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GETTING
A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP
"Your 401(k)'s
down, the price of gas is up, your job may be going and, good grief,
we're all worried about swine flu," says Dr. Todd J. Swick of the
Houston Sleep Center, who admits his business is great. According to
a new study by Market data, sleep is a $23.7 billion-a-year industry
in the United States, so if you are getting a good night's sleep, pass
this on to someone who isn't, because they are out there.
WHAT
IS HEALTHY SLEEP?
Your stages of sleep determine your rest. Healthy sleep begins with about
80 minutes of NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) sleep followed by about 10
minutes of REM sleep. This 90-minute cycle is repeated four to six times
each night. If the sequence is interrupted the quality of sleep suffers.
HOW
MUCH SLEEP IS ENOUGH?
The average is 7 to 9 hours of sleep to feel fully rested, but some need
5 hours, others 10.
HOW
DO YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP?
You sleep without interruption. When you wake up, you feel well-rested,
refreshed and no sleepiness during the day even when doing boring or mundane
activities. If you fall asleep within five minutes of lying down, you
may have severe sleep deprivation, or a sleep disorder.
WHAT
ARE THE BENEFITS OF SLEEP?
Sleep restores your body's energy levels, helps you make sound judgments
and recover from illness. It helps you interact with people effectively
and function well - both mentally and physically. During sleep, the body
repairs and regenerates tissue, repairs damage from stress and ultraviolet
rays, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. Sleep
may also help memories and, may be essential to processing complex emotions.
"Never
work just for money or for power. They won't save your soul or help you
sleep at night." - Anonymous
WHAT
DO I DO BEFORE GOING TO BED?
Dr. Todd J. Swick of the Houston Sleep Center said, "Around 5 or
6 o'clock at night, they need to divorce themselves from what they're
doing and, write their concerns on a 3-by-5 index card, or read in soft
light, or listen to gentle music." Simplify
Your Life
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* http://www.shuteye.com
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- Keep
temperature between 54 and 75 degrees. Use a fan to keep cool
and create white noise.
- Keep
pets off the bed.
- A
firm mattress is usually more comfortable than a softer one.
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"In
Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When
you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer
to sleep on. Hence the phrase 'goodnight, sleep tight."
- Marian Wright Edelman
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Have
a comfortable pillow.
-
Turn
your clock so you don't see the time.
-
Minimize
light.
-
Take
a warm bath.
-
Read
or listen to soothing music.
-
Eat
a light snack, high in carbohydrates
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-
Drink
milk.
-
Go
to bed and get up at the same time every day-even on weekends.
-
Eat
your evening meal at least three hours before bedtime.
-
Breathe
deeply.
-
Take
a walk.
-
Be
grateful for what you have
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WHAT
TO AVOID
-
Don't
watch the late news, or violence.
-
Don't
watch TV, pay bills or think about work problems for an hour
or two before bedtime.
-
Some
medications can contribute to sleeplessness.
-
Don't
check E-mail before going to sleep. The glare from the computer
screen stimulates the brain, turning off the sleep mechanism
by suppressing melatonin, needed to help with sleep.
-
Avoid
exercising within three hours of bedtime. Exercising during
the day may help.
-
Avoid
smoking six hours before your bedtime. Nicotine is a stimulant.
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-
Avoid
alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol may seem to help you fall asleep,
but can disrupt your normal sleep pattern.
-
Keep
away from caffeinated drinks and foods (coffee, tea, cola or
chocolate) past noon. Caffeine can delay or interrupt sleep.
-
Don't
drinking fluids before bedtime to decrease nighttime interruptions.
-
Avoid
napping more that half an hour during the day.
-
If
you've been lying in bed for 20 minutes and can't fall asleep,
go into another room and do something relaxing, such as reading
a book. Return to bed only when you're sleep.
-
Once
in bed, try to stop worrying.
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"Good
communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep
after." - Anne Morrow Lindbergh
WHAT
ABOUT SLEEP AIDS?
Dr. Gary K. Zammit, Ph.D says that natural sleep aids such
as Melatonin, which is a hormone, may regulate normal sleep rhythms. Over-the-counter
medications often sedate through the use of antihistamines and become
addictive. They do not keep you asleep, and often result in making you
feel sleepy in the morning. They are not intended for long-term use. They
are also known to cause sleepwalking and even "sleep-driving."
Microsleeps are fleeting, uncontrollable episodes of sleep occurring when
one is awake. Although they may last only a few seconds, microsleeps can
cause car accidents, machinery-related accidents, and other dangerous
conditions.
"If
you want your spouse to listen and pay strict attention to every word you
say, talk in your sleep." - Anonymous
©
Copyright Echod Enterprise 2009
LifeSkills
International, untying the knots of life.
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