Positive Direction

How to Really Have a Good Night's Sleep, Part One

Insomnia is a common sleep related problem which is more of a symptom of another disorder than a condition that stands on its own. Many people think it will not be cured once it occurs, but with the help of natural lifestyle changes and modifications to behavioral patterns there is hope to insomniacs around the world. Sleep medications could be one of them, but they could be habit-forming. Here are the ways on how to really have a good night's sleep.

I. Stimulus Control Therapy

Back in the days when our ancestors had no electricity, they would wake up up at sunrise and sleep at sunset. But the advent of technology and electricity extended the sleeping time of ma therefore, making him stay up in the
night much longer. Now that they more obligations to attend to, TV shows to watch and other forms of entertainment, people are finding it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep for long.

Sleep experts suggest using your bed only for sleep and sex. If you can't fall asleep within the next 20 minutes from the time you close your eyes, immediately get up and go somewhere else. It is recommended that you designate a spot in the house where you can think about your problems so that you'll be able to associate it with them.

For some overly sensitive people, watching TV in their bedroom will prevent them from falling asleep. Don't ever watch TV or use the computer before bedtime as it will stimulate your visual cortex.

Darkness lures everyone to sleep. Experts suggest turning off the lights hours before sleep so your body starts winding down before you actually fall asleep.

Your bedroom must be free from any form of disturbance. It includes the noise, the lights and the temperature. Use blinds to cover the lights, and make sure you have proper ventilation so you won't wake up because it's hot.

Establish a regular sleep schedule and stick to it for a week. You can't expect to see results overnight, so stick to it until it becomes normal. Also, don't be panicky when you can't sleep at once. Counting the hours you've lost will only agitate your mind, so get rid of your clock if you can.

II. Cognitive Behavioral therapy

There are people who suffer from insomnia with the thought that they can't sleep without sleeping pills. These people are not only suffering from insomnia, but also from negative thoughts they created. Cognitive Behavioral therapy is designed to help

people identify these mental blocks and negative behaviors that keep them from sleeping. It involves a counselor who will teach you how to determine the root causes of your insomnia, how to deal with stressful episodes and how to create an inviting environment suitable for sleep. Many people undergoing this therapy, combined with lifestyle changes, have shown good results and have improved the quality of their sleep. To undergo this therapy, you can visit a sleep center and ask for help.

III. Relaxation

Other people have found remedy in various forms of relaxation that will help them wind down mentally to forget about the stressful situations they had for the day.

Meditation, breathing exercises, tai chi and yoga are all helpful in calming the mind and also bring health benefits. If you will do strenuous exercises, do them in the afternoon and not within 2-3 hours prior to sleep, as it will stimulate you.

There are herbal remedies that are reportedly good in inducing sleep. It includes lavender, chamomile, valerian, hops, Passion Flower and lemon balm. The most popular among them is probably valerian. Used by Europeans for decades, it is known as "Nature's Valium" for its relaxing effects. However, studies have cast doubts on its efficacy and results are inconclusive.

Any herbal remedy will not work if you consumed caffeinated drinks hours before bedtime. Teas, coffee, chocolate, and drugs must be avoided. Also, don't drink a lot of fluids for you might wake up to urinate. This is true to people with nocturia, though there are other remedies for it other than limiting the fluid intake.

About the Author

Dulce Azogue is the owner of 450 Health Topics. 450 Health Topics is the latest word cloud page where you can improve their link popularity by linking your favorite word to your websites. Visit us now to claim your health-related word or phrase for only $0.10 a day for a limited time.

Proper posture in Yang Tai Chi?

Guys, I am trying to learn Yang style Taiji and and very concerned about proper posture. From what I have been able to learn so far is that the spine should be kept straight and there shouldn't be any curvature. But I have experienced that using this posture one cannot go too low in the Yang forms because the weight would be directed towards the knees, which I guess isn't that good, right? I tried sticking my butt out backwards so that my spine had a slight curvature and stuck my chest out to keep my upper body straight, and that helped me go lower because the knees weren't experiencing too much pressure.

I do Chen style Tai Chi so though it isn't the same specifically, our principles are similar.

First off, You should always keep your back straight. Ensure that the head is pulled towards the heavens and that your sacrum is tucked under - this will ensure that the back is straight.

With regards to knee positions - your knee should never pass the ball of the foot in any positions, this will exert unnecessary pressure on the joint and lead to long term damage.

If you are finding that you can't sink low enough whilst keeping your back straight - don't worry. Go as low as is comfortable - its not initially a natural movement and you will have to develop the strength in your quads to be able to sink low. I know people who have trained for years who will never go lower than 90 degrees, whereas I like to go as low as possible.

Stick with it and focus on the absolute basics before worrying too much about the more advanced aspects of form.

Good luck!

Tai Chi Stick Form - WWDU Training 13/4/2008 - #6