5 ways to get your baby to go to sleep and stay asleep longer

It’s a basic fact, children need sleep.  As parents we want to do everything we can to make sure our little ones fall asleep and stay asleep for longer.  There are tons of sleep advice books and tools out there, but before you spend too much money on something that may not work, we figured we’d publish the second of our four part series on things you can do to help your baby to fall asleep and stay asleep longer:

Set predictable and consistent nap routines:  Choose times of the day that you are most tired and lie down with your baby to get him used to a daytime nap routine.  This will let you get some much-needed daytime rest and develop a pattern of rest within your baby.  The saying “sleep begets sleep” is true; babies who have a consistent routine of daytime naps are more likely to sleep for longer stretches at night.

Consistent bedtimes and rituals:  Babies who have a consistent bed time and enjoy familiar going-to-bed rituals usually go to sleep easier and stay asleep longer.  Yet, because of modern lifestyles, consistent and early bedtimes are sometimes not realistic or as achievable as they used to be.  Two-income parents often don’t get home until six or seven o’clock in the evening, and following a bedtime routine after this time can sometimes seem impossible.  Familiar bedtime rituals set the baby up for sleep.  The sequence of a warm bath, dressing in a sleepsack, nursing/bottle and quiet time are all cues that, when repeated, let the baby know that sleep is expected to follow.  Capitalize early on patterns of association so you can reap the benefit as your baby grows.

Dress for the occasion:  In the early months, many babies like to “sleep tight”, securely swaddled in a baby blanket.  Older infants like to “sleep loose”, and may sleep longer stretches in a sleep sack that allows more freedom of movement.  Make sure that the swaddle or sleep sack you use is made of a natural fabric such as merino, which has temperature regulating properties and will insulate baby when the temperature drops or cool if baby gets too warm.  Merino is also naturally hypoallergenic and will not cause heat rashes or irritate sensitive skin, unlike manmade fabrics such as polyester which have undergone a number of abrasive processes and often have synthetic flame retardant chemicals applied to them.  A baby who gets too hot or too cold may become restless, so it’s important to dress them in appropriate sleepwear to ensure longer periods of rest.  for conditions and on themay have coatings on thema number of synthetic coatings.

Quiet in the bedroom:  Since most babies can block out disturbing noise, you don’t have to create a noiseless sleeping environment, but some babies will startle and awaken easily with sudden noises.  For these babies, oil the hinges of the door, put out the dog before he barks and turn the ringer off the phone.

Darkness in the bedroom:  Use opaque shades, block out blinds or dark curtains to give you an extra hour of sleep if you have little roosters who awaken to the first ray of sunlight in the morning.

Dressing your baby in a merino sleep sack each night creates a sleep association that tells baby it’s time to relax and sleep is to follow.  Merino is the optimum fabric for babies to sleep in because it can regulate body temperature and wick away excess body moisture, ensuring your baby is comfortable and will not overheat.

Look for Part 3 in our four part series on tips to get your baby to sleep and stay asleep longer.

5 ways to get your baby to go to sleep and stay asleep longer Part 2 is a post from: Healthy Life

Sleep paralysis symptoms are frightening conditions that cause you to be paralyzed while still conscious. It can happen when you are about to sleep or as you are waking up. As if that is not scary enough, it can also include hallucinations. A person may see an eerie figure, hear a strange sound or feel suffocated. All of these add to the overall feeling of danger for the person. The experiences can be downright scary, leading to panic or a feeling of impending death.

Though there is no known cure yet for this disorder, there are ways to manage its symptoms. These are some of the ways to cope with sleep paralysis;

Learn to recognize the symptoms.

The key to effectively manage sleep paralysis is knowledge. Learn as much as you can about the disorder. Understanding sleep paralysis can ease the sufferer’s mind from stress and fear when it’s time to sleep. Knowing what causes the disorder, its symptoms, and how to treat it can somehow diminish its effect on you.

Find out what triggers your sleep paralysis and avoid it.

Try to observe your sleeping pattern, positions, and your mental or emotional condition before an attack occurred. This will help you identify the factors that can trigger your sleep paralysis and be able to avoid them in the future. If you observe that your sleep paralysis attacks happen when you’re sleeping on your back, then try to sleep on your side. Identify also if the paralysis happens as you were falling asleep or upon waking up. All of this information will come in handy especially if you decide to see a doctor about your problem.

Get enough sleep.

Sleep deprivation or irregular sleeping pattern can increase the frequency of paralysis attacks. That is why it is important to maintain healthy sleep. Try to get as much as 6-8 hours of sleep.

Just Relax.

Sleep paralysis can be truly scary, especially when coupled with hallucinations. However, just try to relax during an episode. Keep in mind that it will all go away soon and will not harm you.

Focus on body movement.

One of the best ways to regain consciousness is by moving even just a small part of your body. You can try blinking your eye, batting your eyelashes or roaming your eye around the room. You may also try to wiggle your toes or your fingers. Just concentrate on continuing the movement as fast you can. It can help rid the paralysis in no time.

Monitor your heart rate.

You heart rate normally increases when experiencing sleep paralysis. Take advantage of this. Wear a heart rate monitor that is set to vibrate. The vibration is enough stimuli to nudge you awake.

Tell your partner about your condition.

If someone is sleeping beside you, tell him about your condition. You can try moaning to catch his attention and help you in waking you up.

It is very important to bear in mind that while sleep paralysis is frightening, it is not harmful. You are not alone with your symptoms since a lot of people have experienced it too. You are not dying or losing your mind. But if you feel that it affects you profoundly and you can’t control it through the measures mentioned above, talk to your doctor and see what other things can be done.

We’ve also compiled a comprehensive information on sleep paralysis symptoms,its causes and treatments in our sleep paralysis page. You may not know it but sleep paralysis can also be a direct complication of a sleep disorder called narcolepsy. Find out if you are suffering from this condition too. Go straight to my Narcolepsy website to know more about this disorder. See you there!

Sleep Paralysis Symptoms – How to Cope is a post from: Healthy Life

A device call the CPAP machine is the most commonly used tools for sleep apnea treatment. Sleep experts love the CPAP. The problem is that most of the people who have sleep apnea resist using the machine and this can sometime make sleep apnea treatment difficult. It is difficult to blame people for resisting this particular form of sleep apnea treatment. The CPAP machine requires a doctor’s prescription, the device is very expensive, and most importantly, the CPAP machine is incredibly uncomfortable. It is difficult for a person to worry about their sleep apnea when they can’t get any sleep at all.

There are several different things that can cause a person to develop sleep apnea. For some, the reason is weight gain. The more fatty cells there are around a person’s throat, the more it closes when they sleep and the person is constantly struggling to breathe. For others the cause of the sleep apnea is a deviated septum. More often than not, no one really knows why they have sleep apnea, it is just one of life’s little mysteries. Even though no one really understands why some people struggle with sleep apnea, everyone knows that it is a big problem and it needs to be treated. When a person has sleep apnea, they will find it difficult to get a full nights sleep, which makes it very difficult for them to live up to their full potential.

One of the reasons people start to think about sleep apnea treatment is because they find that their snoring and wheezing is putting a great deal of strain on their relationship. Because of all the noise, their partner is having trouble sleeping, which also makes it difficult to remember how much they are in love.

Still the high cost and discomfort of the CPAP makes tradition sleep apnea treatment very difficult to justify. This has caused people to look for alternate forms of treatment, preferably treatment that is less costly, less miserable, and not as intrusive. They would also like to be involved in some type of sleep apnea treatment that does not require that they be monitored every time they fall asleep.

The good news is that there are several devices currently available on the market which will help get the person through their sleep apnea treatment without jeopardizing their budget or their sanity. Even better, many of these treatments don’t require a doctors prescription. These devices have helped lots of people learn how to deal with their sleep apnea.

The type of stop snoring devices that a person going through sleep apnea treatment wants to look for include devices that will encourage them to breathe through their nose instead of their mouth while they are sleeping. This is the best way to ensure that they get a good night’s sleep. The person should choose a device that is comfortable to wear, and one that will allow them to shift their position during the night. This is the type of device that a person is most likely to consistently use to treat their sleep apnea.

Alternative Sleep Apnea Treatments is a post from: Healthy Life

The nightly refrain from parents around the globe, “go to sleep” is packed with more urgency than ever.   Sleep is being recognized as an essential aspect of chronic disease prevention and our kids are especially vulnerable and need to get a good night’s sleep for their future health and well-being.

Top 6 Reasons To Go To Sleep:

1.     Maintaining your weight — Getting a good night’s sleep can help you maintain your optimal weight..  Studiesindicate that individuals who receive less sleep consume more calories and expend less energy.   Insufficient sleep can alter appetite and hunger related hormones.  A study reported in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded sleepy men consumed up to 22% more calories than their well-rested counterparts.

2.     Childhood Obesity — A recent study at the University of California and University of Washington show children age four and under are twice as likely to be overweight or obese by the age of 9 if they get less than 10 hours of sleep a night.    These studies suggest a “critical window” when a toddlers nighttime sleep helps determine their future weight status.   Theories for this include:  kids that don’t get enough sleep are too tired to engage in physical activities, kids that are not sleeping have more opportunities to snack and similar to adults, kids that receive insufficient amounts of sleep have altered levels of appetite and hunger related hormones.

3.     Diabetes — Research has found that insufficient sleep is linked to an increased risk for the development of Type 2 diabetes.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the quality and length of sleep are emerging as predictors of Hemoglobin A1c, an important marker of blood sugar control.

4.     Heart Disease — Irregularities in sleeping patterns, such as sleep apnea increase the risk for a number of cardiovascular diseases.  Adults with sleep apnea have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease such as hypertension, stroke, coronary heart disease and cardiac arrhythmias.

5.     Depression — The relationship between sleep and depression is complex.  Inability to sleep is a symptom of depression but those who cannot get enough sleep often become depressed.  According to the National Sleep Foundation sleep problems and depression share many risk factors and biological features.  Many times the two conditions respond to some of the same treatment strategies.  Therefore the sleep component must be evaluated when evaluating patients with symptoms of depression.

6.     Drowsiness — Drowsiness on the job is dangerous.   Whether it is the long-distance truck driver on the highway or the physician resident in the Emergency Room sleep deprived professionals make mistakes, cause accidents and the consequences can be deadly.    Even one night of unfulfilling rest can cause a worker to be irritable or impatient which can lead to loss of productivity.

According to CDC more than 25% of the US population reports not getting enough sleep while nearly 10% report they experience chronic insomnia.  Sleep can no longer be regarded as a luxury but rather should be viewed as an essential component of a persons overall health and current and future disease prevention.  So go ahead and sleep like a baby – your health depends on it!

Go to Sleep: Your Health Depends On It is a post from: Healthy Life

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Nature Made Liquid Softgel Sleep Natural Sleep Aid, 30-Count

Nature Made Liquid Softgel Sleep Natural Sleep Aid, 30-Count is a post from: Healthy Life

Man and even animals sleep. Sleep aids reinvigorate the body and the mind, allowing quicker recovery and revitalisation within. A good night sleep can make you wake up rested and prepared for the new day and the day’s concerns. Nonetheless, for some people being able to sleep at night has turned out to be an incredible problem. The fast pace world and daily stress and fatigue simply leaves almost all individuals of today lack of time. Having only 24 hours a day to meet deadlines at work and beat the clock, something has to be jeopardized. And in most cases, sleep is the victim. The conventional wisdom of eight hours of sleep a night is no longer followed. It really is more like whatever shut eye you can get. And the terrible part is that when you ultimately go to bed and you just can’t sleep. It is because all the concerns of the day are circling around your mind. Even though you make all efforts to sleep yet you just cannot drift off to sleep.

You feel worn out of being tired. What steps do you take to avoid this?

Listed below are a number of simple and easy steps that could aid you get your way to a much better sleep at night.

- Build up a regular sleeping routine and your body will identify that it is time to sleep. Head to bed at the same time and wake up the same time.

- Perform some relaxation ahead of getting to bed because this will assist you unwind specially soon after a bad day.

- Refrain from eating and drinking during and before bed time so your stomach will be calm.

- Get plenty of exercise through the morning or early in the evening, not right before you sleep, but a few hours earlier.

- Indulge in a warm bath because this will ease your weary muscles.

Just in case you still cannot get to sleep utilizing the stated tips above, you may give some thought to natural sleep aid or melatonin sleep aid. But remember that it’s always best to go and see a doctor. There are numerous sleep disorders that could be the reason why you can’t sleep which include insomnia, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, narcolepsy and others. These conditions can be addressed in a wide manner from cognitive behavioral therapy to medication and the worst case scenario surgical treatment.

Just always take into account that sleep is significant to your health and well being and also to your emotional state.

Beat Insomnia In 4 Simple Ways

The Effective Ways Help You Sleep Better At Night is a post from: Healthy Life

We always hear about how kids should get plenty of rest, but it has often been shown, that not getting the proper amount of rest greatly increases the chances of:

* lapses in concentration
* memory and thought pattern problems
* weight issues
* elevated stress levels
* proneness to injury and illness…

and the list goes on. Simply going to bed a little earlier can help in getting a good night’s sleep. A day or two of insomnia is usually nothing to worry about, but chronic sleep deprivation can result in all sorts of problems for kids.

As kids get older, they still need to get plenty of sleep. Kids should be getting 9-12 hours of sleep a night. Tweens (Ages 9-12) should be getting at least 10 hours of sleep during these formative years.

It will be an individual amount of sleep for each child and these are only guidelines, but there are signs that a child may not be getting enough sleep.

If a child is having trouble falling asleep within 15-30 minutes, or they cannot be woken up easily in the morning or if they need naps during the day in their tween and teen years, then they are probably not getting enough sleep.

Teens face their own challenges when not getting the correct amount of sleep each night. They may even fall asleep during class when not getting enough ZZZs. If they are drinking caffeinated beverages or coffee and also not getting enough sleep, it can wreak havoc on the teen body. The teen body is already going through hormone changes. Melatonin is produced later at night in teens which can make it harder for them to fall asleep.

Coupled with the stress of increasing pressure at school, social activities and even a teen job, the mind and body go through abrupt changes which can disrupt sleeping patterns. In the short term, a teen may not notice that getting by on 6 or 7 hours of sleep is doing any harm, but the problems compound and become cumulative.

Emotional problems can increase substantially and the best way to start reversing this process is to make sure enough hours are left in the night and morning hours for quality sleep. A regular bedtime needs to be established. Exercise throughout the day is also important for a better sleep. No caffeine in the afternoon or evening as it takes hours for caffeine to work it’s way through the body.

Regular study habits will avoid the last minute scramble to pull of the “all-nighter”. Although it may seem heroic to do one, it just leaves you tired, cranky and worst of all less able to concentrate on the subject matter during an actual test or exam.

Making our children to realize the main reason why it is importanct to get enough sleep to let the body have enough rest and energy.

The Importance of Sleep for Kids Tips is a post from: Healthy Life

Can Feng Shui help you end  your insomnia so you can get a good night’s sleep every night ?  Here are some useful tips how to re-arrange furniture in your bedroom. The Japanese system of Feng Shui involves the correct positioning of  furniture and other objects in your home. It is believed  this will help you achieve better balance in you life. Feng Shui Sleeping Under A Window

Feng Shui is becoming increasingly popular. More and more people are convinced it helps them to relax. Many feel that it enables them to cure insomnia, solve sleep problems and sleep better at night.

There is no question that a good night’s sleep is very good for you, both from a physical and mental point of view.  If you are able to fall asleep as soon as you go to bed and enjoy, peaceful restful sleep right through the night, you wake up in the morning refreshed and invigorated.  Your mind is also more alert.

If you have problems sleeping perhaps it may be worth your while trying the Feng Shui methods. Here are some Feng Shui tips you may find helpful.  You may find they help you to cure your insomnia.

1.    Try your best not to have you bed placed in such a way that you head faces the door.  The Feng Shui reason for this because you shouldn’t sleep with your feet in front of the entrance to your bedroom.

2.    Another Feng Shui tip concerns advice about sleeping under a window. 

According to Feng Shui it’s not a good idea to sleep under a window because it makes you lose positive energy. If you bedroom is so designed that you have no alternative and have to sleep under a window, make sure that you hang a heavy curtain in front of the window.

3.    Feng Shui suggest you have no pictures in your room that illustrate water. The reason for this is because it is believed pictures of water can actually cause insomnia. It can also bring bad luck.

4.    Feng Shui also recommends that should make sure that there are no objects with sharp edges in your bedroom.  Feng Shui Sleeping Under A Window

If there are objects with sharp edges try and cover these sharp edges with a cloth to offset the harmful effect. A good idea is to place a large pot plant in front of the sharp object.

If you suffer from insomnia, why not experiment and try these Feng Shui methods for a few nights?  They are very simple and do not require a great deal of effort. You may find that they work very well. Of course, it is very important to have the right frame of mind when you start using Feng Shui  methods.  If you are skeptical and feel there is no way  simple techniques like these could possibly help you,  then Feng Shui is  unlikely to work.

If, on the other hand, you approach the situation with an open mind – or even better  – if you feel quite strongly that these Feng Shui methods are going to work, then it is highly likely that will have a very positive effect on your insomnia.

Try these simple methods for a while and see what happens.

If  however, you find that these Feng Shui methods appear to have no effect whatsoever in helping you cure  your insomnia and don’t solve your sleep problems, then you’ll have to use stronger, more effective methods. There are two methods you can use. Both have been found to be very effective indeed.

The first method is to use sleeping pills prescribed by your doctor.   There is no doubt that sleeping pills are very effective indeed. They are also quick-acting. But the difficulty with sleeping pills is that they can become habit forming. 

Once you start using sleeping pills you may find you are unable to do without them. You become completely dependent on them. Another huge problem with sleeping pills is that all sleeping pills have side-effects. Some side effects can be quite serious. The second way is to use a popular Sleep Management System called “Effective Sleep Solutions.” Feng Shui Sleeping Under A Window

Feng Shui Sleeping Under A Window – Can Feng Shui Help You End Your Insomnia So You Can Get a Good Night’s Sleep Every Night? is a post from: Healthy Life

Lack of sleep, or sleeplessness will affect in a bad way a person’s outlook on life and may even change them personality wise. As a result, it is not just him or her but those around him who normally interacts with him that may be affected.

On occasion, toss and turning, and not getting enough sleep could also be a sign of real medical problem. It is not unusual for persons suffering from depression, anxiety, and other psychological problems or mood disorders to have sleepless nights.

There is certainly a lot of things that one should be able to do to help with good night’s sleep, and stop completely any sleeping problems. They include laying the background for a peaceful night, making the body relax, making sure you get adequate exercise, using techniques that should relax the body, decorating with calming colors, using music and meditation, and reducing worries and anxiety, plus taking herbal sleep remedies.

Taking natural sleep remedy could also mean keeping a consistent schedule of events or routine that promotes good night’s sleep. It just means that you’re teaching your body to learn how to get ready for sleep at certain time, after certain schedule of events; like taking a bath, or excising before bed time. Taking relaxing and warm bubble bath is most often a good bedtime regimen. Any, or combination of these herbs can be used in aromatherapy bath: Lime flower, mint, chamomile, lavender, hops, rose, neroli, passion flower, ylang-ylang and vetiver. Taking baths, and drinking milk and honey before bedtime, will relax the body and make it ready and eager to fall asleep.

Beside these herbal sleep remedy, music is another tool that can induce restful sleep. Listen to calming and quiet music before going to bed. For those individuals, listening to sound of wave music with ocean sound, or birds and other sensual noise will help them sleep soundly. These should be slowly introduced in the background when getting ready to sleep, or possibly be left on for the entire night.

The effect of exercise on sleep and relaxation is well documented in many studies. Exercise and physical activity relaxes the body. They reduce tensions, and increase the body’s sleep receptor which makes the body want to fall asleep when the night falls. Exercising regularly for at least 20 minutes a day, for 3 or 4 times a week is a very healthy habit to follow. Not only does it help to sleep soundly, but it also will help in keeping your body in a good physical condition. Highly recommended forms of natural sleep remedy is exercise are walking, running, biking, and rope jumping, and dancing. For individuals who may have sleeping issues, light exercise like tai chi, or yoga can be very helpful.

Avoiding stimulants go a long way in promoting a good night’s sleep. Likely foods that contains high level of stimulants are sodas, chocolate, coffee, and alcoholic drinks. Those have high level of unhealthy substances like sugar and caffeine. These, and smoking, should be strictly avoided, especially in the hours just prior to bedtime.

In place of stimulants and food that will make it hard to fall asleep, calming herb tees should be taken instead. These herbal sleep remedies include chamomile tea and lavender mint tea. Other good herbal ingredients for a relaxing tea are valerian root, kava, lemon balm, passion flower, California poppy, and hops.

In any case, there is no secret that if you want to have a good night’s sleep that the bedroom should be decorated to encourage you falls asleep. The bed and pillows should be comfortable, and the bedroom décolors and lighting of the room should be deemed. Watching television in the room should be avoided.

Keeping with this type of routine will definitely lead to a long and restful night. Don’t give up if they fail to work the first time. Just keep at them, and also take your herbal sleep remedies, and before you know it, you’ll be in the middle of a long, deep, restful sleep.

Benefits of Herbal Sleep Remedy is a post from: Healthy Life

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Of course, our sleeping conditions matter much. It can truly affect our sleeping patterns and how much sleep we are getting. If you are sleeping on an area which is noisy, hot and uncomfortable, surely it will be impossible for you to get deep sleep. As much as possible, choose an area that is suitable for sleeping, a cool, well ventilated and peaceful area.

Always invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows. Try to do away from foods that may keep you awake all night long. Take for example caffeine, chocolates, or anything that is fatty. Go and drink a glass of warm milk as they always say. Engage in fun activities that can keep you going during the day and will make you sleep soundly at night.

Also invest in blinds that will keep sunlight from entering into your room. Try to read a book before you sleep and you will see that you will have a deep sleep. Try to do away from taking naps for it can further disrupt sleeping patterns thus making you have an irregular and intermittent sleep. If you are stressed out and cannot sleep well, try taking a calming tea or undergo meditation. Saying a short prayer can also help.

Get a massage if you are too tired to sleep. Yes, there are people who cannot sleep because they are tired. Try to rest first and surely you will be able to get the sleep you have wanted to have. Those were just some of the things you can do on how to get deep sleep.

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Sleepy U System – How To Get Deep Sleep is a post from: Healthy Life