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Sleepless in the USA
Snooze…or Lose
by
Linda Clements-Urick, C.Ht.
Who hasn’t
experienced a sleepless night when our minds whirl out of control,
our partner’s snores make it impossible to fall asleep or we
can’t find a comfortable position in bed? The next morning we
pay for our inability to drift into dreamland with sagging, sallow
complexions, puffy, glassy-eyed stares and depleted energy.
Lack of sleep has
been linked to risk of heart disease and type-2 diabetes, body
weight, stress, aging, and appearance. In the United States alone,
there are an estimated 70 million sleep deprived inhabitants which
accounts for $50 billion in lost productivity and a $16 billion
healthcare price tag, according to Alternative Medicine magazine.
With numbers like
these it is no small wonder that “sleep spas” have popped up
all over the country luring the exhausted insomniac with tranquil
settings, problem assessment packages and a break from the
everyday routine. Even cosmetic companies have jumped on the
bandwagon by introducing products that promise a good night’s
sleep.
Are you among the
sleep impaired? If so, you may find these simple strategies making
a big difference in your ability to summon the sandman:
- LEARN and
practice stress reduction techniques and/or self-hypnosis.
There is general agreement that relaxation based approaches,
including hypnosis, are “effective treatments of
insomnia”, according to a 1996 National Institutes of Health
Technology Assessment Panel report.
- USE beneficial
self-talk. What you tell yourself just before bedtime has a
major impact on your ability to fall into an uninterrupted
sleep for the duration of the night. What To Say When You Talk
To Yourself by Shad Helmstetter is an excellent book on the
benefits of self-talk.
- AVOID
overloading your digestive system after 8pm or at least 3
hours before bedtime. It interferes with the restorative
process during sleep.
- DO a few yoga
stretches, listen to some quiet music or take a relaxing bath
just before bedtime.
- TURN out all
the lights. Even low levels of light can promote insomnia.
- RESERVE your
bed for sleeping. Reading, eating or watching TV in bed sends
the subliminal message that bed is for waking activities.
- LIMIT your
consumption of alcohol. Even two glasses of wine or beer can
cause an interruption in your sleep pattern, waking you in the
middle of the night and making it difficult to get back to
sleep.
- WARM MILK just
before bed has a relaxing effect for many people.
- MELATONIN is a
hormone that is sleep inducing. Our levels of melatonin are
higher when we are young, but diminish as we age. One to three
milligrams, taken 30 minutes to one hour before bed, helps
many people get to sleep more quickly and remain asleep
through the night. Always check with your doctor before taking
any sleep aid.
- GET UP and
read for a few minutes, do a meditation or listen to some
music if you can’t get to sleep. Don’t stay in bed if you
can’t sleep!
- WRITE a few
affirmations about sleeping and keep them by your nightstand.
Make that the last thing you look at before turning off the
light. The last thing on your conscious mind just before you
go to sleep, will play on the sub-conscious mind all night
long.
Get the help
you need to develop good sleep habits. The payoff is worth it;
Better energy, healthier body and enhanced appearance. Sweet
Dreams!
For more
information on sleep solutions or to make an appointment, call
Linda Clements-Urick at (818) 415-3092 or email lindact@earthlink.net
(818)
415-3092 or toll free (877) 752-5700
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