Living Naturally Healthy

Be Great in 2008

Archive for natural sleep aids

Tools For a Good Night’s Rest

November 3, 2008 at 3:22 pm · Filed under wellness and tagged: , ,

How we sleep the night before can determine how the rest of our day will go. Obtaining the best possible sleep is crucial to performing our best both mentally and physically. As we all have at some point experienced a restless night, we know that sleep deprivation and reaction time go hand in hand. The more deprived we are of sleep, the slower our reaction time. To help maximize our time of sleep, consider the following.

Where you sleep: Is where you sleep an environment of peace and relaxation? What could be distracting you from the best possible rest? Are there dogs barking, car alarms going off? Trains? Any of the aforementioned can be a distraction, perhaps one beyond our control, but what about the ones in our control? Is there a television or radio on in the background or dishwasher running? These can all be a distraction that prevents us from falling into the best possible sleep. By eliminating these distracting noises, the process of sleep can be focused on.

How you sleep: At night when it is time for bed, do you fall asleep quickly and naturally or does it take long periods of time to fall into slumber?  Excessive mental stimulants can be the cause of not falling asleep quickly. Natural sleep aids are a great way to be sure that you spend at night sleeping and not trying to fall asleep. Some people find that herbal remedies may also be beneficial.

If aches and pains are preventing you from getting the best sleep possible, consider the mattress you are using? If your mattress is old and outdated, it may be lacking in the necessary support you need to relax your body completely. Also, an old mattress is probably poor in motion separation. This in turn can cause you to wake from deep sleep cycles every time your partner moves next to you.

Keywords: sleep deprivation and reaction time, natural sleep aids, herbal remedies

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Can Sleep Save Your Life?

October 31, 2008 at 2:07 pm · Filed under wellness and tagged: , , , ,

 

Supported with statistical data, turning back the clock one hour this weekend may reduce the number of heart attacks Americans will suffer in the following week.  As covered on the Today Show, studies conducted by Swedish researchers point out the fact that there are approximately 5% fewer heart attacks on the Monday following the gain in an additional hour of sleep.

Sleep is a vital event that is necessary for our bodies to be healthy. Depriving ourselves of sleep takes a toll on our overall health.  More than just bags under our eyes, sleep deprivation also takes a toll on our systems. Everything from a weakened immune system to compromised cardiovascular systems, our bodies pay the price. While it may be difficult to always obtain the optimal 8 hours of sleep each night, there are many sleep aids that can help.  Natural sleep aids and store bought sleep aids are not treated equal though. Be aware of anything that can be addiction forming.

Sleep deprivation and reaction time  also have a strong correlation.  Studies show that the deprivation of sleep dramatically reduces our alertness and slows down our reaction time. There is nothing worse than a sleep deprived driver. Take these statistics for example, in 1998, 24,318 deaths were cited from accidents related to sleep deprivation in the US. There were as well 2,474,430 disabling injuries resulting from accidents where decreased mental efficiency and attentiveness due to sleep loss as the major causative factor (Health Guidance).  

As it can be deduced, being well rested is important for our overall health. Sleep helps us to fight of colds, repair cuts and bruises and also help regulates our body functions.

 

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Staying Fit While Traveling

October 31, 2008 at 1:40 pm · Filed under wellness and tagged: , , , ,

Traveling, while exciting and always an adventure, can set us off our regular routines. This break in routine can lead to poor eating habits, weight gain, and sleep loss. To maintain healthy ways to lose weight and to be sure that enough rest is met while on the road, follow these great tips.

1.       Watch what you eat: Travelling, especially when associated with works finds many travelers at the mercy of eating out constantly. With this being the case, try avoiding fast food restaurants, which offer mostly unhealthy meal options. If you must eat at a fast food establishment, look for options that have lower calories and fat content. Choose salads when possible, paying extra attention to using light salad dressings. Grilled chicken sandwiches are also a better alternative. Substitute fries with a side salad when possible, opt for diet beverages or water and do Not supersize.

Fortunately, all eating experiences when traveling, especially for work, are not behind the wheel of the car. When eating at a sit-down restaurant, the same rules apply. Look for entrées that are broiled or grilled. When selecting a side opt for fresh vegetables and choose your beverages wisely avoiding alcoholic and high calorie choices.

2.       Get enough sleep: While this may be easier said than done, getting enough sleep will keep you alter and less irritable. If attempting to sleep in a strange environment is difficult for you, you can try some non-habit forming natural sleep aids.

3.       Exercise: This is the most important of the weight loss tips for staying fit while traveling. Packing a pair of workout clothes and some sneakers take up very little room in your suitcase, but the benefits that you will feel for packing them will be a good decision. An additional benefit to packing the sneakers is that you will be able to get out and walk and explore the local culture.

 

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Tips for a better night’s sleep

October 29, 2008 at 4:35 pm · Filed under wellness and tagged: , , ,

If you find yourself counting sheep at night, and are afraid of addiction forming sleep aids, there are many natural sleep aids that can help. Some sleep aids are as basic as changing your daily habits.  Activities such as sticking to a schedule will increase the chances of having a better night’s sleep. Going to bed and waking at the same time everyday puts your body in a rhythm that promotes better sleep. Additionally cutting back on caffeine and alcohol can help eliminate shallow sleep cycles and disruptions in sleeping fully.

It is equally essential to create an environment that promotes sleep. Ridding the bedroom of clutter and distraction will promote a feeling of rest and relaxation.  Hiding the alarm clock can be helpful in preventing the habit of waking to see how much time there is before needing to wake.  Constantly waking to see how much time is left before needing to wake can be a stressful habit that affects the rest of our day.  

Bedroom temperature is important as well. Try to keep the bedroom a cool temperature to ensure a sleep inducing environment.

Remember sleep deprivation and reaction time goes hand in hand. In order to perform at our optimum, we must get our fully rest every night.

 

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