Dr. Jonathan Douglas of Barrie, Ontario, has “hooked up,” his patients, primarily made up of Canadian Veterans, with a consumer sleep aid device that utilizes CES technology (cranial electrotherapy stimulation), which is backed by 50 years of research. This enables them to feel better faster, especially if their problems have caused their sleep to be negatively affected. He says “if they feel better, then their sessions become more productive and their progress moves forward more rapidly.”
Dr. Douglas explained that “research supports the use of “CES” not as a last resort, but as a first-line treatment, given its proven efficacy, so it should be in the hands of a lot more people than it is. In my practice, I work most frequently with Veterans and they can struggle with many complex symptoms, including sleep disturbance, anger, anxiety, depression and addictions.”
Dr. Douglas became familiar with the research on CES more than 3 years ago but the one device available in Canada then was very expensive for his patients to consider owning their own, so they just used it while in sessions and saw good results quickly. CES (first called “electrosleep,” works by delivering gentle micro current stimulation, through the ear lobes, to the individual’s internal sleep clock to re-set it so that they can fall asleep easily and naturally and stay asleep, without the need to turn to drugs which can be habit forming and come with many unpleasant side effects. .” In the USA CES technology was licensed more than 20 years ago for use in medical devices for the treatment of insomnia, anxiety and depression.
Two years ago Dr. Douglas discovered a CES product that entered the Canadian market called “The Sleep Genie” affordable enough that his patients can now have their own unit to use daily at home. He said that “The Sleep Genie has become one of my favourite tools in working with Veterans because it permits them to sleep better, calms them down and improves their mood—all without side effects or risk of addiction
“I review the research with my patients showing them how effective CES is in dealing not only with sleep, but with problems associated with stress, mood, addiction and pain. My familiarity with the 50-year history of research in CES allows me to state with certainty that this technology is effective. Well-designed studies that were double blinded and placebo-controlled, where neither the researcher or the patient knew which was receiving active treatment, proved its efficacy and showed that CES is superior to placebo in the treatment of anxiety, insomnia, depression, fibromyalgia, and other conditions,” he added.
“CES has also been shown to reduce muscular tension,” he said, “and I often recommend the Sleep Genie for use in patients who have been injured in automobile accidents. It’s gentle and relaxing effects help them to overcome not only the emotional impact of the accident, but reduce their perception of pain as well. I believe that, at some point, everyone could benefit from CES and I hope to one day see it used more widely!”
For more information on cranial electrotherapy stimulation:
http://www.thesleepgenie.com
http://brainblogger.com/search/cranial+electrotherapy+stimulation.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
I Cannot Fall Asleep At Night ...I Am Totally Stressed Out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFsDKqSXWt8
I Cannot Fall Asleep At Night ... I Am Tired Everyday!
Is it hard to drag yourself out of bed in the morning? Are you one of those people who believe that just an extra 15 minutes will make a difference in reducing how tired you feel? It won’t – as a matter of fact it is harmful to your body and may contribute to you having trouble falling asleep as well and eventually disrupt your body’s internal sleep clock ruining your ability to fall sleep naturally.
Besides having a regular bed time, which you must stick to religiously, waking up at the same time every day during the work week – and when your eyes open naturally on the weekend – is the best way to keep your clock ticking on its natural circadian rhythm, which is 24 hours, just like a normal day.
Our body naturally reacts to light and dark – which is what triggers the mechanism inside us to secrete the hormone we need to sleep at night – and then lower it in the morning so that we can feel awake and refreshed. Once your body gets used to getting up when your eyes open, in reaction to daylight – it will become a natural habit. Have an activity that you look forward to first thing in the morning, like a hot shower or listening to music on the radio, and that will help.
If you already have sleep problems – don’t turn to drugs – instead try a safe and proven method used by doctors for decades that will re-set your sleep clock with CES technology such as found in The Sleep Genie. It works with your body’s natural electrical component to gently and easily adjust your internal clock back to its normal rhythm.
Read all about it at: http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
Watch our Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFsDKqSXWt8
Besides having a regular bed time, which you must stick to religiously, waking up at the same time every day during the work week – and when your eyes open naturally on the weekend – is the best way to keep your clock ticking on its natural circadian rhythm, which is 24 hours, just like a normal day.
Our body naturally reacts to light and dark – which is what triggers the mechanism inside us to secrete the hormone we need to sleep at night – and then lower it in the morning so that we can feel awake and refreshed. Once your body gets used to getting up when your eyes open, in reaction to daylight – it will become a natural habit. Have an activity that you look forward to first thing in the morning, like a hot shower or listening to music on the radio, and that will help.
If you already have sleep problems – don’t turn to drugs – instead try a safe and proven method used by doctors for decades that will re-set your sleep clock with CES technology such as found in The Sleep Genie. It works with your body’s natural electrical component to gently and easily adjust your internal clock back to its normal rhythm.
Read all about it at: http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
Watch our Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFsDKqSXWt8
I Cannot Fall Asleep At Night ...Understanding Your Body's Rhythm
The best way to prevent the occurrence of sleep problems is to understand your body’s own 24 hour rhythm and to schedule your bedtime so that you can get 7-8 hours of sleep. Each of us has our own private alarm clock imbedded in our sleep/wake centre that is designed to send out a signal in reaction to light and dark. At night, the clock sends out a cue to our internal pharmacy to begin to supply us with “the drugs” we need to help make us sleepy and eventually to bring us into a deep sleep once we lie down in bed. In the morning, when light penetrates our eye lids, another signal is sent to our clock to withdraw “the drugs” so that we are no longer sleepy and can wake up and face the day refreshed.
Your own body rhythm will also alert you as to when you are most likely to feel sleepy in the afternoon so you can avoid tasks that are not stimulating enough to keep in engrossed. And watch out for the urge to wake yourself up with another cup of coffee accompanied by a sugary high carb snack. Take a short walk outside instead or close your eyes for 15 minutes. We harm both our waistline and our clock’s rigid timing when we try to override that tired feeling at 3 p.m. by snacking instead of giving our body a little time to rest or find a physical way to rejuvenate.
Become in tune with your body’s natural clock and it will keep proper time and help you fall asleep quickly and naturally and sustain sleep until morning. Your clock should not vary that much from other people’s and bed time and wake up should be the same 24/7.
If you already have sleep problems – don’t turn to drugs – instead try a safe and proven method of re-setting your sleep clock with CES technology such as found in The Sleep Genie. It works with your body’s natural electrical component to gently and easily adjust your internal clock back to its normal rhythm so that it can get back to its role of releasing the natural chemicals we are each endowed with to trigger natural sleep.
Read all about it at: http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
Watch our Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFsDKqSXWt8
Your own body rhythm will also alert you as to when you are most likely to feel sleepy in the afternoon so you can avoid tasks that are not stimulating enough to keep in engrossed. And watch out for the urge to wake yourself up with another cup of coffee accompanied by a sugary high carb snack. Take a short walk outside instead or close your eyes for 15 minutes. We harm both our waistline and our clock’s rigid timing when we try to override that tired feeling at 3 p.m. by snacking instead of giving our body a little time to rest or find a physical way to rejuvenate.
Become in tune with your body’s natural clock and it will keep proper time and help you fall asleep quickly and naturally and sustain sleep until morning. Your clock should not vary that much from other people’s and bed time and wake up should be the same 24/7.
If you already have sleep problems – don’t turn to drugs – instead try a safe and proven method of re-setting your sleep clock with CES technology such as found in The Sleep Genie. It works with your body’s natural electrical component to gently and easily adjust your internal clock back to its normal rhythm so that it can get back to its role of releasing the natural chemicals we are each endowed with to trigger natural sleep.
Read all about it at: http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
Watch our Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFsDKqSXWt8
I Cannot Fall Asleep At Night ...Do I Need A Routine?
The routine you establish prior to actually lying down in bed is as important as your bedtime routine. You see our body’s cue to sleep and to awaken comes from light and dark so it’s crucial to be in sync with the day’s rhythm, which is what ensures that our internal sleep clock keeps accurate time.
It’s hard for most people to unwind at the end of the day because we can turn on lights, television sets, computers and iPhones all that stimulate us primarily because of the light they produce. Our internal sleep clock waits for the signal of approaching darkness to cue our body to begin to heighten the levels of hormones our body needs to gradually get tired and fall asleep.
When we over stimulate our environment in the later part of the evening – after 9 p.m. – we work against our own best interests and that’s why many people develop sleep problems.
A good nights time routine to help you unwind both physically and mentally is to stop thinking and doing any kind of work at least 2 hours prior to bed time and that should not be later than 11 – 11:30 p.m.
if you want to achieve 7-8 hours of good sleep.
So make yourself a cup of chamomile tea – no caffeine after 2 p.m. – and settle down with a good book in a room that is dimly lit, have a hot bath, listen to music, sit on the back porch and have a quiet conversation about the day with your spouse, or watch your favorite TV show in a darkened room.
Then head for the bedroom, brush your teeth and go right to bed. Just like the 9-5 you spend at work – make 11p.m. to 7 a.m. your regular sleep time and you will find that your body works with you and that you will feel great.
If you already have sleep problems – don’t turn to drugs – instead try a safe and proven method used by doctors that will actually re-set your internal sleep clock,
It’s called CES, a technology that has been around for decades and found in The Sleep Genie. It works with your body’s natural electrical component to gently and easily adjust your internal clock back to its normal rhythm. Used daily for a few weeks its effect is cumulative and long lasting and soon your body will re-establish its ability to bring about sleep naturally and you and your body will be back in sync.
Read all about it at: http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
Watch our Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFsDKqSXWt8
It’s hard for most people to unwind at the end of the day because we can turn on lights, television sets, computers and iPhones all that stimulate us primarily because of the light they produce. Our internal sleep clock waits for the signal of approaching darkness to cue our body to begin to heighten the levels of hormones our body needs to gradually get tired and fall asleep.
When we over stimulate our environment in the later part of the evening – after 9 p.m. – we work against our own best interests and that’s why many people develop sleep problems.
A good nights time routine to help you unwind both physically and mentally is to stop thinking and doing any kind of work at least 2 hours prior to bed time and that should not be later than 11 – 11:30 p.m.
if you want to achieve 7-8 hours of good sleep.
So make yourself a cup of chamomile tea – no caffeine after 2 p.m. – and settle down with a good book in a room that is dimly lit, have a hot bath, listen to music, sit on the back porch and have a quiet conversation about the day with your spouse, or watch your favorite TV show in a darkened room.
Then head for the bedroom, brush your teeth and go right to bed. Just like the 9-5 you spend at work – make 11p.m. to 7 a.m. your regular sleep time and you will find that your body works with you and that you will feel great.
If you already have sleep problems – don’t turn to drugs – instead try a safe and proven method used by doctors that will actually re-set your internal sleep clock,
It’s called CES, a technology that has been around for decades and found in The Sleep Genie. It works with your body’s natural electrical component to gently and easily adjust your internal clock back to its normal rhythm. Used daily for a few weeks its effect is cumulative and long lasting and soon your body will re-establish its ability to bring about sleep naturally and you and your body will be back in sync.
Read all about it at: http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
Watch our Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFsDKqSXWt8
I Cannot Fall Asleep At Night ...Should I Take Sleeping Pills?
Do you take a sleeping pill before going to bed and then stay up until you feel your eyelids start to close?
Are you finding that it takes longer for that to happen every night? You need to know the facts. Chemicals only stay in your body for 12-24 hours, so if you rely on them to bring you relief – they might for one or two nights but they can leave you groggy the next morning. You need at least 7-8 hours of sleep … also soon your body will get used to them and crave more. That’s the beginning of a slippery slope to addiction and dependency.
What’s really happened to you is that your internal sleep clock is not working as it should and drugs will not correct it – only aggravate it. You need to re-set your clock so that your body’s natural chemicals will trigger sleep. You also need to create a dark and quiet environment in your bedroom for that to happen. Relying on a pill and therefore staying up watching TV, answering e-mails or surfing the net is not a good way to wind down at the end of a day in the hopes of bringing about sleep. At this rate you will be going to bed at a different time every night and contributing to a further breakdown of your internal sleep clock by disturbing its normal 24 hour rhythm.
What you should be doing is first; stop taking any kind of pill, and instead pick a reasonable bedtime, between 10:30 to 11:30 p.m., for example, and making sure that you are in bed by that time – no excuses. Take a good book with you and keep it by your bedside. (You notice I said book – not TV.)
The light and sound from a TV is overly stimulating and will keep you up longer. Turn on a small lamp, put your head on your pillow and read until your eyes start to naturally close, set the book down, close the light and drift off to sleep.
To help get your body back in sync use The Sleep Genie to re-set your internal sleep clock and resolve your sleep problem. Look for a device with CES technology which has actually been around for several decades and is licensed for use in medical devices in the U.S.A. for more than 20 years now. The Sleep Genie is inexpensive, safe and easy to use for all ages and as a bonus, it’s totally portable.
Its effect is both cumulative and long lasting so that in a few short weeks you will sleep much better again.
Read all about it at: http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
Watch our Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFsDKqSXWt8
Are you finding that it takes longer for that to happen every night? You need to know the facts. Chemicals only stay in your body for 12-24 hours, so if you rely on them to bring you relief – they might for one or two nights but they can leave you groggy the next morning. You need at least 7-8 hours of sleep … also soon your body will get used to them and crave more. That’s the beginning of a slippery slope to addiction and dependency.
What’s really happened to you is that your internal sleep clock is not working as it should and drugs will not correct it – only aggravate it. You need to re-set your clock so that your body’s natural chemicals will trigger sleep. You also need to create a dark and quiet environment in your bedroom for that to happen. Relying on a pill and therefore staying up watching TV, answering e-mails or surfing the net is not a good way to wind down at the end of a day in the hopes of bringing about sleep. At this rate you will be going to bed at a different time every night and contributing to a further breakdown of your internal sleep clock by disturbing its normal 24 hour rhythm.
What you should be doing is first; stop taking any kind of pill, and instead pick a reasonable bedtime, between 10:30 to 11:30 p.m., for example, and making sure that you are in bed by that time – no excuses. Take a good book with you and keep it by your bedside. (You notice I said book – not TV.)
The light and sound from a TV is overly stimulating and will keep you up longer. Turn on a small lamp, put your head on your pillow and read until your eyes start to naturally close, set the book down, close the light and drift off to sleep.
To help get your body back in sync use The Sleep Genie to re-set your internal sleep clock and resolve your sleep problem. Look for a device with CES technology which has actually been around for several decades and is licensed for use in medical devices in the U.S.A. for more than 20 years now. The Sleep Genie is inexpensive, safe and easy to use for all ages and as a bonus, it’s totally portable.
Its effect is both cumulative and long lasting so that in a few short weeks you will sleep much better again.
Read all about it at: http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
Watch our Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFsDKqSXWt8
I Cannot Fall Alseep At Night ...I Am Totally Stressed Out!
If you are having trouble falling asleep at night, look at the things in your life that might be contributing to a heightened level of anxiety and stress (work, weight, children), and try to find methods of dealing with these worries, as stress is one of the biggest reasons that people develop sleep problems and once you upset the normal 24 hour rhythm of your internal sleep clock – you could end up with some serious sleep problems.
The best method to relieve stress is to figure out what specific issue is at the root of your worry and find a solution to your problems so that you can start to focus on a course of action that will make things manageable and help you see the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel.” Once you know what steps you would take if your worst fears were realized – you can put in motion a plan of action.
And don’t be afraid or reluctant to seek help from family and friends to better manage your time and discuss openly the issues that are bothering you. Often just knowing that someone else has heard us and cares, helps to lessen our stress.
If stress has already caused you sleep problems, then try CES technology. Used by doctors for more than 20 years, CES technology works with your body to re-set your sleep clock so that you can fall asleep easily and stay asleep naturally, just like when you were a child. CES technology is found in The Sleep Genie.
CES is not a drug so there is nothing to add to further worries that you might become addicted and won’t be able to ever sleep without taking a pill. Don’t solve one problem by creating another.
Used for half an hour while relaxing in the evening with your favorite TV show the Sleep Genie will improve your sleep in a few short weeks and the change will be both permanent and long lasting.
You will also quickly start to feel more relaxed and less tense and this alone will re-assure you that you are on the right path.
Read more at: http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
Watch the Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFsDKqSXWt8
The best method to relieve stress is to figure out what specific issue is at the root of your worry and find a solution to your problems so that you can start to focus on a course of action that will make things manageable and help you see the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel.” Once you know what steps you would take if your worst fears were realized – you can put in motion a plan of action.
And don’t be afraid or reluctant to seek help from family and friends to better manage your time and discuss openly the issues that are bothering you. Often just knowing that someone else has heard us and cares, helps to lessen our stress.
If stress has already caused you sleep problems, then try CES technology. Used by doctors for more than 20 years, CES technology works with your body to re-set your sleep clock so that you can fall asleep easily and stay asleep naturally, just like when you were a child. CES technology is found in The Sleep Genie.
CES is not a drug so there is nothing to add to further worries that you might become addicted and won’t be able to ever sleep without taking a pill. Don’t solve one problem by creating another.
Used for half an hour while relaxing in the evening with your favorite TV show the Sleep Genie will improve your sleep in a few short weeks and the change will be both permanent and long lasting.
You will also quickly start to feel more relaxed and less tense and this alone will re-assure you that you are on the right path.
Read more at: http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
Watch the Video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFsDKqSXWt8
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
What a Sleep Inviting Bedroom should Feel like.
Many of us think of our bedroom as our sanctuary. A place for privacy and relaxation and where, during sleep we can enter that place of dreaming that lets us resolve or just drift among those thoughts and images that we need to crowd out during the day due to all the practical things we need to give our attention to. We long for its quiet comfort during the day - especially if we are having trouble sleeping and are developing a sleep deficiency.
The big mistake that many of us make - and which helps to ruin our sleep - is to invite the outside world into our sanctuary. Besides our bedmates this is what our bedroom should look like if we want to be able to truly relax and find sleep.
The bedroom should be dark,(use black out curtains like in hotels or use an eye mask), and quiet,(use ear plugs if your room is not sound proof and if you partner’s breathing or snoring affects your sleep). It should be painted in gentle hues and kept cool, summer and winter.
Invest in a comfortable mattress and supportive pillow. Too many of us keep our mattresses far too long. The last few years have shown great improvements in the development of different materials for both mattresses and pillows, designs that conform to your body and mattresses that can be adjusted. Investing in a product that you spend 1/3 of your time on only makes practical sense.
Do not listen to the radio in bed, have a TV in your bedroom or catch up on work or pay bills in bed. Your laptop should never find its way into your bed. All these activities stimulate and not rest the mind. The bed should be associated only with sleeping. If you must only read in bed and as soon as you find your eyes close naturally, put away your glasses, shut off the light and sleep. The only physical activity allowed in bed is sex.
Turn its face away from you if the clock next to your bed faces you when you sleep and you can’t avoid looking at it when you are awakened at night – or trying to fall asleep – it can add to your anxiety. Turn it away from you so that you won’t be able to see the time. Not knowing how much longer you have until you have to get up helps you to re-establish sleep if you get up, to go to the bathroom, for example.
In the morning get up when the alarm goes off or when you wake up. If you wake up sooner than your alarm, get up. Don’t lie in bed awake for more than 5 minutes.
You need to give as much thought to developing good sleep habits as you do to following a recipe to create the perfect dish. Your bedroom should be designed for its specific purpose - sleep - like your kitchen is designed for its purpose - creating good meals. After all, sleeping and eating and excercise are the three most important things you need to do to maintain your overall good health.
Tova Greenberg is President of The Sleep Genie. For more information on better sleep go to:
http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
The big mistake that many of us make - and which helps to ruin our sleep - is to invite the outside world into our sanctuary. Besides our bedmates this is what our bedroom should look like if we want to be able to truly relax and find sleep.
The bedroom should be dark,(use black out curtains like in hotels or use an eye mask), and quiet,(use ear plugs if your room is not sound proof and if you partner’s breathing or snoring affects your sleep). It should be painted in gentle hues and kept cool, summer and winter.
Invest in a comfortable mattress and supportive pillow. Too many of us keep our mattresses far too long. The last few years have shown great improvements in the development of different materials for both mattresses and pillows, designs that conform to your body and mattresses that can be adjusted. Investing in a product that you spend 1/3 of your time on only makes practical sense.
Do not listen to the radio in bed, have a TV in your bedroom or catch up on work or pay bills in bed. Your laptop should never find its way into your bed. All these activities stimulate and not rest the mind. The bed should be associated only with sleeping. If you must only read in bed and as soon as you find your eyes close naturally, put away your glasses, shut off the light and sleep. The only physical activity allowed in bed is sex.
Turn its face away from you if the clock next to your bed faces you when you sleep and you can’t avoid looking at it when you are awakened at night – or trying to fall asleep – it can add to your anxiety. Turn it away from you so that you won’t be able to see the time. Not knowing how much longer you have until you have to get up helps you to re-establish sleep if you get up, to go to the bathroom, for example.
In the morning get up when the alarm goes off or when you wake up. If you wake up sooner than your alarm, get up. Don’t lie in bed awake for more than 5 minutes.
You need to give as much thought to developing good sleep habits as you do to following a recipe to create the perfect dish. Your bedroom should be designed for its specific purpose - sleep - like your kitchen is designed for its purpose - creating good meals. After all, sleeping and eating and excercise are the three most important things you need to do to maintain your overall good health.
Tova Greenberg is President of The Sleep Genie. For more information on better sleep go to:
http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
Why Sleeping 7-8 hours a night should be a Priority.
In today's hectic and competitive world many people have relegated little priority to getting a good night's sleep - believing that using every waking moment to work or learn is far more productive and important. The problem with that philosophy is that you are not giving your body enough time to rest and heal because shorter hours of sleep means a lesser quality of sleep.
It is important not only to fall asleep easily, but to maintain sleep long enough (7-8 hours) so that you can reach that all important part of sleep known as REM. During the night we cycle through 5 stages of sleep with each cycle lasting about 90 minutes. We need to sleep long enough to go through these cycles 4-6 times a night because, with each cycle the REM portion gets longer and, it is during that portion of sleep, that we have our deepest and most restful sleep and when our body is able to repair and heal itself which is so important to maintaining a strong immune system.
REM sleep is also associated with dreaming because it is marked by intense brain activity. That’s how you can tell if you achieve REM sleep and have therefore slept sufficient hours. During REM (Rapid Eeye Momevent)sleep breathing is more rapid, irregular and shallow, eyes move in different directions and muscles become temporarily paralyzed.
It is believed that during this final stage the regions of the brain used for thinking, learning (banking the day's memories) and organizing information are stimulated (like when a computer is re-booted). If you cannot sleep without constantly waking then you are not getting good sleep and you feel it in the morning and all during your day. It's more important to sleep than to stay up late studying or preparing for a business meeting.Everything should be given it's proper time so that you can function at your peak but also maintain a balance in you life.
Tova Greenberg is President of The Sleep Genie. For more on information on better sleep go to:
http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
It is important not only to fall asleep easily, but to maintain sleep long enough (7-8 hours) so that you can reach that all important part of sleep known as REM. During the night we cycle through 5 stages of sleep with each cycle lasting about 90 minutes. We need to sleep long enough to go through these cycles 4-6 times a night because, with each cycle the REM portion gets longer and, it is during that portion of sleep, that we have our deepest and most restful sleep and when our body is able to repair and heal itself which is so important to maintaining a strong immune system.
REM sleep is also associated with dreaming because it is marked by intense brain activity. That’s how you can tell if you achieve REM sleep and have therefore slept sufficient hours. During REM (Rapid Eeye Momevent)sleep breathing is more rapid, irregular and shallow, eyes move in different directions and muscles become temporarily paralyzed.
It is believed that during this final stage the regions of the brain used for thinking, learning (banking the day's memories) and organizing information are stimulated (like when a computer is re-booted). If you cannot sleep without constantly waking then you are not getting good sleep and you feel it in the morning and all during your day. It's more important to sleep than to stay up late studying or preparing for a business meeting.Everything should be given it's proper time so that you can function at your peak but also maintain a balance in you life.
Tova Greenberg is President of The Sleep Genie. For more on information on better sleep go to:
http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
Would you shake a Bad Habit - to get Good Sleep?
Are you willing to abolish some bad habits – to get good sleep?Too many of us, due to our fast paced life develop habits that end up affecting our overall health because, the things we introduce to our bodies tamper with our internal mechanisms unbalancing our body’s natural rhythm. These habits weaken our body’s natural ability to trigger sleep and waking, control hunger and satiety, affect our concentration and memory, our moods and contribute to an emotional life of ever heightening stress and tension.
We also compromise our immune system which can lead to frequent colds, a feeling of being run down and an inability to muster up the energy to exercise regularly. So we “schlep” ourselves from work to home, make excuses why we skipped the gym again and find ourselves on edge all the time especially with our children and spouses.
So what changes should we make in order to get a good night’s sleep – which is at the root of all these other issues? Are you willing to change 3 habits to improve your life? First, don’t drink caffeinated beverages after lunch – none. Caffeine is a stimulant and a diuretic and takes up to 6 hours to leave the system. It makes us feel alert because it blocks sleep inducing chemicals in the brain and increases adrenalin production. So in the morning it’s OK but after lunch switch to water, juice or herbal teas and let your body start preparing for sleep so that when you lie down sleep is triggered and you have a good 7-8 hours of sleep.
Another good tip is not to eat or drink alcohol 2-3 hours before bedtime. Have chamomile tea instead. Alcohol is not a sedative as many people believe – it is actually a stimulant and will disrupt your sleep later at night. Alcohol can prevent you from reaching that all important REM part of sleep where dreaming occurs and where the deepest and most restful part of sleep occurs. Alcohol keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep.
And finally do yourself the biggest health favor of all and quit smoking. If you are not going to think about potential health problems, like cancer and heart disease, off in the future – focus on tonight. Nicotine is a stimulant and you actually go through withdrawal every night which is why, if you are addicted to tobacco, it will aggravate your sleep problems and it has been known to contribute to nightmares and snoring. Sleeping well, eating right and exercising are the three most important things you can do to ensure your good health so, if you have a habit that is working against you – muster up the will power to tame it and you will soon find that you don’t miss it all – because you feel so well.
Tova Greenberg is President of The Sleep Genie. For more information on better sleep go to:
http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
We also compromise our immune system which can lead to frequent colds, a feeling of being run down and an inability to muster up the energy to exercise regularly. So we “schlep” ourselves from work to home, make excuses why we skipped the gym again and find ourselves on edge all the time especially with our children and spouses.
So what changes should we make in order to get a good night’s sleep – which is at the root of all these other issues? Are you willing to change 3 habits to improve your life? First, don’t drink caffeinated beverages after lunch – none. Caffeine is a stimulant and a diuretic and takes up to 6 hours to leave the system. It makes us feel alert because it blocks sleep inducing chemicals in the brain and increases adrenalin production. So in the morning it’s OK but after lunch switch to water, juice or herbal teas and let your body start preparing for sleep so that when you lie down sleep is triggered and you have a good 7-8 hours of sleep.
Another good tip is not to eat or drink alcohol 2-3 hours before bedtime. Have chamomile tea instead. Alcohol is not a sedative as many people believe – it is actually a stimulant and will disrupt your sleep later at night. Alcohol can prevent you from reaching that all important REM part of sleep where dreaming occurs and where the deepest and most restful part of sleep occurs. Alcohol keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep.
And finally do yourself the biggest health favor of all and quit smoking. If you are not going to think about potential health problems, like cancer and heart disease, off in the future – focus on tonight. Nicotine is a stimulant and you actually go through withdrawal every night which is why, if you are addicted to tobacco, it will aggravate your sleep problems and it has been known to contribute to nightmares and snoring. Sleeping well, eating right and exercising are the three most important things you can do to ensure your good health so, if you have a habit that is working against you – muster up the will power to tame it and you will soon find that you don’t miss it all – because you feel so well.
Tova Greenberg is President of The Sleep Genie. For more information on better sleep go to:
http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
When it comes to Sleep - Don't Cheat Yourself
When we were all “living on the farm” the rising and setting of the sun determined our sleep and wake routine and the rooster was our only confirmation that it was time to get out of bed. We were created that way. You see our bodies were designed to react to light and dark which are the essential triggers to bring about sleep and then to wake us up in the morning naturally. If we are in sync with our bodies we’ll get sleepy naturally and won’t need an alarm clock to jolt us out of our sleep. (Think about why we hide the sun by putting up heavy curtains in our bedrooms).
Before electricity was invented, and candles were our only “light in the dark,”and long before all those stimulating electrical gadgets infiltrated our homes and offices and purses, sleep came easily. When we went to sleep shortly after the sun set and got up when it rose to begin our day’s work, and we maintained that schedule instinctively, sleep problems were probably rare. Today they are epidemic. When our bodies are fine tuned to our body’s rhythms we find that our alarm clocks become redundant because they reside in our heads. Good sleep habits, like good eating and exercise habits, are the most important things we can do in ensuring that we maintain our good health.
During sleep our immune system is strengthened to help us fight off illness as well as to heal and repair tissue. This is the time when memories are banked and what we learned during the day is stored in our brains (like re-booting a computer). This is why it is more important for students to get a good night’s sleep before an exam than to stay up all night cramming.
This also holds true for those of us who are juggling home and career – especially we women who take everything so seriously. No matter how helpful our partners are – wouldn’t you agree that women have the market cornered on worrying that everything will run smoothly? Poor sleep also threatens our health by increasing the risk for heart disease, stress and weigh gain. What? Weight gain? Really? Didn’t think they were related? Think again! Lack of sleep makes our body produce too much gherlin, the hormone that makes you feel hungry.
That’s why you need that third and fourth cup of coffee and the sugary donut or carb filled muffin, especially in the afternoons. It also reduces the production of leptin, responsible for making you feel satisfied after eating. And don’t think you can cheat by trying to catch up on sleep on the weekends. There is no such thing as “catching up” on sleep. Behaving differently on the weekends than during the week puts your body further out of whack. It is important to strive to create a regular bed and wake up time seven days a week and stick to it. You will feel so much better every day if you can accomplish this small tweak in your daily habits and so many things will begin to fall back into place. Otherwise, you are only cheating yourself.
Tova Greenberg is President of The Sleep Genie. For more information visit our website at: http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
Before electricity was invented, and candles were our only “light in the dark,”and long before all those stimulating electrical gadgets infiltrated our homes and offices and purses, sleep came easily. When we went to sleep shortly after the sun set and got up when it rose to begin our day’s work, and we maintained that schedule instinctively, sleep problems were probably rare. Today they are epidemic. When our bodies are fine tuned to our body’s rhythms we find that our alarm clocks become redundant because they reside in our heads. Good sleep habits, like good eating and exercise habits, are the most important things we can do in ensuring that we maintain our good health.
During sleep our immune system is strengthened to help us fight off illness as well as to heal and repair tissue. This is the time when memories are banked and what we learned during the day is stored in our brains (like re-booting a computer). This is why it is more important for students to get a good night’s sleep before an exam than to stay up all night cramming.
This also holds true for those of us who are juggling home and career – especially we women who take everything so seriously. No matter how helpful our partners are – wouldn’t you agree that women have the market cornered on worrying that everything will run smoothly? Poor sleep also threatens our health by increasing the risk for heart disease, stress and weigh gain. What? Weight gain? Really? Didn’t think they were related? Think again! Lack of sleep makes our body produce too much gherlin, the hormone that makes you feel hungry.
That’s why you need that third and fourth cup of coffee and the sugary donut or carb filled muffin, especially in the afternoons. It also reduces the production of leptin, responsible for making you feel satisfied after eating. And don’t think you can cheat by trying to catch up on sleep on the weekends. There is no such thing as “catching up” on sleep. Behaving differently on the weekends than during the week puts your body further out of whack. It is important to strive to create a regular bed and wake up time seven days a week and stick to it. You will feel so much better every day if you can accomplish this small tweak in your daily habits and so many things will begin to fall back into place. Otherwise, you are only cheating yourself.
Tova Greenberg is President of The Sleep Genie. For more information visit our website at: http://www.TheSleepGenie.com
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