Eight Random Facts About Yours Truly

Seems as though I've been posting about eights so much (the Eight Pieces of Brocade Qigong) that other eights are finding me, too!

Dr Breus at The Insomnia Blog has tagged me, so here are eight random things about me….

1. I was born on a Labor Day and also gave birth on a Labor Day.

2. I love science fiction and have been reading it since age 12.

3. Related to 2, one of my most prized possessions is a first edition of Isaac Asimov's first published novel Pebble In the Sky.

4. (Before moving to the northwest) I earned several ribbons for crochet and embroidery at the New York State Fair.

5. I'm tone deaf and can't sing to save my life.

6. I've lived in four houses in my life, and each of the house numbers, if you keep adding the numbers together until you get a single digit, reduce to 4: 211, 229, 715, and 1660. (i.e. 2+1+1=4; 2+2+9=13, 1+3=4; etc.)

7. I walk my talk and really do live a holistic life and lifestyle as much as possible.

8. After smoking cigarettes for 34 years, I quit in 2005. If you are trying to quit smoking, don't give up! Keep trying, and if you need help, find a product that will help you quit….not every product works for every person, but if you keep looking you will find the one that works for You!!!

There…probably more about me than you ever wanted to know!

I'll tag Charlsie at Manifesting Universe , Amit at The Power of Choice, Caroline at Earth Friendly Gardening, and Geraldine at Veggies, Crafts, and Tails.

The one thing that will get rid of stress

Could this be you?

"What is the one thing that will get rid of my stress?" someone asks.

I ask back, "What is the one thing that caused it?"

That usually prompts a litany that goes something like this: "Well, I've had to work late the past few weeks. Sally is out sick, so I'm covering some of her work. Plus, I have a new client; big project, big headaches, you know how it is. Little League started last week, so I have to rush home, pick up Jimmy and Bobby, grab dinner on the way over there. My husband Dan can't help as much as he used to because his company has him traveling a lot now, after his promotion. I noticed a water spot on the kitchen ceiling after that rain we had, I think there's a leak in the roof…I'll have to call someone on that when I have a second. Yeah, speaking of the kitchen, lately I've been experiencing a bit of heartburn…what's up with that? Oh, and our dog is at the vet…the neighbor's little boy bit him…cute kid, but a little strange; I don't think his parents pay enough attention to him……"

At first sight, you may think there are a lot of things causing this woman's stress although she is hopeful that one thing will cure it. You may even identify with a lot of her stressors if you are overwhelmed with work, family, house, dog, and other tasks.

There are a lot of ways to reduce stress in this situation: have another co-worker help with Sally's tasks; ask another Little League mom to take the boys and arrange to drop off her kids after the practice.

However, if this is you, and if you carefully read between the lines, you will see that there really is only one thing that causes stress: YOU. Your attitude and behavior determines whether you are stressed-out or stress-free.

Does the fictitious, overburdened worker-wife-mother reciting the litany of problems have a choice? Do you have a choice? Absolutely.

The thing you need to examine is your motivation.

What motivates you to live a stressed-out life? What motivates your attitude and behavior? Boiled down to the most basic components, it's a combination of three things: status, money, power: wanting them, getting them, keeping them.

I'm not implying any of these things is bad in and of itself, but if you really want to beat stress and not just complain about how it's ruining your life, you have to do it on an honest playing field.

Frankly, I think there are a lot of people out there who just want to complain about it. In fact, complaining about stress has become a status symbol; if you're not stressed out, there must be something wrong with you. Not only that, people moan and groan about how stressed-out they are, but use every excuse to reject every stress-reducing or stress-eliminating technique they read about because it's too hard, it's too easy, it takes too much time, it won't work for me (even though they have never tried it), it costs too much, it's too cheap so it must not be any good, I'm too busy to go to it…..and on and on. If you are one of those people, then God Bless You…you're going to need it.

To get back to motivation: if you truly want to reduce stress and achieve a stress-free lifestyle (yes, it really is possible!), you must be completely honest with yourself.

If, along with the money, status, or power, you have high blood pressure, a heart condition, Acid Reflux Disease, high cholesterol, insomnia, constant headaches, and (fill in the blank), you must feel disease and suffering is worth the status, money, and power.

That's fine, and I truly have no problem with it, but if that is what you have chosen, you must also realize that you can choose how you deal with the stress it can bring.

For the people who really do want to reduce stress, back to the original question: "What is the one thing that will get rid of your stress?"

Answer: YOU.

YOU are the best disease-preventative you have. YOU are the only thing that will get rid of your stress. It calls for making big changes in mind and emotion, attitude and behavior, to reconsider and revise the way you think and act.

A while ago I wrote about the Ecosystem of YOU. I want to emphasize again that YOU are a whole and holistic system (whether you treat yourself that way or not) of spirit, mind, emotion, and physical body. Whatever you do to one part of YOU affects every single other part of you, your whole person.

To get rid of your stress, take responsibility for yourself. Don't expect your employer, your doctor, you mother, your family to take care of you. They won't. They're too busy expecting you to take care of them. (If that wasn't true, you probably wouldn't be working late, paying for anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications, and rushing around like a headless chicken to get all the errands done.)

If you can't change your attitude or behavior, you must leave the circumstances that cause your stress, or get help in coping with them. Just as with any repetitive physical injury that returns if you continue the behavior that caused it, if you are suffering mental or emotional stress but remain in the circumstances that cause it, you may find temporary relief, but no lasting cure.

Insomnia Relief: an interview with Dr Michael Breus

Michael Breus, Ph.D., author of

Following my review of his book Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health (DUTTON an imprint of Penguin Group Inc., New York, 2006, ISBN 0525949798, HC, 326 p.) Dr Breus kindly agreed to answer questions I had about the topic of sleep in education, a couple of children's sleep issues, and polyphasic sleep.

Hello, Dr. Breus. Thank you for joining us for this interview. I found your book to be absolutely fascinating!

1. On page 11 of your book, you tell us that "75 percent of us have symptoms of a sleep problem on a regular basis." That's a staggering number of people who are not getting their beauty sleep! What are your thoughts on including a unit about sleep in high-school health classes?

This is a great idea and one I would love to pursue. I wish I had the contacts. I would at the very least like to put a chapter or two on sleep in a Health book.

2. In chapter four you talk about the importance of making the bedroom an anxiety-free, sleep-only space. Since older students (6^th through 12^th grades, 11 to 17 year olds) often do their homework in their bedrooms, and homework can be a high-anxiety task, should the bedroom be a homework-free space as well?

Wow, my kids are so small I never thought of that (my kids are 5 and 3 ½). Now that you mention it I would say yes, they should have a quiet place to do their homework outside of the bedroom.

3. On page 256 I was very shocked to learn that "the number of kids ages ten to nineteen who take prescription sleep remedies jumped by 85 percent" between the years 2000 and 2004!

Isn't this an alarming trend?

This scares me for many reasons. First, that there are that many kids who are taking a sleep aid (prescription -- who knows how many kids are taking OTC’s like Tylenol PM.), and second, that there are that many docs who are willing to prescribe them at this age.

Why do so many children need prescription sleep medications?

I would think that they don't need them. In most cases these problems can be solved with behavioral methods, and quite honestly better parenting. But I can sympathize with some parents that getting kids to sleep can be both incredibly frustrating and sleep depriving.

What can we do to reduce those numbers?

Make parents aware of other solutions, non-pharmacologic and behavioral in nature.

4. We know that all five stages of sleep are important to help us feel better and look younger. I have often wondered, does the use of pharmaceutical sleep aids allow a person to experience all five sleep stages, or does drug-induced sleep cause people to miss important stages of the sleep cycle?

This was a factor in older sleep medication called the Benzodiazepines. These medications would knock you out into Stage 1 and 2 sleep but deprived you of stages 3, 4, and REM. The newer medications actually will maintain your current architecture (even if it is not so good). I am aware of no sleep aid that will actually increase deep sleep.

5. What is your opinion of polyphasic sleep, often referred to as the Uberman sleep schedule, in which a person naps 20 to 30 minutes every four hours throughout the day instead of sleeping several hours at one time? Have any studies been done on this to prove or disprove that people who practice this type of sleep skip most of the sleep stages and go directly (or almost directly) to REM sleep as some people have speculated?

I actually posted on his blog about the technique. There are pros and cons to it. It will not hurt you per se, but as he noted it had some significant drawbacks.

First, you are awake when no one else is, and there is just so much internet surfing you really can do.

Next, you cannot go out for more than about 2.5 hours -- so it is really hard to get much done.

Many people have reported that they feel less refreshed after polyphasic sleep, but there is not a lot of data on it as of yet.

As for actual sleep stages, what we see is that it is quite hard for the body to throw itself into any particular stages unless it is sleep deprived.

6. In closing, is there anything you would particularly like to say to today's readers?

Sweet Dreams!

Thanks again for being with us today!

I am delighted to have this book in my toolkit to recommend to stress-management clients as well as to other holistic practitioners. You can learn more about Dr. Breus and his book Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health, by visiting his website www.soundsleepsolutions.com . You will find many articles about a variety of sleep problems, and you may also subscribe to his free "Sleep eNewzzzletter!" Don't forget to visit "The Insomnia Blog" http://www.theinsomniablog.com/ where you may find not only great posts to read, but you can listen to several podcasts of Dr. Breus sharing his expertise in order to help you to overcome your sleep problems!

Insomnia relief: Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4 Week Program

Michael Breus, Ph.D., author of:

Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health by Michael Breus, Ph.D., DUTTON an imprint of Penguin Group Inc., New York, 2006, ISBN 0525949798, HC, 326 p.

Surely all of us, at one time or another, have gone a few rounds with insomnia. When you've had trouble sleeping, you drag yourself out of bed in the morning feeling all achy and exhausted, just as if you had been in the ring battling an opponent all night. In his book Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health, Dr. Breus coaches you on all the effective ways to overcome insomnia – ways that many of us would never even think of! – and put it down for the count. I found his book expertly written in a conversational and friendly style with suggestions and instructions that are easy to understand and follow.

Part I of the book is called "Quick-Fix Sleep Solutions" and includes the first four chapters. You know what a bad night's sleep is, but what exactly is a good night's sleep? In chapter one, Dr. Breus explains enough about the science of sleep to give you a good foundation for understanding how and why a good night's sleep is necessary to feeling good and looking younger. Chapter two introduces you to the "Three Most Troublesome Culprits in Disordered Sleep…and How to Conquer Them." (If you guessed that caffeine is one of the three, you're right; however, the third culprit might surprise you!) The discussion in chapter three is about the people in your life – your partner, children, and business associates – and how you can manage the disruptions in sleep they may cause. Chapter four is "The Extreme (but Easy!) Bedroom Makeover" and is one of my favorite chapters. In it you learn how to make small changes in the bedroom that add up to a big difference, enabling you to improve your quality of sleep!

"Part II: From Waistlines to Face Lines: You Are What You Sleep" includes chapters five, six, and seven. Did you know that a poor night's sleep can undermine your diet, exercise, or combination weight-loss program? The first chapter in part two discusses how the body chemistry behind a good night's sleep can not only enhance your weight-loss, but acts as a "cosmetic medicine" that empowers your cells to rejuvenate and reverse the damage caused by age, stress, environment, and other factors. Chapter six talks about the important role played by quality sleep in the areas of exercise and sex, and how the right kind of sleep can not only perk up your love life, it can enhance those intimate moments with your partner. If you have ever thought that a nap in the afternoon was a good idea, chapter seven will show you how right you are, and Dr Breus explores different types of naps to help you choose the one that will deliver just the right amount of rest and energy without adversely impacting your sleep that night.

Part III launches the remarkable four-week program, "28 Nights to Sound Sleep Forever" developed by Dr. Breus. Chapter eight takes you step-by-step through the first week of his comprehensive and detailed program to improve your rejuvenating, regenerating sleep. He leads you through a series of small changes from scheduling sleep time to relaxation techniques while you keep a Sleep Diary to record your reactions. Evaluation is the keyword for chapter nine; here you will take the second week to review your Sleep Diary entries from the previous chapter so that you may evaluate the effectiveness of each change, and try some new techniques if you need to. You also receive friendly reminders that help you to stay on track. Weeks three and four of the program comprise chapter ten; here you finalize and follow your personalized sleep program by combining and practicing all the bedtime routine, relaxation, and other techniques that worked well for you.

"The Sleep Aid Industry" is the topic of Part IV of the book. Dr Breus answers a few common questions concerning sleep-aid supplements and pharmaceuticals. As a holistic practitioner myself, I especially value this information about the hazards of using medications or other "quick fix" techniques in attempting to attain quality, restful sleep. To close, The Sleep Doctor offers some excellent guidelines to follow in order to reap the benefits of a completely natural night's sleep for business and vacation travelers, and people who work evening or night shifts.

The two appendices at the end of the book include a reminder list in outline format along with Sleep Diary charts, and a list of additional resources.

I am delighted to have this book in my toolkit to recommend to stress-management clients as well as to other holistic practitioners. You can learn more about Dr. Breus and his book Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health, by visiting his website www.soundsleepsolutions.com . You will find many articles about a variety of sleep problems, and you may also subscribe to his free "Sleep eNewzzzletter!" You should also visit "The Insomnia Blog" http://www.theinsomniablog.com/ where you may find not only great posts to read, but you can listen to several podcasts of Dr. Breus sharing his expertise in order to help you to overcome your sleep problems!

Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health

The Ecosystem of YOU!

Too many people today still believe that there is a separation of the spirit/mind/emotions – all those invisible parts of you – and your physical body.

Many are familiar with this as Cartesian philosophy, the interpretation of the separation of mind and body, and the mechanistic interpretation of physical nature.

Rene Descartes in 1641 published his Meditations on First Philosophy in which he says: "And finally we should conclude from all this, that those things which we conceive clearly and distinctly as being diverse substances, as we regard mind and body to be, are really substances essentially distinct one from the other; and this is the conclusion of the Sixth Meditation. This is further confirmed in this same Meditation by the fact that we cannot conceive of body excepting in so far as it is divisible, while the mind cannot be conceived of excepting as indivisible. For we are not able to conceive of the half of a mind as we can do of the smallest of all bodies; so that we see that not only are their natures different but even in some respects contrary to one another."

From the Sixth Meditation, "proof" of the separation of mind and body: "For, as a matter of fact, when I consider the mind, that is to say, myself inasmuch as I am only a thinking thing, I cannot distinguish in myself any parts, but apprehend myself to be clearly one and entire; and although the whole mind seems to be united to the whole body, yet if a foot, or an arm, or some other part, is separated from my body, I am aware that nothing has been taken away from my mind. And the faculties of willing, feeling, conceiving, etc. cannot be properly speaking said to be its parts, for it is one and the same mind which employs itself in willing and in feeling and understanding. But it is quite otherwise with corporeal or extended objects, for there is not one of these imaginable by me which my mind cannot easily divide into parts, and which consequently I do not recognise as being divisible; this would be sufficient to teach me that the mind or soul of man is entirely different from the body, if I had not already learned it from other sources.

Furthermore, "I notice, also, that the nature of body is such that none of its parts can be moved by another part a little way off which cannot also be moved in the same way by each one of the parts which are between the two, although this more remote part does not act at all. As, for example, in the cord ABCD [which is in tension] if we pull the last part D, the first part A will not be moved in any way differently from what would be the case if one of the intervening parts B or C were pulled, and the last part D were to remain unmoved."

(Personally, I think Descartes was seriously misunderstood. If you read his entire Philosophy carefully, he writes more about the illusory nature of the physical world. His discussion is very Buddhist in nature, and he seems very interested in the power of the mind to perceive reality beyond the physical senses. )

Of course, we now know that everything in the universe is connected by vibration, every vibration is like a pebble dropped into a pond that reaches out in all directions to affect everything else, and that even though we can't see or feel the liver vibrating when the heart beats, we know that it does.

It is well past time to put Descartes and his Philosophy back on the bookshelf and embrace (or re-embrace) our holistic nature.

I propose the
Ecosystem of YOU.

Very simply, an ecosystem is "a system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment." Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.I like this definition, too: "an ecological community together with its environment, functioning as a unit." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Even the staunchest of Cartesian supporters must admit that a person's insomnia (usually a mental dis-ease caused by stress) can adversely affect not only memory, concentration, and reasoning functions, but muscular function, diet which in turn affects digestion, and cause anxiety and depression. The medications given for that insomnia may cause lightheadedness, low blood pressure, nausea, even cause damage to liver, kidneys, or respiratory system. (Not to mention, many sleep-aid drugs are very addictive.)

Does that not sound like an "interaction of a community of organisms" to you?

If, as Descartes proposed, we are merely machines, how is it that we ever become addicted to anything? How is it that chronic, excessive worry causes ulcers? How is it that organ transplant recipients must take medications for the rest of their lives so their bodies won't reject the donated organs? Why can't we just pop in a new liver, kidney, or lung and have done with it just like we replace a filter, water pump, or catalytic converter in an automobile?

Because people are not machines.

You are a living, breathing, every-part-of-you-affects-every-other-part Ecosystem!

If you worry, your digestive system can rebel; if you are feeling grief or loneliness, lung function can be impaired; chronic anger and resentment damages the liver. Likewise, illness in one of your organs can cause mental and emotional upset, worry about the future, anxiety over bills and the cost of medications.

A long time ago, I read about a small study done among heart-attach patients. Each person was asked why they had a heart attack. Do you think the answers ranged from "lack of exercise" to "poor diet" to "high cholesterol" to "blocked arteries"?

No. Every single person responded with a mental or emotional reason for his or her heart attack: I was lonely; my wife/husband died; there was too much stress in my life; I was worried about……

Get the picture?

The Ecosystem of YOU needs your support: Every time you eat nutritious, healthy food free from chemicals, you are doing something good for your personal ecosystem. Every time you go for a ten-minute walk, you are doing something good for your personal ecosystem. Every time you meditate, sleep well, drink clean water, feel gratitude for what you have, smile at a stranger, love your neighbor, love yourself…..you are doing something good for your personal ecosystem.

One of the best things you can do support your ecosystem is to eliminate stress using holistic methods. Stress, both mental and emotional, has become the most physically damaging disease in the U. S. To counteract stress, the use of prescription drugs that cause damaging side effects is growing by leaps and bounds, causing even more stress, more illness, and more costly medical treatments.

Every time you use a non-holistic method, you are damaging the Ecosystem that is YOU. There are times when pharmaceuticals must be used, but whenever possible, drugs should be a last resort after giving human-friendly holistic methods a fair trial and time to become fully effective. In the long run, holistic treatments are safer, and bring long lasting (often permanent) relief from your spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical illnesses.

Holistic Ways to Cure Insomnia

Whether you suffer occasional or chronic insomnia, you often turn immediately to pharmaceutical sleep aids to get the rest you need, but this should not be your first line of offence against sleeplessness.

For one thing, the side effects can be devastating. They interfere with daytime brain cell activity and reduce short-term memory function; are highly addictive; affect lung tissue function; impair reaction time when awake; can impair physical motor function by making you clumsy and accident prone, and experience difficulty manipulating objects or completing tasks; do not cure or even improve insomnia. In fact, one study evaluating a survey of over 2,000,000 people found that extensive use of sleeping pills was as deadly as cigarette smoking. (source: Apollo Health)

Even though sleep aids put you to sleep, their use does not allow your body to relax through the four stages of sleep, and that effectively robs you of one of the most curative properties of sleep, the progressive relaxation of the muscles and the effect that has on your body systems; for example slower respiration and heart rate. Taking a sleep aid that robs you of experience of the four stages of sleep is like jumping down the elevator shaft instead of waiting for the elevator car – sure, you get to the bottom (to sleep), but at what cost to your health and wellbeing?

The quality of your sleep is important, too, not just the fact you are unconscious. A normal sleep pattern includes the four stages of relaxation sleep and one stage of REM sleep, Rapid Eye Movement, the dream stage of sleep. This cycle repeats approximately every ninety minutes throughout the night, so that you should experience four to five cycles with each night's sleep. Without experiencing the requisite number of these complete sleep cycles, including REM sleep, you will not experience the rejuvenating rest you need to help heal your body and restore your energy. Lack of proper sleep and rest can lead to serious illness.

Growth hormone is at its highest level during sleep, and is responsible for the increased rate of nutrient and amino acid absorption into your blood stream, aids the healing of tissue, and stimulates production of immune system cells. Additionally, irregular sleep cycles disrupt your body's manufacture of the hormone melatonin. "Melatonin also acts as a powerful antioxidant to clean our cells of toxins. When we don’t sleep well, our bodies don’t use melatonin efficiently and we can suffer from premature aging, heart risks and cancer. Low nighttime levels of melatonin may cause higher levels of estrogens and breast cancer in women as well as colon and bone cancer in men. Melatonin imbalances are also believed to be a cause of depression." (source: Apollo Health)

Uninterrupted sleep is important, too. A group of medical students at the University of Toronto Center for Sleep and Chronobiology agreed to have their sleep interrupted in a study on the natural rhythms of sleep. After a few nights of being awakened during their deep sleep levels, the volunteers developed symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

To insure you have an excellent, restorative night's sleep, here is a list of effective, holistic sleep aids that you will find beneficial.

1 Spend some early-morning time in bright light; outside in sunlight is best if possible. This stirs you fully awake and helps to regulate your inner clock so that you will be sleepy at night. Any amount of time you can spend soaking up some natural sunlight will benefit your health and wellbeing.

2. Get some exercise a few hours before bed. A walk after dinner in fresh air is perfect; you get exercise and it aids digestion. Avoid going to bed on a full stomach; it will make you uncomfortable and often leads to indigestion. Don't exercise too close to bedtime; it will keep you awake. Contrary to popular belief, exercise is a pick-me-up and a perk-me-up, it does not make you tired or sleepy!

3 Take a warm bath or shower. Relaxing in warm water for ten to twenty minutes before retiring for the night relaxes muscles which gets you ready for sleep. (My husband happened to take a shower this morning and commented that he felt like taking a nap after basking in the warm waters!)

4 Have a small snack. My earlier article on chocolate pointed out that chocolate triggers the release of endorphins, your body's natural "feel good," relaxing, pain relievers. A cup of hot cocoa could be just the thing to help you sleep. A carbohydrate snack would be good, too; carbohydrates help your brain produce serotonin, another hormone that produces relaxation. (See How to Eat Right to Reduce Stress and Friday Food Pharmacy: Pasta and Other Grain Products.) Alternatively, a cup of herbal tea containing ingredients for relaxation may be appropriate – try chamomile, lavender, or lemon balm. (These three herbs are very easy to grow in the garden, or indoors in pots. What could be better than a cup of tea made with fresh herbs?!) Always sweeten with natural ingredients if you need sweetener; avoid the use of sugar.

5 Go to bed at the same time every night. The body is a creature of habit even if the mind is not. Going to bed at the same time every night will develop a good habit and train your body to be prepared for sleep when you climb between the covers.

6 Go to sleep in silence, and in the dark. Even though you think it doesn't, playing the television or radio does disturb your sleep with unusual or unexpected noises and sounds during the night. If you must have sound to lull you to sleep, try a white noise machine, or put the tv/radio on a timer so it will shut off 30 to 45 minutes later. That should give you enough time to drift off to sleep. You do not want to leave a television on all night while you sleep. The light from a television is bright enough to interfere with the production of melatonin; the health risks of low levels of melatonin were discussed above. Sleep experts say that any light brighter than a nightlight can impede melatonin production. For the same reason, if your digital clock has exceptionally bright numerals, turn the face of the clock away from the bed.

7 If you find yourself tossing and turning, get up. Again, you can train your body to sleep in bed by getting out of bed if you can't sleep. Go into another room and read a book for a few minutes, play a game of solitaire, get a snack, write down a list of the things that are keeping you awake. Sometimes the reason you can't sleep is that things from the day are bothering you, or you don't want to forget things that must be done the next day. Making that list will allow your mind to relax, let go of the things troubling you, and you can rest assured that you won't overlook an important task or appointment the next day.

8 Follow the instructions in the Progressive Relaxation Technique posted here last July. This is one of the best relaxation techniques I have ever used both for myself and with clients.

9 Try a visualization. Imagine yourself in a beautiful, relaxing setting, a lazy evening on the beach watching the moon rise, an evening in the forest listening to the crickets chirping, or any other quiet and restful setting. You can even create a story about the wonderful day you just had, the relaxing and enjoyable things you are going to do tomorrow. Beware of creating too much excitement, though. Your body responds to your thoughts as if they were real commands sent to your muscles for action, so if you imagine yourself hiking through the jungle, you are only going to excite muscles you want to relax.

10 Make sure the room is a comfortable temperature. Most people sleep better in a cool room; if your room is even a few degrees too warm, it can make a difference. Try turning the temperature down to the 65 degree range (18 degrees C.) Likewise, make sure your bedclothes are of the right fabric weight for the season, and don't make you too warm. Keep the window open, at least a little, if it isn't too cold or hot outside; most people sleep better with some fresh air at hand.

11 Check the firmness of your mattress and pillows; make sure your sheets and blankets are soft, not scratchy. Sleep surfaces that are too firm, too soft, or otherwise not quite right can cause enough discomfort to wake you during the night, interrupting those very important and restorative sleep cycles. Also, some people are sensitive to foam pillow stuffing, so if you are sleepy but have trouble falling asleep, or if you wake during the night for no apparent reason, try a pillow with a different (perhaps more natural) stuffing material.

I'll leave you with these holistic words of wisdom from WebMD: "Overlooking the single most important thing you can do for your health is easy with all the clamor surrounding various health products in the marketplace. But good-quality sleep goes far and beyond those products when it comes to restoring your health. And best of all, sleep is free."