20 STEPS TO THE SLEEP OF YOUR DREAMS
“Sleepe after toyle, port after stormie seas….” (Spenser.)
This little collection of hints was copied from a local newspaper column (if I could remember which I would acknowledge it!):
A new survey has found that nearly 50% of Britons get less than six hours’ sleep a night, with 18% getting by on less than five hours’ rest. The research, which was conducted by Dr Chris Idzikowski, of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, also revealed that three-quarters of us wake up every morning feeling exhausted, with one in four taking time off work for being over-tired.
Idzikowski puts the blame on modern lifestyles that keep us up late, but require an early start the next day.
“We are heading for an exhaustion meltdown as a nation,” he says. So how do you counter this modern plague? Here are 20 ways to get a good night’s sleep — whatever your problem.
1: Eat little and often. Some insomniacs wake with a jolt at 3am, when blood sugar is low and the body releases adrenalin. “Stabilise your blood sugars during the day by eating every three hours and keep to foods with a low glycaemic index — they take longer to digest,” says nutritionist Dr Marilynn Glenville (http://www.marilynglenville.com/). “Before bed, have some hot chamomile tea and an oatcake.”
2: Change your mattress. Mattresses from Tempur support the body by distributing weight evenly. According to a Swedish study that monitored 23 000 sleepers over eight years, using the specialist mattress resulted in an 83% reduction in tossing and turning.
3: Turn off your cellphone. Many people find chatting on cellphones over-stimulating, so switch yours off at 6pm, or whenever you get home.
4: Change your breathing pattern. Deep breathing helps your mind calm down and it produces relaxing endorphins, says clinical hypnotherapist Georgia Foster. Draw air into your lungs for five seconds, release completely, and then hold your lungs empty for a further five seconds. Repeat three times.
5: Start brain-dumping. Keep a pen and paper beside your bed and write down your anxieties, so you don’t have to lie awake worrying about them.
6: Eat a spud at bedtime. Starchy foods — such as potatoes and bananas — are full of chemicals called tryptophans that naturally boost levels of serotonin, which promotes calm and restful sleep. Supplements such as 5-HTP vegetable capsules also claim to increase this happiness hormone.
7: Listen to the voices in you head. Relaxing and subliminal CD’s offer subliminal messages to send you off.
8: Drink cherry juice. Tart cherries contain significant quantities of melatonin, the hormone needed for restful sleep.
9: Get into a routine. Going to bed and waking up at around the same time helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. Reading a book for 20 minutes can be used as a cornerstone of a peaceful night. Avoid long lie-ins at weekends.
10: Take a cold shower. Long, hot soaks before bed raise your body temperature at a time when it is programmed to fall. Take a cooler bath or shower instead.
11: Skip the gym. Exercising after work increases body temperature and changes your natural rhythm, making you too alert.
12: Muscle in. If you are being woken by nocturnal muscle twitches, try taking a herbal relaxant. Speak to your pharmacist.
13: Declutter. According to the rules of feng shui, your bedroom should promote a harmonious flow of nourishing and sensual energy. So keep it clear of clutter, banish the TV, computer and fitness gear, and get rid of the boxes and suitcases that may be harbouring negative energy under the bed.
14: Paint it white. Colour therapists recommend that bedrooms be decorated in “skin” colours, from pale pink to rich brown; bright red walls, for example, are too stimulating.
15: Unplug the PlayStation. Teenagers seem to be able to cope with bright flashing \screens before falling into bed, but adults seem to become over-stimulated, causing their minds to race when they should be resting. Avoid games before bedtime.
16:Keep your feet warm. Put a blanket over the end of the bed or wear socks.
17: Try a snore cure. Your partner’s snoring — or even your own — could be the root of your sleep problem. Try over-the-counter snore remedies or see your doctor.
18: Observe the 20-minute rule. If you have been awake in bed for more than 20 minutes, get up and rest elsewhere. Do not return to bed unless you feel sleepy.
19: Herbal tips. Valerian has long been associated with sleep.
20: Onion sandwiches, anyone? The Romans ate onions to cure vision problems, heal dog bites, treat lumbago — and induce sleep.
A new survey has found that nearly 50% of Britons get less than six hours’ sleep a night, with 18% getting by on less than five hours’ rest. The research, which was conducted by Dr Chris Idzikowski, of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, also revealed that three-quarters of us wake up every morning feeling exhausted, with one in four taking time off work for being over-tired.
Idzikowski puts the blame on modern lifestyles that keep us up late, but require an early start the next day.
“We are heading for an exhaustion meltdown as a nation,” he says. So how do you counter this modern plague? Here are 20 ways to get a good night’s sleep — whatever your problem.
1: Eat little and often. Some insomniacs wake with a jolt at 3am, when blood sugar is low and the body releases adrenalin. “Stabilise your blood sugars during the day by eating every three hours and keep to foods with a low glycaemic index — they take longer to digest,” says nutritionist Dr Marilynn Glenville (http://www.marilynglenville.com/). “Before bed, have some hot chamomile tea and an oatcake.”
2: Change your mattress. Mattresses from Tempur support the body by distributing weight evenly. According to a Swedish study that monitored 23 000 sleepers over eight years, using the specialist mattress resulted in an 83% reduction in tossing and turning.
3: Turn off your cellphone. Many people find chatting on cellphones over-stimulating, so switch yours off at 6pm, or whenever you get home.
4: Change your breathing pattern. Deep breathing helps your mind calm down and it produces relaxing endorphins, says clinical hypnotherapist Georgia Foster. Draw air into your lungs for five seconds, release completely, and then hold your lungs empty for a further five seconds. Repeat three times.
5: Start brain-dumping. Keep a pen and paper beside your bed and write down your anxieties, so you don’t have to lie awake worrying about them.
6: Eat a spud at bedtime. Starchy foods — such as potatoes and bananas — are full of chemicals called tryptophans that naturally boost levels of serotonin, which promotes calm and restful sleep. Supplements such as 5-HTP vegetable capsules also claim to increase this happiness hormone.
7: Listen to the voices in you head. Relaxing and subliminal CD’s offer subliminal messages to send you off.
8: Drink cherry juice. Tart cherries contain significant quantities of melatonin, the hormone needed for restful sleep.
9: Get into a routine. Going to bed and waking up at around the same time helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. Reading a book for 20 minutes can be used as a cornerstone of a peaceful night. Avoid long lie-ins at weekends.
10: Take a cold shower. Long, hot soaks before bed raise your body temperature at a time when it is programmed to fall. Take a cooler bath or shower instead.
11: Skip the gym. Exercising after work increases body temperature and changes your natural rhythm, making you too alert.
12: Muscle in. If you are being woken by nocturnal muscle twitches, try taking a herbal relaxant. Speak to your pharmacist.
13: Declutter. According to the rules of feng shui, your bedroom should promote a harmonious flow of nourishing and sensual energy. So keep it clear of clutter, banish the TV, computer and fitness gear, and get rid of the boxes and suitcases that may be harbouring negative energy under the bed.
14: Paint it white. Colour therapists recommend that bedrooms be decorated in “skin” colours, from pale pink to rich brown; bright red walls, for example, are too stimulating.
15: Unplug the PlayStation. Teenagers seem to be able to cope with bright flashing \screens before falling into bed, but adults seem to become over-stimulated, causing their minds to race when they should be resting. Avoid games before bedtime.
16:Keep your feet warm. Put a blanket over the end of the bed or wear socks.
17: Try a snore cure. Your partner’s snoring — or even your own — could be the root of your sleep problem. Try over-the-counter snore remedies or see your doctor.
18: Observe the 20-minute rule. If you have been awake in bed for more than 20 minutes, get up and rest elsewhere. Do not return to bed unless you feel sleepy.
19: Herbal tips. Valerian has long been associated with sleep.
20: Onion sandwiches, anyone? The Romans ate onions to cure vision problems, heal dog bites, treat lumbago — and induce sleep.
* * * * *
“……………………………………innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravell’d sleave of care,
The death of each day’s life, sore labour’s bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course…..”
(Shakespeare.)
“……………………………………innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravell’d sleave of care,
The death of each day’s life, sore labour’s bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course…..”
(Shakespeare.)
Enjoy your day........
1 comment:
What a great post. I will try some of these suggestions as I do tend to have sleep issues.
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