Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
April 10, 2008
Think you are the only one tossing and turning all night? Think again. The majority of people don’t get all the sleep they need. Experts from the National Sleep Foundation recommend 7 to 9 hours of sleep, while most people fall unfortunately short at only 6.8 hours of sleep per night. Prior to Thomas Edison’s bright idea of the electric light bulb, people slept an average of 10 hours a night. Now that we have the lights on, televisions blaring, computer screen glaring, and a 40 plus hour workweek, we don’t get the same amount or the same quality of sleep that the body needs. The best way to get a good night’s sleep is to practice good sleep hygiene by following the ten healthy recommendations provided below.
Your Clock is Ticking. Your circadian clock, which tells your brain and body when it is time to sleep and wake, is running 24/7. A regular sleep and wake pattern helps strengthen the circadian function in your brain and body, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up on time. Try sticking to a similar sleep and wake schedule even on weekdays, weekends, and vacations to get your circadian clock going strong. If you follow these recommendations and still have trouble falling asleep, supplements that contain sleep-inducing ingredients (melatonin, 5HTP, Valerian) can help you establish an ideal sleep and wake pattern.
Get on the Program. Establishing a sleep program or routine for you to practice every night will help separate your sleep time from your wake time. Your routine should be relaxing and help clear your mind of your stressful day. Try soaking in a warm bathtub, reading a book, or listening to soft music. Make sure that your bedtime routine avoids bright lights that can stimulate your circadian clock to wake up instead of fall asleep. Also avoid any stressful activities such as working, paying bills, or arguments that are more arousing than sleep inducing.
Hit the Lights. The morning sunlight programs your circadian rhythms through photoreceptors in your eyes. When the sunshine peaks underneath the curtains, your photoreceptors detect the intensity of the light and stimulate your brain and body to wake up. To avoid stimulating your photoreceptors in the evening, eliminate bright lights that will mimic the sunshine of the morning and daytime. This includes computers, televisions, other bright electronic devices, and harsh lighting. Try using a soft lamp for reading or preparing for bedtime and use an eye mask if your sleeping area is not dark.
Treat Yourself Right. Not only does a good night’s sleep feel wonderful, it is incredibly important for your physical and mental health. Because your quality of sleep is so important, you need to establish conditions that enhance your sleep. Make sure that your sleeping environment is cool, dark, quiet, and free of interruptions. You can do this by making sure your curtains are dark, using a fan or air conditioning to regulate temperature, and using earplugs to eliminate noises. Your mattress, pillows, and linens are also important and need be comfortable for you.
Save it for Sleep. Ideally, your sleeping environment is free of computers, televisions, and any work materials and reserved only for sleeping. This may not be possible, but at the very least, your bed needs to be reserved for sleep and not stressful reminders of a mess a report that’s due, etc. Try to eliminate any activities or items you associate with stress from your entire sleeping environment. Eliminate any non-sleep activities from your bed…with perhaps one exception.
Don’t Eat Before Bed Time. Dinners tend to be the largest meal of the day, but eating too much may make you uncomfortable when you lay down to sleep. Try to finish your last meal at least 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. If you suffer from heartburn, avoid spicy foods that may make you uncomfortable. Also avoid sugary foods that may disrupt your blood sugar.
Training to Sleep. One more reason to start or keep exercising – it helps you sleep better! Exercise makes it easier to fall asleep and sleep soundly through the night. Exercise raises your body temperature, but sleep is associated with a lower body temperature. For rigorous workouts, make sure you finish at least 3 hours before bedtime so that your body temperature has sufficient time to drop before you try to sleep. It is o.k. to wind down with relaxing stretching, yoga, or tai chi close to your bedtime, but reserve more intense exercises for the morning, afternoon, or early evening.
Skip the Stimulants. Skipping things that contain caffeine, such as coffee, teas, soda, and chocolate is a must in the afternoon and evening. Caffeine remains in your body an average of 3 to 5 hrs and makes it difficult to fall asleep. Some people think that caffeine does not affect them, but it still may disrupt and lessen the quality of their sleep. Avoid caffeine within 6 to 8 hours of your bedtime. Nicotine is also a stimulant and can make falling asleep difficult. If you cannot avoid nicotine all together, at least avoid it prior to bedtime.
Catch Some Rays. Catching some sunrays can help you catch your Z’s. Eye exposure to the bright and powerful light of the sun actually sets your circadian rhythm and helps you entrain to a sleep and wake schedule. It is best to get your sun exposure in the mid-morning. Try taking a short walk in the morning sunshine as a break from work or eat your lunch outside, even in the winter. Just 5 to 10 minutes of exposure to the morning sun will help entrain your sleep and wake schedule.
Booze Won’t Help You Snooze. Alcohol may make you feel sleepier, but it won’t help you get a good night’s sleep. Alcohol actually disrupts sleep, causing you to wake up frequently through the night. For a restful night’s sleep, you are going to have to skip the martini and other alcohol in the late afternoon and evening.
How to Improve Mental Clarity
April 9, 2008
Get To Sleep. Mental alertness begins with attaining good quality and quantity of sleep. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night for optimal health and performance, but most people fall short of this due to a hectic schedule or an inability to fall asleep. Sleep is very important for your brain because this is the time when memories and information are actually processed and organized in your brain. If you are having any problems getting to sleep try our Sleep1.
Remember Exercise Is Important For Your Brain. Regular physical exercise is not just essential for your body, it’s essential for your brain as well. When you exercise, your body increases circulation of blood, and consequently oxygen and glucose (the sugar your brain uses as a fuel) to the brain. To increase mental clarity, try light aerobic exercise during the day, such as brisk walking, swimming, or casual cycling.
Try Brain-ercise. As physical exercise strengthens your body, exercising your mind strengthens your brain. Activities such as Sudoku, puzzles, drawing, and math quizzes all stimulate your brain, helping you create and maintain important neuronal connections critical to cognitive abilities. One simple exercise you can practice very simply is to write with the opposite of your dominant hand. It may be difficult initially, but with a little practice and some neuronal connections, you will get the hang of it.
Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels. Just like gasoline fuels a car, blood sugar fuels your brain. The human body has incredible abilities to regulate blood sugar, but even these complex physiological functions have their limitations. You can help your body maintain healthy blood glucose levels by consuming well-balanced, low-sugar, and portion-controlled meals every four to five hours throughout the day. Additionally, consuming small carbohydrate snacks between meals, such as sliced fruits and vegetables, will help fuel your brain.
Provide Your Brain the Right Nutrients like those packed into Neuro1. When it comes to your brain, not all food is created equal. Your brain requires special nutrition to perform optimally. Because your brain is mostly composed of fat, it is important to include healthy fats, such as polyunsaturated and omega-3 fats in your diet. Avoid saturated, trans, and hydrogenated fats that may actually have a negative impact on your mental clarity.
There are micronutrients present in small amounts in the diet that can positively affect mental clarity and cognitive abilities. Many vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, the B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc, are essential for humans. These vitamins and minerals play an integral role in brain and nervous system functions, energy production, immune system function, organ health, and cell protection.
Certain amino acids function as or are converted to important neurotransmitters, which may be present in less-than-optimal concentrations in the body due to conditions of stress, fatigue, sleep deprivation, exhaustion, or sub-optimal diet, such as taurine and tyrosine. Plant and herbal extracts, such as bacopa monniera, rhodiola rosea, ginkgo biloba and huperzia serrata, can help to stimulate the nervous system, making you feel more alert while helping to optimize neurotransmitter levels and protecting against neurodegenerative processes.
Neuronutrients, such as glucuronolactone, phosphatidylserine, and alpha-glycerylphsophoryl choline can also help support brain function. While these neuronutrients sound obscure, they actually occur naturally in the human body and are found in some foods.
Supplements designed to support mental clarity may include ingredients, such as those described above, that are researched to improve aspects of cognitive abilities. These nutrients are an easy way to provide your brain with the fuel and building blocks required to maximize your mental clarity.
The Science of Sleep
March 28, 2008
Tired of being tired? You’re not alone. On average, Americans say they get less than seven hours of sleep each night. Still, we spend nearly one-third of our lives asleep, so it’s not surprising that a great many researchers are exploring its many mysteries. What is surprising, however, is the new evidence about sleep’s impact on health, aging, memory and even sex!