Get Rid of Insomnia: Be a Morning Person
from the article 'Can You Become a Morning Person?'
By Laura Vanderkam | July 12, 2011
1. Look at what you’re doing before bed. Are you watching TV late at night? TiVo your late night shows and watch them at some other point. Everything about television is designed to keep you watching for another half hour. Real life doesn’t have the same pre-commercial cliff-hangers… which makes it easier to get in bed. When I stayed in an eco-lodge once with no electricity (i.e. no TV, no internet, and no lights for reading) it was almost impossible to stay up past 9:30PM. So much for being into late nights.
2. Look at what you’re consuming. Alcohol can affect sleep patterns (as can caffeine). Too much before bed will have you falling asleep, but will make getting up needlessly painful — necessitating several cups of coffee during the day. Best to stick to a drink at dinner and one cup of coffee in the AM rather than engage in an arms race with more of both.
3. Plan something enjoyable for your mornings. The point of training yourself to get up early is not to then fill that extra hour with something you find tortuous. The idea is to make time in your busy life for something profoundly important to you. I love running outside, especially in quiet, wooded parks. Unfortunately, in July, I simply can’t do this in the 90 degree heat in the middle of the day. So, knowing that waking up at 6AM is the only way I’ll get my run in, I find myself far more motivated to set the alarm.
Have you managed to become a morning person?
MY THOUGHTS
Have you ever experienced that? Being some place where there's no TV, no internet, no cellphone even? Did you wonder how it was so easy for you to close your eyes and sleep soundly?
Mornings are great. Something that people with sleep disorders cannot enjoy. And it's a cycle that you needs to be broken. If you get up early enough and let the morning sun shine on you, you will naturally go to bed early.
I like item no. 3 suggesting planning for something enjoyable in the mornings. I like it because it gives me something to think about. Maybe that's one reason for me to be up early tomorrow-to think about what I want to do in the morning.
Showing posts with label stress relief. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stress relief. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Get Some Sleep
The Endless Quest To Finally Get Some Sleep
By Lisa Kogan
O, The Oprah Magazine
December 21, 2009
What do Jon Stewart, kava kava, and Siberian goose down have in common? None of them cure a bad case of insomnia. Our sleepless columnist takes a hard look at what's keeping her up at night.
When sleep won't come, the nights are lonely, long, and way too quiet. I have brewed my chamomile tea, taken my rightful place on the sofa (experts insist it's a bad idea to get into bed until you're really ready to doze off), and had three whispered phone chats with three fellow insomniacs. But Margaret's melatonin has finally kicked in, Michael must clean his entire apartment because his housekeeper is coming first thing in the morning to clean his entire apartment (been there), and Anna has to finish reading Jude the Obscure so she can begin writing her son's English report.… I love the woman, but she's a Dr. Phil column just waiting to happen, which means I am left to simmer away in my own particular bouillabaisse of angst.
So I watch Jon Stewart; I fidget and I fuss and I down a pint of blueberries. I stare at the clock and double check that the door is locked and tomorrow's clothes are good to go. I'm too tired for sex, too wired for rest, and too busy kicking myself for all those little things I did not manage to accomplish during the day, like mailing that thank-you note I wrote a week and a half ago, or buying Cascade, or giving birth to two more children and moving to the suburbs. I just can't seem to locate the switch that turns off my brain and closes my eyes.
I have tried blackout curtains and lavender sachets. I have forced myself to lie down at 10 o'clock sharp and rise at the crack of 6:45 for three straight weeks. I have invested in an orthopedically correct, hypoallergenic, dust-mite resistant, Siberian white goose down pillow, and Egyptian cotton sheets. I have subjected myself to a sleep study in which a bazillion tiny electrodes were pasted to my scalp, arms, legs, and face, as well as strapped across my chest and stomach, while a tiny camera recorded my every toss and turn and a not-so-tiny Russian woman monitored my every breath and eye movement. That evening taught me four things:
1. Claustrophobia and a head wrapped in wires do not mix.
2. It takes five shampoos to remove paste from one's scalp
3. I suffer from sleep apnea (the condition in which one can repeatedly stop breathing for a few seconds throughout the night).
4. Knowing that sleeping will cause me to cease breathing does not make the whole falling-asleep process any easier.
I have tried warm milk and cool jazz; I have tried kava kava, valerian, licorice root, and blackstrap molasses. I have restricted my caffeine intake and increased my yogurt consumption —it did wonders for my cousin's roommate. I have tried medication and meditation. The former worked like a charm —until my daughter was born and it occurred to me that with her father often on the other side of the world, it might be nice if I could be semi-coherent in case of fire. The latter made me more tense than ever (and that, my friend, is definitely saying something).
I tend to stress out. Not during the day, mind you. During the day I'm cucumber cool. The problems come when the sun goes down —and, apparently, I'm not alone (though at 3:09 in the morning, it sure feels that way). According to the National Sleep Foundation, 27 percent of us say our sleep was disturbed at least a few nights a week in the past month, due to money woes, the economy, the cost of healthcare, and job worries.
Here, in no particular order, is a partial list of what's keeping me wide awake:
•I worry that I will contract the Ebola virus. I have raised this concern at my annual checkup every year since Outbreak hit the movie theaters in 1995. The conversation is always the same: "Let me ask you this, Miss Kogan; is your apartment brimming with disease-riddled monkeys?" I think for a moment. "No, no, it is not," I answer proudly. "Okay," my doctor asks, making a small note in my file, "did somebody rent Outbreak again?"
•I worry that I have lost my God-given right to go a full month without hearing about Jon and Kate Gosselin. I worry that I'm running out of space in my brain and soon this stuff will start crowding out everything I ever learned about Hamlet. "To be or…" You see? I can only remember the cast of Dancing with the Stars.
•Having been raised in Detroit, I worry that I will lose my job. I also worry that I will lose my health insurance, my TV remote, my teeth, my parents, my home, and my mind. I worry that the only thing I can do is pray my mind goes first so I don't notice that I'm a homeless, unemployed orphan with no ability to pay for prescription drugs, change channels, or chew.
•I worry that acid-washed jeans are making a comeback. And far be it from me to dispense fashion advice, but here's a mantra worth committing to memory: Bon Jovi has moved on, and I can, too.
•I worry that last fall, 30 members of the United States Senate voted no to a measure that would prevent our government from funding military contractors (think Halliburton) who prohibit rape victims from seeking justice against the coworkers who attack them. I literally lie awake at night trying to understand how the people who are supposed to protect us can justify voting no on something so clearly nonnegotiable. And I worry that those guys are sleeping just fine.
•I worry that my boyfriend and I are growing a bit too comfortable with each other. We used to eat dinner by candlelight. He'd read Rilke for me and I'd draw a bath for him. But 16 years is a lot of togetherness. The other night I didn't think twice about asking if he could see Audrey from where he was standing. Warning: If you are faint of heart or weak of stomach, or anyone I've ever dated, read no further because…Audrey is the name I've given my lone, black chin hair —that's right, I've named my chin hair —and, believe me, I'm plenty worried about that, too.
•I worry about every single aspect of my child's life, including but not limited to everything from whether she's getting enough sleep, milk, and attention to whether she's getting too much TV, juice, and pollution. I worry that she will get the H1N1 flu. I worry that all her friends will get it and she'll feel left out. I worry my boyfriend will die before me and I will have to rely on our sleepy, milk-deprived daughter to pluck little Audrey.
•I worry that according to a piece in the October 2008 issue of this magazine, worrying about not getting enough sleep is actually keeping me from getting enough sleep. And I guess, more than anything, I worry that I'll never figure out what it takes to finally get some rest.
But who knows? I keep hoping that not really having the answer to that question is somehow making me and my sleepless friends into better people, forcing us to reach out for a touch of warmth in the existential darkness, and in so doing, drawing all of us closer together. Maybe not. Still, that's the idea I plan to cling to, as soon as I check the lock one last time and decide to call it a night.
MY THOUGHTS
that's right. stop being a worry wart. when something big is happening the next day,i toss and turn all night. call it excitement. call it worry. still, it's hard to get some sleep when you cannot calm down.
By Lisa Kogan
O, The Oprah Magazine
December 21, 2009
What do Jon Stewart, kava kava, and Siberian goose down have in common? None of them cure a bad case of insomnia. Our sleepless columnist takes a hard look at what's keeping her up at night.
When sleep won't come, the nights are lonely, long, and way too quiet. I have brewed my chamomile tea, taken my rightful place on the sofa (experts insist it's a bad idea to get into bed until you're really ready to doze off), and had three whispered phone chats with three fellow insomniacs. But Margaret's melatonin has finally kicked in, Michael must clean his entire apartment because his housekeeper is coming first thing in the morning to clean his entire apartment (been there), and Anna has to finish reading Jude the Obscure so she can begin writing her son's English report.… I love the woman, but she's a Dr. Phil column just waiting to happen, which means I am left to simmer away in my own particular bouillabaisse of angst.
So I watch Jon Stewart; I fidget and I fuss and I down a pint of blueberries. I stare at the clock and double check that the door is locked and tomorrow's clothes are good to go. I'm too tired for sex, too wired for rest, and too busy kicking myself for all those little things I did not manage to accomplish during the day, like mailing that thank-you note I wrote a week and a half ago, or buying Cascade, or giving birth to two more children and moving to the suburbs. I just can't seem to locate the switch that turns off my brain and closes my eyes.
I have tried blackout curtains and lavender sachets. I have forced myself to lie down at 10 o'clock sharp and rise at the crack of 6:45 for three straight weeks. I have invested in an orthopedically correct, hypoallergenic, dust-mite resistant, Siberian white goose down pillow, and Egyptian cotton sheets. I have subjected myself to a sleep study in which a bazillion tiny electrodes were pasted to my scalp, arms, legs, and face, as well as strapped across my chest and stomach, while a tiny camera recorded my every toss and turn and a not-so-tiny Russian woman monitored my every breath and eye movement. That evening taught me four things:
1. Claustrophobia and a head wrapped in wires do not mix.
2. It takes five shampoos to remove paste from one's scalp
3. I suffer from sleep apnea (the condition in which one can repeatedly stop breathing for a few seconds throughout the night).
4. Knowing that sleeping will cause me to cease breathing does not make the whole falling-asleep process any easier.
I have tried warm milk and cool jazz; I have tried kava kava, valerian, licorice root, and blackstrap molasses. I have restricted my caffeine intake and increased my yogurt consumption —it did wonders for my cousin's roommate. I have tried medication and meditation. The former worked like a charm —until my daughter was born and it occurred to me that with her father often on the other side of the world, it might be nice if I could be semi-coherent in case of fire. The latter made me more tense than ever (and that, my friend, is definitely saying something).
I tend to stress out. Not during the day, mind you. During the day I'm cucumber cool. The problems come when the sun goes down —and, apparently, I'm not alone (though at 3:09 in the morning, it sure feels that way). According to the National Sleep Foundation, 27 percent of us say our sleep was disturbed at least a few nights a week in the past month, due to money woes, the economy, the cost of healthcare, and job worries.
Here, in no particular order, is a partial list of what's keeping me wide awake:
•I worry that I will contract the Ebola virus. I have raised this concern at my annual checkup every year since Outbreak hit the movie theaters in 1995. The conversation is always the same: "Let me ask you this, Miss Kogan; is your apartment brimming with disease-riddled monkeys?" I think for a moment. "No, no, it is not," I answer proudly. "Okay," my doctor asks, making a small note in my file, "did somebody rent Outbreak again?"
•I worry that I have lost my God-given right to go a full month without hearing about Jon and Kate Gosselin. I worry that I'm running out of space in my brain and soon this stuff will start crowding out everything I ever learned about Hamlet. "To be or…" You see? I can only remember the cast of Dancing with the Stars.
•Having been raised in Detroit, I worry that I will lose my job. I also worry that I will lose my health insurance, my TV remote, my teeth, my parents, my home, and my mind. I worry that the only thing I can do is pray my mind goes first so I don't notice that I'm a homeless, unemployed orphan with no ability to pay for prescription drugs, change channels, or chew.
•I worry that acid-washed jeans are making a comeback. And far be it from me to dispense fashion advice, but here's a mantra worth committing to memory: Bon Jovi has moved on, and I can, too.
•I worry that last fall, 30 members of the United States Senate voted no to a measure that would prevent our government from funding military contractors (think Halliburton) who prohibit rape victims from seeking justice against the coworkers who attack them. I literally lie awake at night trying to understand how the people who are supposed to protect us can justify voting no on something so clearly nonnegotiable. And I worry that those guys are sleeping just fine.
•I worry that my boyfriend and I are growing a bit too comfortable with each other. We used to eat dinner by candlelight. He'd read Rilke for me and I'd draw a bath for him. But 16 years is a lot of togetherness. The other night I didn't think twice about asking if he could see Audrey from where he was standing. Warning: If you are faint of heart or weak of stomach, or anyone I've ever dated, read no further because…Audrey is the name I've given my lone, black chin hair —that's right, I've named my chin hair —and, believe me, I'm plenty worried about that, too.
•I worry about every single aspect of my child's life, including but not limited to everything from whether she's getting enough sleep, milk, and attention to whether she's getting too much TV, juice, and pollution. I worry that she will get the H1N1 flu. I worry that all her friends will get it and she'll feel left out. I worry my boyfriend will die before me and I will have to rely on our sleepy, milk-deprived daughter to pluck little Audrey.
•I worry that according to a piece in the October 2008 issue of this magazine, worrying about not getting enough sleep is actually keeping me from getting enough sleep. And I guess, more than anything, I worry that I'll never figure out what it takes to finally get some rest.
But who knows? I keep hoping that not really having the answer to that question is somehow making me and my sleepless friends into better people, forcing us to reach out for a touch of warmth in the existential darkness, and in so doing, drawing all of us closer together. Maybe not. Still, that's the idea I plan to cling to, as soon as I check the lock one last time and decide to call it a night.
MY THOUGHTS
that's right. stop being a worry wart. when something big is happening the next day,i toss and turn all night. call it excitement. call it worry. still, it's hard to get some sleep when you cannot calm down.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Cure for Insomnia: Sleep Better - Naturally
Sleep Better - Naturally
By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide
Updated December 22, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
Getting eight hours of sleep each night helps protect your heart health, keep your stress in check, preserve your memory, and enhance your mood. Yet, a 2009 report from the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) reveals that the number of Americans sleeping a full eight hours nightly has dropped to just 28%. What's more, previous NSF research shows that 67% of American women frequently experience trouble sleeping, while 43% say that daytime sleepiness gets in the way of their daily activities.
Adopt Healthy Habits
If you need to stop skimping on sleep, start by improving your sleep habits so that you sleep better. Stick to a regular bedtime and wake time; use your bedroom only for sleep and sex; and create a sleep environment that's dark, quiet, comfortable, and cool.
Maintaining healthy habits throughout the day can also promote sounder sleep. Cutting back on caffeine, getting regular exercise, and spending time outdoors each day can all guide you toward more restful slumber.
Nighttime Stress Relief
Since stress makes it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep, creating a stress-reducing bedtime routine increases the likelihood of getting your eight hours each night. Here are five soothing activities to consider including in your routine.
1) Yoga
A daily yoga session may help increase total sleep time in people with chronic insomnia, according to a preliminary study published in 2004. When practiced at bedtime, gentle yoga poses should help ease muscle tension and calm your mind.
2) Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Another means of releasing muscle tension, this technique involves slowly tensing and then relaxing every muscle group in your body. Starting with your toes, tense your muscles for five seconds and then relax for 30 seconds. Move on to your legs, and gradually work your way all the way up to your face. For more intense relaxation, incorporate deep breathing into the exercise.
3) Meditation
Research suggests that meditation may benefit people with sleep disorders. Before you go to bed, try devoting five to 10 minutes to a simple meditation practice.
4) Guided Imagery
Visualizing yourself in a peaceful place (such as a beach, meadow, or mountain setting) can lure your mind away from stress-inducing thoughts and lull you to sleep. To heighten the relaxing effects of this technique, try to imagine the sights, sounds, smells, and textures you might experience in such a place. Listening to a guided imagery CD can also enhance your visualization exercises.
5) Aromatherapy
Certain essential oils such as lavender and chamomile possess sedative properties known to promote sleep. Before bedtime, try taking a bath infused with a few drops of relaxing oils. You can also add a few drops of essential oils to your favorite massage oil and knead away your muscle tension, or shake two or three drops of lavender oil onto your pillowcase and breathe in the calming aroma as you fall asleep.
Natural Sleep Aids
A number of natural remedies and alternative therapies such as acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, ayurveda, and herbal medicine can offer further help in achieving healthy sleep.
MY THOUGHTS
relax! relax! relax. or make yourself so tired you'll just drop dead on your bed.
By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide
Updated December 22, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
Getting eight hours of sleep each night helps protect your heart health, keep your stress in check, preserve your memory, and enhance your mood. Yet, a 2009 report from the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) reveals that the number of Americans sleeping a full eight hours nightly has dropped to just 28%. What's more, previous NSF research shows that 67% of American women frequently experience trouble sleeping, while 43% say that daytime sleepiness gets in the way of their daily activities.
Adopt Healthy Habits
If you need to stop skimping on sleep, start by improving your sleep habits so that you sleep better. Stick to a regular bedtime and wake time; use your bedroom only for sleep and sex; and create a sleep environment that's dark, quiet, comfortable, and cool.
Maintaining healthy habits throughout the day can also promote sounder sleep. Cutting back on caffeine, getting regular exercise, and spending time outdoors each day can all guide you toward more restful slumber.
Nighttime Stress Relief
Since stress makes it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep, creating a stress-reducing bedtime routine increases the likelihood of getting your eight hours each night. Here are five soothing activities to consider including in your routine.
1) Yoga
A daily yoga session may help increase total sleep time in people with chronic insomnia, according to a preliminary study published in 2004. When practiced at bedtime, gentle yoga poses should help ease muscle tension and calm your mind.
2) Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Another means of releasing muscle tension, this technique involves slowly tensing and then relaxing every muscle group in your body. Starting with your toes, tense your muscles for five seconds and then relax for 30 seconds. Move on to your legs, and gradually work your way all the way up to your face. For more intense relaxation, incorporate deep breathing into the exercise.
3) Meditation
Research suggests that meditation may benefit people with sleep disorders. Before you go to bed, try devoting five to 10 minutes to a simple meditation practice.
4) Guided Imagery
Visualizing yourself in a peaceful place (such as a beach, meadow, or mountain setting) can lure your mind away from stress-inducing thoughts and lull you to sleep. To heighten the relaxing effects of this technique, try to imagine the sights, sounds, smells, and textures you might experience in such a place. Listening to a guided imagery CD can also enhance your visualization exercises.
5) Aromatherapy
Certain essential oils such as lavender and chamomile possess sedative properties known to promote sleep. Before bedtime, try taking a bath infused with a few drops of relaxing oils. You can also add a few drops of essential oils to your favorite massage oil and knead away your muscle tension, or shake two or three drops of lavender oil onto your pillowcase and breathe in the calming aroma as you fall asleep.
Natural Sleep Aids
A number of natural remedies and alternative therapies such as acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, ayurveda, and herbal medicine can offer further help in achieving healthy sleep.
MY THOUGHTS
relax! relax! relax. or make yourself so tired you'll just drop dead on your bed.
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