Are You Having Trouble Sleeping?

Not Sleeping Could be Stealing Your Life

I mentioned to my sister that I hadn’t been sleeping much lately and her reaction seemed extreme, “Do you know how bad not sleeping is for you? Not sleeping could steal away your life.”

I thought, yeah, I know it’s not good for me to not be getting enough sleep, but her real concern was that my sleep pattern was “whacked”. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I don’t get enough sleep then I get too much. It is strange, I often feel like I have so much more energy to accomplish things when I sleep less than when I sleep more. When I get too much sleep I am groggy and can’t seem to wake up at all.

But her concern made me check out “whacked” sleep patterns and she was right!

In a Washington Post article from 2005, staff writer Rob Stein writes about what scientists have been finding out about what losing sleep does to our bodies. It wasn’t pretty. “…failing to get enough sleep or sleeping at odd hours heightens the risk for a variety of major illnesses, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity…”

He goes on with quotes from scientists and researchers that indicate that not sleeping could be stealing our lives. Certainly it is aging us and this lack of sleep for many is the result of the 24-7 lifestyle that the Internet, cable television and other elements of modern life make possible.

Not all the results are in even 2 years later. Some scientists disagreed with the findings, saying we are living longer and are healthier than ever before. They also point out that there could be other factors causing the increase in the biggest diseases in people that don’t sleep much or sleep irregularly.

Still it seems that if you want to live a healthier life, staying up all night in front of the computer or TV screen may not be a good idea.

So I will have to get back to the original mission of this blog… Finding the things that work to help us get to sleep and sleep deeply and regularly.

I will start with more research on melatonin. My doctor mentioned that I might try it again as a sleep aid. She knows I prefer alternative remedies to prescription drugs and respects that.

The article I was referencing from the Post also mentioned that, “Melatonin is believed to protect against cancer by affecting levels of other hormones, such as estrogen.”

So look for another post with the results of more melatonin research.

Let’s not let our brains and whatever else is not letting us sleep, steal away our lives. I don’t know about you, but there are a lot more things I want to do and experience in this life and not a one of them is some life threatening disease.

Until next time… Take care and BE WELL!

What is keeping you awake?

What is keeping you awake? It is funny, I started out this blog to be a resource of things that would help us sleep, but it has ended up focusing more on what keeps us awake. Or, yes, what keeps me awake.

I believe it is part of the process. If you recognize what keeps you awake, then you are on the way to figuring out how to let those things go and allow yourself to sleep. It is all about choices.

We can choose to stay up and work, surf or blog all night or we can choose to disconnect and let our brains wind down and allow ourselves the respite of a good night’s sleep. But it is true, making those choices isn’t always easy. Especially if you aren’t aware you actually have that choice. Many people would say they have no choice. Those individuals have chosen, consciously or more likely unconsciously, to be victims of circumstance.

Perhaps what is keeping you awake is something so frightening that you don’t even look at it. Maybe it is only frightening because you haven’t looked at it. I don’t know what is in your head. It could be it is just easier to choose to take some form of sleep aid, drug, alcohol, or some other alternative like melatonin or valerian to help you get some sleep. Maybe some introspection would be the best sleep aid you can find.

Why can’t you sleep? Are you worried about the bills? Are you concerned that you made a mistake and you are beating yourself up for your action or words? Do you have an issue with your health that is keeping you awake? Are you thinking about something that is long done and there is nothing you can do about it? Recriminations keep many people awake at night.

Dealing with whatever is keeping you awake is the best medicine you can take. If you truly are seeking a healthier life and more restful sleep, then look inside yourself. Accept yourself exactly where and how you are right now. No matter what judgments you may have. Begin to give yourself love and acceptance and you will be surprised at how the conditions you live in will begin to change. Even your sleep patterns.

So here’s my recommendation tonight: spend some time in introspection. If you can come to terms with what is inside of you and accept it and yourself or let it go, you will sleep better. If you are going to beat yourself up because of what you find inside, then you will probably sleep less.

Introspection, acceptance and letting go. Can you do it?  I believe you can!

Here’s to growing to a place where we are all living our dreams and where we can all sleep better.

Take care and good night.

Old Photographs – Memories – Why Sleep

I was looking through some old photographs and the memories that came welling up left me saying to myself, “Why sleep?” Life is too short. You’ve heard the saying, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” I just ran across a photo of someone who lived life to the fullest and now, I guess he’s sleeping.

If you are familiar with the original “Jesus Christ Superstar” then you may remember this man. He played Judas. His name was Carl Anderson and he was one of the most amazing jazz vocalists I have ever heard. In 2004 just 4 days shy of his 58th birthday he left this world and we are poorer for it. Fortunately his legacy of amazing music and film stays behind to enrich our lives.

The reason I was into those particular old photos is I was looking for pictures of when I was doing massage backstage in Southern California. It was the late 1980′s and I had followed my passion into a number of wonderful situations. My passion? Bringing relief to musicians through massage. I could look at a musician and tell what instrument he or she played by the way they held their body. By where their tension was located.

I did my part, during that time, to bring massage out of the darkened room and into the light of awareness that it was for healing not for sexual gratification. For relief of stress and to increase productivity and creativity. It was a burning passion for me and I’m glad to be reminded of it.

I’m sad to know that Carl Anderson is gone, but very grateful I had a chance to know him. He made every one around him feel good, whether it was because he was singing or just being himself.

Now that my second wind has kicked in, it’s after 1:30 this morning, I’m not likely to get to sleep anytime soon. You know, it is a tough line to walk. It seems either I’m not sleeping enough or I sleep too much. No happy medium. The research shows we need sleep. That lack of it will age us. But there is only so much life in our human bodies and how to get the most out of that life without a few sleepless nights.

Any thoughts?