Fixes for 3 common sleep problems

Sleep Routine Makeovers

Read expert advice for three common sleeping issues

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By Barbara Brody

Tired? You're not alone. About 20 percent of Americans get fewer than six hours of shut-eye nightly, and a growing number have to rely on sleep aids to fall asleep or stay that way, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Is getting more (and better) sleep possible without the help of drugs? To find out, we asked three Woman's Day staffers to share their nighttime troubles with the experts. Here's what they learned.

Problem #1: "I wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back to sleep." -Marilu Lopez, group creative director

Marilu wakes up almost every night between 3:30 and 4 a.m. and is unable to fall back to sleep. To pass the time and try to make herself sleepy again, she reads The New York Times on her BlackBerry. She eventually falls back to sleep but then wakes up early in the morning and feels exhausted all day.

Advice: Step one is to break the BlackBerry habit, says Joyce Walsleben, RN, PhD, diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and coauthor of A Woman's Guide to Sleep. The problem is twofold: Not only is reading news articles too stimulating, but the light from the BlackBerry itself can get in the way of the production of hormones that are essential for sleep.

Dr. Walsleben's top tips:

1. Ban the BlackBerry from the bedroom. Also cover (or remove) clocks so that you're not disturbed by the light from them or tempted to stare at the numbers.
2. Stay in bed. If you wake up, keep your eyes closed and practice relaxation exercises that will hopefully lull you back to sleep. One to try: Picture yourself outdoors on a beautiful day with a jar of soap and a wand. Imagine that you're slowly blowing bubbles, and follow each one until it's out of sight. Keep blowing bubbles until there's no more soap in the jar.
3. Relax during the day, too. Take at least three minutes to practice the bubble exercise (or another relaxation technique, such as deep breathing) so that you're not overwhelmed by the worries of the day as soon as your head hits the pillow.

Did it work? "The bubble imagery didn't work for me--I found the concept more annoying than relaxing," says Marilu. "But I have fallen back to sleep a few times by just staying in bed and telling myself, ‘Do not open your eyes. Do not turn on the BlackBerry.'"

Problem #2: "I only get four to five hours of sleep a night." -Abigail L. Cuffey, assistant health editor

Abby's friends call her a vampire because she's such a night owl. She tends to get a second wind around 11:30 p.m. and ends up staying awake until at least 2 a.m. But she also wakes up early in the morning, so the bottom line is she's not getting very much rest. She relies on lots of caffeine to keep her going through the day. On the weekends Abby stays up even later but sleeps in later as well.

Advice: Too much caffeine and inconsistencies between Abby's workweek and weekend sleep schedules are preventing her from getting enough rest, says Michael J. Breus, PhD, a clinical psychologist and board-certified sleep specialist. If she's serious about improving her sleep habits, she needs to ease off the caffeine and stick to a regular schedule.

Dr. Breus' top tips:

1. Start "caffeine fading." There's no need to abandon coffee entirely--plus, going cold turkey can cause bad headaches. A better idea is to drink most of your caffeinated beverages early in the morning and taper off as the day goes on. If you're currently used to five or six cups of coffee a day, try having one or two cups of drip coffee in the morning, a latte (which has a higher milk-to-coffee ratio) or half-caf coffee midday, and a tea or cola in the afternoon if you're still craving caffeine. But after 4 p.m., no more caffeine!
2. Set your alarm clock or cell phone to go off 30 minutes before bedtime as a reminder to stop what you're doing and get ready for bed.
3. Take a hot bath or shower right before bed. This should make you sleepy because your temperature will rise and then dip--and body temperature naturally drops when you get sleepy.
4. Go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time on weekdays and weekends. (A shift of about an hour is OK.)

Did it work? "The advice was good but hard to stick to because life--the holidays, my birthday, etc.--got in the way," says Abby. "But when I did follow it, it worked really well, especially the hot shower at night. Whenever I took one I felt almost tranquilized once I crawled into bed."

Problem #3: "I have night sweats--but I'm only in my 20s!" -Ayn-Monique Klahre, associate home design editor

During the workweek, Ayn-Monique usually goes to bed around 10:30 p.m., but her husband often reads in the bedroom, so the light disturbs her about 30 minutes later. Once she's awakened, she tosses and turns but eventually falls back to sleep--only to be awakened around 3:30 a.m. feeling cold but scrunched into a little ball and sweating. She's exhausted when her alarm goes off in the morning and often hits the snooze button repeatedly. On the weekends she tends to stay out much later and sleeps soundly once she's finally in bed.

Advice: A medical issue could be responsible for Ayn-Monique's sleep troubles, but Dr. Walsleben suspects that her sleep cycle is simply out of whack because she goes to bed so much later on the weekends than she does during the week and because she's going to bed during the week while her husband is still reading.

Dr. Walsleben's top tips:

1. Normalize your weekday and weekend sleep routines as much as possible. That might mean going to bed slightly later during the week than you are now, as well as turning in a bit earlier on Friday and Saturday. The goal is to bridge the gap.
2. Embrace the darkness. Even if you fall asleep with the light on, it probably won't be quality sleep--and it's all too easy to be woken up. If your husband insists on reading in the bedroom after your bedtime, ask him to use a book light or wear an eye mask yourself.
3. Talk to your doctor. If you practice these lifestyle changes for a few weeks and you're not sleeping any better--and still waking up sweating--see your primary care doctor to make sure an unknown medical problem isn't to blame.

Did it work? "Staying up a little later during the week helped me sleep more soundly, and I've used an eye mask when my husband is reading in bed," says Ayn-Monique. "But I still woke up sweaty on occasion, so I'm not sure this issue has been fully addressed. I'll mention it to my doctor at my next physical just to make sure nothing else is going on."

Is the creator theory a possibility?

Is the creator theory a possibility?

It appears that some people are hell bent on believing in a ‘Creator’ theory. However, look at the improbabilities that weigh against such a belief. America is truly a great and beautiful country. Yet, when terrorists attacked on September 11th so many innocent people perished. America has also been devastated by many hurricanes, thus the question of a loving God is being questioned by many. Some believe that Satan is responsible for all the mayhem and calamities that take place in the world (earth quakes, tornadoes, mud slides, earth slips, volcanoes, and floods to name a few). It is also believed that Satan was an angel created by God who later fell from grace and is responsible for all the mayhem. Then the paramount question arises as to why the God couldn't give the angel who fell from grace a non abusive free will? And for that matter after the angel abused and became the devil, why did the all powerful God sacrifice his only son? I understand there are numerous theological explanations and interpretations to it. The political West call certain countries Satanic or Evil, while those countries in return call the west satan. Who is right and who is wrong? As for the free will supposed to have been given by the so called Omnipotent God, it is remarkable that Adolf Hitler was also given a free will to slaughter 30-35 million innocent human beings.One is also faced with the million dollar question why God created serpents to sting and kill humans? viruses to kill thousands of humans, germs to cause illnesses, mosquitoes to suck human blood! According to the Bible, God created man in his own form. Darwinian scientists say that man evolved from a common ancestor -common to the apes and us, humans. The Tsunami which devastated Sri Lanka along with several of its neighbours, took away the lives of thousands of innocent people. As a result, many families were torn apart. If one is to visit the Cancer hospital at Maharagama, there are little babies just a few months old suffering from cancer. So is it not that the so called Almighty, Omnipotent all loving Creator God has neglected his subjects on earth in the process? -A Mirror Reader

2010 – Chinese Year of the Tiger!

2010 – Chinese Year of the Tiger!

The Chinese use the lunar calendar for celebratory events which includes the New Year. This falls somewhere between late January and early February. The cycle of twelve animal signs originates from Chinese tradition as a way of naming the years. The animals follow one another in an established order and are replicated every twelve years. The rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig are the twelve animal signs. Every animal has particular characteristics and people born in a specific year are believed to take on these characteristics. According to the Chinese Zodiac, the year of 2010 is the year of the Tiger, which commences on February 14, 2010 and ends on February 2, 2011. The Tiger is the third sign in the Chinese Zodiac cycle, and it is a sign of bravery. This courageous and fiery fighter is admired by the ancient Chinese as the sign that keeps away the three main tragedies of a household. These are fire, thieves and ghosts. Tigers are physically powerful, gracious, independent and brave, they are extremely bold animals. They are friendly and loving but can also selfish and short-tempered. Tigers seek attention and power; frequently they are envious in a relation. Tigers live dangerously which often leads to trouble. They are intolerant, take risks and are always searching for excitement. Tigers are also instilled with a good dose of courage. The Tiger has an overpowering attraction and is very kind and always takes on the character as a protector. The Tiger flourishes by power and attention and takes advantage of all circumstances it gets itself into. The tiger is a natural leader and loves to be the centre of attention. As a rebel it goes up against authority and speaks out about wrongs in society, and willingly puts up objections. Even if you don’t agree with the beliefs of the tiger you admire his way to protest. Just as how their counterparts in the jungle are impulsive, so too are individuals born in the Chinese Year of the Tiger. When people think of tigers, it is their vigour and power that comes to mind first. But it has also been noted that tigers are known to share and are unselfish animals. The reason people admire the tiger is due to the fact that they are ferocious and domineering on the outside, but they are just as noble and distinguished on the inside. These are the same personality attributes that persons will have who are born in the year of the Tiger. People that are born in the Year of the Tiger are generally well liked because of their charismatic personalities. Often, failing at a given duty or being unproductive in his personal or professional life can cause a Tiger to experience a deep sense of depression. A Tiger is always at their happiest when they endeavour to climb the ladder of success. Attaining the top spot is his foremost purpose; being in a position of power is her ultimate goal. They are quick learners, need to be challenged and often prefer to work alone. Some Tigers tend to change careers more frequently because they get bored quite easily. They are natural born leaders and perform at their best if working towards positions of power and influence. So once there is no further room for progression, they will often move on to something else. Anyone that is born in the Year of the Tiger is usually straightforward and outgoing by nature. They will never give up no matter how aggravated they may become. But, they are also full of suspicion and at times will take hasty action. Never lose sight of the fact that Tigers are smart and instinctive. People born in the Year of the Tiger always take pride in being different from others, and normally demonstrate their originality best in their homes. Their homes are typically filled with exotic possessions. It is no surprise that one of the Tiger’s favourite gemstones is the cat’s eye, but tigers also love the sparkle of rubies and diamonds. They like to spend money, and also to share it. They can be very impulsive spenders because they know they can at all times make more. The Year of the Tiger is the third year in the cycle of “Heavenly Branches”. Customarily, it is called “Yin”. Those born in the Year of the Tiger are compatible with the horse, dog, and dragons. The year 2010 is another Year of the Tiger. It is the ji-chou year. Jji is the sixth of the Ten Celestial Stems and yin is the third of the Twelve Terrestrial Branches and marks the Year of the Tiger. www.yearofthetiger.net)

Understanding the Chinese zodiac

Most people’s understanding of Chinese astrology and the Chinese zodiac doesn’t extend beyond what they see on the paper placemats that cover the tables of their favourite Chinese restaurants. But there really is much more to know about this doctrine that dates back more than 2,000 years. There are 12 animals in the zodiac: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. These 12 animals represent the rotating 12-year cycle that is the basis of the Chinese Zodiac. It also reflects several similarities to the Western zodiac: Both have time cycles divided into 12 parts, each labels, at least the majority of those parts, with names of animals, and each is widely associated with a culture of attributing influence of a person’s relationship to the cycle upon their personality and/or events in their life. Nevertheless, there are major differences: The Chinese 12-part cycle is divided into years rather than months; contrary to the association with animals implied in the Greek etymology of zodiac, actually four of the Western signs or houses are represented by humans (one such sign being the twins Gemini) and one is the inanimate balance scale Libra; the animals of the Chinese zodiac are not associated with constellations, let alone those spanned by the ecliptic plane. There are many legends to explain the beginning of the zodiac. One of the most popular reads, in summarised form, as follows: The rat was given the task of inviting the animals to report to the Jade Emperor for a banquet to be selected for the zodiac signs. The cat was a good friend of the rat, but the rat tricked him into believing that the banquet was the next day. The cat slept through the banquet, thinking that it was the next day. When he found out, the cat vowed to be the rat’s natural enemy for ages to come. A variation tells that the cat had asked the rat to wake him up the day of the Race. The rat agreed, but on the said day, he did not wake the cat in his greed to win. When the cat finally woke up and got to the racing ground, he found the race to be over. The cat then swore revenge upon the rat. Interestingly, the cat does make it into the Vietnamese Zodiac, in place of the rabbit.