Tips for a Good Sleep and a Good Awakening

Tips for a good sleep and tips to wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the new day ahead go hand in hand.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are an estimated 50 to 70 million individuals in the United States who suffer from insomnia and chronic sleep problems. They have also concluded that fewer adults across the nation are as well rested as they should be and that most individuals get less sleep than they did 20 years ago.

If insomnia is a problem of yours then you need to find a solution before it starts to affect every area of your life. Insomnia hypnosis can provide you with the help you need to improve your sleeping patterns.

Besides insomnia hypnosis there are other things you can do to help guarantee a good night’s sleep and a refreshed start to the day. Read on for some tips for a good sleep.

– Make it a habit of yours to go to bed and to wake up at the same time every day. This gets your body into a sleep cycle that it can become accustomed to (known as your circadian rhythm). It can be tempting to sleep in on weekends but try to refrain from doing so. A haphazard sleep schedule can give way to insomnia. If insomnia does set in, look to insomnia hypnosis as a natural method of getting back on track.

– Leave your bedroom curtain open a tiny bit when you go to bed in order to allow sunlight to stream through your curtains first thing in the morning. Sunlight plays a key role in resetting the body’s internal biological clock on a consistent basis.

– Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature. It should also be dark and quiet once it is time to slip off into dream land.

– Buy a mattress that is firm but still soft enough that it will conform to the contours of your body. It also helps to have a pillow that is comfortable and that you look forward to lying your head down on every night.

– Do not drink alcohol or smoke close to bedtime as nicotine is a stimulant. At the same time, steer clear of caffeine laden beverages such as soda, coffee, tea and chocolate.

– Do not eat a big meal close to bedtime but don’t go to bed with a growling stomach either. If you are hungry, choose a light and sensible snack such as yogurt, cheese, whole wheat crackers, a bran muffin or a glass of skim milk.

– Exercise encourages a good sleep but do not exercise close to bedtime. If you choose to exercise in the evening then do so at least three hours before you retire for the night.

– Find a way to relax and unwind from a busy day. Develop a bedtime routine that is calming and will help prepare your body and mind for sleep. Do light stretches, take a warm soak in the bath tub, read a book, listen to soft music, meditate, do journaling or do deep breathing exercises. Just make sure the activity is calming.

For more tips for a good sleep and a refreshed awakening visit these sites:

http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_tips.htm
http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sleep/tips.htm

Samantha

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The Many Benefits of Sleep

There are many benefits of sleep that most of us fail to be aware of because we are just so busy.

Life is much easier to cope with when we feel good. Part of feeling good means getting a good night’s sleep each and every night. Sleep and health are linked. Researchers have even theorized that getting the proper amount of sleep plays a role in how long a person lives.

There are many benefits of sleep but here are a list of some of the ones that stand out the most.

Sleep helps to repair damage to the body
The human body can sustain damage in a number of ways throughout the run of any given day. Just think of such negatives as stress, pollutants, disease and infection, too much sun exposure, harsh chemicals, and so on. When a person sleeps, their body is at work producing extra protein molecules that work to repair cells.

Heart help
The cardiovascular system is constantly at work and therefore is vulnerable to many types of stressors. Getting the sleep you need helps to strengthen the heart and make it less vulnerable to stress and inflammation. High levels of inflammation can increase a person’s likelihood of suffering heart disease, a heart attack or a stroke. Sleeping the proper amount can also lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol (which is the bad kind).

Stress alert
The benefits of sleep also extend to the stresses that you are under. If your shut-eye is lacking then an alert signal will be communicated to the brain. This leads to a spike in blood pressure. It will also cause stress hormones to be produced in higher quantities than usual. As you are probably well aware, too much stress can wear down the body, especially if it happens often. Adequate sleep works to counteract this.

Improved ability to focus and remember
You are more alert, can concentrate better and are able to remember practically everything better when your mind and body is well rested. Your brain will also be more able to process new information, experiences and knowledge that it receives.

Sleep and your weight
Here is one that may be news to you! If you weigh more than you like yet you eat well and exercise often your lack of adequate sleep may be to blame. When a person is deprived of sleep they tend to eat more, which can in turn affect their weight. One of sleep’s many benefits is that it regulates the hormones that control a person’s appetite. When you go without sleep the balance for these hormones is thrown off and this causes you to naturally feel hungrier. Most often the cravings a person will experience tend to be for foods that offer very little in nutritional value, such as foods that are high in fats, sugar, salt and very high in calories.

There are so many benefits to sleep that you owe it to yourself to learn what they are and then give sleep the priority in your life that it deserves!

Samantha

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