Written by Chicagohealers.com practitioner Dr Steven Arculeo, DC –

Although an adequate night’s rest is essential for maintaining good health, forty percent of this country’s population has trouble sleeping, according to a 1,500 person survey conducted by Consumer Reports. Memory loss, trouble concentrating, and emotional instability are just some of the unfortunate effects of troubled sleeping. Sources of lost rest include lack of a nighttime routine, poor diet and pre-bedtime eating habits, and significant life stress. Whatever the cause, though, the following are natural and practical solutions from Dr. John Schaaf of Peak Performance/ Healthsource of Old Town to help identify and correct sleep disturbance.

Diet Eat dinner at least three hours before bedtime. If this isn’t possible, go light for supper or eat a snack, avoiding greasy or high calorie foods that take more time and energy to digest. Abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages at night. Alcohol can prevent your body from reaching the deep stages of sleep, which robs you of its recuperative benefits. In fact, don’t drink a lot of any liquid around bedtime. Getting up to use the bathroom repeatedly can be a big sleep disturbance.

Meditation One of the primary aims of any meditative technique is to relax your mind and body in general, which is a prerequisite to a satisfying night of rest. No matter what type of meditation you ultimately choose, the holistic living advisors at Life Positive Magazine say to find a position most comfortable for you, concentrate on the darkness behind your eyelids, let your thoughts flow freely, chant any mantra, and meditate for at least ten minutes.

Herbs: Taking herbs is a great way to ensure the proper function and balance of systems in your body which affect sleep. Valerian, hops and chamomile are among the most common sleep inducing herbs, but consult a certified nutritionist or a herbologist to ensure that you’re taking the proper dosage and administration.

Chiropractic: Issues such as limited range of motion, headaches or numbness in the hands or feet can often make a good night’s rest impossible. Get checked by your chiropractor to address any of these issues, or to determine if they might cause sleep trouble in the future.

Invest in a new bed If you’re still sleeping on grandma’s old hand me down mattress, throw it out and get a new one. Different mattresses are made for different kinds of sleepers, so look around for a shop with salespeople willing to work out things like size, firmness, and the right type of box spring. The right rest surface can go a long way toward relieving sleep problems.

Establish a nighttime routine Many late night habits can contribute to sleep problems, so make an effort to form new and more beneficial ones. Go to bed at the same time every night. Contrary to popular belief, the body does not adjust quickly to changes in sleep schedules.

Shake the urge to watch nighttime TV, since watching television just before bed stimulates areas of the brain that keep you awake. A new study published in the Journal of Sleep and Sleep Disorders Research says that most Americans let television, and not a person’s need for a full eight hour’s rest, dictate when they go to sleep. Respect your body’s natural rhythm and turn off the tube.

Peak Performance Health Care is now a part of Healthsource. This is a system of multidisciplinary clinics offering chiropractic, progressive rehabilitation and other services to address your complete health and wellness needs. Contact them in Chicago at 312-440-9646 or on the web at healthsourcechiro.com.

ChicagoHealers.com mission is the education and advocacy of natural medicine and a holistic lifestyle.

 

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Finally, I’d like to thank you for reading this article and i hope it was helpful information.

I’ve been having sleeping problems for a few months now. Why am i getting so paranoid and cant sleep?

I first noticed this when i would come home from boarding school freshman year. When I would come home, no matter how hard I tried, i could not fall asleep. I felt so paranoid about where I was, and would just walk around the house all night and watch TV. Why can’t I fall asleep, and what should I do so I can get the proper amount of sleep I need to function?

Answer
The strange surroundings, as crazy as it may seem because you are actually at home, can have an effect.
I suggest the following for exam prep, but it may well work here.
Sit in a chair where you can relax, are not going to be disturbed. Arms and legs uncrossed, and just relax. Think of somewhere peaceful you would like to be, the beach for example.
Count very slowly, from 1 to 10, as you take yourself on an imaginary journey. Let all the tensions and stress flow out as you relax and get closer, until finally, at number 10, you arrive.
Before you go to bed, a warm milky drink, (no caffeine) don’t read or watch TV, instead listen to relaxing music, (no vocals) , pan pipes are ideal, and just let yourself drift off into a peaceful sleep.
Hope this helps,
mike t.

Sleep Problems? Extremely Simple Solutions

Are you having sleep problems that may interfere with your life, or that are already interfering with your ability to carry out your daily responsibilities? If so, the answers could be much simpler than you ever imagined. Consider just a couple ways to increase the quality of your sleep, starting tonight!

1. Honest Analysis

Take the time to honestly consider what is keeping you up at night. If you have difficulty falling asleep, what exactly is causing that? Maybe it’s a racing or worried mind that refuses to stop thinking about the day or your current problems. Perhaps it is the comfort of your current mattress or the snoring of a loved one. Whatever it is, you can’t fix it until you acknowledge it.

If you are waking up in the middle of the night due to pain in the legs, you may be suffering from restless leg syndrome. If you are having nightmares that scare you awake or are sleepwalking, those are disorders you need to take stock of right now.

2. Routines and Patterns

One of the biggest problems that cause sleep problems today is the erratic schedules most of us keep. If you are lying down at different times each night or allowing yourself to sleep until whenever you happen to wake up, stop right now!

You need a determined bed time and set waking time so that your body can get into the routine and know when it is time to start winding down and when it is about time to wake up. You want to wake up at the natural completion of a sleep cycle, instead of interrupting that. The best way to do that is to allow your body to adjust to a given sleep schedule.

Taking stock of the problem and following through is the beginning step, but it will get you on the way to a healthier sleep life if you take it right away.

Are you suffering from a sleeping problem? Get natural treatment and master the art of energizing sleep… and finally break free from daytime drowsiness once and for all!

For your free 5 day course to cure your sleeping problem visit loveSleeping.com now.

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Is anyone taking Topamax for migraines experiencing sleepig problems, disturbed sleep etc?

I’ve been taking this medication for migraines since November 2005, increase dosage to 100mg and having real problems with sleep, and tired all day as a result/ anyone else had same affect?

Answer
Honestly, I really want to help but I don’t think I know the answer to your question. Sorry.

good luck

Love is omnipresence, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.