101 Tips for Better And More Healthy Sleep: Practical Advice for More Restful Nights

By Alan E. Smith

All of your physical and mental health depends on getting a good night's sleep. We all love waking up without an alarm, feeling rested and refreshed, right? Unfortunately, many people don't sleep enough or sleep well, or both. It may feel like your sleep is a combination lock and you can't figure out all the right numbers in the right sequence. These tips are designed to help you put it all together.
These 101 Tips are designed to help you find the rest you deserve in the best way possible. You'll walk through all of the various factors in getting a good night's sleep, from your bed and bedroom to relaxing before bed to solving several sleep problems. While some of these tips have been around for hundreds or thousands of years, some are as new as they can be. We even talk about the progress that's been made in the medical field regarding sleep in past few decades.
Whatever your sleep situation, you will probably find something here that can help you sleep even better and longer. You just have to have the patience and dedication to solve your own sleep problems.

• Discover your best sleep possible
• See new ways to sleep better, longer
• Realize all of the ways to improve your sleep
• Explore techniques from ancient to modern
• Understand the real importance of sleep

• Language: English
• Publisher: Loving Healing Press
• Release date: Jan 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781615997190

Alan E. Smith

Like many people I only turned to complementary and alternative therapies when mainstream medicine couldn't help me. (It's amazing how open-minded you become when you're in pain!) I reluctantly began my exploration into this new world following a disappointing visit to The Mayo Clinic. It was hard for me to believe that modern medical science didn't have all of the answers, but I was living proof that their knowledge and technology today has limits. Being part of the Baby Boomer generation, the group that has changed America at every stage of our life, has its advantages. I knew that the current medical attitude needed to change too. There had to be another way to solve this problem, something the doctors weren't telling me. I had reached the point of desperation where I was willing to try, or at least consider, anything. I'm sure many of you can empathize with this feeling. In one of those wonderful bits of synchronicity in life I read a review of an interesting new book by Bruce Lipton called the Biology of Belief. To this day I don't know where I saw it, but I did, and it was the first stepping stone to a new world of hope and health. From Bruce's book I discovered Rob William's PSYCH-K process and a new way to communicate with my subconscious to discover the real source of some of my health problem. I took the first PSYCH-K Basic Workshop and found several tantalizing hints that the source of my health issues was stress caused by the realization that my 20+ year career in supermarket promotions was coming to a close. More than two decades of traveling weekly all across the country had also taken a physical toll. My health began to improve and so did my outlook on life. After taking the Advanced Workshop I began doing PSYCH-K with friends. I quickly realized that what was really needed was a better way to educate the public about all of the wonderful complementary and alternative health options that are available today. The idea for a new, state-of-the-art reference guide to complementary and alternative therapies was born on April 18th, 2006 with a list of just a few processes. As I researched one process I'd discover one or two more I'd never heard of before, so the list just kept growing. Along the way I've had the privilege to speak with many wonderful people. Their support and their words of encouragement made it possible for me to bring this idea to fruition. I hope that you too will find your way to the right process or device to improve your health and your life. My quest to provide you with the best and most up-to-date information on complementary and alternative therapies continues on our weekly podcast show which launched on July 18th, 2008. On each program I present a 20-minute interview with one of the luminaries in this emerging new world of health and hope. If you'd like to comment on this book or send your suggestions please visit my website at www.UnbreakYourHealth.com

Book preview

Solving Your Sleep Puzzle

All of your physical and mental health depends on getting a good night’s sleep. We all love waking up without an alarm, feeling rested and refreshed, right? Unfortunately, many people don’t sleep enough or sleep well, or both. There are almost as many reasons for not sleeping well as there are stars in the sky, or at least it seems that way some nights. You’ve probably tried a few things to sleep better that may or may not have worked for you. It may feel like your sleep is a combination lock and you can’t figure out all the right numbers in the right sequence. These tips are designed to help you put it all together.

You have to adjust to factors outside your control that impact your sleep. An example is switching between daylight saving time and standard time. This has a many health effects like increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The U.S. Senate in 2022 passed a bill to make daylight savings time permanent, but the House stopped the bill, concerned that this is the wrong option. Many sleep experts say we should make standard time permanent, since it more closely follows sunlight. We all need sunlight in the morning to train our circadian rhythms to wake up and then fall asleep at night. This issue has yet to be resolved and it will affect everyone.

These 101 Tips are designed to help you find the rest you deserve in the best way possible. You’ll walk through all of the various factors in getting a good night’s sleep, from your bed and bedroom to relaxing before bed to solving several sleep problems. There are over the counter (OTC) drugs that can help, along with various supplements and herbs. While some of these tips have been around for hundreds or thousands of years, some are as new as they can be. Occasionally we talk about doctors and the progress that’s been made in the medical field regarding sleep in past few decades.

Whatever your sleep situation, you will probably find something here that can help you sleep even better and longer. You just have to have the patience and dedication to solve your own sleep problems.

Sleep Basics

There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.

― Homer, The Odyssey

Tip #1: Sleep Has Many Benefits

We need to accept that every human being needs to sleep every 24 hours, but even today scientists don’t understand everything about sleep. We do know that sleep allows for both the body and the brain to repair themselves in critical ways and to restore energy. Sleep allows us to consolidate memories, handle information processing, aids our physical growth and muscle repair, along with countless other processes that are theorized to occur during sleep. We can’t forget that sleep is also critical for strengthening our immune system and allowing us to fight off disease. We may not understand it all yet but we know that it is critical.

Tip #2: Sleep is Important to Brain Function

We don’t need to know where sleep happens inside us, but having this information doesn’t hurt. The hypothalamus is a small, peanut-sized structure deep inside the brain. It contains groups of nerve cells acting like control centers, which affect our sleep and waking. The brain stem is located at the base of the brain and it communicates with the hypothalamus. This controls the transitions between wakefulness and sleep.

Tip #3: Follow Your Personal Circadian Rhythm

Our bodies have a biological clock inside, which runs for a 24-hour day. This clock controls our circadian rhythm, which in turn controls a wide variety of functions. These synchronize with our environmental factors like light and temperature, but they continue even without those cues. They range from the daily fluctuations in wakefulness to body temperature, metabolism, and even the release of hormones. They control the timing of our sleep, meaning they cause you to be sleepy at night and awaken you in the morning, even without an