Sleep: 10 Ways to Get a Good Night's Sleep

Sleep - are you getting enough? For some people, enough is four to six hours. Other people just don't feel right with less than eight hours. People need more or less sleep at different phases in their life. Women may need more or less sleep at different phases of the month.

The simplest way to tell if you're getting enough is by noticing every morning - do you feel rested? Do you wake up without an alarm clock and feel ready to get right out of bed and start your day?

\"sleep Apnea\"

Not getting enough sleep is one of the most direct ways that we self-sabotage our success and well-being. When we are better rested we not only feel better, but are calmer, smarter, more rational, nicer to be around and we look better. Why wouldn't we choose to have that every day??

Sleep: 10 Ways to Get a Good Night's Sleep

1. Set the Stage - turn off the computer and television at least one hour before you'd like to fall asleep, and turn on some music that you find relaxing. Test what your stereo system will do when the recording is finished - does it SNAP! or does it "wrrrr" - this will make a difference as you're drifting off. My CD player makes a very soft "wrrrr" noise (though I honestly can't remember the last time I was still awake when the CD was over).

2. Music without words - words can provoke and direct your thoughts more than instrumental music or pure vocal sounds.

3. Music with natural "breaths" - music where the soloist takes natural pauses to breathe can help you to slow down your own breath - try flute, other wind instruments or voice (either with no words or words in a language you don't understand).

4. A good book - For bedtime reading, try to stay away from material that gets you thinking about things you deal with during the day. Magazines or stories that distract you from your own life may help you to drift into sleep.

5. Imagery - If you find that your mind is racing when you are trying to sleep, picture a viewpoint where you're traveling down a road. See your thoughts as signposts that you're passing. Concentrate on letting them pass right by.

6. Progressive muscle relxation - Imagine that a ball of light is traveling along your body, beginning at the top of your head, going down to the tips of your toes, and then coming up again. As it passes your muscles, they fill with light and relax.

7. Take a nap - If your sleep has been interrupted or there've been unavoidable late nights, an afternoon nap can help you catch up. Experts advise that naps should be taken earlier in the afternoon, rather than later, and that we should keep them to 30 minutes or less. This will avoid disrupting your sleep at night.

8. Lavender Bath - Take a hot bath and add a couple of drops of lavender oil. Lavender has naturally occurring relaxing properties.

9. Chamomile Tea - Calms the nervous system and helps to promote restful sleep.

10. Take 500 mg Calcium with 250 mg Magnesium at bedtime - The calcium has a calming effect, and the magnesium works along with it.

The advice and information in this article is not meant to replace medical advice. If you suspect you have a serious sleeping problem such as sleep apnea, or if you experience insomnia or extreme fatigue, please consult a healthcare professional.

(c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services.

Sleep: 10 Ways to Get a Good Night's Sleep

Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, is the author of “The Everyday Self-Care Workbook”. To receive one of her free monthly newsletters, subscribe at http://www.genuinecoaching.com/newsletter.html

Whiskey, Wine and a Good Night's Sleep - Prevent Alcohol's Ill Effects on Your Slumber

The nightcap has quite a following: Up to 15% of people use alcohol to seduce the sandman, large-scale surveys show. Alcohol's sleep-inducing effects occur partly because it's a muscle relaxant (relaxed muscles help you fall asleep more quickly), and partly because it's a psychological (or emotional) relaxant, says clinical psychologist Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., author of Beauty Sleep: Look Younger, Lose Weight, and Feel Great Through Better Sleep, which helps knock you out faster, especially if you're feeling stressed.

Once your body starts relaxing, it continues to relax as you fall asleep. But watch out! This is when the alcohol causes your body to veer from its normal, healthy course, Breus says. Alcohol's powerful knock-out-fast effects pilfer part of the other sleep stages you need. It forces you to stay in the lighter stages of sleep and makes it hard for you to enter both deep and REM sleep, important stages for waking up refreshed and ready to handle the day. This happens later in the night, when your body has mostly metabolized the sugar in the alcohol. Your sleep becomes light and fragmented, and you're prone to frequent awakenings (often to hit the bathroom).

Slumber

You may also struggle with snoring, nightmares, insomnia and night sweats. (Because alcohol is a diuretic, as it flushes out of your system, it can affect your body's ability to maintain a normal temperature.) And if you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, be extra careful when mixing sleep with alcohol. As a muscle relaxant, it causes the muscles at the back of your throat to relax even more than usual, worsening sleep apnea's symptoms. In fact, research from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, shows that men, especially, have longer episodes of sleep-disordered breathing after drinking alcohol.

The Morning After

Half of the hangover that hits you the morning after a few extra glasses of wine is caused by sleep deprivation and the other half by dehydration. Will just one glass of booze have a negative effect? No, Breus says. It's when you get to two, three or four glasses that the problems start. And whether you drink wine, beer or hard liquor (brandy, whiskey, etc.,) doesn't make a difference--it's the drink's ethanol content (a generic name for alcohol)--that matters. Here's how the drinks break down: A standard "drink" of ethanol equals 10 ounces of regular beer (5% alcohol content); between 3 and 4 ounces of wine (12% alcohol content); or 1 ounce of hard liquor (40% alcohol content).

Plus, if you're a regular imbiber-say a glass of wine with dinner daily-you'll build up a tolerance to the effects of alcohol, which means you won't be as sedated as if you go out drinking on Friday and Saturday nights alone. Basically, you're better off drinking a small amount of alcohol each day than overdoing it on the weekend. Before too long, you'll be accustomed to its effects and be drifting off into an all-night restful slumber.

5 Smart Sleep Tips

If you do drink here's how to make sure it won't hamper your shuteye:

1) Finish drinking at least 3 hours before bedtime.
2) Don't overdo your imbibing-stick with one or two drinks per day.
3) Try not to stay up too much past your usual bedtime-this only increases alcohol's sleep-depriving effects.
4) Know exactly what one drink means: 1 beer = 1 glass of wine = 1 shot of hard liquor.
5) Follow Breus' one for one rule: Drink one glass of water for every glass of alcohol. This will slow down your drinking, and help prevent dehydration. And downing a few extra glasses of water the next morning to help get your fluid levels back to normal again.

Whiskey, Wine and a Good Night's Sleep - Prevent Alcohol's Ill Effects on Your Slumber

Jenny Stamos Kovacs is a freelance writer and editor for magazines such as Self, Glamour, Shape, WebMD, Redbook and Woman's Day.

To learn more about how your sleep habits affect your energy, mood, food cravings, and even your weight, visit http://www.SleepDietSecrets.com for a free quiz: "Are Your Sleep Habits Making You Fat?"

Connect with Jenny on the web at sleep_gal@jennystamos.com

Visit : Yoga

Shoulder Pain Side Sleeping - How to Relieve Your Pain and Finally Get a Good Night's Sleep

If you are suffering from shoulder pain, side sleeping can be difficult. It hurts to lay on your side. You may experience a constant deep ache or sharp pain. It is difficult to roll over, change positions, or find a comfortable way to fall asleep. Shoulder pain can lead to long, uncomfortable, sleepless nights.

The most common source of shoulder pain is an injury to the muscles and tendons of the rotator cuff. You may be diagnosed with conditions such as bursitis, rotator cuff tendinitis, impingement, and tears.

Sleep Well

The rotator cuff is a group of small muscles located around the ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder. They are important for circular arm movements. This area is also a fragile area prone to overuse and injury. When these muscles are injured, it is often difficult to raise your arm over your head, reach behind your back, or even to get dressed on your own. It also makes sleeping difficult if you like to lay on your side.

There are a few simple things you can do to help relieve the pain and get some much needed rest. These include taking pain medicine such as aspirin or ibuprofen. You can also pile up pillows around the affected area to help shift some of your weight off of the injured shoulder.

However, you will receive the most benefit from a series of exercises that specifically target the shoulder and the rotator cuff in particular. There are a number of specially designed exercises, developed by physical therapists to aid in rotator cuff injuries. These include targeted exercises to help speed recovery, re-build strength, relieve pain, and prevent loss of range and mobility.

While it is always a good idea to consult with a physician first, there are many exercises that you can do on your own, in the comfort of your own home.

One easy exercise to begin with is a door press. This exercise will stretch out the muscles in your shoulders and upper chest. To begin, stand facing an open doorway. Place your hands and forearms on the door frame with your fingers pointing straight up towards the ceiling. Your upper arms should be level with your shoulders. Leaving your arms in place on the door frame, slowly press yourself through the doorway. You'll feel tightness in both the front and back of your shoulders. Hold this position for several seconds then use your arms to slowly push yourself back out to your original position. Repeat this exercise several more times. But always remember to move slowly and stop before there is any pain.

Shoulder Pain Side Sleeping - How to Relieve Your Pain and Finally Get a Good Night's Sleep

This is only one example of many different exercises designed by specialists to specifically target shoulder pain and speed recovery.

For recommendations on treating your shoulder pain, side sleeping difficulties, and rotator cuff injuries, be sure to check out http://www.shoulderpainfreedom.com.

Learn how to treat your shoulder pain on your own without expensive personal trainers and physical therapy bills.

Recommend : World Health Club

Can You Solve Sleeping Problems, Insomnia, and Sleepless Nights with Sleeptrack?

If you have a sleeping problem and have been on pills to help you sleep, this may be an answer you want to explore. The numbers of sleeping medications on the market today can overwhelm you. Some medications can have serious side effects especially for someone who already has significant medical problems and is on a lot of different medications. Lack of sleep has been shown to be one of the leading causes of loss productivity in the workplace in America.

Many people have resigned themselves to the fact that they will never get a good night's sleep because they feel they have tried every remedy known to man. There are people who don't go to bed at night because they are so accustomed to tossing and turning that they would rather just remain awake until exhaustion sets in. the next morning they are stressed out as they prepare for work because they are so tired and are afraid they will make some big mistake that could jeopardize their job and income. the additional worry and stress makes the insomnia problem even worse.

Sleep Well

There are lots of students in colleges and universities who would perform much better in class if they could just get a good night's sleep.

This Sleeptrack system can allow you to sleep well because you can learn to fall asleep and stay asleep with out any medications.

There are 7 mistakes that insomniacs make that contribute to their sleeping problems and this author reveals those 7 mistakes.

This is a very sensible solution to sleepless nights that may help you

Can You Solve Sleeping Problems, Insomnia, and Sleepless Nights with Sleeptrack?

I am a Board Certified Ophthalmologist who has been in practice for 30 years.

You are welcome to visit my website. If you have any problems finding what you are looking for, please use my Site Search.

http://sleepingproblemsinsomnia.blogspot.com/

http://www.eyedoctornewsletter.com/sleepingproblemsandinsomnia.html

Friends Link : What is Detox

Why Your Bed is Important For a Good Night's Sleep

To ensure you get a good night's sleep it is important that you have the right bed. A bed is a personal thing because the bed that suits you will not necessarily suit someone else. It is important to understand the right bed, pillow and mattress support your size and body weight.

A good sign that you are not sleeping in a bed that is good for you is when you wake up from your sleep with aches and pains that can last up to several hours. This is telling you that your bed is not providing you with enough support for your body to get a good night's sleep. Over the long term this can cause you back problems.

Sleep Well

Another good sign that you need to change your bed is when you go away either on holiday or business and you find that you get a better nights sleep and you wake up with no aches or pains. Therefore, if you are getting aches and pains from your bed then it could be a good time to consider getting a new one.

However, how do you know when to replace your old bed? The following guide will help you determine if it is time for a change:

• The age of your bed is important. If your bed is over 7 years then it may be past its best.
• If you wake up from bed feeling stiff with an aching back and neck then, this is a good sign that your mattress needs replacing
• If you hear any noises, squeaks and creaking noises as you move about on the bed.
• If you sleep with a partner and you find that both of you end up rolling towards each other in the middle of the bed.
• When the surface of the bed mattress is uneven and sagging where you sleep.

If your bed matches at least 2 of the above signs then, this is a good indicator that you need a new bed. It is important that you do not go the cheap route when buying a bed. It should be seen as an investment so that you can reap the rewards of a better nights sleep and overall better health.

Why Your Bed is Important For a Good Night's Sleep

Tim Bose has been writing articles for over 2 years on subjects he is passionate about. Why not check out his new website that provides information on choosing the best electric treadmill and cheap electric treadmill products.

Tags : What is Pregnancy Massage

Sleep: 10 Ways to Get a Good Night's Sleep

Sleep - are you getting enough? For some people, enough is four to six hours. Other people just don't feel right with less than eight hours. People need more or less sleep at different phases in their life. Women may need more or less sleep at different phases of the month.

The simplest way to tell if you're getting enough is by noticing every morning - do you feel rested? Do you wake up without an alarm clock and feel ready to get right out of bed and start your day?

Sleep Well

Not getting enough sleep is one of the most direct ways that we self-sabotage our success and well-being. When we are better rested we not only feel better, but are calmer, smarter, more rational, nicer to be around and we look better. Why wouldn't we choose to have that every day??

1. Set the Stage - turn off the computer and television at least one hour before you'd like to fall asleep, and turn on some music that you find relaxing. Test what your stereo system will do when the recording is finished - does it SNAP! or does it "wrrrr" - this will make a difference as you're drifting off. My CD player makes a very soft "wrrrr" noise (though I honestly can't remember the last time I was still awake when the CD was over).

2. Music without words - words can provoke and direct your thoughts more than instrumental music or pure vocal sounds.

3. Music with natural "breaths" - music where the soloist takes natural pauses to breathe can help you to slow down your own breath - try flute, other wind instruments or voice (either with no words or words in a language you don't understand).

4. A good book - For bedtime reading, try to stay away from material that gets you thinking about things you deal with during the day. Magazines or stories that distract you from your own life may help you to drift into sleep.

5. Imagery - If you find that your mind is racing when you are trying to sleep, picture a viewpoint where you're traveling down a road. See your thoughts as signposts that you're passing. Concentrate on letting them pass right by.

6. Progressive muscle relxation - Imagine that a ball of light is traveling along your body, beginning at the top of your head, going down to the tips of your toes, and then coming up again. As it passes your muscles, they fill with light and relax.

7. Take a nap - If your sleep has been interrupted or there've been unavoidable late nights, an afternoon nap can help you catch up. Experts advise that naps should be taken earlier in the afternoon, rather than later, and that we should keep them to 30 minutes or less. This will avoid disrupting your sleep at night.

8. Lavender Bath - Take a hot bath and add a couple of drops of lavender oil. Lavender has naturally occurring relaxing properties.

9. Chamomile Tea - Calms the nervous system and helps to promote restful sleep.

10. Take 500 mg Calcium with 250 mg Magnesium at bedtime - The calcium has a calming effect, and the magnesium works along with it.

The advice and information in this article is not meant to replace medical advice. If you suspect you have a serious sleeping problem such as sleep apnea, or if you experience insomnia or extreme fatigue, please consult a healthcare professional.

(c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services.

Sleep: 10 Ways to Get a Good Night's Sleep

Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, is the author of “The Everyday Self-Care Workbook”. To receive one of her free monthly newsletters, subscribe at http://www.genuinecoaching.com/newsletter.html

Friends Link : Massage What is Detox The stress no more