America’s National “Sleep Debt” : Getting Enough Sleep Lately?
The National Sleep Foundation poll taken in 1998 discovered that a whopping 67% of American adults have a sleeping problem and that over one-third, (37%) are so sleepy during the daytime that their daily activities are interfered with. Over the past 100 years, we’ve reduced our average sleep time by 20% and, over the last 25 years, added an additional month to our annual work/ commute time. Our national “sleep debt” is rising and while our society has changed, our physical bodies and needs have not. We are paying dearly for such “progress”!
After years of asthma, within a month I could breathe almost normally for the first time in my life. Fasting is a miracle. I thank The Miracle of Fasting and Paul Bragg! – Paul Wenner, Creator of Gardenburger, author of Garden Cuisine
The odds are you are not getting sufficient sleep. American adults presently average 7 hours nightly. While everyone’s sleep needs vary, most scientific research indicates that we require 8 hours of sleep nightly. Few are lucky enough to enjoy 5 to 6 hours of sound sleep and still perform well at work. To just get “caught up,” a full ten hours of rest, plus naps are frequently called for!
First make a clear choice about how you wish to spend the thirty to forty-five minutes that precede your actual going to bed. Avoid a rush to “get things ready for tomorrow” or to catch up on tasks not completed during the day. This is a time to read, relax and rest your body and mind. Try an aromatherapeutic bath or a (olive oil) self-massage while showering before bed – it’s so relaxing. Try a warm soothing Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar drink with cinnamon and honey or a lemon balm or Sleepytime herbal tea before bedtime.
Lemon Balm, whose scientific name is melissa officianalis, is a soothing plant with both nervine and antiseptic, relaxing natural qualities. It’s a member of the peppermint and spearmint family and is grown worldwide. When flowering it has a lemon fragrance – a perfume delight.
Healthful Tips for Sound, Recharging Sleep
Avoid stimulants such as caffeine (found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) and nicotine (found in cigarettes and other tobacco products).
Don’t drink alcohol to “help” you sleep.
Have herbal teas – anise, lemon balm, sleepytime, camomile, or try melatonin, calcium and magnesium supplements; they work miracles for many.
Exercise regularly, but try to be finished with your workout no sooner than 2 hours prior to bedtime.
Establish a regular and relaxing bedtime routine; for example, try a warm aromatherapy bath or shower.
Associate your bed with relaxing sleep – don’t sit on it to work or watch TV.
If you suffer from insomnia, don’t nap during the day. Remember, you earn better sleep by daytime activity.
