Sleep
plays a major role in preparing the body and brain for an alert, productive,
psychologically and physiologically healthy tomorrow.
Said James Maas PH.D. In Power sleep.
You know how bad you look and feel after a night of poor sleep. You feel like
your head is glued to the pillow, and you can barely muster the energy to get out of bed.
You shuffle to the bathroom, turn on the light, and come face-to-face with puffy bags and
dark circles under your eyes. You head outside for your usual thirty-minute jog but stop
after ten minutes because you feel whipped. Then you head to work, where you snap at
your coworkers and customers because you are in a foul mood. It isn't a pretty picture, is
it?
Good sleep is essential for optimal brain and body health. It is involved in
rejuvenating all the cells in your body, gives brain cells a chance to repair themselves,
and activates neuronal connections that might otherwise deteriorate due to inactivity. It is
also necessary if you want to have glowing skin, high energy, a sunny mood, excellent
health, and stable weight. Unfortunately, as many as seventy million Americans have
trouble sleeping. If you are one of them, your brain and body could be in trouble.
Are you getting enough sleep?
Many Americans aren't getting the sleep they need. According to the 2009 Sleep
in America Poll, Americans are averaging only six hours and forty minutes of sleep on
workdays and school nights. People tend to squeeze in an extra twenty-seven minutes of
sleep on weekends. Even more disturbing, the percentage of people getting less than six
hours of sleep has risen from 12 percent in 1998 to 20 percent in 2009, while the
percentage of Americans getting a good eight hours a night has decreased from 35
percent in 1998 to 28 percent in 2009. The numbers reveal that getting a good night's
sleep is becoming little more than an elusive dream for many Americans. Chronic sleep
problems affect millions of us. Temporary sleep issues are even more common and will
affect almost every one of us at some point in our lifetime.
AVERAGE SLEEP REQUIREMENTS BY AGE.
Age RangeNumber of Hours of
Sleep.
1-3 years old 12-14 hours.
3-5 years old 11-13 hours.
5-12 years old 10-11 hours.
13-
19 years old 9 hours.
Adults s 7-8 hours.
Seniors 7-8 hours.
Sources: National Sleep
Foundation, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
.
Think about your own sleep habits. When was the last time you drifted off to
sleep easily, slept soundly all night long, and woke up feeling refreshed and alert? When
was the last time you hopped out of bed in the morning raring to go? When was the last
time you sat down to watch a movie and didn't nod off? If you aren't getting adequate
sleep, your brain and body are at risk.
Sleep troubles come in many varieties. Do you have trouble falling asleep? Do
you go to sleep easily but wake up repeatedly throughout the night? Do you find it hard
to drag yourself out of bed in the morning? Do you or your significant other snore? All of
these problems can lead to decreased brain function and a second-rate body. Getting less
than six hours of sleep a night has been associated with lower overall brain activity,
which can affect your weight, your skin, your mood, your health, and your athletic
performance.
Action Step.
Stop trying to convince yourself that you need only five
hours of sleep each night. Be aware of the basic sleep requirements for your age group.
Why losing sleep can make you fat.
You probably thought that your cravings for candy and cookies were just a sign of
mental weakness and a lack of willpower on your part. You may be wrong. An expanding
body of evidence has shown that sleep deprivation is associated with weight gain and
obesity. Here's what researchers from around the nation have discovered about sleep and
your weight.
According to a study from the University of Chicago, people who are sleep
deprived eat more simple carbohydrates than people who get adequate sleep. The
researchers studied twelve healthy men in their twenties and found that when the men
slept only four hours a night, they were more likely to choose candy, cookies, and cake
over fruit, vegetables, or dairy products.
For this study, which appeared in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers
also looked at two hormones--leptin and ghrelin--that are regulated by sleep and involved
in appetite. As discussed earlier, leptin and ghrelin work together to control feelings of
hunger and satiety. Ghrelin levels rise to signal the brain that you are hungry, then leptin
levels increase to tell your brain when you are full. The researchers measured the levels
of leptin and ghrelin before the study, after two nights of only four hours of sleep, and
after two nights of ten hours of sleep. After four hours of sleep, the ratio of ghrelin
jumped 71 percent, compared to a night when the men slept for the longer period of time.
This made the men feel hungrier and drove them to consume more simple carbohydrates.
As explained in an earlier chapter, eating simple carbs sends blood sugar levels
skyrocketing then plummeting, which saps energy and leaves you feeling fatigued.
In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers
had people sleep for five and a half hours for two weeks and then eight and a half hours
for another two weeks at random. Then they measured how many snacks the subjects
munched during their stays in the sleep laboratory. When the people slept only five and a
half hours, they consumed an average of 221 more calories in high-carbohydrate snacks
than when they got eight and a half hours of sleep.
This pattern occurs in the real world, too, not just in researchers' sleep labs.
According to the 2009 Sleep in America Poll, people who are having trouble sleeping are
almost twice as likely to chow down on sugary foods and simple carbs, such as potato
chips, to help them make it through the day. They are also more inclined to skip breakfast
or other meals, which puts your blood sugar levels on a roller-coaster ride that's bad for
brain function and often leads to poor nutrition choices later in the day.
Sleeping less makes you eat more sugary junk foods rather than fruits, vegetables,
and whole grains. It also makes you eat more calories overall, which increases your risk
of gaining weight and becoming obese. A study from researchers at Case Western
University tracked the sleeping habits and weight fluctuations of 68,183 women for
sixteen years. The women were divided into three categories--those who slept seven
hours a night, those who logged six hours of sleep, and those who got five hours or less
of sleep. They found that the women who slept five hours or less gained the most weight
over time and were the most likely to become obese. The women who slept only six hours
a night were more likely to pack on extra weight than the women who got seven hours of
shut-eye.
Dozens of other studies point to a connection between a lack of sleep and weight
gain or obesity. For example, researchers at the University of Warwick, England,
reviewed data from more than 28,000 children and more than 15,000 adults and found
that sleep deprivation almost doubles the risk of obesity for adults and children. Another
study conducted by researchers at Stanford University found that people who sleep less
have higher body mass index (BMI) levels.
The Stanford University study also found lower leptin levels and higher ghrelin
levels in people who sleep less. The researchers examined a thousand people, measuring
their sleep habits, their sleep on the night before the exam, and their leptin and ghrelin
levels. They found that people who consistently slept five hours or less per night had on
average 14.9 percent more ghrelin (which stimulates appetite) and 15.5 percent lower
leptin (which tells your brain you are full) than people who slept eight hours a night.
These studies show that when you don't get enough sleep, you feel hungrier and don't feel
full regardless of how much you eat, so you eat more, which makes you fat!
Action Step.
If you are trying to drop excess weight, spend more time in bed.
So, if dodging sleep can make you fat, can getting adequate sleep help you lose
weight? Editors at Glamour magazine decided to put this notion to the test with an
unscientific--yet fascinating--study. They enlisted seven female readers and gave them
one simple task: sleep at least seven and a half hours each night for ten weeks. In
addition, they were instructed not to make any significant changes in their diets or
exercise routines during the ten weeks. The results were amazing. All seven women lost
weight, with the weight loss ranging from six pounds to an astonishing fifteen pounds.
Get more sleep for skin that glows.
We often talk about getting our "beauty sleep," and we couldn't be more accurate
with that description. Getting adequate sleep actually does far more for your skin than a
medicine cabinet filled with wrinkle creams, moisturizers, acne treatments, and antiaging
serums. With the right amount of sleep, your skin will look younger, smoother, and more
refreshed. When you try to get by on little sleep, you set yourself up for premature aging
of the skin, dark circles under the eyes, even acne. Here's how sleep can benefit your
skin.
Action Step.
Give your skin adequate time to repair itself at night.
Rejuvenate the skin. Cell regeneration is a process during which old, dead skin
cells are replaced with fresh new cells. This process goes on at all times within the body,
but it happens more quickly at night so you generate more new skin cells while you sleep
than at any other time. As we get older, cell replacement slows down, which makes sleep
even more crucial if you want to delay the thin, saggy skin that comes with age.
Reverse skin damage. On a daily basis, your skin is faced with elements,
including the sun's harmful UV rays, secondhand smoke, and other environmental
pollutants, which cause premature aging and damage. While you sleep, your skin repairs
itself from this daily damage.
Prevent acne. As we sleep, the brain regulates the body's hormones, including
androgens, which stimulate the production of sebum, or oil, in glands located in the skin.
When hormones are balanced, sebum production is regulated to help keep skin looking
clear and smooth. Hormonal imbalances can cause too much sebum production, which
can lead to acne.
Lose Sleep and you lose focus and will power.
People who get less than seven hours of sleep a night have lower activity in the
prefrontal cortex and temporal lobes, which are involved in memory and learning. This
limits the ability to pay attention, learn, solve problems, and remember important
information. These are all vital skills you need if you want to tackle a new dance routine,
learn a new sport, learn to cook brain-healthy recipes, or remember to take your
medications. Considering this, it is no surprise that sleep-deprived individuals struggle to
maintain a healthy body.
Action Step.
Improve your willpower by maintaining a
regular sleep schedule seven days a week.
Hit the Sack for a Peak Athlete Performance.
It should come as no surprise that lack of sleep hinders athletic performance.
Anyone who has ever exercised or played sports while sleep deprived knows that it is
tough to be at your best on the court, on the field, or in the gym.
Research shows us that sleep deprivation impairs motor function, which makes
you less coordinated and more likely to strike out at bat or shank your drive on the golf
course. Reaction times are slowed, so you don't get to the ball fast enough. The reduced
cognitive functioning associated with lack of sleep means that you may not make the best
on-court decisions or may not remember the new steps you learned the week before in
your ballroom dancing class. Plus, you tend to feel tired faster because sleep deprivation
negatively affects glucose metabolism.
On the other hand, getting a good night's sleep can give your game a boost. That's
according to researchers at Stanford University who looked at the relationship between
sleep habits and athletic performance in six male Stanford basketball players. The
researchers measured the subjects' sprint times as well as free-throw and three-point
shooting percentages. For the first two weeks, the college players maintained their regular
sleep habits; for the second two weeks, they were told to get as much extra sleep as
possible. After the extended sleep period, the athletes were faster and more accurate
shooters. The average sprint time decreased by one second, free-throw shooting improved
by about 10 percent, and three-point shooting increased by more than 10 percent. The
extra sleep offered another performance bonus: The test athletes reported having more
energy.
Action Step.
To help you fall asleep faster, avoid exercising or playing sports
close to bedtime.
A follow-up study involving students on Stanford's men's and women's swim
teams showed similar improvements. They swam faster, reacted quicker off the blocks,
improved turn time, and increased kick strokes after a two-week period of extended
sleep.
Sleep may offer other benefits to athletes at every level--from the NBA's MVP to
the weekend golfer to the company softball player. Research from Harvard Medical
School suggests that after initial training--whether it is learning how to execute your
NBA team's offensive plays, how to hit a chip shot, or how to swing a bat--the brain
continues to learn while you sleep. This indicates that sleeping can make you a better
athlete.
Lack of sleep worsen your mood.
In a 2007 survey from the Better Sleep Council, 44 percent of workers admitted
that when they are sleep deprived, they are more likely to be in an unpleasant or
unfriendly mood. In general, people who are tired due to lack of sleep tend to feel
irritable and don't have the energy to do much of anything. Curling up on the couch to
watch TV or thumbing through a magazine might be all the energy you can muster after a
sleepless night. Studies show that decreased motivation due to poor sleep makes you
more likely to skip family events, work functions, and other recreational activities. Social
connections help keep the brain young, so missing out on get-togethers and events due to
fatigue can dampen your mood and prematurely age your brain. This can be especially
troublesome for seniors because a lack of social connections and bonding can speed up
the brain's aging process.
Action Step..
Make sleep a priority in your life rather than an
afterthought.
Plus, when you are sleep deprived, you are less inclined to exercise or get intimate
with your significant other, which deprives your brain and body of feel-good chemicals
that boost your mood. If you want to improve your mood, improve your sleeping habits.
SLEEP DEPRIVATION IS HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH
Skimping on sleep can affect your health in more ways than you might imagine. It
can even stunt growth in young people. Growth hormones produced in the brain are
typically generated as we sleep. If youngsters don't get enough sleep, they may not
produce enough of the hormones to fuel growth. Chronic sleep loss is also associated
with a number of poor lifestyle choices as well as brain-related conditions and disorders
that put your physical and mental health at risk.
Bad lifestyle habits When you don't get enough sleep, you are inclined to gulp
more caffeine, smoke more, exercise less, and drink more alcohol. Studies show that
sleep-deprived adolescents are also more likely to drink alcohol, smoke marijuana, and
use other drugs than those who get enough sleep.
Type 2 diabetes Sleep deprivation can put you at risk for this serious condition.
In a sleep study with healthy volunteers, those who got only 5.5 hours of bedtime
experienced insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance--two precursors of
diabetes--after just two weeks.
Depression Sleep deprivation has been linked to mood problems and depression
in a number of scientific studies. One study published in the journal Sleep found that
sleep problems are an early sign of depression and that treatment of sleep issues may
protect individuals from developing the disorder. Similarly, researchers at the University
of Rome who studied children between the ages of seven and eleven suffering from
depression found that 82 percent of them reported having problems sleeping. Another
study shows that insomnia in adolescents is a significant risk factor for depression later in
life. Among the elderly, sleep deprivation may prolong bouts of depression.
Anxiety Research indicates that chronic sleep problems make you more
vulnerable to the development of anxiety disorders.
ADD Sleep disturbances are very common in children and adults with ADD.
Many have a harder time falling asleep, spend less time in the restorative rapid eye
movement (REM) stage of sleep, and sleep fewer hours overall than people who don't
have the disorder. Restless nights tend to worsen ADD symptoms.
Alzheimer's disease Research has found that people with sleep apnea may be
more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and that sleep apnea may worsen cognitive
impairment in people with dementia. Treating sleep apnea has been shown to improve
cognitive function in people with this disease.
Action Step.
Get treated for sleep apnea immediately.
Parkinson's disease People who thrash around while sleeping--a condition called
REM sleep behavior disorder--may face a higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease,
according to a study in the journal Neurology.
Stroke Sleep apnea significantly increases the risk of stroke.
Psychosis People can become psychotic from lack of sleep. I noticed this when I
was chief of Community Mental Health at Fort Irwin in the Mojave Desert. Fort Irwin
houses the National Training Center that teaches desert warfare to soldiers. The troops
used to spend days at a time in war games without much sleep. As a result, after being
awake for three days in a row, a number of soldiers began to hear voices and become
paranoid.
Some time ago, my uncle started having problems with his memory--he couldn't
remember where he parked the car and was forgetting people's names. The whole family
was really concerned, so he went to the doctor and came back with a diagnosis of
Alzheimer's disease. He was devastated. His brain SPECT scan showed severe decreased
activity in the back half of his brain, a finding consistent with severe memory problems,
but also consistent with what we have seen with severe sleep apnea. On testing, he was
diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. Treatment helped his cognitive abilities improve
significantly. This story shows how critical it is to get treated for sleep problems. But
most people suffering from lack of sleep neglect to seek help. They don't view it as a
medical problem and choose to simply live with it. That could be a life-threatening
mistake.
DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION
Sleep deprivation slows reaction times, clouds judgment, affects vision, impairs
information processing, and increases aggressive behavior. All of this adds up to danger
on America's highways. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA), drowsiness and fatigue cause more than 100,000 traffic
accidents each year, causing 40,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths. The National Sleep
Foundation estimates the numbers are much higher: 71,000 injuries and more than 5,500
deaths a year. One reason why the NHTSA's statistics may be low is that fatigue is often
underreported as a contributing factor to a crash. In more than half of the reported
fatigue-related crashes, young drivers are at the wheel.
Image 10.1 Sleep Apnea Scan
Decreased parietal lobe and temporal
lobe activity
Every day, millions of people hit the road while feeling drowsy. More than half of
the respondents in the 2009 Sleep in America Poll reported having driven while drowsy
in the past year, and 28 percent admitted to nodding off or falling asleep behind the
wheel. Night-shift workers, people with untreated sleep apnea, and young people--
particularly men--between the ages of sixteen and twenty-nine are especially likely to
drive while feeling sleepy. Fatigue has also played a role in many airplane, train, and
boating crashes, some of them deadly.
WHAT CAUSES SLEEP DEPRIVATION?
In our hectic, 24-7 society, I could just as easily ask "What doesn't cause sleep
deprivation?" There are a seemingly endless number of reasons why millions of us are
missing out on a good night's sleep. Here is a list of just a few of the many things that
may cause sleep troubles.
Action Step.
Take stock of the things in your life that might
be causing you to toss and turn at night.
Medications: many medications, including asthma medications, antihistamines,
cough medicines, and anticonvulsants, disturb sleep.
Caffeine: too much caffeine from coffee, tea, chocolate, or some herbal
preparations--especially when consumed later in the day or at night--can disrupt sleep.
Alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana: although these compounds initially induce
sleepiness for some people, they have the reverse effect as they wear off, which is why
you may wake up several hours after you go to sleep.
Restless legs syndrome: A nighttime jerking or pedaling motion of the legs that
drives a person's bed partner crazy (as well as the person who has it).
Women's issues: pregnancy, PMS, menopause, and perimenopause cause
fluctuations in hormone levels that can disrupt the sleep cycle.
Thyroid conditions
Congestive heart failure
Chronic pain conditions
Untreated or undertreated psychiatric conditions such as obsessive-compulsive
disorder, depression, or anxiety
Alzheimer's disease: dementia patients "sundown" or rev up at night and wander.
Chronic gastrointestinal problems, such as reflux
Men's issues: benign prostatic hypertrophy causes many trips to the bathroom at
night, which interrupts slumber.
Snoring: snoring can wake you or your sleepmate, or everyone in the house if it is
really loud.
Sleep apnea: with this condition, you stop breathing for short periods of time
throughout the night, which robs you of restful sleep and leaves you feeling sluggish,
inattentive, and forgetful throughout the day.
Shift work: nurses, firefighters, security personnel, customer service
representatives, truck drivers, airline pilots, and many others toil by night and sleep by
day. Or, at least, they try to sleep. Shift workers are especially vulnerable to irregular
sleep patterns, which leads to excessive sleepiness, reduced productivity, irritability, and
mood problems.
Stressful events: the death of a loved one, divorce, a major deadline at work, or an
upcoming test can cause temporary sleep loss.
Jet lag: international travel across time zones wreaks havoc with sleep cycles.
WHO'S AT RISK FOR POOR SLEEP?
Nobody is immune to sleep problems--they can affect anyone at any time of life.
A study presented at the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting in 2007
analyzed the sleep habits of more than 79,000 adults and revealed that about one-third of
moms aren't getting adequate sleep. As a child psychiatrist, I work with a lot of troubled
kids, and I notice that their moms are usually drained and exhausted. They work so hard
to help their children succeed that they tend to neglect their own needs. I think moms
need to do a better job of taking care of themselves, and that starts with getting a good
night's sleep.
Dads have their own problems getting enough shut-eye. According to the same
study mentioned earlier, about 27 percent of married dads and more than 30 percent of
unmarried dads reported getting insufficient sleep.
Sleep deprivation is rampant among teens. Researchers have found that when kids
hit their teen years, their sleep cycles change, making them more inclined to go to sleep
later and wake up later. That makes it especially tough for teens to be up and alert for
those early 7 a.m. start times at some schools. A study from 1997 found that when a high
school switched from a 7:15 a.m. start time to an 8:40 a.m. start time, students reported
getting more sleep and feeling less tired during the day. They also got higher grades and
were less likely to have feelings of depression. A 2009 study found that later school start
times increased the number of hours teens slept during the week and decreased the
number of car accidents involving teen drivers in the area by 16.5 percent.
College students are also plagued by sleep troubles. According to a study
published in the Journal of American College Health, 33 percent of college students
reported taking longer than thirty minutes to fall asleep, and 43 percent woke up more
than once a night. Since college students usually have more control over their schedules,
encourage them to schedule more afternoon classes rather than early-morning classes.
Sleep disturbances are also common on the other end of the age spectrum. The
notion that older people don't need as much sleep is a common misconception. Studies
show that seniors need the same seven to eight hours a night as other adults. As part of
the normal aging process, however, Grandma and Grandpa are likely to experience more
unsettled sleep. As you get older, sleep patterns tend to change, and you typically find it
harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. This can speed up the brain's aging process at a time
when you really want to hang on to every brain cell you have.
TIPS TO HELP YOU GO TO SLEEP AND STAY ASLEEP
Here are twelve ways to make it easier to drift off to dreamland and get a good
night's sleep. Remember that we are all unique individuals, and what works for one
person may not work for another. Keep trying new techniques until you find something
that works.
Maintain a regular sleep schedule--going to bed at the same time each night and
waking up at the same time each day, including on weekends. Get up at the same time
each day regardless of sleep duration the previous night.
Create a soothing nighttime routine that encourages sleep. A warm bath,
meditation, or massage can help you relax.
Some people like to read themselves to sleep. If you are reading, make sure it isn't
an action-packed thriller or a horror story--they aren't likely to help you drift off to sleep.
Don't take naps! This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make if you have
insomnia. Taking naps when you feel sleepy during the day compounds the nighttime
sleep cycle disruption.
Sound therapy can induce a very peaceful mood and lull you to sleep. Consider
soothing nature sounds, soft music, wind chimes, or even a fan.
Drink a mixture of warm milk, a teaspoon of vanilla (the real stuff, not imitation),
and a few drops of stevia. This increases serotonin in your brain and helps you sleep.
Take computers, video games, and cell phones out of the bedroom and turn them
off an hour or two before bedtime to allow time to "unwind."
Don't eat for at least two to three hours before going to bed.
Regular exercise is very beneficial for falling asleep and staying asleep, but don't
do it within four hours of the time you hit the sack. Vigorous exercise late in the evening
may energize you and keep you awake.
Don't drink any caffeinated beverages in the late afternoon or evening. Also avoid
chocolate, nicotine, and alcohol--especially at night. Although alcohol can initially make
you feel sleepy, it interrupts sleep.
If you wake up in the middle of the night, refrain from looking at the clock.
Checking the time can make you feel anxious, which aggravates the problem.
Use the bed and bedroom only for sleep or sexual activity. Sexual activity releases
many natural hormones, releases muscle tension, and boosts a sense of well-being. Adults
with healthy sex lives tend to sleep better. When you are unable to fall asleep or return to
sleep easily, get up and go to another room.
NATURAL TREATMENTS TO HELP YOU SLEEP BETTER
Because of our sleep problems, doctors are prescribing sleep medications that can
affect your moods and memory at alarming rates. These medications are also increasingly
prescribed for children of all ages. A study that appeared in a 2007 issue of Sleep showed
that 81 percent of children who saw a medical professional for sleep-related problems
were given a prescription. In my practice, my primary course of action isn't doling out a
prescription. I first encourage my patients to eliminate anything that might interfere with
sleep, such as caffeine, alcohol, or reading Stephen King before bedtime. I also try
natural supplements and treatments. Here are some of the natural remedies I recommend.
Action Step.
Before you reach for the sleeping pills, try hypnosis. It has been proven
to work and has no side effects.
Action Step.
If you have trouble sleeping, keep a sleep journal and track what time you go to
sleep, how long it takes to fall asleep, how often you wake up, what time you get up in
the morning, how you feel upon waking, how much energy you have throughout the day,
and any daytime naps. Make a copy of the following sleep journal entry and fill it in
daily.
My Sleep Journal.
Day/Date ______________ (Answer the following
questions in the morning.)
Last night, my bedtime ritual included:
__________________(List things like a warm bath, meditation, reading, etc.)
Last night I
went to bed at: _________ pm/am.
Last night I fell asleep in: _________ minutes.
Last
night, I woke up: _________ times.
During those times, I was awake for: _________
minutes.
Last night, I got out of bed: _________ times.
Things that disturbed my sleep:
___________________(List any physical, mental, emotional, or environmental factors
that affected your sleep.)
I slept for a total of: _________ minutes.
I got out of bed this
morning at: _________ am/pm.
Upon waking, I felt: _________ refreshed _________
groggy _________ exhausted(Answer the following questions at night.)
During the day,
I fell asleep or napped: _________ times.
During my naps, I slept for: _________
minutes.
During the day, I felt: ____refreshed _____groggy _____exhausted.
My caffeine
consumption: _________ amount _________ time of day.
Medications or sleep aids I
took: ___________________
.
Hypnosis
.
As a medical student, I saw someone get hypnotized, and I found the process so
fascinating that I took a whole month's training on it. As an intern at Walter Reed Army
Medical Center, a military hospital with 1,200 beds, I worked with many patients who
were having trouble sleeping and wanted sleeping pills. It is easy to understand how
people might have a tough time getting a decent night's sleep in such a huge, noisy
hospital. On the nights I was on call, I would ask the patients if I could try hypnotizing
them rather than give a sleeping pill. Almost everybody said yes, and it worked. I
prescribed considerably fewer sleeping pills than my colleagues.
Hypnosis is a very powerful technique. I worked with one veteran who was a
World War II hero. He had helped smuggle Jewish people out of Germany to safety. In
his later years, he developed Parkinson's disease and found it difficult to sleep at night.
The night I was on call he wanted a sleeping pill. I asked him if I could try to hypnotize
him instead. He agreed and when I put him in a trance, his tremor stopped. Parkinsonian
tremors usually stop when a person falls asleep, but his tremor stopped before he actually
went to sleep.
When I told my attending neurologist, Bahman Jabbari, about it the next morning
he rolled his eyes and looked at me as if I were the dumbest person on the planet. Later, I
repeated the exercise in front of him and it worked. He was so amazed that we filmed our
patient going into a hypnotic trance and coauthored a paper on it. That became one of my
first professional papers.
Hypnosis can even help people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) get
better sleep. People with PTSD often have trouble sleeping. In a study from Israel, one
group of fifteen patients was given a daily prescription sleeping pill while the second
group of seventeen patients underwent hypnotherapy twice a week. After two weeks, the
hypnosis group showed improvement in sleep quality. The improvements were still
evident a full month later, too, showing that hypnosis has lasting benefits.
At one point during my internship, I was having trouble sleeping myself. Many of
my patients were dealing with very serious medical conditions and some even died.
Coping with that level of responsibility was hard for me. I care very deeply about what
happens to my patients, and it was making me anxious and keeping me up at night. That's
when I started doing self-hypnosis to help me sleep. I figured if it works for my patients,
it should work for me too. With time, I became so proficient at it that I could put myself
to sleep in under one minute. To help others, I created a hypnosis CD specifically for
sleep disorders that can be ordered through the Amen Clinics website
(www.amenclinics.com).
Bright Light Therapy
.
Bright light therapy is a technique that promotes better sleep in people who suffer
from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), more commonly known as winter blues. We see
many people with this condition in our clinic in Tacoma, Washington. It is also very
common in Alaska and Canada, where some regions get only a few hours of daily
sunlight during the winter, and the lack of light can cause sleep disturbances. Bright light
therapy, in which a person sits in front of a strong light that has the same wavelengths as
the sun for thirty minutes, can reset sleep patterns. In my experience, I have found that
bright light therapy works best in the morning.
Natural Supplements for More Restful Sleep
.
When sleep deprivation isn't relieved by other methods, I prescribe natural
supplements, such as L-tryptophan, 5-HTP, valerian, kava kava, magnesium, and
melatonin. Some of these natural interventions may also be helpful during periods of
temporary insomnia due to stress, jet lag, trying to sleep in a new environment, or doing
shift work. See Appendix C, "The Supplement Solution," for more information.
The Sleep Solution
.
Sleep Robbers, Sleep Enhancers.
Any brain problems Brain health Brain trauma Focus on
brain protection Low blood sugar Frequent small meals with at least some protein to
maintain healthy blood sugar Caffeine No caffeine Poor diet Enriched diet Alcohol, drug
abuse Freedom from alcohol and drugs ADD Effective treatment for ADD Some forms
of depression Journaling when sad or anxious, treatment Anxiety Meditation or self-
hypnosis for relaxation Negative thinking Killing the ANTs (automatic negative
thoughts) Alzheimer's disease Sleep aids, especially melatonin Sleep apnea Treatment for
sleep apnea Hormonal fluctuations Balanced hormones Thyroid conditions Treatment for
thyroid conditions Chronic pain Exercise Chronic stress Stress-reduction plan Too much
TV, video games, computers Technology turned off a few hours before bedtime Soothing
sounds Bright light therapy Supplements such as melatonin, L-tryptophan, 5-HTP,
valerian, kava kava, and magnesium
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