Sleep and Get Rich

Okay, so I know that sounds like a gimmick. If anyone could get rich automatically through sleeping, we'd all be filthy wealthy after a few priorities changes. But here's what I mean: how may of you have arrived at a solution, invention, or great idea during dreamful sleep?

I'm wondering this because of a music site reporting how Kid Rock attributes many of his successes to insomnia. He claims that he came up with the idea for his hit song "All Summer Long" thanks to a restless night... and that he "can't stop dreaming up new tunes."

Did you catch that? He claims he "dreams" up his tunes during "restless sleep." The two don't really go hand in hand, do they? If you have insomnia, you're not sleeping. If you're dreaming, you're very much enjoying a special stage of sleep. According to Kid Rock, he hasn't a full night's sleep in years. He says his brain "never stops" and that he keeps a notepad by the bed to record his mid-night thoughts.

It's common to experience a night of dreams so vivid and memorable that you feel awake for most of it. People who say they "don't sleep" actually do, and if you were to get them in a sleep lab you'd watch them sleep for several more hours than they think they do.

If Kid Rock is truly drumming up songs in his sleep, then he's awakening at the end of the sleep cycle long enough to record his thoughts and then fall back asleep. You dream in deep sleep just before coming back to a lighter stage of sleep, where you can wake up. (This explains why you remember a dream when you wake up, or feel yourself being pulled from a dream to a wakeful state.)  But if he's truly got insomnia, then he could be staring at the ceiling using his thoughts as a distraction from focusing on sleep.

I'm all for keeping a journal by the bedside. You never know what dreams--or insomnia for that matter--can reveal. If worries keep you awake, a worry journal could allow you to write them down with their potential solutions so you can rest easy and actually get to sleep. If you have an a-ha moment in your sleep you could jot it down quickly so you don't forget it by the time you get up.

You never know: maybe you'll dream up the next best thing to peanut butter and jelly, or Google, or a cure for cancer. Bear in mind that restful sleep will help you to think clearly and work with that new idea the next day, when you're trying to do something with it in the real world. A double-edged benefit.

I'm certain that dreams have played a role in many hits and inventions through the years. I believe there IS something to be said for "sleep and grow rich." Just be sure you don't sleep all day, or your great idea will never get out of bed, either.

Related Topics:

• Freaky Dreams: What Do They Mean?
• WebMD Video: Dreams: A Window to Your Health

This article is cross-posted at Dr. Breus's official blog, The Insomnia Blog.

Wall Street Got Your Sleep?

I feel like I blogged on this topic just a few weeks ago. And I probably did. The depressing news is inescapable. You can't turn the TV on without getting punched in the stomach--even if you don't work in financials or own stock in them.

There are plenty of nervous people out there, especially seniors who have retirement funds falling with the whims of the market. Articles like this one show the extent of the damage leaking through the older communities. But you don't have to be retired or thinking about it soon to feel the heat. How many people are losing sleep over the state of affairs?

It wouldn't surprise me to learn that sleeping pill prescriptions are on the rise as the economy is on the decline, or at least in a temporary ditch. About one in five people take non-narcotic sleep aids now. Even though those who take something to help them fall and stay asleep are not advised to use them every single night. But my bet is that people who can't get a handle on their stress load or learn how to cope with the constant noise from the news and media are reaching for them routinely.

Don't get me wrong: I'm a big proponent of prescription sleep aids when the time and circumstance calls for them. The jury is still out, however, on their long-term effects when used frequently. For example, just last week my industry journal reported on a review of several studies showing a link between prescription sleeping pill use and skin cancer.  But don't panic: a direct causal link has not been proven between sleeping pills and skin cancer, and this report simply opens the door for more research and data-gathering.

It's worth noting, though, that sleeping pills are not the magical end-all be-all for people with sleep troubles. Given the volume of sleep troubles today, I'd love to see more people attempting to nix their sleep problems in the bud naturally before resorting to long-term use of prescription sleep aids. And that starts with turning off the media's noise. TODAY!

How to turn off the media noise with the lights at night:

• This may sound obvious, but it bears repeating: turn off the news and stop reading all forms of current media at least two hours before bedtime.


• Do something out of the ordinary before bed that takes your mind off the ordinary stress, such as taking a warm bath, getting a Swedish massage, taking a yoga class, or going for a light walk.


• Avoid heated conversations about world affairs at dinner or anytime after 3 pm for that matter!


• See if you can go at least a day--and three if you can do it--during which you avoid all sources of news and media. Pretend you're on a deserted island and have no access to newspapers, the Internet, or the stock ticker on CNBC.

Stress is inevitable and in many ways, unavoidable. But it's MANAGEABLE if you take charge of it.

A sign that you may not be managing stress well is if you find yourself going more than two weeks and you're using a sleep aid every single night. If that's the case, then it may be time to call a time-out and examine why you're unable to get a good night's sleep naturally.

Think of it this way: the news will ALWAYS be there no matter what. But your happy, vibrant self will not. I'd pick the latter over the former every day.

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Sleep and Stress
• WebMD Video: Overcoming Stress

This article is cross-posted on Dr. Breus's official blog, The Insomnia Blog

Will Your Kids Snore When They Grow Up?

We all like to think of our kids as semi-perfect little beings, and that we can control their development and maturation to some degree. It's a well-documented fact, for example, that if we don't teach them how to eat well and engage in physical activity, they can grow up overweight, obese or experience diabetes in some cases.

But what about other, less-obvious habits that could be "programmed" in a child early on and which surface much later in life? In particular, can an adult's snoring be traced back to childhood?

I just read about a new study out of Britain that offers some interesting clues into why some kids are more likely to develop into adult snorers. According to the research, a kid with respiratory problems could be a precursor for snoring as an adult. I assume "respiratory problems" could be anything from allergies, exposure to animals that cause respiratory issues, or ear infections. This type of research is just in its infancy, but I hope more emerges to help us define the risk factors that may cause some children to become snorers in later life.

As the article points out, snoring is not just a nuisance. It can signal more serious problems like sleep apnea, which cuts off a person's breathing momentarily during the night.

It would be wonderful if we can help prevent snoring in the first place by taking into consideration risk factors experienced during childhood. Not that we need to add one more item on the list of things to worry about when it comes to our kids.

But I think the overall lesson here is clear: much of how well we live as adults can be linked to what happened during our tender years. We may someday discover that the blueprints of our adult lives are clearly written out by the time we're 25 or so. From our brain chemistry and moods to our ability to fight fat and get a good night's sleep...you have to wonder, how much of our adult lives are chained to the past?

Something to think about. I'm a big believer in the ability to change and modify habits to support a healthier lifestyle, but as parents and role models for kids I think it's important to bear this in mind.

Questions to consider in light of this new study:

• How well do your kids sleep? Do you even know the answer to this question?
• Are they overweight or do they already snore?
• If you have a child who suffers from respiratory problems, have you ever discussed this with the pediatrician? Has your child been tested for sleep apnea?
• Do YOU have trouble sleeping, or do you suffer from chronic snoring?
• Have you ever discussed the value of a good night's sleep with your kids?

In this next generation, may we find more restful, quiet nights.

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Identifying Sleep Disorders in Kids
• Sleep Apnea Health Center

Technorati Tags: children, snoring, child development, good sleep habits, sleep doctor

This article is cross-posted at Dr. Breus's official blog, The Insomnia Blog.