Introduction - Many of us experience the occasional night of sleeplessness without any consequences.  It is when the occasional night here and there becomes a pattern of several nights in a row that you are faced with a sleeping problem. 

Repeated loss of sleep affects all areas of your life: The physical, the mental, and the emotional.  Sleep deprivation can affect your overall daily performance and may even have an effect on your personality.

01. Bedtime Routine - It is essential that you establish a bedtime routine that works for you and stick with it.  Your body and mind need to have consistency at this time so that you can learn to fall asleep naturally.

Once you have read this book you should decide on a course of action and stick with it for at least a week or two before making changes to your routine.

02. Room Conditions - After establishing a consistent bedtime routine it is important to create a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere in your bedroom.  The more cozy and harmonic your bedroom is the more relaxed you will feel. 

Your goal is to promote a calming and restive atmosphere.  This can be achieved by creating a bedroom environment that is not only appealing to you but also functions without interruptions or annoying irritations. 

03. Comfort + Posture - As you make changes in your life to promote and achieve natural sleep you should take into consideration the conditions of your bed, bedding, and sleeping clothing.

The goal is to be as comfortable as possible and to avoid any irritations that will prevent you from falling asleep or that may you wake you during the night.

04. Chromatherapy - Color therapy or Chromatherapy is the use of color to promote general health and also to treat particular maladies (including but not limited to sleep-oriented problems).

Chromatherapy can be used to treat both emotional and physical sleep disturbances, and may involve exposure to colored lights, massages using color-saturated oils and salves, meditation and visualization of certain colors, or wearing certain colors of clothing.

05. Exercise - The amount of physical activity that you expend during the day is a key ingredient to helping you sleep restfully at night.  The more active your body is during the day the more likely you are able to relax fully at night and fall asleep easily.

With regular exercise your sleep quality is improved and the transition between the cycles and phases of sleep becomes smoother and more regular.  Keeping up your physical activity during the day may also be help you deal with the stress and worry in your life.

06. Meditation/Visualization - Meditation is a proven technique to encourage and promote relaxation.  The more relaxed you are as you get ready for bed the better your chances of falling into a deep, restful sleep cycle.

It is important that you learn to put your stress, tensions, and worries to the side before you fall asleep.  Meditation can help you achieve this relaxed state and focus on peace and harmony.

07. Breathing - There are many breathing and relaxation techniques that you can learn to use to promote relaxation and relieve stress.  The deeper and slower that you breathe the more relaxed and sedated you will become.

Sleeping with the window open will help the air to circulate in your bedroom and fill your lungs with fresh air.  Relaxation techniques will help your body to wind down and prepare for the sleep cycle.

08. Music + Sounds - Music and sound are excellent resources in the quest for sleep and relaxation.

For as long as anyone can remember, the lullaby has been an effective tool for easing the sleep-hindering tension of even the most tense of babies and adults alike.

09. Reduce Nighttime - The more relaxed you are before you begin your nighttime routine the more successful you will be.  An hour before going to bed it’s a good idea to reduce any type of external stimulation that could be causing your mind and body to remain overly alert.

Avoid watching television since watching television keeps your senses active.

10. Avoid Stimulants - Along with external stimulants there are several internal stimulants that you should try to avoid.  The following foods and beverages contain caffeine, sugars, and chemicals that may affect the way you relax, think, and feel.  This does not mean that you have to eliminate these substances from your diet entirely.  It only means that you should avoid them in the evenings after your last meal of the day.

11. Diet - What you eat during the day and evening can affect your sleeping patterns.  If your diet consists of a high amount of processed foods you may want to try eating more wholesome products.

You may want to eliminate, reduce, or substitute the amount of sugars, fats, and preservatives from your daily intake of food.  This may benefit your ability to fall asleep at night as well as improve your general health.

12. Reduce Worry - Perhaps you're someone whose mind is always busy.  Do you think about the events of your day as you wind down for the evening?  Do you worry about your family, your job, your finances, and what tomorrow will bring?

Sometimes it's difficult to empty your mind of all these details long enough to fall asleep. This can lead to tossing and turning as your mind fights sleep.

13. Warm Bath - A warm bath an hour or more before bed may help you relax and feel drowsy.  It is important that you don't have your bath right before bed as the warm water will raise your body temperature and have an arousing effect on you rather than a sedating one.

You need to allow time for your body temperature to lower by bedtime while still remaining relaxed and peaceful.

14. Melatonin - Melatonin (5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine) is a hormone that occurs naturally in human body.  At night melatonin is secreted by a tiny, pea-sized organ at the center of our brains called the pineal gland to help our bodies regulate our sleep-wake cycles.

Melatonin regulates the body's circadian rhythm, our internal 24-hour time-keeping system which plays an important role in controlling when we fall asleep and when we wake up.

15. Chamomile - Chamomile (Matricaria camomilla) is a common flowering plant that is indigenous to various parts of central and southern Europe (Germany, Croatia, Italy, Hungary, and Slovakia), and northwestern Asia.

Chamomile is now widely cultivated in the United States, Australia, Argentina, Egypt, and northern Africa.  The dried leaves and flowers are commonly packaged as a tea and can be purchased over the counter in both bagged and loose form.

16. Lavender - Lavender (L. angustifolia and others) is a shrubby flowering bush indigenous to the mountainous regions of the western Mediterranean and is considered have been first domesticated by the Arabians, then later spread across Europe by the Romans.

Lavender was brought to North America by the Pilgrims and was one of the first garden plants imported to Australia in the 19th century.  It can be found in abundance in the wild in many parts of the world as well as being garden grown in a sunny, well-drained area, preferably in mildly alkaline soil.

17. Valerian Root - In the wild, Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis) is found in high pastures and dry heath land.  It flowers in late spring.

The principle components used for medicinal purposes are the roots and rhizomes, which are typically harvested in September and then dried to produce the commonly available herbal product.

18. Other Herbs - Kava is the name given by Pacific islanders to both Piper methysticum, a shrub belonging to the pepper family Piperaceae, and also the beverage made from it.

Piper methysticum can be found growing in abundance primarily in western Polynesia, especially in Samoa and Tonga, and most of Melanesia, including Fiji.  It can also be found in Pohnpei Island, in Micronesia.

19. Vitamins + Minerals - Vitamin supplements may be used to provide you some relief from insomnia.  This is particularly true if you are deficient in certain vitamins, amino acids, minerals, or enzymes that are necessary for healthy sleep.

Try adding one of the following nutritional supplements to your daily well-balanced diet:

20. Summary - The methods outlined in this book can help you achieve sleep filled, restful nights without resorting to dangerous narcotics and other drugs.

It’s a good idea to try one or two of the methods at first, then add others as necessary to find a strategy that works for you.  Choose a technique that appeals to you that you can begin immediately and stick with it.

THE END