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Sleep – are you getting enough? For some people, enough is four to six hours. Other people just don’t feel right with less than eight hours. People need more or less sleep at different phases in their life. Women may need more or less sleep at different phases of the month.

The simplest way to tell if you’re getting enough is by noticing every morning – do you feel rested? Do you wake up without an alarm clock and feel ready to get right out of bed and start your day?

Not getting enough sleep is one of the most direct ways that we self-sabotage our success and well-being. When we are better rested we not only feel better, but are calmer, smarter, more rational, nicer to be around and we look better. Why wouldn’t we choose to have that every day??

1. Set the Stage – turn off the computer and television at least one hour before you’d like to fall asleep, and turn on some music that you find relaxing. Test what your stereo system will do when the recording is finished – does it SNAP! or does it “wrrrr” – this will make a difference as you’re drifting off. My CD player makes a very soft “wrrrr” noise (though I honestly can’t remember the last time I was still awake when the CD was over).

2. Music without words – words can provoke and direct your thoughts more than instrumental music or pure vocal sounds.

3. Music with natural “breaths” – music where the soloist takes natural pauses to breathe can help you to slow down your own breath – try flute, other wind instruments or voice (either with no words or words in a language you don’t understand).

4. A good book – For bedtime reading, try to stay away from material that gets you thinking about things you deal with during the day. Magazines or stories that distract you from your own life may help you to drift into sleep.

5. Imagery – If you find that your mind is racing when you are trying to sleep, picture a viewpoint where you’re traveling down a road. See your thoughts as signposts that you’re passing. Concentrate on letting them pass right by.

6. Progressive muscle relxation – Imagine that a ball of light is traveling along your body, beginning at the top of your head, going down to the tips of your toes, and then coming up again. As it passes your muscles, they fill with light and relax.

7. Take a nap – If your sleep has been interrupted or there’ve been unavoidable late nights, an afternoon nap can help you catch up. Experts advise that naps should be taken earlier in the afternoon, rather than later, and that we should keep them to 30 minutes or less. This will avoid disrupting your sleep at night.

8. Lavender Bath – Take a hot bath and add a couple of drops of lavender oil. Lavender has naturally occurring relaxing properties.

9. Chamomile Tea – Calms the nervous system and helps to promote restful sleep.

10. Take 500 mg Calcium with 250 mg Magnesium at bedtime – The calcium has a calming effect, and the magnesium works along with it.

The advice and information in this article is not meant to replace medical advice. If you suspect you have a serious sleeping problem such as sleep apnea, or if you experience insomnia or extreme fatigue, please consult a healthcare professional.

(c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Dessau

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Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital conducted a study that identified the factors that help prevent weight gain. They are: food choices, getting enough sleep, watching less TV, and getting enough exercise.

 

Today I want to shed some light on how sleep impacts weight gain. Many of my patients are surprised to learn that sleep can have an effect on their weight. One way that weight and sleep are connected has to do with the time that you eat your last meal of the day and the time you go to sleep. It takes your digestive tract about three to four hours to digest your food. If you are eating dinner late and going to sleep soon after you eat you are creating an equation for weight gain. Think of it like this: food is our body’s fuel; if you eat and then go to sleep, the digestive system provides all this fuel to you to use but you are sleeping. The body then decides to store the fuel as fat and your weight goes up. The simple solution is to finish eating and snacking three to four hours before you go to bed.

 

Another way that sleep impacts weight is through affecting the hormones leptin and ghrelin.  Leptin and ghrelin are hormones that regulate feelings of fullness (satiety) or wanting to eat (hunger).  Gherlin stimulates hunger and leptin stimulates satiety. When high levels of leptin are circulating in the blood it signals to the brain that we feel full.  When we have low levels of leptin circulating then we feel hungry and have signals to eat.  Research has showed that when people suffer from too little sleep their leptin levels are lower, resulting increase in appetite. Gherlin levels end up rising, which causes over eating.

 

In 2008, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted a questionnaire that found a short sleep duration was found in 40 percent of the participants between the ages of 40-59 years. This short sleep duration could be a contributing factor in people’s ability to lose weight. I want to point out that there is a difference between the amount of sleep you need to get by in a day to function and adequate sleep.

 

Many patients report that they need only 4-5 hours of sleep to function each day but this is different from adequate sleep for your body–for adults the amount is generally 7- 9 hours nightly–to maintain health over time. Sleep is important to create a healthy life and maintaining appropriate weight. And it’s just another example how small behavioral changes can make a big difference in your weight.

Live Vibrantly,

Dr. Dae

 

Source:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/23/us-obesity-lifestyle-idUSTRE75…
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/lose-weight-while-sleeping
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/dsSleep

 

 

Reviewed June 30, 2011

by Michele Blacksberg R.N.

Edited by Alison Stanton

Studies show that a lack of quality sleep is contributing to the obesity epidemic.

In 1960, Americans averaged 81/2 hours of sleep a night, and our obesity rate was around 12 percent. Today we’re averaging 6 1/2 to seven hours, and our obesity rate has climbed to around 30 percent. Coincidence?

No, say sleep experts. They point out study after study showing that a lack of good quality sleep—seven to nine hours of uninterrupted slumber—is making us fat. And it’s not just overworked adults who are gaining weight. Long-term studies are finding that sleep-deprived children also are piling on the pounds.

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“You’re fighting against the tide to lose weight when you’re sleep-deprived,” said Dr. Amy Aronsky, medical director of The Center for Sleep Disorders in Portland, Ore., and a board certified sleep specialist. “Good sleep is as important as a good diet and exercise when it comes to weight loss.”

Where’s the link between sleep and obesity?

Hormones are the likely culprits. Normal adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night, particularly deep sleep and REM (dream) sleep, Aronsky said. When we don’t get the good quality and proper quantity of sleep, hormone levels are altered, plus we wake up feeling unrested.

Some people are genetically programmed to need just five or six hours of sleep per night to be healthy, but that’s a tiny portion of the population, said sleep expert Dr. Michael Decker, associate professor at Georgia State University and spokesman for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Children ages 2 to 3 need 10 to 12 hours of sleep per night, while children ages 5 to 10 need 9 1/2 to 11 hours, Decker added.

Studies have shown that when sleep is restricted, the hormone ghrelin increases and the hormone leptin decreases. Ghrelin tells our brain that we’re hungry, while leptin tells it we’ve eaten enough.

Average leptin levels decreased 18 percent when sleep was restricted to four hours per night over two nights, according to a study published in the journal Sleep Medicine by Dr. Eve Van Cauter, Average ghrelin levels increased 28 percent when sleep was restricted.

In other words, when we don’t get enough sleep we feel hungry, even if we’ve eaten enough.

In another Van Cauter study, healthy young volunteers showed signs of prediabetes when they were restricted to four hours of sleep for six nights in a row.

The stress hormone cortisol also surges when we’re sleep-deprived. When that happens, we crave high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods (“comfort foods”) to increase our serotonin levels to calm down, said Dr. Michael Breus, author of “The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan.”

Other studies consistently show that adults sleeping fewer than six hours a night increase their likelihood for becoming overweight or obese — even when exercising and eating right, Decker said. Among adults ages 32 to 49, those averaging five hours of sleep were twice as likely to be obese after nine years compared with those averaging seven hours.

The news for kids is just as alarming. A study of 8,234 children (starting at age 38 weeks) found that the odds of being obese by age 7 increased 50 percent for children averaging fewer than 101/2 hours of sleep. Another study found that 58 percent of obese kids averaged fewer than eight hours of sleep, while just 11 percent of non-obese kids averaged fewer than eight hours of sleep.

Why aren’t we sleeping enough?

Our troubled economy is among the reasons adults are sleeping less. “If you need to make more money, you reduce sleep and work longer hours,” Decker said. “Sleep’s always been considered a disposable commodity.”

But why are kids sleeping less? They’re staying up late at night playing video games and texting, said Decker. Changes in school bus routes have kindergartners lined up at 6 a.m. to get to school. Parents with long commutes are keeping children up later to have more family time.

“We’re a society that’s essentially sleep-deprived,” said Aronsky. “We’ve put everything ahead of getting good sleep.”

But without good sleep, you’re not very good at doing the things you want to do.

“We can’t function well at work; we can’t concentrate; we’re short-tempered with our spouses and children,” Aronsky said.

Copyright © 2011, Chicago Tribune

Good sleep habits are one of the single most important things you can undertake to improve. When you have a good quality sleep, you start each day with vital energy that can help you maximize your potential in all areas; conversely a lack of sleep will minimize your ability to perform any task, activity or function.

 

 

One of the secrets in learning how to get a good night’s sleep is to know your own body’s rhythms and tailor your sleep apnea treatments to you.

 

Everyone is different, but one thing is for sure and that is whether you suffer from sleep apnea disorder or a just a light sleeper, you need to get a better sleep for your health and sanity.

 

Here the ultimate good sleep guide, use these tips to get the rest you deserve.

 

 

 

1. Pharmaceuticals

 

If you want to get a better quality sleep many of these tips will help, however if you have sleeping apnea then you must consider medical advice.

 

There are pharmaceutical medications that can help you not only induce sleep faster, but sleep deeper and longer. This might be a necessity if you have abnormal sleeping patterns.

 

 

There are many sleep apnea treatments that are not invasive and really help, so don’t be afraid to ask your doctor.

 

 

2. Temperature

 

The temperature of your bedroom is vital to your sleep. A bed or bedroom must be a comfortable temperature if you want to fall asleep in a quick and timely fashion.

 

A room that is either too hot or too cold can create an environment of restlessness and frustration as opposed to the sort of setting which allows you to comfortably drift off.

 

Keep your bedroom temperate for you and conducive to sleep.

 

 

 

3. Regular Sleeping Patterns

 

Sleeping at the same time every night is the best method for staying in tune with your circadian rhythms. If you have erratic bed times your body’s production of sleep inducing hormones can be less than timely for your particular circumstances.

 

 

Make sure you go to bed at the same time every night to keep your body tuned to a good rhythmical pattern otherwise getting good sleep will be hard to impossible.

 

 

 

 

4. Wind Down

 

The nightly wind down is essential in creating a faster path to good sleep. It is hard to fall asleep with an elevated heart rate and a high body temperature, so a nice comfortable winding down process involving something relaxing can help lower the heart rate and create a ready environment for sleeping well.

 

 

 

5. Bathe

 

A nice warm bath can help relax all your muscles and clear your mind to get you in the perfect drowsy, ready-for-sleep state. If you are stressed or over-active then a bath will assist in sapping the restless energy you have and put you a more sleep conductive mindset.

 

Sleep apnea treatments such as good, safe medication are great, but if you can have a bath and it works for you, then try it and see if it’s one of your key catalysts in relaxing you for a decent night’s sleep.

 

 

 

6. Darkness

 

I don’t mean to evoke a somber tone, instead I mean to highlight the benefits of a dark room without the beaming moon light or street lights to upset your circadian rhythms with improper, or unnatural illumination.

 

Keep your room nice and dark to utilize the faster onset of sleep that a darker room can create. A useful solution may be the use of a night mask to block out those bright distractions.

 

 

 

7. Read A Book

 

Now, there is some debate over whether this benefits everyone, as some people will claim it can cause over stimulation.

 

Some people find that reading a book makes their eyes tired and hastens the onset of sleep, therefore, they recommend reading as a strategy for sleeping well. Try reading before bed and see if it works for you and if not, stop, but if so make it a regular pre-bed time fixture.

 

 

 

8. Avoid Stimulants

 

Alcohol, caffeine and nicotine can create stimulation that may leave you restless and unable to sleep. Your personal tolerances for these substances play a large part in when you should and shouldn’t use products containing these ingredients.

 

As a rule of thumb you should avoid these particular stimulants after 3pm, but earlier if you find you are more sensitive to them.

 

 

 

9. Exercise

 

Intense physical exercise can elicit a physiological need for sleep, because of the need for the body to repair cells affected by the activity.

 

Intense cellular repair occurs during deep sleep and is one particular need that will facilitate a more emphatic sleep, so exercise is a useful factor in precipitating the necessity for sleeping well.

 

 

 

10. Early Mornings

 

Those who rise early often have less difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep than those people who get out of bed at later times.

 

Another useful solution to ensure the rewards of early rising is to set your alarm clock two minutes earlier every morning so you are tired at bed time and sleep with a greater quality not quantity.

 

 

 

11. No Cat Naps

 

Unless you are a cat then save the sleep for bedtime, as little naps during the day can reduce the quality of night time sleeping. Unless you are sick or desperately tired then only sleep at bedtime.

 

 

 

12. Maximum Comfort ability

 

If you are not comfortable then it stands to reason that it will take a lot longer for you to fall asleep, so having a comfortable mattress, sheets, cover and pillow is vitally important if you want the best possible rest.

 

 

 

13. Soothing Music

 

Gentle calming music can help you to drift off into the world of slumber, however your choice of music is important as well as the appreciation of your partner, who may not find music particularly helpful at all.

 

It is a personal choice, so experiment and be considerate if you do have a partner.

 

 

 

14. Television?

 

Much like reading, pre-bedtime television can help relax your mind and create “tired eyes”, however also like reading, TV can cause excessive stimulation in some people so it must be evaluated on a good for me/bad for me scale.

 

One thing is for sure, most of us have a hard time sleeping well when someone else has the TV up loud, so don’t be afraid to hush them up.

 

 

 

15. Sound Reduction

 

Sometimes noisy neighbors or family members are just an unavoidable part of life and sound proofing the walls, windows and doors may be a too extreme (and expensive) measure to take.

 

Simple solutions like soft earplugs may help you to block out the sound and get on the road to rest faster, of course the comfort factor must be taken into account. Some of you may find earplugs comfortable and some won’t but it is well worth trying to find out.

 

 

 

16. Chamomile Tea

 

Some herbal teas can help calm the body and produce a conducive and relaxing state of mind for sleep. Chamomile, rosehip, valerian mix and other special calming teas can be a nice and gentle (not to mention tasty) addition to your pre-bed routine.

 

 

 

17. Milk

 

Is it an old wives tale or isn’t it? While intense scientific evidence on this is hard to find, anecdotal evidence is abundant.

 

Milk is a universally popular bedtime drink, often taken warm as a night time relaxant. Milk is also a good source of slow release proteins that can help you to repair muscle breakdown during sleep.

 

 

 

18. Neck And Shoulder Rubs

 

Or if you prefer, back rubs and foot rubs or any massage that will ease your tension and put you in a relaxed state, ready for a good night’s sleep.

 

I should be so lucky!

 

 

 

 

 

* Worthy of note is stress reduction, which when applied right can help to stop those night time blues you may get when you have something on your mind that you just can’t seem to shake.

 

 

Stress reduction techniques can help to curb restlessness nights and use sensible perspectives to manage potentially a anxious mindset. It’s much easier to rest or sleep when you have control of your anxieties.

 

 

 

 

In Conclusion

 

Understanding how to get a good nights sleep is such a basic, fundamental human need and should be treated with the utmost respect.

 

Getting good sleep can be the difference between the next day being good or bad as sleeping apnea or just moderate sleep loss can change your whole attitude.

 

 

Your day to day energy, focus and social interactions can be affected so dramatically by a lack of good quality sleep, that taking steps to improve your relaxation is a not just a smart move to make, but also an essential one.

 

How to Get A Good Night’s Sleep By Stephen G