Homeopathic Remedies for Insomnia

Homeopathy practitioners will often offer several different possible remedies for insomnia brought on by grief, mental strain, fear or even physical overexertion. According to an article called Homeopathy for Insomnia ignatia can be used for sleeplessness caused by grief, arnica can be used for sleeplessness from physical or mental overexertion.  Read more

Warm Milk for sleep…True or False?

All of us have heard someone say, "I drank a glass of warm milk, went to bed and slept like a baby." Was the milk really helpful or is it all in our mind? According to an article on WebMD.com called Warm Milk, True or False this is true. Read more

How Often Do You Buy a New Mattress?

In my quest for the perfect nights sleep, I don’t really give to much thought to the age of my mattress. I purchased a good one when I bought it but that was 7 years ago. While checking out mattress recommendations for our guest bedroom, I found an article regarding mattresses and their contribution to sleep. I was aware that a mattress was of high importance but I didn’t realize that a 7 year old mattress will double in weight from sweat, oil and dust mites. YUCK! This is according to an article, Better Sleep Council Survey Results. They suggest buying a new mattress every 5 to 7 years. The survey directly correlates the age of the sleep system with the quality of sleep. When you stop to think about it….that really makes alot of sense. A good nights sleep may be had by all on a new mattress.

Better Daytime Habits That Can Help You Sleep

Read on to see which bad daytime habits you’ve developed that may be impacting the quality of your sleep. Then realize that you’ll sleep better simply by making a few changes in your routine. Exercise Getting exercise every day has its benefits. That’s not debatable.

However, strenuous exercise done in the early evening or later can affect your ability to fall asleep because it raises your body temperature and it won’t begin to fall for several hours. It’s much easier to fall asleep when body temperature is lower. If you exercise late in the day, consider changing your workout time. Exercising 5 or 6 hours before you plan to go to bed is ideal, as this allows ample time for your body temperature to cool to a level that’s conducive to sleep.

Whatever you do however, do not stop exercising. You reap an abundance of benefits – including better sleep – by getting daily moderate exercise. If you cannot adjust your workout time, try lowering the intensity level. Caffeine Most people won’t drink caffeinated coffee at night because they realize that caffeine can keep them awake. But coffee is not the only beverage containing caffeine. Soda, tea and some energy drinks also contain this stimulant therefore, all should be avoided in the afternoon and evening. Chocolate also has caffeine so eating chocolate cake, ice cream or pie for dessert can produce the same type of sleep issues.

The way that caffeine affects individuals varies so there is no general rule about its consumption that applies to everyone. If you think caffeine might be impacting your sleep, eliminate all caffeine in the afternoon and evening for a few days and note any differences in your sleep. Alcohol/Nicotine One misconception about alcohol is that it helps you sleep. Alcohol can bring sleep on faster, but it may cause you to wake more often during your sleep period.

Nicotine withdrawals occur while you sleep so the need to light up may cause you to wake more frequently. As with caffeine, stop consuming alcoholic beverages at night for a few days and see if you feel more refreshed in the morning. And kick the nicotine habit once and for all for better sleep and better health! Food and drink Some foods, especially those that can cause heartburn, can negatively affect your sleep. Tomato-based foods/beverages and spicy foods are the biggest instigators of heartburn.

Heartburn, which intensifies when you lie down, causes much discomfort during sleep and that discomfort can cause you to wake often during sleep. Drinking a lot of liquids, caffeinated, alcoholic or otherwise, will cause you to wake frequently too because you’ll have to urinate more. Napping You may love to nap, but napping might cause sleep disruptions by disrupting the workings of your inner clock or by causing you to need fewer hours of sleep during the night. Nap only briefly, no longer than 30 minutes or eliminate napping entirely and see if doing so enhances your sleep time.

Melatonin and Sunlight

Melatonin and Sunlight What makes us sleep? If you asked 10 individuals this question you’d likely get a variety of answers. Some people might say a comfortable bed and quiet surroundings are what makes us sleep. Others would ration that a nightcap is needed. Sheer exhaustion, a full belly and someone to snuggle with are some of the other opinions people have about what makes us sleep. Interestingly, few people would give the correct answer to the question which is actually the release of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that is secreted by the pineal gland located at the base of the brain. It is secreted at varying levels throughout the day and its release helps to regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle. The pineal gland helps to regulate the body’s internal clocks, and helps keep the body in balance by regulating the release of different hormones, neurotransmitters and chemicals that impact the body in many ways. In fact, there is a high correlation between the release of melatonin and Read more

Awakening During the Night

How to Get Back to Sleep When Sleep is Disrupted It is not uncommon for people to wake during sleep. A loud noise, a child’s crying, an urge to use the restroom, a hunger pain or a pain in some other part of the body are just some of the reasons why we awaken. Waking during sleep doesn’t become a problem unless waking is constant or unless it is not possible to get back to sleep afterwards. Here is some advice on what you can do if you have trouble getting back to sleep. Get up and get out of bed This might sound contrary to what you Read more

Sleep Environment

A Better Sleep Environment Can Help You Sleep You might not realize this, but your sleep environment can have a profound effect on the quality of your sleep. Here are some tips to help create the ideal sleep environment. Room temperature Ambient temperature that is too warm or too humid can make it more difficult to fall asleep. Ideally, the room should feel slightly cool as this temperature more closely matches that of the body when it is in the midst of sleep. Finding the right room temperature isn’t difficult when you’re the only one in the room. But when the room is shared, what’s cool enough or warm enough becomes a matter of opinion. That’s when it’s time to compromise. Adjusting the thermostat, using blankets, wearing warmer night clothes (and socks if necessary) and using a fan and/or humidifier are some ways that room temperature can be adjusted to accommodate everyone’s needs. Noise level A quite environment is more conducive to sleep than one where there’s background noise. Whether it’s outdoors traffic or indoors television or a dog that’s barking or a partner that’s snoring, it can all lead to constant sleep disruptions. How can you quite the noise levels inside your bedroom? Add a rug on top of bare wood floor. Cover windows with heavier curtains or drapes. Replace windows with those containing double or triple panes of glass. Play soothing music or use a fan or generator to help drown out noise. And if all else fails, consider wearing earplugs. Bedside clock If you can see the time on your clock when it’s dark inside your room, you may be losing sleep. Sometimes, the more aware you are of how much time there is left for sleeping, the more trouble you have sleeping. Set your alarm and turn your clock so that you cannot see the time. Let your alarm and your body tell you when it is time to awake. Sleep in an appropriate bed The size of your bed and the type of mattress on which you sleep can both impact the quality of your sleep. If your bed is too small and you feel cramped, you may not sleep as well as you could if you had room to stretch out. Likewise with the mattress. If it feels too hard or too soft or too lumpy, you’ll have trouble getting comfortable which can delay sleep or cause you to awaken frequently during the night. Getting a new bed and/or mattress is a worthwhile investment if doing so helps you sleep better. Perhaps indulge in softer sheets and fluffier pillows too. Go ahead and splurge. You’ll definitely feel better in the morning. Sleep in bed Doing other tasks in your bed confuses your body. It learns to equate the bed with performing tasks that require alertness rather than rest. Find some other place to watch television or pay your bills and use your bed for its intended purpose! Lighting When it comes to sleeping, the darker the better, especially if you work the night shift and end up sleeping during the day.