5 Apps and Websites To Bust Your Insomnia

By Robyn Banks

Insomnia is a bitch. It plagued me during my time at university, and many of my friends too. Although I had always had problems sleeping, the long grind of the school day would often wear me out enough to see me getting a few good hours each night. Not so at university – days with only one or even no lectures stretched out endlessly, and with nobody phoning home if I didn’t turn up to lectures, gone was the motivating fear that got me out of bed each morning in the past. The prospect of managing my own time, which had seemed like heaven in my first term, had become a living hell. Bedtimes got later, and mornings became later, until I was essentially nocturnal- living whole months at a time in the miserable dark, unable to access any daytime facilities. Sound familiar?

The NHS mental health system may be in tatters, but if the doctor can’t help you like they couldn’t help me, here are a few tricks to bust your insomnia and get the good night’s sleep you need.

1. SLEEPYTI.ME

This very simple website is the first step to making sure you get enough sleep. It uses average human sleep cycles to suggest when you should get up if you go to bed at a certain time, and vice versa. It’s super quick, which was a big win for me when I blearily fell in to bed at some ridiculous hour and calculated through the fog that I would probably have to set some kind of alarm. Tap the ‘I’m going to sleep button’ and up comes a list of alarm times which should see you waking up during REM sleep, instead of that sinking sand of deep sleep which is so hard to pull yourself out of. With one simple site you can hugely reduce your chances of accidentally oversleeping. No more morning (or afternoon) tears!

Sleepyti.me

2. SLEEPBOT

This app, available for iPhone and Android, will track your sleep patterns overnight by recording audio and detecting your movement. The next morning you can see how long you slept, when you were in REM and when you were in deep sleep. It even comes with a handy ‘smart alarm’ which will wake you up when it detects enough sound and movement to conclude you’re in REM. Over time it will track the average amount of hours you sleep at night, and if you’re a sleep talker the audio recording feature can be a simple source of amusement. My favourite feature of this app, however, is the button you hit each night that says ‘going to sleep’. The background changes to a deep purple, and if you use your phone again after hitting the button the app will call you out on it. Something about saying goodnight to your tech in this way is innately soothing.
Sleepbot for iPhone
Sleepbot for Android

3. LEECHBLOCK

This browser add-on has been a favourite of students trying to complete papers for years. After a time of having insomnia, bed came to seem like a bad place to me. A place full of misery, stress and tossing and turning. Here to help me with my not-going-to-bed were sites like facebook, twitter and imgur, which could hook me in for long hours at a time. Leechblock will prevent you from accessing certain websites within certain time periods, and it helps beat procrastination whether you’re avoiding an assignment or avoiding bed time. If you know when you want to go to bed but have problems sticking to it, there’s nothing like being blocked from most of the internet to give you a kick
Leechblock

4. FLUX

We’re often told to put away our tech a good hour before we sleep, as the blue light from phones and computer screens can trigger a similar reaction in our brains as blaring sunlight and leave us wired all night. In today’s world, putting away our computers and picking up a dusty old hardback isn’t always that easy. Flux will automatically dim your computer screen and increase the warmer colour tones while reducing the blue tones between sunset and sunrise, combatting the insomnia-inducing blue light effect. It’s also much easier on the eyes in a room with a bedside lamp or other dim light. The colour change can seem unusual at first, but once you’re used to it it’s the return of the glaring blue when you turn it off that seems unusual and leave you thinking “how did I ever get to sleep after this?”
Flux

5. SLEEP WITH ME PODCAST

This is my favourite insomnia busting site of all time. It’s not to everyone’s taste- my best friend swears his voice is like nails on a chalk board to her- but it’s helped me infinitely. This podcast consists of bed time stories for adults, from really boring recaps of game of thrones episodes in which Scooter, the narrator, describes how nice Daenerys’ household vases are to the superdull series about a team of superheroes waiting patiently to save the world at some unspecified time in the future. The stories are funny, silly and exactly the right amount dull- interesting enough to take your attention away from your racing insomnia thoughts, but dull enough to soothe you in to sleep. Scooter’s gravelly, dulcet tones are inherently calming and his stories have no real plotline or end, meaning whenever you fall asleep you can be sure you won’t miss anything important. For years I have been the most incurable and miserable insomniac, but since discovering this podcast bed time has become an enjoyable part of my day. Even if you can’t fall asleep, the stress and panic is subdued by the enjoyment of listening to a silly story. Every night I get in to bed, put on a podcast and focus on my breathing. I rarely make it to the end of a story.
Sleep with me podcast

https://thenorwichradical.com/2016/10/06/5-apps-and-websites-to-bust-your-insomnia/

Awake Again? How to Naturally Get Back to Sleep at Night

By Jennifer C Jackson

Probably the most frequent question asked in my insomnia workshops is what to do about those pesky middle of the night wake-ups. There is no one right answer, especially since it largely depends on what has woken the sleeper in the first place. Today I want to focus on a specific situation common to most every class: "What about those nights when I have NO IDEA why I am awake? Those nights when I am not stressed, upset, or worried about anything in particular, but I just wake up for no reason."
I know those nights well and they are frustrating to say the least! Here is my advice:
1) When you first notice you are awake, do the best you can not to wake up fully. Don't open your eyes and don't look at the clock; just try to soothe yourself back to sleep. Sometimes this works.
2) If you do fully wake up, go ahead and look at the clock, go to the bathroom if need be, and then give yourself a gentle window of about 15-20 minutes to fall back to sleep, using whatever relaxation technique you may know. I sometimes focus on breathing in and out through my heart, imagining white light surrounding me and moving through my whole body. Some of my clients count backwards, others listen to something soothing. Whatever works! If you have not fallen asleep after about 15-20 minutes, ask yourself an important question: Am I genuinely feeling calm, relaxed, and peaceful, or am I feeling frustrated, disappointed or anxious that I am not asleep yet? This may sound silly, but it is a very important distinction to make. In general, for those of us with sensitive sleep systems, emotions such as fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, and disappointment push sleep away, while feelings of love, safety, and trust invite sleep in. If you are genuinely feeling relaxed, peaceful, and calm you will either fall asleep eventually or at least be able to rest your mind and body. I know for myself, however, with my vast history of insomnia and being miserable during the day because of it, I can go from peacefully asleep to irate that I have woken up in a matter of minutes. Some nights I can tune right into white light, deep breathing, comforting thoughts and soothing feelings and go back to sleep fairly quickly and other nights I cannot. I am simply too angry, anxious, disappointed, and/or frustrated that my sleep was disrupted again. For those nights I recommend a version of EFT/tapping called the "Release and Replace Technique."

3) For the release part of the process, I tune into the negative emotion, trying to make it as strong as possible, and tap as hard as I can - practically pounding -- on the points. For example, while tapping on the side of the hand I might say something like,
Even though I am disappointed, frustrated, and anxious that I am awake at this hour when I was so desperately hoping to sleep through the night, I am choosing to feel these feelings fully and release them.
As I drum on each point, I imagine each emotion releasing as black smoke:
Head: all this frustration
Eyebrows: all this anger
Side of the eyes: so disappointed
Under the eyes: I wanted to be asleep but I'm awake
Upper lip: I am awake AGAIN
Chin: so frustrated
Collar bone: so anxious!
Under the arm: all this disappointment
Then I sit for a moment and imagine all these negative emotions drifting away in a cloud of black smoke, eventually vanishing into nothing.
4) When I feel more neutral, I begin the replacing part of the process. The idea is to replace the feelings that keep sleep away, such as frustration, anger, and anxiety, with those that invite sleep in, such as love, trust, and gratitude. These feelings may be harder to get in touch with than the frustration and anger that is right on the surface, but here are some suggestions:

• Focus on someone or something you love deeply: your child's face, your pet's expression, or the face of anyone else you love very much
• Focus on someone or something you are grateful for
• Imagine a place of deep peace and safety
• Imagine connecting with a higher power and being enfolded in its arms and comforted back to sleep.
• Think of anything at all that brings a smile or joy to your heart

I then sit and allow my heart to fill with white light and unconditional love. I send it out to the Universe in all directions.
In just a short time I can go from irate and wide awake to peaceful and ready to sleep. The other night I went back to bed and slept almost six more hours!
Next time you wake up for no apparent reason, and you are unable to soothe yourself back to sleep within 15-20 minutes, ask yourself how you are feeling about being awake. If you are experiencing feelings that are chasing sleep away, trying releasing them and replacing them with feelings that invite sleep in. You may be pleasantly surprised to have a decent night after all.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Awake-Again?-How-to-Naturally-Get-Back-to-Sleep-at-Night&id=9521213

Sleep is key to curing chronic pain

From medicalxpress.com

Research from the University of Warwick reveals that the way chronic pain patients think about pain and sleep leads to insomnia and poor management of pain.
Researchers from the Sleep and Pain Lab in the Department of Psychology have demonstrated that conditions like back pain, fibromyalgia, and arthritis are directly linked with negative thoughts about insomnia and pain, and this can be effectively managed by cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).
Esther Afolalu and colleagues have formulated a pioneering scale to measure beliefs about sleep and pain in long-term pain patients, alongside their quality of sleep – the first of its type to combine both pain and sleep and explore the vicious cycle between sleep and pain problems.
The scale was tested on four groups of patients suffering from long-term pain and bad sleeping patterns, with the result showing that people who believe they won't be able to sleep as a result of their pain are more likely to suffer from insomnia, thus causing worse pain.
The results show that the scale was vital in predicting patients' level of insomnia and pain difficulties. With better sleep, pain problems are significantly reduced, especially after receiving a short course of CBT for both pain and insomnia.

The study has provided therapists the means with which to identify and monitor rigid thoughts about sleep and pain that are sleep-interfering, allowing the application of the proven effective CBT for insomnia in people with chronic pain.
Esther Afolalu explains: "Current psychological treatments for chronic pain have mostly focused on pain management and a lesser emphasis on sleep but there is a recent interest in developing therapies to tackle both pain and sleep problems simultaneously. This scale provides a useful clinical tool to assess and monitor treatment progress during these therapies."
Dr. Nicole Tang, the study senior author, comments: "Thoughts can have a direct and/or indirect impact on our emotion, behaviour and even physiology. The way how we think about sleep and its interaction with pain can influence the way how we cope with pain and manage sleeplessness. Based on clinical experience, whilst some of these beliefs are healthy and useful, others are rigid and misinformed. The new scale, PBAS, is developed to help us pick up those beliefs that have a potential role in worsening the insomnia and pain experience."

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-09-key-chronic-pain.html

Insomnia and Its Many Thumb-Related Aspects

From bcheights.com

Thumbs Up

Salads That Barely Qualify as Salads – Chicken, croutons, cheese, hard-boiled egg, parmesan cheese, bacon bits, more croutons, half a cucumber slice, and a leaf of lettuce. This is what health looks like.
Insomnia – When you’re stuck in the timeless nothing of tangled sheets and bone-crushing exhaustion, waiting desperately for just the slightest hint of sleep, you start thinking about a lot of things. Strange revelations, disturbing ideas, a barrage of nostalgia, and one or two coherent thoughts about your life all congeal into a meaty brain goulash. Your eyes well with tears as Lana Del Rey lyrics play through the back of your mind. Looking back on your life, you see the truth. You’ve been doing it all wrong. You’ve squandered all the greatest moments. All the amazing people, the experiences, the sausages. All gone. “I’ll change,” you whisper into the night. “I’ll appreciate everybody. I’ll look on the world with the optimistic fervour of a child. Everyone will know the depth of my caring soul. I will triumph over the cruel world.” “What the hell’s wrong with you?” your roommate says. “Go to sleep, or I’m gonna make you sleep outside again.” With an angry grunt, you pass a little gas your roommate’s way to demonstrate your deeply caring soul.

Thumbs Down

Insomnia – The next morning, the world hurts. Lack of sleep scrambles your system. Is this supposed to be in Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down? Why is it in both? I thought I was writing an editorial about sustainable toilet paper. Where am I? Is that an iguana? What is this waking nightmare?
That Shaky Voice Thing/Turning Red/Sweaty Palms/Shaking – There’s nothing worse than your body reminding you that you’re an insecure mess. Whatever the situation may be, you hope to go into it full of confidence, self-assurance, and a little something we here at The Heights call muffinswagger. Instead, the blood rushes to your face in 0.8 seconds, and you know that you look like a cherry, you sound like you’re having a small stroke, you’re sweating like a wildebeest and shaking frantically. Your body is in full-on panic mode. You are being assaulted by embarrassment and your only option is to run. Turning quickly, you take a bounding step and run directly into a frail older man, knocking him to the ground. Everyone’s screaming and you can’t breathe and the walls are closing in. You close your eyes, unable to escape this ridiculous scene, and then realize that you’re just words on a page in a college newspaper being written by someone who has to end this before he runs out of space. Thank God for meta Thumbs Down columns, you think, as you disappear into the nothingness from which you came.

http://bcheights.com/tu-td/2016/insomnia-many-thumb-related-aspects/

A Colder Room Can Decrease Insomnia, Study Finds

From nigeriatoday.ng

Insomnia, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a condition which affects the ability of someone to either fall asleep or stay asleep and results in symptoms like daytime tiredness and sometimes even severe fatigue. But there are a variety of other serious symptoms that go along with this condition, including anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating at work or in school, and even emotional problems like depression. To make matters worse, insomnia can be difficult to treat. However, new research might be able to uncover natural ways — such as sleeping in a colder room — to help improve the quality of your sleep.

The new research on insomnia is out of the University of South Australia, where researchers have discovered that one of the underlying causes of insomnia is the failure of the body to drop its core temperature. Apparently, this drop in temperature is necessary to initiate a normal sleep cycle. Lead author Dr. Cameron Van der Heuvel notes that, “These physiological changes happen well before going to bed and may be occurring before people realize them.”
If the body fails to regulate its core temperature — which it does by shifting some of its body heat to outlying areas such as the face, hands and feet — it can affect both kinds of insomnia:
Sleep onset insomnia: This kind of insomnia prevents someone from falling asleep naturally and more often occurs in young or middle-aged adults.

Sleep maintenance insomnia: This kind of insomnia prevents someone from staying asleep once they have gone to bed and causes the sufferer to awake several times throughout the night. This happens more often in older adults.

Researchers at the university found that those who do have insomnia of either type, tend to have slightly higher core temperatures than those who sleep normally or well. This is backed by other research that has shown that an impaired thermo-regulatory system can affect the quality of sleep.
The goods news is that this research may help to develop home treatments for insomnia, such as sleeping in a colder room or using biofeedback to send heat from the body’s core to its periphery. There are other health benefits to sleeping in a colder room as well: in one study published in the journal Diabetes, men sleeping in a cooler room improved their metabolic profile and significantly reduced their chances of metabolic diseases like diabetes.

Other Natural Ways to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) apart from sleeping in a colder bedroom, there are other natural ways to help improve the quality of sleep that are backed by scientific research. These include:

• Changing one’s mattress when it becomes saggy or loose in order to get the support you need when you sleep.
• Choosing the materials of the mattress, bed linens, pyjamas, and sleepwear carefully in order to help prevent the body from getting too warm or too cold while asleep.
• Keeping the sleeping environment clean, which can also reduce sleep problems caused by allergies.

It has also been suggested that going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day, keeping the room dark, quiet, and cool will also help. In short, insomnia is a condition which can cause chronic sleep disturbances and has effects on both the mind and body. Thanks to the new research that has discovered a link between core body temperature and sleep disturbances, there are more natural options to help improve sleep quality. As an added bonus, sleeping in a colder room not only prepares the body for better sleep, but it also decreases the risk of serious health problems like diabetes; in short, it’s a simple way to greatly improve one’s general health in the future.

http://www.nigeriatoday.ng/2016/09/a-colder-room-can-decrease-insomnia-study-finds/

4 Foods That Cause Insomnia

By Almaz Rabb

There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to sleep – and even worse, not knowing why you can’t get to sleep. While there may be a number of factors at play that are stopping you from sleeping easy, the foods that you are eating could be standing between you and a night of sweet dreams.
According to registered nutritionist and model Alicia Rountree, when trying to figure out why we cannot sleep we often overlook the food that we are eating. “Sure, we all have times when stress is the culprit and we find ourselves tossing and turning all night. But stress may not be the only reason you’re still tossing and turning,” she wrote in an article on Byrdie.

1. Red meat

According to Rountree, meat is difficult to digest and therefore having it late at night may force your  body to work harder than it should at that hour. “High-protein fatty animal meat is one of the toughest foods for our bodies to digest. If you happen to eat red meat in the evening, make a conscious effort to chew it properly to ease its digestibility,” said Rountree.

2. Spicy foods

“Spicy foods are another treat better left for daytime,” she said. “A spicy meal can cause indigestion and irritation of the upper digestive tract. This can cause pain and acid reflux, which can prevent you from getting a peaceful night of sleep.”

3. Drinks

In the habit of drinking a whole lot of liquids before bed? Rountree says that this could be the reason you just can’t seem to get to sleep. “Yes, that’s why you wake up twice in the night to go to the bathroom. It is so important to have an uninterrupted full night’s sleep. Try to stop consuming any liquids after 8 p.m. (just make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day),” she said.

4. Alcohol

“You may think a glass of wine will help you unwind, but it can actually disrupt your sleep cycle,” said Rountree. “You may fall asleep faster, but you’re likely to find yourself unable to stay asleep—and end up with a headache in the morning. Make sure you drink enough water to balance out the effects of alcohol.”

http://www.m2now.co.nz/11-4-foods-that-cause-insomnia/

Calling all insomniacs

By Tristi Patterson

Do you often spend the night awake and miserable, each passing minute feeling like an eternity? Do you feel like your mind gears up when you are ready to gear down? Do you constantly remind yourself that tomorrow will be awful if you can't get to sleep?
If these questions sound like you, you may be dealing with some form of insomnia.
Seeing as we spend approximately 25 years of our lives asleep, insomnia can be a major player in our health and well-being. More than half of all Americans report having insomnia at any given time, with half of those reporting chronic insomnia.
Chronic insomnia typically takes hold after a bout of acute insomnia, or insomnia that occurs due to some type of distressing event or situation. We attempt to cope with the acute insomnia in ways that seem to make sense. For instance, we may try to catch up on sleep by sleeping in, going to bed earlier than usual, or napping during the day.
Sadly, our well-intentioned adaptations actually encourage acute insomnia to develop into chronic insomnia. The longer we struggle with not sleeping, the more our thoughts become focused on our desire for sleep.
We begin to worry about not being able to sleep, and we focus on our perceived problems resulting from not sleeping. We feel tired and long for sleep, so we repeat the coping strategies over and over in an effort to capture elusive sleep.
Many people turn to sleeping medications to help them achieve a good night of sleep. Although this may be a tool to help in the short term, taking medications for sleep may not be the best the long-term solution. Luckily, for many people there are other treatment options for chronic insomnia. One such option is cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, or CBT-I.
CBT-I is a form of cognitive behavioural therapy that focuses solely on chronic insomnia that is not attributed to a medical condition, including untreated depression and anxiety. CBT-I is often a helpful adjunct treatment for those already being treated with cognitive behavioural therapy for depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues.
CBT-I has been shown to significantly improve sleep and reduce or eliminate dependence on sleeping medications in 75 percent of people who follow through with the treatment. The treatment is completed in approximately five sessions after a thorough assessment of symptoms.
Why does CBT-I work so well? It is effective for several reasons.
First, it teaches about the different types of insomnia and about our sleep cycles. Understanding these basic concepts makes it easier to see how the treatment works. Secondly, CBT-I teaches us how to strengthen our sleep system and how to make adjustments in our wake system — putting them both back in balance. CBT-I includes a plan to reduce and possibly eliminate sleeping medications.
And finally, CBT-I helps to address our negative sleep thoughts while also offering behavioural techniques that support healthy sleep. Negative sleep thoughts are thoughts we have about our insomnia, such as "I'm going to feel miserable today," or "I won't be able to get through the day without a nap."
As it turns out, much of what we think we know about sleep may not be accurate. One of the fallacies we have come to accept is that we need eight solid hours of sleep to stay healthy. Numerous research studies have demonstrated that this is not the case for everyone. There is actually significant variability in individual sleep needs.
CBT-I helps to identify how much sleep you actually need each night. Knowing this can make a significant difference in how you look at sleep.
Research has also shown that moderate sleep loss may not impair daytime performance as much as we think, particularly in chronic insomniacs. However, sleep loss does tend to negatively affect our mood, which may be exacerbated by the negative sleep thoughts we have when we don't sleep well.
Interestingly, sleep loss due to pleasurable activities such as late-night socializing or vacations is not seen as stressful and therefore does not typically cause impaired daytime mood.

http://www.gosanangelo.com/lifestyle/health/sound-of-mind-calling-all-insomniacs-3b612fd5-06df-6545-e053-0100007f4d83-392478971.html

Health benefits of bambara beans

From graphic.com/gh

Bambara beans have rich nutritional value that makes them essential for enhancement of human health.

              

It can be prepared in different ways for consumption.
Here are some health benefits.
• Protects the body against arthritis
Due to high content of minerals, these nuts are a natural remedy to safeguard the body from arthritis.
• Treatment of anaemia
The bambara beans are best for management of anaemia which is lack of blood in the body. The nuts are rich in iron that boosts blood levels in the body.
• Manages malnutrition
The flour from these beans is ideal for management of malnutrition especially in children. This is because the nuts have high contents of carbohydrates, proteins, calories and varying minerals that boost the growth of the body.
• Remedy for insomnia
These beans are a natural remedy for insomnia. This is because the beans contain amino acids that stimulate release of serotonin from the brain hence bringing about mental calmness that leads to ability to fall asleep.

http://www.graphic.com.gh/news/health/health-benefits-of-bambara-beans.html

Easy tricks to banish insomnia, including sleeping naked

From nzherald.co.nz

With sleep problems on the rise, more and more of us are struggling to nod off, or waking in the middle of the night and staring at the ceiling for hours until morning.
In a bid to help people in their quest for a restful slumber, a US sleep expert and clinical nutritionist, Shawn Stevenson, has penned a book of practical steps to improve sleep quality.
Titled Sleep Smarter, the book outlines the impact a lack of sleep can have on numerous aspects of the body, including weight, mental ability, and heart health.
Stevenson, who also has a popular internet podcast, the Model Health Show, told the Daily Mail that sleep is the key to a well-functioning body.
"Unless you give your body the right amount of sleep, you will never have the body and life you want to have."
Here are his top 10 sleep tips:

Put your desk next to a window

According to Stevenson, a great night's sleep actually begins in the morning.
The amount of sunlight you get during the day has a major impact on your circadian system - a 'body clock' that controls a range of functions and processes.
Sunlight exposure signals to your hypothalamus (a brain area that is the master gland of your hormonal system) and all corresponding organs and glands to 'wake up'.
If we don't get light exposure at the right time, it can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that is secreted at night, to improve sleep quality.
Stevenson says getting more sunlight exposure during the day, and less at night, will greatly improve your sleep.
Studies have found direct sunlight outdoors for at least half an hour is the most effective, and the body clock is most responsive to sunlight between 6am and 8.30am.

Set a 'coffee curfew'

Coffee could be affecting you in ways you don't even realise.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine in 2013 found that participants given caffeine at different times (immediately before bed, or three or six hours before bed) all showed significant measurable disruptions in their sleep.
Although the participants lost an hour's sleep - as recorded by a sleep monitor at home - they didn't actually notice any difference to their sleep, as shown by their entries in a sleep journal.
In some cases, coffee can help to manage your body's systems, by stimulating the production of cortisol, which can be useful early in the morning.
However, to ensure coffee doesn't impact on sleep, it's best to drink it no later than 2pm, so the body has enough time to process and remove the caffeine before bedtime.

Beware a 'second wind' after 10pm

Put simply, to get the best quality of sleep, you need to be in bed by 10pm.
This is because at about 10pm, your body ramps up the melatonin levels, in a bid to rev the metabolism to prepare for all the process that need to take place while you're asleep - all the strengthening, repairing, and rejuvenating that goes on while you're out like a light.
However, if you're up past 10pm, this metabolic boost can increase your energy and produce a 'second wind'. This can make it even harder to get to sleep.

Break your screen habit

Cutting out screen time is the number one thing you can do to immediately boost your sleep quality.
Using electronic devices increases levels of dopamine, a powerful chemical that drives us towards feelings of gratification. It also keeps us awake and alert.
Experts recommend turning off all screens 90 minutes before bedtime to allow dopamine, melatonin and cortisol levels to normalise.

Go to bed naked

When it's time to rest, there is an automatic drop in your core body temperature to help initiate sleep.
If the temperature in your environment stays too high, it can hard to reach the ideal state for restful sleep.
Research has shown the insomniacs tend to have a significantly warmer body temperature than normal right before bed, though exactly why is unclear.
Going to bed nude can help to regulate body temperature to the perfect level for sleeping, and the temperature in your bedroom should be 16c to 20c, to help you snooze easier.

Get up early

Even if you're a 'night owl', try to make small, simple steps to becoming more of a morning person - your body will love you for it.
Start making your wake-up time 15 minutes earlier than normal, and gradually increase this as you adjust.
By becoming a morning person you'll be working more with your body, rather than against it - humans are designed to be up during the day and sleeping at night.

Ditch your pillow

While some believe sleeping on a pillow helps to align the spine correctly, this is not the case if you sleep under a stack of them.
Larger pillows will misalign the natural curve of your spine, potentially causing neck pain, back pain, and headaches.
If you prefer to sleep on your stomach, ditch the pillow completely, as it can hyper-extend the neck. Instead, place a small firm pillow under your belly and hips to reduce the stress on your back and neck.

Exercise, but not late in the evening

Regular exercise can aid in your quest for a great night's sleep, but working out too late significantly increases your core body temperature, and it can take at least four to six hours for it to come back down to the optimal temperature for sleep.

Invest in some house plants

Not only do they help to promote a more serene, relaxing environment, they also improve air quality in a room.
House plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which can improve your chances of a restful sleep.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11702550

Can’t sleep? Try these foods to help avoid 3 a.m. wake-up call

By Rochelle Koff

It’s 2 a.m., 3 a.m., 4 a.m. and you can’t fall asleep. The night stretches on, and you’re staring at the clock, stressed, frustrated and miserable.
You’re not alone.

“At least 30 percent of the population has insomnia at some point in their lives,’ said Dr. Belen Esparis, medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach. ”At least 10 percent suffer from chronic insomnia.”
Insomnia can be caused by a lot of factors, including anxiety, depression, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and poor sleeping habits. In turn, lack of sleep has health repercussions, as well.
“Poor sleep quality worsens every chronic condition including depression, heart disease, high blood pressure and different types of cancer,” said Dr. Ashwin Mehta, medical director for Integrative Medicine, a holistic approach to supplement traditional treatment methods, at Memorial Healthcare System. “If you have a chronic health concern and you’re sleep deprived, you’re setting up a recipe for disaster.”

Experts also point to the link between lack of sleep and obesity.
“It has been shown that people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to gain weight and be obese than people who get the amount of sleep they need,” Esparis said. “This is regardless of what you eat so sleeping enough is as important as your diet.”
And diet can be important in getting those much-needed Zzzs.
“Foods and nutrients contribute to every body process,” said Sheah Rarback, a registered dietitian on the faculty of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and a Miami Herald columnist. “There are certain foods that help us sleep by doing certain things in the body.”

Green, leafy vegetables, pumpkin seeds, edamame, bananas, avocados, beans, and nuts and seeds are all foods rich in magnesium, which helps muscles relax and induces a sleepy state, Mehta said. A lack of magnesium can cause restless leg syndrome and muscle spasms.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/living/health-fitness/article97995877.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/living/health-fitness/article97995877.html#storylink=cpy

Certain foods contain an amino acid called tryptophan. We usually associate tryptophan with our post-turkey nap on Thanksgiving, but many meats and other proteins have it as well. Tryptophan is a sleep-enhancing amino acid that helps produce serotonin and melatonin, the “body clock” hormone that sets your sleep-wake cycles.
“A body that isn’t nourished during the day is not going to be in a restorative state at night,” Rarback said.
While a good diet has been known to promote better sleep, there’s “not significant evidence that the amount of food you’re eating can change sleep patterns,” said Gina Sweat, a registered dietitian and nutritionist at Cleveland Clinic of Florida in Weston.

“When you’re eating is just as important as what you’re eating,” Mehta added. “You want to wait at least two to three hours between your last meal and when you actually go to sleep.”
Sweat suggests eating dinner at least four hours before going to bed and perhaps having a snack no later than two hours before you go to bed.
How much you eat can be an issue, said Julie Rothenberg, a registered dietitian for Oncology Nutrition Services at Mount Sinai. Being too full can cause reflux symptoms, including heartburn, she said. “But if you eat too little, your body is craving nutrients and that also causes stress on your body and prevents you from having a deep sleep.”

What to avoid

Knowing what foods and drinks to avoid is part of the happy sleeping equation. Caffeine, alcohol, high-fat meals, sugary snacks and spicy foods may all be culprits ruining a good night’s sleep.

“Caffeine is hidden in so many of the foods and drink we have,” Mehta said. “One cup of coffee in the morning can potentially impact sleep quality. It depends on a person’s metabolism.”
It takes six hours to metabolize caffeine so consider your intake of coffee, tea, soda, chocolate and other foods that contain caffeine during the day, Rothenberg said. The notion of having a nightcap, a small cocktail, before going to bed isn’t necessarily going to lead to deep slumber either.
“Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant,” Mehta said. “It may seem like having a drink helps people sleep, but it actually ends up being counterfeit sleep.”
Studies have shown that while alcohol may have helped people fall asleep more quickly, their sleep was more disrupted during the second half of the night. It’s recommended that you have no more than one 4.5-ounce pour of wine, one 11-ounce glass of beer or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor in an evening, Mehta said.
While one beverage — water — is always seen as beneficial, aim to drink up during the day and cut back on fluids a few hours before bedtime to help limit trips to the bathroom.

You also want to avoid certain foods before bedtime, like a greasy burger or big piece of cake.
“Fats create more stomach acid and increase the likelihood of reflux,” Rarback said. “Really spicy food can also cause some people to have stomach distress.”
You might as well forget about that grandmotherly snack of milk and cookies — or at least the cookies part. “Sugar and other high-glycemic foods can cause stress on the body,” Rothenberg said. “It raises the cortisol level, which makes it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.”

Milk’s a ‘soothing drink’

Milk can be helpful as long as you’re able to tolerate dairy products.
“Milk has different good things in it,” said Dr. Andres Lichtenberger, an internal medicine specialist with Baptist Health Primary Care. “It’s a soothing drink especially when it’s warm and can help you relax.” Calcium also helps the body’s process of producing melatonin.
Instead of a sweet snack, it’s better to have a handful of pumpkin seeds with Brazil nuts and a fig — no more than what fits in the palm of your hand, Mehta said. “Anything more than that is excessive.”
Proteins are the building blocks of tryptophan and carbohydrates make tryptophan more available to the brain, so try snacks that pair both, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Consider peanut butter or hummus on whole wheat toast or crackers, plain Greek yogurt with some nuts, apples and peanut butter, a banana and milk.
Exercising during the day can help your overall sleep patterns, but making a stop at the gym right before you go to bed can keep you awake, Lichtenberger said.
The idea is to ease into sleep with a consistent, relaxing pattern.
“Cue the body” for bedtime, Mehta said. “The body responds to a routine.”

Have a cup of chamomile tea. Turn off the TV. Remove your cellphones and computers from the bedroom. Try aromatherapy oils. Keep the room dark so you don’t interrupt your sleep cycle.

Foods to aid sleep

To help boost your chances of a good night’s sleep, here are some foods that could help you get that needed shut-eye:
Bananas: The fruit is a good source of potassium and magnesium, which help to relax muscles. They also contain Vitamin B6, which may improve sleep, and tryptophan.
Chamomile tea: “It helps calm the brain and helps put you to sleep sooner,” said Mount Sinai’s Rothenberg. Decaffeinated green tea, which contains the amino acid theanine, can also help reduce stress, UM’s Rarback said.
Cherry juice: Specifically, you want tart cherry juice, which has melatonin in it, nutritionists said. “Make sure it’s in its natural form without added sugar,” Rothenberg said.
Chickpeas: Legumes are a good source of magnesium. Eat them on their own or create a hummus dip. Edamame is another good source of magnesium.

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Green leafy vegetables: Such vegetables, including kale, spinach, turnip greens and collard greens, are a top source of magnesium and calcium.
Lean proteins: Chicken, turkey, fish, eggs and other proteins, which contain tryptophan. But avoid high-fat cheeses and deep-fried chicken or fish.
Nuts and seeds: Brazil nuts are an excellent source of selenium, a mineral that helps you get a restful sleep. Almonds and pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of magnesium. “Nuts and seeds contain a good balance of proteins and fats that help you feel satiated,” Mehta said.
Whole grains: Barley, couscous, buckwheat and other complex carbohydrates help convert tryptophan into melatonin and serotonin. Avoid simple carbohydrates, including pasta, breads made with white flour and sweets like cookies, cake and other sugary foods.
Yogurt: It contains calcium, which helps produce tryptophan. Choose plain Greek yogurt without sugar. You can add a few nuts or dried fruit as a garnish.

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Your Body: Battling Insomnia

By ABC News Radio

Do you sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and just can’t fall back to sleep?
For isolated incidents of late night/early morning insomnia, you may be surprised to hear my advice: Do nothing. Don’t sleep late the next day, don’t take a power nap — just go about your normal schedule.
Many of us will suffer an occasional bout of insomnia, which is generally caused by mental stress, and will feel the inclination to make up for lost sleep the next day or next several days.
But the latest in sleep medicine suggests that this can do more harm than good. It may disrupt the circadian rhythms and make it harder for you to resume your normal sleep schedule.
So be consistent with your bedtime and your wakeup time, and chances are good you’ll be back to sweet dreams soon.

http://kwbe.com/abc_health/your-body-battling-insomnia-abcid35759175/

How To Tell If Insomnia Is More Than Just A Bad Night's Sleep

By Julia Naughton

When it comes to the concept of sleep, people tend to fall into one of two camps: either they are partial to it or they long for the time they are partial to it.
If the latter sounds familiar it's likely you've tried numerous things to achieve a good night's kip -- and been met with a bunch of frustration along the way -- which experts agree can compound the problem further.

Dr Delwyn Bartlett, associate professor of sleep medicine from Sydney University and the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, said it is important we find a happy medium between valuing sleep and not putting too much pressure on people to sleep.

"The more pressure one puts on their sleep, the less likely they are to sleep. If you have a bad night, it's a bad night it doesn't mean the beginning of a downward cycle," Bartlett told The Huffington Post Australia.
Bartlett explains the difference between a few bad nights and chronic insomnia comes down to the duration and frequency of trouble sleeping.
"Chronic insomnia is when you have a difficulty going to sleep, staying asleep or waking too early, where any of those events takes longer than 30 minutes."
"Those symptoms have to appear at least three times or more per week, and be present for greater than three months," Bartlett said.
According to the Sleep Health Foundation, frequent sleeping difficulties including initiating and maintaining sleep as well as daytime fatigue are highly prevalent in Australia, with women suffering more than men.
"Insomnia is distressing and individuals often compensate for their poor quality sleep by spending too much time in bed 'trying to sleep' which potentially increases the fear of not being able to sleep," Bartlett said.
Often individuals then lose their confidence in their ability to sleep.
"And this causes individuals to believe that they can't do things without a certain amount of sleep," Bartlett said.
As a result, they then spend a lot of time in bed attempting sleep.
"The bed becomes a place of wakefulness compared to a person who is sleep deprived and doesn't spend enough time in bed," Bartlett said.
Bartlett explains when sleep is the focal point of your life then it becomes associated with high levels of what she calls "sleep anxiety".

"Sleep sits in front of you and you actually believe you can't do all sorts of things like communicate, socialise or go to work because of your sleep," Bartlett said.
Given the complexity of sleep, there is no one treatment that is a panacea, though Bartlett explains when it comes to insomnia it's about retraining how an individual thinks about sleep and changing behaviour patterns.
"The messages they have been giving their brain can exacerbate the 'flight or fight' response making them more alert and less able to sleep," Bartlett said.
This response from the brain is probably an adaption to poor quality sleep over a long period of time.
"It is important to remember the brain is plastic so retraining is likely to have a good outcome," Bartlett said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/08/16/how-to-tell-if-insomnia-is-more-than-just-a-bad-nights-sleep/

Health Matters: Struggling with Insomnia

From kvrr.com

With busy work schedules and lives, sometimes sleep is the last thing we think of.
But for those who can't fall asleep, it may not leave their mind.
Almost 30 percent of people face insomnia at some point in their life.
Night after night, you lie in bed awake for hours.
Tossing and turning, you just can't seem to fall asleep.
When it's time to get started on your day, you can be left tired, irritable and your work and relationships can suffer.
"Most effects are shortened and everybody, because of their life stress. We see that this happens for a few days. But if it tends to stay longer that's when we call it insomnia," said Dr. Praveen Jinnur, who works with patients at the Essentia Health Sleep Medicine Department.

Most people have shortened insomnia disorder, which lasts less than three months.
Ten percent of patients who go beyond that, are considered to have what's called "chronic insomnia".

"Insomnia is a very common complaint I hear in the sleep medicine clinic," said Dr. Jinnur. "Insomnia is a persistent difficulty in falling asleep. Or maintaining the sleep despite having an adequate portion of opportunity and time to sleep."

But Jinnur says this condition shouldn't be confused with being a night owl.
Circadian Rhythm Disorder is when a body's internal clock is irregular.
But the difference between this and insomnia is once people fall asleep, they typically stay asleep.
And for anyone, habits right before bed make a big difference.

"Lifestyle management is one of the important aspects of insomnia which includes a good sleep hygiene. They should not exercise before bedtime and avoid caffeine late in the evening. And alcohol," adds Dr. Jinnur.

He says a good night's sleep is considered to be between seven to eight hours, and it shouldn't be taken lightly.

"It is very essential. If you are unable to fall asleep adequately, it definitely affects your daytime performance, if you are very tired your productivity is affected the next day and it also affects your social performance," said Dr. Jinnur.

If you do find yourself having trouble maintaining sleep, it's recommended to see a physician to decide if a sleep study is necessary.
Dr.Jinnur says there isn't a quick fix for insomnia, but it's possible as long as the patient takes good sleep hygiene seriously.

http://www.kvrr.com/health-matters/health-matters-is-your-trouble-falling-asleep-insomnia/41144042