Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
Posted on August 31, 2012
I was talking to my daughter on the phone the other day and she told me that she is always sleepy. I wasn’t really surprised. I know her pretty well, so I know that she does everything you’re not supposed to do.
And she’s not alone. Over 50% of Americans are sleep deprived and one-third have chronic insomnia. Why is that? Well, partly it’s due to the “information age” we live in now. The brain is constantly processing bits of information, but with the age of high technology, we are being bombarded with sensory stimuli every waking moment!
Adding to this is the addiction people demonstrate towards high tech gadgets. This contributes significantly to one’s stress level, particularly if people don’t unplug from their computers, cell phones, iPodsÒ, and BlackBerryÒ devices.
Stress experts suggest that the human brain, while utterly amazing, was never meant to be “ON” processing so much sensory stimulation all the time.
Not getting enough or not getting quality sleep can affect so much in your life. Look at this diagram and see if you can relate to anything here.
But, at 25 years old, my daughter doesn’t want to change her lifestyle just yet. So Miss Sleepy-head she will remain. However, you might want to hear these hints I told her, so here we go:
1. Keep a regular sleep cycle. Many people’s sleep cycles vary from day to day and from weekday to weekend. That’s not really a good thing! Experts also say that even if you cannot fall asleep at an exact time, you should at least go to bed and turn out the lights at the same time each night.
2. Create an ideal sleep space. Careful consideration should be given to the following factors:
- Darkness
- Cool room temperature,
- Minimal noise
- No distraction (e.g., pets on the bed)
- The most comfortable sleep surface you can obtain. (Something to consider – many mattress companies promote their products as a way to not only increase sleep, but to decrease chronic pain. While this may work for some people, chronic pain can be caused by many things, from differences in leg length magnified by the aging process to poor posture and poor workplace ergonomics. The best mattress in the world and the highest thread count sheets won’t help these problems.)
- Also, you might wish not to keep your alarm clock close to your head as some research studies reveal an impact on health with regard to electromagnetic energy fields. The same goes for electric blankets.
3. Get out and exercise! Sleep experts and exercise physiologists both agree that physical exercise, primarily cardiovascular exercise, promotes quality sleep.
4. Decrease your caffeine consumption. Caffeine stimulates the stress response in our bodies. You don’t want this in the evening hours before you go to bed. Consider drinking caffeinated beverages only up to 4pm, giving your body a good 3 to 4 hours to detox from this stimulant. Here’s why: the body takes up to 8 hours to metabolize caffeine’s effect on the body.
5. Meditate. The purpose of meditation is to make your mind calm and peaceful. By training in meditation, you can create an inner space and clarity that enables you to control your mind regardless of the external circumstances.
6. Move the TV and computer out of the bedroom. The electro-magnetic field they emit (even when turned off) stimulates your brain and affects your sleep.
7. Stop using your cell phone after 8:00 p.m. Your phone emits microwaves (not the same kind you cook with). Those microwaves affect a hormone in your brain that is needed to induce sleep.
8. Avoid alcohol and nicotine. These are considered stimulants in regards to sleep and that sleep hormone I mentioned already.
9. Clear your late night mind. Write down the thoughts that are stealing your attention. Another suggestion is to write down your plans for the next day before you climb into bed so that your time in bed is for sleep, not organizing.
10. Avoid eating before bed. With diminished evening light, the body metabolism begins to slow down, including a slight decrease in body temperature – a factor necessary for quality sleep.
Eating right before bed not only throws off the body’s internal clock, the digestion process requires energy and this energy creates body heat, rather than decreasing it.
11. Avoid naps during the day. Sleep experts strongly suggest NOT napping during the day as this will throw off your circadian rhythms, thus ensuring that you will most likely not sleep through the night.
12. Keep your bed for sleep and sex. Sleep experts insist that beds are only for two things: sleeping and sex. Beds are not for watching television, snacking, checking email, talking on the phone, or playing video games. These bad habits suggest poor healthy boundaries.
So let’s talk about this. What mistakes do you think you are making in terms of your sleep habits? What have you done that has worked for you? Do you have any additional advice?
For more information, visit these great resources online:
http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm
http://www.sleepfoundation.org
http://www.sleepassociation.org/index.php
http://sleepdisorders.about.com
The above image was obtained from the following web article: http://www.purelifenutrimedics.com/blog/how-stress-causes-insomnia-and-other-sleep-disorders