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02/20/2008: "Sleepless"
Some of our celebrities have made the news lately due to sleep trouble. Heath Ledger was using sleeping pills when he overdosed and Britney Spears hadn’t slept for days when she checked herself into the hospital. Historic tragedies have been linked to fatigue-related human error, among them the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the NASA Challenger shuttle explosion. About 70 million Americans suffer from insomnia and over 30 million experience chronic insomnia.
Sleep is as important to your health and well being as diet and exercise. We tend to think of sleep as a time of rest and recovery from the stresses of the day but research is revealing that sleep is actually a dynamic activity. Sleep is key in maintaining mood, memory, and brain performance as well as helping the immune system. A lack of adequate sleep has been linked to health problems such as obesity, diabetes and depression.
I have had a couple people ask me about insomnia and natural solutions. I have had my share of sleep issues between steroids and worry. Steroids always seem to mess with my sleep rhythm and facing death at this early age hasn’t been easy. So I have done a little digging for solutions.
If you or someone you know is having trouble, it is important to understand that light is our strongest synchronizing agent. Light and darkness are the signals that “set” the biological clock. Also, sleeping trouble requires a change in our daylight behavior. Alcohol and caffeine during the day can disrupt sleep at night. And contrary to popular belief, heavy meals keep us awake. So a lighter dinner without alcohol can help. My research shows that Melatonin can help regulate sleep patterns. And as a bonus, Harvard Medical School has found that, "Melatonin can prevent tumor cells from growing -- it's cancer-protective.”
The National Sleep Foundation and others have a list of things to try to help with sleep. Here are a few.
* Go to bed only when sleepy
* Establish a standard wake up time
* Don’t read, watch TV or eat when in the bedroom
* Go to bed and get up at the same time each night during the week and on weekends
* Make your bedroom quiet, dark, cool and comfortable
* Eat a balanced diet
* Don't eat too close to bedtime
* Try not to smoke or drink alcohol at night
* No caffeine within 6 hours of bedtime
* Try exercising in the morning or afternoon hours (at least 4 hours before bedtime)
* Keep a Sleep Diary to help uncover the cause of your sleep problem and possible solutions