Need
Some Sleep?
Railing and rock ‘n rolling
in bed is a woman’s worst nightmare. It’s
awful. Have you discovered anger you never
knew existed? I always thought I was a really  nice, sweet
person. Hah!
Not anymore. The inner witch came to
life. Having no energy during the day compounded the problem. Dragging a withered-up body around added to the
dreaded change-of-life.
Here's
How
With aging and declining hormones or
imbalanced neuro-transmitters, sleep is often elusive. It’s been published that fewer
hours are okay but the length of slumber is much more important than said. We need the
time of rest for repair, regeneration and the production of hormones. A good, long sleep
is more necessary as time passes. If fewer than eight hours is normal for you, it’s
time to remedy the habit.
The Bedroom – You
have to have a comfortable bed. If it sags and doesn’t support the spine get rid of
it. A good pillow that doesn’t strain the neck is an inexpensive way to decrease neck
tension. If your bedmate snores or tosses and turns, sleep in separate rooms. When
you’re in a better mood, everyone will be happier.
The room has to be quiet and pitch dark. Cover the windows with
opaque, heavy curtains with no light seeping in anywhere. This is not negotiable and is
invaluable to health and well-being. Your hormones depend on it.
Blood Sugar, Diet and Eating Before Bedtime –
Eating an unbalanced diet will affect health and the ability to sleep soundly. After a
meal heavy in starch or sweets, blood sugar spikes and then falls, the amounts depending
on the integrity of the pancreas and its hormone production. What happens during sleep if
too much starch or sugar has been consumed at dinner or before bedtime is that the glucose
in the blood drops too low. Cortisol from the adrenals rises and the result is to awaken.
The blood needs glucose. You need to eat. If you do wake up in the night, eat a few nuts.
It will provide the protein necessary to stabilize the blood sugar and sleep will return.
The best choice is to avoid sweets altogether to calm the spikes of blood glucose.
Starches also need to be minimized especially when they are of the refined, white flour
variety. Ice cream is about the worst. If a snack is needed before bed, eat nuts or drink
a glass of milk. They both provide protein and the milk has the added benefit of calcium.
Did you know that calcium has to be present for muscles to relax? That charley-horse in
the night means you need to take calcium supplements, 1,200 milligrams a day, calcium
citrate or apatite only. Carbonate is
limestone.
Medications –
Are you taking medications that cause a disruption to the sleep cycle? Read about the adverse reactions to your drugs and
talk to your doctor about substituting, decreasing or eliminating them. There are usually
more healthy means of correcting symptoms than with pharmaceuticals. Herbs, supplements,
homeopathics, acupuncture and/or a change in diet can often do the same job with less
toxicity. Not always, but often.
Hormones –
It’s important that hormones are being adequately produced and in balance with all
the other hormones in your body. Not only is sleep disrupted by an imbalance or by
synthetic hormones, your health is at stake as well. The testing is accomplished with
saliva and a blood spot. Test the sex hormones
estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, the thyroid hormones, and the adrenal
hormones. Find a practitioner who prescribes natural supplements as a first line of
treatment.
 Neurotransmitters –
These are the chemicals that transmit information across the synapses of the nerves to
relay all the information needed for body and mental function. Neurotransmitters are often
involved when there is depression, ADD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and addictions to
name a few of the more obvious problems. These are checked with urine and saliva testing. The problem is usually remedied with supplements,
not drugs. Results are remarkable. Keep your nervous system running smoothly.
Pain – Discomfort
can surely ruin a good sleep. Chiropractic works for joint and muscle pain, health
problems too. Massage and acupuncture will
relax, soothe and put you to sleep. All encourage the flow of energy, circulation and
contribute to good health.
Trips to the Bathroom – Don’t drink anything after
six o’clock. If you need water for medication, minimize the amount. Consume enough
fluid during the day so you don’t have to go in the night.
Apnea – Get
tested for sleep apnea. Whether you snore, carry fat around your neck or not, get tested.
Sleep apnea is when breathing stops while asleep. It is unbelievable how many times a
person can stop breathing in the night and still be unaware of it. Apnea is a killer. Getting tested may save your
life.
Stress – Worry and
anxiety are a plague to good health and sleep. If the stress can’t be calmed by deep
breathing or meditation, seek a counselor, hynotherapist or life coach that can help guide
you through life’s turmoil. Practicing yoga and meditation calm the mind and induce
relaxation. Guided Imagery recordings are
available at www.YourSelfHelpSite.com.
It’s not worth your health to wait any longer to get a good night’s sleep. There
are drugless remedies for most causes. Targeted
amino acid therapy for the neurotransmitters, supplementing the hormones naturally and a
change in diet are especially effective. Often
a simple adjustment will make all the difference.
Sleep Well
& Be A Hot Flash Queen. |
