which is “completely devoid of imag-
ery, emotion, or color,” he says, puts
him to sleep in under a minute.
Amy George, a former insomniac,
finally went to a sleep doctor. “She
said, ‘Don’t put sleep on a pedestal.’
In other words, tell yourself that if
you lose sleep, it’s OK. You’ll still get
through the day. Sometimes that’s
what you need to do to calm down
and go to sleep,” George says.
Because CBT-I has proved to be
highly successful—and because it
doesn’t bring the risks and side effects
of pills—it’s now recommended as the
first-line treatment for people with
chronic sleep difficulties. A recent
study demonstrated that even online
tutorials, which are less costly than
in-person appointments, can improve
symptoms in as little as four weeks.
Meditate
Besides decreasing the anxiety that can
keep you from falling asleep, medita-
tion may actually help restore your
brain in much the same way sleep
does. In a small 2010 study, research-
ers found that people improved their
sleep after only 40 minutes of medita-
tion, while people who meditated for
several hours a day appeared to need
less sleep than non-meditators. The
researchers’ theory is that in both med-
itation and non-REM sleep, neurons in
the brain fire in a more synchronous
pattern than they do during waking
hours. “This synchronicity,” one study
author notes, “may reset neurons and
reduce information overload.”Check for the Serious Cause
In obstructive sleep apnea, the mus-
cles in the back of the throat relax too
much, blocking breathing. This causes
drops in blood-oxygen levels—a com-
mon sleep disrupter and potentially a
dangerous one. When left untreated,
sleep apnea can strain the cardiovas-
cular system and raise your chances
of developing heart problems. If you
think you may be at risk, ask your
doctor about taking a home sleep test.
One common treatment for the dis-
order is a continuous positive airway
pressure (CPAP) machine, which uses
a hose and mask to deliver constant
air pressure. Your doctor also may sug-
gest a deep-breathing practice, losing
weight, quitting smoking, not drinking
alcohol, or training yourself to sleep
on your side. A dentist can fit you with
an oral appliance that relieves the
problem by bringing your jaw forward.
All seem like small sacrifices to give
you a full night’s sleep for a change.Rule One of Biology
It is a proven fact that if your parents don’t have kids, neither will you.
susan few, little rock, arkansasrd.com 39How to Get the Sleep You Need