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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Tips and Strategies For a Good Night's Sleep

By Dr. Robert A. Simmons

The majority of people have a problem with sleeping for any number of reasons; although the biggest reason is the kinds of schedule people tend to keep. Most people interchange the words sleep and rest when talking but they actually have two different meanings. Sleep means the number of hours spent in bed and rest means the completion of the body's recuperative method. Rest allows the body to reenergize and heal itself during the overnight hours.

You know that there are two forms of sleep: REM and non-REM. REM stands for rapid eye movement and this sleep is the dreaming state. When you're in REM sleep, you're dreaming (whether or not you remember it) and people will know if you're in REM sleep by the swift eye movements. This sleep helps your body restore its mental capabilities. The non-REM sleep stage is when you go into a deep slumber; this allows your immune system and other vital processes to restore themselves.

There are many things that we do on a regular basis that interfere with getting proper rest. Studies have shown that the flickering of electronics interferes with sleep. This includes computers, television, video games and smart phones. These activities keep the brain active and require some "wind down" time after use and before bed.

Be mindful of what you drink and eat before bed. Any drinks or foods that are caffeinated must be avoided. This means you'll need to avoid sports drinks, coffee, soda and chocolate. If you enjoy tea before bed, read labels to ensure that it is not caffeinated. If you find that it is, consider switching to decaffeinated.

Another reason for bad sleep is a non-active lifestyle. Regular exercise is very important and can improve a person's sleep. If a person hasn't exercised in some time or not at all, they should look into hiring a personal trainer to help them get started. By getting help from the beginning, the person won't waste their awake and sleep time with the wrong type of exercises.

One great idea is to take inventory of your bedroom. What is it's purpose? Is your bedroom a media room? The bedroom should not be used for reading, watching television or using computers. Keep it an area designated for low stress and rest.

If you sit in the bed reading or watching television, your body recognizes the bed as no more than a sofa. By keeping these activities out of the bedroom, you will be training yourself to go into the bedroom in order to rest. Repurpose your bedroom if necessary. It may be a difficult task, but it does work.

It's important to identify how much stress you're under since this is a culprit in the lack of sleep a person gets. Stress can eventually lead you to depression, which will also interfere with your ability to get a good sleep. Determine what makes your mind run wild and find ways to slow it down.

Here are some tips to getting good nights sleep. In addition to repurposing your bedroom, develop a "nite-nite" ritual. Do the same tasks every night before going to bed. Give yourself the gift of a half hour wind down. This will signal your brain and body that you are ending the day and preparing for bed.

So what can you do to make your brain slow down and relax? Consider picking up a book and drink a decaffeinated cup of tea; maybe peppermint tea. Instead of using lamps and the room's overhead light, use candlelight. Be aware that you'll need to blow these out before you go to sleep. A very relaxing scent to use is lavender.

As with everything, change is challenging. To improve your sleep you need to change your patterns. It can be difficult be it is achievable. Customize your own wind-down ritual and have a good night's sleep tonight! - 17268

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