PLAN YOUR SLEEP TO AVOID WORRY

 

Plan Your Sleep To Avoid Worry

It has been shown that if you plan your sleep to avoid worry, you will have a much greater possibility of getting a better night's sleep.

Leading up to bedtime, try and get into a relaxed mood and about half to one hour before retiring, get a pen and paper and write down your plans for the next day along with any worries you might have which will need dealing with.

Put the list away and really emphasize to yourself "Right, I've made my plans, I'm done dealing with this and NOW IS MY TIME FOR SLEEP".

The above strategy is a great help if undertaken consistently and along with relaxation techniques such as listening to relaxing music or using progressive muscle relaxation therapy which involves relaxing specific muscle groups one by one.  This latter helps focus the mind and therefore eliminate outside distractions or invasive thoughts and, most of all, the notes you made earlier which are for TOMORROW ONLY!

Children Who Bully Or Have Aggressive Behavior Are Twice As Likely To Have Sleep Problems

 Kids who are bullies or have conduct problems at school are more likely to be sleepy during the day according to researchers at University of Michigan Medical School.

The study looked at elementary school students in some Michigan public schools who had exhibited conduct problems like bullying or discipline incidents and found that there was a link between these issues and their amount or quality of sleep.

"What this study does is raise the possibility that poor sleep, from whatever cause, can indeed play into bullying or other aggressive behaviors -- a major problem that many schools are trying to address," says Louise O'Brien, Ph.D., assistant professor in U-M's Sleep Disorders Center and the departments of Neurology and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. "Our schools do push the importance of healthy eating and exercise, but this study highlights that good sleep is just as essential to a healthy lifestyle."

The sleepiness experienced by the children in the study could be caused by sleep-disordered breathing but also by many other factors like chaotic home environments, disrupted sleep or not enough sleep because of too much electronic stimulus from televisions, cell phones or computers in the bedroom.

Although there are other reasons for these behaviors, if tiredness does contribute to aggressive behavior as this study suggests, a significant proportion of bullying in children might be eliminated by efforts to reduce children's daytime sleepiness.

"We know that the pre-frontal cortex area of the brain is sensitive to sleep deprivation, and this area is also related to emotional control, decision making and social behavior," says O'Brien. "So impairment in the prefrontal cortex may lead to aggression or disruptive behavior, delinquency or even substance abuse. But the good news is that some of these behaviors can be improved. Sleep-disordered breathing can be treated, and schools or parents can encourage kids to get more sleep."

O'Brien recommends parents remove electronic devices from bedrooms and encourage children to sleep for the recommended amount of time without interruption. Children in pre-school should sleep between 11-13 hours a night, and school-aged children between 10-11 hours of sleep a night.

"Given the high prevalence of aggressive, bullying and disruptive behaviors in schools and the long-lasting consequences for both perpetrators and victims, more study on this issue is needed," she says.

Poor Sleep Can Accelerate Aging

New research published in the journal Sleep finds that poor sleep in middle-aged adults can lead to dementia at an earlier than normal age.

Read the full article by clicking here.

Tidy Up And Make Your Bed! It Does Help Sleeping

When we were growing up, many of our parents told us to tidy our room and make the bed. I could never understand why it was so important to make the bed, especially as it was just going to be unmade again within half a day! I guess some of us still feel that way and do not believe it could in some way help sleeping.

It turns out that, as was often the case, Mum and Dad may have been right about this one but they may have seen it as a discipline only. 

A recent study suggests that a clean and tidy room may help sleeping.

Your bedroom is more than just the room that happens to house your bed -- it is your personal area for sleeping and a proper sleep environment is essential for a good night's rest. Cleaning the room to keep allergies at bay is very helpful if you suffer from seasonal or dust-related allergies but we mean doing more than just this. 

 

The research found that participants slept better when:

• they made their beds every day
• the bedding was clean and changed once a week
• the bedrooms were dark and cool
• they were using comfortable mattresses and pillows

Those taking part even reported that sheets with a fresh, clean scent helped them to sleep more easily.

A clean, cool, dark and comfortable atmosphere is needed to create an ideal sleeping environment. This is very important - particularly being comfortable!

The ideal sleep scenario calms all of your body's senses, inducing you to sleep. I think I've mentioned in a previous article, the positive significance that a cool bedroom temperature has on sleep. You must close your bedroom curtains or blinds and switch off all lights. A quiet room can be achieved by shutting off all electronics, including cell phones. If there are outside noises, try using a noise machine which many people find effective. (Available from Amazon - see My Favorites to the right on this page.)

Of course, if you cannot get comfortable, none of the above will make the slightest difference!

For some reason, the importance of comfort is often disregarded. Your mattress and pillow are fundamental to your sleep environment. Ensuring that they are suitable for you yet still providing support is the first and most crucial move towards a better sleep experience. 

 

You need to check your pillow to make sure it's not “dead”. The following is the simplest way:

1. First lay your pillow across your arm and look at how it folds.
2. Does it have a slight fold, but still sticks out at the ends? If so, then the structure of your pillow is fine.
3. Does your pillow fold or flop over your arm resembling an old saddle-bag? That's a “dead” pillow and you need a new one!

If you're still not sure, try this test:

1. Lay your pillow on your bed and fold it in half.
2. Now place a shoe on top and let go.
3. If the shoe flicks off, then your pillow is fine. If it is stays put, you need a new one!

Assuming you've got the above basics in place, you now must get into the habit of making the bed every day and creating a clean, cool, dark and peaceful atmosphere and this extra effort will definitely provide you with help sleeping.

New Product to Stop Snoring is Having Great Results

A new product to stop snoring is bringing relief to millions of snorers and their partners.  Asonor targets directly the primary cause of snoring by gently lubricating the mucous membrane of the soft palate and lightly tightening the muscles of the throat, both of which significantly reduce interference with breathing.

Recent research has found that in excess of 80% of those trying to find a long-term solution to stop snoring have failed and have been resorting to physical solutions like nudging or pushing with 1 in 5 even taking to sleeping in a separate room to get some decent sleep.  This situation can lead to resentment and anger on the partner's side and the snorer can feel guilt. Even  permanent damage to the relationship can result if the scenario continues.  Both parties are not getting the sleep they need and deserve to live healthy lives.

Asonor is the best and simplest product used on the market.  It is delivered by spraying the drops through the nostril and to the back of the throat every night before going to sleep.  It coats, lubricates and softens the mucous membrane and lightly tightens the musculature in the throat. It is clinically proven by University Hospitals in London and Copenhagen and in a new independent users' test, it was awarded No.1 overall, including price and performance.  The test included: mouth sprays, nasal strips, mouthpieces, pillows and Asonor Nose Drops.

So, if you or your partner want to stop snoring, this seems to be the simplest and effective tried and tested product to try.
 
A bottle yields approximately 1 month's supply and Amazon is offering $5 discount on the recommended price, plus free shipping.  Click on image below to buy:

You Need Help Sleeping If You Want To Lose Weight

Recent research has discovered that you can double your likelihood of achieving your goal weight if you get between six and eight hours sleep each night.

If you sleep more, it will make you too inactive and if you sleep any less your stress levels will increase and at the same time you will crave unhealthy food.

The study in Portland, USA, by Kaiser Permanente, a health care consortium, revealed that people trying to lose 10lb or more were more likely to reach their target if they had lower stress levels and slept moderately.

472 overweight adult participants with an average age of 55 took part in the study.  They attended 22 behavioral counselling sessions, reduced their diet by 500 calories a day and increased the physical exercise they took to a minimum of 180 minutes per week.  They also had to keep a daily note of their habits, including their sleep patterns and stress levels.

Six months later, 60% of the people had lost at least 10lb.  Researchers found that the dieters who were successful were more likely to document that they had slept between 6 and 8 hours every night.  Almost three quarters of the participants who had both low stress levels and 6 to 8 hours sleep a night were likely to achieve the 10lb weight-loss target.  They were also twice as likely to be successful as those who reported the highest stress levels and 6 or less hours sleep each night.

"This study suggests that when people are trying to lose weight, they should try to get the right amount of sleep and reduce their stress," said chief author, Dr Charles Elder.  "Some people may just need to cut back on their schedules and get to bed earlier. Others may find that exercise can reduce stress and help them sleep.  For some people, mind-body techniques such as meditation also might be helpful."

The study was published in the International Journal of Obesity on March 29th 2011.

Conclusion:  You must get help sleeping if you want or need to lose weight.