Is it an impossible Dream?

Getting a good night's sleep is an impossible dream for an estimated 70 million
Americans. Sleep disorders like- sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, delayed
sleep syndrome, and insomnia plague our society. Manufacturers of sleep aid
products are getting rich, while we are just becoming more sleep deprived.

Those who have do not have a problem sleeping, are meeting the demands of daily
life by trying to get by on less sleep. That in and of itself is a problem,
trying to do more by sleeping less is actually defeating the purpose. Studies
have shown that by skipping sleep, we are less productive, our ability to focus
decreases, and our reaction time slows down. Not to mention the other side
effects of sleep deprivation- irritability, increased appetite/weight gain and
depression.

How much sleep is enough, and how can we achieve that place of restful,
restorative sleep? Adults need between 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night. We have an
internal body clock that revs up during the daylight hours and winds down after
dark. That creates a whole different issue for night shift workers, but the
following tips can even help those who work the grave yard shift.

Sticking with a schedule helps. Going to bed at the same time and getting up at
the same time helps our internal body clock to adjust itself.

Schedule your workouts early in the day, not late in the evening. In the
evenings, our body clock prepares us for sleep by lowering our body
temperatures, exercise raises out temperatures. If you have no time for your
workout in the morning and must get in that trip to the gym in the evenings, do
so at least 4 hours before bedtime so your body will have time to cool down.

Cut your caffeine intake, especially in the evening hours. Caffeine is not only
in coffee, remember caffeine is in soda, tea and chocolate also.

Bedtime snacks aren't just for children. Take a cue from child rearing for
yourself, there is a reason we give children a bedtime snack-it makes them
sleepy. Milk, cheese, turkey, peanuts and tuna contain a sleep inducing amino
acid called tryptophan.

Don't fight it, if you are still awake 20 minutes after going to bed, don't stay
there. Get up until you're tired and then try again. Keep your activities
relaxing, over stimulating yourself by watching an action movie or reading a
mystery novel could further delay you falling asleep