We all have the occasional bad night’s sleep, but some of us have gotten to where we don’t know what a good night’s sleep looks like. As frustrating as this is, frustration is the least of our problems. Not getting enough sleep causes many problems, some of which can severely shorten your life. According to Dr. Don Colbert MD and author of The Seven Pillars of Health not getting enough sleep speeds up the aging process (including wrinkles), lowers the immune system, interferes with brain function, increases cortisol levels, increases your risk for type 2 diabetes, makes you clumsy, reduces your sex drive, invites disease, and jeopardizes your marriage. Along with all of this are the statistics that show that not getting enough sleep increases your chance for an automobile accident, and workplace accidents. It could also keep you from getting that pay raise or promotion you have been longing for.
What are the causes of insomnia?
The books all point to pretty much the same things. They include too much caffeine, too much sugar, too much stress, not enough exercise, exercise too late in the day, aches and pains, cigarettes, alcohol, medications, eating too much before bed, not eating enough during the day, a bad sleep environment, hot flashes, enlarged prostate, newborn babies, or a snoring spouse. Granted, none of us have all of these, but especially in today’s economic climate there is enough of this smorgasbord in any of our lives to cause potential problems.
What can we do?
First let’s look at what we need to eliminate from our lives. Caffeine is a big one. Some people can get away with cutting out caffeine (remember it comes in many forms, and is sometimes in things we don’t think about) by three pm. Others will have to cut it out completely. When cutting out caffeine do so slowly. Stopping cold turkey can cause withdrawal. Some people say begin mixing in some decaffeinated coffee with your regular. The problem is that some of the chemicals used in taking out the caffeine are worse for our bodies than the caffeine is. There are some herbal coffee substitutes you can use, or simply grab a smaller cup and don’t fill it up all the way. The same goes with teas. Rather than using a decaffeinated tea switch to an herbal tea. That way you are avoiding the chemicals used in the processing. Soft drinks, hot cocoa, and energy drinks can all contribute either caffeine or other stimulants, and need to be treated the same way as coffee.
Other things you want to eliminate, especially late in the day are sugary foods. Anything with a high glycemic index is something to be avoided late in the day. The sugar (either natural or artificial) causes a spike in energy that disappears later. Both can interrupt the sleep patterns. Alcohol is another substance that interrupts the sleep patterns. Some people will feel initially drowsy, but studies show you don’t get the same quality of sleep when you have a nightcap. Cigarettes (or any tobacco product) are stimulants as well, and can keep you from sleeping. Just as with caffeine some people may be able to have these earlier in the day, but not several hours before bedtime. My inclination is that none of these are especially good for you, and you may want to eliminate them completely.
There are some things in the list we can’t eliminate. Snoring spouses and newborn babies are (in my opinion) worth losing a little sleep over. In the case of a snoring spouse have them make an appointment with their doctor to determine if the cause is something to be concerned about. Sleep apnea in particular can cause snoring. This is one problem you don’t want to mess around with. In some cases sleep apnea can cause death. In the case of babies, just hang in there, this too will pass.
Something you can eliminate from your life is bedroom clutter. Using your bedroom for anything but sleeping can cause your mind to think of all the things you need to do other than sleep. Most of us don’t have a separate dressing room, so we have to add clothes storage to that list, but even there keep your clothes out of sight, so you don’t think on them when you are trying to sleep. Functions such as hobbies, computers, home office, and sometimes even television can make your mind active, just when you want it to quiet down.
Stress is a big one today for causing sleep problems. We all have lots of things we can worry about, but should we be worrying about them? Will mulling them over and over in the middle of the night really change anything? Can we change the past by beating ourselves up instead of sleeping? Some authors recommend focusing on the positive. I have heard the technique of writing it down and promising yourself you will worry about it in the morning. One good stress relieving technique is EFT. To learn more about it go to www.emofree.com. My Christian Grandmother would tell me to pray about it. She would laugh and say the devil didn’t want us praying to God, so he would make sure we fell asleep quickly.
What do you do if you need more help than this? There are several natural substances that all the books agree on. They include calcium and magnesium. This is probably why when we take Enriching Gifts Coral Life with our nighttime Enriching Gifts Plant Enzymes we seem to sleep much better. Dr. Kristy Fassler, N.D., a naturopathic doctor in Portsmouth, New Hampshire says this is because both calcium and magnesium are needed by the muscles. When taken together they relax the muscles and help promote sleep.
Melatonin is a hormone that our bodies naturally make. As we age we can lose the ability to make this hormone. Sometimes even younger people reduce their ability to make it due to lifestyle influences. It is best used for temporary problems, rather than long term. Adjusting your sleep pattern after a long trip, or shift work are the best uses for it.
Kava Kava is a time-honored insomnia remedy. It is most effective when the cause of the insomnia is stress. It is not addictive, nor does it loose its effectiveness over time. The best part is that is doesn’t leave you groggy the next morning. Kava and Melatonin are key ingredients in Sweet Dream Strips. Because these are a melt in your mouth strip it is very convenient to keep them by your bed. Sometimes just having them there if you need them is enough to relax you and allow you to fall into a natural sleep.
One of my favorite tips for sleeping is aromatherapy. There are several fragrances that induce relaxation. My favorite is lavender. I have found a diffuser that I keep in the living room, right behind my favorite chair. As I am relaxing in preparation for bed the subtle fragrance increases that relaxation. I use the term fragrance, but you really want to use a good quality essential oil. You can use it like I do, or put a few drops on your pillowcase or in a dish or hankie next to your bed. I used to put a few drops on a hankie and stuff it in my pillowcase. This prevented oily stains on my bedding. Some oils to try include: lavender, clary sage, chamomile, ylang ylang, rose, marjoram, orange sandalwood, or bergamot. Find one that appeals to you. The worst thing you can do is breath in something you find irritating.
