How often have you faced a time where you knew that sleep would be in short supply? Maybe before a project deadline approaches? Before a long flight or long journey? For some people, exam periods mean reduced sleep as they study into the early hours. How about before a series of late night shifts or, for soldiers, before a mission?

A recent US study has shown that it seems possible to stock up on sleep in advance. In fact, the study shows that those people who do get extra sleep before their period of reduced sleep are much more able to cope and recover than those people who have simply had their regular amount of sleep beforehand.

In the study, volunteers were split into 2 groups. Over the course of a week, one group was entitled to extra sleep and the other group was required to stick to their usual sleep pattern. The following week, both groups were given only 3 hours of sleep per night for the week. Tests showed that the group who had the extra sleep beforehand were more resilient during the period of sleep restriction than the group that had only their usual amount of sleep. They were also more alert and showed less performance deterioration. A week after the experiment the group that had been allowed extra sleep also recovered better.

It seems therefore that if we store up extra sleep ahead of time, before a period of sleep deprivation, we are better able to deal with the challenges that sleep loss can create.

Of course, knowing that this helps does not make it an easy thing to do! Some people can fall asleep at the drop of a hat but for many, sleep can prove elusive at the best of times, never mind when there are important reasons to fit more in!

Encourage sleep by relaxing and replacing the thoughts that whizz around and around your head with soothing, calming thoughts. Again, I can almost hear you say, ‘easier said than done’!

One simple and very effective way of doing this is to listen to a sleep relaxation tape or CD or a recording on an ipod. Listen and relax. Keep your attention focused on what the words are telling you to focus on.

By paying attention to the soothing words and following the instructions, your mind becomes disengaged from the busy ‘to do’ list of thoughts and imperatives that can so often sabotage our best efforts at falling asleep! A calming voice, gentle background music and soothing words will lull you gently into a deep relaxation and sleep.

What’s stopping you? Stock up on your sleep and be ready for that intensive time ahead!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=June_Whittle

Get June Wittle’s amazing Sleep CD – now for just £16.19 PLUS you will get an instant download that you can use to fall asleep right now.

Give Yourself The Rest You Deserve.

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Give Yourself The Rest You Deserve.

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Build Up Sleep Success And Alleviate Anxiety Linked To Lack Of Sleep

Commit to taking action on these tips. Make them a habit. Notice the difference!

1. Make an effort to spend some time outside in the daylight each day. This will help to regulate your body’s biological clock.
2. Exercise regularly – a great way to improve your sleep. Finish exercising at least 2 hours before you plan to sleep as exercise produces stimulants that stop the brain from relaxing quickly.
3. Buy and listen to a Sleep CD – Keep your personal CD player and earphones (or ipod/MP3 player with downloaded CD programme) by the side of the bed. The calming voice and gentle music will help your mind to switch off and enable you to drift into a restful sleep.
4. Make sure you have a comfortable, quiet and relaxing sleeping environment. Think of the lighting, the sounds in the room, the temperature, the air quality, your bed and pillow, the look and ambience of the room.
5. Avoid food and drink for 2 hours before you go to bed. If you CAN do this, your body will be more able to rest as you fall asleep. If your body is still at work, breaking down food, the quality of your sleep will not be as good. If you need a drink, try hot water or herbal tea rather than tea, coffee or hot chocolate. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks.
6. Refuse to engage in heavy, emotionally draining conversations last thing at night. Avoid work or finance-related conversations. Schedule them in for the daytime.
7. Turn off the television and your mobile phone! Do this at least half an hour before you prepare for sleep. A mobile phone emits radio waves which affect the electrical activity of the sleeping brain. 30 minutes exposure to the ‘talk’ mode signal of a phone delays the onset of sleep.
8. Cultivate a consistent, calming BEDTIME ROUTINE. This will send a signal to your brain that it is time to wind down. What do YOU find relaxing? Build it into your routine.
9. Aim to go to bed, to go to sleep at a similar time every night – it helps to anchor your body clock. Look through your diary at the beginning of the day or the week and make a date with yourself to go to bed at that time.
10. Give yourself 5 – 10 minutes for reflection. Let go of any negative thoughts and distractions that have been part of your day. Replace them with thoughts of all the good things in your life. Think of three good things that happened during the day – however small. This will fill your head with good thoughts and improve your outlook as you wake in the morning.

Now follow up with decisive action. What can you do to wake up in the morning with greater clarity, positivity and inner strength? Grab hold of your diary and plan in some of the ideas.

Enjoy your sleep and the benefits that come with it!

Give Yourself The Rest You Deserve.

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• Is stress causing you to lie awake, anxious, at night?
• Do you have difficulty falling asleep?
• Are you feeling exhausted and irritable?
• Do you suffer from sleepiness and poor concentration?

You’re not alone! Figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reveal that more than 440,000 of us believe that we are suffering from such a high level of work-related stress that it affects our sleep and is making us ill. Their survey also found that women have ‘statistically higher’ rates of stress than men. The Teacher Support Network found that 82% of teaching professionals have problems sleeping, over 60% stating that stress in the workplace is the cause.

Sleep is vital for our health. Our physical and mental wellbeing hinge on the amount of sleep we get and yet more people are suffering from sleep problems than ever before. Our daily lives are so often spent frantically rushing around juggling so many different elements! Our time for relaxation is cut to a minimum with the demands of our 24 hour a day culture; work, family, home, (more work!), friends (sometimes!) and  … generally trying to squeeze everything in!

When it is time to sleep, it can be hard to leave the hurry and worry of our daily life behind, making it difficult to fall asleep. For some, falling asleep is not the problem. That’s the easy part! It is waking in the early hours, unable to fall back to sleep that causes problems.

So, if lack of sleep is your problem, what can you do to sink into a calm and soothing sleep which will nourish your mind and rest your body every night? How can you get back into your own natural rhythms of sleep and wakefulness?

Firstly, remember that the less you worry about it, the more likely you are to have a good sleep – easier said than done of course!

What CAN you do to calm your mind? Expert opinion differs on whether or not to stay in bed or get up for a while before trying to fall back to sleep. If you stay in bed it is difficult to stop the whirring of thoughts going around and around. If you get up, you are more awake and stimulated! One effective and proven method is to listen to an audio programme to gently guide you back to sleep. This offers something soothing rather than stimulating and replaces persistent anxious thoughts with calm, relaxing mindfulness.

Get June Wittle’s amazing Sleep CD – now for just £16.19 PLUS you will get an instant download that you can use to fall asleep right now.

Give Yourself The Rest You Deserve.

CLICK HERE NOW