{"id":275,"date":"2008-01-26T10:52:33","date_gmt":"2008-01-26T17:52:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bspcn.com\/2008\/01\/26\/24-ways-to-get-the-rest-you-need\/"},"modified":"2012-03-20T11:41:06","modified_gmt":"2012-03-20T16:41:06","slug":"24-ways-to-get-the-rest-you-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/2008\/01\/26\/24-ways-to-get-the-rest-you-need\/","title":{"rendered":"24 ways to get the rest you need"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by Stealth Health<\/a><\/p>\n

Achieve a Deep, Uninterrupted Sleep<\/h2>\n

Nighttime Habits<\/h3>\n

\"\" Blessed sleep — the holy grail of health. Lack of sleep can send your blood sugar levels skyrocketing, contribute to weight gain, lead to depression, put you at risk for diabetes, and cause brain damage.<\/p>\n

That’s just the warm-up. Sleep deprivation can alter your levels of thyroid and stress hormones, potentially affecting everything from your memory to your immune system, heart, and metabolism. Of course, lack of sleep can kill you instantly — as when you run your car off the road because you’ve dozed at the wheel (an estimated 71,000 people are injured in fall-asleep crashes each year). In fact, studies find that if you’ve been awake through the night, it’s as if you had a performance impairment equal to .10 percent blood alcohol content, more than enough to get you arrested for drunk driving in most states.<\/p>\n

Given the evidence, you’d think we’d all be hitting the pillow as soon as the sun dropped below the horizon. Ha! Today Americans get 25 percent less sleep than they did a century ago. Nearly 4 out of 10 don’t get the minimum 7 hours of sleep necessary for optimal health and daytime functioning, while 15 percent get less than 6 hours most nights.<\/p>\n

Since we’re all in agreement that a good night’s sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health and mood, pick three of these tips to follow each night until you get the night’s sleep you so desperately crave.<\/p>\n

1. Create a transition routine.<\/strong> This is something you do every night before bed. It could be as simple as letting the cat out, turning out the lights, turning down the heat, washing your face, and brushing your teeth. Or it could be a series of yoga or meditation exercises. Regardless, it should be consistent to the point that you do it without even thinking about it. As you begin to move into your “nightly routine,” your mind will get the signal that it’s time to chill out and tune down, dialing down stress hormones and physiologically preparing you for sleep.<\/p>\n

2. Figure out your body cycle.<\/strong> Ever find that you get really sleepy at 10 p.m., that the sleepiness passes, and that by the time the late news comes on, you’re wide-awake? Some experts believe sleepiness comes in cycles. Push past a period of sleepiness and you likely won’t be able to fall asleep very easily for a while. If you’ve noticed these kinds of rhythms in your own body clock, use them to your advantage. When sleepiness comes, get to bed. Otherwise, it might be a long time until you are ready to fall asleep again.<\/p>\n

3. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water<\/strong> and iron them before making up your bed. The scent is scientifically proven to promote relaxation, and the repetition and mindlessness of ironing will soothe you. Or, instead of ironing your sheets, do the next best thing: Put lavender water in a perfume atomizer and spray above your bed just before climbing in.<\/p>\n

4. Hide your clock under your bed frame or on the bottom shelf<\/strong> of your night stand, where its glow won’t disturb you. That way, if you do wake in the middle of the night or have problems sleeping, you won’t fret over how late it is and how much sleep you’re missing.<\/p>\n

5. Switch your pillow.<\/strong> If you’re constantly pounding it, turning it over and upside down, the poor pillow deserves a break. Find a fresh new pillow from the linen closet, put a sweet-smelling case on it, and try again.<\/p>\n

Adjust Your Bedroom<\/h3>\n

6. Choose the right pillow<\/strong> to accommodate the best mattress to suit your sleep needs. One Swedish study found that neck pillows, which resemble a rectangle with a depression in the middle, can actually enhance the quality of your sleep as well as reduce neck pain\u2026.. One Swedish study found that neck pillows, which resemble a rectangle with a depression in the middle, can actually enhance the quality of your sleep as well as reduce neck pain. The ideal neck pillow should be soft and not too high, should provide neck support, and should be allergy tested and washable, researchers found. A pillow with two supporting cores received the best rating from the 55 people who participated in the study. Another study found that water-filled pillows provided the best night’s sleep when compared to participants’ usual pillows or a roll pillow. Yet another study found that a pillow filled with a special “cool” material composed of sodium sulfate and ceramic fiber provided a much better night’s sleep than one filled with polyester. The reason, the researchers suggest, is that the cooler pillow kept the subjects’ head cooler during the night, improving their sleep. While you may not be able to find a sodium sulfate-filled pillow, you can buy a pillow made of natural fibers, which are better at releasing heat than polyester.<\/p>\n

Other pillow tips:<\/em><\/strong> if you’re subject to allergies or find you’re often stuffed up when you awake in the morning, try a hypoallergenic pillow. And experiment with the pillow’s thickness. While a thick, fluffy pillow might sound appealing, it might be too thick for you, leading to neck strain. Try a thin pillow.<\/p>\n

7. Switch to heavier curtains over the windows, and use them.<\/strong> Even the barely noticeable ambient light from streetlights, a full moon, or your neighbor’s house can interfere with the circadian rhythm changes you need to fall asleep.<\/p>\n

8. Clean your bedroom and paint it a soothing sage green.<\/strong> Or some other soothing color. First, the more clutter in your bedroom, the more distractions in the way of a good night’s sleep. The smooth, clean surfaces act as a balm to your brain, helping to smooth out your own worries and mental to-do lists. The soothing color provides a visual reminder of sleep, relaxing you as you lie in bed reading or preparing for sleep.<\/p>\n

9. Move your bed away from any outside walls.<\/strong> This will help cut down on noise, which a Spanish study found could be a significant factor in insomnia. If the noise is still bothering you, try a white noise machine, or just turn on a floor fan.<\/p>\n

10. Tuck a hot-water bottle between your feet or wear a pair of ski socks to bed.<\/strong> The science is a little complicated, but warm feet help your body’s internal temperature get to the optimal level for sleep. Essentially, you sleep best when your core temperature drops. By warming your feet, you make sure blood flows well through your legs, allowing your trunk to cool.<\/p>\n

11. Kick your dog or cat out of your bedroom.<\/strong> A 2002 research study found that one in five pet owners sleep with their pets (and we’re not talking goldfish here). The study also found that dogs and cats created one of the biggest impediments to a good night’s sleep since the discovery of caffeine. One reason? The study found that 21 percent of the dogs and 7 percent of the cats snored!<\/p>\n

Lose Some, Gain Some<\/h3>\n

12. Sleep alone.<\/strong> Sure you love your spouse or partner, but studies find one of the greatest disruptors of sleep is that loved one dreaming away next to you. He might snore, she might kick or cry out, whatever. In fact, one study found that 86 percent of women surveyed said their husbands snored, and half had their sleep interrupted by it. Men have it a bit easier; just 57 percent said their wives snored, while just 15 percent found their sleep bothered by it. If you absolutely will not kick your partner out (or head to the guest room yourself), then consider these anti-snoring tips:<\/p>\n