Sleep and the Healthy Brain:

It is said that insomnia is a symptom not a disease, and that chronic insomnia puts a person at high risk of developing depression and other health conditions. The normal range of time to fall asleep is up to 30 minutes, and 6 to 8 hours sleep is recommended regardless of age.

People require restful sleep and not just short bursts. If you are sleepy during the day, napping can be energizing but napping is not good if it then prevents you from getting a long stretch of sleep at night.

Sleep induced by sleeping pills is not as effective and restorative as falling asleep naturally.

Some hints on getting a good night’s sleep:

  • Get into the habit of going to bed at the same time every night and slowly increase the time you spend in bed every day by about 10 minutes until you reach the right amount of sleep time.
  • Do something calming prior to sleep. Some people don’t realize that watching TV can be too stimulating for the brain prior to sleep.
  • Eating foods high in tryptophan (warm milk, turkey, etc.) will help promote the production and release of melatonin, which regulates the sleep cycle - but you need to take these foods as much as four hours before going to bed for your system to have sufficient time to release the melatonin.
  • If you tend to dwell on problems and this keeps you awake, try to replace these thoughts by reading something calming or of a spiritual nature before sleep.
  • Some people cannot tolerate stimulants such as caffeine as they age, and may need to refrain or strictly limit coffee, chocolate and colas to the morning.
  • Exercising during the day will help promote good levels of energy during the day and a better sleep at night. Don’t exercise immediately before going to bed. But most importantly, don’t allow yourself to become a ‘couch-potato’ as you age.
  • Deal with issues of physical pain or discomfort that may cause wakefulness.

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