Comments on: insomnia details

By: Odis Johns

Odis Johns — Thu, 07 Jul 2005 04:05:53 +0000

Exercise elevates your core body temperature. An ensuing drop in body
temperature at bedtime, five or six hours after a vigorous workout,
induces drowsiness and deeper sleep. Atheletes and other physically fit
people have more delta (deep) sleep than do nonathletes.
Do not engage in strenuous aerobic or physical muscular activity within
three hours of bedtime. Physical exertion stimulates the release of
adrenaline. You’ll be too alert and might find it difficult to relax
your body enough to induce sleep.
The best time to exercise is in the late afternoon or at noontime.
Morning exercise has little effect on the quality of sleep that night.
if you must exercise in the early morning, do not do so at the expense
of needed sleep; make sure you get to bed in time to fulfill your sleep
quotient. In the morning allow yourself enough time to raise your body
temperature and become alert. Stretch before attempting a vigorous
workout. It’s easy to twist an ankle while jogging if you’re still

drowsy and not properly warmed up.
Do easy stretching before bedtime, but nothing strenuous. Move your
arms in a Raggedy Ann, spaghetti-like fashion and try to relax your neck
muscles by slowly rocking your head to the right and left.
Cheers,
Mr. Research

By: Odis Johns

Odis Johns — Wed, 06 Jul 2005 23:58:50 +0000

Excercise elevates your core body temperature. An ensuing drop in body
temperature at bedtime, five or six hours after a vigorous workout,
induces drowsiness and deeper sleep. Atheletes and other physically fit
people have more delta (deep) sleep than do nonathletes.
Do not engage in strenuous aerobic or physical muscular activity within
three hours of bedtime. Physical exertion stimulates the release of
adrenaline. You’ll be too alert and might find it difficult to relax
your body enough to induce sleep.
The best time to exercise is in the late afternoon or at noontime.
Morning exercise has little effect on the quality of sleep that night.
if you must exercise in the early morning, do not do so at the expense
of needed sleep; make sure you get to bed in time to fulfill your sleep
quotient. In the morning allow yourself enough time to raise your body
temperature and become alert. Stretch before attempting a vigorous
workout. It’s easy to twist an ankle while jogging if you’re still

drowsy and not properly warmed up.
Do easy stretching before bedtime, but nothing strenuous. Move your
arms in a Raggedy Ann, spaghetti-like fashion and try to relax your neck
muscles by slowly rocking your head to the right and left.
Cheers,
Mr. Research

By: Sofia Cabrera

Sofia Cabrera — Wed, 06 Jul 2005 02:00:50 +0000

These are great suggestions. You must be catching up on all the e-
mails!
Anyway, I find it difficult to exercise six hours before bed on work
days. I get home around 6:15, and go to sleep around 10:00. It hasn’t
affected me adversely in the past, but I am pretty perky until bed
time. Lunch is out because I sweat with any exercise (even moderate
walking), and we don’t have showers at work. Before work is even less
desired, because I already get up at 5:15 to make it to work by 7:00.
However, there are three days per week that the six hours is no
problem.
I also sleep with my cat, and it has never caused a problem. In fact,
when I’m away and have to sleep kitty-free, it’s almost harder to
sleep! Ah, well.

By: Odis Johns

Odis Johns — Sun, 03 Jul 2005 13:37:43 +0000

In addition to Axel’s marvelous suggestions, I would include the
following ideas:
1.) Eat protein for breakfast (30 mins. after a fruit snack at rising).
2.) Eat protein for lunch.
3.) Eat fruit for snacks (alone and 4 hours after protein meals/30 mins
before anything else).
4.) Eat a carb dinner with plenty of vegetables and FAT. This will put
you to sleep faster than a duck on a junebug. Make sure to include
enough FAT because if you don’t, the carbs will metabolize too quickly
and your blood sugar will fluctuate too much.
5.) Exercise vigorously 6 hours (not any later) before you want to go to
sleep. If you exercise too much earlier, you will get tired too soon,
so make sure to keep it around 6 hours.
6.) Avoid any and all caffeine within 6 hours of bedtime.
7.) Practice relaxation breathing right before you go to bed. Dr. Weil

talks about different breathing techniques in one of his
books…Spontaneous Healing I think.
8.) Avoid alcohol near bedtime. A glass of wine before dinner is O.K.,
but avoid having any within three hours of bedtime.
9.) Take a warm bath before bed.
10.) Maintain a relaxing atmosphere in the bedroom: no arguing, no
watching exciting movies or news, no eating, no working, and no
balancing checkbooks. Keep the bedroom for sex, listening to music, or
reading a peaceful book.
11.) Establish a bedtime ritual: engage in a nightly ritual of reading
for pleasure just before turning off the lights. Find a good book, turn
off the room lights, use a reading light that can be gradually dimmed,
and take your mind off the days worries by venturing into the author’s
thoughts. When you’re fully relaxed or when drowsiness begins to lower
your eyelids, you’re ready to turn off the light.
12.) Have pleasurable Sexual Activity: this always helps me go to sleep
make sure it’s good though and relaxedthat is the key.
13.) Keep your pets (if any) out of the room.
14.) If you find that you cannot clear your mind, keep a journal and
record your thoughts on paper each night. If you don’t like to write, a
pocket dictation recorder works well too.
15.) Try some bedtime relaxation techniques: progressive muscle
relaxation (PMR), yoga, light a candle in your mind, mental imagery and
fantasies (I do this a lot), deep breathing, mind games, and if all else
fails, count sheep. No really, it works! 16.) Avoid trying to hard to go to sleep. If you’re not sleepy after 30
minutes in bed, get up and leave the bedroom. Do some light reading or
listen to soft music in a low-lighted environment until you get tired.
If you’re just too alert, do some light housework. You’ll get tired of
that soon enough. I guarantee it.
I these methods all fail, we can go (herbal) pharmaceutical. I’d prefer
not to, as it gets you dependent on them. I wouldn’t use melatonin
until you try some other methods. It is a hormone and your body can
become dependent. Let me know how things go.
Cheers,
Mr. Research