Why can't I sleep? It's summer insomnia, and here's what to do about it...

From realhomes.com

Hot weather and short nights can make getting to sleep difficult. Summer insomnia has proven physiological reasons – and there are (some quite surprising) solutions

Are you feeling like you're going to bed later and later now that it's summer? Then having trouble getting to sleep once you're in bed? While many of us are enjoying the longer days and, according to the forecast, hotter weather, getting enough sleep when it never seems to get properly dark or cool is a real struggle for some of us. 

If you do find yourself unable to drift off, there's a proven physiological reason for it. The low-level light that lingers until late in the evening in mid summer is actually suppressing the production of melatonin – the hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycle. We've all heard about the adverse effects on sleep of the light emitted by mobile phones and laptops; turns out that long summer nights have approximately the same effect on our bodies. 

                                                               Image credit: Getty Images)

So, what can you do to combat these disturbing effects of the summer solstice on your sleep patterns? Apart from the obvious tips to turn off your phone and use blackout curtains, sleep experts also recommend wearing your sunglasses for about an hour before bed. It may look odd, but many people report it works.

Back to those curtains, blackout or not. If you draw them around two hours before bedtime and dim lights, you will find it easier to fall asleep. If the weather's hot, this might exaggerate your insomnia (people sleep better when their core body temperature falls). So, keeping those curtains drawn during the day, cracking windows open on both sides of the room or house to create a through-draught, using a fan in your bedroom – or air conditioning if you have it – can all help with this.

Unexpectedly, taking a hot bath or shower will also help your core temperature drop once you go to bed, so doing this, too, can promote sleep. Failing that, a mattress cooling pad can bring relief if you find it hard to get to sleep on hot nights.

Improving bed hygiene can also vastly improve your sleep quality. Think new, breathable mattress, crisp and fresh bedlinen (cotton or linen, never synthetic), and a lighter duvet. Avoid winter duvets in summer, as they trap heat, making you sweaty and uncomfortable.

Finally, if you still can't drift off to sleep straight away, don't panic. Read a book or listen to a relaxing recording, until you are sleepy. TV or phone scrolling? Forget it.

https://www.realhomes.com/news/why-cant-i-sleep-its-summer-insomnia-and-heres-what-to-do-about-it

Here are some natural remedies for dealing with insomnia

From phillyvoice.com

The effects of sleeplessness? Fatigue, lack of energy, loss of focus and extreme mood shifts

                                         Alyssa L. Miller/via Flickr Creative Commons, CC by 2.0

In our high tech, fast-paced society, a lot of us wear our sleep deprivation like a badge of honour, but not getting enough sleep on a nightly basis can play havoc with your health. The National Sleep Foundation describes insomnia as the “difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, even when a person has the chance to do so.”
When you suffer from insomnia, you experience fatigue and a lack of energy, and often struggle to focus on daily tasks. More extreme mood shifts can also be common. The sleep experts at the Mayo Clinic report that “sleeping less than seven hours a night is associated with weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression, among other health risks.
There are two types of insomnia: acute and chronic. Acute insomnia is when you have trouble sleeping for just a short period of time, while chronic insomnia is when it occurs several nights a week for months at time.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, insomnia can also be categorized as primary which means that it is not related to any health issue or secondary where there is an underlying health problem at the root of it.
What causes insomnia? There are lots of things that can be contributing to your sleepless nights, including changes in your environment and daily routine like moving to a new home or starting a new job, especially shift work. Stress and anxiety about any type of rough patch in your life could also be a cause. Medication side effects and bad sleep habits are other common culprits.
Most of the time making some lifestyle changes can help reduce your episodes of insomnia. Here are some natural ways to improve the quality of your sleep (sources include National Sleep Foundation, Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic):

• Pay attention to your nightly routine. Do you go to bed at the same time every night? Do you follow certain bedtime rituals that help you relax in preparation for sleep? Following the same routine every night sends signals to your body and your brain that it is time for bed
• Be active during the day and incorporate some form of exercise at least a few days of week
• Resist the temptation to nap during the day. It will only make it that much harder for you to fall asleep at night

• Limit your alcohol and caffeine intake throughout the day
• Try not to eat or drink anything right before bed. If your stomach is really grumbling, just eat a small snack
• Practice relaxation techniques like meditation and yoga to de-stress
• Keep your bed for just sleeping or sex. Don’t bring the laptop or work to bed with you.

When you are having a sleepless night, try not to just lie there watching the clock. Get up and go do something in another room for a while until you feel sleepy. If it is worry about bills or a big project that is keeping you up, create yourself a to-do list to handle whatever is bothering you. You will sleep better knowing you have a plan already in place for the morning.
If the insomnia is persistent and nothing seems to help, however, talk to your doctor about what treatment options are available. Cognitive behavioural therapy and medicines like Eszopiclone (Lunesta) and Zolpidem (Ambien) are often prescribed for patients with chronic insomnia.

https://www.phillyvoice.com/insomnia-natural-remedies-for-sleeplessness/

Stressful sleep and what we can do about it

From thriveglobal.com

A recent nationwide study in the USA titled the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report has shown that 1 in 3 Americans do not get enough sleep on a regular basis. Most experts agree that adults aged 18 – 60 should get at least 7 hours of good sleep.

A recent nationwide study in the USA titled the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report has shown that 1 in 3 Americans do not get enough sleep on a regular basis.
Most experts agree that adults aged 18 – 60 should get at least 7 hours of good sleep a night. Sleeping less is strongly associated with chronic conditions including:

• Obesity
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart Disease
• A stroke
• Mental distress

What is one of the main causes of waking at 3 am unable to fall back asleep or lying awake an hour after you climbed into bed? It’s stress.

Over thinking
Most people take their work home with them. Even stay-at-home parents and students do this, trying to mentally fix problems and troubleshoot solutions at nine or ten o’clock at night. These thoughts stick in your mind and make falling asleep difficult with the knock-on effect of disrupting your sleep in the middle of the night as your body and brain transitions between the various stages of sleep.

Over caffeine
If you are under stress you tend to drink more coffee and caffeinated energy drinks looking for a boost to get going in the morning or help you get through the day. While you might feel more awake, caffeine actually intensifies stressful feelings and negatively affects the quality and quantity of sleep.

Over cortisol
Cortisol is a stress hormone that is responsible for the flight or flight response – that sudden rush of energy you get when you feel under threat. Large amounts of stress produce excessive levels of this hormone which in turn affects our attempts to establish healthy sleep patterns.

Over scheduling
Being very busy – and let’s face it there are few days when this is not the case – can take away from the time you should be giving to sleeping well. The push to get things done in a day can lead to getting up earlier and going to bed later, often realising too late how badly this is affecting our sleep and health.

So what can be done to help us reduce the amount of stress we feel and help us sleep better?

Turn it off, shut it down
Sleep experts are more and more in agreement that the number one way to get more sleep is to turn off technology, especially in your bedroom.
Responding to e-mails, playing video games, scrolling through Facebook causes increased electrical activity in your brain, which is the exact opposite of what should be going on before you sleep. The act of replying to an e-mail before you get into bed causes your body to tense, releasing cortisol and making sleep difficult.
The glow that electronic devices produce also works against a good night’s sleep. Even a small amount of light passes through the retina of your eye into your brain’s hypothalamus and delays the release of melatonin – the hormone that induces sleep.
Sleep specialists recommend a device detox time before bed of at least two hours. Turn off all devices – especially mobile phones and listen to music an hour before bed instead of watching TV.
Then start setting your bedtime and wake-up routine according to the number of hours you currently get, slowly increasing sleep by around fifteen minutes every few nights to re-set your body’s sleep clock.

Essentially magnesium
Magnesium is one of those key minerals that plays a big role in keeping you healthy, including nerve and muscle function. While most healthy people have normal levels of magnesium, stress can cause you to become deficient, and elderly people tend to have lower levels compared to younger adults.
There is evidence that taking magnesium supplements – especially if you lead a busy, stressful life, can have a positive effect on the quality of sleep. Research shows that magnesium boosts the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain, which is responsible for slowing your thinking down and helping you fall asleep. Chat to your health professional first before taking magnesium as too much can cause stomach upsets.

Move it
Regular exercise both reduces stress and improves the quality of sleep. While there is no one particular exercise that makes us sleep better there are specific activities that have been scientifically proven to help.

Cardio
Getting your heart rate up – running, fast walking, cycling, swimming, etc have been shown to be effective against insomnia. Even ten minutes a day can help but aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of more vigorous activity aerobic activity each week.

Strength training
Muscle building exercises like sit-ups, push-ups, lunges and squats has been shown to help you fall asleep faster and wake up less during the nights.

Yoga
The relaxing poses and stretches and calming breathing exercises that are a part of a yoga routine can be very effective against the type of stresses stopping you from falling asleep. Studies have shown that those who do yoga for eights weeks fall asleep faster and spend more time asleep.

Think on it
A number of studies have shown that sleep-focused meditation can help fight mild insomnia and restless sleep patterns. Meditation – the art of intentionally quieting or focusing the mind – creates physiological changes similar to what happens in your body during the early phases of sleep:

• Lower blood pressure
• Slower pulse rate
• Less stress hormones produced

Training your brain to get to that state on demand means you will fall asleep when you want to.
There is no one right type of sleep-focused meditation, experiment with a few different types until you find the right one for you.

Mindfulness meditation
This is the most popular form and involves listening to your body and nothing else. Pay attention to your breathing or how the floor feels beneath you, and as your thoughts start to drift to those emails you need to answer guide yourself back being mindful without judgement.

Concentration meditation
This involves focusing on one specific thing, either something physical like a candle or a mantra or saying that you repeat out loud – for example “I am calm” and then directing any intrusive thoughts back to that one focus.

Guided meditation
This type of meditation involves listening to another person who guides you through the meditative state. This can be with an individual coach, as part of a class, or by using a recording from a library, book shop, or from an app store on your phone.
Meditation does not come easily to most of us, so try starting with a few minutes before bed and patiently work your way up to at least ten to twenty minutes a day. If you are still not getting the sleep you need and deserve it may be a good idea to seek medical advice. Healthy sleep patterns mean a healthy body and mind, but the 21st century seems stacked with factors that do not in any way promote a good night’s sleep.

https://thriveglobal.com/stories/stressful-sleep-and-what-we-can-do-about-it/

Morning and Evening Exercise May Burn Calories Differently

From psychologytoday.com

When it comes to daily exercise routines, most of us decide what time of day we can break a sweat based on real-world logistics (e.g., a 9-to-5 work schedule) more than our internal circadian rhythms. During the week, most gym-goers will exercise and take a post-workout shower before commuting to work or they'll hit the gym after work and wash-up before heading home for dinner. Some people manage to squeeze in a workout during their lunch break. When it comes to sticking with a daily exercise routine, the most important thing is to find a time of day that works best for you and to make daily exercise a regular habit.

                                                    Source: Antonio Guillem/Shutterstock 

That said, a new study (Sato et al., 2019) on mice found that time of day and circadian rhythms may influence how aerobic exercise affects metabolism. The research suggests that morning exercise significantly increases the ability of muscle cells to metabolize sugar and fat, while evening exercise appears to boost overall metabolism for a longer duration of time.

This paper, "Time of Exercise Specifies the Impact on Muscle Metabolic Pathways and Systemic Energy Homeostasis," was recently published in the journal Cell Metabolism. The research was conducted by scientists from the Treebak Group at the University of Copenhagen in collaboration with colleagues at the University of California, Irvine.
For this mouse study, the researchers used a state-of-the-art transcriptomic and metabolomic approach to identify distinct metabolic oscillations corresponding to morning and evening exercise as related to circadian rhythms. Their findings show that metabolic responses appear to be controlled by a central circadian clock mechanism that uses a protein called "HIF1α."
As the authors explain, "At the molecular level, HIF1α, a central regulator of glycolysis during hypoxia, is selectively activated in a time-dependent manner upon exercise, resulting in carbohydrate exhaustion, usage of alternative energy sources, and adaptation of systemic energy expenditure."

When Should You Exercise for the Best Metabolic Outcomes?

In a videotaped interview, one of the study's co-authors Jonas Thue Treebak of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Basic Metabolic Research, makes it clear that their research does not conclude if morning or evening exercise is "better" for metabolism; both morning and evening exercise have metabolic benefits.

"We cannot say for certain which is best, exercise in the morning or exercise in the evening. At this point, we can only conclude that the effects of the two appear to differ, and we certainly have to do more work to determine the potential mechanisms for the beneficial effects of exercise training performed at these two time-points," Treebak said in a statement. "We are eager to extend these studies to humans to identify if timed exercise can be used as a treatment strategy for people with metabolic diseases."
While we wait for more research to help us better understand how working out in the morning or evening affects metabolic processing, my advice is to exercise during any time of day that fits your schedule.

There are countless other benefits associated with exercising in the morning, evening, or other times of day that go far beyond metabolism. For example, some people like to kick-start their morning with some exercise because it puts them in a good mood for the rest of the day. Also, a recent study (Wheeler et al., 2019) found that 30 minutes of morning exercise may improve decision-making during the day.
Some people use a vigorous evening workout to let off steam after a stressful day at the office; others like to engage in easy-to-moderate physical activity such as an evening stroll (i.e., la passeggiata) as a winding-down ritual before bed. Again, please exercise whenever it fits your lifestyle and works best for you.
Author's note: As a science reporter and blogger, I find that morning exercise helps me connect the dots of seemingly unrelated studies, process empirical evidence I've read in the past 24 hours, and figure out how new research fits into the bigger picture. As a real-time example, I first read about the new Sato et al. (2019) study in the predawn hours this morning and then went for a long jog at sunrise. While I was running, I created an outline for the post you're reading now in my head and visualized ending with two other morning/evening exercise studies and the diagram below.

Moderate intensity exercise shortly before bedtime does not negatively affect sleep. At most, vigorous exercise close to bedtime might have a negative effect. Each symbol in this overview represents one set of experimental data.                            Source: ETH Zurich / Jan Stutz

There is one caveat about evening exercise: As you can see in the diagram above, a meta-analysis (Stutz et al., 2018) found that easy-to-moderate exercise before bedtime promotes deep sleep. However, if you are considering a high-intensity evening workout as a way to possibly boost your metabolism for a longer duration of time, take note that vigorous exercise two hours or less before you hit the sack could cause insomnia. 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201906/morning-and-evening-exercise-may-burn-calories-differently

How To Recover From Business Burnout

By Jon Allo

Business burnout is more common than many entrepreneurs might think. They start their business with such high hopes, but soon start to feel overwhelmed by everything it takes to run a successful company. There are always new marketing methods, new products and services to create and offer. They are aware of the need to try to manage some work-life balance but never seem to get it right.

1. Recognize You Are Burned Out
This can be tough for some people to admit. They will keep on pushing themselves to the limit even though they are getting more and more exhausted and their personal life turns into a shambles. Admitting you have a problem is often one of the best ways to start solving it.

2. Understand That There Are No Easy Fixes
It's taken a while to get so burned out, so the road back to a more normal, balanced life will take time and effort.

3. Start to Delegate
You need to learn to delegate. Make a list of all the essential tasks that need to be done in your business. Then decide which absolutely must be done by you, and which can be handed over to someone who can help. Go to Fiverr.com to try to find some reliable people who can help. Once you do this, you should start feeling a lot of the weight lifted from your shoulders.

4. Make Rest a Priority
Try to get plenty of rest, at least eight hours of sleep per night. Chances are you've been experiencing sleep disruptions, which can lead to insomnia and a sleep deficit.

5. Eat Right
Aim for high quality protein and avoid simple carbohydrates such as white bread, cake, cookies and so on. They have no nutritional value, and can spike blood sugar and leave you with peaks of energy and chasms of exhaustion and hunger even though you just had a sugary donut an hour before.

6. Exercise 30 Minutes a Day
Exercise actually gives you energy, and improves mental health as well as physical. You may feel totally exhausted, but you can still probably manage three 10-minute sessions, which have been shown to be just as effective as one sustained workout.

7. Spend Time with Friends and Family
It is important to always have a support network you can turn to when times are tough. Make sure you are honest about how things are going and how burned out you feel. Don't feel afraid to ask for help if you need it.

8. Take Time Off Regularly
Avoid working long days and at the weekends. Set vacation days for yourself and take them. Do something you really enjoy, or go somewhere different in order to get a change of scenery. You'll feel less burned out and stuck in a rut, and more in control of your own life.

https://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Recover-From-Business-Burnout&id=10127418

Sleep trackers are counterproductive and can lead to insomnia, says specialist

From independent.co.uk/life-style

Tracking your sleep via a smartphone app can make people obsessive and lead to insomnia, says a leading sleep disorder specialist.

Neurologist Dr Guy Lescziner said an increasing number of patients seeking treatment for insomnia have presented him with app-provided data on their sleeping patterns.

“We’ve seen a lot of people who have developed significant insomnia as a result of either sleep trackers or reading certain things about how devastating sleep deprivation is for you,” he said at the Cheltenham science festival on Thursday.

Speaking to The Guardian, Dr Lescinzer, who works as a consultant at Guy's and St Thomas' hospital, added that his view of sleep trackers is “fairly cynical”.

“If you wake up feeling tired and you’ve had an unrefreshing night’s sleep then you know you’ve got a problem,” he said.

“If you wake up every day and feel refreshed, are awake throughout the day and are ready to sleep at the same time every night then you’re probably getting enough sleep for you and you don’t need an app to tell you that.” The consultant went on to explain how the compulsion to track and analyse our sleeping habits is part of a wider aim to “metricise our lives” via devices such as step counters.

While measuring your steps could benefit you by prompting you to exercise more, Dr Lescinzer says doing the same for sleep and reaching an “obsessive state” can make it much more difficult to doze off at night.

According to The Sleep Council, 18 to 65-year-old need on average between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. But the majority of us, it seems, achieve much less than that. 

Recent research conducted by the organisation into the sleeping habits of 5,000 Britons found that 74 per cent of people sleep for less than seven hours a night. Meanwhile, more than one in 10 (12 per cent) sleep for less than five hours a night, up from seven per cent in 2013.

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/sleep-tracking-apps-insomnia-deprivation-cheltenham-science-festival-a8949966.html

Insomnia driving you crazy? These little known habits might just be what you've been waiting for

From nowtolove.co.nz

20 per cent of the world suffers from insomnia – but the good news is it is possible to reset your sleep patterns.

Do you toss and turn at night, your body feels exhausted but your overstimulated mind refuses to quieten down and switch off?

As you get more and more frustrated, the hours tick by and before you know it your alarm starts beeping and you're wondering how much coffee you'll need to get you through the day on no sleep.

If this sound familiar, you're not alone. Approximately 20 per cent of the world suffers from insomnia but the good news is it is possible to reset your sleep patterns.

Here are some unusual ways of powering down that could help speed your way to Dreamland…

Eat dinner by candlelight

The less blue light you expose yourself to in the hours leading up to bedtime, the better.

This not only includes electronic devices like your phone and tablet, but also the energy-efficient LED lights we have in our homes.

Instead, hit the switch and add a little ambient candlelight to your evening.

Blow bubbles

Not just a fun way to amuse toddlers, blowing soap bubbles right before bed works like a deep breathing exercise.

Not only will it help calm your body and mind, they're so hypnotically diverting they can help take your mind off any sleep-defeating thoughts.

Wear socks to bed

         A pair of warm socks could be your night ticket for the dream express. (Image: Getty)

Researchers from a Swiss study published in Nature observed that warm feet and hands were the best predictor of rapid sleep onset.

Keeping your tootsies toasty before hopping into bed will give your brain a clear sleep signal that it's time to say nighty-night.

Hum like a bee

Yes, it might sound ridiculous but don't knock it until you've tried it.

Called brahmaree pranayama in yoga and Ayurveda, this method creates a deep, healing vibration that relaxes the mind and nervous system, and helps stimulate the sleep hormone melatonin.

Simply close your mouth and slowly inhale through your nose, then exhale by humming, over and over, for 15 minutes.

Put your legs up the wall

Viparita karani, or legs-up-the-wall pose, is a natural sleep remedy.

It helps relieve tiredness in the back of the legs and feet, and revives the spine and nervous system.

As you unwind prior to bed, lie on your back and place your legs straight up against the wall.

Open your arms out to the sides and exhale. Hold this pose for 10 minutes and relax.

https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/health/mind/how-to-help-cure-insomnia-habits-41336

7 Lesser Known Side Effects of Energy Drinks

From doctor.ndtv.com

There are numerous energy drinks claiming to boost your focus, endurance and efficiency. But, here's how they are actually harming your health instead.

Professional sportspersons around the world are often seen sipping on blue, green or yellow liquids on the sidelines. Every opportunity to stay hydrated, the colourful water comes to the rescue. These drinks are popularly known as energy drinks. Most energy drinks hold between 10-13 gms of sugar per 100 gms. In addition to that, there is about 32-34 gms of caffeine per 100 gms. These substances do not make for a healthy way to quench your thirst, and can harm you in more ways than you can imagine.

1. Palpitations and high blood pressure: While too much sugar causes weight gain and a long term rise in blood pressure, caffeine creates short intervals of abnormally high blood pressure. When teamed up, this can cause serious blood pressure concerns. High blood pressure also acts as a catalyst for palpitations, anxiety and temper.

2. Diabetes and abnormal blood sugar levels: Due to the abnormally high sugar levels in these drinks, there is a high possibility of a blood sugar imbalance. Regular consumption of energy drinks is likely to cause insulin resistance, which increases the possibility of type 2 diabetes.

3. Insomnia: Caffeine often encroaches on your sleep. If you have a heavy dose in the latter half of the day, its likely, that you will not be able to fall asleep easily. Heavy doses of caffeine over a long period of time can cause sleep deprivation and nervousness, ultimately resulting in insomnia. A study conducted by the US military suggests that having three energy drinks a day leads to a deprived sleep routine of four hours or less on average.

4. Stomach irritation: Excessive sugar in these carbonated drinks, may cause stomach irritation, aches and flatulence. Caffeine in energy drinks may cause serious gastritis, which may cause symptoms such as inflammation, pain, ulcers and bleeding in the stomach and intestines. If not controlled, this can even lead to heartburn and irritation in the stomach lining.

5. Muscle twitches and shaking: High blood pressure and palpitations, often cause anxiety which will usually be accompanied by twitching in your muscles and constant shaking of limbs.

6. Increased possibility of cardiac arrest: The combined high doses of caffeine and taurine (an amino sulfonic acid present in energy drinks) is a dangerous combination that can lead to heart problems and increases the possibility of a cardiac arrest.

7. Calcium deficiency and dental problems: Caffeinated beverages are reported to be associated with reduced bone mass, and loss in calcium reservoirs. This increases the risk of fractures, and bone injuries. Simultaneously, excessive sugar build-up in the mouth causes the mouth to produce acids that dissolves enamel of your teeth. Drinking these beverages can lead to serious levels of tooth decay.

https://doctor.ndtv.com/living-healthy/7-lesser-known-side-effects-of-energy-drinks-2046053