To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

Sleep –  when it is missing in our lives it is craved. Nothing can start a conversation faster amongst women my age than ” How did you sleep last night”  It seems to be around  the Infamous “change of life”  that sleep issues arise.

Stress, food, temperature, daily events, worry, comfort, waking babies – the list goes on. All these can affect our sleep.

I know about this personally.  I have had my fair share of sleep issues.  I started having some minor sleep issues about 15 years ago. Minor they were though – an occasional night awake but able to cope the next day.  It was when my husband had a severe medical illness that minor became MAJOR.  I was driving to and from the hospital, trying to juggle my work commitments with my need to be with him. I was also worrying whether he would survive this new assault on his body. This was one of my most stressful times of my life, and though I have had several since, nothing hurt my sleep habits quite like this.

No sleep for several nights. You know those nights when you try, but seem to be awake all night. I would finally drift off, then awakened in a panic.  This was not good. I was not coping well with anything due to lack of sleep.  Tears came easy.   My friendly family doc handed me a prescription for a sleeping pill, and that was the start of a emotional dependence on that little blue pill – it solved the problem.

My sister had found a solution to her sleeping problem, in the form of a Nikken Sleep System !  I had laughed at her as she carried her ” bed” with her everywhere she went to stay overnight.  I wasn’t willing to “go there” to be honest.

But soon, I began to hate my dependence on my little blue pill. I didn’t like the taste in my mouth in the morning, the hangover even when I cut down the dose, but mostly I hated that I was dependent on anything. Natural, refreshing sleep eluded me.

I decided that I was willing to try the Nikken sleep system, and within days of its arrival, I  had tucked away my pills in a far corner of the bathroom.  This was something new – a cocoon of magnetic and far infared energy and negative ions. This sleep system reset my body after a hectic day and gave me deep relaxing sleep.

It is not that I haven’t have the occasional sleep problem , but mostly one that is solvable by looking at my pre-sleep activities, before bed or supper time food and drink, and maybe sipping on a Chamomile tea.

So what do the experts suggest  to get a good sleep ?

• unplug for a while before bed
• avoid caffeine in all forms in the evening ( and for some afternoon)
• warm drinks – the warm milk our grandmothers swore by maybe had a point !
• comfortable temperature in the room,
• blackout shades or sleep mask
• get rid of all those little lights on your alarm clocks etc ( I wear a Nikken sleep mask too )
•  various ideas of what food to eat and not to eat.
• get checked for sleep apnea if you snore and/or are overweight.

Check here for a list of foods that help and hinder sleep.

The risks of poor sleep habits ?

• high blood pressure
• obesity
• troubled skin,
• poor immune system
• higher risk of cardiac disease
• lack of healing of  minor ailments.
• digestive problems
• anxiety and depression

The benefits of good sleep –

• a good immune system
• clear healthy looking skin
•  weight loss,
• healing and resetting of our bodies
• rest, pure rest.
• and even perhaps a dream you can entertain others with
• that awesome feeling when you wake up knowing you slept well

What tips do you have to aid sleep ?

I would love to hear them.