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In the previous post I discussed the immediate and long term consequences of not getting enough sleep.  I also mentioned a few things you might try if you are having difficulty sleeping.  Here, (from the Huffington Post) is a list of things you may not have realized are things you DON’T WANT TO DO, if you are having trouble getting to or staying asleep.

 

  • Don't go to sleep watching the television.  You need a dark, quiet room for the body's natural sleepiness mechanism to kick in.  this doesn't mean just the television, sorry, it means no computers, tablets or cell phones.
  • Using the weekends to sleep in.  Although nice to have a day to catch up, it may throw your biological clock off, making it more difficult to get back on track during the week.
  • Alcohol.  Although alcohol may increase your time spent in a deep sleep it robs you of REM sleep.  This is the phase of sleep needed for memory and learning.
  • Prescription sleep medication.  Not only do they not fix the problem, many create a dependency on them.
  • Pets!!!!!  Bet you didn't think of this one.  Squirmy, licking, purring and barking friends disrupt your sleep.  And, the dander and pollen they bring with them can trigger allergies.
  • High protein food, especially late in the evening  Protein is hard to digest.  Whole grains on the other hand help promote sleep so keep high protein foods for early evening and wholes grains for late night snack.

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