IPods for Insomnia
From the Chicago Tribune Blog: Insomnia cure: Take your buds to bed
So I was reading my Google Alert for Sleep Stories and I came across an interesting one: At the Chicago Tribune Blog " Change of Subject" by Zorn, he claims the secret ingredients for insomnia are...
I found this interesting and decided to read on. They actually quoted a very famous sleep research scientist who explained the basic theory here which is distraction. If you are thinking about this program you are not thinking about stressful events, personal or business worries, or wondering about the general state of the world, it is easier to fall asleep. I too have found this to be true in my patients and I give several distraction techniques in my upcoming book "Good Night; The Sleep Doctor's 28 night program to better sleep and better health."
I also thought it was interesting the medium he chose, a pre-recorded, pre-listened to radio show. His reasoning was quite logical:
Thus based on what I know from sleep research and my experiences with patients I would agree this sounds interesting, however, what does one do about the cord??
Related Topics: WebMD Video: Tips for a Good Night's Sleep, Insomnia Can Trigger Depression, Study Shows
Technorati Tags: iPod, insomnia, distraction
So I was reading my Google Alert for Sleep Stories and I came across an interesting one: At the Chicago Tribune Blog " Change of Subject" by Zorn, he claims the secret ingredients for insomnia are...
Ear buds. A Walkman-style tape player. A cassette recording of a talk-radio program from earlier in the day. I put a bud in one ear, let the other dangle, start the tape, close my eyes and try not to fall asleep. I try to pay attention to the conversation, follow it carefully, engage in the topic.
The next thing I know it's morning and I am rested and refreshed.
I found this interesting and decided to read on. They actually quoted a very famous sleep research scientist who explained the basic theory here which is distraction. If you are thinking about this program you are not thinking about stressful events, personal or business worries, or wondering about the general state of the world, it is easier to fall asleep. I too have found this to be true in my patients and I give several distraction techniques in my upcoming book "Good Night; The Sleep Doctor's 28 night program to better sleep and better health."
I also thought it was interesting the medium he chose, a pre-recorded, pre-listened to radio show. His reasoning was quite logical:
A- First, because I can't forward over commercials (non-distracting) in live talk radio. Second because I find daytime and early evening talk radio shows more interesting (and therefore more distracting) than late-night talk radio. And finally because it puts my mind at ease to know that if I hear something particularly fascinating, I need not fight sleep in order to be sure I hear it. Many times I'll rewind the next morning and hear the end of a segment that put me to sleep the night before.
Thus based on what I know from sleep research and my experiences with patients I would agree this sounds interesting, however, what does one do about the cord??
Related Topics: WebMD Video: Tips for a Good Night's Sleep, Insomnia Can Trigger Depression, Study Shows
Technorati Tags: iPod, insomnia, distraction
25 Comments:
From personal experience of rather restless sleeping, I'd worry about getting the earbud cords wrapped around my throat...suggestions?
The commercials would irritate me so I couldn't sleep; I would choose a piece of calm classical music, and I would use a cassette player that wouldn't disturb me when the cassette ends and it cuts off. But I have had better results by practicing the slower breathing technique I learned in a beginners tai chi class...I usually can't count past 3 breaths and I'm out.
I use my iPod to get to sleep every night. I download three or four podcasts (no commercials) a day, and pick one to listen to at bedtime. I switched the iPod earbuds for a set of Sony in-ear earbuds that have the silicon covers so they're not painful.
The iPod stays on the nightstand and at some point I end up just pulling out the earbuds (not that I remember this). Since the iPod is in sleep mode, it turns itself off after an hour, but I'm never aware since I'm fast asleep.
I have been sleeping better than ever since doing this and haven't ever had a problem getting tangled in the cord.
I have recently purchased a small round pillow, that has a cord to attach my iPod to, and there is a small speaker in the middle of the pillow so there is no worry about ear phones, or cords. I sleep so much better thanks to my music.
I typically put a DVD on that I've seen a million times before and is one of my favorites. It puts me to sleep within half an hour or so. I usually wake up just enough to turn it off, but it isn't a disturbing wake-up.
i bought an iHome and that way i dont have to worry about the cords. the only thing is that the LCD screen is still too bright for me even on its lowest setting. so i put my OC season 2 box in front of it and it doesn't bother me. and the plus to my iHome is that i can wake up to my music, radio, or a beep.
I'd seriously recommend meditation tapes/podcasts to anyone with a sleep disorder. Most meditations will relax the body (as a side effect) but there are also some really deep topics (emptiness etc.) that really take quite a bit of contemplating.
For me this is a total win-win-win situation. a) I'll probably fall asleep, b) I'll actually spend some time doing meditation (which I don't currently do enough) or c) Emptiness meditations are beautiful spaces to place the mind, this is where our mind natually goes when we fall asleep anyway.
Hope this helps
I always stretch before hitting the shower and then straight to bed with a glass of water (about 8 oz.). I'm out like a light within 10-15 minutes. I wake up energized so I stretch again, shower and head out the door after a bowl of cereal and a yogurt. It really works for me. Hope it helps...
What is an OC season 2 box? I too have an iHome and the light is sure bright.
An OC season 2 box is just a box of DVDs of the TV show the OC.
I have a Treo 650. I have e-books, hours of music, appointment calendar with reminders and also the phone. It's set to go off at 6:30 AM as a backup alarm clock with an unmistakable siren ring tone. At night I get comfortable, cut everything else off and select about 3 hours of music. I only select songs I've listened too a thousand times. I don't use the headphones, I put it next to my pillow and I am out within about 2 songs. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I start it to playing again and out I go.
I have a dvd player at my bedside table. I put in a movie, usually a children's movie, take Monsters, Inc. for instance, listen with headphones and end up falling asleep within the first 10 minutes. At some point I do take off the headphones. It could be any movie that makes me feel warm & cozy. My mother thought I was nuts when I first told her of this until she tried it herself.
When I am away from home on business I normally rely on the Hotel TV to put me to sleep. This is fine as I am alone. How do I watch a movie at home without disturbing my wife who has no problem sleeping. She on the other hand would be kept awake by the movei
Insomnia has been a hobby for many years now. It has gotten worse as I have been seeking employment for many months. I can't sleep with headphones. Also entrainment tapes or cd's should be used for meditation and not to induce sleep. But if that works for you… I keep a small tape/cd player next to my bed that has small speakers built in. Your local library is a great source for books on CD or Tape and it is free. This is what I have been doing and it helps a lot.
Insomnia has been a hobby for many years now. It has gotten worse as I have been seeking employment for many months. I can't sleep with headphones. Also entrainment tapes or cd's should be used for meditation and not to induce sleep. But if that works for you… I keep a small tape/cd player next to my bed that has small speakers built in. Your local library is a great source for books on CD or Tape and it is free. This is what I have been doing and it helps a lot.
I have been using this system for years. But, only when I awaken during the night and need to go back to sleep. I have most recently been hooking up to Sirius radio. Not to worry about the cord around your neck. It isn't heavy enough to do any damage. You can also get an extension wire, from Radio Shack, to lenghten the cord.
I second the meditation tracks. I've been using them for years. My favorites are those with binaural sound technology or "holosync" etc.
Since I've become a licensed massage therapist, I've found that listening to any kind of ambient/tranquil kind of music does the trick. Many times before the 2nd track is even over I'm fast asleep. If I wake up, I'll play it again!
I use movies I've seen several times already (You've Got Mail, Lost in Translation, etc). Sometimes I get to sleep within 10 minutes, other times it's 20 minutes or more. I put on the TV sleep timer for 60-minutes or 90 if I know the movie will end within that time frame.
My Mom used to say-- "Get your beauty rest." And she was right because lack of sleep takes an enormous toll on your well being. I've had my share of sleepless nights. And I still recall how awful I felt when someone said, "You look tired." It pissed me off like you wouldn't believe. First of all, they were right and at the moment there wasn't much I could do about it. The second reason it was irritating was because I am usually very cranky when I don't get enough sleep. And third, I was too darn exhausted to respond with a witty answer-- ya know, something funny that would encourage her to BUG OFF!
My first time experiencing insomnia was when I was pregnant with my daughter. What I couldn't figure out was... why I had difficulty going to sleep since I felt exhausted. Normally things like a job interview, an early morning appointment, or family stress creates enough anxiety to keep me tossing and turning for an hour or more. Little did I know that one day I would find a solution to help me sleep. I stumbled across an audio cassett while attending the Whole Life Expo in Los Angeles, and to this day (20 years later) it still works like a charm. In fact, nowadays I travel frequently and it is a joy to know I won't suffer from another sleepless night. It's called Catnapper by The Monroe Institute, www.monroeinstitute.com. The website explains the Hemi-Sync® technology, "You can safely alter your brainwave patterns and experience enhanced mental, physical, and emotional states." Over the years I've misplaced, lost or forgotten about the Catnapper but I always go back to it because it works the best. I have tried stuff like Melatonin, a supplement you can buy at health food stores or drugstores and found it to be helpful too.
Sleep loss is no joke and should not be taken lightly. You see, I was what you might call a "Night Owl," and I have gladly made some major adjustments now that I've learned how unhealthy it is to burn the candle at both ends. Once upon a time I thought it was cool to stay up all night or to work an 18 hour day. Fortunately a friend suggested a book called "Lights Out" by T.S. Wiley and it says, "It's time to turn the lights out, before it's lights out for us all." This well researched book explains how lack of sleep contributes to increased stress levels, weight gain, depression, and craving carbs and sugar when you're awake after dark (yikes!).
By the way, Catnapper is a CD, the cost is only 20 bucks. It's great for taking naps or if you need to get a full night of quality sleep. It has never failed to work for me-- which is a miracle. Quite frankly I found this to be better and safer than taking an OTC (over the counter) sleep aid or a pricey prescription drug for insomnia. Obviously if your restless nights have turned into a sleep disorder, you should seek the advice of your doctor. But for me, when I use the Catnapper CD I wake up refreshed and don't have to fight that awful foggy feeling. For iPod fans, my suggestion is that you add this to your iPod playlist. If you have a CD player-- you should give it a spin. Sweet dreams :)
I use a plain old radio battery powered and listen to this so called prophet who constantly predicts the end of the world is coming.He is so boring that I fall asleep immediately
I use the sirius online then use the program http://TimedFader.com that I can program to slowly fade out the music over serveral hours.
It also works on MP3's or CD that I play on the PC
I would rather listen to nature sounds on my SleepPhones with my iPod. I get too worked up with talk radio - many callers are so stupid! But I suppose a lecture by a boring professor might work too. One comment asked about the cords wrapping around... SleepPhones have a cord coming out the top and front so you won't choke on them (as easily), since they are designed for sleeping.
Hi Folks!
I'm one of the creators of SleepPhones. I just found this thread by searching. We make a sleep system that uses binaural beats to gently guide your brain into a sleeping state. It includes earphones encased in a soft headband that's comfortable enough to sleep in all night. In our design, the wire comes out the front of the headband, making it easier to sleep on your back or side without entanglement. We release new "sleep tracks" all the time. We're very proud of our design - check it out at http://SleepPhones.com if you'd like to learn more.
Thanks!
From someone who's had insomina for years, the iPod has been the best thing I've ever found. I go to bed at night, listed to a TV show, podcast, audiobook, anything. I usually will wake up in the middloe of the night again, but now instead of lying in the dark thinking, I can put the iPod on again, and fall right back asleep. I actually find that now I can sleep later in the morning than I've been able to do for years.
Same here - I've NEVER had an issue with getting tangled in the cheap little cords for earbuds.
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