Having Trouble Sleeping? (1)

by Beth McHugh | More from this Blogger

03 Jan 2008 10:27 PM

Sleep is essential to good mental health and even just a good life! One night of bad sleep can interfere with your day. It's no wonder then that chronic sleep deprivation can interfere with your life. The main causes of poor sleep are depression and anxiety, together with structural throat problems. But there are also other, less critical, reasons for that "tired all the time" feeling. Let's have a look at some basic sleep hygiene rules.

1. Irregular waking patterns Sleep researcher Dr. Adam Fletcher claims that waking up at the same time every day is a cornerstone of good sleep therapy because it keeps your body clock in sync. Although it is tempting to sleep in after a late night, it is not in the best interests of your body. The main habit that people fall into is sleeping in at weekends. This effectively resets your body clock so that having to wake early on Monday morning is the equivalent of suffering jet lag. And you're doing it every week! It is a mistake to "catch up" on lost sleep by spending time in bed over the weekend. For a long-term cure for sleep problems, it will be necessary to adjust your weekday habits so that sleeping in on the weekends is no longer necessary.

2. Hypnotize yourself as to what your bedroom is for The bedroom is essentially used for two functions: sleeping and sex. If you have a sleeping problem, it is necessary to remove all other activity cues from the bedroom. That means no TVs, no computers or other activities that increase heart and breathing rate. Having electronic gizmos in your bedroom sends a subtle message to your brain suggesting that the room is a playroom and that is not what a sleep-deprived person needs. Also cluttering your bedroom with electronic devices (even electric clocks) floods the body with unnecessary electromagnetic fields. These can cause disruption to the pineal gland deep inside the brain and interfere with the production of melatonin and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are essential for good quality sleep.

Next blog, more sleeping tips.

Contact Beth McHugh for further assistance regarding this issue.

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Learn more about Beth McHugh

Beth McHugh began her career as a geologist and worked both in industry and as a university researcher.

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