Wayne Coghlan, B.Sc., M.A., D.C.
M.A. in Counselling Psychology. Anger Management Collingwood.
Anger management, Family and Marital Counselling, Stress Management, Personal psychology and counselling, Counseling, Counselling Collingwood, Men's issues
As also a Doctor of Chiropractic I have a special appreciation of the mind-body connection.
Sleep Better
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| Sleep Better - Some suggestions |
We all have
times when adequate sleep seems to elude us.
For the most part, these episodes are a short
lived part of the normal cycles of life. *
Persistent
lack of sleep - beyond several weeks at a time -
produces fatigue, depression, confusion, impaired short-term memory,
concentration and alertness. Long term lack of sleep impairs your ability to
fight off disease and repair tissue.
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| Effects of chronic sleep deprivation |
Your proper
sleep pattern is what works for you. There are
documented cases of people who get by very well with only a few hours of sleep
yet others who feel their best with ten! People in many tropical countries find
it very necessary to enjoy their mid-day ciesta. If you are reasonably well rested through your day and able to function
well, lack of sleep is not necessarily your problem.
Your habits - both what you think and do - can cause many chronic sleep
problems.
Sleep problems are not
insurmountable. If your sleep is disturbed over longer periods of time, the suggestions
in this post can help you sort your way through.
Here
are seven ways to sleep better.
Sweet
Dreams!
If ongoing sleeplessness
is a concern to you, take a look at your habits and do some fine tuning as
necessary.
1. Establish a sleep
schedule.
Going to bed
too early? Many people will go to bed
because they are bored. Then they are frustrated because they aren’t tired
enough to sleep well. This only results
in longer periods of lousy sleep.
Instead,
decrease your slumber time by retiring later, to when you are obviously tired,
and also rising earlier. You may get less bed-rest, but if you accept you’ll
sleep more soundly, you will lose your apprehension about it.
Your body’s
internal timekeepers want predictability.
Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, including
weekends, is probably the most important step towards establishing good sleep
patterns.
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| Circles of daily life |
Studies find
that adults who sleep more than eight hours a night (long sleepers) or less
than seven hours of slumber, report more sleep complaints than people who get
just the right amount of shuteye -- between seven and eight hours per
night. Too much sleep may be just as
unhealthy as too little.
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| Save the bedroom for sleep and romance |
Limit bedroom
activities.
Watching TV,
scheduling tomorrow’s agenda, problem-solving with your spouse and even reading
are activities associated with wakefulness.
These activities can help someone wind down, but if your rest is
poor, use the bedroom strictly for sleep (and romance). This helps separate the active part of your
life from sleep time.
2. Separate sleep from
wakefulness.
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| If you can't sleep - stop trying. |
If you
persistently find yourself lying awake for a long time, you may soon expect to
have troublefalling asleep. Often, worrying about lack of sleep keeps people
awake!
When you
languish between sleep and wakefulness for more than 15 minutes, get up. Watch a quiet nature program or read
something dull. Go back to bed only when
you feel drowsy.
3. Regulate your body heat.
Even small
ups and downs in body temperature play a large role in your biological rhythms. Sleep generally follows the cooling phase of
your body’s temperature cycle. Normally,
peaks and troughs in temperature parallel exposure to light and darkness, but
if your inner thermostat is following its own independent schedule, your sleep
may be disrupted.
A hot bath
just before bedtime can increase body temperature ... if you have trouble
sleeping, bathe earlier or enjoy a warm but not a hot bath.
Avoid
vigorous activity within a few hours of bedtime as it can raise your body
temperature and keep you awake.
While
exercise early in the day does not directly promote better sleep at night, it
does promote better wakefulness. Getting
outdoors and exposure to early morning sunshine can help keep your system in
synch with the natural light-dark cycle. Exercise helps promote emotional and
physical wellbeing and is associated with healthier sleep patterns.
4. Skip caffeine - even in mid-afternoon.
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| Stimulants..get it?! |
Caffeine is
a stimulant and can linger in the system up to eight hours. Even for people who drink coffee before bed
and think they sleep well, research shows significant sleep disturbances when
monitored in the lab. Remember that tea,
chocolate, colas, other foods and many medications can contain caffeine and may
impair sleep.
Smoking impairs sleep because nicotine has a stimulant effect similar to
caffeine.
Avoid nightcaps.
While
alcohol does help you fall asleep, as it is metabolized by the body, it
releases a natural stimulant that disrupts sleep during the second half of the
night. The greater the quantity of
alcohol consumed, the worse the disruption.
A small snack - not a
feast - eaten before bed promotes sleep.
5. Screen out nocturnal
noises.
You will
likely get used to soft, rhythmic sounds such as the furnace kicking in,
however, louder sporadic noise from traffic or aircraft can be more disruptive
than you might think.
If you can’t
eliminate the noise, try muffling its sound.
Carpeting and draperies help.
Create white
noise - an even low level sound that masks other more intrusive noise.... Run a
fan, tune the radio to a blank spot on the dial.
6. People who
try to ‘sleep on their problems’ neither solve their problems nor get their
sleep.
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| Do battle through the day - you've earned your rest. |
It’s hard to
sleep if you’re a wound tangle of nerves.
Some helpful suggestions...
Leave work
at work. Since we’re paid to fill our minds with ideas, letting go of them isn’t
always easy. Create a symbol or simple
ritual to signify the end of your work day... shutting off your computer, ceremonially
closing the door, locking your desk... buying a flower….when the ritual is
done, so is the work day. If you must
bring work home, when you have given your due, put the work away and close the
‘box‘. You control your work, it does
not control you.
If you are a
worrier and its bedtime when your mind wanders, carve 30 minutes of ‘worry
time’ out of your day. Write down your
thoughts and plan of action. If your
troubles return as you try to dose off, tell yourself, “I’ve already worked
that out and now it’s my time ... to sleep.”
Jot down
your thoughts on a notepad through the evening or keep one at the bedside. Let the notepad ’remember’ your thoughts
instead of holding them in your head all night long.
7. Practice
progressive relaxation. Starting from the top of your head, let the tension go ... relax the furrows
in your forehead ... lips together - teeth apart ... breath deep - feel your chest and diaphragm
move gently ... relax the neck and shoulders - feel them get heavier ... let
the feeling spread into your arms and hands as you let them ease ... continue
into the buttocks .... legs ... feet.
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| Mind trip your way to progressive relaxation |
A personal favourite is to imagine myself alone on a beach. Then to see in my mind's eye the sand glinting in the sun, the blue of the water as it meets the blue of the sky, the clouds drifting, hear the waves washing on the shore, the sound of the birds overhead, feel the breeze against your skin.... use all your senses to create a virtual experience... then allow yourself peace and rest....
If anxiety
continues to get the better of you, consider the services of a qualified counselor, therapist or clergy.
For
Your Consideration....
The concept
of eight hours of uninterrupted sleep may not be natural to humans. It is more an adaptation to the industrial
-commercial work schedule.
Prior to the
industrial revolution, people would retire shortly after dark, sleep for
several hours then awake. During the mid-night hours people might pray,
practice music, do chores, visit with the neighbours or be active under the
moon’s light... then sleep several more hours until dawn. People commonly referred to their first sleep
and second sleep. Is it possible then, that being awake in the wee hours is
natural?
For more info..... click here.
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| Close your eyes and drift with the music... The Lady of Shallot |
Have you
ever wished you had an extra hour in your day?
Perhaps you do. Rather than lament lost sleep, consider the extra hours as found
wakeful time. This could be time to stay
current in your reading... learn a musical instrument... develop some creative
skill.... advance your knowledge.
Also, for your consideration....
Stress,
negative thoughts, worry and emotional upsets can manifest themselves in the
spine and muscles. The function of the
spine and muscles can be impaired by repetitive motions, long periods of
sitting, improper lifting and many everyday activities. The mind-body connection can get
locked into destructive patterns... impaired sleep is one symptom that
something is wrong.
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| Myofascial trigger points - mind-body connection - Chiropractic = Relief |
Chiropractic
helps restore the ability of the mind and body to relieve stress and permit
rest .... chiropractic is safe and naturally effective.
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| Collingwood-chiropractor.com |
This
brochure is offered for information and guidance. Sometimes, poor sleep can signal other health
problems. If your concerns persist,
consult your health professional.
Collingwood
Chiropractic & Sports Injury Clinic
Collingwood
Counselling Psychology
705 445-5401
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| Work when you work, rest when you rest |
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| Help for sleeping better. |
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| Sleep better - naturally |
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| Sleep naturally - Collingwood Chiropractor |
The quick brown fox
jumped over the lazy dog while visiting his counsellor for anger management in
Collingwood, Ontario. The counsellor, Wayne Coghlan, did the best anger
management and marriage counselling in Collingwood. Not only was he the best counsellor
in Collingwood, but also the best at counselling in Collingwood. The quick
brown fox jumped over the lazy dog while visiting his counsellor for anger
management in Collingwood, Ontario. The counsellor, Wayne Coghlan, did the best
anger management and marriage counselling in Collingwood. Not only was he the
best counsellor in Collingwood, but also the best at counselling in Collingwood. The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog
while visiting his counsellor for anger management in Collingwood, Ontario. The
counsellor, Wayne Coghlan, did the best anger management and marriage
counselling in Collingwood. Not only was he the best counsellor in Collingwood,
but also the best at counselling in Collingwood. The quick brown fox jumped
over the lazy dog while visiting his counsellor for anger management in
Collingwood, Ontario. The counsellor, Wayne Coghlan, did the best anger
management and marriage counselling in Collingwood. Not only was he the best counsellor
in Collingwood, but also the best at counselling in Collingwood. The quick
brown fox jumped over the lazy dog while visiting his counsellor for anger
management in Collingwood, Ontario. The counsellor, Wayne Coghlan, did the best
anger management and marriage counselling in Collingwood. Not only was he the
best counsellor in Collingwood, but also the best at counselling in Collingwood.
The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog while visiting his counsellor for
anger management in Collingwood, Ontario. The counsellor, Wayne Coghlan, did
the best anger management and marriage counselling in Collingwood. Not only was
he the best counsellor in Collingwood, but also the best at counselling in Collingwood.
The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog while visiting his counsellor for
anger management in Collingwood, Ontario. The counsellor, Wayne Coghlan, did
the best anger management and marriage counselling in Collingwood. Not only was
he the best counsellor in Collingwood, but also the best at counselling in Collingwood.
Collingwood Counselling 
Wellness Wheel Alternate 
