SLEEP WELL, NATURALLY: 7 STEPS TO GREAT ZZZZ’S

By Dr. Aviva Romm

If you’ve got your ceiling memorized from lying awake staring at it night after night, if you’ve got a spare tire you just can’t get rid of, you wake up and can’t get back to sleep, you wake up already exhausted, or if you need a nap by noon (or coffee, or chocolate, or…) then this article is for you!

The Importance of Sleep

Most of us need seven to eight hours of sleep each night for optimal daytime functioning, but at least 50 percent of Americans struggle with sleep problems- and these problems tend to get worse as we get older.
As a physician, I am no stranger to sleep problems. Medical residency was a life filled with chronic caffeine stimulation, an endless to-do list, long hours in front of a computer screen, stress and late work hours with little (or no) sleep. During those years, even when I had time to sleep, I couldn’t. I felt miserable and was all too familiar with the effects of poor sleep on my performance, memory and mood-which was really scary as I was handling life-and-death matters at work. After medical training ended, it took me a few months of concerted effort to regain normal sleep…but I was able to, and here are tips you can us to get your sleep back on track, too.

When Your Sleep is Miserable, So is Everything Else…

Poor quality sleep is no joke. Not only is the night time miserable, daytime can be, too. When we’re tired we’re more irritable, depressed, our hormones are a wreck, we can’t lose weight, we can’t concentrate, our digestion is a mess, we get more zits, we get sick more often, make mistakes at our jobs…. We even get into more accidents. Seriously. And who hasn’t bitched (ok, telling’ it like it is, here!) at someone they love or a co-worker out of sheer fatigue? (When I was in medical residency? Ooh…guilty as charged!).
Oh right, and then there’s the old DOUBLE WHAMMY: Laying there awake (yup, memorizing the ceiling), worrying about how lack of sleep is going to wreck your day tomorrow – and BAM – that makes it even harder to fall asleep!
As if all of this wasn’t bad enough, the really bad news is that poor sleep increases your risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart attack! In fact, if you’re having trouble shedding pounds, fixing your sleep may be all you need to do!
But there’s good news! (Would I ever just bum you out? Of course not!!!)
I can tell you from 30 years of clinical experience – there are solutions!

Prioritize Your Relationship With Sleep

To win back your sleep, you have to invite it back into your bed! Woo sleep like s/he’s the love of your life and you’ve been on a break-up! I’m serious, ladies. Dote on your sleep habits every day. And not just at bedtime.
Good sleep is a lifestyle habit. You have to make it a priority, not just at bedtime, but in the hours before bed. It may take a month or so before you see consistent results if your sleep problem is pretty bad, but it will be well worth it: Better sleep makes us happier, healthier and more relaxed in every way. And the evidence is really there that when you are happier and more relaxed, you are better for everyone and at everything you do. The following seven steps, practiced daily, will eventually help you sleep like a dream.
Regular outdoor exercise can help improve our ability to fall asleep.
The following 7 steps, practiced daily, will, over time, help you to sleep like a dream. In fact, one patient, who had not slept in years, just recently told me she is once again “sleepin’ like a baby” – and her whole life has been transformed as a result! It may take a few months for your body to adjust, so hang in there and keep at it! With persistence and loving attention, you and sleep can get back into a great relationship.

7 STEPS TO GREAT ZZZ’S

1. TURN YOUR LIGHTS DOWN LOW

While some lucky girls can fall asleep with a jackhammer going outside their bedroom window (actually, it’s mostly the men that can do this, eh?), the rest of us need a somewhat quieter ambiance. Unfortunately, if you have sleep problems, you may have begun to equate your bedroom with a place of misery rather than rest.
Here’s how to create a sleep-promoting environment.

• Make your bedroom your sanctuary – your place of peace and respite.
• Use your bed for sleep (and sex) only.
• Keep your bedroom temperature comfortable or even slightly on the cooler side.
• Make your bedroom an electronics-free zone: no TV, computers, or other electronics in there – ever. (Small apartment? Get a room divider to separate your sleep and desk area.)
• Reduce ambient noise and light; a flax eye pillow or an eye mask and earplugs can work wonders!
• Paint and decorate your bedroom in restful colors (apparently purple and grey are very bad choices, blue is the best, and neutrals and yellows pretty good).
• Make sure you have a comfortable mattress, pillows, and bedding.

If you’re having trouble falling asleep, don’t lay in bed tossing and turning. That will only make you hate your bedroom! Get up and read something relaxing on your sofa until you’re ready to try sleep again.

2. GET A HEAD START

Good sleep starts long before you hit the pillow. In fact, your daytime and evening habits can have a major impact on your ability to get to sleep at night. Start planning for a good night’s sleep hours before bed by:

• Avoiding caffeinated beverages after lunch (if you’re super sensitive, this includes green tea – and chocolate, too)
• Avoiding alcohol, especially near bedtime
• Avoiding smoking or other nicotine intake, especially during the evening
• Avoiding daytime naps
• Exercising regularly for at least 20 minutes daily, but preferably more than four hours prior to bedtime
• Eating no later than three hours before bed and avoid foods that cause acid reflux (heartburn) if you suffer from it

And don’t go to bed until you are sleepy.

3. POWER DOWN

Many of us live “tired and wired” – we’re dragging all day and then can’t sleep at night. Being “plugged in” to computers, email, and Iphones all day and evening exposes us to electromagnetic waves that potentially interfere with sleep, and also keeps us plugged into our endless “to-do’s” that prevent us from ever turning it all off and getting rest.
This same tired and wired phenomenon puts stress on our adrenal glands, the hormones that pump out stress hormones, leading to some of the medical problems associated with insomnia.
If you are going to improve your sleep, this means powering down for a designated couple of stress-free hours before bed. Relaxation skills practiced once you get into bed can increase your chances of getting to sleep – and having it be restful. Audio materials to support meditation and guided visualization are available for free on the Internet and on downloadable IPhone apps (listening to these is the one exception to the ‘no electronics in the bedroom’ rule).
Additionally, there are a number of yoga sequences that can help you unwind your body and your mind prior to bed. YogaGlo, a fantastic website with a wealth of recorded yoga classes with well-known teachers, offers a selection of yoga classes to help you relax. Do a class an hour before bed, then take an aromatherapy bath to help you decompress before you sleep.

4. GOTTA’ HAVE RHYTHM

Human beings evolved with natural day and night cycles – also called circadian rhythms. These rhythms control the hormones, for example, melatonin, which influence our sleep-wake cycles. Getting up at the same time each morning, followed by physical activity with exposure to outdoor light (e.g., a walk outside) or even just sitting next to a window with the shades and curtains open, may be beneficial, even on a cloudy day. If you have severe insomnia, using a light box for 30-40 minutes upon waking each morning might help. A completely dark environment is recommended at night for sleep. Benefits usually take 2-3 weeks to become apparent and the practice may need to be maintained indefinitely.

5.  DO YOUR WORRYING BEFORE BED

I have my patients start a pro-sleep journal –  any blank notebook will do. One hour before bed they write out all of their worries and concerns, including their to-do list for the next day. Doing this allows you go to sleep with a clearer head. Oh, and did I say vent in there, too? Never go to sleep angry. Even if you do sleep you’ll have rough dreams. After you’ve done your writing, read something inspirational for a few minutes. I highly recommend Tara Bennet Goleman’s Mind Whispering as a start. My patients tell me this whole practice works wonders. [Just don’t do it in your bedroom!]

6. SOAK IT UP

A hot aromatherapy bath before bed can relax your mind and your muscles. Add 1 cup of Epsom salts and 5-7 drops of pure lavender essential oil to your tub of hot water. SOAK away your day’s troubles. Lavender promotes relaxation and sleep. This can be done nightly just prior to going to bed and is safe for pregnant and nursing mothers, too.

7. HERBS AND SUPPLEMENTS

Herbs are my first go-to medicines. Botanical – or herbal – medicines are gentle, non-addictive alternatives to sleep medications. I use them, along with several nutritional supplements to help my patients sleep and they LOVE the results! You can combine any  (or all) of these safely and the herbal extracts can be put right into your chamomile tea!
As a rule I recommend not combining herbs and medications without the supervision of a physician skilled in the use of botanicals.

Lavela (lavender oil)
Fast becoming my favorite product for sleep and anxiety, Lavela is a proprietary lavender oil product so look for this brand. (I have no conflict of interest). It’s super easy to take – one pill about an hour before bedtime. It’s also helpful if you suffer with anxiety that keeps you awake, performance anxiety, or test anxiety. I’ve even had several patients come off of long-term benzodiazepines (you have to work with your doctor to taper off of these medications!).

Chamomile
Peter Rabbit’s mama knew just what to give Peter to help him sleep! Chamomile tea can be sipped throughout the evening in the hours before sleep – up to 2 cups of a strong brewed tea (use 2 teabags per cup or 2 TBS of loose herb) and steep for 10 minutes with a lid on the cup. Just remember to pee before bed or you’ll be waking up from a sound sleep! Alternatively, you can use the tincture, 40 drops 1 hour and again 30 minutes prior to sleep.

Passionflower
This herb has been used traditionally to promote sleep, and some evidence shows that it can actually improve sleep quality – thus it can help you stay asleep and feel more rested when you wake. It is also useful in the treatment of anxiety disorders. A typical dose is 40-60 drops of the tincture (or 320 mg in a capsule) up to 3 times daily. It can be taken an hour before sleep and again right before sleep at this dose. Limited data suggests safety in pregnancy but I would avoid it during the first trimester and not use for extended periods of time during pregnancy.

California poppy
California poppy is widely used by herbalists for its sedative effects. It is quite strong and should not be taken during the day or before driving. It is also a gentle analgesic and muscle relaxant. A typical dose is 20-30 drops before bed.

Hops
With a long traditional history as a sleep herb, this mildly estrogenic herb is a common beer ingredient and is wonderful for promoting deep sleep. I recommend the tincture (alcohol extract) to be taken in doses of 30 drops, 1 hour and again 30 minutes before going to sleep. It’s too strong for daytime use, should not be combined with alcohol, and should not be used if you suffer from moderate to severe depression or have a history of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer.

Ashwagandha
An herb with roots in Ayurvedic medicine, this herb is specific for the “tired and wired,” and as such not only helps sleep in the short run, but helps relieve “adrenal fatigue” and burnout when taken for at least 3-6 months or longer. It improves cognitive function, immunity, and stress resilience as well. The dose is 1 to 6 grams daily of the whole herb in capsule or tea form. The tea is prepared by boiling ashwagandha roots in water for 15 minutes and then cooling, or adding 1 tsp. of the powder to hot water or warm whole milk and steeping for 10 minutes before drinking. The usual dose is 3 cups daily. Tincture dose is 40-60 drops 3 times daily. There is no known safety data in pregnancy; I recommend it as safe during breastfeeding.

Melatonin
While not effective for everyone, individuals with sleep latency syndrome and those with melatonin deficiency may get moderate improvement from taking 1-3 mg in the hour before bed. Menopausal hot flashers may also get some relief and sleep from this remedy. This dose is considered safe for a duration of up to several months at a time. Not recommended during pregnancy.

5-HTP
5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a product of the amino acid tryptophan, is converted into serotonin in the brain. Serotonin helps to initiate calm and sleep and reduces nighttime awakenings. A typical dose is 100-300 mg three times daily. Not recommended during pregnancy.

Calcium and Magnesium
A combination calcium (800 mg) and magnesium supplement (400 mg), or magnesium alone if you are avoiding calcium supplementation due to cardiac disease, can promote relaxation and sleep. They can also help if restless leg syndrome or muscle cramps interfere with your sleep, and can be helpful during pregnancy.

Relaxing Sleep Tonic by Herb Pharm, and Sleep and Relax Tea by Gaia Herbs are two reliable over-the-counter products you can find in most stores. Muscle Cramp/Tension formula by Pure Encapsulations is another excellent formula that combines the recommended herbs along with calcium and magnesium. 

When to See Your Doctor

If sleep troubles persist after 3 months of trying these tips, or if you have other medical symptoms, please talk with your primary physician who can evaluate you for sleep disorders, sleep apnea, and medical problems that can interfere with sleep, for example, depression and fibromyalgia. There are a number of medications that can be used to treat insomnia, however, many are addictive or have significant side effects, and so trying a natural approach first, if there are no associated medical problems, is a healthy choice. Sleep apnea must be treated with appropriate medical care in addition to the options above.

Sleep well,

Dr. Aviva Romm is a Yale-trained physician specializing in integrative medicine for women and children, a midwife, an herbalist, an award-winning author, and the creator/owner of WomanWise, on-line courses dedicated to vitality and optimal health for women and children.

Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal Fatigue

ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES IN WORKPLACE

By Yetunde Ebosele

INCREASE in workplace mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression may have heightened concerns among employers, going by conclusions in a recent report by a resource management centre.
The report explained that over 41 per cent of organisations have seen an increase in reported mental health problems over the last twelve months.
According to the annual Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) Absence Management survey produced in partnership with Simplyhealth, the challenge is also associated with long working hours.
The report explained that in 2009, only 24 per cent of organisations reported seeing an increase in mental health problems during that year; adding that 2015 is now the sixth consecutive year that levels have been over 40%, “showing the problem isn’t going away”.
It explained that reported increases are most likely in large and medium-sized organisations, with 69 per cent and 51 per cent respectively showing increase.
The report explained that the challenge is also associated with long working hours and the extent to which operational demands take precedence over employee wellbeing.
Head of Public Policy at the CIPD, Ben Willmott said: “Unfortunately, this year’s survey shows the number of reported mental health problems has increased for many employers, and after over half a decade at these levels, we can’t afford to let this issue continue to grow any longer. As a nation we’re getting better at opening up the conversation around mental health, but there is still a long way to go.
“So what more can employers do? Manager training is crucial, as they are often employees’ first point of call for reporting an issue, but only 30 per cent of organisations currently provide it. There needs to be a lot more focus on this going forward, as well as tailored support for line managers from HR (Human Resources) and signposting employees to appropriate support. Employers also need to look at how well their corporate culture supports good mental health and employee wellbeing.”
The report also found the private sector particularly lacking in managing and supporting employees with mental health problems, with 28 per cent admitting they weren’t taking any action to support employees. Just 32 per cent currently offer a counselling service, compared to 70 per cent of public sector organisations. Similarly, only 21 per cent said they were increasing awareness of mental health issues across the workforce as a whole, compared to over double that (47per cent) in the public sector.
Head of Human Resources at Simplyhealth, Corinne Williams added: “In this year’s survey organisations that have experienced an increase in reported mental health problems are twice as likely to provide training and support, compared with those that haven’t. This could be due to the fact that employees feel they can speak out about their mental health issues, which is great news as it shows work environments aren’t hostile to the topic of mental health. But if organisations are to reduce reported levels of mental health absence, we need to target the root causes of mental health problems in the workplace, rather than just the signs, and deal with issues as and when they arise. An effective employee wellbeing programme, which should include a confidential employee helpline, can help to ensure there is a positive culture towards mental health, and so this should be a priority going forward.”
Head of Workplace Wellbeing at Mind, Emma Mamo, said: “These figures show just how common mental health problems are in the workplace and highlight why it’s so important that businesses make promoting staff mental wellbeing a priority. Given how prevalent poor mental health is among staff, employers can no longer afford to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to tackling the causes of stress and poor mental health for their employees. It’s positive to see more staff opening up to their employers if they are struggling with their mental health. The stigma surrounding mental health is beginning to dissipate, as awareness increases, with more people coming forward. But we know that many people still don’t feel comfortable disclosing, and sometimes those who do aren’t offered the right support at the right time.
It’s vital that employers proactively promote good wellbeing for all as well as being able to support members of staff experiencing mental health problems. As well as a legal obligation, it makes business sense too – staff are happier, healthier, more productive, engaged and loyal if they work for a company which proactively promotes wellbeing for their entire workforce.
Also, HR professionals in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia have identified lack of analytical skills as major challenges confronting some organisations.
According to CIPD, the increased awareness of the potential of HR analytics across Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia indicates that the regions are following a similar trend to the rest of the globe ‘when it comes to the adoption and evolution of HR analytics’.
The report also shows how organisations view HR analytics as hugely important and potentially transformative, adding that they are at the very early stages of capability and are being held back by a range of factors.
The CIPD’s report reveals that:
•Organisations in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia are growing at such a rapid pace that there is now a real need for people management practices that drive sustainable long-term performance;
•Organisations using HR analytics reported improvements in both culture and performance;
•HR functions that focus on small, discreet but high-value projects are the ones gaining the most traction with the wider business, with investment following the production of robust insights and evidence;
•Investment in HR analytics is expected to continue to increase over the next 12 months for over a third of organisations, with investment remaining steady for the rest – none predict a decrease in investment;
•HR analytics are helping HR professionals to include more long-term concepts in their strategy; for example, developing employee reward strategies, which are in support of longer-term business, needs rather than rewarding short-term outcomes;
•HR professionals across the region are developing balanced scorecards to clearly illustrate high-level insights and the strategic value of human capital and HR data with senior business leaders.
According to CIPD, the report also highlights a number of factors that are limiting the ability of organisations to fully realise the benefit of HR analytics:
• A lack of business investment and HR analytics expertise are two dominant challenges facing HR professionals in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Over half (57%) of HR professionals believe that there is a lack of analytical skills available;
•As with other global markets, the application of HR analytics are fragmented, not just within sectors but within organisations too;
•48.5% of organisations do not have sophisticated HR technology which meets their business needs and less than a quarter (23.4%) are using a fully integrated and combined HR analytics IT programme;
•Constraints such as investment, leadership understanding and overall HR maturity are holding back development at a strategic level while at an operational level; technology and the analytic skill set are inhibiting the development of the function;
•Standardisation is a significant challenge – HR professionals are unsure whether to develop context specific measures for their organisation or standard measures for benchmarking purposes, among others.
Research adviser for the CIPD, Edward Houghton, said: “Many organisations have begun their HR analytics journey but it’s still very early days. Those organisations that are able to use HR analytics to be more strategic are likely to make significant steps towards sustainable, competitive advantage.
“The pace of evolution may be fairly slow, but this study shows that there is real potential for HR analytics to add value across businesses and across the region.
“Small projects that show clear business insights through a balanced scorecard are an essential way to get wider buy-in from the business on the value of HR analytics, and can open the door for greater investment in technology and skills to support this critical activity.”
Meanwhile, a new report from the CIPD and the University of Bath highlights that, just as Chief Executive Officers and business leaders have demonstrated a greater understanding of what is necessary to implement deep and sustainable change in recent years, senior HR professionals have equally enhanced their knowledge and expertise in the design of change techniques.
They have also managed to deploy this knowledge more adeptly with senior managers, middle managers and the wider workforce, thus becoming an integral part of the team responsible for designing and implementing all techniques during periods of transformational change.
The report, ‘Landing transformational change: Closing the gap between theory and practice, from the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, features ‘four change management case studies from BBC Worldwide, HMRC, News UK and Zurich UK Life’.
It explained that all accounts showed HR professionals showcasing greater knowledge around employee engagement and the design of change than has been seen in previous CIPD studies (2005, 2010).
They also revealed that the HR function was most successful when it facilitated action, enabling managers to inject their own customisation to suit the needs of their divisions, rather than dictating centralised, universal approaches to implementing change.
According to the report, at BBC Worldwide, HR was described as ‘horizontal, running throughout’ and ‘part of the senior team’. Similarly, Zurich UK Life talked of HR as a facilitator of change across the organisation, encouraging middle managers to adapt the implementation of change to fit their role rather than behaving as a monitor for senior management.
Ruth Stuart, Lead Consultant – Strategic Projects at the CIPD, said: “In a volatile world of work, change has become one of the few constants.
As organisations evolve and adapt in response to this, we’re seeing a new generation of business leaders emerge that are much better equipped with the knowledge and capability to land transformational change. But what’s also evident from this report is the increasing presence of HR in change management programmes, supporting CEOs and business leaders in putting that change into action. It’s great to see so many have understood the concurrent opportunities available to them in times of transformational change, and adapted accordingly to make themselves indispensable to the process.”
The report also found that HR professionals are using a variety of skills to assist senior leaders and CEOs in times of transformational change. In the design stage for example, HR professionals used their analytical skills to interpret data and read the context through the interpretation of data sets, and pass that knowledge on to senior teams. Similarly, in the implementation stage of change, HR professionals have demonstrated leadership skills in engaging managers through active listening and dialogue.
Subsequently, the case studies show evidence of new career paths being carved out for talented HR professionals, as a result of the strategic roles played during times of change.
Stuart said: “Our research into what the HR profession of the future looks like shows that building up expert knowledge to create value is crucial. Case study evidence of HR professionals using their skills to great use in change management seems a strong validation of the importance of Organisational Development (OD) as a core HR role and the profession being valued as a critical function by senior business leaders. With increasing demand for tools such as ‘big data’, the future is certain to show greater demand for HR and OD professionals to use these skills in order to influence important business decisions. It’s these skills and capabilities that will keep HR professionals integral in times of significant change.”
In order to be successful expert initiators and facilitators of transformational change, HR, OD and L&D professionals need to:
Be willing to work with CEOs/business leaders and their executive team as the ‘hidden hand’ of change, highly relevant to its success yet not highly visible
Identify and change entrenched systems that support the old culture and ways of doing things
Facilitate translation of the new vision into tangible actions, filtering down through the organisation and disseminate through mass communication initiatives events to engage all levels
Create change advocates through training to support the communication and translation of change
Identify and remove obstacles and provide relevant tools as change progresses

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/10/addressing-mental-health-challenges-in-workplace/

GOOD SLEEP HABITS AND ATTITUDES

By Daniel F. Kripke, M.D

 

The alternative to sleeping pills is to develop good sleep habits and good sleep attitudes.  Good sleep habits and attitude are the best approach for a long-term sleep problem, and they produce surprising improvement.

First, remember that most people do not need 8 hours of sleep per night.  That old idea just is not so.  In our studies in San Diego, the average adult is actually asleep only between 6 and 6.5 hours a night.  National polls give similar results.  Moreover, in the recent Cancer Prevention Study II results, people who said they slept 6.5 to 7.5 hours lived a bit longer than people who slept 8 hours or more.  The shorter sleepers lived longer!  Even people who said that they slept as little as 3.5 hours lived longer than those who slept 8 hours or more!  In a group of women over age 65 who volunteered for the Women’s Health Initiative, wrist recording indicated that they actually slept about an hour less than they thought they slept. According to the recordings, those who slept 5.0-6.5 hours had the lowest mortality. If you feel you sleep 5 to 7 hours a night and feel rested, there is no evidence that you have to sleep any more as far as life expectancy is concerned.  Incidentally, controlling for other illnesses, age, and so forth, people who said that they had insomnia lived a little longer than those who did not have insomnia!  Therefore, do not worry about insomnia!

· People who said that they slept as little as 3.5 hours lived longer than those who slept 8 hours or more.

 · People who said that they had insomnia lived a little longer than those who did not have insomnia.

Short sleep is associated with good health as well as long life.  Studies show that in the range that most Americans sleep (which is 6, 7, or 8 hours or so), there are few discernable differences between people.  This may surprise you, but people who sleep 6 hours seem to be at least as happy as people who sleep 8 hours.  Moreover, people who sleep 6 hours get just as much work done and are just as rich as people who sleep 8 hours.  There may be some tendency for people with the shortest sleep times (5 or 6 hours) to be outgoing and energetic, whereas people with the longest sleep times (9 or 10 hours) seem to be more introverted, imaginative, or perhaps a bit depressed.  Notice the surprise!  People who sleep less are less depressed!

Indeed, hospital studies of depressed patients show something very surprising.  When depressed patients are kept awake all night (or at least for the second half of the night, e.g., after 2 AM), they actually feel less depressed the following day.  The sleep loss actually helps depressed mood.  Moreover, after the wake therapy, taking a nap makes depressive symptoms recur.  Wake therapy would be a very popular treatment for depression except for one problem:  people with depression who stay up at night do get sleepy, and after they sleep soundly the next night, the low mood relapses.  In my ebook Brighten Your Life, I explain how this relapse can be avoided with bright light.  Evidently, although it is true that people who are getting depressed have poor sleep, it is not proven that getting more sleep helps depression.  It may be quite the opposite. In fact, it has now been proven that cognitive-behavioural therapy which restricts sleep improves the mood of patients with insomnia. Less time in bed can lessen depression.
For these reasons, depressed people should not struggle to get more sleep, and should certainly avoid sleeping pills, which tend to cause depression.

People may actually improve their moods by getting up a bit earlier.

There is another factor.  Spending too long in bed – as you might expect – causes people trouble with falling asleep and makes them more likely to awaken while in bed.  Sometimes, the frustration of lying in bed awake adds to the problem, and it builds on itself, getting worse and worse.  The more time the person spends in bed trying to get more sleep, the more trouble develops in falling asleep and the more the person awakens in the night.  Surprisingly, it seems that spending too long in bed might be a major cause of sleep trouble among both elderly and depressed people.  Fortunately, there is an easy solution.

People who are spending a lot of time in bed lying awake should spend less time in bed.  This means either going to bed later or getting up earlier.  Getting up by a regular time seems to be important, so trouble falling asleep should not persuade you to sleep late.  The less time you spend in bed, the more sleepy you will be the next evening.  Think about it.  If you spend less time in bed, you will surely tend to fall asleep more easily and sleep more soundly in the future.  Moreover, the less time you spend in bed, the more you will restore the habit of falling asleep quickly after going to bed, and the more you improve the habit of sleeping soundly.  Some doctors would recommend that you should not spend more time in bed than you actually sleep.  If you think you only sleep 5 hours a night, spend only 5 hours in bed until you are sleeping all 5 hours.  Then you can try increasing time-in-bed about 15 min., e.g., to 5 hours and 15 minutes.  You can gradually increase your time in bed on a weekly basis until you are no longer sleepy enough to sleep at least 85% of your time in bed.  Once you are sleeping only 85%, that is the longest bed time which you should allow yourself.
Most sleep experts also recommend that whatever bedtime you allow yourself, you should not go to bed if you do not feel sleepy.  Moreover, if you awaken at night and no longer feel sleepy, get out of bed, and do not go back until you are sleepy again and expect to fall asleep.  Even after being up during the night, you should get out of bed by your regular awakening time, because sleeping late tends to make the problem worse.  Getting out of bed when you are not sleepy makes you sleepier the next night and helps maintain good sleep habits.
Almost all of us have stayed up entirely for a night or two, so we know that nothing terrible happens to us.  Many of the patients I talk to say that they have slept only a few hours a night for years, and yet they are somehow afraid that losing sleep will hurt them.  Probably not.  Remember that if anything, people who sleep a bit less than average tend to live longer and be less depressed.  If you are willing to stay out of bed and amuse yourself somewhere else when you are not sleepy, soon you will stop worrying about sleep.  If you lose a whole night’s sleep or part of a night, so what?  It will not be so bad, as long as you do not worry about it.  When you do go to bed (because you are finally sleepy), you will have restored your confidence that you are likely to fall asleep, so the long-term problem resolves.
If you do begin to worry about how a bad night of sleep will affect you the next day, remember that there is no reason to take a sleeping pill.  The sleeping pill is likely to make your performance worse the next day, and very unlikely to help.
Experts also advise that you avoid worrying in bed, watching TV (especially those scary late-night movies), reading scary mysteries, and doing other things besides sleep and sex in bed.  The idea is not to make a habit of being worried or alerted in bed.  If you are a person who worries, select a place to worry (such as a chair in another room), and sit down to worry there.  When you are tired of worrying, then go to bed.

Good sleep habits also require avoiding coffee or anything else with caffeine within 6 hours of bedtime.  Alcohol is sometimes a cause of sleep trouble, because although it relaxes us at first, it leads to insomnia as soon as the blood alcohol level falls.  Drinking early in the evening may cause trouble falling asleep.  Drinking at bedtime may cause midsleep awakenings and early awakening.

People say that exercise helps sleep, but I think the benefit is minimal.  Probably it is being outdoors in daylight, which is often where people exercise, which is helpful.  We have found that people who are outdoors more have fewer sleep problems Controlled scientific studies show that adopting good sleep habits and attitudes is extremely effective in solving long-term sleep problems.  It is more effective than sleeping pills.

Culled from:

THE DARK SIDE OF SLEEPING PILLS

Daniel F. Kripke, M.D. is a licensed physician certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and an Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego