There are so many natural ways to assist with sleep issues which I will not be able to cover in its entirety here so be sure to give these a try and, if they do not work for you, for whatever reason, then I’d suggest you keep searching for natural remedies as insomnia is curable very easily so there is no reason that your should continue to suffer with it.

Severe insomnia is sometimes a symptom of a more serious condition so be sure to rule that out before dealing with it with these natural methods.

Here are some highly effective natural remedies for you;

Exercise – Exercise, whether it be as simple as a walk or a strenuous workout has been proven to help with sleeping problems. Exercise releases stress and helps you to relax. One note of caution though…do not do your exercise too close to bedtime as this can cause insomnia.
Relaxation Techniques – There are a variety of techniques that fall under this category including Yoga, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Visualization and more. Get yourself a good book on these techniques and give them a try.
Modify Your Diet - Stay away from caffeine or caffeinated snacks or drinks. Magnesium is a natural sedative so try to incorporate magnesium-rich foods into your diet. Here are some magnesium-rich foods that you can try, dark leafy green vegetables, wheat bran, almonds, cashews, blackstrap molasses, brewer’s yeast, and whole grains.
Herbs or Supplements – melatonin is a hormone that our body produces that aids in sleeping. Therefore it makes sense that if you are having trouble getting to sleep that perhaps you could do with a boost of melatonin.

Valerian is another herb that is highly effective in helping people sleep but has many possible interactions with other medications you might be taking so be sure to do your research on this one thoroughly before taking it.

Aromatherapy – apparently Lavender oil has proven to help people get to sleep and have deeper sleeps
Music – quiet, slow, rythmic music has also shown to aid in getting to sleep

So now you have 6 techniques to help you to get some much needed sleep. Insomnia is not the 800 pound gorilla that it might have seemed to be before you had this information. You can take steps to get rid of it.

Always remember to seek out natural remedies for any condition that affects you or your loved ones as they usually have no harmful side effects to deal with.

Herbs

The Chinese have used herbal remedies for centuries and swear that they work. When taking herbs you should keep in mind that it may take a few tries before they start working. Also remember that this is not a cure for your sleep disorder, merely an aid in finding dreamland. If you decide that herbs is a route you would like to try please consult your doctor, as they may interact with other medications you are on.

Teas

Herbal tea is another method that may help you fall asleep. There are many different varieties of tea you can choose from. Chamomile is known to help soothe you, where as ginseng and catnip have a light sedative. There are also teas made from passion flower, red clover, peppermint, or lemon balms.

Supplements

Supplements are another remedy you might like to try, especially if you are not a tea drinker. Some supplements such as valerian also come in the form of tea. This is another herb that may take some time to take full effect in your body, so just be patient when trying this. Kava kava, hops, and St. John’s Wort are a few other supplements that may work for you.

Food

Melatonin is another supplement that may help, but this is a hormone that is a naturally occurring hormone found in the brain. This hormone is produced at night to help you feel drowsy so you can sleep. melatonin can be found naturally in foods that contain the amino acid tryptophan. Turkey, soy and milk products are all good sources of tryptophan. If your diet is lacking these foods it may be necessary to take a supplement of melatonin.

Others

Some people try many things to help them get a restful night’s sleep. Something as simple as doing exercise on a daily basis, rearranging your furniture to create feng shui, doing deep breathing exercises, using visual imagery, or even muscle relaxing techniques may help you. Some more non-traditional methods may include acupuncture, self-hypnosis, meditation, or acupressure.

When deciding what method or remedy you would like to try it helps to know what is causing the sleeplessness in the first place. You may also have to try more than one remedy before you find one that is right for you.

The truth: Everyone should sleep from seven to nine hours per night regardless of age, according to Edward L. Schneider, MD, dean of the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Sleeping less than seven hours weakens immunity and increases the risk for depression, falls and accidents.

N.A.S.A. research shows the effects on driving after being awake for 20 hours is comparable to a blood alcohol level of 0.05.

Lack of sleep can also lead to raised blood pressure, headaches, increased appetite and weight gain due to increased production of cortisol. This hormone has the opposite effect to what you desire,particularly if you are overweight,because it stores fat and burns muscle.

A University of Pennsylvania study showed that getting two fewer hours sleep a night for one week lead to reduced performance in vigilance tests and an increase in inflammatory markers in the blood stream.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TO GET MORE sleep?

FIRST,YOUR BEDROOM.
Make sure you have a comfortable bed and pillow. Your bedroom should be dark and quiet. It should also be well ventilated.

It should be peaceful.Jasmine, sandalwood or lavender scents can help.

A warm bath or shower before bed or playing tranquil music can also help. The aim is to slow your mind down. Watching TV in bed may not help, if you wish to relax your mind.

AVOID.
Caffeine in the evening. Sleeping tablets can be addictive if used continuously and should be avoided other than for very short time use. Eating heavy meals or drinking alcohol within two hours prior to bedtime can also disrupt sleep.
Bedtime snacks, particularly grains and sugars will raise your blood sugar and inhibit sleep according to Dr Joseph Mercola, author of The Total Health Program.

EXERCISE.
Regular exercise can reduce stress. A walk before bedtime can not only calm you, but the physical activity can aid digestion.
Your dog would also appreciate it!

HERBS AND OTHER SUPPLEMENTS.

Mild herbal supplements like camomile tea, passion flower or valerian may help some people.

VALERIAN.
The extract from the root of this plant is a natural sedative and tranquiliser. It can induce relaxation and is very good at quieting the busy mind. It is also a rich source of calcium, potassium and magnesium, all calming and balancing minerals for the nervous system. This herb also appears to increase brain levels of serotonin, a relaxing neurotransmitter.

MAGNESIUM.
This mineral is particularly important for your general wellbeing. When combined with calcium, it is an important supplement for healthy bones and protection against osteoporis. It is also important for sleep inducement, muscle relaxation and nervous system calming.

ST JOHNS WORT.
This herb is an effective option in helping to relieve mild anxiety and nervous tension. It can aid in the maintenance or improvement of general wellbeing.

A word of caution: St Johns Wort may react with some medications,including warfarin. It is important that you consult with your doctor before using this or any other supplements.

MELATONIN.
melatonin is a natural sleep hormone produced at night by the brain.
Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have shown it to be safe, non addictive and virtually free of side effects. It is helpful for those who have light or restless sleep or take some time to fall asleep.

With correct use, it may help you to fall asleep more easily and stay asleep longer. It is an effective cure for jetlag because of its ability to regulate our 24 hour sleep/wake cycle.

Many adults, especially those aged 65 and older have insufficient levels of melatonin to achieve restful sleep, according to Mark A Stengler ND, a naturopathic physician in private practice in La Jolla, California.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR.
Try 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with 2 teaspoons of honey in a glass of warm water, before retiring.

FINALLY, NAPPING.
Sleep researchers have widely diverging opinions here. Some state that it can disturb night time sleep, while others say that it can compensate for a night time sleep deficit, especially if below 7 hours. Dr Schneider believes that most people should not nap for more than 20 minutes.

Researchers in the sleep research laboratory at Longborough University, England have found that people are designed for two sleeps a day, the main one at night and a nap in the afternoon.

I have found that an occasional 15 to 20 minute cat nap in the afternoon, particularly if I am feeling tired, can help me sleep better at night.

The bottom line is: What works best for you?

Never start a new treatment before consulting your doctor, especially if you currently are taking medication. The information published in this article is not intended as a substitute for personal medical advice from your physician or other qualified health-care practitioner.

Some the herbal medications taken for insomnia include valerian, melatonin and kava, but there insifficient evidence from research to recommend them. A recent study that has been conducted by the University of Alberta shows that melatonin is not as effective as most people think it to be. Researchers have analyzed the studies that involved around 500 people with various sleeping programs like medication, shift work, jet lag and medication. They found no clear evidence that melatonin has a special role to play for people falling asleep faster.

What is recommended though are the relaxation techniques an insomniac can turn to. These have been proven to be the most effective. These activities require at least 20 minutes before bedtime.

Here are some examples:

1. Visualization entails a relaxing scene in your head. Try this before actually falling asleep. Think of how it will be like if you really are in the place you are visualizing yourself to be. The more vivid you visualize the place, the more involved your senses will be.

2. Yoga combines meditation, stretching and deep breathing. Daily yoga for eight weeks can already improve total sleeping time as well as the time needed to fall to sleep.

The traditional cures of insomnia are drinking warm milk before sleeping, taking a warm shower at night, engaging in vigorous exercise for an hour and a half at noon, eating large lunch followed by light dinner three hours before bedtime and avoiding mentally stimulating activities at night.

People with insomnia are also encouraged to get up early in the morning and sleep at a reasonable hour in the evening so that their sleeping habits will improve.

We highly recommend you consider our self-help hypnosis MP3′s and CD’s which have proven effective for many people. A medication-less life can only be better for your body, and if you believe in yourself and your own abilities you will find our self-help hypnosis programs of immense benefit.

* Try a cup of chamomile tea.
This beverage contains glycine, a chemical that acts as a mild sedative, say researchers from Imperial College London. And since glycine is also a muscle relaxant, it may help reduce menstrual pain. Tip: Drink your tea an hour or more before bedtime if nighttime trips to the bathroom pose a problem.

* Consider the possibility of reflux.
Even if you don’t feel the pain of heartburn, acid reflux may be waking you up at night, according to a study conducted at the Lynn Health Science Institute in Oklahoma City. Dubbed “silent reflux” due to its lack of symptoms, this condition affects about one in four troubled sleepers. Tip: If you have sleep problems that don’t have an obvious cause, talk to your doctor about whether you might be suffering from reflux.

* Duck from dawn’s early light.
”Avoid very early morning sunlight if you wake up too early,” says James Maas, Ph.D., a sleep researcher at Cornell University and author of Power sleep. “Your body will start to come out of its sleep cycle when it should still be in a deep sleep.” Since sunlight helps set your body clock, exposure to the bright light of early morning contributes to the premature peak in your body cycle. Keep your bedroom very dark, but get plenty of light after rising to boost mood and alertness.

To reset your body clock so that you get better sleep and don’t wake up too early in the morning, take a late afternoon walk, advises Maas: “melatonin is a hormone that sets your inner clock and tells your body when it’s time to be sleepy. By getting late afternoon sunshine, you’ll be forcing your body to produce melatonin later in the day. This will cause your inner body clock to peak later, making you sleep more soundly at night.”

* Check your medicine cabinet.
Have you been prescribed medicine for high blood pressure or depression? Some of these drugs can cause insomnia. For instance, a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that some beta-blockers-used to treat high blood pressure-slashed production of melatonin by 80 to 90 percent. In addition, taking the antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can lead to trouble falling asleep or nighttime awakenings. If you use either of these types of drugs and you have sleep problems, talk to your doctor about changing your dosage or switching to a drug that doesn’t disrupt sleep.

Using these strategies, you just may zap your sleep problems and get better rest.

Writer: Gabrielle Lichterman
©MediZine’s Healthy Living, Second Quarter 2007

The main symptoms of jet lag are fatigue and tiredness. This can be accompanied by headaches, dizziness, muscle soreness, a feeling of sickness and odd eating patterns. Being tired while on your holiday, especially if you’re planning on doing a lot of sightseeing or physical activity can make if difficult to have an enjoyable time.

To prevent jet lag you have to start before your trip. Ensure you are relaxed and stress free before you leave for the airport. Don’t drink caffeinated drinks and while alcohol may relax you it also dehydrates which can contribute to jet lag. Also consider doing some light exercise such as yoga or running but nothing that will make your muscles sore. Exercising aids your body’s sleep patterns.

Once on your flight, try to make yourself as comfortable as possible. Consider accessories that will help you such as neck pillows and eye masks. Take off your shoes and get pillows and blankets before the plane takes off. Since dehydration contributes to jet lag, bring a large bottle of water. Drink lots of water even if you don’t feel thirsty.

After take off, set your watch to the destination time. The rule of thumb is to sleep if it’s bed time at your destination and stay awake (or just take a small nap) if not. If you need to sleep consider taking a light sleep aid and if you’re worried about missing the meal service then just let the cabin crew know to wake you. Again, avoid consuming alcohol. It may help you sleep but in the long run it will make jet lag worse. If you feel like a drink then just have one and drink extra water to keep hydrated. If you’re awake, get out of your seat and do some simple stretches to reduce muscle tension.

Some travelers swear by melatonin pills to prevent jet lag. Tests show that your body’s clock is influenced by the hormone melatonin. It is secreted when your body is exposed to a lack of light so when it’s dark it’s like a natural sleeping pill. You can force this hormone by taking melatonin pills which can be purchased over the counter at most drug stores.

Once you arrive at your destination adjust to the time as soon as possible. If you are tired in the middle of the day don’t crash but take a small nap and then get to bed early. Sleeping during the middle of the day and staying awake at night will only prolong jet lag.

If you use these preventative tips you will arrive at your destination rested with minimal jet lag and ready to enjoy your trip.

According to a study published in the Lancet Medical Journal (1) chronic sleep deprivation may speed the onset or increase the severity of age-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and memory loss.

Just one week of sleep deprivation altered subject’s hormone levels and their capacity to metabolize carbohydrates.

During sleep deprivation the researchers found that the men’s blood sugar levels took 40% longer to drop following a high-carbohydrate meal, compared with the control group (well rested group).

Their ability to secrete and respond to the hormone insulin (which helps regulate blood sugar) dropped by 30%.

Additionally, the sleep-deprived men had higher night-time concentrations of the hormone cortisol, (hormone released in response to stress), and lower levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone.

These raised cortisol levels mimic levels that are often seen in older people, and may be involved in age-related insulin resistance and memory loss.

So with that in mind here are some helpful tips to getting a good night’s sleep:

1. Get to sleep by 10.00 pm if possible – as most of the physical repair in your body takes place between 10 pm and 2 am. For example the gallbladder dumps toxins during this period. If you are awake then your liver is being overworked and perhaps sending toxins into your bloodstream.

2. Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath and then reading a book or listening to soothing music. Some studies suggest that soaking in hot water before retiring to bed can ease the transition into deeper sleep, but it should be done early enough that you are no longer sweating or over-heated.

3. Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable, cool, and without interruptions. Design your sleep environment to establish the conditions you need for sleep. Also make your bedroom reflective of the value you place on sleep. If there is even the tiniest bit of light in the room it can disrupt your circadian rhythm and your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and serotonin (growth and immune boasting hormones).

4. Avoid arousing activities before bedtime like working, paying bills, engaging in competitive games or family problem-solving.

5. Avoid exposure to bright light before bedtime because it signals the neurons that help control the sleep-wake cycle that it is time to awaken, not to sleep.

6. Keep the light off when you go to the bathroom at night. As soon as you turn on that light you will immediately cease all production of the important sleep aid melatonin.

7. Eating a high-protein snack several hours before bed works for many (but not all as it depends on metabolic type). This can provide the L-tryptophan needed to produce melatonin and serotonin. Also eat a small piece of fruit. This can help the L-tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier.

8. Avoid foods that you may be sensitive to. This is particularly true for dairy and wheat products, as they may have effect on sleep, such as causing apnea, excess congestion, gastrointestinal upset, and gas, among others. Additionally grains will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.

9. Exercise regularly. It is best to complete your workout at least a few hours before bedtime. In general, exercising regularly makes it easier to fall asleep and contributes to sounder sleep. However, exercising sporadically or right before going to bed will make falling asleep more difficult. In addition to making us more alert, our body temperature rises during exercise, and takes as much as 6 hours to begin to drop. A cooler body temperature is associated with sleep onset.

10. Wear socks to bed. Due to the fact that they have the poorest circulation, the feet often feel cold before the rest of the body does. A study has shown that this reduces night waking.

11. Remove the clock from view. It will only add to your worry when constantly staring at it… 2 am…3 am… 4:30 am…

12. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex to strengthen the association between bed and sleep. It is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping environment.

13. Using dimmer switches in living rooms and bathrooms before bed can be helpful.

14. Journaling. If you often lay in bed with your mind racing, it might be helpful keep a journal and write down your thoughts before bed.

15. Avoid caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) close to bedtime. It can keep you awake as caffeine is a stimulant, which means it can produce an alerting effect. Caffeine products remain in the body on average from 3 to 5 hours, but they can affect some people up to 12 hours later. Even if you do not think caffeine affects you, it may be disrupting and changing the quality of your sleep.

16. Avoid nicotine (e.g. cigarettes, tobacco products). When smokers go to sleep, they experience withdrawal symptoms from nicotine, which causes sleep problems.

17. Avoid alcohol close to bedtime. Although many people think of alcohol as a sedative, it actually disrupts sleep, causing nighttime awakenings. Alcohol will also keep you from falling into the deeper stages of sleep, where the body does most of its healing.

18. Avoid using loud alarm clocks. It is very stressful on the body to be awoken suddenly. If you are regularly getting enough sleep, they should be unnecessary.

19. Avoid drinking any fluids within 2 hours of going to bed. This will reduce the likelihood of needing to get up and go to the bathroom or at least minimize the frequency.

20. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows. Make sure your mattress is supportive and have comfortable pillows. Make the room attractive and inviting for sleep but also free of allergens that might affect you and objects that might cause you to slip or fall if you have to get up during the night.

21. Listen to white noise or relaxation CDs. Some people find nature sounds like rainfall or ocean waves, or white noise soothing for sleep.

22. Herbs including chamomile and valerian are regarded as natural relaxants.

Happy Sleeping!

Your 3d Coach

Craig Burton

Reference

(1) The Lancet October 23, 1999, 354:1435-1439

There are numerous reasons why a person may experience a sleep disorder. The most common reason is that the sleep disturbance is due to another health condition. Many people with conditions like Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome have difficulties falling to sleep, maintaining sleep, and getting enough rest to function as necessary. People who experience chronic pain, Sciatica, hormonal imbalances, and similar issues may develop sleep disorders.

Sleep Apnea is another common sleep disorder that can affect sleep. This occurs when an individual actually stops breathing frequently throughout the night. The person may or may not realize that they are experiencing this. Many times, if someone complains that they are not getting enough rest, a doctor will order an exam in which sleeping patterns are observed. This is the method that is used to determine if sleep apnea is the underlying sleep disorder that a person is experiencing.

Suffering from a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, for example, can lead to many health problems. These health problems can appear as a physical issue, or may have an impact on the mental health of an individual. The following outlines some general complications that are associated with sleep deprivation:

• Feeling lethargic

• Suffering from decreased motivation

• Experiencing muscle spasms throughout the body

• Exhibiting severe mood swings

• Decreased strength of the immune system

• Confusion, or issues in thinking appropriately

• An increased number of accidents

• Issues with reflexes

If a person fails to get the proper amount of sleep, many serious health conditions can occur. This includes:

• Heart Failure

• Injuries to muscles

• High blood pressure levels

• Stroke

• Heart attack

• Anxiety attacks

• Mental instability

It has been discovered that when a person experiences a sleep disorder, that simple lifestyle changes can help to alleviate the problem. If you engage in activities such as smoking, or consuming alcoholic beverages, it is important to eliminate these items from your life. It is equally important to ensure that you get plenty of sunshine during the day. The body has an internal timer based on a substance called “melatonin”. When you are in sunlight, the melatonin levels are decreased. Once it begins to turn darker outside, the melatonin levels will naturally increase. This is the way that the body sends the message to the brain that it is time to sleep.

If you wish to avoid various sleep disorders, it is imperative that you engage in a healthy diet. If you get the proper amount of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, the body is sure to respond in a positive way. Many of the foods that we consume on a daily basis contain a high level of toxins. Furthermore, many foods that are cooked are stripped of all the nutritional value that our body requires. If you focus on natural foods, such as a variety of fruits, and drinks that have a high nutritional value, such as Juice Plus, your body is more apt to adept appropriately when it is time to rest.

There are many ways that you and I can fight against sleep deprivation. The first step is learning as much as you can about sleep disorders, and the causes. The second step is to make healthy lifestyle changes that can benefit to the health of the sleep cycle. The third method is to share this important information with your loved ones.

This might not be the biggest secret to making money, but those who already implement it in their own lives will recognize its value. It is a simple change that you can make in your day-to-day life that can yeild extraordinary results.

So, here we go. A simple, easy-to-implement secret to bringing more money into your life is….

(Anticipation is building) ….

Wake up earlier in the morning everyday!

By becoming an early riser, you can see a dramatic improvement in your creativity and productivity as it will feel like you have much more time in every day. This leads to inspired, profitable ideas and more money in your life.

If you are already an early riser, than I am sure that you realize the benefits of this lifestyle and live this way on purpose. You know the old saying, ‘Early to bed and early to rise makes a man (or woman) healthy, wealthy, and wise.’

And if you are the kind of person that delights in sleeping until 11AM every morning, the prospect of waking up early might be totally terrifying. In fact, I am sure that you have tried waking up early before and have had little success with it because you felt tired for hours.

Changing to an early rising schedule can be difficult, and I am sure that any experience that you had with it went something like this: You said to yourself, ‘OK, that’s it! It is time to make some serious changes in my life, and I am going to start by waking up at 6AM every day!’

So you try to go to bed early and you set the alarm clock for 6AM, and sure enough what do you do when it goes off in the morning? Sleepily turn it off and go back to bed! And if you have had this experience, it may have turned you off from the concept of being an early riser altogether. But I promise you that this can be one of the best, most worthwhile decisions you will ever make, as long as you are willing to fight through the first difficult stages.

So how do you overcome your aversion to early rising? The best way is to simply force yourself to get up and stay up that first day, and there is actually a way to do this that will make it much easier. melatonin is a chemical that the human body produces to regulate sleeping patterns, and the more melatonin you have in your body the sleepier you will be. What you need to do is within the first few minutes of waking up early for the first time, even though you may be incredibly sleepy, expose your eyes to somewhat bright light.

This will rapidly decrease the level of melatonin in your body, as it is produced more when you are in a dark environment (at night), and you will no longer feel magnetically attracted to that space underneath your covers.

Believe it or not, aside from the increased productivity and creativity, there is a whole new world of opportunity that opens up to you simply because you are awake at 5 or 6 in the morning. Ever heard of online currency or forex trading? Well if you live in America, you will now be up early enough in the morning to trade the European market open, which can make you some serious cash if you are a savvy trader.

People who suffer from SAD are affected by the amount of daylight exposure they receive. The hormone melatonin, which helps regulate hormone secretion, body temperature and sleep, is produced in the brain during hours of darkness. The decrease in daylight hours in autumn and winter causes an increased production of melatonin in SAD sufferers, which results in the onset of debilitating symptoms of depression. Exposure to bright light is effective in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder.

The incidence of SAD as well as its severity is influenced by several factors including geographical location, family history of SAD, recent illness or spending a major portion of the day in a windowless room. Light therapy works on the principle that exposure to bright light can suppress the production of melatonin in the brain, which regulates the internal clock of the body and reduces symptoms.

A light box is a small portable device that is comprised of fluorescent tubes or bulbs. It is specially designed to provide a precise amount of balanced spectrum light that is equivalent to being out in the sun on a clear, sunny spring day. In mimicking outdoor light, the light box causes biochemical changes in the brain that help in synchronizing wake/sleep patterns, regulating the body clock and relieving symptoms of SAD.

During Light Box Therapy the user is required to sit directly in front of the light box at a specific distance, which depends upon the required intensity. For light therapy to be effective it is necessary for the light from the light box to enter the eyes indirectly. Just exposing the skin to the light does not have the same effect. Looking directly into the light can damage the eyes and is not advisable, except in a few patients who are asked to look into the light for brief moments before looking away again. However, sunglasses are not to be worn during light therapy as it blocks the light from entering the eye, adversely affecting the effectiveness of the therapy.

Light therapy is now considered a standard treatment for SAD. It offers numerous potential benefits for SAD sufferers especially for those who are averse to taking antidepressants or for those tried antidepressants and found them ineffective.