Nurse Audrey's Stress Relief

Your Stress Relief Minute

A Good Nights Sleep, Please!

A few nights ago as I lay in bed, shades drawn, eyes open, the night quickly passing by, my mind turned to the problem of insomnia!

It is the dreaded time when we know that morning will soon come and we will face the day with the sleepiness, poor thoughts and emotional troubles.

Not only that, but all things that normally irritate us become magnified…the challenging coworker who chews gum loudly, the nagging of our loved ones, the children’s noise…we are irritable and even feel like kicking the cat.

Sleep is the body’s way to rejuvenate us, mentally, emotionally and physically, keeping us young, alert, and balanced. Sleep deprivation adds to the steady “drip, drip, drip” of stress hormones that seep into our brain and body which are more detrimental to our health and well-being than the occasional larger stress producers.

Getting eight hours of restful sleep a night is a must. Did I hear someone laugh? It is possible to achieve this with a little planning.

Some things you can do about insomnia.

Have sufficient and enjoyable aerobic exercise during the day, but not just before bedtime.
Limit your intake of caffeine., It only takes 200 gms of caffeine …about one and one half cups of coffee to raise your cortisol (stress hormone level) 30%, keeping you in a state of stress.
Limit your alcohol consumption.
Don’t watch anything exciting or controversial on the TV before bedtime.
It is best to not have a TV in the bedroom, as this room is only for two purposes…sleep and sex.
Instead of taking a sleeping pill take one capsule of Melatonin (purchased over the counter ) at bedtime. Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by the penal gland found in the brain that helps trigger sleep and is increased during the hours of darkness.
Dim the lights in the home toward bedtime, helping the brain release melatonin, making you drowsy.

Trouble with snoring?

Yes, sleeping with someone who snores is another reason why we may be sleep deprived and feeling irritable and fatigued the next day. Snoring occurs when the extra soft tissue around the airway narrows causing interference with breathing. Having the person sleep on their side may help as this will reduce the amount of airway collapse.

Putting a few drops of the herb Marjoram on the pillow has proven to be successful in reducing snoring and can be purchased at some health food stores that sell herbs.

A more serious cause of snoring is sleep apnea. This happens, when there is a severe restriction of the airway passage, leading to oxygen deprivation. The airway is restricted with, in some cases, breathing being reduced to half its normal rate. The person struggles to breath, and when they finally do so, the airway opens with a loud snort. Those with sleep apnea are never able to enter the REM sleep pattern as sleep is very shallow from having to wake up so often to take a gasp of air. Obesity is known to be the most common factor in sleep apnea. Sleep apnea will need a doctor’s visit and possible a c-pap machine to help regulate the breathing pattern.

Humour for your day!

Insomnia is the triumph of mind over mattress.
I finally got a good night’s sleep last night, but it didn’t do me a bit of good. I dreamed I was awake all night!

Till next time… “Nurse Audrey” signing off!

Questions/Comments: audrey@possibilitiesnetwork.com
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