Tips On How To Improve Your Sleep

Sleep problems are nothing new

Sleep problems are nothing new. It has been affecting people for centuries. Now more than ever people are sleep deprived which has a knock on effect to all kids of other health problems.

According to a Brazilian sleep specialist Rubens Reim about 35% of the whole world suffer from insomnia. Dr David Rapoport of the New York Uni Sleep Disorders Center described sleep problems as "one of the most serious epidemics of the turn of the century"

Adding to this problem is most people don't even know they have a problem. Most people accept bad sleep as just a natural part of life and do nothing about it. Perhaps they just feel there is nothing that can be done.

If you have ever had a sleepless night you know what it's like. You toss and turn for hours trying to get comfortably the whole time worrying about not getting any sleep. You know what you have to do the next day and realize that if you don't get some good sleep the whole day will be affected. These thoughts in turn intensify the problem and make it even harder for you to sleep.

If this happens once in a while it's nothing to be too worried about. However, some have this experience regularly and as a result begin to have severe side effects. When it gets to this stage medical help is a must as there could be more going on than just simple insomnia. Severe lack of sleep can even result in death believe it or not.

One common cause of insomnia can be snoring. Snoring can be a symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome. This is where the closure of the throat prevents air from getting into the lungs preventing a deep sleep. A machine that is placed over your face at night can ensure you don't have a disturbed sleep from this problem.

In severe cases you may need surgery to correct the obstruction may it be the jaw, nose, throat or tongue.

Many people stereotype in thinking that only overweight people suffer from sleep apnea but even young children can have it. Tell tale signs can be poor academic achievement or lack of concentration which often results in an incorrect diagnosis of ADHD or hyperactivity.

So how can you get a good nights sleep? This is what is known as sleep hygeine.

Sleep hygiene is a way of life. It includes getting regular exercise at the right time of day ie close to bed time is not good. Morning or afternoon is what works best.

Pre bed entertainment plays a vital role in sleep hygiene. So avoid watching or reading anything stimulating or exciting. Listen to soothing music or take a relaxing bath.

Another problem is using the bed for activities other than sleep. Do you eat, read, or watch TV in bed etc? This causes the brain to associate your bed with non-sleep activities. Use your bed for sleep only and this should help in the quality of your sleep.

Your diet is also important. Alcohol is commonly thought to be a sleep aid but in fact it is not. Coffee and tea and caffeine drinks are of course of limits and even chocolate too. You want to be eating foods that stimulate the production of serotonin like mango, sweet potato, palm cabbage, rice, banana or nuts. You should also never go to bed with an overly full or empty stomach.

Lastly, the sleep environment itself must be comfortable. A nice mattress that suits your personal comfort. Some prefer soft others like hard and of course the clothes you wear. Are you more comfortable in cotton? silk? lace? satin? Find what makes your nights sleep just that much more better and treat yourself to a great nights sleep!

by: Stanley Nickelson

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