Lucid Dreaming Might Be A Cure For Insomnia

From webbyfeed.com

Lucid dreaming means awareness while dreaming — Awareness of the dream state, of the capacity to make decisions, memory functions, self-concentration and focus, dream’s environment, and meaning.

Lucid dreaming’s history

What is called today lucid dreaming was a common practice in the ancient Indian Hindu practice of Yoga Nidra and the Tibetan Buddhist practice of dream Yoga.

Lucid dreaming has become a subject for scientific debate in the nineteenth century, when sinologists Marie-Jean-Léon, Marquis de Hervey de Saint Denys, inspired by his knowledge on Chinese culture first stated that anyone could dream while being conscious.

The term dates since 1913, and it belongs to psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden. Since then, lucid dreaming has proved to be a therapeutic instrument that can help with nightmare treatment. Patients who have PTSD showed improvement with nightmares with the help of lucid dreaming techniques.

The New Study

Made on 48 adults, a recent study showed evidence that lucid dreaming can be helpful with people suffering from insomnia. Along with insomnia comes anxiety and depression. One triggers the other, in a perfect symbiosis.

Usually, if one manages to reduce one of them, the other two will follow. So, it will be fair to say that lucid dreaming could help with anxiety and depression treatment also, but that can be subject to future studies.

Insomnia and Lucid Dreaming

Either if it doesn’t let us fall asleep or wakes us up after a few hours, insomnia has a lot to do with our dreams. However disputed, Sigmund Freud’s theory saying that dreams are the royal path to our unconscious might have a say in this. Freud used patients’ dreams as one of the main instruments in treating psychological disorders. He considered dreams to be the most truthful statement of oneself.

Dreams are unconscious wishes, he said. Wishes that we don’t allow ourselves to have, or can’t be fulfilled. In a dream, our unconscious takes advantage of our sleeping rational censor and gets wild by living the impossible dream. The more impossible to accept the wish, the more our dreams become cryptical, unrealistic, fictional.

In psychoanalysis therapy, the patient learns to decipher his dreams, thus deciphering himself.
Lucid dreaming is like the dreamer’s awareness taking the reign of his unconscious kingdom.
During the study, the subjects went through a period of lucid dreaming training, where they’ve learned to master specific techniques that would help them to become lucid while they would dream.

About 37 of the 48 participants were able to master the technique and achieved lucid dreaming. The rest of them, who didn’t get to have a lucid dream, or didn’t manage to master the method, were also the ones with the most severe symptoms of insomnia and anxiety.

The participants who managed the technique and had at least one lucid dream showed improved symptoms in both anxiety and sleep quality. More so, at the end of the study, 25 of the 37 successful lucid dreamers were no longer candidates for insomnia.

However, the 11 participants who were not successful in achieving lucidity during dreaming, raise questions on the range of lucid dreaming efficiency. Whether they need more training to get to master it, or it needs to be combined with another kind of therapy, such as psychoanalysis, or if lucid dreaming is inefficient with those struggling with severe insomnia. Further studies will hopefully answer them.  For now, the research proves that lucid dreaming is efficient for people suffering from mild insomnia and associated anxiety and depression.

https://www.webbyfeed.com/lucid-dreaming-might-be-a-cure-for-insomnia/7270/

Up all night? U of T researcher offers five tips for resting easy in these uncertain times

From utoronto.ca

Tossing and turning at night amid the COVID-19 outbreak? You’re not alone. University of Toronto Mississauga anthropologist and sleep expert David Samson explains why we experience insomnia, how sleep helps boost physical and emotional health and how to get a better night’s rest in these uncertain times.

Samson studies the link between human evolution and sleep, with a particular focus on cognition. He is a co-author on a new study that investigates the evolutionary link between fear and insomnia.

According to Samson (above), early humans developed a sense of fear to protect themselves from predators in ancestral environments like the African Savannah. “A healthy dose of fear and sleep architecture, where certain members of the group are awake at any given time, served the function of keeping us alive,” he says.
“However, we evolved fear for acute, not chronic responses,” Samson explains. Acute fear subsides when no attack arrives. But in a contemporary setting, modern humans have a “misguided sense of fear.” In other words, our busy night-time brains confuse upcoming work presentations or a spate of bad news with a lion attack.

“When fear fails to subside, for some people it becomes chronic and leads to insomnia,” Samson says.

That fear may be exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. During social isolation, many of us are in close quarters with household members and physically isolated from supportive friends and family. Coupled with never-ending news updates, Samson says the situation can “create a baseline state of chronic fear with nowhere to direct it,” resulting in long nights tossing and turning.
“In this situation, sleep becomes more important than ever,” he says.

Research shows that sleep is critical to supporting our physical and emotional health. On the emotional front, sleep helps us to process emotions and supports emotional regulation during stressful situations.

Sleep is also critical to keeping us physically healthy. “In deep sleep, you’re developing antibodies that help fight off infection,” says Samson, whose latest research, “Failure of fear extinction in insomnia: an evolutionary perspective” is published in Sleep Medicine Reviews. “Sleep helps with immune regulation, and that’s really important.”

While so much currently feels beyond our control, Samson says sticking to a pre-bedtime routine can help you to get some shut-eye and stay healthy. Here are his five tips:

Cut the snacks

Natural circadian rhythms send a cue to your body that it’s time to wind down for sleep, but eating sends a conflicting signal that it’s time to be awake. Scheduling dinner three hours before bedtime and cutting after-dinner snacks is a “powerful strategy” when it comes to maintaining good sleep routine, according to Samson.

Game over

Playing competitive video games increases the body’s uptake of hormones that drive a desire to win – and that makes it hard to fall asleep once the game is over. “Gamers are the worst-sleeping cohort," says Samson, who is also a dedicated gamer. He suggests keeping gaming sessions to daytime only.

Lights out

Samson advises limiting blue light from fixtures when possible. That means turning off unnecessary lights around the house in the evening. Using warm-hued light bulbs or blue light-blocking glasses will help, too.

Unplug

“As we are stuck indoors, many of us are connecting online for social interaction, entertainment and news,” Samson says. However, he recommends powering down screens and other devices at least an hour before bedtime and ensuring our bedrooms are free of distractions. Reading a book is a great way to unwind before drifting off, he says.

And for kids ...

Parents can help children rest easy by creating a reliable bedtime routine and modelling good behaviour themselves. Samson says establishing a solid routine in childhood will be beneficial in the long-term. “Getting kids to practice now will add thousands of good-quality sleep hours to their adult lives.”

https://www.utoronto.ca/news/all-night-u-t-researcher-offers-five-tips-resting-easy-these-uncertain-times

The Key to an Effective Sleep Schedule

From belmarrahealth.com

Although it’s one of the top pieces of advice from sleep specialists, sticking to a sleep schedule is a lot easier said than done.
For example, we’re one week into daylight savings time and I, for one, am simply not ready for sleep at my “bedtime.” And honestly, the last thing I want to do is crawl into bed when I’m not tired.

Because I know I won’t fall asleep. And I bet you know you won’t either.
Lying in bed without falling asleep can lead to a few problems. It may promote insomnia, inadequate sleep, and low-quality sleep. Poor sleep is associated with several chronic health conditions and a contributor to high blood pressure and stroke risk.

But it’s possible that magnesium, a nutrient that plays a role in over 300 bodily functions, could be the key to a successful sleep schedule. The secret is whether or not you’re getting enough of it regularly.

Dietary guidelines suggest that people should be getting between 310-420 milligrams (mg) per day. Sticking to the higher end is recommended, especially because there is little risk for going up to as high as 2,500 mg per day.

You can find magnesium in several foods, including:
• Leafy green vegetables
• Avocado
• Raspberries
• Nuts and seeds
• Beans
• Seafood
• Artichokes
• Broccoli

Magnesium supplementation, when taken consistently, can also improve sleep latency (another way of saying how long it takes to fall asleep). Participants who took 500 mg of magnesium each day for eight weeks showed improvement in several measures of insomnia.

You can take a magnesium supplement at any time of the day for it to be effective, however, some caution should be exercised. In supplemental form, magnesium may interfere with antibiotics, medication to combat bone loss, diuretics, or proton-pump inhibitors.

If electing to take supplements, they should also be taken with food.

The key to falling asleep and sticking to your sleep schedule to get better sleep may be as simple as getting enough magnesium each day. This cost-effective treatment could be a shortcut to better health!

https://www.belmarrahealth.com/the-key-to-an-effective-sleep-schedule/

How to Keep Up Healthy Routines

From psychologytoday.com
By Claire Jack Ph.D.

One of the biggest impacts that Coronavirus will have for many of us is in completely disrupting our usual routines. Depending which country you live in, you may find yourself in self-isolation, dealing with children off school, unable to attend your usual sports club or seriously curtailing your social activities based on your own judgement. Routine – boring as it sounds – is a cornerstone of good mental health. Particularly for people with conditions including Bipolar Disorder, ADHD, ASD and insomnia, a disruption in routine can severely impact their mental health.

Why do we need routines?
Without routine, life becomes unpredictable and if you have an underlying condition associated with anxiety, this unpredictability and lack of structure can cause stress, worry and disruption. Having routine means we know what is coming next and removes the need for decision making and the feelings of overwhelm which can be the result of constantly having to think on our feet. Routine helps us to implement things which are good for us – such as exercise – without having to think about it. We simply go on autopilot. Effective routines allow you to prioritise what needs to be done.

Through no fault of our own, our routines may be completely turned upside down at this point in time. The danger here is, particularly if you have a mental health condition where routine provides a safe bedrock, that you can become anxious and even turn to unhealthy forms of self medication and unhealthy responses. If you feel that your safety net of routine has been pulled from under you – that appointments crucial to your wellbeing are cancelled, for instance – it’s easy to be tempted to let your mental and physical health fall by the wayside.

Coronavirus is going to demand that we implement new routines. Here’s how you can do that.

Incorporate meditation into your day
If you’ve never meditated, now is a great time to start. Meditation helps with mental health and strengthening immunity. Download a good app, set a time each day to do it, and get started!

Physical exercise
If you’re unable to get to the gym or go to your usual exercise class, think about how you can incorporate a short yoga or Pilates routine into your day. There are some great YouTube videos and, whilst it’s not the same as going to a class, it will help you stay strong and flexible. Depending on your fitness level, you could do a short HIIT training session in the house. Got a kid off school? Have some fun and do something physical together.

Read a book
Reading a book can provide many health benefits1 which you won’t get from watching countless hours of tv (which isn’t to say that watching tv is bad – just that it’s not a great idea to let it take up your entire day!).

Stay in touch with other people
Make some time each day to make contact with those you love. Whether you use phone or Facetime, it’ll help you maintain the social contact which is so important for your and their wellbeing.

Try something new
Is there a hobby you’ve always fancied? Can you order a kit online or start working with that material you’ve had stored for years? How about getting some felt tips and doing some drawing, or writing a bit of poetry. If you’ve got more time on your hands at home, now is the perfect time to try out something new.

It can be hard to remember to take care of yourself when you're worried about your health and that of your family and perhaps facing economic hardship. Creating new routines requires effort, particularly if you have existing mental health issues, but they will help you to stay healthy at this time. Whilst things feel more unstable in the world, you can help maintain stability in your own life by putting into place these suggestions.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/women-autism-spectrum-disorder/202003/how-keep-healthy-routines

Sleep anxiety and daylight saving time can exacerbate insomnia, but stretching may help

From kabc.com

Anxiety and insomnia are two related issues that can cause their sufferers to worry over the possibility of another sleepless night, wondering if they’ll ever again get a wink of sleep that will help them function the next day.

“Anxiety and insomnia are bad bedfellows; they often coexist,” said Todd Arnedt, associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at Michigan Medicine, a health care facility at the University of Michigan, and director of the Behavioural Sleep Medicine Program.

This matter can feel worse in the first few days after Daylight Saving Time, when a form of jet lag can set in if you already struggle with falling asleep and your body now has to readjust to nodding off at a different hour, said Dr. Meir Kryger, professor of pulmonary medicine and clinical professor of nursing at Yale School of Medicine.

About 35% of Americans experience severe insomnia each year, according to a 2018 study from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine. Many insomnia cases are attributable to generalized anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress, depression or terrible nightmares, Kryger said. But some people have trouble falling asleep because of behaviours that keep them awake, such as reading or watching something exciting before bed, or agonizing about not being able to sleep.

Anxiety and insomnia often exacerbate each other — people with insomnia may feel anxiety about not sleeping, and not sleeping can lead to heightened feelings of nervousness, irritability, restlessness or tension, Kryger said.

There are ways to release the tension in your body so you can experience less anxiety at night and maybe give yourself a chance to sleep.

Calming anxiety with movement

When a person is stressed, their muscles can hold tension in the body as a reflex reaction against injury and pain.
“When we get anxious, that turns on what’s called the sympathetic nervous system, the nervous system that gets us anxious and prepares our body to fight or flight,” Arnedt said. “Our heart beats faster; our breathing speeds up.”

Relaxing the muscles through daily exercises “communicates calm and safety to our body, reducing the body’s need to activate the ‘fight or flight’ response,” said a University of Michigan Medicine report on relaxation skills for anxiety.
“Virtually anything that someone does that reduces their anxiety at bedtime will help them sleep,” Kryger said. “It could be a bath, it could be stretching.”

Progressive muscle relaxation, a stretching technique created in the 1920s by Dr. Edmund Jackson, aims to influence how anxious we feel by consciously working to reduce muscle tension.
PMR involves flexing different groups of muscles hard enough to feel tension for up to 20 seconds, then releasing to feel relaxation coming over the muscles, according to the University of Michigan report.

You could engage with PMR by tensing and then relaxing the major muscles in your body from your head to your feet. Research says it can take two weeks to make PMR a regular habit, but doing a self-recording of the instructions for yourself could provide a sort of guided meditation to help you along the way.

Yoga may also help adults with insomnia to improve sleep quality, as it’s one relaxation strategy that incorporates a combination of mental and physical elements, including breathing, stretching, meditation and strengthening exercises. The gentle muscle stretching of yoga can reduce stress, according to Harvard Medical School.

In a 2013 study, yoga was shown to improve the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores of older adults.
In one small 2019 study of about 10 to 20 people with insomnia who stretched in the evening before bed, the group that was assigned to stretching showed improvement in their sleep.

Improving your sleep hygiene

There are actions some people with insomnia may take because they think it will help, but it really makes the situation worse, Kryger said — those include lying in bed waiting to fall asleep, or watching television before bed.

“It’s very difficult to sleep if you’re engaged or aroused, so engaging in relaxing activities can help,” Kryger said. Watching TV before bed can be fine if the program is unexciting, he added. If you’re in bed but can’t fall asleep, getting out of bed and doing something relaxing — like the PMR stretching routine — until you feel tired may be helpful.

Sleep can improve when an anxiety disorder is treated, and practicing good sleep hygiene could help, too, according to Harvard Medical School.
This includes setting a regular sleep and wake schedule; spending at least 30 minutes outside, since daylight helps set sleep patterns; avoiding caffeine less than eight hours before bed; and reading, listening to music, or taking a bath before turning in.

If you do choose to listen to music or podcasts, make sure to do so in dim light conditions, as exposure to blue light at night can disrupt sleep cycles by suppressing the body’s production of the sleep hormone melatonin.

“We do know that relaxing is an important activity before bed, so for people with insomnia, it could be beneficial to decrease that state of arousal,” Arnedt said. “These rituals become important and we almost always will recommend to someone if they have a ritual that helps them fall asleep, then do it.”

The good news is that although about a fourth of Americans experience insomnia each year, about 75% of them recover, according to the University of Pennsylvania report.

The rate of people able to recover could show how many cases of insomnia are related to behaviour, which could then be remedied by adopting therapeutic habits such as stretching and a wind-down routine, and getting psychiatric help if needed, Kryger said.

https://www.kabc.com/news/sleep-anxiety-and-daylight-saving-time-can-exacerbate-insomnia-but-stretching-may-help/

How to Get Rid of Insomnia Without Medications

From natureworldnews.com

Insomnia is a fairly common condition, affecting one in three people, making it more difficult for them to fall asleep. If it becomes a regular pattern, it can have very serious consequences on your health. For example, lack of sleep can make it harder to focus on important tasks, affecting your effectiveness at work. To treat the condition, some people might use sleeping pills. However, this is only a short-term solution, and they will lose their effectiveness over time. For this reason, it's essential that you treat the underlying issues, poor sleep habits. Let's look at some of the best ways you can do this.

Reduce Technology Use

Often, the things you do before you try to fall asleep can have a big impact on the type of rest that you can get.  For example, you should make sure that you limit the amount of time you spend on electronic devices before you falling asleep. These emit blue light, which causes your brain to produce melatonin. This chemical disrupts sleep patterns, making it harder for you to drift off. There are some ways that you can prevent this. For example, you might want to get an app that filters out the blue light from your devices. Alternatively, you might want to avoid electronics altogether, reading for an hour each night instead.

Ventilate The Room

You might also want to consider the way that your room is set-up. You should make sure that the environment is well ventilated, allowing the air to move around the room. The fresh air can help you feel relaxed. In some cases, you might want to use an air conditioner to control the temperature, so that you always feel comfortable. In some cases, you might also want to measure the humidity levels. This will tell you the amount of moisture in the air, which can affect how easy it will be for you to breathe. Ideally, it should be between thirty to fifty percent.

Create A Darker Room

Removing sources of artificial light can make it easier for you to fall asleep. Our brains evolved to go to sleep in a darker environment. For example, you might want to use thicker curtains to block more of the outside light. You might also want to try to remove appliances that have bright pilot lights, or switch them off before you go to sleep. To measure the amount of light in the room, you can use a lux value. To prepare for a night's sleep, you should slowly start to reduce the amount of light in the space. For example, if you are reading before bed, there should be less than 180 lux. After you turn out the lights, you should have less than five lux.

Clear Your Mind

It can also be useful to think about the way that you approach sleep. Once you are comfortable in your bed, try to let your mind go blank. This can be difficult, especially if you've had a stressful day. To help with this, you might want to try practicing meditation. These techniques will teach you how you clear your mind of anxiety and stress. You might also want to try using soothing music or white noise. This can give you something to focus on, making it easier for you to relax. Finally, you might want to create a sleep schedule. This will allow you to make sure that you are getting the right amount of sleep each night. For most adults, this will be seven to nine hours each night.

Get High-Quality Linen

The type of materials that you have on your bed can also have a big impact on how quickly you fall asleep. It's important to choose a linen that's high quality. This will allow you to control your temperature and create a comfortable sleeping environment. When choosing linens, the thread count can sometimes be misleading. Instead, it's best to focus on the type of material that it's been made out of. You might want to feel the linen in-store, to determine how comfortable it is. To find the right type of linen, you might have to experiment with different materials and brands. Finally, try to find an attractive design, to make sure that your bed looks stylish.

Find A Comfortable Blanket

You should also make sure that you find a comfortable blanket. When trying to locate the best blanket, you should make sure that you get something that is soft. You might also want to consider how heavy it will be. A weighted blanket might be able to help you calm stress and anxiety, making it easier to fall asleep. If it's too light, it might not be able to provide enough warmth. However, if it's too heavy it might be stifling, making you feel uncomfortable. Generally, the right weight is around ten percent of your body weight. However, you might need to experiment to find the option that is most comfortable for you.

Choose A Great Pillow

Finally, you should get a comfortable pillow. This is one of the biggest elements that will determine how relaxed you will be. To find the right pillow, you will need to consider you're sleeping position, this will determine the amount of support you need. For example, if you sleep on your back, you might be able to get a soft pillow, as you won't need much spinal support. However, if you sleep on your stomach or side, you could need a firmer pillow. As you can see, there are several things to think about to make sure that you are picking the right pillow. If you want more tips, you can check out these tips on choosing a comfortable pillow.

Conclusion

Sleep plays an essential role in our lives, determining how much focus and energy you have. Insomnia can be very frustrating, as you struggle to get to sleep. Hopefully, these tips will make it easier for you to fall asleep at night, without needing to use medications.

http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/43481/20200310/how-to-get-rid-of-insomnia-without-medications.htm

Does sleeping next to our phone fuel insomnia?

From money.yahoo.com

With many of use relying on our phones for our morning alarm, mobiles tend to have a designated spot on a bedside table.

While it may sound harmless, having a smartphone to hand could cause insomniacs to scroll social media into the early hours.

The unlucky ones who frequently wake at 2am may also check their emails, leaving their mind whirling about that pressing work deadline.

Nearly a third (31%) of UK adults are thought to suffer from insomnia.

The situation is similar in the US, where 30% of people have “sleep disruption”.

It has been well reported the blue light emitted from phones throws our body clock out of whack.

Light comes in a range of wavelengths, with those on the blue spectrum known to boost attention and reaction times.

While this may be beneficial during the day, it is less helpful when trying to nod off.

Harvard scientists exposed participants to 6.5 hours of blue or green light.

Results suggest the blue light suppressed the volunteer’s production of the sleep-hormone melatonin for around twice as long.

It also shifted their body clock by three hours compared to the green light’s 90 minutes.

    The blue light emitted by mobile phones could leave you struggling to nod off. (Getty Images)

Far from just feeling fatigued the following day, prolonged exposure to light at night has been linked to everything from obesity to certain cancers.

“Our energy tends to run in 60-to-90 minute cycles and the cycle just before we go to bed is key to getting a good night’s sleep,” Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, sleep expert at Silentnight, told Yahoo UK.

“When light levels drop in the evening, our circadian [body clock] timer switches on and stimulates the production of melatonin.

“The use of tech before bed disrupts this natural process.

“Screens on phones emit blue light, which suppress the production of melatonin and stimulates the production of the chemical dopamine, which makes us feel alert and ‘switched on’”.

Far from blue light being the only culprit, Dr Ramlakhan stresses social media cannot be underestimated.

“Social networks are definitely causing a heightened feeling of FOMO [fear of missing out], particularly with the younger generation who are so used to seeing their social lives played out online”, she said.

“With Snapchat, snaps are only there for 24 hours and then they are gone, making it all the more tempting to keep checking the app so as not to miss out.

“It’s easy to see why this habit is creeping into bedtime routines.”

Dr Ramlakhan recognises it may be “unrealistic” to banish phones from the bedroom, but urges people strive for a “tech-life balance”.

“As a sleep deprived nation we’d do well to limit the amount of time we are spending on social media,” she said.

“Try to stop scrolling 60-to-90 minutes before bedtime.

“This will allow your brain to wind down and lead to deeper, more restorative sleep”.

Dr Irshaad Ebrahim, from The London Sleep Centre, is stricter.

“Sleep is a state that works best without stimulation”, he told Yahoo UK.

“Nature has provided our brain and body with a period of rest, rejuvenation, growth, repair and maintenance that works best when not interrupted or stimulated by external factors.

“We should restrict our interaction with technology to our waking hours and not interact at all during the sleep period.

“Blue light-emitting devices have no place in the bedroom or near the bed during the prescribed sleep time”.

Some research suggests, however, sleeping next to our phone may not throw off sleep.

A study by the University of Manchester implies mice found blue light more “restful” than a yellow hue.

https://money.yahoo.com/sleep-week-insomnia-mobile-phone-130252645.html

Is the colour of your bedroom walls keeping YOU awake?

From dailymail.co.uk

It may be the decor colour of the moment but painting your bedroom wall the same shade as a bleak English sky could actually stop you from getting your eight hours' in.  

Grey - beloved by cleaning and interiors star Mrs Hinch - is one of the colours that you should blacklist when thinking of re-painting your bedroom, according to a sleep expert at mattress company Sealy. However, blue could actually promote sleep because it sends calming messages to the brain. 

And while you might sleep in the dark, creeping light from streetlamps, and clutter from an untidy room could all add up to a night of insomnia.  

Grey isn't the only colour you should avoid if you're reaching for a paintbrush. Reds, browns and purples can all hinder a peaceful night's sleep, says Sealy's sleep expert Natalie Armstrong. 

She told Femail: 'While your room is dark when you go to sleep, many of us spend an hour or more in our bedrooms with the light on before going to sleep, which is when the colour of your bedroom can be so disruptive. 

'Colours that are too bright can put your brain into a state of high alert, which can last long after you’ve turned the light off and can no longer see the colour. 

'Grey, while gentle, is also quite suppressive. The absence of any strong colour has a depressive effect on the brain because it is a colour typically used to represent sadness and dreariness. While the current trend for grey is trying to change this, the deep rooted associations of grey as a drab colour can make it a bad choice for bedroom décor.' 

Blue is the colour if you want a good night's sleep. Mattress company Sealy's sleep expert Natalie Armstrong says the shade you decorate your bedroom wall can affect how well you sleep. While blue has a calming affect, grey can make you feel dreary before sleep

The real colour champion when it comes to good sleep is blue, which is easily picked up by ganglion cells in the retinas of your eyes. The cells then send a message direct to your brain that you're in a calm environment.

Another well-documented enemy of sleep includes smartphones but it isn't just your mobile that can stand in the way of sweet dreams. 

Reading a book on a Kindle or watching your favourite television show while tucked up in bed exposes you to exactly the same kind of 'blue' light.

Says Armstrong: 'These devices emit the same blue light as phones, which has been shown to suppress melatonin, the sleep hormone, and disturb the body’s natural circadian rhythms, which regulates our sleep-wake cycle.'  

Black-out blinds and heavy curtains can be the difference between a peaceful night's kip and tossing and turning, with lights from streetlamps outside a trigger to keep your brain activated. 

And while the phrase 'tidy house, tidy mind' might be ordinarily used in the daytime, it can be just as pertinent at night-time. If you're trying to sleep in a room that's heavy on clutter, you can carry that unsettled feeling into your subconscious when trying to fall into slumber, says Armstrong. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7965135/The-colour-walls-room-stop-getting-good-sleep.html 

Check out health benefits of 10 spices

From wakefieldexpress.co.uk

The health benefits of 10 different spices including oregano and cardamom have been revealed

Spice experts from Spicentice.com have explained which spices are packed full of vitamins and minerals, and the ones which contain disease fighting properties.

Turmeric is well known for its incredible health benefits as it’s full of antioxidant, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties, but cumin and even oregano can tackle insomnia and strengthen bones, respectively.

Black pepper is also good for your heart, whilst aiding digestion and boosting your metabolism.

A spokesperson for Spicentice.com said: “Spices are predominantly added to meals to create and enhance flavours, but many pack another punch in the health department too.

“Some can help alleviate symptoms of common ailments like toothache, anaemia, and morning sickness, but others are even said to reduce the risk of certain cancers!

“Spices have been used around the world in medicines centuries, so there’s no reason we shouldn’t be reaping the benefits of our spice cupboards day-to-day.”

Here are Spicentice.com’s ten spices to benefit your health:

1. Turmeric

Turmeric is becoming increasingly popular as people cotton on to its health benefits, as this bright spice not only injects some colour into your food, but it’s also full of antioxidants, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, turmeric contains a unique ingredient called curcumin that might even prevent type 2 diabetes and help stop the spread of cancer in your body!

2. Oregano

Oregano is mainly used in Italian dishes and is packed with vitamins and nutrients. It contains vitamins A and K which help strengthen bones and tackle anaemia. Oregano has antioxidant, anti-fungal and antiseptic functions that can develop your immune system to fight against colds and flu. It also contains an ingredient called carvacrol that can help prevent cancer from spreading.

3. Black Pepper

Black pepper is one of the most common spices and is known for being good for your heart. It also increases the amount of hydrochloric acid in your system which helps aid digestion and boosts metabolism. It’s also said to help promote weight loss.

4. Clove

Cloves and clove oil are great for relieving toothache and stomach pain as they contain antimicrobial. In addition, it contains minerals, omega 3, vitamin C and antioxidants that can boost the immune system and act as a natural painkiller.

5. Chillies

Chillies can come in many shapes and sizes, be it powder or flakes, but as well as adding heat to your food it’s also a great source vitamin C. This vitamin is responsible for helping to lower blood pressure and is known to aid weight loss.

6. Cayenne

Like chilli, cayenne pepper is a source of heat in your food which can encourage weight loss. Not only does cayenne stimulate the blood circulation, it also contains anti-bacterial properties and clears your sinuses. It can counterattack helicobacter pylori, which is a type of bacteria that, if left undetected, can lead to stomach cancer.

7. Cinnamon

Cinnamon’s sweet smell will likely remind you of Christmas, and eating it can help reduce stomach bloat. It can also prevent and eliminate infections and improve the health of your heart. Using around ½ teaspoon a day can lower your blood sugar and manage diabetes, too.

8. Cardamom

Cardamom contains vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin and iron which help lower blood pressure and increase metabolism. It’s quite an expensive spice so naturally might not be the number one go-to, but it can prevent blood clots, diabetes and help fight depression and stress.

9. Nutmeg

Nutmeg can help you sleep and aid digestion by removing any extra gas in the system. Your chance of developing cancer can also be reduced by its ability to moderate tumour growth.

10. Cumin

Containing a range of vitamins and minerals, cumin can help prevent insomnia and anaemia, as well as lower blood pressure and improve your digestion and eyesight. Cumin can also alleviate cold symptoms and control morning sickness, stomach pain and nausea.

https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/lifestyle/food-and-drink/check-out-health-benefits-10-spices-2073329

8 signs your sleeplessness is something more serious

From theladders.com

Most of us will struggle with sleeping issues at some point in our lives. Whether it’s trouble getting to sleep, waking up during the night or rising earlier than desired, sleep can be a tricky habit. Sleep problems become more prevalent as we age.

Sometimes sleeplessness (though frustrating) can be remedied in natural ways, such as reducing caffeine consumption, becoming aware of late-night snacking habits or limiting screen time before bed. Other times, though, sleep issues can be more serious, evolving into full-blown chronic insomnia.

What is insomnia and when is it chronic?

Insomnia regularly affects millions of people worldwide and, according to Medical News Today, an estimated 30-40% of Americans each year. The sleep disorder leads to unpleasant associated symptoms such as anxiety, mood swings, and an overall feeling of being physically/mentally unwell.

Insomnia has also been associated with a weakened immune system and a higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

If someone’s insomnia stems from a secondary cause (such as lifestyle or a co-occurring illness), it can typically be addressed via lifestyle changes and/or treating the underlying condition. These cases will typically be referred to as transient insomnia (when symptoms last up to three nights) or acute insomnia (persists for several weeks, also called “short-term insomnia”).

Chronic insomnia, however, is a form of insomnia that lasts more than three months (and sometimes years), and causes notable disruption to daily activities. This form of the disorder is sometimes caused by psychological factors, medications, hormone levels, or other primary problems.

Though all three forms of insomnia are important to address, chronic insomnia can be especially troublesome and overwhelming.

The characteristics of chronic insomnia may include:

1. Daytime fatigue or sleepiness.
2. Difficulty socializing.
3. Poor concentration and focus.
4. Irritability, depression, or anxiety.
5. Being uncoordinated, an increase in errors or accidents.
6. Tension headaches (ie. the feeling of a tight band around the head).
7. Gastrointestinal symptoms.
8. Worrying about/dreading sleeping.

How to overcome chronic insomnia

If insomnia is transient or acute, sometimes it will wear off on its own, or fixed by lifestyle adjustments and proper sleep hygiene.

Chronic insomnia, though, typically requires medical treatment such as prescription sleeping pills, antidepressants, sleep aids, or antihistamines. Non-pharmacological approaches may include group therapy or one-on-one cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

If you think your sleep issues have escalated into chronic insomnia, it’s crucial to talk to your doctor or a sleep specialist to find the best treatment plan for your condition. Medical professionals may ask you to keep a sleep diary along with running tests in order to help regulate your sleep-wake patterns.

https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/8-signs-your-sleeplessness-is-something-more-serious

The Counterintuitive Method That Cured My Insomnia

From elemental.medium.com
By Kate Haas

What to try when all the sleep hygiene in the world isn’t working

The insomnia struck without warning, smack into my pretty good life. After easily falling asleep one night, I woke three hours later, unable to drift off again. It happened the next night, and the next. After a few days, I was exhausted. After a week I was a wreck, snapping at my kids, zoning out at work, no longer trusting myself to drive.

“Women tend to experience sleep disturbances around menopause,” my doctor said. I repressed the urge to roll my eyes. Once I hit my forties, no matter what issue brought me to the medical office, menopause always seemed to top the list of usual suspects. I left with a prescription for a week’s worth of sleeping pills and an assurance that the meds would let me rest and reset my sleep schedule.

I got some rest. But when the pills ran out, the insomnia was still there.

Four months later, by the time my doctor finally referred me to a sleep specialist, I had tried it all: melatonin, vitamins, soothing podcasts. I’d upped my sleep hygiene, banishing chocolate and wine and electronics before bedtime. I’d been screened for depression and sleep apnea. Nothing helped.

Desperately sleep deprived and deeply sceptical, I told myself I’d do whatever this sleep guru recommended. But would anything really change?

When I heard what the specialist proposed, I figured the answer was a definitive no. He wanted me to spend less time in bed — the one place I had any hope of rest. Only the three impressive diplomas on his wall kept me nodding along.

Yes, I admitted, I did lie awake in bed when I couldn’t sleep. (What else was I going to do?) And yes, I went to bed early and stayed in bed late, hoping that maybe, maybe, I would catch an extra hour.

These habits, it turned out, were only reinforcing my insomnia. Sleep, the specialist explained, needed to be compressed into an eight-hour chunk. He compared my slumber to a ball of dough, meant to be solid and firm. Too much time in bed, combined with irregular hours, was stretching the dough, filling it with holes.

Recompressing my sleep would involve following a strict behavioural plan. It might take weeks. “But it works,” he said. “The only variable is your willingness to stick with it.”

After four months of hellish sleeplessness, I was willing to stick with anything. But the plan he outlined sounded awfully counterintuitive.

I was to go to bed at the same time every evening and rise eight hours later — whether I’d slept or not. During the night, I would lie awake no longer than 20 minutes at a time. After that, I’d go to another room and read something boring. Only when I felt sleepy could I return to bed. I was to repeat this process throughout the night. Finally, I would keep a sleep log tracking bedtime, rising time, how often I woke up, total time awake during the night, and quality of sleep on a scale of one to 10.

Just contemplating this agenda made me tired — and I was already exhausted.

The glowing numerals on my bedside clock read 1:07 a.m. when I woke up on the first night of the plan. For the next 20 minutes, I lay staring at the dim ceiling. I had zero interest in leaving my warm bed and reading the boring tome I’d selected for this moment, a textbook on mammals. But I did it.

Once I felt sleepy, I padded back to bed. Twenty minutes later, still awake, I hauled myself wearily up again and back to another chapter. This continued for the rest of the night.

The next morning I recorded my total time awake: four hours, 45 minutes. What the hell? I’d been awake the exact amount of time as every other night, except now I was familiar with the mating habits of shrews. The whole process felt absurd and unproductive.

But I wasn’t about to be the variable that sabotaged the plan. So I stuck with it.

And slowly, something started to change. Filling out my log on the morning of the seventh day, I noted that I’d been up reading for several stretches during the night. But my time awake had actually shrunk. For the first time in months, I had managed to sleep for five entire hours. I was stunned. The plan was working.

My progress wasn’t straightforward; some nights I spent two or three hours with that biology textbook, learning more about marsupials than I really cared to know. But steadily, over the course of six weeks, my insomnia receded. Five months after it had struck, I was sleeping through the night again.

Later, I learned that the technique I’d used was sleep restriction, a form of cognitive behavioural therapy. According to the National Sleep Foundation, reducing the amount of time in bed creates enough extra sleep deprivation to enable better overall sleep. It also works by breaking the mental association between being awake and being in bed; and it’s considered safer and more effective than medication or other sleep aids.

The sleep plan was not easy. It demanded effort and commitment when I was almost too tired to summon either. I’m grateful that I found the strength to stick with it, and to believe, despite my exhaustion, that staying out of bed was actually the key to more restful nights in bed.

https://elemental.medium.com/the-counterintuitive-method-that-cured-my-insomnia-94aa1a22d4f3

Sleep Tips for Restless Souls

From thriveglobal.com
By Ronald Corker

Why I Committed to Restful Sleep

You can enjoy a better quality of life and find peace of mind by making sure that you get needed rest every night.

Everyone has an occasional restless night. However, when restlessness turns into insomnia, it can become a severe problem that affects your quality of life. I’ve struggled with insomnia since my high school years.  As I entered my middle-years, however, I realized that something had to change.

When Enough Is Enough

In my youth, ongoing sleeplessness led to problems with yo-yoing weight, injuries and a lack of focus and attention. It was clear that lack of sleep was causing me to experience physical and emotional problems, which in turn led to more stress.

Sleeplessness is a common problem among children and teens who need sleep for healthy development. Sleeping issues can, however, affect individuals of all ages, although teens face a higher risk of developing physical and emotional problems due to sleeplessness.
Finally, I decided to do something about it. I was determined to start falling asleep – and staying asleep.

I tried several different remedies over the years. I can remember one time I read where it helps to get up and do something if you can’t fall asleep, such as performing jumping jacks. I would blindly follow this kind of bad advice, even though it didn’t help.

Like many other people, I was willing to do nearly anything to get a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, that led to bad decision-making on my part.

Your Body Has Boundaries

Nearly everyone notices that it seems easier to fall asleep with a full stomach. However, you should ask, what’s really at play here?

Some researchers have found that certain foods make it harder to fall asleep, for instance, fatty foods. Researchers also suggest avoiding fatty foods towards the end of the day, according to a report issued by the Mayo Clinic. Scientists believe that large, high-fat content meals actually make it harder to fall asleep.

It’s also a good idea to stay away from caffeine late in the day and right before bedtime. The bad part about drinking caffeine late in the day is that it takes several hours for the stimulant effect of caffeine to go away.

On the other end of the spectrum, alcohol late in the day or right before bedtime isn’t a great idea either. Alcohol will make you sleepy, however, more than likely you will wake up in the middle of the night.

The same applies to any fluids. If you drink a lot of fluids late in the day right before bed, you’re going to have to get up to relieve yourself at some point. As a matter of fact, you may have to get up several times to use the bathroom, and you can’t sleep and go to the bathroom at the same time – or at least you don’t want to.

Instead of turning to drastic measures such as heavy late-night meals and alcohol to get to sleep, focus on balancing your diet during the day. A healthy diet and weight as well as regular exercise can help you get the sleep that you need.

An Active Lifestyle Can Help You Sleep Better

Researchers have collected quantifiable evidence that exercise can help you fall asleep more quickly and enjoy more restful sleep. However, the jury is still out on the best time of day to exercise.
Everybody’s different. The best thing that you can do in this regard is to pay attention to how your body reacts to exercise that you perform at different times of the day.

Researchers don’t know how exercise helps you to sleep. However, they do understand that aerobic exercise increases the amount of slow-wave sleep that you enjoy each night.

During slow-wave sleep, your body goes through a physiological response called non-rapid eye movement. During this phase of deep sleep, your mind consolidates and manages your memories, an important task that helps you to focus the next day.

Slow-wave sleep also helps you to recharge physically. It can help you to avoid the side effects of a poor night’s sleep, such as a lack of focus and headaches.

Cleaning House: Let’s Talk About Sleep Hygiene

Restful sleep will improve your quality of life. Doing things to promote restful sleep is called sleep hygiene.

To start your sleep hygiene journey, it helps to stick with a sleep schedule. You should get up and go to bed at the same time every day. This will help to establish your circadian rhythm, which is your body’s internal clock.

Also, you should establish a bedtime ritual. By discovering a routine activity to prepare yourself for restful sleep, you can make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

It helps, for example, to dim the lighting and make your rest area as comfortable as possible. Perhaps you may read a book that will exercise your mental muscles and make it easier for you to enter the land of nod. Whatever you do to promote restful sleep, remember to be patient. It may take some work in the beginning, but the work you put into sleeping better will pay off for years.

https://thriveglobal.com/stories/sleep-tips-for-restless-souls/

10 Things You Should Never Say to Someone with Insomnia, According to an Insomniac

From yahoo.com/lifestyle

If you’ve ever been awake for days on end or found yourself unable to get just three hours of sleep, you might have insomnia. If not, the other insomniacs and I really appreciate that you’re here to support us.

While one in three people will experience at least a mild case of the can’t-sleeps once in their lifetime, for some of us, insomnia is a lifelong struggle that’s trudged through with a combination of meds and lifestyle changes. We cut back on caffeine and alcohol, totally eliminate tobacco, exercise earlier in the day, avoid that late-night snack and create—and try to stick to—a bedtime routine that doesn’t involve screens. It is exhausting, but strangely not enough to put us to sleep. 

Not sleeping sucks. And we know your texts, calls and melatonin care packages are full of good intentions, but if it’s not your reality, insomnia can be difficult to fully understand, so please, we beg of you, stay away from these ten things people tend to say—and use our three favourite phrases of encouragement instead. Read on.

1. “You have to try calming your mind at bedtime.”

You might not realize this, but insomnia actually causes anxiety for a lot of us. That wound-up, tight-chested feeling makes relaxing into a deep sleep totally impossible. This spiral starts us thinking that we’re going to spend yet another night staring at the ceiling, and it only makes that anxiety worse. Insomnia is something we feel constantly—not only at bedtime—so the tell-tale wide-awake energy we have at 9 p.m. makes “calm” feel way off in the distance.

2. “Have you ever tried melatonin?”

Chances are strong that your sleepy friend has given melatonin a go. It’s widely available over the counter and on Amazon, and it’s probably already in her medicine cabinet thanks to her well-meaning mom. Yes, we’ve tried melatonin, and for a lot of us, it stopped working a while ago, as it tends to do if you take it regularly for about three months.

3. “You look so tired!”

Exactly the look I was going for after spending 40 minutes trying to put some color on my face and life in my eyes.

4. “Make up for it over the weekend!”

Do we want to luxuriate in the sweet release of sleep when it actually does come on the weekend? Absolutely. But surprisingly, this is the exact opposite of what insomniacs are supposed to do. Part of treating insomnia is sticking to a sleep schedule with the same sleep and wake times each day. Letting that run off the rails by snoozing till 1 p.m. on a Saturday is the perfect way to ensure zero sleep on Sunday, and on and on the vicious cycle goes.

5. “Maybe stop drinking coffee?”

Insomniacs know their triggers, and that includes caffeine. We already know it’s going to make it harder to fall asleep at night if we drink coffee or anything with caffeine past a certain time. That point in the day is different for everyone, but try to refrain from coming for your insomniac friend’s matcha latte first thing in the morning—it’s the only thing keeping her eyes open.

6. “You should try to exercise.”

It’s true that breaking a sweat earlier in the day can help you fall asleep later on that night. But when was the last time you got zero sleep and then decided to start your day with a brisk 30-minute run at 6:30 a.m.? We thought so.

7. “Have you tried meditation?”

Meditation can help with insomnia by calming the mind and putting an overtired person into the right mindset to hit the hay, for sure. But it takes a certain level of self-control and discipline to be able to even begin to meditate when you’re so stressed and physically ill from not sleeping (think nausea, headaches, shaky hands, unfocused eyes, weak limbs) that meditation is no longer on the table.

8. “What causes your insomnia?”

Oh dear, if only we knew. The truth is that there’s no one thing that causes insomnia. There are also different types that vary in severity and cause too. One person might have acute insomnia, meaning they experience it in short bouts that are few and far between and brought on by things we all feel, like stress, anxiety or depression. But insomnia can also be chronic, meaning it’s ongoing for at least a month—often longer—and seriously disrupts your life and health. Or you could be super lucky (I kid) and have idiopathic insomnia (*raises hand*), which literally means the cause is unknown.

9. “Have you ever tried Ambien?”

It’s the sleeping drug everyone knows about. But if someone’s insomnia is bad enough, they’ve likely had this conversation with their doctor already and determined that it wasn’t right for them, or maybe they gave it a whirl and decided to stop. Maybe they were afraid of developing an addiction - which can certainly happen - or suddenly started sleepwalking and woke up four hours later “watching” TV with the contents of the fridge splayed out around them on the living room floor. Just me?

10. “Are you sure you didn’t get any sleep at all?”

Yup, we’re sure. We watched the clock change from 1:42 a.m. to 3:16 a.m. to 5:59 a.m. and then slammed our hand down on our alarm at the exact moment it went off, so trust us, we didn’t catch any winks.

We know that everything you have to say and suggest is coming from a good place because you care about us and understand that not sleeping is seriously bad for our health. And not everything you’re thinking of is flat-out wrong or stressful for us to hear. Sometimes your words help because you’re not trying to fix us, you’re just being there for us (thanks, Mom!).

Three Things You Should Say

1. “What can I do to help?”

The answer might turn out to be nothing, but offering to help us sleep is so kind and generous, and we really appreciate it. You might be surprised to learn that you can help. Maybe you’re the partner who takes Jenky, the rescue pit bull you adopted together, for her last walk of the night so your insomniac has more time to try to wind down. We love to see the support!

2. “I didn’t even know you had insomnia!”

This could be a flat-out lie, and we don’t even care if it is, but letting us know that we don’t look like an extra from the set of The Walking Dead, and more important, that our lack of sleep isn’t affecting our job performance or relationships is really nice to hear. Not sleeping is rough, but not sleeping and feeling like we’re failing at keeping up with our demanding life puts us firmly on that anxiety carousel.

3. “I’m coming over with takeout.”

One of the worst things about insomnia is being too tired to go out and see your friends. Feeling physically unable to shower, do our hair, put on makeup and get ourselves to a restaurant for girls’ night is honestly depressing. Alleviating that very lonesome feeling by being the proactive friend who A) doesn’t make us feel bad about being too tired to go out, B) eliminates the pressure of having to say yes and C) shows how much she cares by bringing food means the absolute world. Thanks, girl.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/10-things-never-someone-insomnia-220000814.html