Tag Archives: insomnia

Waking Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed

Almost everyone has probably heard that expression before. You feel grumpy or are having a bad day and someone says, “What’s wrong with you? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?” Although it doesn’t really matter which side of bed we crawl out of in the morning, you can always tell when it’s going to be one of those days. Is it simply our mindset or a sixth sense when we awaken and can almost feel that gray cloud hovering above our heads, warning us that today will not be a good day? As you stumble … Continue reading →

Pain and Sleep

In a way, pain is a good thing: it is the body’s way of saying that something is wrong, and giving you a general idea of where the problem is. But pain can mess with your appetite, concentration, sleeping habits, and more. Sometimes, pain makes you want (or need) more sleep. If you are sick or injured, you need time to rest and heal! There are some types of pain that make me want to snooze — mostly headaches. Often, I’ll try taking a nap to see if I can sleep the headache off before resorting to pain relievers. Though … Continue reading →

Do Athletes Sleep Better than Non-Athletes?

Having trouble sleeping? If you tend to be an object at rest more often than an object in motion, that might be part of the problem. A study from the University of Basel in Switzerland looked specifically at teen athletes in their study on exercise and sleep. More than four hundred teens (the average age of study participants was seventeen) kept logs of activity and sleep patterns for a week. More than half of the participants were members of the “Swiss Olympic Classes“; the rest were more sedentary. The 258 student athletes exercised an average of seventeen and a half … Continue reading →

Six More Ways to Start the Day Right

Are you having a hard time getting out of bed these days? If you aren’t fond of waking up before the sun rises, try these tricks to help you start the day right! Focus on the positive. Leave yourself a sticky note the night before that reminds you of something good about the coming day. Thanks to hormonal shifts while we sleep, many people wake up feeling down or just kind of blah. A reminder about something good in the coming day (like lunch with a friend) can help boost your mood. Keep flowers in your bedroom. A study from … Continue reading →

Start the Day Right

Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day… but there are lots of other things you can do in the morning to start your day right. Make sure you sleep well the night before. The Families.com Health Blog is full of helpful hints to help you get a great night’s sleep! Keep your bedroom cool. Warmth makes it easier to nod off — but it also makes it easier to stay in bed. You may also wake up groggy in a warmer room. A cool room (between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit) will help you wake up alert … Continue reading →

Having Trouble Sleeping? (3)

So far we have addressed poor sleeping habits such as not waking at the same time each day, using the bedroom for activities other than sleeping, the trouble with lights in the bedroom, and the emotional effects of a messy bedroom. You can find the links to the first two articles in this series below. Today we look at the issues of anxiety and stress in sleep disorders. 5. Worry and anxiety and their effect on sleep We all intuitively know that anxiety and worry are professional sleep killers. Yet we can’t always avoid worry and anxiety in our lives, … Continue reading →

Having Trouble Sleeping? (2)

In our previous blog on better sleeping habits (see link below), we looked at the importance of getting up at the same time each day, including weekends, and the detrimental effects of electronic appliances such as televisions in the bedroom. Today we’ll look at more tips for getting the health and beauty sleep that you need. 3. Declutter your bedroom Is your bed a rumpled mess with sheets half pulled off and blankets tossed onto the floor? Does the rest of your bedroom look like a hurricane’s been through it? Be honest, would you have trouble knowing whether a burglar … Continue reading →

Having Trouble Sleeping? (1)

Sleep is essential to good mental health and even just a good life! One night of bad sleep can interfere with your day. It’s no wonder then that chronic sleep deprivation can interfere with your life. The main causes of poor sleep are depression and anxiety, together with structural throat problems. But there are also other, less critical, reasons for that “tired all the time” feeling. Let’s have a look at some basic sleep hygiene rules. 1. Irregular waking patterns Sleep researcher Dr. Adam Fletcher claims that waking up at the same time every day is a cornerstone of good … Continue reading →

Holiday Sleep Loss

Do the holidays leave you feeling rested? Or are you tired from all the extra stuff — the parties, the running around, the shopping, the extra commitments? Sleep can become a problem during the holiday season. Why? Maybe you’ve got more on your social calendar. Maybe you’ve got to squeeze in shopping between work and family time. Maybe you’ve got unresolved issues with family members you’ll be seeing at the holidays — the worry and stress can cause you to lose sleep. Maybe you’re drinking more — parties often mean alcohol, and alcohol can interrupt your normal sleep cycle. So … Continue reading →

Another Look at Natural Sleep Aids

Despite being really tired, I slept very poorly last night. I knew I had to get up early for a conference call and was worried that I would oversleep or miss my alarm. Instead, I spent the night dozing lightly and tossing and turning. I must have looked at the clock a hundred times! At least… that’s what it felt like. My bad luck — I have another early morning call tomorrow. I’m hoping I’ll sleep easier tonight, but I wouldn’t mind some help, either. And I’m sure I wasn’t alone in my sleeplessness last night — insomnia is a … Continue reading →