will take longer to fall
asleep. Also disruptive of pineal gland function for the same reason as above.
·
Wear socks to bed.
Due to the fact that they have the poorest circulation, the feet often feel
cold before the rest of the body. A study has shown that this reduces night
wakings (Click
Here).
·
Read something spiritual or
religious. This will help to relax.
Don't read anything stimulating, such as a mystery or suspense novel, as this
may have the opposite effect. In addition, if you are really enjoying a
suspenseful book, you might wind up unintentionally reading for hours, instead
of going to sleep.
·
Avoid using loud alarm
clocks. It is very stressful on the
body to be awoken suddenly. If you are regularly getting enough sleep, they
should be unnecessary. Use a sun alarm clock. The
Sun Alarm™ SA-2002 provides an ideal way to wake up each morning
if you can't wake up with the REAL sun. Combining the features of a
traditional alarm clock (digital display, AM/FM radio, beeper, snooze button,
etc) with a special built-in light that gradually increases in intensity, this
amazing clock simulates a natural sunrise. It also includes a sunset feature
where the light fades to darkness over time - ideal for anyone who has trouble
falling asleep.
·
Journaling.
If you often lay in bed with your mind racing, it might be helpful keep a
journal and write down your thoughts before bed. Personally, I have been doing
this for 15 years, but prefer to do it in the morning when my brain is
functioning at its peak and my coritsol levels are high (CLICK
HERE)
·
Melatonin and its precursors.
If behavioral changes do not work, it may be possible to improve sleep by
supplementing with the hormone melatonin. However, I would exercise extreme
caution in using it, and only as a last resort, as it is a powerful hormone.
Ideally it is best to increase levels naturally with exposure to bright
sunlight in the daytime (along with full spectrum fluorescent bulbs in the
winter) and absolute complete darkness at night. One should get blackout
drapes so no light is coming in from the outside. One can also use one of
melatonin's precursors, L-tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP).
L-tryptophan is the safest and my preference, but must be obtained by
prescription only. However, don't be afraid or intimidated by its prescription
status. It is just a simple amino acid.
·
Get to bed as early as
possible. Our systems, particularly
the adrenals, do a majority of their recharging or recovering during the hours
of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during
this same period. If you are awake, the toxins back up into the liver which
then secondarily back up into your entire system and cause further disruption
of your health. Prior to the widespread use of electricity, people would go to
bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and which nature intended for
humans as well.
·
Check your bedroom for
electro-magnetic fields (EMFs).
These can disrupt the pineal gland and the production of melatonin and
seratonin, and may have other negative effects as well. To purchase a gauss
meter to measure EMFs try Cutcat at 800-497-9516. They have a model for around
$40. One doctor even recommends that people pull their circuit breaker before
bed to kill all power in the house (Dr. Herbert Ross, author of "Sleep
Disorders").
·
Keep the temperature in the
bedroom no higher than 70 degrees F. Many people keep their homes and particularly the upstairs bedrooms too
hot.
·
Eat a high-protein snack
several hours before bed. This can
provide the L-tryptophan need to produce melatonin and serotonin.
·
Also eat a small piece of
fruit. This can help the tryptophan
cross the blood-brain barrier.
·
Reduce or avoid as many drugs
as possible. Many medications, both
prescription and over-the-counter may have effects on sleep. In most cases,
the condition, which caused the drugs to be taken in the first place, can be
addressed by following the guidelines elsewhere on this web site.
·
Avoid caffeine.
A recent study showed that in some people, caffeine is not metabolized
efficiently and therefore they can feel the effects long after consuming it.
So an afternoon cup of coffee (or even tea) will keep some people from falling
asleep. Also, some medications, particularly diet pills contain caffeine.
·
Alarm clocks and other
electrical devices. If these
devices must be used, keep them as far away from the bed as possible,
preferably at least 3 feet.
·
Avoid alcohol.
Although alcohol will make people drowsy, the effect is short lived and people
will often wake up several hours later, unable to fall back asleep. Alcohol
will also keep you from falling into the deeper stages of sleep, where the
body does most of its healing.
·
Lose weight.
Being overweight can increase the risk of sleep apnea, which will prevent a
restful nights sleep. CLICK HERE for my diet recommendations.
·
Avoid foods that you may be
sensitive to. This is particularly
true for dairy and wheat products, as they may have effect on sleep, such as
causing apnea, excess congestion, gastrointestinal upset, and gas, among
others.
·
Don't drink any fluids within
2 hours of going to bed. This will
reduce the likelihood of needing to get up and go to the bathroom or at least
minimize the frequency.
·
Take a hot bath, shower or
sauna before bed. When body
temperature is raised in the late evening, it will fall at bedtime,
facilitating sleep,
·
Remove the clock from view.
It will only add to your worry when constantly staring at it... 2 a.m. ...3
a.m. ... 4:30 a.m. ...
·
Keep your bed for sleeping.
If you are used to watching TV or doing work in bed, you may find it harder to
relax and to think of the bed as a place to sleep.
·
Have your adrenals checked by
a good natural medicine clinician. Scientists have found that insomnia may be caused by adrenal stress
(Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, August 2001;
86:3787-3794).
·
If you are menopausal or
perimenopausal, get checked out by a good natural medicine physician.
The hormonal changes at this time may cause problems if not properly
addressed.
·
Don't change your bedtime.
You should go to bed, and wake up, at the same times each day, even on the
weekends. This will help your body to get into a sleep rhythm and make it
easier to fall asleep and get up in the morning.
·
Make certain you are
exercising regularly. Exercising
for at least 30 minutes everyday can help you fall asleep. However, don't
exercise too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake. Studies show
exercising in the morning is the best if you can do it.
·
Establish a bedtime
routine. This could include
meditation, deep breathing, using aromatherapy
or essential oils or indulging in a massage from your partner. The
key is to find something that makes you feel relaxed, then repeat it each
night to help you release the day's tensions.
·
Go to the bathroom right
before bed. This will reduce
the chances that you'll wake up to go in the middle of the night.
·
Wear an eye mask to
block out light. As said
above, it is very important to sleep in as close to complete darkness as
possible. That said, it's not always easy to block out every stream of light
using curtains, blinds or drapes, particularly if you live in an urban area
(or if your spouse has a different schedule than you do). In these cases, an
eye mask can help to block out the remaining light.
·
Put your work away at
least one hour (but preferably two or more) before bed.
This will give your mind a chance to unwind so you can go to sleep feeling
calm, not hyped up or anxious about tomorrow's deadlines.
·
For insomnia try Emotional
Freedom Technique (EFT).
Most people can learn this gentle tapping technique in several minutes.
·
EFT can help balance your body's
bioenergy system and resolve some of the emotional stresses that are
contributing to the insomnia at a very deep level. The results are typically
long lasting and the improvement is remarkably rapid.
Source: Mercola.com
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How to
Achieve Deep, Uninterrupted Sleep
Americans
now get about 25 percent less sleep than they did a century ago. This isn’t
just a matter of fatigue, it causes serious damage to your body.
Sleep deprivation can alter your levels of thyroid and stress hormones, which
play a part in everything from your memory and immune system to your heart and
metabolism. Over time, lack of sleep can lead to:
- Weight
gain
- Depression
- High
blood sugar levels and an increased risk of diabetes
- Brain
damage
Fortunately,
there are many steps you can take to get the sleep your body craves. Here are
10 to start with (and the link below has 14 more):
1.
Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water,
and then iron them before making your bed. The scent is proven to promote
relaxation.
2. Hide your clock, so that its glow won’t disturb you and make sure
there is no light coming from other sources including your windows as this
will seriously impair your body’s ability to produce melatonin.
3. Choose the right pillow -- neck pillows, which resemble a rectangle
with a depression in the middle, can enhance the quality of your sleep and
reduce neck pain.
4. Paint your bedroom sage green, or another soothing color, which will
provide a visual reminder of sleep.
5. Move your bed away from outside walls, which will help cut down on
noise.
6. Kick your dog or cat out of your bedroom -- studies have shown that
they snore!
7. Take a hot bath 90 to 120 minutes before bedtime; it increases your
core body temperature, and when it abruptly drops when you get out of the
bath, it signals your body that you are ready for sleep.
8. Keep a notepad at your bedside -- if you wake in the middle of the
night with your mind going, you can transfer your to-do list to the page and
return to sleep unworried.
9. Put heavier curtains over your windows -- even the barely noticeable
light from streetlights, a full moon, or your neighbor's house can interfere
with the circadian rhythm changes you need to fall asleep.
10. Eat a handful of walnuts before bed -- they’re a good source of
tryptophan, a sleep-enhancing amino acid.
Sources:
Reader’s
Digest
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5
Initial Steps to Create a Sleeping Sanctuary
1. Use battery
devices near bed.
Research has shown
that exposure to high magnetic fields while sleeping can cause severe
long-term illness. Many electric clocks produce high magnetic fields.
2. Turn off
bedroom-affecting circuits.
A restful sleep is
necessary for health and a strong immune system. Electric fields affect the
bio-communication system, keeping you from sleeping soundly.
3. Eliminate
or shield from radio frequency (RF).
Radio frequency
signals from portable phones, cell phones, and wireless devices have been
shown to interfere with your body’s immune system.
4. Use beds
without metal.
Metal frames and metal
box springs can amplify and distort the earth’s natural magnetic field,
which can lead to a non-restful sleep. Use natural materials.
5. Make sure
there are no elevated magnetic fields.
Magnetic
fields from appliances and building wiring can penetrate walls into a bedroom
and disrupt your body’s communication system. (<0.2milligauss)
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/2/21/are-you-sleeping-in-a-dangerous-electrically-polluted-bedroom.aspx
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