SLEEP YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS

You need your sleep. Sleep disturbance - even a few nights of poor quality sleep - is a major cause of increased emotional sensitivity, irritability, daytime fatigue, and difficulty in concentrating. We all need adequate sleep to function normally - mentally and physically.

Here are five things you can do to improve sleep:

• Early to bed. Job demands, shift work, travel, social activities, even TV can throw off internal biological clocks. Such irregularity can cause changes in hormone levels and brain chemistry, resulting in further sleep disturbances. The cycle feeds on itself. Adopt regular sleep schedules. Go to bed and wake at regular times each night. Within a few weeks you can normalize your internal biology.

• Catch some rays. Most people spend less than 10% of their daytime hours outside. We work, play, and study indoors with a dramatic reduction in exposure to bright light. Increasing daytime exposure to bright light not only works against depression, but also can help improve the regulation of sleep cycles. Spend one hour a day outside. Take a walk or just sit outside.

• Get moving. Regular exercise increases brain chemicals - endorphins and serotonin - both of which can reduce depressive symptoms and increase sleep. Begin a program of regular exercise. If it is hard to do on your own, join a class or get into regular exercise with a friend.

• Watch what you drink. Two widely used drugs are notorious for disrupting sleep: alcohol and caffeine.
  Alcohol: gives a temporary feeling of euphoria or relaxation. However, prolonged use actually results in increasing depression. A few drinks may help one to fall asleep, but the alcohol continues to work on the brain so that after a few hours of sleep the drinker may experience rebound insomnia. Additionally, alcohol reduces the time spent in deep sleep. Avoid or reduce alcohol intake during stressful times.

  Caffeine: is found in coffee, tea, colas, and chocolate, as well as in certain medications (e.g. Excedrin) and diet pills. Caffeine is a potent stimulant which can provide a sense of improved alertness and energy, but it can backfire. When people ingest more than 250 mg. per day of caffeine (roughly two cups of coffee) there is a significant likelihood of jitteriness, tension, anxiety, and insomnia. Caffeine produces a more restless sleep. Gradually reduce or eliminate caffeine - over a period of two to three weeks - and replace with decaffeinated beverages.

• Watch your diet. Diet and health are related. For example, reports show that high blood-fat levels can cause depression and reducing fat intake can markedly improve depressive systems; suddenly reducing cholesterol can lower brain serotonin levels, resulting in increased irritability. Carbohydrates make you run faster and help in brain function. Eat regularly and eat a balanced diet.

From You Can Beat Depression by Dr. John Preston, copyright (c) 1989, 1996. Used by permission of Impact Publisher, San Luis Obispo, Calif., 1-800-246-7228.

© 1997 vinebranch@hotmail.com

---

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page