We all know the benefits of exercise include lower risk for heart disease, lower weight, better bone mass, better sleep quality, and higher metabolism. And experts agree that the best prescription for preventing many problems, including insomnia, is exercise.
But just as with sleep, improper exercise can lead to failure. Everyone knows that exercise is good for the body, but not many people want to do it because it doesn’t seem like fun; to the contrary, “exercise,” to many, seems or feels like “work,” and when that occurs, you’ll never get the most of out of exercising, and you won’t reap its benefits to sleep, either.
Have you ever bought a gym membership with the intention of exercising on a regular basis, only to fall back into your regular routine after a few months? More than forty percent of the population drop out of their gym contracts each year, prompting gyms to spend millions to create and advertise new reasons to get you back in. The problem with this is due to a misunderstanding of why we start exercising in the first place.
It takes more than an understanding of the benefits or exercise; you must be passionate about it. Let’s face it – we make time for things we want to do. So without an emotional reason, exercise simply becomes a boring routine. The desire to change is what originally prompts us to commit to exercise, but the lack of interest leaves us viewing the treadmill as nothing more than a menacing, sweat-inducing enemy on which we must perform a monotonous task!
We enter today’s gym with the same conditioned mindset that we experienced in childhood P.E. class. To overcome this, it often helps to change your view of exercise to one of play, such as when we were children. What if you could participate in a fun activity – one that you enjoyed as a child, let’s say. Would that entice you to get moving a little more, with the added result that after “playtime,” you’ll be able to fall into that restful, carefree childhood sleep?
Remember, you can rewire and reset your brain-to-body mechanisms; just train them to work a certain way by how you perceive them and how you think. It’s all connected – and it’s all possible.
To compare gym exercises with energy-equivalent activities, I have listed a typical gym exercise on the left column, and a similar activity that rouses the heart rate to the same degree on the right column. These exercises are all based on thirty minutes of activity, and each one will lead you to a more peaceful, deep slumber:
Pilates - Horseback riding
Stair-Stepper - Casual soccer
Stationary Bike - Backpacking
Calisthenics - Repelling
Basketball - Rock climbing
Elliptical machine - Cross-country skiing
Martial arts is another positive stress workout that is growing in popularity. Even during a recession, it amazes me that I continue to see martial arts businesses continue to open and thrive. Or how about dancing, yoga classes, swimming, tennis, or table tennis?
Just walking for thirty minutes a day, four times a week, reduces the stress that enables you to experience quality sleep. Regular aerobic activity reduces anxiety whilst increasing dopamine and serotonin levels, making you feel happier, more confident, and more relaxed. That means you’ll feel “naturally tired” at bedtime.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Tuesday 27 July 2010
4 Tips on How Changes In Your Environment Will Help With Insomnia
Some people are more sensitive to their environment than others. If you’re one of them, then these four tips on how to make your environment more sleep friendly should help.
When it comes to sleep, most people require the same things: a quiet, dark, cool room.
It sounds easy, but it’s truly hard to find. Noisy neighbors, barking dogs, babies crying, someone’s snoring, thumping music, a bedmate with “restless leg syndrome” or one who talks in his or her sleep, or even a dripping tap can keep you from restful sleep. Noise is truly a serious invader, and there are several ways to obliterate the offending sounds.
If there are noises in your environment that affect your sleep, run that fan or some other white-noise machine to help block it out. If you are very sensitive to sound, invest in some decent ear plugs to help you tune out the noise around you. Some people wear heavy-duty earplugs that can block out up to 32 decibels of sound. Playing soothing music may help some sleep, but others may be tempted to “hum along” with the tunes, which will naturally keep them awake, so just experiment until you find what works best for you.
Next, create a space that is peaceful and comfortable. It certainly helps if your bedroom is visually appealing and clean, and make sure the temperature is comfortable. Fresh air or a breeze created by an oscillating or overhead fan can help you sleep, and the ideal temperature for sleeping soundly is 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Also, remember that we are not that far away from our ancestors in terms of rest and work cycles. Humans are naturally diurnal creatures; we are meant to sleep at night, when it is dark. Therefore, your body is naturally responsive to light and dark. Darkness induces sleep, whilst light induces wakefulness. To ensure you get a good night’s sleep, make sure your room is dark. If the sun comes through your windows too early in the morning, invest in light-blocking drapes or shades. However, make sure that whatever you do to make it dark is reversible, because during the day, the more bright sunshine you can let into your life and home, the easier it will be to stay awake!
Your sleep surface is incredibly important to your ability to get good sleep. So few people take the time to consider whether they might need a new, quality mattress and pillows. If you cannot afford to replace your mattress now, make it a priority to save for a future purchase. In the meantime, improve your sleep by rotating your mattress regularly. Also, invest in new pillows. If you have had your pillows for more than six months, replace them now – their germ-collecting time is UP!
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
When it comes to sleep, most people require the same things: a quiet, dark, cool room.
It sounds easy, but it’s truly hard to find. Noisy neighbors, barking dogs, babies crying, someone’s snoring, thumping music, a bedmate with “restless leg syndrome” or one who talks in his or her sleep, or even a dripping tap can keep you from restful sleep. Noise is truly a serious invader, and there are several ways to obliterate the offending sounds.
If there are noises in your environment that affect your sleep, run that fan or some other white-noise machine to help block it out. If you are very sensitive to sound, invest in some decent ear plugs to help you tune out the noise around you. Some people wear heavy-duty earplugs that can block out up to 32 decibels of sound. Playing soothing music may help some sleep, but others may be tempted to “hum along” with the tunes, which will naturally keep them awake, so just experiment until you find what works best for you.
Next, create a space that is peaceful and comfortable. It certainly helps if your bedroom is visually appealing and clean, and make sure the temperature is comfortable. Fresh air or a breeze created by an oscillating or overhead fan can help you sleep, and the ideal temperature for sleeping soundly is 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Also, remember that we are not that far away from our ancestors in terms of rest and work cycles. Humans are naturally diurnal creatures; we are meant to sleep at night, when it is dark. Therefore, your body is naturally responsive to light and dark. Darkness induces sleep, whilst light induces wakefulness. To ensure you get a good night’s sleep, make sure your room is dark. If the sun comes through your windows too early in the morning, invest in light-blocking drapes or shades. However, make sure that whatever you do to make it dark is reversible, because during the day, the more bright sunshine you can let into your life and home, the easier it will be to stay awake!
Your sleep surface is incredibly important to your ability to get good sleep. So few people take the time to consider whether they might need a new, quality mattress and pillows. If you cannot afford to replace your mattress now, make it a priority to save for a future purchase. In the meantime, improve your sleep by rotating your mattress regularly. Also, invest in new pillows. If you have had your pillows for more than six months, replace them now – their germ-collecting time is UP!
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Monday 26 July 2010
The 16 Most Common Causes of Insomnia.
In order to find a cure to your sleep problems it is important to firstly understand the causes behind your insomnia.
Make a list if you have to – it’s one thing that worked well for me – but do whatever it takes to get a close, objective look at your lifestyle to determine what isn’t working in your life.
Now, you may say you have an extremely successful marriage, a good business or enjoyable career, a lively circle of friends, and a steady bank account, but look beneath the surface just a bit. What, really, is going on physically or in that restless unconscious of yours?
You probably wouldn’t be reading this article if you were perfectly healthy and happy and could fall asleep at the drop of a pillow. You’re struggling to function at your peak, and you’re fighting something that you may feel you can’t control.
The good news is that you can control many causes of insomnia. These are the most common:
• A change in diet, or a poor diet;
• Generalised or specific stressors;
• Depression and anxiety;
• A recent traumatic experience;
• Any new medications;
• Additional health problems, or new health problems;
• A change in your everyday routine;
• Frequent travel, or recent travel, particularly crossing time zones;
• Lack of exercise, or being overweight or underweight;
• A poor sleep environment, with noise or too much external stimulus;
• An irregular sleep schedule;
• A negative/hopeless attitude about sleep, and a dread of bedtime for fear that you won’t sleep;
• Clockwatching;
• Shallow or ineffective breathing;
• Use or overuse of over-the-counter, prescription, or herbal supplements to aid in sleep, which often disturbs the quality of sleep; and
• Smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking in too much caffeine.
So try to identify the cause or causes that most apply to you, and then look towards altering that aspect of your life.
Remember, getting the right kind of sleep is as crucial to maintaining your health as breathing. As you age, your ability to withstand life’s stressors reduces. It is critically important that the first step you take toward reconditioning your body and mind is to make sleep a priority.
The best sleep occurs when you are comfortable and not over stimulated or distracted. To help get to sleep and stay that way, you need to firstly identify which aspect of your life is causing this distraction or stimulation and then begin to work towards changing it.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Make a list if you have to – it’s one thing that worked well for me – but do whatever it takes to get a close, objective look at your lifestyle to determine what isn’t working in your life.
Now, you may say you have an extremely successful marriage, a good business or enjoyable career, a lively circle of friends, and a steady bank account, but look beneath the surface just a bit. What, really, is going on physically or in that restless unconscious of yours?
You probably wouldn’t be reading this article if you were perfectly healthy and happy and could fall asleep at the drop of a pillow. You’re struggling to function at your peak, and you’re fighting something that you may feel you can’t control.
The good news is that you can control many causes of insomnia. These are the most common:
• A change in diet, or a poor diet;
• Generalised or specific stressors;
• Depression and anxiety;
• A recent traumatic experience;
• Any new medications;
• Additional health problems, or new health problems;
• A change in your everyday routine;
• Frequent travel, or recent travel, particularly crossing time zones;
• Lack of exercise, or being overweight or underweight;
• A poor sleep environment, with noise or too much external stimulus;
• An irregular sleep schedule;
• A negative/hopeless attitude about sleep, and a dread of bedtime for fear that you won’t sleep;
• Clockwatching;
• Shallow or ineffective breathing;
• Use or overuse of over-the-counter, prescription, or herbal supplements to aid in sleep, which often disturbs the quality of sleep; and
• Smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking in too much caffeine.
So try to identify the cause or causes that most apply to you, and then look towards altering that aspect of your life.
Remember, getting the right kind of sleep is as crucial to maintaining your health as breathing. As you age, your ability to withstand life’s stressors reduces. It is critically important that the first step you take toward reconditioning your body and mind is to make sleep a priority.
The best sleep occurs when you are comfortable and not over stimulated or distracted. To help get to sleep and stay that way, you need to firstly identify which aspect of your life is causing this distraction or stimulation and then begin to work towards changing it.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Acupuncture without needles to help you say goodnight to insomnia
Here is some information about a simple technique called Acupressure that you can use to help you overcome insomnia that helps you to promote drowsiness.
Acupressure is part of the tradition of Chinese medicine and has been used for hundreds of years in the Far East. It is often described as acupuncture without the needles!
Like acupuncture – it’s based on the idea that energy flows through channels in the body called meridians. An even flow of energy needs to flow through the body to promote good health – and therefore disruptions of this flow of energy can lead to illness at any point along it.
This flow of energy can be directly influenced by loads of different things including:
Stress
Emotional Distress
Diet
Environment
Now this life energy or Qi as the Chinese call it, is most concentrated at points along the meridians called Occupants.
There is scientific evidence that stimulating particular acupoints can relieve stress, anxiety, nausea as well as pain. But more recently scientists from the Sleep Disorder Centre in Arizona have started to collect evidence as to the benefits of both acupuncture and acupressure with relieving insomnia.
Whilst more research is needed – here are some simple acupressure techniques you can try yourself without the use of any needles!
Third Eye
To help you fall off to sleep, use your middle finger of your left hand to gently massage the third eye point. This is situated right between your eyebrows , just below the bottom of the centre of your forehead.
Just 5 minutes will really help you to relax and should help the onset of drowsiness.
Close Eyes
To work the close eye acupoint (or Ki 6 as professionals call it) – use your right thumb to massage the inside of the left heel gently in a circular motion – then apply pressure for a few seconds.
Then you need to repeat this again on the right heel using the left thumb.
Calm Sleep
The calm sleep acupoint (or BI 62) – simply follow the instructions for the Close eyes acupoint but only massage the outside of the heels.
Now I tried these simple techniques and it didn’t cost a penny. They were easy to do just before bedtime and they really seemed to help me relax and focus on getting rid of the everyday stresses and replace them with calm.
I hope you’ll be open minded and give it a try. There’s definitely something there and it isn’t just mumbo jumbo. I would definitely say it added to my armoury of techniques that helped me cure myself of insomnia after 3 long years of sleepless nights.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Acupressure is part of the tradition of Chinese medicine and has been used for hundreds of years in the Far East. It is often described as acupuncture without the needles!
Like acupuncture – it’s based on the idea that energy flows through channels in the body called meridians. An even flow of energy needs to flow through the body to promote good health – and therefore disruptions of this flow of energy can lead to illness at any point along it.
This flow of energy can be directly influenced by loads of different things including:
Stress
Emotional Distress
Diet
Environment
Now this life energy or Qi as the Chinese call it, is most concentrated at points along the meridians called Occupants.
There is scientific evidence that stimulating particular acupoints can relieve stress, anxiety, nausea as well as pain. But more recently scientists from the Sleep Disorder Centre in Arizona have started to collect evidence as to the benefits of both acupuncture and acupressure with relieving insomnia.
Whilst more research is needed – here are some simple acupressure techniques you can try yourself without the use of any needles!
Third Eye
To help you fall off to sleep, use your middle finger of your left hand to gently massage the third eye point. This is situated right between your eyebrows , just below the bottom of the centre of your forehead.
Just 5 minutes will really help you to relax and should help the onset of drowsiness.
Close Eyes
To work the close eye acupoint (or Ki 6 as professionals call it) – use your right thumb to massage the inside of the left heel gently in a circular motion – then apply pressure for a few seconds.
Then you need to repeat this again on the right heel using the left thumb.
Calm Sleep
The calm sleep acupoint (or BI 62) – simply follow the instructions for the Close eyes acupoint but only massage the outside of the heels.
Now I tried these simple techniques and it didn’t cost a penny. They were easy to do just before bedtime and they really seemed to help me relax and focus on getting rid of the everyday stresses and replace them with calm.
I hope you’ll be open minded and give it a try. There’s definitely something there and it isn’t just mumbo jumbo. I would definitely say it added to my armoury of techniques that helped me cure myself of insomnia after 3 long years of sleepless nights.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Monday 19 July 2010
Natural Remedies to Help Cure Insomnia
Natural Remedies to help cure insomnia and sleeping problems
This article details some supplements and natural remedies which are reported to help promote restful sleep.
Now a word of warning
There are many natural remedies on the market – but I’d advise you to be wary of anything that promises a miracle cure. There isn’t vast amounts of scientific evidence as to how some of these natural remedies work but there is huge amounts of anecdotal evidence from people who have tried things that have worked as well as traditional herbal remedies that have been passed down over the years.
Another word of warning is if you try anything which has an adverse effect stop taking it immediately as people can be allergic to different things. Also just read the small print to make sure that there are no problems with the herbal remedies interfering with any other medications you are taking.
Some Natural & herbal remedies to help cure insomnia
The one thing which seemed to work for me when I had insomnia was something called valerian. I’ll explain a bit more about this in a bit. The other things I’m going to list here are all things that fellow insomnia sufferers have recommended to me or tips emailed which they found really helped them. These things can be got from most health food shops, pharmacists or over the internet – so it might be worth choosing one and give it a go if you have sleep issues.
Melatonin
This is a hormone which is made in the brain naturally. It is secreted at night by the pineal gland to help calm the brain down and induce sleep.
You can buy melatonin supplements as a sleep aid (it is also available as a prescription medicine as well). It is quite often found under a different name –
Citadin.
In Wendy Greens famous book on managing insomnia - Journalist Jessica Brown reported that having suffered from chronic insomnia she found Melatonin “ helped her to drift off to sleep more easily” and was the one thing that really worked for her.
5HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan)
This supplement comes from a West African plant called the Griffonia Plant. Scientific studies have shown 5HTP helps people fall asleep quicker and stay asleep for longer. It also is thought to increase the amount of sleep and REM sleep.
You should look to buy 100mg tablets and take just one a day at least an hour before bedtime. Just one thing to be careful of – don’t take this if you are taking anti depressants as they have been recorded as causing an adverse effect in some cases.
St Johns Wort
This herbal remedy is more well known for its positive effects of treating depression, but lots of people say it has really worked for them with helping them sleep (particularly if their insomnia is linked to depression). It works by naturally regulating levels of melatonin in the body .
Skullcap
This natural remedy works by providing a mild sedative effect which helps with insomnia. It is also a great help with things like nervous tension, pain and avoiding night time muscle cramps. Skullcap come from the United States and was listed as far back as 1863 as a type of tranquilizer
Wild Lettuce
This is a natural remedy which has been used since roman times. It has mild sedative, pain relieving properties which have been reported in a number of
instances to help with insomnia.
Vervain
Otherwise known as Holy Wort and found across the UK – it has been used as far back as Druid times as a cure for sleep related issues. It combines its sedative and relaxing properties to help with depression and insomnia.
Passion Flower
This is a traditional South African remedy for insomnia. It again has a mild sedative effect and is particularly successful with people who have problems staying asleep. It is more often used as part of a concoction of sleep inducing herbs rather than just on its own.
Hops
This is a very popular sleeping aid – using the flowers from hops to help aid insomnia. This is one of the better cures for insomnia linked to anxiety and stress. One thing to remember is that herbalists advise against using hops if you suffer from depression.
Valerian
Now this is the remedy which I found helped me the best. I can see why some scientists call it “natures valium” as it really does help reduce your anxiety and help you sleep. Valerian is a herb and was recently described by expert in the field of insomnia - Professor Jim Horne as “the most effective of all herbal treatments for insomnia”. Valerian contains GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) – which is an amino acid which is believed to help regulate sleep.
Valerian is usually recommended to be tried for a 4-6 week period and it is usual to take a 2 week break between treatments.
There are some products on the market which are easily available and combine some of the herbs and natural remedies I’ve listed above. Perhaps the best known of these is something called Nytol.
Nytol combines hops, valerian and passionflower to help promote calmness and sleep. I found wasn’t quite strong enough for me, but I have heard from a lot of fellow sufferers that it helped them lots.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
This article details some supplements and natural remedies which are reported to help promote restful sleep.
Now a word of warning
There are many natural remedies on the market – but I’d advise you to be wary of anything that promises a miracle cure. There isn’t vast amounts of scientific evidence as to how some of these natural remedies work but there is huge amounts of anecdotal evidence from people who have tried things that have worked as well as traditional herbal remedies that have been passed down over the years.
Another word of warning is if you try anything which has an adverse effect stop taking it immediately as people can be allergic to different things. Also just read the small print to make sure that there are no problems with the herbal remedies interfering with any other medications you are taking.
Some Natural & herbal remedies to help cure insomnia
The one thing which seemed to work for me when I had insomnia was something called valerian. I’ll explain a bit more about this in a bit. The other things I’m going to list here are all things that fellow insomnia sufferers have recommended to me or tips emailed which they found really helped them. These things can be got from most health food shops, pharmacists or over the internet – so it might be worth choosing one and give it a go if you have sleep issues.
Melatonin
This is a hormone which is made in the brain naturally. It is secreted at night by the pineal gland to help calm the brain down and induce sleep.
You can buy melatonin supplements as a sleep aid (it is also available as a prescription medicine as well). It is quite often found under a different name –
Citadin.
In Wendy Greens famous book on managing insomnia - Journalist Jessica Brown reported that having suffered from chronic insomnia she found Melatonin “ helped her to drift off to sleep more easily” and was the one thing that really worked for her.
5HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan)
This supplement comes from a West African plant called the Griffonia Plant. Scientific studies have shown 5HTP helps people fall asleep quicker and stay asleep for longer. It also is thought to increase the amount of sleep and REM sleep.
You should look to buy 100mg tablets and take just one a day at least an hour before bedtime. Just one thing to be careful of – don’t take this if you are taking anti depressants as they have been recorded as causing an adverse effect in some cases.
St Johns Wort
This herbal remedy is more well known for its positive effects of treating depression, but lots of people say it has really worked for them with helping them sleep (particularly if their insomnia is linked to depression). It works by naturally regulating levels of melatonin in the body .
Skullcap
This natural remedy works by providing a mild sedative effect which helps with insomnia. It is also a great help with things like nervous tension, pain and avoiding night time muscle cramps. Skullcap come from the United States and was listed as far back as 1863 as a type of tranquilizer
Wild Lettuce
This is a natural remedy which has been used since roman times. It has mild sedative, pain relieving properties which have been reported in a number of
instances to help with insomnia.
Vervain
Otherwise known as Holy Wort and found across the UK – it has been used as far back as Druid times as a cure for sleep related issues. It combines its sedative and relaxing properties to help with depression and insomnia.
Passion Flower
This is a traditional South African remedy for insomnia. It again has a mild sedative effect and is particularly successful with people who have problems staying asleep. It is more often used as part of a concoction of sleep inducing herbs rather than just on its own.
Hops
This is a very popular sleeping aid – using the flowers from hops to help aid insomnia. This is one of the better cures for insomnia linked to anxiety and stress. One thing to remember is that herbalists advise against using hops if you suffer from depression.
Valerian
Now this is the remedy which I found helped me the best. I can see why some scientists call it “natures valium” as it really does help reduce your anxiety and help you sleep. Valerian is a herb and was recently described by expert in the field of insomnia - Professor Jim Horne as “the most effective of all herbal treatments for insomnia”. Valerian contains GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) – which is an amino acid which is believed to help regulate sleep.
Valerian is usually recommended to be tried for a 4-6 week period and it is usual to take a 2 week break between treatments.
There are some products on the market which are easily available and combine some of the herbs and natural remedies I’ve listed above. Perhaps the best known of these is something called Nytol.
Nytol combines hops, valerian and passionflower to help promote calmness and sleep. I found wasn’t quite strong enough for me, but I have heard from a lot of fellow sufferers that it helped them lots.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Muscle Relaxation Therapy
Muscle Relaxation Therapy to help aid sleep for insomniacs
Muscle Relaxation Therapy – is the title given to a common treatment used to treat anxiety and improve relaxation. It was first used as far back as 1930 and is used as for a range of anxiety issues and not just sleep related ones.
A number of doctors believe that anxiety which can lead to stress and then sleepless nights – can be traced to tense and rigid muscles in the body.
This Progressive Muscle Relaxation can be used to reduce tension and relieve anxiety, leading to a good nights sleep.
How does it work then?
It’s a simple process where you basically go through and tense and relax different muscle groups.
It helped me and I’ve heard off quite a few other people who have found that it really did help their insomnia – both in their getting to sleep and getting a good relaxed night sleep.
Muscle Relaxation Therapy works on the principle that as you release tension in your muscles, your body relaxes and releases tension in your mind. Combining this with deep breathing is something which helps further.
Detailed below are the basic instructions for if you want to try it.
Getting started...
1. Wear loose clothing or your night clothes and lie on your bed.
2. Make sure you have nothing on your feet.
3. Take a few minutes to relax – breathing in and out with slow deep breaths.
4. When you are feeling relaxed – concentrate on your right foot.
5. Take a moment to focus on the way it feels.
6. Slowly tense the muscles in your right foot – squeezing as tightly as you can. Hold and count to 10.
7. Relax your right foot. Focus on the tension flowing away and the way your foot feels as it becomes limp and loose.
8. Stay in this relaxed state for a moment, breathing deeply and slowly.
9. Then repeat this another 4 times with your right foot.
10. When you have finished with the right, focus your attention on your left foot. Follow the same sequence of muscle tension and release.
11. Move slowly through your body – contracting and relaxing the muscle groups as you go.
12. When finished you should feel tired and relaxed – some people claiming to fall asleep before they have finished.
The usual Muscle Relaxation Sequence is as follows
Move through the body one area at a time – remember tense each area 5 times and hold to 10 each time.
1. Right foot
2. Left foot
3. Right calf
4. Left calf
5. Right thigh
6. Left thigh
7. Hips & buttocks
8. Stomach
9. Chest
10. Back
11. Right arm & hand
12. Left arm & hand
13. Neck & shoulders
14. Face
Here’s hoping it gives you some helpful relief
It doesn’t cost a penny to try and it might just help take your mind off that clock watching and the negative thoughts about another sleepless night. It’s pretty easy to give it a go.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Muscle Relaxation Therapy – is the title given to a common treatment used to treat anxiety and improve relaxation. It was first used as far back as 1930 and is used as for a range of anxiety issues and not just sleep related ones.
A number of doctors believe that anxiety which can lead to stress and then sleepless nights – can be traced to tense and rigid muscles in the body.
This Progressive Muscle Relaxation can be used to reduce tension and relieve anxiety, leading to a good nights sleep.
How does it work then?
It’s a simple process where you basically go through and tense and relax different muscle groups.
It helped me and I’ve heard off quite a few other people who have found that it really did help their insomnia – both in their getting to sleep and getting a good relaxed night sleep.
Muscle Relaxation Therapy works on the principle that as you release tension in your muscles, your body relaxes and releases tension in your mind. Combining this with deep breathing is something which helps further.
Detailed below are the basic instructions for if you want to try it.
Getting started...
1. Wear loose clothing or your night clothes and lie on your bed.
2. Make sure you have nothing on your feet.
3. Take a few minutes to relax – breathing in and out with slow deep breaths.
4. When you are feeling relaxed – concentrate on your right foot.
5. Take a moment to focus on the way it feels.
6. Slowly tense the muscles in your right foot – squeezing as tightly as you can. Hold and count to 10.
7. Relax your right foot. Focus on the tension flowing away and the way your foot feels as it becomes limp and loose.
8. Stay in this relaxed state for a moment, breathing deeply and slowly.
9. Then repeat this another 4 times with your right foot.
10. When you have finished with the right, focus your attention on your left foot. Follow the same sequence of muscle tension and release.
11. Move slowly through your body – contracting and relaxing the muscle groups as you go.
12. When finished you should feel tired and relaxed – some people claiming to fall asleep before they have finished.
The usual Muscle Relaxation Sequence is as follows
Move through the body one area at a time – remember tense each area 5 times and hold to 10 each time.
1. Right foot
2. Left foot
3. Right calf
4. Left calf
5. Right thigh
6. Left thigh
7. Hips & buttocks
8. Stomach
9. Chest
10. Back
11. Right arm & hand
12. Left arm & hand
13. Neck & shoulders
14. Face
Here’s hoping it gives you some helpful relief
It doesn’t cost a penny to try and it might just help take your mind off that clock watching and the negative thoughts about another sleepless night. It’s pretty easy to give it a go.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Different Types of Insomnia
Different types of insomnia
I’d never realised that there were lots of different types of insomnia - but looking into it in a bit more detail I found there to be different types and levels of this common sleep problem. Each has different causes and effects – so understanding this can really help you to start identifying the correct cure for the specific type of insomnia.
Sleep Onset Insomnia
This basically is the type of insomnia where you find it really hard to fall asleep.
The average sleeper takes between 1 and 20 minutes to get to sleep on a night time. Insomniacs are people who take longer than this.
This was always my problem – I’d go to bed and just lie there, wide awake, tossing and turning. No matter what sort of tiring day I’d had at work – I just couldn’t nod off. I’d just lie there with my mind racing, clock watching every half hour. It would sometimes take me 3 or 4 hours to finally drop off.
Sleep Maintenance Insomnia
This is the other type of insomnia, where people have problems staying asleep.
This wasn’t my problem, but during my research I’ve met or heard off hundreds of people experiencing this sort of insomnia where you constantly wake up during the night.
It is normal believe it or not to wake up momentarily several times during sleep without ever being aware of it. But with insomniacs once they are awake it isn’t a minor temporary intrusion – they lie awake for minutes or even hours unable to get back to sleep.
Sleep scientists define someone suffering from Sleep Maintenance insomnia as someone who awakes at night for more than half an hour at a time.
Once you’ve worked out which type of insomnia you are – you can now start to define this further by how often it happens. Hope you are still with me but it’s really important to take a step back and look at where you are now before being able to create the right mix of treatments to act as a cure.
Transient Insomnia
This is where you might only have problems sleeping for a few nights, then you slip back naturally into a normal sleep pattern.
Generally this isn’t too much of a problem as it’s only temporary. It’s usually triggered by an event such as a big night out, a trauma, the stress of a forthcoming presentation or even eating something too late at night.
Short Term Insomnia
This is where you might experience sleep deprivation for as much as a month. It’s more severe than the transient type of insomnia and if not treated or cured can lead onto the more extreme version of the condition.
Chronic Insomnia
This is the inclusive term for people who experience lack of sleep – either sleep onset insomnia or sleep maintenance insomnia for over a month.
I did find out that some sleep scientists do have another category called a Semisomniac. This is the term for what some people including a leading sleep scientist Dr Neil Stanley give to the majority of people who sleep, but poorly most nights. This they believe is down to the stresses and strains of modern life.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
I’d never realised that there were lots of different types of insomnia - but looking into it in a bit more detail I found there to be different types and levels of this common sleep problem. Each has different causes and effects – so understanding this can really help you to start identifying the correct cure for the specific type of insomnia.
Sleep Onset Insomnia
This basically is the type of insomnia where you find it really hard to fall asleep.
The average sleeper takes between 1 and 20 minutes to get to sleep on a night time. Insomniacs are people who take longer than this.
This was always my problem – I’d go to bed and just lie there, wide awake, tossing and turning. No matter what sort of tiring day I’d had at work – I just couldn’t nod off. I’d just lie there with my mind racing, clock watching every half hour. It would sometimes take me 3 or 4 hours to finally drop off.
Sleep Maintenance Insomnia
This is the other type of insomnia, where people have problems staying asleep.
This wasn’t my problem, but during my research I’ve met or heard off hundreds of people experiencing this sort of insomnia where you constantly wake up during the night.
It is normal believe it or not to wake up momentarily several times during sleep without ever being aware of it. But with insomniacs once they are awake it isn’t a minor temporary intrusion – they lie awake for minutes or even hours unable to get back to sleep.
Sleep scientists define someone suffering from Sleep Maintenance insomnia as someone who awakes at night for more than half an hour at a time.
Once you’ve worked out which type of insomnia you are – you can now start to define this further by how often it happens. Hope you are still with me but it’s really important to take a step back and look at where you are now before being able to create the right mix of treatments to act as a cure.
Transient Insomnia
This is where you might only have problems sleeping for a few nights, then you slip back naturally into a normal sleep pattern.
Generally this isn’t too much of a problem as it’s only temporary. It’s usually triggered by an event such as a big night out, a trauma, the stress of a forthcoming presentation or even eating something too late at night.
Short Term Insomnia
This is where you might experience sleep deprivation for as much as a month. It’s more severe than the transient type of insomnia and if not treated or cured can lead onto the more extreme version of the condition.
Chronic Insomnia
This is the inclusive term for people who experience lack of sleep – either sleep onset insomnia or sleep maintenance insomnia for over a month.
I did find out that some sleep scientists do have another category called a Semisomniac. This is the term for what some people including a leading sleep scientist Dr Neil Stanley give to the majority of people who sleep, but poorly most nights. This they believe is down to the stresses and strains of modern life.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Does Insomnia Cause Migraines?
How sleeping habits can affect headaches – does insomnia cause migraines?
We know that lack of sleep has a negative effect on concentration, energy levels and general health – but more recently research has shown that insomnia can have a significant effect on migraines and headaches.
A disturbed night’s sleep can lead to onset of headaches, and in cases where people have chronic insomnia this can lead to severe migraines. Experts are now exploring the links between insomnia and headaches to understand the problem and help with finding a cure.
The definition of insomnia is the inability to fall or stay asleep. It affects a huge number of people and there is debate as to whether the headache leads to insomnia or insomnia leads to the headache. Experts now believe where people suffer from both headaches and insomnia, that in some cases they are related and in others not. Where the 2 are related, treatment can mean a better night’s sleep as well as a reduction in headaches.
Incidentally, there is research to show that headaches are not only caused by too little sleep but also too much sleep. Headaches relating to too much sleep usually occur first thing in the morning. In the same way that sleep patterns vary dramatically between people, so does the effect of sleep on the type and length of headache.
Two main things to consider reducing headache related insomnia:
Posture
If a person works long hours and is in an uncomfortable position then this can lead to headaches. If a person has to stand up operating a piece of machinery or sit in a badly designed chair operating a computer it can lead to a build up of tension in the body. This tension can manifest itself in headaches.
Stop and consider how you may change the way you sit or stand and change your posture into a more relaxing position. This can have a dramatic effect on headaches and can lead to less stress in the body when you are trying to sleep.
It’s also worth considering posture when you sleep and irf you’re not sleeping well getting a new mattress.
Caffeine
It may seem obvious, but too much caffeine can lead to severe headaches directly. But with coffee and caffeine based drinks acting as a stimulant – it can also lead to a lack of sleep which can also lead to headaches – doubling the problem!
So for a good night’s sleep and to alleviate your headaches – try cutting back on coffee slowly to see if it has a positive effect.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
We know that lack of sleep has a negative effect on concentration, energy levels and general health – but more recently research has shown that insomnia can have a significant effect on migraines and headaches.
A disturbed night’s sleep can lead to onset of headaches, and in cases where people have chronic insomnia this can lead to severe migraines. Experts are now exploring the links between insomnia and headaches to understand the problem and help with finding a cure.
The definition of insomnia is the inability to fall or stay asleep. It affects a huge number of people and there is debate as to whether the headache leads to insomnia or insomnia leads to the headache. Experts now believe where people suffer from both headaches and insomnia, that in some cases they are related and in others not. Where the 2 are related, treatment can mean a better night’s sleep as well as a reduction in headaches.
Incidentally, there is research to show that headaches are not only caused by too little sleep but also too much sleep. Headaches relating to too much sleep usually occur first thing in the morning. In the same way that sleep patterns vary dramatically between people, so does the effect of sleep on the type and length of headache.
Two main things to consider reducing headache related insomnia:
Posture
If a person works long hours and is in an uncomfortable position then this can lead to headaches. If a person has to stand up operating a piece of machinery or sit in a badly designed chair operating a computer it can lead to a build up of tension in the body. This tension can manifest itself in headaches.
Stop and consider how you may change the way you sit or stand and change your posture into a more relaxing position. This can have a dramatic effect on headaches and can lead to less stress in the body when you are trying to sleep.
It’s also worth considering posture when you sleep and irf you’re not sleeping well getting a new mattress.
Caffeine
It may seem obvious, but too much caffeine can lead to severe headaches directly. But with coffee and caffeine based drinks acting as a stimulant – it can also lead to a lack of sleep which can also lead to headaches – doubling the problem!
So for a good night’s sleep and to alleviate your headaches – try cutting back on coffee slowly to see if it has a positive effect.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Cure Your Insomnia with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Recent research shows that one of the most effective cures for insomnia is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or CBT. It was initially pioneered by two leading researchers, Albert Ellis and Aaron beck throughout the late 60’s and early 70’s as a cure for depression. But further research has shown that the approach can also be highly effective as a treatment for other psychological disorders such as anxiety, stress and insomnia.
With nearly 10% of adults experiencing some form of insomnia or sleep depravation throughout their lives – it is a huge problem which is rarely discussed in public.
Lack of sleep can lead to side effects such as a constant “hung over” feeling (without any alcohol intake) to stress and depression and even physical danger from sleep driving or accidents whilst fatigued.
Whilst there are medicines to treat insomnia, many people experience long term side effects or find they only treat the condition temporarily. The greatest benefit of using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy as a cure for insomnia is that it treats the cause of the insomnia itself and not just the symptoms as medication does.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy works by helping to reduce the arousal associated with stressors in the brain. This over arousal (or a too addictive awake system in the brain) is the main cause of most sleep issues and a key reason for insomnia. CBT helps reduce arousal through positive thinking – helping sufferers from banishing negative thoughts associated with the condition.
The key principle behind Cognitive Behaviour Therapy working when tackling sleep depravation and insomnia is in reducing worry, anxiety and fear that one won’t sleep by providing “real” accurate information about sleep. Using real examples – we can now look at how you could use CBT to challenge self deprecating thoughts that fuel insomnia.
Some worries which seem to regularly re-occur with insomniacs are as follows, along with the sort of suggested method of turning these thoughts around:
1.” I’m not getting enough sleep”
But you maybe getting more sleep than you think, by misconceiving the lighter stages of sleep as wakefulness. Or in understanding that you may need less sleep than you thought – can help reduce anxiety about not getting enough sleep and paradoxically lead to being able to sleep better.
FACT
The minimum amount of sleep people need to maintain alertness is 5.5 hours. (You might not feel fully refreshed but it is adequate for normal functioning)
2. “I’m never going to get to sleep – how will I cope with tomorrow”
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy techniques can help people to challenge these negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.
So with the above example, CBT teaches you to change this thought to “I’m not sleeping well tonight, but I’ve had other nights like this and I did function reasonably well at work anyway”.
3. “I’ve been lying here for ages unable to sleep”
If you are spending 8 hours in bed, but need only 6.5 hours sleep – cut your time in bed to 7 hours. This will reduce the amount of time you experience the unpleasant, stressful feeling of being in bed awake at night.
4. “I should be able to sleep well every night like a normal person”
Understand that this is a fairly unrealistic statement. Lots of people struggle to slppe from time to time. Think “I will be able to sleep with practice”.
5. “It’s the same every single night, another night of sleepless misery”
Isn’t this a slight exaggeration – not every night will be exactly the same. Some nights don’t you sleep better than others?
6. “If I don’t get some sleep I’ll blow my presentation tomorrow and jeopardise my job”
This is catastrophizing at its worst. You’ll be able to get through that big presentation even if you’re tired. You’re still resting even if you’re not asleep.
7. “It’s going to take me at least 2.5 hours to get to sleep tonight”
Stop “fortune telling”! You don’t know what will happen tonight. You could get to sleep quickly if you’ve used the techniques of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
8. “I’m never going to be able to sleep well – it’s out of my control”
This feeling of hopelessness has to stop. You can cure your insomnia. Stop focussing on the negatives and focus on being positive – “you can beat insomnia”
There are many more examples but Cognitive Behaviour Therapy as you can now see is about replacing those self defeating thoughts. If you are suffering from insomnia try it yourself.
Write a list of negative thoughts you have had about your lack of sleep – now see if you can come up with a positive way of disputing this thinking. It’s easier than people think.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
With nearly 10% of adults experiencing some form of insomnia or sleep depravation throughout their lives – it is a huge problem which is rarely discussed in public.
Lack of sleep can lead to side effects such as a constant “hung over” feeling (without any alcohol intake) to stress and depression and even physical danger from sleep driving or accidents whilst fatigued.
Whilst there are medicines to treat insomnia, many people experience long term side effects or find they only treat the condition temporarily. The greatest benefit of using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy as a cure for insomnia is that it treats the cause of the insomnia itself and not just the symptoms as medication does.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy works by helping to reduce the arousal associated with stressors in the brain. This over arousal (or a too addictive awake system in the brain) is the main cause of most sleep issues and a key reason for insomnia. CBT helps reduce arousal through positive thinking – helping sufferers from banishing negative thoughts associated with the condition.
The key principle behind Cognitive Behaviour Therapy working when tackling sleep depravation and insomnia is in reducing worry, anxiety and fear that one won’t sleep by providing “real” accurate information about sleep. Using real examples – we can now look at how you could use CBT to challenge self deprecating thoughts that fuel insomnia.
Some worries which seem to regularly re-occur with insomniacs are as follows, along with the sort of suggested method of turning these thoughts around:
1.” I’m not getting enough sleep”
But you maybe getting more sleep than you think, by misconceiving the lighter stages of sleep as wakefulness. Or in understanding that you may need less sleep than you thought – can help reduce anxiety about not getting enough sleep and paradoxically lead to being able to sleep better.
FACT
The minimum amount of sleep people need to maintain alertness is 5.5 hours. (You might not feel fully refreshed but it is adequate for normal functioning)
2. “I’m never going to get to sleep – how will I cope with tomorrow”
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy techniques can help people to challenge these negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.
So with the above example, CBT teaches you to change this thought to “I’m not sleeping well tonight, but I’ve had other nights like this and I did function reasonably well at work anyway”.
3. “I’ve been lying here for ages unable to sleep”
If you are spending 8 hours in bed, but need only 6.5 hours sleep – cut your time in bed to 7 hours. This will reduce the amount of time you experience the unpleasant, stressful feeling of being in bed awake at night.
4. “I should be able to sleep well every night like a normal person”
Understand that this is a fairly unrealistic statement. Lots of people struggle to slppe from time to time. Think “I will be able to sleep with practice”.
5. “It’s the same every single night, another night of sleepless misery”
Isn’t this a slight exaggeration – not every night will be exactly the same. Some nights don’t you sleep better than others?
6. “If I don’t get some sleep I’ll blow my presentation tomorrow and jeopardise my job”
This is catastrophizing at its worst. You’ll be able to get through that big presentation even if you’re tired. You’re still resting even if you’re not asleep.
7. “It’s going to take me at least 2.5 hours to get to sleep tonight”
Stop “fortune telling”! You don’t know what will happen tonight. You could get to sleep quickly if you’ve used the techniques of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
8. “I’m never going to be able to sleep well – it’s out of my control”
This feeling of hopelessness has to stop. You can cure your insomnia. Stop focussing on the negatives and focus on being positive – “you can beat insomnia”
There are many more examples but Cognitive Behaviour Therapy as you can now see is about replacing those self defeating thoughts. If you are suffering from insomnia try it yourself.
Write a list of negative thoughts you have had about your lack of sleep – now see if you can come up with a positive way of disputing this thinking. It’s easier than people think.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
Sunday 18 July 2010
Diet Changes To Cure Your Insomnia
Does what you eat affect your sleep – I’ve had lots of people share with me things they have done regarding eating which have had positive effects on their insomnia.
I’m not a scientist but if you speak to dieticians, nutritionalists and doctors they will all back up that this is the case.
Firstly it is important to realise that good health promotes good sleep. The basic reasons behind this is that the body and mind require enough nutrition to renew cells and provide the body energy.
During sleep the body is sensitive to the balance between what is called “feast and famine”. You basically need to get that balance right.
Feeling full at bedtime isn’t necessarily the answer
Most people I’ve met who have experienced prolonged periods without enough sleep, think that going to bed with a full belly is going to help them sleep.
This is a common mistake.
Too much food near bedtime will leave your body restless as it tries to digest and absorb the meal. Sugar should be avoided before bedtime. Not wanting to bore you with science, but you might as well know the logic behind this.
Sugar apparently raises the level of two things called cortisone and adrenalin in the blood. Adrenalin is a stimulant – a bit like coffee – and works to keep you awake. The cortisone stops the body creating a natural growth hormone which not only helps you to relax but also helps repair muscle and tissue.
So what should I do?
I’m sure know the obvious things like not drinking coffee or caffeine based energy drinks close to bedtime.
But there are other things which really can help. They would not cost you the earth to add to your shopping list but combined they would make a big, big difference to insomnia after only about 4-5 days. If you have insomnia and you’re at the end of your tether – it’s definitely something you should give a go to.
I’ll now explain in lay mans terms the reason and the logic behind the tips on tweaking your diet . So here goes...
Breakfast
1. Start the day with a glass of warm water (this isn’t going to cost you anything!). This warm drink will help to kick start your digestive system.
2. Fuel the body with foods that will provide energy for the rest of the day. Cereal, porridge and eggs are a good choice. There are other health reasons why these are good for you – but I’m going to concentrate on why things are good for sleep.
3. Eat a small bowl of berries – raspberries, blueberries, strawberries etc ( you can add these to your porridge, cereal or eggs with pancakes. These top up something called your anti-oxidant levels which basically improves you bodies natural immune system – helping you from getting colds and annoying snuffles that stop you sleeping.
4. Try and eat a couple of spoonfuls of natural yoghurt – this will also help your digestive system and prepare your gut for the rest of the day.
5. Try and avoid a massive fry up – or at least keep it to a special occasion!
Lunch
1. Don’t skip lunch – this is the best time for you to have a balanced meal and bulk up for the rest of the day.
2. You still have a good time before bedtime so you can indulge yourself with foods that might inhibit or stop sleep like curry, Mexican or Chinese.
They might be stimulating but you’ll still have time to digest.
3. See it’s not all bad! Sleep might be making your life a misery but you don’t have to add to it by missing out on what you enjoy.
4. That said – if you can add a few vegetables or nuts to help top up your vitamins and minerals – it will help your ability to sleep by helping your bodies nutrition.
Dinner/Tea
1. Ideally dinner should lighter and avoid stimulating spicy foods.
2. A light meal or sandwich, at least 2/3 hours before bedtime is best – giving the body time to digest.
3. This doesn’t mean you have to eat just salads – by light meal I mean not a massive plate full!
4. Avoid too much alcohol, coffee and over indulging if you can.
5. Where you can, have a bit of fruit as desert instead of cakes or puddings
Supper
1. A small late night snack is good because it keeps hunger pains at bay.
2. The secret is not to over do it!
3. Try warm milk or a herbal tea to drink instead of coffee or hot chocolate.
4. Warm food is more easily digested – so if you have a biscuit – try dunking it in some warm milk or if you have a bowl of cereal put it the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
5. A small amount of carbohydrate (the stuff you get from potatoes, pasta, biscuits and bread) helps to increase something called serotin. This I have discovered helps reduce anxiety and improve sleep.
6. Don’t be greedy! – keep it to 1 or2 biscuits or a small bowl of cereal.
7. Try and avoid fatty snacks such as crisps or chips – as these will have the opposite effect.
The tips I’ve just given you as to changing your diet aren’t anything to do with weight loss. This is about changing the way you eat – to create a diet which helps promote sleep.
It might not work for everyone ( but it certainly won’t do you any harm) and it’s something else you can try for free without starting courses of drugs with harmful side effects.
You don’t have to give up the things you like – just re-adjust when you eat certain things.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
I’m not a scientist but if you speak to dieticians, nutritionalists and doctors they will all back up that this is the case.
Firstly it is important to realise that good health promotes good sleep. The basic reasons behind this is that the body and mind require enough nutrition to renew cells and provide the body energy.
During sleep the body is sensitive to the balance between what is called “feast and famine”. You basically need to get that balance right.
Feeling full at bedtime isn’t necessarily the answer
Most people I’ve met who have experienced prolonged periods without enough sleep, think that going to bed with a full belly is going to help them sleep.
This is a common mistake.
Too much food near bedtime will leave your body restless as it tries to digest and absorb the meal. Sugar should be avoided before bedtime. Not wanting to bore you with science, but you might as well know the logic behind this.
Sugar apparently raises the level of two things called cortisone and adrenalin in the blood. Adrenalin is a stimulant – a bit like coffee – and works to keep you awake. The cortisone stops the body creating a natural growth hormone which not only helps you to relax but also helps repair muscle and tissue.
So what should I do?
I’m sure know the obvious things like not drinking coffee or caffeine based energy drinks close to bedtime.
But there are other things which really can help. They would not cost you the earth to add to your shopping list but combined they would make a big, big difference to insomnia after only about 4-5 days. If you have insomnia and you’re at the end of your tether – it’s definitely something you should give a go to.
I’ll now explain in lay mans terms the reason and the logic behind the tips on tweaking your diet . So here goes...
Breakfast
1. Start the day with a glass of warm water (this isn’t going to cost you anything!). This warm drink will help to kick start your digestive system.
2. Fuel the body with foods that will provide energy for the rest of the day. Cereal, porridge and eggs are a good choice. There are other health reasons why these are good for you – but I’m going to concentrate on why things are good for sleep.
3. Eat a small bowl of berries – raspberries, blueberries, strawberries etc ( you can add these to your porridge, cereal or eggs with pancakes. These top up something called your anti-oxidant levels which basically improves you bodies natural immune system – helping you from getting colds and annoying snuffles that stop you sleeping.
4. Try and eat a couple of spoonfuls of natural yoghurt – this will also help your digestive system and prepare your gut for the rest of the day.
5. Try and avoid a massive fry up – or at least keep it to a special occasion!
Lunch
1. Don’t skip lunch – this is the best time for you to have a balanced meal and bulk up for the rest of the day.
2. You still have a good time before bedtime so you can indulge yourself with foods that might inhibit or stop sleep like curry, Mexican or Chinese.
They might be stimulating but you’ll still have time to digest.
3. See it’s not all bad! Sleep might be making your life a misery but you don’t have to add to it by missing out on what you enjoy.
4. That said – if you can add a few vegetables or nuts to help top up your vitamins and minerals – it will help your ability to sleep by helping your bodies nutrition.
Dinner/Tea
1. Ideally dinner should lighter and avoid stimulating spicy foods.
2. A light meal or sandwich, at least 2/3 hours before bedtime is best – giving the body time to digest.
3. This doesn’t mean you have to eat just salads – by light meal I mean not a massive plate full!
4. Avoid too much alcohol, coffee and over indulging if you can.
5. Where you can, have a bit of fruit as desert instead of cakes or puddings
Supper
1. A small late night snack is good because it keeps hunger pains at bay.
2. The secret is not to over do it!
3. Try warm milk or a herbal tea to drink instead of coffee or hot chocolate.
4. Warm food is more easily digested – so if you have a biscuit – try dunking it in some warm milk or if you have a bowl of cereal put it the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
5. A small amount of carbohydrate (the stuff you get from potatoes, pasta, biscuits and bread) helps to increase something called serotin. This I have discovered helps reduce anxiety and improve sleep.
6. Don’t be greedy! – keep it to 1 or2 biscuits or a small bowl of cereal.
7. Try and avoid fatty snacks such as crisps or chips – as these will have the opposite effect.
The tips I’ve just given you as to changing your diet aren’t anything to do with weight loss. This is about changing the way you eat – to create a diet which helps promote sleep.
It might not work for everyone ( but it certainly won’t do you any harm) and it’s something else you can try for free without starting courses of drugs with harmful side effects.
You don’t have to give up the things you like – just re-adjust when you eat certain things.
Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com
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