Sleep deprivation is something that many of us take as a given in our rush-rush culture.
We often don’t get enough sleep and if we have the hours of sleep we need, often the quality is not what it should be. With modern science, doctors are discovering and naming a myriad of disorders.
Doctors have now named 83 separate sleep disorders, among them, sleep apnea, insomnia, circadian rhythm abnormalities, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy.
The hypothalamus regulates the sleep/wake cycle. This cycle is also known as circadian rhythm. Cycles of light and dark normally cue the body as to which cycle it should be in at any time. The human body deprived of sunlight and clocks, would not naturally keep a 24 hour cycle. Sleep, meals, exercise, and routine activities all influence circadian rhythm. If one wants to regulate the circadian rhythm, they should follow a schedule for meals, exercise and bedtime.
There are many people who have had great success with using dawn simulators and light boxes to help the quality of their sleep. By gradually lighting, dawn simulators slowly bring a person to the lightest sleep stage, so when they wake, they are somewhat conscious and not jarred awake from a dream.
How can one get the quality and ideal amount of sleep? Here are some things that experts can agree on:
- Set a sleep schedule and do your best to keep it.
- Stay away from caffeine, sugar, and artificial sweeteners, as well as alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime.
- Stay physically active and exercise early in the day.
- Time evening work outs more than 2-3 hours before sleep.
- Have a relaxing bedtime routine to get your body ready for sleep.
- Make breakfast your biggest meal of the day.
- Get lots of bright light in the morning.
- Drink 8-10 eight oz glasses of water per day. Even mild dehydration (1/2 cup of your body’s water) could turn into low-grade chronic fatigue.
- Naps are ok but try to limit them to 15 minutes.
- Go to bed when you are sleepy. If you don’t fall asleep in 15-20 minutes get up and leave the bedroom.
- Move the television out of the bedroom.
- Cooler is better. Keep the bedroom cool and add a blanket it you are chilly.
- Make sure that your bedroom is reserved for romance and sleep-that’s it.
- Remove any items or activities that detract from the peaceful and calming atmosphere that the bedroom should be. Your body will learn that it is a place of relaxation.
At Light Therapy Products, we offer many products that can help you to relax and get the sleep that you body needs.
- Aromatherapy- Lavender promotes relaxation and Peppermint clears sinuses to make breathing easier.
- Aromatherapy Candles- These wonderful soy candles can be lit to help you wind down, or to clear your head. Once the proper state is achieved, they should be snuffed out.
- Eye Pillows- These can be used alone or with several drops of an essential oil. They can also be heated in the microwave or cooled in the freezer.
- CDs- We offer a great selection of relaxation and sleep cds that help you to relax and reduce stress in order to ease your body into sleep. We have special sweatband style headphones that enable you to listen comfortably while drifting off to sleep.
- Pillows- We have pillows with built in speakers if you prefer not to use headphones, and we also have pillows with great neck support to keep your spine in alignment and keep your airway open all night long.
- White noise machines- Some people are disturbed by noises and our white noise machines mask annoying noises with a constant sound such as birdsong, surf, or rain.
- Biofeedback devices- These hand-held units help to calm through deep breathing. They have a gentle blue light that shines on the ceiling. When you match your breath to the light, your body becomes relaxed and ready for deep sleep.
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