http://www.care2.com/greenliving/does-too-little-sleep-affect-the-brain.html
Does Too Little Sleep Affect the Brain?
By Jennifer Serafin, N.P., Caring.com
The brain will not function well when sleep deprived, but it should not “shut down” completely. Research shows that lack of sleep causes mental, physical, and emotional health to suffer. Therefore, you will have more trouble concentrating and doing simple tasks when sleep deprived. Having had insomnia myself, it is a terrible feeling not to sleep well.
To improve your sleep, try these tricks:
- Go to bed the same time every night, and rise the same time each morning. I know it sounds too structured, but it really can work.
- Take a bath, read, or do some other relaxing activity (one that you know helps you to relax) before you go to bed. This will help your mind to quiet down so that you can sleep.
- Try to exercise during the day to release your stress. Even simply walking outside for a few minutes can help.
- Sleep in a quiet, dark, cool room. Turn off the TV, as it can be distracting. Turn all clock displays away from your line of vision so you don’t keep “looking at the clock.”
If you have tried these simple things and you are still not sleeping, you should be evaluated by a health professional. Many health conditions can cause insomnia, so it is important to make sure that some kind of health problem is not complicating the picture.
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17 comments
add your comment »Once the night time bathroom habit begins it's a hard one to break. Try not to drink any liquids before going to bed. Drink earlier in the day. If you drink enough water during the day you shouldn't need it at night time. Also don't take water to the bedroom with you because if you're drinking through the night you will also need to go to the bathroom. Stop drinking fluids at least an hour before going to bed, empty the bladder immediately before retiring and this will go along way to reducing the interruption of your sleep.
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I dont seem to have that problem i fall asleep as soon as my head tiuches the pillow, the only thing i have a problem with is having to get up and pee.
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For neighbours babies and parties I suggest a cheap option are ear plugs. Good fitting ones can work well.
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The brain absolutely can shut down when fatigued. This is why people fall asleep at the wheel or have 'micro-sleep' when the brain simply can't go on any longer without a rest to recharge. Coffee does not work when driving overtired. Having the window open does not work and nor does loud music. When the brain has had enough it will shut down and you have no say in the matter. It is very dangerous to drive when sleep deprived. Research shows that it is as dangerous as driving over the alcohol limit. Simply don't do it. Plan ahead, and never drive when your sleep deprived. (That could be a good slogan :) ).
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Purchase a Marpac Sleep-Mate 980A for 'white noise'. After suffering from insomnia for years, noisy neighbor's children, barking dogs, cars, motorcycles & lawn equipment running at the crack of dawn....this little machine drowns out the peripheral noize. I regret not getting one of these earlier.
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If you think it's stressful with a baby, whether first, second or whatever, try living next door to people who had one a year for several years (in an attached house) and the mother would let one of them scream all night because the child had an earache and the mother didn't want to give her anything. To top it all off, she complained to me one day when I had had carpeting installed (the workmen had to use the hammer) and said I woke her baby up. It was the happiest day of my life when we moved. I think it carries over into every day life with people talking in loud, strident voices, constantly on the cell phone (what can be so important that someone has to call you on a bus), loud radios/boom boxes, etc. Then people wonder why some people can't take it and go off the deep end.
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I hadn't had more than a handful of full night "restful" sleep in 9 yrs. For the life of me I could not get my son to cooperate and sleep. I ended up with tmj over it last yr. A doc fixed my tmj and my kid and its been better for a year. Then my husband lost his job, lost our house and dealing with autism ... I think you can get the pic. So, imaging waves and such doesn't do it for me. Prayer and an encouraging word helps me relax and get "in the state" better than anything else.
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Duh!
Can too little intake of food affect your body?
Is the pope catholic?
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I could sleep like a baby if someone would watch all these freakin' kids! Just think about having to be stuck with ones that will drink toilet water ALL DAY LONG if you so much as nod off and you'll be grateful that you can just go and lay down.
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There is a method, that I have used for many years. I pretend to be laying on the beach and the waves, slowly, come in. The first wave hits my toes and each wave comes further up my body. Keep in mind, that you are aware, that the tide will only come as far as your neck. It is a form of self-hypnosis and does take time to work, completely. However, eventually it will; don't give up, even if your mind strays. This is not a bad sign. It has worked for many of my family and friends.
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