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Sleep bears the brunt of today’s strains and stresses
By slhaf | May 4, 2009
With so much to do it’s no wonder our waking hours are full to the brim. As our to-do lists get longer, not only do we get less shut-eye, the sleep we do get is reduced by our daily stresses.
So what’s the big deal about sleep?
Regular sleep is necessary for survival and an essential component to good health. The National Sleep Foundation maintains that seven to nine hours of sleep is optimal and sufficient sleep benefits alertness, memory and problem solving, overall health, and also reduces the risk of accidents (1).
What effect does stress have on sleep?
Stress is one of the key factors in causing insomnia; the body reacts to stress by producing hormones. These are the same hormones released when our bodies instinctively respond to outside stimulus – the typical “fight or flight” reaction. When we are very stressed high levels of these hormones are released, causing an overload that disrupts sleep.
What are the signs?
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Light or restless sleeping
• Waking often during the night
• Lying awake in the middle of the night
• Waking early and being unable to get back to sleep
What about beauty sleep, is it a myth?
Research undertaken by Kalms Sleep in 2005 showed that beauty sleep is not just a myth. Sleep is necessary not only for body and mental health, but to promote feelings of attractiveness. When tired and irritable, people perceive that they are less attractive to others and feelings of tiredness often lead to lowered motivation and self-efficacy.
Tips to sleep well
1. Always get up at the same time – even at the weekend! Keeping the same routine will help you body to know when it’s ready to wind down
2. Try an effective herbal remedy like Kalms Sleep which contains a unique blend of herbs traditionally used for their sedative action, particularly in the treatment of sleep disorders.
3. Have hot milky drinks in the evening instead of caffeine and/or alcohol
4. Make your bedroom a shrine to sleep – no TV, no reading
5. Stop your brain from going over problems, lists of things to do and other stresses by writing them down before retiring
For more information and tips on how to get a good night’s sleep go to www.kalmssleep.com
(1) Stanford University research – Nelson B. Powell, DDS, MD, September 1999
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Topics: Home, Wellbeing | 6 Comments »
October 19th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
There are lots of natural sleep remedies you could try. Some work better than others, but the best I have found is Valerdyn from Supplegen.com.
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:45 am
We, as a nation, are sleeping less than ever before. The press, and blogs need to start getting patients more aware of how lack of sleep can destroy your health.
February 11th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
melatonin is great for sleep, unfortunately it can not be purchased in the UK but available on email, its works very well and leaves no ‘hangover’ effects
April 3rd, 2009 at 2:07 pm
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April 14th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
People are sleeping less than usual, and less than they should. Thus, I am not surprised why I myself have to make do with typical tension headaches, which I always prepare for by keeping painkillers(fioricet-online) handy. But given a long, peaceful sleep, I am confident of going through my day without having to worry about head pains.
April 27th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Hey..ur post was quite informative… I’ll be a regular visitor from here on.thanks