Plan for a Good Night's Sleep Great Tips by Dr. Oz
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Plan for a Good Night's Sleep
Get 7 to 8 Hours of Sleep a Night
"If you don't get sleep, you'll crave other things like carbohydrates," Dr. Oz says.
Getting quality, consistent sleep can be quite a feat. Try these tricks and solutions to make happy, healthy sleep your reality.:yawn:
Plan for It
Decide when you want to wake up and count backward about seven hours. Now take about a 15-minute period before that to start your slowdown process. That means taking five minutes to finish up must-do chores, followed by five minutes of hygiene stuff (flossing, washing face and so on) and five minutes of relaxing into your sleep state, through things like meditation and saying "I love you" as you lie in bed.
Prepare Your Body for Rest Before Bed
Use the Night
Most of us do things at night that are counter-productive to actually sleeping. Instead, make slight changes in your rituals to prepare your body for rest.
Dim your lights several hours before bed to avoid the stimulation caused by artificial light pollution—which is all around us through TV, computers, and indoor lighting—and serves to stimulate us.
Come up with a regular, rhythmic evening ritual that allows you to embrace anxieties that get released when you slow down. Meditation, prayer, and deep breathing are all good methods.
Surrender to sleep. After all, you go to the movies, you shouldn't go to sleep. There is nothing you have to do to sleep—except let go of waking. Practice "dying" into sleep—rather than forcing yourself to sleep—and cultivate awareness of your personal twilight zone.
Fight Insomnia and Get Your Mind Off Sleep
Attack Insomnia
Tossing and turning works for salads, not sleep problems. If you can't fall asleep within 15 minutes, the answer is not to keep trying. Don't force yourself to stay in bed, because the wait will be interminable. Instead, get out of bed and do some light activity. Getting your mind off sleep resets and reboots your system. Try a yoga pose, meditation, or a short walk. To get back to sleep, music and meditation seem to work best.
Prevention Tips for a Good Night's Sleep
Know the No's
Generally, we don't like telling you not to do something—unless it's smoking, slurping trans fats, or spending 16 hours in front of the tube. But for optimum sleep preparation, there are a few things you should avoid to increase your chance of falling—and staying—asleep.
No alcohol or nicotine for 1.5 hours before bed.
No exercise that makes you sweat for 1.5 hours before bed (doing things that make you sweat in bed are okay).
No caffeine, caffeinated beverages or food, or caffeine in pills for as long as you need to avoid (we recommend three hours) before bed.
No eating three hours before bed, so you can avoid reflux issues that can disturb sleep.
Back and Knee Pain Affects Sleep
Find Your Pain
Some sleep problems don't arise because of worry or melatonin problems. Some are caused because your back hurts like stink. Truth is, some people get through general back pain or knee pain during the day because they're so focused on other things. But when trying to get to sleep, they feel the pain—and focus on it.
A simple over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication can help—not specifically to get you to sleep, but to help alleviate the pain that's preventing you from sleeping. Take aspirin with a glass of water at least one hour before bedtime so that the acid doesn't have as much chance of refluxing up from your stomach to your esophagus.
Allergy Treatment and Sleep
Treat Allergies
Allergies can make sleeping trouble worse because of the congestion they cause. About 40 percent of people with allergic rhinitis have trouble sleeping. Over-the-counter nasal strips and sprays help open up everything and clear up symptoms like headaches, watery eyes, runny nose, or new-onset snoring. If you experience those symptoms and aren't aware of any allergies, search for the source in unexpected places. Some have allergies to gluten (wheat, barley, oats), which can lead to congestion and increase insomnia, as can allergies to detergents and the cleaning products you use on your clothes or sheets. One note: Decongestant nasal sprays are addictive and raise your blood pressure. Saline or antihistamine sprays (or a prescription steroid spray) are better options.
New Approaches to Lack of Sleep
Think Opposite
You'd think that the way to treat a lack of sleep is to get more of it, but one way that sleep docs treat insomnia is by making their patients sleep less. For instance, they'll take a patient getting five hours a night and force them to get only four a night, and then gradually increase for 10 or 15 minutes a night once a week. The sleep-deprivation approach can work as a way to force your body to reset back into a regular sleeping pattern.
Herbal Supplements May Help with Sleep
Consider Herbals
Several supplements have been shown to decrease sleep problems. These are the ones we recommended:
Valerian root: It contains ingredients with sedative properties and is generally considered one of the more effective herbal therapies for sleep. Our recommendation: 300 milligrams.
Ginseng: Studies have shown that the ingredients in ginseng help decrease the amount of wakefulness in a 12-hour period and increase the amount of slow-wave sleep. Try 200 to 600 milligrams of the extract.
Get 7 to 8 Hours of Sleep a Night
"If you don't get sleep, you'll crave other things like carbohydrates," Dr. Oz says.
Getting quality, consistent sleep can be quite a feat. Try these tricks and solutions to make happy, healthy sleep your reality.:yawn:
Plan for It
Decide when you want to wake up and count backward about seven hours. Now take about a 15-minute period before that to start your slowdown process. That means taking five minutes to finish up must-do chores, followed by five minutes of hygiene stuff (flossing, washing face and so on) and five minutes of relaxing into your sleep state, through things like meditation and saying "I love you" as you lie in bed.
Prepare Your Body for Rest Before Bed
Use the Night
Most of us do things at night that are counter-productive to actually sleeping. Instead, make slight changes in your rituals to prepare your body for rest.
Dim your lights several hours before bed to avoid the stimulation caused by artificial light pollution—which is all around us through TV, computers, and indoor lighting—and serves to stimulate us.
Come up with a regular, rhythmic evening ritual that allows you to embrace anxieties that get released when you slow down. Meditation, prayer, and deep breathing are all good methods.
Surrender to sleep. After all, you go to the movies, you shouldn't go to sleep. There is nothing you have to do to sleep—except let go of waking. Practice "dying" into sleep—rather than forcing yourself to sleep—and cultivate awareness of your personal twilight zone.
Fight Insomnia and Get Your Mind Off Sleep
Attack Insomnia
Tossing and turning works for salads, not sleep problems. If you can't fall asleep within 15 minutes, the answer is not to keep trying. Don't force yourself to stay in bed, because the wait will be interminable. Instead, get out of bed and do some light activity. Getting your mind off sleep resets and reboots your system. Try a yoga pose, meditation, or a short walk. To get back to sleep, music and meditation seem to work best.
Prevention Tips for a Good Night's Sleep
Know the No's
Generally, we don't like telling you not to do something—unless it's smoking, slurping trans fats, or spending 16 hours in front of the tube. But for optimum sleep preparation, there are a few things you should avoid to increase your chance of falling—and staying—asleep.
No alcohol or nicotine for 1.5 hours before bed.
No exercise that makes you sweat for 1.5 hours before bed (doing things that make you sweat in bed are okay).
No caffeine, caffeinated beverages or food, or caffeine in pills for as long as you need to avoid (we recommend three hours) before bed.
No eating three hours before bed, so you can avoid reflux issues that can disturb sleep.
Back and Knee Pain Affects Sleep
Find Your Pain
Some sleep problems don't arise because of worry or melatonin problems. Some are caused because your back hurts like stink. Truth is, some people get through general back pain or knee pain during the day because they're so focused on other things. But when trying to get to sleep, they feel the pain—and focus on it.
A simple over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication can help—not specifically to get you to sleep, but to help alleviate the pain that's preventing you from sleeping. Take aspirin with a glass of water at least one hour before bedtime so that the acid doesn't have as much chance of refluxing up from your stomach to your esophagus.
Allergy Treatment and Sleep
Treat Allergies
Allergies can make sleeping trouble worse because of the congestion they cause. About 40 percent of people with allergic rhinitis have trouble sleeping. Over-the-counter nasal strips and sprays help open up everything and clear up symptoms like headaches, watery eyes, runny nose, or new-onset snoring. If you experience those symptoms and aren't aware of any allergies, search for the source in unexpected places. Some have allergies to gluten (wheat, barley, oats), which can lead to congestion and increase insomnia, as can allergies to detergents and the cleaning products you use on your clothes or sheets. One note: Decongestant nasal sprays are addictive and raise your blood pressure. Saline or antihistamine sprays (or a prescription steroid spray) are better options.
New Approaches to Lack of Sleep
Think Opposite
You'd think that the way to treat a lack of sleep is to get more of it, but one way that sleep docs treat insomnia is by making their patients sleep less. For instance, they'll take a patient getting five hours a night and force them to get only four a night, and then gradually increase for 10 or 15 minutes a night once a week. The sleep-deprivation approach can work as a way to force your body to reset back into a regular sleeping pattern.
Herbal Supplements May Help with Sleep
Consider Herbals
Several supplements have been shown to decrease sleep problems. These are the ones we recommended:
Valerian root: It contains ingredients with sedative properties and is generally considered one of the more effective herbal therapies for sleep. Our recommendation: 300 milligrams.
Ginseng: Studies have shown that the ingredients in ginseng help decrease the amount of wakefulness in a 12-hour period and increase the amount of slow-wave sleep. Try 200 to 600 milligrams of the extract.
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Plan for a Good Night's Sleep
Get 7 to 8 Hours of Sleep a Night
"If you don't get sleep, you'll crave other things like carbohydrates," Dr. Oz says.
Getting quality, consistent sleep can be quite a feat. Try these tricks and solutions to make happy, healthy sleep your reality.:yawn:
Plan for It
Decide when you want to wake up and count backward about seven hours. Now take about a 15-minute period before that to start your slowdown process. That means taking five minutes to finish up must-do chores, followed by five minutes of hygiene stuff (flossing, washing face and so on) and five minutes of relaxing into your sleep state, through things like meditation and saying "I love you" as you lie in bed.
Prepare Your Body for Rest Before Bed
Use the Night
Most of us do things at night that are counter-productive to actually sleeping. Instead, make slight changes in your rituals to prepare your body for rest.
Dim your lights several hours before bed to avoid the stimulation caused by artificial light pollution—which is all around us through TV, computers, and indoor lighting—and serves to stimulate us.
Come up with a regular, rhythmic evening ritual that allows you to embrace anxieties that get released when you slow down. Meditation, prayer, and deep breathing are all good methods.
Surrender to sleep. After all, you go to the movies, you shouldn't go to sleep. There is nothing you have to do to sleep—except let go of waking. Practice "dying" into sleep—rather than forcing yourself to sleep—and cultivate awareness of your personal twilight zone.
Fight Insomnia and Get Your Mind Off Sleep
Attack Insomnia
Tossing and turning works for salads, not sleep problems. If you can't fall asleep within 15 minutes, the answer is not to keep trying. Don't force yourself to stay in bed, because the wait will be interminable. Instead, get out of bed and do some light activity. Getting your mind off sleep resets and reboots your system. Try a yoga pose, meditation, or a short walk. To get back to sleep, music and meditation seem to work best.
Prevention Tips for a Good Night's Sleep
Know the No's
Generally, we don't like telling you not to do something—unless it's smoking, slurping trans fats, or spending 16 hours in front of the tube. But for optimum sleep preparation, there are a few things you should avoid to increase your chance of falling—and staying—asleep.
No alcohol or nicotine for 1.5 hours before bed.
No exercise that makes you sweat for 1.5 hours before bed (doing things that make you sweat in bed are okay).
No caffeine, caffeinated beverages or food, or caffeine in pills for as long as you need to avoid (we recommend three hours) before bed.
No eating three hours before bed, so you can avoid reflux issues that can disturb sleep.
Back and Knee Pain Affects Sleep
Find Your Pain
Some sleep problems don't arise because of worry or melatonin problems. Some are caused because your back hurts like stink. Truth is, some people get through general back pain or knee pain during the day because they're so focused on other things. But when trying to get to sleep, they feel the pain—and focus on it.
A simple over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication can help—not specifically to get you to sleep, but to help alleviate the pain that's preventing you from sleeping. Take aspirin with a glass of water at least one hour before bedtime so that the acid doesn't have as much chance of refluxing up from your stomach to your esophagus.
Allergy Treatment and Sleep
Treat Allergies
Allergies can make sleeping trouble worse because of the congestion they cause. About 40 percent of people with allergic rhinitis have trouble sleeping. Over-the-counter nasal strips and sprays help open up everything and clear up symptoms like headaches, watery eyes, runny nose, or new-onset snoring. If you experience those symptoms and aren't aware of any allergies, search for the source in unexpected places. Some have allergies to gluten (wheat, barley, oats), which can lead to congestion and increase insomnia, as can allergies to detergents and the cleaning products you use on your clothes or sheets. One note: Decongestant nasal sprays are addictive and raise your blood pressure. Saline or antihistamine sprays (or a prescription steroid spray) are better options.
New Approaches to Lack of Sleep
Think Opposite
You'd think that the way to treat a lack of sleep is to get more of it, but one way that sleep docs treat insomnia is by making their patients sleep less. For instance, they'll take a patient getting five hours a night and force them to get only four a night, and then gradually increase for 10 or 15 minutes a night once a week. The sleep-deprivation approach can work as a way to force your body to reset back into a regular sleeping pattern.
Herbal Supplements May Help with Sleep
Consider Herbals
Several supplements have been shown to decrease sleep problems. These are the ones we recommended:
Valerian root: It contains ingredients with sedative properties and is generally considered one of the more effective herbal therapies for sleep. Our recommendation: 300 milligrams.
Ginseng: Studies have shown that the ingredients in ginseng help decrease the amount of wakefulness in a 12-hour period and increase the amount of slow-wave sleep. Try 200 to 600 milligrams of the extract.0 -
You write the best things FC!
For many years I prided myself on being one of those that could get by on four or five hours of sleep a night - you know, like on e of those "power people" you read about? Guess what? I now look like a guy who hasn't gotten enough sleep for a long time! LOL!!!
For me the key is going to bed at roughly the same time every night with a little light reading in bed before sleep. NO TV in my bedroom and NO COMPUTER! I'm sorry - the bedroom is a place of love & relaxation, not digital annoyances! This has made a big difference in the quality of my sleep over the last five years or so.
You go FC! Off to play golf here in a little bit! We're bummed! Only going to be in the high 50's today - 82 yesterday! Whoo-hoo! I love Texas!!! :laugh: :glasses: :drinker:0 -
Thanks Mr. Happy:bigsmile: :drinker: You write the best things FC!
For many years I prided myself on being one of those that could get by on four or five hours of sleep a night - you know, like on e of those "power people" you read about? Guess what? I now look like a guy who hasn't gotten enough sleep for a long time! LOL!!!
For me the key is going to bed at roughly the same time every night with a little light reading in bed before sleep. NO TV in my bedroom and NO COMPUTER! I'm sorry - the bedroom is a place of love & relaxation, not digital annoyances! This has made a big difference in the quality of my sleep over the last five years or so.
You go FC! Off to play golf here in a little bit! We're bummed! Only going to be in the high 50's today - 82 yesterday! Whoo-hoo! I love Texas!!! :laugh: :glasses: :drinker:
Oh I can so relate...I used to tell friends 'sleep is overrated'....I'd hear others say 'they can sleep when they're dead'....we all had a line we used to justify it. I could run on only a few hours a night for quite awhile. But...then I began to realize just how healthy sleep really was..it's not just sleep, but what all our bodies do while we are sleeping, it's time for repairs, various hormones are released when enough sleep is involved, tissues repair, metabolism is effected during the day if we slack off on our sleep....so much more.
Then I finally got it! Then I also started to be much more diligent about sleep, it's made a world of difference in how I feel, my health in general, my energy level, my skin, and pretty much everything else that makes up my body.:flowerforyou:
FC
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This is a GREAT post FC. I had just posted the other day that I was sooooo tired during the day. Even though I went to bed around 12:30 and got up at 6:45. Everyone told me I needed more sleep more sleep. So last night I set a goal of 10pm. I was in bed by 10. It was more like 11 when I finally went to sleep cuz of my 13 month old but great for me. I woke up wide awake at 5, I laid there because I had another hour before my alarm went off. I dozed for a few and bounced out of bed at 6. I haven't been tired today and I already done my workout!0
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FC, great post! I love dr Oz! Sleep is so important and we really take it for granted. I learned that I sleep better if I keep to my schedule too.0
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awesome Christy!! Glad the article got bumped at just the right time for you! Sleep is seriously underrated!! I love feeling so rested now that I am on more of a scedule:flowerforyou:This is a GREAT post FC. I had just posted the other day that I was sooooo tired during the day. Even though I went to bed around 12:30 and got up at 6:45. Everyone told me I needed more sleep more sleep. So last night I set a goal of 10pm. I was in bed by 10. It was more like 11 when I finally went to sleep cuz of my 13 month old but great for me. I woke up wide awake at 5, I laid there because I had another hour before my alarm went off. I dozed for a few and bounced out of bed at 6. I haven't been tired today and I already done my workout!
FC 0 -
Thanks:flowerforyou: I hear ya Kelly, a scedule makes all the difference in the world.:drinker: I need to really recoop what I had in that regard mine's slipping a bit:ohwell: , I had been doing so well...and feeling so much more energy, makes for a MUCH better workout for sure! Especially the weights I've noticedFC, great post! I love dr Oz! Sleep is so important and we really take it for granted. I learned that I sleep better if I keep to my schedule too.
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You write the best things FC!
For many years I prided myself on being one of those that could get by on four or five hours of sleep a night - you know, like on e of those "power people" you read about? Guess what? I now look like a guy who hasn't gotten enough sleep for a long time! LOL!!!
For me the key is going to bed at roughly the same time every night with a little light reading in bed before sleep. NO TV in my bedroom and NO COMPUTER! I'm sorry - the bedroom is a place of love & relaxation, not digital annoyances! This has made a big difference in the quality of my sleep over the last five years or so.
You go FC! Off to play golf here in a little bit! We're bummed! Only going to be in the high 50's today - 82 yesterday! Whoo-hoo! I love Texas!!! :laugh: :glasses: :drinker:
You ALWAYS put a smile on my face...pretty much like the one below from our Proud thread, it's in use quite often over there:laugh:
Thanks for doing that for us all , your nature is very warm & kind and I am enjoying building our friendship:happy: Chris:drinker:
FC 0 -
bUmP:yawn:0
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this doctor doesn't have a son who still doesn't sleep through the night & is up every 2-3 hours lol. i mean really sleep. . .what is that? :laugh: haven't had a good nights sleep in well over a year0
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Excellent information. :happy: Thank you for posting it.:flowerforyou:0
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:flowerforyou:Excellent information. :happy: Thank you for posting it.:flowerforyou:0 -
this doctor doesn't have a son who still doesn't sleep through the night & is up every 2-3 hours lol. i mean really sleep. . .what is that? :laugh: haven't had a good nights sleep in well over a year
How old is your son? My children slept in solid blocks (4-6 hours) when they were about 4-6 months old. The sleep time increases when rice cereal is introduced - so hang in there, it won't be too long before you get more sleep. (p.s. I am SO glad to be done with the sleep-less nights - after three kids [and college] I've done my share of all-nighters :laugh: ).0 -
he's 14 months old lol he just don't like sleep :laugh:0
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:yawn:
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he's 14 months old lol he just don't like sleep :laugh:
Oh he has you trained :laugh: :laugh: One of the hardest things was to train my kids that if they are dry, fed, and otherwise fine - they ain't coming out of bed until dawn! :laugh:
You can put a basket of toys in the corner of his crib so he can entertain himself when he wakes up, and it's good for kids this age to learn how to self-sooth - you need some more sleep! :flowerforyou:0 -
:yawn: :flowerforyou:0
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I have to say, that after fighting insomnia for 6 weeks straight I went to my doc and she thought I was manic! I told her my symptoms, she took me off my meds, the next week she put me on sleeping meds, didn't like them so now I use herbal method such as the ones suggested above and take hot detox bath an hour before bed time. The only thing I don't agree with is tv in the bedroom because that is one thing that makes me tired for sure as long as I dont turn to any long programs. Just short and boring like reruns. Lack of sleep will really hurt your weight loss efforts. Very important to keep the chemicals in the brain in working order so it sends the rest of the body the right messages . Most of us think that we operate just fine on 4 or 5 hours rest and that may be true for a night or two but it catches up with you. Plus if this is an every night occurance and you feel ok, just think how your body would react to really good sleep patterns. If your struggling with weight issues this may be your culprit right there. Your body may need more sleep. Just a thought.0
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for me it usually takes me an hour or so to fall asleep, then i end up getting up at around 4 or something and have to get up for work at 6:25 :grumble: . I get the most sleep when i'm off from work and i take a third of a Simply Sleep pill. But soon with the 2nd job i wont be getting many sleep in days
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uh waking up way to early is simply the pits, you lay awake and watch the clock, tough to get back to sleep then.:ohwell:for me it usually takes me an hour or so to fall asleep, then i end up getting up at around 4 or something and have to get up for work at 6:25 :grumble: . I get the most sleep when i'm off from work and i take a third of a Simply Sleep pill. But soon with the 2nd job i wont be getting many sleep in days0 -
yeah i hate when that happens theres times when i go to bed at around 10 or so...then wake up at midnight or 1am. Mostly BR breaks. I'm getting a second job as well so i'm not going to have as many days to actually sleep in. The only way for that is if i work 8-1 on my other job i can work like 2-5 or something the same day0
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Prepare Your Body for Rest Before Bed
Use the Night
Most of us do things at night that are counter-productive to actually sleeping. Instead, make slight changes in your rituals to prepare your body for rest.
Dim your lights several hours before bed to avoid the stimulation caused by artificial light pollution—which is all around us through TV, computers, and indoor lighting—and serves to stimulate us.
Come up with a regular, rhythmic evening ritual that allows you to embrace anxieties that get released when you slow down. Meditation, prayer, and deep breathing are all good methods.
Hehe, this tickles me because its exactly what specialists say to do with toddlers. We are all wee at heart. :laugh: :bigsmile:
Thank you for this FC :flowerforyou:0 -
:bigsmile: :flowerforyou:Prepare Your Body for Rest Before Bed
Use the Night
Most of us do things at night that are counter-productive to actually sleeping. Instead, make slight changes in your rituals to prepare your body for rest.
Dim your lights several hours before bed to avoid the stimulation caused by artificial light pollution—which is all around us through TV, computers, and indoor lighting—and serves to stimulate us.
Come up with a regular, rhythmic evening ritual that allows you to embrace anxieties that get released when you slow down. Meditation, prayer, and deep breathing are all good methods.
Hehe, this tickles me because its exactly what specialists say to do with toddlers. We are all wee at heart. :laugh: :bigsmile:
Thank you for this FC :flowerforyou:0
This discussion has been closed.
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