Take a Caffeinated Shower

Looking for an extra boost in the shower to wake you up? How about a caffeinated shower?

You read that right. I had to do a double-take myself when I read about this in an airplane magazine. It's called Shower Shock (aptly titled) and the product claims to contain approximately 12 servings (yes, that'd be 12 showers) per 4-ounce bar.

The hilarious part of the sales pitch: 200 milligrams of caffeine per serving, which is the equivalent of two mugs of coffee. According to the product label, caffeine can be absorbed through the skin and for maximum effect, "build up a good Shower Shock lather across your entire body before rinsing!"

Is this a joke? No, I don't think so, at $6.99 per bar. But how true is it? Can you really get a jolt from caffeinated soap?

Not so fast. We've watched caffeine turn up in all kinds of products lately, from water to lip balm, cosmetics and beauty products. I don't blame manufacturers for trying to sell caffeine in whatever they can put it in - after all, it's arguably the world's most popular drug. It will never go out of style. But don't be fooled by gimmicks like this. Some facts to consider:

• The effectiveness of such products has not been proven, and they are likely to have little stimulatory effect on the central nervous system.



• Caffeine is not readily absorbed through the skin and even if it could be, soap is probably not the best delivery device.



• The soap itself is likely to keep much of the caffeine from coming in direct contact with the skin by holding the chemical in suspension.



• The water and soap will dilute the caffeine, and generally soap is washed off the skin after less than a few minutes, or even seconds.



• As a comparison, most drugs delivered through the skin (called "transdermal drug delivery") is done with substances with active doses under 1-2 milligrams. Far from the case here with caffeinated soap.

So are there any benefits to this soap?

Well I bet the peppermint oil in the soap will give you a nice little wake up call when it hits your nose and eyes. Perhaps the peppermint oil is adding to the placebo effect of the caffeine.

And let's not forget that caffeine is a strong antioxidant, so assuming you get some of that caffeine into the upper layers of your skin, it can help you ward off those free radicals that contribute to aging. A beauty bar, just as soap should be.

Not, I'm sorry to report, a substitute for your morning cup of Joe.

What will they think of next...

Oh, I guess they already have. How about a caffeine necklace (a necklace with a caffeine molecule pendant)? Or sunflower seeds imbued with the powers of caffeine, taurine, lysine, and ginseng (just like an energy drink)? And just how do they get those ingredients into the seeds? A topic for another day. Let me sleep on that.

Sweet Dreams,

Michael J. Breus, PhD, FAASM
The Sleep Doctor

This article on sleep is also available at Dr. Breus's official blog, The Insomnia Blog.

Related Topics:

• Caffeine Myths and Facts
• Sleep Disorders: Member Discussion
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Snoring: A Health Hazard or a Harmless Habit?

When I tell people that snoring can be a sign of a serious health problem, they typically act surprised because snoring is so common. In other words, how can it be so serious if it's so universal?

Approximately 90 million American adults snore, and of those 37 million snore on a regular basis. It's a problem among all ages and both genders, but it seems to affect men more than women, and it can worsen with age.

Snoring is a turbulence problem. Air rushes down a tube that causes a vibration in the tissue, which causes a cadence and then a snore. This can cause frequent disruptions in a person's sleep (not to mention the other person trying to sleep in the same bed). Snorers generally don't wake up feeling as refreshed as they should.

So, what makes this so dangerous?

It can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common sleep disorder I've blogged about several times. People with OSA briefly stop breathing multiple times during the night when the muscles in the back of the throat fail to keep their airway open. This results in fragmented, poor sleep, as well as low blood oxygen levels. OSA has been associated with an increased risk for myriad health problems, including hypertension, heart disease, mood and memory problems.

Not everyone who snores has OSA, but the link between the two is well documented, and research showing the strong association between snoring and cardiovascular problems continues to come out. The good news is treating OSA is pretty simple these days thanks to the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine, or CPAP.

This nifty device, which forces the airway to stay open so breathing is possible, is the best we have right now for treating sleep apnea. Sleep becomes much more restful and solid; it also shuts up the snoring that frequently accompanies that apnea. People who sleep with a snorer often rejoice, as data shows that sleeping with a snorer can steal about 1 hour of sleep. CPAP has others ways of saving lives; check out my previous post here.

Is there a way to nix the OSA and the snoring altogether? Yes, but the cure isn't necessarily the easiest to achieve. Of all the risk factors for OSA, weight and physical activity factor heavily in that risk. People who have thick necks are more likely to experience OSA due to the extra fat they have at the back of their throats, which can be an underlying cause to the blocked airway. Studies also have shown that OSA wanes among people who begin exercise programs, regardless of weight loss. Losing weight and boosting exercise both require lifestyle shifts that aren't always easy. The benefits are huge, though, and extend beyond the issue of OSA and snoring. Many people do not know it, but being sleep deprived, like having undiagnosed apnea, can prevent you from losing weight; it's a vicious cycle, as described in my previous blog post on weight loss and sleep loss.

The bottom line is clear: preventing OSA is largely about maintaining a healthier, more active lifestyle. If you do suffer from OSA, treating it with a CPAP will help support sound sleep, which can then foster a healthier, more efficient body. And a more efficient body will shed those extra pounds more easily, as well as energize you in ways you never thought possible before.

I've always said that the bedroom should be saved for sleep and sex only. The time has come to put snoring in its place. It's not a harmless habit. It's a health hazard, and a wake up call to action.

Sweet Dreams,

Michael J. Breus, PhD, FAASM
The Sleep Doctor

This sleep article is also available on Dr. Breus's official blog, The Insomnia Blog.


Related Topics:

• Does Snoring Have You Up All Night?
• Sleep Disorders: Member Discussion
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Secrets of Sound Sleepers

Just because I'm a sleep doc doesn't mean I only encounter insomniacs and narcoleptics. Much to the contrary, I meet sound sleepers all the time and love engaging them in conversation. Have they always been good sleepers? What's their "secret"?

Well, sorry, but there isn't just one secret. But a pattern emerges when you begin to collect such words of wisdom:

• I set clear boundaries, like never working past 7 pm and I don't bring work to bed with me.
• I read to my kids and it helps me wind down.
• I don't have a television or computer in my room.
• I drink a warm cup of tea about an hour before bedtime.
• I practice some deep breathing once I tuck myself in.
• I have the coziest bed in the world!
• I don't see midnight anymore. I'm pretty good about bedtimes.
• I avoid coffee in the afternoons and switch to tea if I need a boost.
• If we eat late, I make my husband do the dishes and clean the kitchen so I can relax.
• Sex. We do it just before bed and I drift off quite easily.
• As long as I exercise, I sleep great.

And my personal favorites:

• I love sleep! I don't fear it like some people. It's my micro-vacation every day.
• What do you mean? I work so hard all day long that there's nothing left in me BUT sleep by the time I crawl into bed!

Do you see the pattern?

They all practice good sleep hygiene (maybe not the person in the last comment, thought there's something to be said for physically tiring yourself out during the day and having no problem transitioning at bedtime).

Every one of these secrets is based on preparing for bed throughout the day, and having a positive mindset toward sleep. The person with the coziest bed probably invested in a great mattress and doesn't take her bedroom's setting for granted.

Okay, so you want just one thing to do differently this week and see if it has an impact on your sleep?

How about this: Avoid the Internet within 30 minutes of bedtime.

It should come as no surprise that staring at a computer screen and enthusiastically typing or surfing not only can steal precious time you should be banking in deep sleep, but the actual light emanating from the screen can also disrupt your body's ability to prepare for sleep and literally wind down.

Your taxes should already be done. Finito. So you don't need to be scrambling for last-minute tips. Quit hopping online just to check one more thing, news brief, e-mail, or blog (ahem, okay, except maybe this one).

See how many of the above statements you can make in the coming weeks. It's more about choosing restful sleep than expecting it.

Got some secrets of your own? Send them to me.

Sweet Dreams,

Michael J. Breus, PhD, FAASM
The Sleep Doctor

This article of sleep tips is also available at Dr. Breus's official blog, The Insomnia Blog.

Related Topics:

• Tips for a Good Night's Sleep
• Sleep Disorders: Member Discussion
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Melatonin: Miracle or Mistake?

In this day and age, when sleep rhythms can go haywire at the drop of bad news, questions about sleep aids are a hot topic. They are no longer confined to those who are presumed to have oddball sleep cycles, such as jet setters and shift workers.

I get a lot of questions about melatonin in particular, since many supplement companies and health food stores will tout that melatonin is a "natural" sleeping aid. Given the availability of this supplement today, you'd presume it's safe and effective. But is it really?

What's better, taking a melatonin supplement to help you go to sleep on a crazed Monday night or going for a "PM" version of a pain reliever? Melatonin is a hormone your body produces to help it regulate your sleep-wake cycles, but taking additional melatonin in the form of a supplement isn't as good of an idea as you might think.

• And it's not a regulated drug under the FDA.


• No other hormone is available in the United States without a prescription.


• In Europe, melatonin is only available by prescription.

So here's the 411 on how natural melatonin-the kind produced by your body-works. When the sun sets and darkness sweeps over, a pea-sized structure located deep between the hemispheres of your brain called the pineal gland begins to secrete this hormone-preparing you for bed.

As melatonin levels in the blood rise, you begin to feel less alert and sleep becomes more inviting. Melatonin levels stay elevated for about 12 hours, falling back to low daytime levels by about 9 a.m. Daytime levels of melatonin are barely detectable.

The precise mechanism of melatonin secretion is not well-known. We do know, however, that melatonin isn't just about sleep-wake cycles. It's been shown to:

• Help regulate the female reproductive cycle and may also control the onset of puberty.


• Children who take melatonin can suffer a delay in sexual development. (So never ever give a child a melatonin supplement.)


• Studies have pointed to melatonin's role in regulating blood flow, specifically in constricting coronary arteries.


• It's been suggested that it can increase depression in people prone to the illness.

A hormone with all of these possible effects - even though it's "natural" - isn't something you should be taking without the specific recommendation of your doctor.

Most commercial products are offered at dosages that cause melatonin levels in the blood to rise to much higher levels than are naturally produced in the body. So taking a typical dose (1 to 3 mg) may elevate your blood melatonin levels to 1 to 20 times its normal state. If you take it at the wrong time of day, you may reset your biological clock in an undesirable direction.

How much to take, when to take it, and melatonin's effectiveness, if any, for particular sleep disorders is only beginning to be understood. Remember melatonin is a sleep regulator not a sleep inducer, so it really should not be used as a sleeping pill. In the future, we may find several useful applications of melatonin.

You're better off regulating your own sleep-wake cycles in a genuinely natural way by:

• exposing yourself to light during the day (preferably sunlight),


• engaging in physical activity regularly,


• practicing good sleep hygiene.

Remember: Your body will reset its own internal clock with the proper exposure to light at the right time. (And you shouldn't need a PM formula, either, unless you truly do need an occasional fix for quelling muscle aches or other pains that can prevent you from going to sleep easily. Just don't make this a habit every night.)

Bottom line: better sleep hygiene, better time going to sleep. And better moods the next day. Melatonin, on its own, is not a sleeping pill.

Sweet Dreams,

Michael J. Breus, PhD, FAASM
The Sleep Doctor

This sleep article is also available at Dr. Breus's official blog, The Insomnia Blog.

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Melatonin - How It Affects Sleep
• Sleep Disorders: Member Discussion
• Get the Sleep Well newsletter in your inbox weekly

Foods for Sweet Dreams

Pop Quiz: Which is the better bedtime snack - an oatmeal raisin cookie with milk or another serving of the pasta with meat sauce you ate at dinner?

Answer: Go for the cookie and milk.

It's common knowledge that caffeine and alcohol can ruin a good night's sleep if consumed too close to bedtime. But what about foods? Which ones will keep you up and which ones will work in sync with your dreams of sleep?

Everything you put into your mouth within the hours of bedtime can have an impact, a fact I've talked about numerous times. Even water that you drink can disrupt your sleep, which is why I advocate avoiding all liquids within 90 minutes of bedtime (with the exception of herbal tea during your prep time to calm you down and get you ready for sleep). Ninety minutes is about how long it takes for your body to process liquids.

Dinner needs to incorporate some protein but be on the complex carbohydrate track. Studies have shown that meals high on the glycemic index are ideal since carbohydrate intake may help induce sleep. This is when the timing of the meal is most important. It's best to schedule your dinner about four hours prior to your self-prescribed bedtime.

Why? This gives you plenty of time to metabolize whatever you've eaten that day. Meals that are high in carbohydrates and low-to-medium in protein will help you relax in the evening and set you up for a good night's sleep. Here are some of my favorite sleep-friendly meals:

• pasta with Parmesan cheese (you may want to avoid red, tomato-based sauces since the high acidity can increase the likelihood for reflux)


• scrambled eggs and cheese


• tofu stir-fry with brown rice


• hummus with whole wheat pita bread (as a side to any lean protein dish)


• seafood, pasta, and cottage cheese


• meats and poultry with veggies (especially broccoli, spinach, and artichokes)


• tuna salad sandwich


• chili with beans, not spicy, and with a sweet potato


• sesame seeds (rich in tryptophan - for regulating sleep) sprinkled on salad with tuna chunks, and whole wheat crackers

You may need to sneak in a snack closer to bedtime (about an hour prior), however, if you experience hunger pangs at night. That snack should be from the complex carbohydrate category, like a piece of whole grain toast with a thin spread of natural peanut butter or slice of cheese on top.

The best bedtime snack is one that has both complex carbohydrates and a little protein, plus some calcium. Calcium helps the brain use the tryptophan to manufacture melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods. And by combining carbohydrate together with a small amount of protein, your brain produces serotonin, which is known as the "calming hormone."

The oatmeal raisin cookie and milk beats the pasta for this reason. The pasta can be too heavy and, if spicy or garlicky, can present further problems once you lie down and suddenly feel bloated and acid reflux coming on. Similarly, eating too much protein without accompanying carbohydrates may keep you awake, since protein-rich foods contain the amino acid tyrosine, which perks up the brain.

The trick to eating the ideal bedtime snack is to stick with foods that are high in carbohydrates and calcium, and medium-to-low in protein... BUT avoid heavy carbs that you're bound to overdo, like pastas and rices. Watch your portions before bedtime. Some examples:

• small slice of apple pie and 1 scoop of ice cream (my favorite)


• whole-grain cereal with skim milk (steer clear of the high-sugar cereals)


• hazelnuts and tofu


• oatmeal raisin cookie and a glass of milk


• peanut butter sandwich, ground sesame seeds


• fruit and sour cream or cottage cheese


• whole grain toast topped with 1 small slice of low-fat cheese


• whole wheat crackers topped with mild cheese


• a banana with 1 teaspoon of peanut butter

Bedtime snacks should be consumed about an hour before your actual bedtime, and should be within 200 calories - not more. It takes about an hour for the tryptophan in the foods to reach your brain, so don't wait until right before you hop into bed to have your snack.

Warning: If you are lactose intolerant you should use lactose-free products.

Sweet Dreams,

Michael Breus, PhD
The Sleep Doctor

This sleep article is also available at Dr. Breus's official blog, The Insomnia Blog.

Related Topics:

• WebMD Slideshow: Foods That Help or Harm Your Sleep
• Sleep Disorders: Member Discussion
• Get the Sleep Well newsletter in your inbox weekly

Teens and Troubled Sleep

Photo Credit: Chuck Patch

Any parent of a teenager knows that teens don't keep regular bedtime hours, and it can be a chore to rouse them out of bed in the morning. Why is this the case? Does a preteen need as much sleep as a 15-year-old? Or more? What are the rules of disengagement from the world when it comes to adolescents?

First, let's get one thing straight: Despite the fact sleep is required for life - regardless of age - it's seen as a luxury among many today because it competes with our highly plugged-in society. We live in a virtual world now that steals our attention 24/7. We can, if we choose, work and communicate in the middle of the night through texting, emailing, and blogging to the universe (and that includes kids old enough to engage in such activities). Just a few years ago that wasn't possible. It has changed most everything, including bedtimes.

Shifts in Rhythms, Changes in Bedtimes
What hasn't changed, however, is a human's need to sleep based on a circadian rhythm. Everyone's body clock or circadian "pacemaker" ticks at a different rate, but as you age your pacemaker will speed up or slow down, thus altering how your body responds to that 24-hour cycle. Teenagers typically don't go to bed much before 11 at night (no matter how much you try) due to their rhythm. From the age of about 15 to 25, that pacemaker slows down so a 17-year-old's body usually won't want to go to sleep early or get up early. Sometime during our late 20s the body clock speeds back up again so it matches the 24-hour day.

That said, it helps to realize that problems with sleep actually can start long before a kid turns 13. School-aged children - kids between 5 and 12 years - need 10 to 11 hours of sleep, which doesn't happen in many families. Trouble can set in as school gets more demanding, and life gets busier with sports and other extracurricular and social activities. Kids at this age also become more interested in the very things that steal sleep from adults, such as the television, cell phones, computers (including the Internet), and yes...caffeine products. For example, playing on the computer or watching TV close to bedtime has been associated with bedtime resistance, difficulty falling asleep, anxiety around sleep, and sleeping fewer hours.

What's more, poor sleep can lead to mood swings, behavioral problems like hyperactivity, and cognitive problems that affect their ability to learn in school. This can then continue into a kid's teenage years, when school gets even more demanding and social activities entice an adolescent to choose wakefulness over sleep.

Even though a teenager's biological sleep patterns shift toward later times for both sleeping and waking, they still need about 9 1/4 hours of sleep each night to function best (for some, 8 1/2 hours is sufficient), which doesn't typically jibe with the morning school bell. For this reason, most teens frequently don't get enough sleep and they can struggle with staying awake during classes.

Cutting into a teenager's sleep hygiene is the irregular sleep pattern they keep throughout the week. Very few teens maintain the same exact schedule seven days a week. They prefer to stay up late and sleep in late on the weekends, which can affect their biological clocks and hurt the quality of their sleep during the school week. Teens can also suffer from treatable sleep disorders, such as restless legs syndrome or sleep apnea.

Multiple sleep studies have been done in recent years to look at teen sleep, some of which have revealed surprising findings. A recent study, for example, indicates that the prevalence of insomnia among adolescents is high - and is associated with future physical and psychological problems. That's not something any parent wants to hear. Getting through adolescence is tough enough. What's more, most people don't realize (or appreciate) the fact that its pervasiveness is comparable to that of other major psychiatric disorders such as mood, anxiety, disruptive, and substance use disorders.

A study like this is a call to action. A teen's bout with insomnia may have more serious consequences in the long term as they continue to mature and grow. The brain, for example, does not finish its complete development until one's early to mid twenties. So if a person has insomnia for years through those critical phases of one's physical and psychological development, what does that mean for one's future health?

A lot.

Sleep and health go hand in hand at every age, from young to old. With so many opportunities to engage in wakefulness today, my hope is that people pay more serious attention to their sleep patterns if they don't feel their absolute best day in and day out. This goes for adults and parents of kids who clearly aren't functioning at their best. Bedtimes are important- and not just for kids. As parents, we need to set examples and be open with our kids about the value of sleep. To that end, here are a few pointers:

• Make sufficient sleep a family priority. It's important for the health of all family members.


• Help your adolescent child try to establish regular bedtime routines, creating a quiet and comfortable bedroom. Televisions and computers need to be out of the bedroom and caffeine should not be part of a child's diet. Help your kids prepare for bed by making sure they disengage from stimulating activities at least 30 minutes prior to bedtime. Reading, for example, is much more relaxing and sleep-inducing than emailing or talking on the cell phone.


• Learn to recognize sleep problems. The most common sleep problems in children include difficulty falling asleep, nighttime awakenings, snoring, stalling and resisting going to bed, having trouble breathing, and loud or heavy breathing while sleeping. These sleep problems can be evident in daytime behavior such as being overtired, sleepy or cranky.


• Talk to your child's doctor about sleep - even if your doctor doesn't breach the topic.

The better we help growing, maturing kids learn to balance their disengagement from the world and their wakeful engagements with the world, the better we can, in fact, help them participate in life to the fullest.

Good Night.

Sweet Dreams,

Michael Breus, PhD
The Sleep Doctor

Related Topics:

• Common Sleep Disorders in Teens
• Sleepy Teen? Here’s Why – and What You Can Do
• WebMD Video: Teens and Caffeine
• Sleep Disorders: Member Discussion
• Get the Sleep Well newsletter in your inbox weekly

Why Little Kids Need Big Sleep

Photo Credit: Gareth Saunders

If sleep weren't such a necessity during those tender years, then you wouldn't see babies snoozing most of the day, and you wouldn't have your toddler take afternoon naps so there's a semblance of sanity in the home. We all need sleep as much as we need water and food, but how much is enough? What's the difference between the needs of a baby and that of a toddler or nine-year-old? What are the rules of disengagement from the world when it comes to children under 10?

Shifts in Rhythms, Changes in Bedtimes
One of the most profound changes that occurs in a developing human is the shift in biological rhythms. Everyone's body clock or circadian "pacemaker" ticks at a different rate, but as you age your pacemaker will speed up or slow down, thus altering how your body responds to that 24-hour cycle. Babies don't get a rhythm going until about 6 months of age, at which point they establish a rhythm that matches closely with the 24-hour day. This is explains why newborns maintain irregular sleep schedules. But even once they establish a rhythm and have a regular sleep-wake cycle, sleep remains the dominant theme here as they develop and grow. Sleeping a total of 10.5 to 18 hours around the clock with periods of one to three hours of wakefulness, a newborn's cycle is primarily based on the need to be fed, changed, and nurtured. A lot is going on developmentally and at the cellular level, for which sleep is the ideal environment.

By six months of age, many infants don't need to be fed during the night; 70 to 80 percent will sleep through the night by nine months of age. Infants typically sleep 9 to 12 hours a night and take 30 minute to two-hour naps, one to four times daily. Naps become fewer as they reach their first birthday.

By the age of two, most children have spent more time asleep than awake. A child will spend about 40 percent of his or her childhood asleep. Why? Because it's critical for their development both mentally and physically.

Trouble Beings During Toddler and Preschool Years
Virtually everyone has witnessed the tantrums of toddlerhood. It is during this stage in life when trouble can set in to the achievement of high-quality sleep, which is why napping should be carefully planned so it doesn't occur too close to bedtime. In general, toddlers need about 12 to 14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. By the time they are 18 months old, toddlers nap only once a day for about one to three hours.

As many parents can attest, toddlers' rapidly growing sense of independence coupled with their expanding motor, cognitive, and social skills can make for difficult bedtimes. They may not want to go to bed when they are supposed to, and can also show signs of separation anxiety from mom and dad. Nightmares can also become a common experience, intruding on a toddler's sleep. It helps to remember that a child's imagination is also springing into action at this age, which can further complicate restful sleep. Toddlers who are unusually sleepy and cranky during the day may not be getting enough sleep.

Photo Credit: katrinket

Those between the ages of 3 and 5 typically sleep 11 to 13 hours nightly, and most don't nap after five years of age. As with toddlers, difficulty falling asleep and waking up during the night are common. With further development of their imagination, preschoolers commonly experience nightmares and a general fear of the night. Sleepwalking and sleep terrors peak during these years.

There's nothing more frustrating for a parent than a sleep-deprived child-at any age. Bedtimes are important, and not just for kids. As parents, we need to set examples and be open with our kids about the value of sleep. To that end, here are a few pointers:

• Make sufficient sleep a family priority. It's important for the health of all family members.


• As parents, you need to determine the amount of sleep each family member needs, especially if you have a household with mixed ages, and take steps to ensure individual needs are met.


• Establish regular bedtime routines, creating a quiet and comfortable bedroom. Help your toddlers prepare for bed by making sure they disengage from stimulating activities at least 30 minutes prior to bedtime. Reading, for example, is much more relaxing and sleep-inducing than watching TV.


• Learn to recognize sleep problems. The most common sleep problems in children include difficulty falling asleep, nighttime awakenings, snoring, stalling and resisting going to bed, having trouble breathing, and loud or heavy breathing while sleeping. These sleep problems can be evident in daytime behavior such as being overtired, sleepy or cranky.


• Talk to your child's doctor about sleep - even if your doctor doesn't breach the topic.

Remember: little kids need big sleep. It's during these critical years that they are rapidly developing physically, socially, and psychologically. Sleep plays a huge role in this development and will continue to do so as they get older and learn new things. If they can enter their preteen and teenager years "well-rested," they will be all the more prepared and ready for whatever life brings. Which is sure to get more challenging.

Sweet Dreams,

Michael Breus, PhD
The Sleep Doctor

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Helping Baby Sleep Well
• Baby Sleep Problems: Getting Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night
• Parenting Message Boards
• Get the Sleep Well newsletter in your inbox weekly

Spring Sleep Makeover!

In some parts of the country, winter is still holding down the fort. But for many of us, spring is really right around the corner and soon we'll be embracing the outdoors and welcoming warmer weather. Where I live in Arizona, it is time to break out the flip flops!

Now is also when we start to think about cleaning house literally and figuratively. Attempts to clean out the garage or closets are met with similar attempts to clean up our diets and get ready for shorts and bathing suit season.

I've blogged numerous times about the benefits of sleep on the body, particularly its ability to stay trim and shapely. Around this time of year, those New Year's Resolutions to get more exercise and eat higher quality foods are a thing of the past. Way past. So here's a suggestion:

Stop beating yourself up on what you've failed to accomplish thus far this year, and instead, just put sleep at the top of your priorities and watch what happens!

Sleep - not exercise or diet - is the stronger common denominator to feeling and looking better. Sleep is what will restore you from the inside out. It will boost your immune system, maintain your memory (so you can remember those commitments to getting into shape), and keep certain hormones in balance, including the ones that, when they run amok, will sabotage any efforts to lose weight because you won't be able to keep your hands out of the feedbag.

Imbalanced appetite hormones, for instance, can set the stage for gorging on high-calorie sweets and unhealthy carbs. Yet getting restful sleep can help optimize your body's hormonal system (not to mention prepare your body for burning up those calories throughout your day).

I'll admit, there are a lot of new wrinkles in this year's spring cleaning. The economy has most people on edge. I have no doubts that today's intense stress levels are adversely affecting the quality and quantity of our sleep. Not only do we take our worries to bed with us, fueling insomnia, but we also delay going to bed as we tool around the Internet late at night paying bills or seeking support through others on the Web.

So if you do one thing differently this month, hoping to arrive a little more refreshed and a little less stressed come May, try a sleep makeover:

• Commit to relaxing for at least 30 minutes before bedtime. No internet, no bill paying, no stimulating activities. If worries begin to creep in, write them in a journal, include a To Do list if that helps, and be done with them for the night.



• Go to bed and get up at the same time 7 days a week. Make sure to get the right amount of sleep. For most of us, that's 7 or 8 hours.



• Watch what you eat and drink late in the day and into the evening. Too much caffeine and/or alcohol can disrupt sleep, and so can drinking water that will have you going to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

A little spring cleaning of our sleep hygiene will allow us all to spring forward...and achieve the kind of vibrant health we all dream about year round. For more tips and ideas, see my blog.

Sweet Dreams,

Michael Breus, PhD
The Sleep Doctor

This sleep article is also available at Dr. Breus's blog, The Insomnia Blog.

Related Topics:

• Watch Your Sleep, Watch Your Weight
• Sleep and Obesity Quiz
• Sleep Disorders: Member Discussion
• Get the Sleep Well newsletter in your inbox weekly