What is the true cause of your insomnia?
SPECIAL REPORT # 2
How important is sleep and what alternative solutions exist to help you overcome insomnia and reach the deeper levels of sleep?
SPECIAL REPORT # 3
Here are some self-help tricks to help you kick insomnia for good and finally get a great night sleep!
PREFACE
First and foremost, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read these special reports on insomnia. I think you will find the information in these special reports extremely helpful as well as insightful on how to overcome insomnia but also other sleep-related problems such as Restless Legs Syndrome for instance.
Second of all, I would like to preface that I am not a doctor nor do I pretend to be one. I’m not giving out medical advice. I collected my information from studying research through books, magazines, journals and even the internet. For your benefit I’ve tried to paint a real clear picture of insomnia and topics of interest surrounding it. Once you read these reports, I believe you will be able to draw your own conclusions about insomnia and make the best decision regarding your health.
SPECIAL REPORT #1
What is the true cause of your insomnia?
Before you get to the true cause of insomnia, you should be more aware of the different known types or categories of insomnia.
There are 3 basic categories of insomnia. The first is known as Sleep-onset insomnia. You would fall into this category if you had trouble falling asleep right when you went to bed.
Sleep-maintenance insomnia is the category for those who fall asleep but then wake up several times throughout the night.
The last category is called Early-morning-awakening insomnia. These folks awaken too early in the morning and then have trouble falling back to sleep.
If any of these 3 rings a bell, then it might be fair to say you are suffering from insomnia.
So what causes your insomnia?
There are literally dozens of reasons why people have trouble sleeping. If you think you are alone when it comes to trying to fall asleep, think again. Over 60 million Americans suffer with sleep problems each year. That is a lot of lost sleep.
Here is a list of the most common contributing factors that may lead to insomnia:
• Poor Diet
• Lack of Exercise
• Stress/Anxiety
• Body/Liver Toxicity
• Hormonal Imbalances
• Disturbances in Circadian Rhythms
• Lack of a Good Sleeping Environment i.e. noise, inadequate ventilation,
poor mattress, excessive light, etc.
• Electromagnetic disturbances
Please pay special attention to the following questions that may help you discover the exact cause of your own insomnia or sleep-related disorder.
Are You Drinking Too Much Coffee And Eating The Wrong Kinds Of Foods?
(If you answered “yes,” this could be the cause of your sleeping
problem)
Most people who have trouble sleeping at night might be shooting themselves in the foot during the day. Drinking even 1 or 2 cups of coffee in the morning can disturb your circadian rhythm (your body’s 24 hour biological sleep clock) making it very hard for you to fall asleep at night. Drinking too much coffee or consuming too many beverages with caffeine throughout the day is most likely to contribute to this.
Eating foods with a lot of sugar tends to disrupt blood sugar levels that can cause anxiety, increased heart rate and irritability at night making it harder to sleep.
Alcohol has a tendency to reduce overall sleep time including REM and non-REM sleep. Who would have thought? Life really isn’t fair.
Finally, food allergies or food intolerance might be the reason you are not able to fall asleep. Dairy and wheat products might be the cause of your insomnia without you even knowing it as well as corn and chocolate.
Do You Live The Life Of A Couch Potato
(If you answered “yes,” this could be the cause of your sleeping
problem)
When you choose not to exercise your muscles slowly tighten and constrict only to slow down blood flow and increase stress and tension in key muscles. This also impairs your nervous system’s ability to transmit sleep signals throughout your body making it harder to sleep.
Are You Stressed Out?
(If you answered “yes,” this could be the cause of your sleeping
problem)
Stress and anxiety can influence the way your brain regulates chemicals and certain hormones. This not only affects your ability to get a good night sleep but it also affects your overall health.
Is Your Liver Working Overtime?
(If you answered “yes,” this could be the cause of your sleeping
problem)
Do you even realize how hard your liver and kidneys work everyday to flush out toxins or poisons in your body? For most people they are working overtime. Too many toxins put a great strain on the entire body eventually leading to a host of problems including sleep disturbances.
Do You Suffer With A Hormonal Imbalance?
(If you answered “yes,” this could be the cause of your sleeping
problem)
Here’s one that is hard to believe. Women aren’t the only ones that go through hormonal changes late in life. Men do too! I know it’s a shocker but it is true.
Men’s levels of testosterone begin to decrease sometime after the age of 30. As men grow older and enter their 50s and 60s symptoms of male menopause may appear such as fatigue, sexual dysfunction, obesity, lack of energy, memory loss, insomnia, etc. Basically, men fall apart.
Conversely, women go through menopause that is usually defined by ovaries halting the production of the estrogen hormone. In women this can lead to hot flashes, loss of bone mass, sleeping disorders, etc.
It is a good idea for both men and women to discuss natural hormone replacement options with their doctor especially if they are having trouble sleeping and suspect a hormonal imbalance. Be advised that hormone replacement may not be right for everyone.
Is Your Biological Sleep Clock Messed Up?
(If you answered “yes,” this could be the cause of your sleeping
problem)
A normal sleep cycle for the body involves waking up in the morning bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and loaded with energy that lasts all day long. In the evening, the body starts to slow down, tire and eventually fall asleep. That’s the way it should be, right?
The average insomniac can only dream for this scenario. So how did things get all messed up? Well, it probably has something to do with the things I already mentioned—poor diet, lack of exercise, hormonal changes, etc.
Throughout the day your body will experience different physiological and emotional changes. Your goal should be to try and achieve the right physiological and emotional behaviors at night that will induce sleep. I know. Easier said than done.
Is Your Sleeping Environment Uncomfortable?
(If you answered “yes,” this could be the cause of your sleeping
problem)
There really isn’t anything worse than trying to sleep through noise. I mean, its bad enough when things are quiet, right?
And what about your mattress? Make sure you have a comfortable mattress to sleep on. Try to get a mattress that distributes your weight evenly as opposed to one that sags. This will save you a lot of backache.
It is also important to sleep in a room that is not too dry and not too humid. The room should have adequate ventilation as well.
Lastly, dim the lights. Don’t let your brain think it is daytime at all. Overall, make your environment ideal for sleep to give your body the best chance for sleep.
Do You Suffer With Electromagnetic Disturbances!
(If you answered “yes,” this could be the cause of your sleeping
problem)
Now before you think I’ve gone completely crazy, let me explain what I mean. Everyone has an energy field around their bodies. This energy field can become disturbed by objects that emit electrical energy such as electric blankets, electrically heated water beds (who in their right mind…), electric clocks and even power lines. These disturbances may cause or contribute to people’s sleeping problems.
This is the end of Special Report #1