Sleep

1-2 hours before bedtime.
In the evening hours, decrease stimulation as much as possible. Dim the lights and slow things down. Do something you find relaxing, such as reading, practicing gentle yoga, taking a bath or talking about your day with your partner. As much as possible, make relaxation the theme of the evening. If certain tasks are unavoidable, then practice doing them in a relaxed manner.


Caffeine can stay in your body 8-14 hours after consuming it. Caffeine’s effects vary from person to person, but in general, if you are having trouble sleeping, try completely eliminating it for a month and see if that improves your sleep. Also consider sneaky sources of caffeine such as chocolate and tea. Switch to water, herbal tea, and herbal coffee substitutes. 

a sleepy meal at dinnertime.
Eat foods containing nutrients that promote sleep, including tryptophan, melatonin and magnesium. At dinner, eat a combination of high-quality proteins and complex carbohydrates. Try a dish of quinoa mixed with sautéed greens and sliced chicken breast sprinkled with roasted pumpkin seeds. For dessert, try a bowl of fresh cherries or a frozen yogurt made with frozen cherries and coconut milk.

10:30 p.m.
Aim to go to bed around the same time every night. Our bodies are built for a 10 p.m. — 6 a.m. sleep pattern. The most regenerative form of sleep occurs between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Practice left-nostril breathing.
Block off your right nostril with your right thumb and take long slow deep breaths through your left nostril only. Left-nostril breathing has a soothing and relaxing effect on the body mind. In Kundalini Yoga, it’s suggested that you take 26 long, slow deep breaths in this manner to produce a relaxing effect on the mind and body.

Shift your perspective.
What do you believe about sleep? Fearful thoughts create tension in the body and a body that is tense will not be able to fall into a deep sleep. The fear of not being able to fall asleep can easily keep one from falling asleep. My struggle with insomnia finally lifted when I believed that perhaps I could fall asleep without a sleeping pill. I often use the affirmation, "I choose to relax and let go now."
Play with lighting and sound.
Aligning our internal rhythms with those of nature sets us up for more restful sleep. Make a point to get exposure to sunlight during the day and in the evening, dim the lights a few hours before bed. Sleep in a pitch-black room or wear an eye mask. If you find that you are more relaxed with some background noise, use a fan or noise machine while sleeping. Earplugs are also a great option if you are sensitive to noise.
ake a relaxation bath.
Combine ½ cup Epsom salts with a few drops of an essential oil, like lavender, in hot water. Soak for 20 minutes. The magnesium contained in Epsom salt is absorbed through the skin and promotes feelings of relaxation. Water and salt cleanses energy from the day.
Try acupressure or another relaxation technique.
Lie on an acupressure mat in bed before dozing off. You can also try a progressive muscle or yoga nidra video in which you relax each part of your body using your mind. Another option is giving an alternative therapy like acupuncture a try.
  Take relaxation breaks during the day.
Try taking at least one 15-minute relaxation break during the day to keep your body in balance so that you’re not in a state of overwhelm by the end of the day.
I’d love to hear from you. What have you found helps you get a peaceful night's sleep?

We already know that getting enough sleep plays a huge role in health, from maintaining a healthy weight and staving off the common cold, to just plain keeping you sane. Well, new research is showing that getting enough sleep may also slow down the aging process and keep your body younger for longer.
Researchers at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore have found that when older adults sleep less, their brains actually age faster. In a study published this week in the journal SLEEP, 66 older Chinese adults were given MRI scans. The scans showed that those who slept the least were found to have faster brain ventricle enlargement, a marker for diseases associated with aging, such as Alzheimer's. They also showed a steeper decline in cognitive performance on tests.
Chronic sleep deprivation has already been linked to a wide range of health problems, from increased risk of breast cancer to obesity and diabetes, but research has yet to fully probe its role in aging, cognitive decline and dementia. But, the study's lead author Dr. June lo says, “Our findings relate short sleep to a marker of brain aging."
So how much sleep should you be aiming for? “Work done elsewhere suggests that seven hours a day for adults seems to be the sweet spot for optimal performance on computer-based cognitive tests," said senior author Professor Michael Chee, Director of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at Duke-NUS.
 So carefully .......