November 20, 2012

Researching Sleep Over the Decade

Hi Everyone

Some of you might have noticed how this site has evolved over the years – since it’s beginnings in 2002.

Back then I was focused on the Compatibility Blanket, the blanket we invented to help partners who argued about the amount of bed-coverings they had on the bed – because one partner is often hotter than the other in bed.  You know how it happens, if you’re the cooler partner you are continually sleeping under whatever ‘junk’ bedclothes your partner has pushed over to your side.  Or if you are the hotter one, you’re hanging your leg out the side of the bed to get cool, or finding it very hard to sleep properly.

Overheating in bed reduces the quality of your sleep.

After finding this information, and experimented with it myself, I began the journey to find out what else we didn’t know about better sleep.

The next phases included a mail order catalogue selling items that might help people sleep better naturally (remedies, oils etc), while continuing to research sleep.

I have been interested in alternative health as well as main stream health for many years – but it was difficult (and still is, often) to find empirical evidence and clinical trials to support some of the processes and systems that either don’t work, people “believe” work, or they simply do work.

Some solutions appear to work without any supporting evidence.

My research appeared to be getting more and more obscure, trying to find the latest information from a neurological perspective, evidence that certain non-drug solutions actually worked, etc.

Here’s where it gets interesting.

Whatever the science and technologies, natural, drugs, and otherwise – what I’ve found just talking to people is a lot of the underlying real, human, life issues are not being addressed when people have sleeping problems.

People just want to pop a pill, or have an instant fix, without actually getting to the underlying cause of the sleep problem.  It’s never going to work that way, sorry.  I know no-one wants to hear that, but …

I’ve spoken to many people over the year who can’t sleep because of relationship problems, bad diet, little or no exercise, a job they hate, they’re really overweight, they have a ridiculously stimulated lifestyle, no play time, etc.

So, it’s like I’ve come full circle on it all.  Yes, some of the issues can be as basic as overheating in bed (I still have people who improve their sleep when they dump their heavy doonas/duvets).

The trouble is – lack of sleep becomes a vicious cycle.

We’re tired, then we get grumpy, then we start having relationship problems, and get depressed.  Or we’re tired and we eat chocolate and drink too much coffee to keep us awake – then we start putting on weight, don’t feel so motivated to play sport of any kind, then we start snoring, maybe develop breathing problems, even sleep apnea.  Not good.

Sound familiar?

So before you take any medications, natural or otherwise, have a little sit down and list a few things in your life that are getting you down, making you fat, hurting your feelings, or stopping you from relaxing and make a strategy to solve those things.

Each week address one.  Maybe diarize it for Wednesday’s each week.

Next Wednesday I’m going to book for a weight reducing program.  The week after that I’m going to start a fun sport with some friends. After that I’m going to have that “deep and meaningful” conversation with my partner about what improvements I’d like in our relationship.  The week after that I’ll get a cleaner in for one hour to help me with the extra work since my new baby arrived.  Etc, etc.

Small change by small change – whatever yours might be.

It’s often the simple things that are keeping us anxious, feeling bad, and stopping us from getting enough sleep.  When we are happy and relaxed we often sleep just fine.

One last word, if you have trouble falling asleep, and I know a lot of you do, don’t convince yourself that you have a ‘problem’.   It commonly takes people a little while to fall asleep – especially if they’ve just been doing something proactive, watching scary/violent stuff on television, working on the computer etc.

Turn the lights down early and put some soothing music on instead.

Here’s where you’ll find more information about the Compatibility Blanket.  For those of you who haven’t been around that long.

Sweet dreams

Elizabeth

P.S.   Does any of this make sense for you?  Put your comments below:

 

 

 

 

November 8, 2012

The John Medal

The Sleepless No More John Medal

Today is my father’s birthday – or what WAS his birthday.   He died years ago, but his legacy remains.

Apart from being “horse mad”  (the Melbourne Cup always bringing back many great memories) he was an exceptional character – known for his intelligence, his courage to speak out, his humility, his sense of humour, his love of people, his peaceful nature, his leadership and his honesty.  Amazingly he could make the most burning comments sometimes in his gentle way where people would listen and not be offended, they might even think it was funny.  What a way to bring a message!  There was some kind of magic there.

So its a fitting day for me to award the first John Medal for Leadership in the Sleep Industry.

Over the years in the sleep industry there are some people who stick out as great contributors.

And other people, companies and organisations that might receive the ‘raspberry’ for misleading, lying, intentional incomplete disclosure (you know what I mean…), causing great harm, being in denial… etc.!

The great contributors aren’t always obvious.  They are sometimes ‘just doing their job’, or just speaking the truth, or just using their intelligence to investigate one step further than others have the time or inclination to do.

And some leaders are obvious, they have been contributing for years and years.

My first John Medal is being awarded to Stephanie Saul of the New York Times.

OK..  so I found out while I was doing further research that she is also a Pulitzer Prize winner.

So the John Medal might not be something she’s going to put in her bio!

Stephanie Saul is being awarded the medal for her insightful reporting into sleeping pills.

On numerous occasions I’ve found her information and passed it on.

Here are some of the notable articles written by Stephanie:

Sleep Drugs Found Only Mildly Effective, but Wildly Popular

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/23/health/23drug.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

FDA Warns of Sleeping Pills’ Strange Effects

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/15/business/15drug.ready.html?pagewanted=all

Record Sales of Sleeping Pills Are Causing Worries

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/07/business/07sleep.html?pagewanted=all

Thank you Stephanie Saul for your leadership, enquiry and honesty that have helped many many people.

 

 

 

 

September 17, 2012

Some Benefits of Coffee

You’ve probably noticed that I talk quite a lot about coffee and caffeine use within my tired community.

That’s because it is commonly used to help people stay awake and stimulated.

The reason I don’t promote it is that it is not known to enhance memory function or other executive function loss that is associated with fatigue – I’d much rather you had a day time nap if you are sleep deprived.

The nap will reduce your sleep debt, coffee won’t.

So, in the interest of balance on my blog here’s a video on some of the benefits of coffee:

Interestingly and importantly, please note the mention that coffee activates the ‘flight or flight’ response which keeps us alert.

However, if you are tired, this response (although important – “in the moment” – if you are driving home tired, for example) will also exhaust your adrenals if overused – so keep that in mind.

That’s part of “fatigue”, where stress, anxiety, worry, an overstimulated lifestyle, violent television etc causes our ‘fight or flight’ responses to kick in – sometimes unnecessarily. For example, if you are watching a violent television program you can unnecessarily evoke responses because our neurology doesn’t distinguish properly between real life and what we are watching on television.

There appears to be no getting round the fact that the only way to reduce sleep debt is by sleeping – which includes napping.

Remember that caffeine is addictive – so if you find yourself wanting more and more to get the same response be aware of that. Pull back your intake in a sensible way, because I’ve seen studies that indicate that you really aren’t functioning fantastically if you are not getting your normal caffeine hit. e.g. you might not reduce your caffeine intake during university exam periods – much better to do it well before exam season, and use napping during stu vac (study vacation) to integrate your revision and improve memory functions.

Look, I know most of you reading this are using coffee – I do myself – so lets share a few ways that coffee actually helps.

And from the video, the best coffee is real coffee (not instant), black, without sugar!

Not my preference: I’ll test out the waters to make a change!

What is your best use of coffee when you feel tired?

September 14, 2012

Sleeping Pills Problems

I’ve just put up a new page Sleeping Pills Side Effects on this blog about the problems with sleeping pills and medications.

There are many things you need to know about before you start taking sleeping pills – but if you are already taking them, then you need to have a look at the information as well.

The Australian National Prescribing Service and other experts clearly encourage trying all possible avenues to remedy the underlying problem beneath the symptom of insomnia before resorting to medications.

And if you do take medications, you need to be very careful to follow the rules and regulations that go with them.

Of course, we are not recommending you take sleeping pills – but the information is presented so that you can make up your own mind and investigate further.

Do your own independent evaluation of the information presented on this site.

Lastly, if you are taking medications, do not reduce or stop taking them without expert medical advice and supervision – some very adverse reactions have occurred in the withdrawal period, and with incorrect withdrawal procedures.

Click this link to find the page Sleeping Pills Side Effects

Good night

Elizabeth

 

 

 

August 21, 2012

New Report on the Problems with Sleeping Pills

Hi everyone

Today I published a new report on sleeping pills called Sleeping Pills’ 22 Dark Secrets.

I’ve posted up information on sleeping pills as I have found it over the years, but it hasn’t been organized into one helpful place.

Sleeping Pills' 22 Dark Secrets Report

This report is valuable because:

  • you will be able to do your own research into sleeping pills before you start taking them (if you decide to do that),
  • the report will make clear our stance on why we promote natural solutions to insomnia and sleep disorders, rather than the medicated route,
  • you will learn the National Prescribing Service’s (Australian) stance on sleeping pills and how to access that information,
  • the report will give you background information for when you visit your doctor, health care practitioner or psychologist about your sleep disorder,
  • the report will arm you with a number of important questions to ask if you are prescribed medications from your health care professional,
  • the report will empower you to do your own research into sleep medications.  The report is not conclusive (I’ve thought of a few more things since writing this…), but will give you some ideas on how to take back responsibility for finding your sleep solutions,
  • it will encourage you to look for natural solutions for your sleeping problems rather than medicate at the early stages of your problem.

Please note:

If you suspect you have sleep apnea or a respiratory problem at all, you should seek expert help and a referral to a reputable sleep clinic immediately.

If you are already taking medications of any kind do NOT withdraw suddenly or slowly without expert medical supervision.

Find out more about Sleeping Pills’ 22 Dark Secrets here:

 

August 14, 2012

How to Improve Safety and Performance at Work

Hi everyone

I’m sending out a media release today about why napping is preferred over caffeine and other stimulants at work.

You might be thinking “duh!”, but it seems most companies think there is a problem with napping at work.  As one article I read today said “it’s a hard sell!”

So why are most companies so reluctant to give full permission to napping – dare I say ENCOURAGE napping at work?

Napping has Proven Benefits

The proof is there.  The statistics and studies are there.  The ill-effects of fatigue are well documented.  The cost of lost productivity in Australia alone is quantified at $ 3.1 billion per year.  Some of the most successful and amazing organisations in the world are napping (e.g. NASA, Google, Nike, Deloitte).  Napping at work has been around since 1969 that we know of – and that company is still doing it!

And think of it, the siesta culture has been around for centuries.

So what gives?

Is it the image of walking around the office with everyone asleep at their desks that’s the problem – even if that would NEVER happen?  Not unless it was a “synchronized nap” – that’s a joke, actually.

Mind you, most of us were brought up at primary school with a period of the day where we were encouraged to put our head on to our desks and take a little kip to get us through the day.  Do you remember that?  I’ve got good memories of that.

Here’s the challenge.  Could we get even 10 per cent of companies into the 20th century by promoting napping at work?

Yes, I said the 20th century on purpose, it wasn’t a mistake.  I started napping 30 years ago – it is old news really.

21st century napping might include selecting the time of your nap, and the duration of your nap to achieve different napping objectives.

There are also different brain wave patterns you could access during your naps, again, customized to the experience you would prefer.  And various ways to achieve these different brain wave patterns.

And knowing that meditation is proven to be beneficial to anxiety and panic sufferers, perhaps we could ‘meditate’ instead of nap.  Now that word probably sent a few of you “off the page”!

Sorry guys and girls, but what was regarded as ‘woo woo’ in the 1970′s has now been supported by science – get used to it.

So while I’m here having my rant, did you know that:

  • Contrary to popular opinion, having a daytime nap can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep at night and improve the quality of your nocturnal sleep.
  • A nap of anything more than 6 minutes can be beneficial.
  • A 90 minute nap where you go through the a full selection of sleep/brainwave cycles can improve your performance like you have had a full night’s sleep?
  • If you’re going to nap for less than 90 minutes, go for 20 minutes or less – to avoid sleep inertia (that groggy feeling when you wake up from the deeper levels of sleep).
  • Did you know that you can customize the time and duration of your nap for different results?
What Sort of Work Situations Could Customized Napping Help?
  1. If you wanted to memorize information that you’ve just read, how would you best do that?
  2. If you had a large decision to make at work and it required you to take into account many pieces of information – how would you best deal with that?
  3. You’re just exhausted because you’ve been up for hours with your new baby last night.  How could you best recuperate from that?
  4. You notice that your motor skills are slowing – e.g. you’re making errors on your keyboard at your computer – how would you best remedy that?
  5. You’ve had too much detail to deal with today, you’ve got a scrambled head.  How would you clear out that detail, and start fresh again?
  6. You’ve got an important presentation to make after work, and you’re not confident that you’ll be fresh for it.  Is there a way to help with that?
  7. You’re feeling out of sorts because you got out of bed too early today for a meeting, and it’s not your normal ‘circadian pattern’ – can you do anything about that?
  8. You’re working a new shift and it takes you days to adjust to the new hours.  Can I do anything to help that?
  9. You work in a creative field, and you’d like to tune out for some relaxed, creative thinking time.  Is that possible?  How would you do that?  What about creative problem solving?  Is that possible?
  10. A couple of days a week you work two jobs, with a break in the middle.  Is there a way to optimize your health while you try to manage these hours?
Here are some of the questions people ask me:
  1. Are there ways to time your nap to exactly 20 minutes or less?
  2. Why the ’20 minute’ stipulation?  Is that a fixed rule?
  3. How long does it take before you really feel relaxed during your nap, and derive real benefits from it?  One day, 5 days, 2 weeks?  etc.
  4. Can I listen to a guided relaxation mp3 while I’m napping?  Is that still OK?
  5. Can I nap with my eyes open?
  6. What if someone disturbs me during my nap?
  7. How do I stop myself from totally falling asleep when I nap?
  8. I seem to fall asleep totally when I nap.  Is it OK?  Are there ways to avoid that?  When is it OK?
  9. Should I nap before eating at lunch time, or after?
  10. Sometimes I eat to keep myself alert and awake.  If I nap will I be less likely to want coffee, sweets and fattening foods?

Click here to see the media release on coping with fatigue.

Enter Your Comments in the Comments Section Below:

Tell us, do you nap at work?  What is your best way to nap?

Do you feel OK to nap at work or are you doing it on the sly?

They say 37-40% are napping, but where do you do it?  Or are you waiting to get home to have a sleep?

What do you think?  Have you napped?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 25, 2012

Anxiety Tablets can be Addictive

Take Great Care with Anxiety and Panic Medications

I have spoken many times about trying to solve sleeping problems, insomnia, sleep deprivation issues, anxiety, panic and depression issues naturally, without using drugs.

The best research in this area indicates that this is the correct course of action.

Recently there was a brilliant article published in Australia in our Sydney Morning Herald Good Weekend Magazine which is so important I have obtained their permission to load it up to this site, and make it available to my readers.

Please click through to this page to get all the details of the article:

http://www.sleeplessnomore.com/anxiety-nation-and-drug-addiction/

Read this article BEFORE you start taking medications to help with anxiety and panic.

Sleeping pills, benzodiazepines, anxiety and panic medications are potentially addictive and should be treated as such.

Another place you can find out about medications is on the National Prescribing Service’s website (Australia) http://www.nps.org.au

Interestingly I just went there to find the exact link and the drug I was looking for was not listed in the alphabetic drug name list.

I have emailed them, and will post a follow up when I have more information to share.

In the mean time, please read the page I posted up by clicking here:

http://www.sleeplessnomore.com/anxiety-nation-and-drug-addiction/

Best regards

Elizabeth

 

 

Please refer to the page I have just put up on this website that relates to anxiety and panic medications.

June 5, 2012

Is Your Place of Work Nap Friendly?

I’m reading this on Napping:

  • More than one third of Americans (35%) say that their workplace permits napping during breaks at work,
  • 16% report that their employer provides a place for them to nap, and
  • 26% say they would nap on a break at work if their employer were to allow it.
Source:  US National Sleep Foundation “Longer Work Days Leave Americans Nodding Off On The Job” Press Release. March 3, 2008.

Here’s the thing – in Australia I’m not hearing about this too often… so I would love you to tell me the names of companies that appreciate napping as a way to improve the wellbeing of their people, thereby improving productivity and profitability.

Here are the companies/organisations I know are napping, or encourage napping in Australia:

Google (Australia)

Proctor and Gamble (Australia)

Cisco (Australia)

BMA (BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance) (Australia)

Queensland Government (Australia)

iSelect Insurance (Australia)

BUPA (Australia)

Virgin Active Health Clubs (Australia, NSW and Victoria)

Sleepless No More (Australia)

United States of America:

Deloittes

Nike

NASA

Yarde Metals

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad

Nova Chemicals

The New York Times

Richards Group, Dallas

Metronaps

Huffington Post

Since 1969:

TRC Lowney Associates (Mountain View, USA)

Denmark:

Hospitals

Transportation departments

Oil industries – give us some details, please…

INDIVIDUALS ADVOCATING NAPPING:

Dr Sarah Mednick, author of Take a Nap, Change Your Life book (USA)

Mayor Nick Haekkerup (Denmark)

SIESTA CULTURE?

I’m also hearing that there is a trend against napping/siesta in the traditional siesta countries, so if your company is still allowing the nap or siesta post that up.

QUIET ROOMS, PRAYER ROOMS, ETC:

Do you have a napping room at work?  Where are people napping if they are allowed?

I’ve heard some Deutsche Banks have a quiet room that can be used for this sort of purpose.  What sort of rooms are, or might be suitable at your workplace?  Do any libraries still exist?

If you have a room suitable for napping at work, what do they call it?

Thanks, this is going to be revealing.

When you put your comment – please put the name of the company and the country and state:

e.g. Google, USA, New York

and if it’s a no no no!!!, you can tell us that too…

June 5, 2012

Maximizing Workplace Productivity in Tough Economic Times

Hi

I’ve been doing a lot of research lately into the effects of fatigue on worker’s performance, and the cost of fatigue for business.

The costs are huge…  so it is actually a great place to shine the light in these tough economic times when employers might not be so happy – and often now, not being able to justify – salary increases, the usual level of bonuses etc.

Here is a great interview with Sylvia Ann Hewlett, founding president of the New York based Center for Work-Life Policy and co-author of a provocative article in the December issue of the Harvard Business Review called “Extreme Jobs:  The Dangerous Allure of the 70-Hour Workweek.”

OK, not all of us work a 70 hour workweek, but listen to the interview, particularly relevant to management, on how to adapt the workplace in times of economic stress – which of course, filters throughout the whole work environment.

This time in history is no doubt a great opportunity to be changing the culture at work to deliver benefits to employees that go beyond just financial for the benefit of both the employees and the organisation.   It’s not like the employees don’t appreciate flexibility and new experiences – they do, and they’ve been asking for them.

What do you think?