A good night's sleep can help you feel good, look healthy, work effectively and think clearly

Sleep is an essential part of good health. A good night's sleep can help you feel good, look healthy, work effectively and think clearly.

But sleep is not always so easy to come by. If you sometimes have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, you're not alone. A 1991 Gallup study found that more than one-third of all Americans suffer occasional or chronic insomnia.

People often are surprised to learn that daytime drowsiness is not an inevitable, harmless byproduct of modern life, but rather a key sign of a sleep problem that could be disastrous if not treated.

Recent figures show that nearly a quarter of the population regularly cannot go to, or remain asleep, and every year doctors write out more than 14 million prescriptions for sleeping tablets.

The causes of sleeplessness are many and varied. 'It can be due to a medical condition, such as chronic pain from rheumatism or arthritis,' says Professor Jim Horne, who runs the Sleep Research Laboratory at Loughborough University. 'Or it can be chemical, as a result of drinking tea, coffee or alcohol. Chronic or long-term insomnia is often associated with depression or anxiety, and environmental factors certainly contribute.'

And sleepless nights, staring wild-eyed into the darkness, are worse than bad dreams,

For too many people--an estimated 9percent of the American population--a good night's sleep is an elusive goal. The consequences of fatigue from chronic sleeplessness include accidents in the car and at work, a dramatically increased risk of major depression, and worsening physical illness.

Immediate relief is available, in the form of hypnotic agents, for persons who have difficulty in falling or remaining asleep or who cannot obtain restful, restorative slumber. However, long-term improvement usually involves behavioral therapy. These therapeutic approaches must be integrated if the patient's short- and long-term needs are to be addressed.

READ MORE - A good night's sleep can help you feel good, look healthy, work effectively and think clearly

Bagaimana caranya bisa tidur nyenyak di malam hari?

Bagaimana caranya bisa tidur nyenyak di malam hari? Banyak yang bilang, bikinlah kamar tidur senyaman mungkin layaknya tempat spa. Jangan minum minuman berkafein di atas jam 14. Jangan taruh laptop di kamar.

Tetapi seorang dokter ahli masalah tidur, Michael Breus, mengaku bahwa ia bisa terlelap meski dengan TV yang menyala. Dia mengatakan, aturan tidur yang sulit sebaiknya dijauhi saja. Lakukan hal yang masuk akal sesuai dengan gaya hidup kita.

Berikut tip tidur yang lebih mengejutkan yang bisa Anda terapkan.

Tidur di akhir pekan 

Lupakan semua aturan ini-itu tentang mempertahankan waktu bangun yang konsisten setiap harinya. Menunda waktu bangun di akhir pekan dapat memberikan manfaat nyata. Orang dewasa yang kurang tidur selama lima hari dapat “membayar utang” tidur ketika mereka tidur 10 jam di malam berikutnya, demikian menurut penemuan di sebuah studi di jurnal “Sleep”. 

Namun, yang terbaik untuk dilakukan adalah menambah waktu tidur ekstra satu atau dua jam pada Sabtu dan Minggu. “Lebih dari itu, jam biologis Anda akan berubah, dan kemudian Anda tidak akan bisa tidur nyenyak pada Minggu malam,” kata Carol E. Ash, spesialis tidur di Monmouth Country, New Jersey. 

Jika waktu tambahan tidur tidak cukup membuat Anda merasa cukup beristirahat, tidurlah selama 20 menit pada pukul 3 atau 4 sore di akhir pekan, yang tidak akan merusak jam tubuh Anda, kata Ash.

Berolahraga sebelum tidur. Ini tidak berbahaya!

Berolahraga setelah makan malam telah lama dianggap pantangan menurut para ahli tidur. Tapi ternyata, hal tersebut dapat membantu tidur Anda lebih nyenyak. Orang dewasa yang mengendarai sepeda statis selama sekitar 35 menit, kira-kira dua jam sebelum tidur, bisa tertidur lebih cepat dan lelap daripada ketika mereka yang tidak berolahraga, demikian menurut studi terbaru dalam “Journal of Sleep Research”.

Anda mungkin merasa bahwa jogging di treadmill satu jam sebelum waktu tidur tidak akan membantu tidur nyenyak, tapi jika Anda melakukannya 2-3 jam sebelum tidur, Anda akan tidur dengan sangat lelap. Olahraga, kapan pun Anda bisa melakukannya, adalah salah satu obat tidur terbaik.

Tidur dengan hewan peliharaan

Merasa kesepian? Jika iya, Anda akan lebih sering terbangun di malam hari, demikian menurut temuan penelitian University of Chicago. Pertimbangkan untuk mengajak teman tidur baru... di tempat lokal penampungan hewan yang ada di sekitar Anda. 

“Saya menyarankan kepada pasien saya yang tidak suka tidur sendirian untuk mempertimbangkan mengajak seekor anjing sebagai teman di ranjang,” kata Dr. Shives. Seekor hewan peliharaan membantu banyak wanita merasa sedikit kesepian, yang bisa mengembalikan tidur nyenyaknya. 

Tidak masalah untuk melanggar aturan “hewan dilarang naik ranjang”, bahkan ketika Anda tidak sedang merasa kesepian, terlebih lagi jika melarang teman berbulu Anda masuk akan membuatnya rewel, lebih baik ajak dia masuk ke kamar. “Jika saya melarang masuk kucing saya dari kamar tidur, dia akan mengais pintu sepanjang malam dan saya malah jadi tidak bisa tidur dibuatnya,” kata Breus, penulis buku “The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan: Lose Wight Thrugh Better Sleep”.

Memutar dongeng pengantar tidur

Lain kali jika Anda terbangun di tengah malam dan tidak bisa kembali tertidur, abaikan aturan untuk bangkit dari tempat tidur dan membaca di bawah lampu kamar yang redup. Dr. Shives merekomendasikan strategi baru: tenangkan pikiran Anda dan dengarkan audiobook di ponsel atau pemutar musik yang sudah Anda siapkan di samping tempat tidur. Pasang earphone, tekan tombol Play, dan tutup layar pemutar musik untuk menghalangi cahayanya. 

Cerita yang diputar tidak boleh terlalu merangsang, jadi pilihlah sebuah cerita biografi atau buku favorit Anda di masa kanak-kanak, jangan malah memilih “Fifty Shades of Grey”. Pada menit ke-15 sampai 20, cerita tersebut seharusnya sudah bisa menenangkan Anda untuk tidur, kata Dr. Shives. 

Jika TV selalu menjadi bantuan untuk tidur Anda, ikuti trik Breus ini: Nyalakan TV dengan menggunakan sleep timer dan atur supaya mati setelah 30 menit. 

Berpikirlah sebelum Anda minum

Pada umumnya merupakan ide yang baik untuk berhenti mengonsumsi kopi, soda, dan minuman energi dalam 7-8 jam sebelum tidur. Tapi efek tidak bisa tidur yang disebabkan kafein bisa memengaruhi setiap orang dengan cara yang berbeda. 

Unduh Caffein Zone 2 Lite (gratis di iTunes App Store), yang dikembangkan oleh peneliti Penn State, untuk membantu Anda memprediksi waktu mengonsumsi kafein yang memberikan stamina tanpa mencuri waktu tidur Anda. Juga waspadalah, minum minuman keras pada malam hari bisa menjadi bencana bagi tidur Anda seperti juga cappuccino setelah makan malam. Di bawah pengaruh minuman itu, Anda mungkin bisa tertidur dalam hitungan detik. 

Masalahnya adalah, Anda akan terbangun empat atau lima jam kemudian. Dan wanita sehat jauh lebih rentan mengalami gangguan tidur akibat efek minuman tersebut, demikian menurut studi terbaru University of Michigan. “Aturan terbaiknya: Minum-minuman tersebut tiga jam sebelum Anda tidur,” ujar Breus.

Dapatkan tidur yang berkualitas

Anda sudah mencatat olahraga Anda, jadi mengapa tidak mencatat kebiasaan tidur Anda? Beberapa perangkat pelacak tidur baru di aplikasi seluler, seperti Zeo Sleep Manager dan Lark, memungkinkan Anda untuk memonitor waktu kebiasaan tidur dan bangun Anda, berapa banyak tidur ringan dan tidur lelap yang Anda dapatkan, dan berapa kali jumlah Anda terjaga di tengah malam. 

Kami menyukai aplikasi seperti Renew SleepCLock (seharga 200 dolar Amerika [sekitar Rp1,93 juta] di us.gear4.com; atau bisa didapat gratis di iTunes App Store) karena Anda tidak harus mengenakan apa pun pada tubuh Anda untuk menggunakannya, gerakan dan tingkat pernapasan Anda terdeteksi dan dimonitor melalui iPhone Anda, dan tercatat di docking SleepCock di samping tempat tidur Anda. ( Yahoo! SHE )

READ MORE - Bagaimana caranya bisa tidur nyenyak di malam hari?

Woman Sleeping

Better sleep on it Lying awake, hour after hour, craving sleep is a recipe for frustration and misery – and can impact on your health, too. However, there are some simple solutions you can try – and some of them might surprise you…

There’s nothing as frustrating as lying awake in the early hours, when the rest of the world seems to be fast asleep.

Health studies suggest that more than a third of us experience insomnia at one time or another, which can cause low energy levels and affect concentration in sufferers. Not to mention, the sheer misery of it all.

There are many so-called cures for sleeplessness – from taking pills and potions that will knock the insomniac out to strict “sleep hygiene” regimes that promote a good night’s sleep. You’re told to avoid stimulants, turn off the TV or computer and stay out of the bedroom until the moment you are ready to drop.

But, according to Professor James Horne, who runs the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, these methods do little to promote natural sleepiness and can be distracting.

“Sleep scientists have found various enjoyable waking activities which are effective in bringing a sounder sleep,” he explains. He points out that something as simple as a relaxing hot bath before bed, can make you instantly sleepy and encourage deeper sleep.

“Besides, it’s a relaxing pastime and the accompanying peace of mind also gives a more restful sleep,” he explains. “Adding plenty of bath foam also helps: the insulating bubbles keep the heat in the bath for longer.”

Professor Horne says that feeling sleepy is all to do with warming up the body, and then cooling it down again.

“The body needs to cool down before a night’s sleep, which seems at odds with having that bath,” he says. “But drying off afterwards accelerates this cooling; meaning that your body overcompensates, radiating out more heat than was gained in the bath and further speeding up sleep.”

Spending more time outdoors will also help, because daylight has a powerful effect on our internal “body clock” and the timing of sleep. It’s why sunrise is so effective in waking us up.

“It also has a subtle alerting effect in suppressing daytime sleepiness, which then increases sleepiness at bedtime,” adds Professor Horne, who says daytime napping might help tiredness in the short term, but will add to sleep problems at night.

Exercising your brain might sound counter-intuitive when it comes to promoting sleepiness, but it can be effective – as long as it’s done properly.

“Brain exercise”, leading to deeper sleep, comes not so much from doing crosswords or Sudoku puzzles, but from spending a few hours walking in a changing and interesting environment.

Says Professor Horne: “Window shopping, sightseeing: anything new and different enough to hold your attention will do the trick. Having conversations and meeting new people adds the important ingredient of novelty, putting further agreeable demands on one’s mind and brain.

“All this new stimulation makes the brain work harder than staying indoors surrounded by familiarity. Reading or watching TV only engages relatively small parts of the brain, unlike getting out and about.

“Similarly, seeing an exciting film is still too passive; one has to be purposely moving, interacting with your surroundings.”

So, the feeling of weariness after a day out at the seaside is not so much due to the fresh, salty air but the novelty factor – as is that feeling of being dog-tired after an afternoon walking around a museum.

Once you get into bed, your brain will want to take a good long rest and will switch off, giving you that much-sought after decent night’s sleep.

So, see more, do more and take a hot bath before bed – and you might just put sleeplessness behind you. ( telegraph )

READ MORE - Woman Sleeping

Inilah Manfaat Bernyanyi di Kamar Mandi

Anda mendengkur saat tidur? Mendengkur bukan hanya menandakan adanya ketidakberesan dalam tubuh, tetapi juga mengancam keharmonisan hubungan dengan pasangan.

Menurut Sleep Centre di University of Kentucky, AS, ada cara untuk menghilangkan mendengkur, bernyanyi. Bernyanyi dianggap baik untuk menghentikannya.

Hal ini penting karena dengan menyanyi, Anda dapat melatih otot-otot di bagian langit-langit mulut yang lunak dan tenggorokan atas. Ototpun menjadi lebih kencang dan tidak bergetar saat Anda tidur.

"Berlatih bernyanyi secara konsisten dapat membuat otot-otot saluran udara bagian atas tidak akan menjadi lembek," jelas Dr. Philip S. Chua dari Cebu Cardiovascular Center.

Bernyanyi dengan penuh semangat selama 20 menit setiap hari di kamar mandi atau saat melakukan pekerjaan rumah tangga dapat mengurangi tingkat keparahan mendengur atau mungkin dapat menghentikan kebiasaan mendengkur selamanya. 

Selamat mencoba!

READ MORE - Inilah Manfaat Bernyanyi di Kamar Mandi

How to get to sleep fast

Get your beauty rest! Put yourself to bed with these simple tricks and techniques for catching zzz's.

1. TAKE A BUBBLE BATH: 

the hot water relaxes your muscles and raises your core temperature. When you get out of the tub, you temperature will start to go down, mimicking what your body normally does to trigger melatonin production, says sleep expert Michael Breus, Ph.D. Why bubbles? "They form a layer of insulation on top, which keeps the water hot longer."

2. POUR YOURSELF A BOWL: 

The classic sleep Rx of cornflakes and milk has scientific-backing. The fast-acting carb in the cereal increases tryptophan levels, upping the zzz-inducing brain chemical serotonin. Milk contains melatonin, a.k.a. the sleep hormone.

3. TURN DOWN THE THERMOSTAT: 

It's more comfortable to sleep in a cool room. But you don't want it to be too cold, either. Experiment to find your just-right temp.

4. CHANGE UP YOUR NIGHTCAP: 

Too much alcohol can disrupt your sleep patterns but tart cherry juice is practically a melatonin cocktail. To score the benefits, drink a mixture of 2 Tbsp. of tart cherry juice concentrate and 8 oz. of water twice a day. Make sure it's Montmorency cherry—that has six times the melatonin of Balaton tart cherry.

5. TRY RELAXATION TECHNIQUES: 

The simplest: Climb into bed, turn off the lights, and take a deep breath to a count of four until you feel relaxed.

6. GOBBLE UP PUMPKIN SEEDS: 

In addition to tryptophan, pumpkin seeds contain zinc which helps convert tryptophan to slumber-inducing serotonin. For an even bigger boost of these chemicals, mix in carb-rich dried fruit—apples, apricots, or blueberries.

7. GET OUT OF BED: 

In one study of 79 insomniacs, this one directive was enough to help two-thirds of the participants start to sleep well again within a month. It seems counterintuitive, but spending less time in bed may jump-start your sleep drive.

8. CARB UP: 

You don't have to wait until bedtime for your sleepy snack. Having carbs like white rice, pasta or white potatoes at dinner as a side is another way to increase levels of tryptophan, and thus serotonin and melatonin. ( goodhousekeeping )

READ MORE - How to get to sleep fast