4 Mind 4 Life: Mental Health Tips

People need a full night’s sleep in order to be at their best mentally, physically and emotionally. Unfortunately, many find that they have trouble getting to and/or staying asleep. They suffer from insomnia. In order to get their needed amount of rest, people can try out several methods to beat sleepless nights and cure insomnia naturally.

How to Cure Insomnia Naturally

One great way to conquer insomnia is to stay active during the day. People who use their bodies on the job, in the yard, at the gym, etc. find that they have an easier time going to sleep at night. They have used a good amount of energy and the body needs to recharge. Staying active also helps overall heath.

Stress is a major cause of insomnia, so if you can learn how to kill stress, you will be much better off. People may lie awake at night worrying about a long list of daily concerns. A good way to cut back on stress is to practice yoga and meditation. Some people choose to meditate or pray during a quiet time before bed to put their minds in a spot better equipped for sleeping. Finally getting sleep helps to de-stress a person even more.

More Ways to Cure Insomnia

People who drink high amounts of caffeine may have difficulty falling and staying asleep. Many drink it throughout the day to stay awake after a night of bad sleep, but this actually can worsen the problem. Women should avoid caffeine after approximately 3 p.m., while men should stop consuming it around 5 p.m. That way, there is a better chance that the caffeine is out of their system so that it doesn’t hamper sleep. It may be tough to give up caffeine for insomnia relief, but it will be worth it when you get a good night’s sleep for once.

Chamomile tea is a natural drink that has shown to be a great non addictive sleep aid. By warming this drink and consuming it around an hour before going to sleep, people can reap the benefits and have time to empty their bladders before bed. Melatonin is another natural sleep aid, which can be found in pill form. This pill is not addictive and should be taken approximately 20 minutes before bed. Melatonin and chamomile tea can be found in most grocery and health stores. In addition, avoiding naps and getting up earlier in the day also help battle insomnia. Acupuncture for insomnia is another thing that certain people have found helpful for overcoming their sleepless nights.

Get Better Sleep at Night

Falling and staying asleep can be achieved even when the situation seems bleak. People need not give up yet. By trying out new practices, such as limiting caffeine, staying active during the day and de-stressing one’s life, people may find they start spending their nights in a peaceful slumber. Hopefully some of these tips help you out so that you don’t stay up all night reading more articles on other natural cures for insomnia.

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Insomnia is a problem that many people encounter at some point in their lives according to sleep disorder statistics. Whether it’s a mild case lasting a day or two or a problem that persists for years, there are certain things that can be done to help with sleep. The first tip for insomnia relief is to make sure to never concentrate on trying to sleep. This can sound paradoxical, but the act of trying to do something – even to sleep – immediately causes alertness due to the natural increase in concentration. Sleep, on the other hand, requires the exact opposite state of mind.

Natural Insomnia Relief Strategies

Therefore, the first step in getting to sleep is to stop trying to. Simply lie quietly in bed and think of something relaxing, but totally unrelated to sleep. Many times this is all it will take to fix a mild case of insomnia. A person’s state of mind is also greatly affected by what they think of just before tucking in. Making sure to avoid mulling over anxiety-inducing problems, doing bills, or watching exciting TV shows before bed will do a lot to keep you in a relaxed state of mind at this crucial time.

Warm Milk, Warm Baths, Relief from Insomnia

When that doesn’t do enough, there are many other things that can help a person sleep. The old saying about having a glass of warm milk actually has something to it. Milk contains tryptophan, a sleep-promoting amino acid and can work as a great non addictive sleep aid. This is the same substance some say is responsible for the sleepiness that follows a large turkey dinner. Another product called “Melissa herbal relief of stress and insomnia” can be found at local CVS stores and has been effective at helping people reduce their insomnia. Taking a warm bath can help muscles to relax and put one in a calmer mood. This should be done about an hour before bedtime, so the body has returned to its resting state and you have a chance to be nice and dry before tucking in.

Common Sense Lifestyle Changes

Finding relief for insomnia can also be had by making a few common-sense lifestyle changes. Avoid caffeine and sugar for several hours before bedtime. This not only includes coffee; chocolate, other sweets, and non-diet soda are also loaded with one or both alertness-causing substances. If home remedies and lifestyle changes fail to cure your insomnia, there are medical options that can be used.

Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

Benadryl, an over-the-counter allergy medicine, has drowsiness as a prominent side-effect. Some people take advantage of this side-effect for an easy solution to occasional sleeplessness. For long-term insomnia relief, talk to your doctor about prescription sleep medicines and other medical solutions. If you need insomnia relief, test various methods until you find what works for you. Many times, it won’t take long until you can get amazing insomnia relief as well as your full 8 hours of sleep.  For more ideas that you can try, consider checking out the article: Natural Cures for Insomnia.

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If you want to get a free dream interpretation, you don’t need to hire a professional, all that you really need is yourself. Most of these experts that claim they can help you interpret your dream are complete scams. A dream can be defined as “a random series of mental and emotional images during sleep.” Dreaming is basically your minds way of clearing out clutter and refreshing your brain. Although your dreams may have some meaning, it is likely that they are full of random thoughts and images just like their definition implies.

Some people are able to enjoy lucid dreaming and other sleep phenomena like out of body experiences and astral projection, but these are usually consciously done. In order for you to conduct a dream interpretation free of charge, you will simply need to become more conscious during your sleep. You don’t need to hire anyone or have a third party (e.g. someone other than yourself) interpret your dreams – all that you really need is yourself.

How to Interpret Your Dreams

In order to interpret your own dreams, it would be a good idea to start a sleep journal. So, get a pen or pencil and a notebook right by your bed. As soon as you wake up from sleeping, write down everything that you can remember about your dreams. Then analyze your dream and ask some questions about it. Some questions that you may want to ask include: Does this dream have a particular message for me? What was the meaning of this dream? What did I do in this dream? Is this dream related to any activities that I have been heavily involved with recently? Most of the time, even if you find meaning in your dream, it is probably not a spiritual message.

Some people claim to have received spiritual messages from a higher power or realm in their dreams, but this is very unlikely to be occurring on a daily basis. Use good judgment whenever conducting a free dreams interpretation on yourself; don’t try to exaggerate your experience and be as accurate as possible with your descriptions. Don’t make things up that didn’t actually happen and don’t write down things that you think might have occurred in your dream – be 100% accurate.

Skip the Dream Interpretation Scams and Interpret Your Own Dream

Sure there are tests and fun forms that you can fill out to get a free online dream interpretation, but how accurate are they really going to be? The answer is that they are probably not accurate at all. Even if you find a free dream interpretation dictionary on the internet, you aren’t going to get much useful advice from it. It is much better to analyze your own dreams and decide what they mean yourself. After all, other people and computer generated dream analyses are not going to be able to accurately describe your experience. Dreams are random and subjective just as much as their interpretations; keep this in mind whenever you try to interpret your dreams.

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According to sleep disorder statistics, one third of all people in the U.S. experience insomnia at least once during their lifetime.  Using acupuncture for insomnia sounds very intriguing, but does it really work? Well, the truth is that it works for some people, but not everyone. Although you probably know it is important to get a good night’s sleep, it can be tough if you have insomnia. The whole key to using acupuncture to treat insomnia is to know what is causing your insomnia in the first place. Acupuncture is popular alternative medical treatment in which needles are placed on locations of your body; these locations are referred to as “meridians.” The primary goal of acupuncture is to change the energy flow (also called “Qi” pronounced “Chi”).

Benefits of Acupuncture for Insomnia Relief

The number one benefit to using acupuncture to help you overcome insomnia is that you don’t have to worry about taking pills. Acupuncture is a completely natural procedure and can be quite effective in certain people. It is said to calm down your nervous system by re-channeling anxious, nervous, or fearful energy so that you don’t end up staying awake all night. A good night’s sleep according to traditional Chinese medicine involves the right distribution of Yin and Yang energy.

Acupuncture to treat insomnia involves a trained professional performing the procedure. You can take the time to research some available professionals in your area that have their license (as an acupuncturist) to perform this procedure. Your regular doctor is probably not going to have much knowledge about this type of treatment, so you may need to look elsewhere if you want acupuncture. Even though acupuncture may sound kind of weird and crazy, some people do find relief by trying it. If you are interested in it, you can always contact a licensed acupuncturist and ask some additional questions that you may have about it.

Acupuncture to Cure Insomnia?

Acupuncture is a procedure that works well with some people, but not everyone; it is a great example of a non addictive sleep aid for certain individuals. There are many things that may be causing your insomnia symptoms. Be sure to consult a medical professional for a proper evaluation. Although acupuncture and acupressure techniques may be beneficial for some, they are the wrong treatment option for others. If you aren’t able to find insomnia relief, then this would be a viable option to consider for your treatment.

Various Causes of Insomnia

If you have insomnia, it is important to keep in mind that it could be caused by a number of different things including: anxiety, stress, watching TV too late at night, being on your computer too late at night, drinking alcohol, caffeine intake, your diet, exercise habits, diseases, etc. There are a lot of things that could be causing your insomnia that may not be cured by an appliance like the Dreamate Sleep Aid. If you don’t like the sound of acupuncture, then be sure to check out some natural cures for insomnia and give some of those a try to see whether you find them beneficial.

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Are you looking for a non addictive sleep aid so that you can get better, higher quality sleep at night? A lot of people have sleeping problems these days – just take a look at some sleep disorder statistics and find out for yourself. With that said, there are some things that you can do to improve the quality of your sleep at night without having to resort to those dreadful pills that leave you feeling like you got knocked out by a boxer in the first round. Most of the addicting sleep aids come in pill form, and most of the non addicting sleep aids don’t have anything to do with taking supplements or pills.

What are some non addictive sleep aids?

1. Reading before bed – Arguably one of the best non addictive sleeping aids is reading a book before bed. It will help you fall asleep quickly and will allow your brainwaves to naturally shift to a slower state.

2. Turning off electronics before bed – Most people watch TV and go on their computers before bed, and these are two things that are terrible for your sleep – stay away from them (at least 2 hours before bed) if your goal is to get quality sleep.

3. Exercising during the day – If you exercise during the day, it burns up energy that needs to be burned. If you eat throughout the day, but don’t workout, you are going to have a ton of extra energy in your system; this will keep you awake at night. So find some tough exercise to do each and every day and you will sleep much better.

4. Relaxation techniques – I can think of a ton of relaxation techniques that are great non addictive sleep aids. These include: meditation, deep breathing, guided imagery, visualization, self hypnosis, yoga, and simply focusing on your breath will do the trick. Although you may be skeptical, if you actually give them a try, you will probably be surprised at how well they work.

5. Healthy eating – If you eat unhealthy foods, you are not only going to feel like crap, but you aren’t going to sleep well either. The food that you put into your body affects everything: your sleep, your thinking, your energy levels, etc. Eating healthy will give your body all of the nutrients that it needs to get a healthy night’s sleep.

6. Comfortable bed – Having a comfortable bed is a great non addicting sleep aid. Most people spend a huge percentage of their lives in their beds, so why not invest in something that is quality? I currently have a Thermapedic bed (and absolutely love it), but I have also slept in a Tempurpedic and love them too. Know what type of bed suits you best (whether the mattress needs to be soft or firm, etc.).

7. Body positioning – If you are not in a comfortable position at night, you aren’t going to get good enough sleep. Make sure that you are positioned the way that feels comfortable for you (and consider trying out new positions) so that you get a better night’s sleep.

8. Sleep appliances – The Dreamate Sleep Aid is an example of an appliance that supposedly aids sleeping patterns. It helps people fall asleep quicker and apparently keeps people sleeping comfortably. Most appliances do not work that well, but you could check some out and/or give them a shot to see if they provide any benefit.

Know what works best for your own sleep

Your goal should be to use sleep aids that work best for you. If you are having a ton of trouble sleeping, it would probably be a very smart idea to see a doctor. I also wrote up an article called “natural cures for insomnia” that is similar that you may be interested in checking out if you liked this one. Realize that there may be a number of things that may be causing sleep problems. Make sure that you rule out disorders (find out about the dangers of sleep apnea) with your doctor, because some problems require more serious treatment. Although I also put together a list of sleep apnea remedies, seeing a medical professional is recommended if you have a problem with your sleep.

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There are many people that have sleep disorders these days. Unfortunately, statistics have shown that the rates of sleep disorders are actually increasing each year. As there becomes more technology to keep us up and our minds occupied, people often neglect sleep. Some argue that there is a clear biological (e.g. genetic basis) for sleep disorders, while others think that the environment causes it. Although coping with a sleep disorder can be difficult, fortunately most of them are manageable. Below I’ve put together some sleep disorder statistics for you to check out if you are curious about the prevalence of certain types of sleeping problems.

Sleep Disorder Statistics

General Sleeping Disorders Statistics

-Most adults should be getting up to 8.5 hours of sleep every night

-As of now, there are 84 different types of sleep disorders that are diagnosable

-Sleep disorders have contributed over $15 billion to heath care problems

Insomnia Stats

-It is estimated that between 18% and 42% of the adult population has insomnia at least one time annually

-One third of all people have insomnia sometime throughout their life

-Over 65 million people in the United States have sleep disorders (over 50% of those disorders are considered “chronic”)

Check out the article:  “Best Natural Cures for Insomnia” if you are interested.

Kids Sleep Disorder Stats

-It is estimated that over 2.2 million kids have sleeping disorders

-Roughly 35% of kids do not get enough sleep or quality sleep

-Most kids should be getting at least 9+ hours of sleep every night

Female Sleep Disorders Statistics

-Menopause can affect sleep

-Pregnancy can reduce quality of sleep

-Changes in hormonal levels can affect sleep

-Females are 2x as likely to have difficulty with sleep as men

Older Adults Stats

-Nearly 50% of people over 65 years old have sleep problems

-People over 65 years old consume over 25% of all prescription sleeping pills in the U.S.

Sleep Apnea Stats

-Roughly 20 million individuals in the United States have sleep apnea

-Males are more likely to have apnea than females

-Well over 10,000,000 people with sleep apnea are not yet diagnosed

(Consider checking out the articles: “Dangers of Sleep Apnea” as well as “Sleep Apnea Remedies“)

Narcolepsy Statistics

-Over 150,000 U.S. citizens have narcolepsy

-Less than 40,000 people with narcolepsy are actually diagnosed

-Roughly 10% of people are believed to have inherited this disease

Restless Leg Syndrome Stats

-1 out of every 10 people in the U.S. have restless leg syndrome

-Restless leg syndrome can be increasingly difficult to deal with when pregnant

-Onset can be in early age

If You Have A Sleep Disorder…

Hopefully you found some of these sleep disorder stats helpful. If you think that you may have a sleeping disorder or think that you know someone that does, be sure to contact a medical professional for a check-up. Most sleep disorders require medical attention as soon as possible; they aren’t something that a Dreamate Sleep Aid is going to cure. If you are affected by a sleep disorder, it is hoped that you are eventually able to overcome it and get proper sleep again.

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Skipping sleep can shut down the brain

Being sleep-deprived for just one night will make your brain unstable and more prone to sudden “shutdowns.” These shutdowns are like lapses that don’t allow you to utilize the full power of your brain. The natural function of the brain is weaker and you may experience shifts between sleep and wakefulness throughout the day state researchers.

“It’s as though it is both asleep and awake and they are switching between each other very rapidly,” says David Dinges from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. His “sleepy brains” study appears in the Journal of Neuroscience and has gained mainstream attention.

David Dinges, a lead researcher was quoted saying, “Imagine you are sitting in a room watching a movie with the lights on. In a stable brain, the lights stay on all the time. In a sleepy brain, the lights suddenly go off.” This quote explains the findings of his research in a nutshell. When you provide your brain with adequate sleep, your brain is fully operating. When you deprive your brain of sleep, your brain can shift between functioning and shutting down (malfunctioning). We already know that depriving yourself of sleep is one of the things that kill brain cells.

What the findings of this study suggest?

The findings of this study suggests that individuals who are sleep-deprived will shift between stages of near-normal brain functioning and significant lapses in cognition throughout the day. Two key areas that sleep-deprived brains are usually not able to perform well in are: visual processing and attention skills.

David Dinges and other researchers conducted brain imaging studies on 24 adults who performed simple tasks which involved visual attention when they were well rested and compared the results to those of when they had missed 1 night’s sleep. Researchers used fMRI imaging to analyze the results, allowing them to measure and observe the amount of blood flow in the brain.

The key findings: the sleep deprived vs. the well rested

• Sleep Deprived: The fMRI imaging showed that when individuals were sleep-deprived, there were significant lapses in key areas of the brain.

• Well Rested: When the individuals were well rested, fMRI imaging showed no lapses in functioning in the areas that faltered in the sleep-deprived brain. The brain power of well-rested individuals remained strong and healthy.

The lead researcher also stated, “These people are not lying in bed. They are sitting up doing a task they learned and they are working very hard at doing their best.” Lapses seemed to suggest that lack of sleep impairs the brain of fully warding off the involuntary drive to sleep. Dinges also says that this study makes it clear how dangerous sleep-deprivation can be while driving on the highway – when even a split second lapse could potentially get you into a major accident!

The obvious conclusion

I think it is obvious to say that we need a goodnight’s sleep for optimal brain functioning! So do yourself a favor and get to bed at a decent time. Too much lack of caring for yourself and your sleeping patterns can cause health problems, cognitive impairments, and is unhealthy. For optimal brain power, you already know that it is good to take a nap if necessary – or set aside some time to sleep in. Get to bed earlier, do whatever you need to to fulfill your necessary sleeping requirements. Sleeping replenishes the body and revitalizes the brain. Cutting it from your routine or trying to avoid it for productivity reasons will only impair your brain functioning. So do yourself a favor… get a good-night’s sleep!

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Is it possible that only waking up and smelling coffee gives your brain a jolt of energy (more beta brainwaves) without even taking a drink? Many people drink coffee in the morning for some caffeine-energy. However, a new study shows that just smelling coffee may have some of the same benefits. The research in the area of coffee is discovering how drinking and smelling coffee affects the gene expression and proteins in your brain.

The new “coffee bean study”

The author of this new “coffee study” was Han-Seouk Seo of Seoul National University. He wrote about how this is one of the first bits of research to look at how the smell of coffee affects our brain activity and behavior. This new study dealt with lab rats, most of which hadn’t gotten adequate sleep. Han-Seouk Seo wrote: “There are few studies that deal with the beneficial effects of coffee aroma.” Apparently, this study is the first ever with a primary focus on the effects of “coffee bean aroma” on sleep-deprived rats’ brains.

For this study, lab rats were used in combination with “Colombian coffee beans.” Researchers tested how the smell of coffee affected the brains of: adult male rats who were “stressed” and sleep deprived, and a group of unstressed adult male rats. They were compared with 2 more groups of rats: stressed and unstressed rats not exposed to the aroma of Colombian coffee beans.

The results of the study

The group of researchers then observed the rats’ brains to attempt to discover the molecular effects of the coffee bean scent. Below is what they discovered:

• The sleep-deprived “stressed” rats showed displayed different levels of activity in 17 genes in the brain. Whether they were better or worse, the study did not say… It just said the levels of activity were different than normal.

• This isn’t to suggest that sleep-deprived or “stressed” people are the exact same as sleep-deprived lab rats. Some study authors believe that since drinking caffeine can cause the same “stress” associated with sleep-deprivation, it may be better for people to sniff coffee.

Should I start sniffing Colombian coffee beans?

Does this mean that you could carry around some Colombian coffee beans to help keep your beta brainwaves roaring? Could you beat the sleep by taking a sniff of some coffee beans? The question remains to be answered! This study found that the scent of coffee affects our brain activity levels and proteins in 17 genes…

They did not find any conclusive evidence supporting the scent of coffee’s effects on the brain. I personally think that sniffing coffee beans would have some effect on us and our brainwaves. Many aromas can change our brainwaves. Taking a whiff of peppermint or chewing peppermint gum can give our beta brainwaves a boost! More coffee-brain-interaction research is in the works and is interesting to follow. Stay tuned for more, I’ll keep you updated!

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