THE MEDICINE CABINET
To Sleep, Perchance to Dream
By Jean Sutherland

     Sleeping problems become common as we age. Whether you are not able to fall asleep, or you wake up too often, then we have some help for you.
     * Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars. This will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.
     * Sleep in complete darkness or as close as possible. When light hits the eyes, it disrupts the circadian rhythm of the pineal gland and production of melatonin and seratonin. There also should be as little light in the bathroom as possible if you get up in the middle of the night.
     * No TV right before bed. It is too stimulating to the brain and it will take longer to fall asleep.
     *Wear socks to bed. Due to the fact that they have the poorest circulation, the feet often feel cold before the rest of the body. A study has shown that this reduces night-waking.
     * Don’t read anything stimulating, such as a mystery or suspense novel, as this may have the opposite effect.
     * Avoid using loud alarm clocks. It is very stressful on the body to be awoken suddenly. I gave up my alarm clock three years ago when we moved to Mexico.
     * If you often lie in bed with your mind racing, it might be helpful to keep a journal and write down your thoughts before bed.
     * Melatonin and its precursors. If behavioral changes do not work, it may be possible to improve sleep by using the hormone melatonin. However, I urge doctor approval and extreme caution in using it, and only as a last resort, as it is a powerful hormone. Ideally it is best to increase levels naturally with exposure to bright sunlight in the daytime.
     * Get to bed as early as possible. Our system, particularly the adrenals, does a majority of its recharging or recovering between he hours of 11pm and 1am. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same period. If you are awake, the toxins backs up into the liver which then secondarily back up into your entire system and causes further disruption of your health. Prior to the widespread use of electricity, people would go to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and which nature intended for humans as well.
     * Eat a high protein snack several hours before bed. This can provide the L-tryptophan needed to produce melatonin and serotonin. Also eat a small piece of fruit. This can help the tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier.
     * Avoid caffeine. A recent study showed that in some people, caffeine is not metabolized efficiently and therefore they can feel the effects long after consuming it. So an afternoon cup of coffee (or even tea) will keep some people from falling asleep.
     * Avoid alcohol. Although alcohol will make people drowsy, the effect is short lived and people will often wake up several hours later, unable to fall back asleep. Alcohol will also keep you from falling into the deeper stages of sleep, where the body does most of its healing.
     * Lose weight. Being overweight can increase the risk of sleep apnea, which will prevent a restful night’s sleep.
     * Don’t drink any fluids within two hours of going to bed. This will reduce the likelihood of needing to get up and go to the bathroom or at least minimize the frequency.
     * Take a hot bath, shower or sauna before bed. When body temperature is raised in the late evening, it will fall at bedtime, facilitating sleep,
     * Remove the clock from view. It will add to your worry when constantly staring at it... 2 AM...3 AM... 4:30 AM...
     * Have your adrenals checked by a natural medicine clinician. Scientists have found that Insomnia may be caused by adrenal stress.
     So there you go... to sleep, perchance to dream.