The UltraMind Solution (106 page)

Sleep is one of those things we take for granted—until we can’t.

The good news is that everything that is good for your brain is good for sleep. Correcting imbalances in all the seven keys helps restore normal sleep. If your blood sugar swings up and down giving you night sweats, or your thyroid is out of balance, you have food allergies or are magnesiumdeficient, or you have mercury poisoning, you won’t be able to sleep well.

If you have sleep apnea you will need to see a specialist who can treat you, but for most other types of sleep disorders, getting to the roots of systemic balance will take care of the problem.

In addition to restoring balance in all your body’s core systems, there are many habits we engage in, including caffeine, alcohol, latenight Internet surfing, and TV in the bedroom, which impair our ability to get or stay asleep and alter our natural biological rhythms. They also negatively affect the quality of our sleep.

The other big obstacle to getting enough good quality sleep is your thoughts and emotions. Working with imagery and deep relaxation tools can be very helpful.

If you are having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting enough sleep, try to change your relationship to sleep. Think of it as a sacred, precious, healing part of your day and prepare for it carefully.

So what are we to do about our sleep problems?

1. For those who can sleep, getting more sleep (around seven to nine hours depending on the person) can have a dramatic benefit for your health and weight.

2. For those who snore or have sleep apnea, get tested and treated as soon as possible. Ask your doctor to order an overnight sleep study done in a sleep lab if this is a concern for you.

3. For those who have trouble sleeping, here are a few tips I use to help my patients get and stay asleep. This is what is often called practicing good sleep hygiene.

Avoid Substances That Interfere with Sleep

Avoid substances that affect sleep, including caffeine, sugar, and alcohol.

Avoid medications that interfere with sleep.

Sedatives (these are used to treat insomnia, but ultimately lead to dependence and disruption of normal sleep rhythms and architecture)

Antihistamines

Stimulants (like Ritalin)

Cold medication (pseudephedrine, phenylephrine)

Steroids (prednisone)

Headache medication containing caffeine (Floricet), etc.

Get Back in Rhythm

Avoid any stimulating activities—such as watching TV, using the Internet, and answering e-mails—for two hours before bed.

Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day (and try to be in bed before 10 to 11 P.M.).

Exercise daily for thirty minutes before dinnertime.