• GOAL: 7-8 hours of sleep to help your brain “clean things up” and regenerate
• ENVIRONMENT: maximize success by configuring your bedroom appropriately for your 5 senses, including
  • EYES
    • Limit bedroom light exposure (Northwestern University research results). If light is an issue
      • Install blackout curtains or use a sleep mask
      • Using a nightlight? If so, choose one emitting dim red, orange, or yellow light
    • Turn the clock so you can’t easily see the time
  • EARS – limit noise. If noise is an issue, consider use of one of the following
    • white noise machine
    • earplugs
    • relaxation music
  • MOUTH – dry in the night?
    • Small, closable water bottle nearby for SIPS
    • Small lozenge
  • NOSE – diffusing essential oils (lavender) helps some people sleep
  • TOUCH
    • Setting a comfortable temperature (usually 68 to 72 degree range)
    • How old is your mattress? Maybe time for a new/different one?
    • Other adaptations  (webMD)
      • leg pillow for back pain
      • head pillow the right size? Should support the natural curve of your neck when you’re resting on your back. Side-sleepers: line your nose up with the center of your body
      • allergies: seal your mattress, box springs, and pillows to avoid them
  • plus … MINIMIZE TEMPTATION – when preparing for sleep, move smartphones, TV remotes and other electronics out of reach and turn them to silent
    • smartphones can be enabled to not make noise during sleep times UNLESS from one of your KEY CONTACTS
• BEHAVIORS for SLEEP ASSISTANCE (details in listings below for review in context)
  • Some DOs
    • Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day
    • Limit daytime naps to 20 minutes and no later than mid-afternoon
    • Create a sleep regimen that might include
      • meditation/mindfulness/deep-breathing techniques
      • Journaling/Writing to-do lists
      • Showering or warm bath
    • Limit caffeine if it seems to keep you up – how long prior to bedtime varies person-to-person
    • Only light snacking in the evening, and at least one hour prior to bedtime
    • Limit amount of alcohol and stop an hour or more prior to bedtime
    • Limit light exposure of all types before bedtime
      • Use a 15-watt bulb when reading in the last hour before bed
      • Begin lowering the lights 2-3 hours before bedtime
    • Set a “worry time” at the same time every day, if worries keep you awake
    • Finish physical fitness workouts several hours before bedtime
  • Prior to sleep time, some DON’Ts
    • DON’T sit in bed and
      • work,
      • surf the Internet,
      • watch TV
    • DON’T be productive just prior to going to bed
• BEHAVIORS – WHEN TROUBLES FALLING ASLEEP / STAYING ASLEEP
  • Try various approaches to find one/more that work…
    • A Classic: counting sheep  🙂
    • Count Backwards from 100 (or 300?)
    • Deep-breathing exercises
    • Brain tapping
    • Listen to Bore You to Sleep or another such approach
    • Listen to The Honest Guys stories like The Porch (HERE) and Follow the Wind (HERE)
  • NOTE: listening can sometimes cause issue for those around you. There are some wonderful blindfolds with audio speakers in them like these HERE
  • If thinking/worrying about topics keeps you awake, have a pad of paper and pencil at bedside to write them down, to consider the next day
  • Don’t stay in bed if not sleeping – move to another room if awake for long***

• IF NOTHING IS HELPING, CONSIDER SEEING YOUR DOCTOR OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL!!!!
  • Avoid sleeping pills if possible
  • Some medical professionals suggest
    • a regimen of low doses (3 mg) of Melatonin for a two-week time period to try to get your sleep back in rhythm
    • sleep studies to measure key body components (sleep-related breathing disorders, …)
  • If medication is necessary, folks mention success with
    • Ambien – frequently prescribed
    • Trazodone – a non-narcotic antidepressant sometimes used to aid sleep

————————————————————————————-

Steve’s ATSC Brain Health Series talk on this topic is on YouTube HERE

DETAILS FOR THE NOTES ABOVE COME FROM KEY MATERIALS, INCLUDING THESE…

•  AARP
  • Brain-Sleep Connection – 28 page brochure HERE with excellent recommendations on pages 4-6 including
    • do meditation, deep-breathing techniques when getting sleep is challenging
    • limit daytime naps to 30 minutes and no later than mid-afternoon
  • Video – go to the Pillar #5 video on the webpage HERE for a 5-minute talk by Dr. Sonia Ancoli-Israel with 4 Cardinal Rules for Good Sleep
    • AHA – set a “worry time” at the same time every day
  • To find out more about how sleep affects your brain health, see this article by Candy Sagon
• Seven Habits of Highly-Rested People (has diet focus too)
• Be in bed by 10 PM – it’s the number one thing a person can do to help prevent dementia, according to Sara Mednick, author of The Power of the Downstate  HERE are some other Downstate efforts and details from Men’s Health, including
  • After lunch run through a 2-2-2-2-2 exercise, which will help set you up for a more productive afternoon
  • In the afternoon, lie down and elevate your legs against a wall for 5 minutes
  • In the evening, power down with less electronics and more family/friend time
  • Be in bed by 10 or soon thereafter
• From the National Institute on Aging (NIA)
  • A Good Night’s Sleep – 4 page brochure AHA: avoid late afternoon/evening naps
  • Easy-to-read booklet (28 pages) How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
• Ways to Get Back to Sleep (WebMD slideshow) – including Meditate; Count Backwards from 100; Move to Another Room; Don’t Be Productive; Progressive Muscle Relaxation
• Meditation/Mindfulness apps
  • Headspace
  • Calm
• Christ Hospital Health Network – 5 Tips: Backwards from 300; don’t look at the clock; create sleep regimen;
• TEDx Talk: How to Trick Your Brain Into Falling Asleep (or just get to the “brain tapping” approach – at the 7 minute mark HERE)
• WebMD about how sleep changes throughout life including this CBTi slide 12 reference: “If it doesn’t get better, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) or medication may help.”  (more on CBTi in the document HERE)
• 5 Minutes to Getting to Sleep: Journaling/Writing to-do lists
• Breathe to Heal – Max Strom
  • learning how to breathe is most important
  • impact of intentional breath work: PTSD Study – Seppala @ Stanford
  • breath first, then consider more advanced topics like meditation
  • learn to grieve – breathing exercises help!
  • Breathing Exercises
    • “4-7-8” – rest the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, right behind your top front teeth. Now breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds (“natural tranquilizer for the nervous system.”) REPEAT 4X
      • Strom has you do “4-7-8 breath” in his video HERE
      • Details on 4-7-8-breathing for sleep along with additional sleep ideas
      • 4-7-8 media support with positive, small-scale research results
    • HERE are Healthline’s 10 Breathing Techniques for Stress Relief and More
      • Diaphragmatic Breathing video (UCLA)
      • Alternate nostril breathing
• Notes from our Light-Hearted Learning session on Restorative Sleep are HERE
• Slideshow from webMD (#4 leg pillow; #5 head pillow: neck in neutral; …)
• amerisleep.com/blog/sleep-and-aging/ – this page shares a comprehensive guide to ‘Sleep and Aging’ covering medical and behavioral concerns that can impact sleep

• Sleep podcast (bore yourself to sleep?) CBS Sunday Morning piece about it HERE

• Split Sleep (Biphasic Sleep) – described HERE 
• Sleep YouTubes for consideration
  • 8 Hour Deep Sleep Meditation: Aura Cleansing & Balancing Chakra
  • 5 Hour Deep Sleep Meditation – All 7 Chakras Align, Restore & Aura Cleansing
  • 5 Hour Sleep Music
  • Shipping Forecast (90+ minutes, Bill T. reco)
  • Body Scan Guided Sleep Meditation – 60 minutes (Ilene/Bill reco)

If need be, take a nap! Check out this NYT article “How to Get the Most Out of Your Nap” HERE, including a personal favorite – keep it short about 20 minutes and set an alarm

**  According to the Global Council on Brain Health

*** or if you simply must stay in bed, give yourself partial sleep credit (Steve uses HALF credit though this may be a little optimistic?)  🙂

ATSC