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 Every
living creature needs to sleep. We probably need more rest than any
other animal because our lives are so complicated and our brains so
complex.
Humans sleep and
awaken in a fairly constant 24-hour rhythm called a circadian rhythm.
When the brain is aroused or awake, it is in a state of readiness
and able to react consciously to various stimuli.
Everyone needs
a period of rest within every twenty-four hours. Our brains are so
active that after 16 hours of activity you may feel "fried"
or "burned-out". This is because your brain has become deprived
of the necessary energy it needs to function while you are awake.
After about eight hours of sleep you may find the same brain "recharged"
and ready for a full day of activity. Only sleep will refurbish brain
cells. You can't live without it.
Sleep
is a very complex process.
The brain has at least two centers that are involved with our ability
to sleep and with the ability to stay asleep. Every organ in our body
goes into "neutral" when we sleep, from the control center
-- our brain. Our heart rate slows down, our breathing slows and the
body's temperature drops.
 Many
scientists believe that dreaming is what helps our brain restore itself
and prepares it for the next day. Sleep studies have been in process
for years and years, and dreaming is still considered essential for
a good night's sleep -- some say the most important function of sleep.
Even if you don't remember your dreams, we all dream. The debate over
the function of dreams will most likely continue until we get a better
understanding of the complexity of the human brain.
As
you get older, your sleep will become briefer, lighter and more disrupted.
Right now, you need lots of sleep -- ideally eight hours. Other experts
think that teenagers need nine or ten hours of sleep. Just try to sell
yourself short on sleep and you'll be more irritable, less productive
and a health hazard if you drive or operate equipment.
Some
Practical Ways To Get Restful Sleep
| You'll
sleep deeper and more easily if you are physically tired, so make
sure you get some exercise each day. |
| Try
to go to bed an hour or so earlier for at least 10 days. Keep a
diary. Note how good you feel during the day compared to the way
you felt before. |
| Try
to go to sleep and get up at the same time each morning -- even
on weekends. |
| Try
not to nap -- especially in the late afternoon or evening. Some
people, however, suggest taking a power nap. Do a test to find out
if napping affects your sleep. |
| Avoid
exercising just before bedtime. It may actually keep you awake. |
| Make
sure your feet aren't cold and that the room temperature is comfortable. |
| Try
drinking a glass of warm milk with honey at bedtime. Some people
recommend the amino acid L-tryptophan. (Studies have shown that
the supplement melatonin may NOT be safe for use by teenagers.)
Stay away from tea, coffee and chocolate. They will keep you awake. |
| Avoid
loud music, big meals, arguments and exciting television shows that
might over stimulate you at night. |
| Don't
eat a heavy meal just before you plan to go to bed and avoid caffeine,
alcohol and nicotine in the evening. (Of course we don't want you
to smoke or drink, but you have to make that decision for yourself.) |
| Make
the countdown to bed a relaxing routine that keeps your mind off
the day's problems. Wind down before you go to bed by listening
to quiet music, reading something other than a schoolbook, or taking
a warm bath or shower. |
| Sleep
on a comfortable bed, in a dark, quiet room. Use your bed only for
sleeping, not for studying and other activities. Keep your schoolbooks
or reminders of work or personal problems off your bed and, if possible,
out of your bedroom. |
| Once
you get into bed, calm your mind with meditation or by slowly relaxing
each set of muscles. Try relaxation and imaging techniques -- even
counting sheep or imagining balloons rising one by one into the
air. See self-massage for relaxation techniques. |
| Don't
lie awake in bed for more than 30 minutes. Get up and do something
until you're sleepy again. |
| Avoid
over-the-counter (OTC) sleeping aids. Most nonprescription sleep
drugs rely on antihistamines which have sedative side effects and
make you drowsy. While they work for some people, about one in four
people has side effects, including dry mouth, dizziness, urinary
retention, constipation, nausea, blurred vision, or increased heart
rate. And while OTC sleep aids are less powerful than prescription
drugs, they can still become habit forming. If you already take
an antihistamine for allergies, then you surely want to avoid taking
another without the advice of your health care provider. |
Insomnia
by William Bulman, MD
 Although
the term insomnia is used to describe a multitude of sleep disturbances,
most people complain of one of a few specific problems with their
sleep patterns: poor sleep quality, difficulty in initiating sleep,
nighttime arousals, or insufficient quantity of sleep. Difficulty
in initiating sleep is most often a problem with what doctors refer
to as “sleep hygiene” - the activities that precede and
surround the act of going to sleep. Daytime napping, drinking alcohol
or caffeine-containing beverages in the evening, or routinely using
one’s bed for awake activities like reading or watching TV can
make falling asleep or staying asleep difficult.
(Please see our links below for a full discussion of this topic).
Although not common,
problems with initiating sleep may be the result of underlying medical
illness. In fact, disruptions of the normal sleep cycle are often
some of the earliest clues that disease is present and, in certain
circumstances, are the only warning signs that a problem exists.
Subtle
signs of illness:
Depression is perhaps the best example of a medical condition that
can present with subtle sleep disturbances. Depression frequently
results in difficulty with falling asleep or with staying asleep,
and early morning awakening is a common symptom. In many instances
these symptoms can be much more prominent than actual depressed mood,
and both doctors and patients may overlook these subtle signals. New
problems with sleep, often accompanied by daytime fatigue, loss of
interest in daytime activities, or unplanned weight loss are often
warning signs of serious but treatable depression.
Nighttime arousal
is another common sleep-related complaint that can point to a specific
medical problem. Many chronic medical conditions have symptoms that
flare during sleep, causing frequent mid-sleep awakenings and resultant
daytime fatigue. These conditions can develop very slowly over time,
leaving people unaware that they have a significant problem.
 There are many homeopathic herbs that are useful for sleep, Valerian Root is one that has been used for hundreds of years and is quite effective. Stop by your local health food store and ask for it and about others also.
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