Do it Anyway!

For all of us who have experienced sleepless nights due to concerns over life issues or have a busy mind that won’t stop rethinking the days events or even worry about the future in these uncertain times. Perhaps reading these words will inspire us to “do it anyway”,  to have faith in the face of uneasiness, uncertainty, and adversity. It is during that "feel good" zone that we are propelled forward and in doing so,  allow ourselves to relax and rejuvenate by enjoying the 'Gift of Sleep'. 

The Paradoxical Commandments – (have you heard of them?) was originally  written in 1968 by a then 19 year old sophomore at Harvard College. His name… Kent M. Keith. Since then, it has made it’s way around the world and has been re-written by others.

Mother Teresa, or one of her co-workers, put the Paradoxical Commandments up on the wall of Mother Teresa’s children’s home in Calcutta and this was reported in a book. As a result of that book, people have attributed the Paradoxical Commandments to Mother Teresa. The original had 10 commandments but the version circulating around the web connected with Mother Teresa is named “ The Final Analysis” because of the last two lines. One example of that version:

1. People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

2. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

3. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true  friends; succeed anyway.

4. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

5. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

6. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

7. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

8. Give the world your best anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

       The original, written by Kent M. Keith, goes as follows: 
               "Paradoxical Commandments of Leadership:"

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.

2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

6. The biggest men with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.

7. People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

9. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.

10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.


Visit Kent Keith's website at  http://www.kentmkeith.com/

Wishing everyone The Gift Of Sleep - Nancy

Photo by R.A.H.

HOT FLASH!!!

If you've had one, there's no mistaking; it's sudden and intense! The flash usually affects your upper body and face, perhaps preceded or accompanied by a number of disruptive symptoms such as rapid heartbeat and sweating, anxiety, or headache. The flash is followed by a flush, leaving you reddened and perspiring and there is no way to hide it. You can have a soaker (UGH!), or merely a moist upper lip or forehead (that's enough). A chill can lead off the episode or be the grand finale (sweater off - sweater on???).

Hot flashes and sweats are common among woman transitioning from perimenopause into menopause (30's-50's age group)... blame it on changes in hormones, not "who turned off the air conditioning?!".
The hypothalamus which is sometimes referred to as the body's "thermostat", is the part of the brain responsible for controlling your sleep cycles and body temperature. Somehow the drop in estrogen confuses the hypothalamus and makes it read "TOO HOT!". The body's confused response... "get rid of the heat". Your heart pumps faster, the blood vessels in your skin dilate to circulate more blood to radiate off the heat, and your sweat glands release sweat to cool you off - soaking sweat followed by a chill... miserable!
When these symptoms occur at night, it may result in chronic insomnia and reduced quality of life.
Some natural remedies:
1. Follow the sleep tips we've outline on the SleepCompass website. These tips will certainly get you started.
2. Two tablespoons of Flax seed sprinkled on cereal or yogurt. Some research by the Mayo Clinic suggest flax seed helps reduce the number and intensity of hot flashes.
3. Hot flashes deplete the body of B vitamins, vitamin C, and magnesium and potassium. Consider increasing the intake of these and don't forget calcium too (consult your physician first).
4. Avoid (as much as possible) triggers such as spicy foods, alcohol, sugar, hot drinks, and hot weather. Reduce stress with yoga, meditation, visualization and prayer. Evaluate the quality of your sheets.
5. Exercise helps to relieve hot flashes by lowering the amount of LH (luteinising hormone) that when released, are related to the initiation of hot flashes. Also, exercising raises endorphine levels which drop during a hot flash. Just 20 minutes three times a week can significantly reduce hot flashes.
6. Slow abdominal breathing 6-8 breaths per minute, can bring about a 40% decrease in frequency of hot flashes according to two research psychologist from Wayne State university. Use this technique 15 minutes twice a day and when you feel a hot flash coming on.
There are a number of herbs to help reduce or even eliminate hot flashes and in turn address insomnia and fragmented sleep at night. BEFORE you embark on an herb or supplemental regime, consult your physician!
For more information on this topic visit: Dr. Christiane Northup M.D.
SleepCompass.com - Nancy

Riding The NightWave...

So you've been surfing the Internet for hours and suddenly, you realize-"I HAVE TO GET UP IN THE MORNING!" Which means-"I HAVE TO GET SOME SLEEP!" How do you calm a mind racing with thoughts?
Catch a 'NIGHTWAVE!' There are so many good things about this gadget, let's use bullet points!

• it's so small, it fits in the palm of your hand!
• it only has 1 button, no fumbling for controls
• it has more than one mode for sleep

But don't take only my word on it, listen to what our friend Milton, who is a retired RN, has to say-
"I received the NightWave from a friend and I have been using it for just over week. I have had great difficulty in falling asleep - busy mind, etc. But with NightWave, after a seven minute session, it is uncanny - now I fall asleep as soon as the light goes off. Incredible device and invaluable to me. I will recommend it to others, Thank you. Milton."

The holidays are coming, remember the people on your lists who have everything BUT a good night's sleep!

NightWave Sleep Assistant sits on your bedstand and guides you in a special pre-sleep relaxation session in the privacy of your own bedroom. It is the first sleep-assisting device that silently helps the user adjust his or her breathing rhythm to a pattern that delivers relaxation and ultimately natural rest and recuperation. How it works : NightWave Sleep Assistant projects a soft blue light into your darkened bedroom. The soft "luminance" of the light slowly rises and falls. Lie with eyes open and synchronize your breathing with the blue wave as its movement becomes slower and slower. After a short time, you roll over and fall asleep and NightWave Sleep Assistant shuts off. And best of all, the soft light does not disturb others.

Sweet Dreams, SleepCompass JANE

The Watermelon Factor

It’s summertime and the heat is on! One of my favorite foods to eat during these hot days of summer is watermelon. It’s juicy, refreshing, thirst quenching and low in calories since it’s 92% water (Weigth Watcher’s pick of the season)!

I was reading one of my favorite magazines only to discover the melon that I take such pleasure in eating is really good for my health! Did you know that the cool and delicious watermelon is filled with great nutritional value for the body?

In fact it may even help to promote the magnificent state of… sleep! I had no idea that it has the highest concentration of Lycopene compared to other fruits and veggies. Lycopene, in a nutshell, is an anitoxidant that we’ve all heard and read about which helps to prevent the formation of harmful free radicals that destroy cell membranes.

Much to my delight I learned that among other nutrients, watermelon is high in vitamin B6 used in manufacturing brain chemicals such as:

1. Serotonin

2. Melatonin

3. Dopamine

These neurotransmitters help the body cope with anxiety, panic, and stress and when the levels rise at night, the brain may be less sensitive to disruptive stimuli during sleep.

By eating watermelon, this nutrient filled melon, I can help to increase the levels of serotonin, melatonin and dopamine.

Who would have thought that watermelon is jammed with valuable and calming nutrients which just may play a roll in helping me relaxed and journey effortlessly into dreamland.

For more information on the wonders of the watermelon visit the following site: http://www.watermelon.org/

Discover the Gift of Sleep – sleepcompass.com - Nancy

Feng Shui and your Bedroom...

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice originating in the Taoist philosophy which concentrates on creating a living space that give way to a harmonious mind and body.

“Chi” is a Chinese word that translates as “life energy” and has two essential qualities – yang (energizing) and yin (passive) . It’s very important to create a balanced and relaxed atmosphere in the bedroom to induce a blissful nights sleep, and harmonizing these two energetic patterns best does this.


It is well known that visual effects impacts our mind faster; color, cleanliness and furniture to name a few. As you enter your bedroom ( or home for that matter), take a deep breath, exhale and survey your bedroom. How do you feel? Is it conducive to relaxation or do you feel tense?

Below are just a few simple changes we can make to create the calm setting, which just might help remedy insomnia… it can only help.


1.Clutter: This is perhaps the most important and first cost free thing you should tackle. The bedroom is a place for sleep so look around and see what should not be there. Hint: television, work papers, computer, clothes thrown on a chair, bills, hamper. You get the idea. If you must have a TV and computer in your room then cover these before bed. REMEMBER: A clutter room makes a clutter mind.


2.Color: Pastels in blue or green and neutral colors are best in this room. Avoid colors such as red, bright yellow, stark white and busy patterns. Do invest in quality sheets and pillows.


3.Artwork: This should reflect a restful theme. For example a sunset or the calm ocean; anything that bring the thought or memory of comfort. Nothing visually bright and busy since this might be stimulating rather than calming .


4.Furniture: Only what is necessary and in balance; equal on both sides of the bed. How comfortable is your bed? Is it time for a new one?


5. Bed placement: Feng shui principles say that the foot of the bed should not be in direct line with the door, but rather that one can see the door and who enters the room.

6.Mirrors: Mirrors in the room tend to cause “Chi” to bounce off the mirrors creating a room with too much stimulating energy.

There are many who believe Feng Shui is all hype and I say that you should judge for yourself. The best part is that the remedies listed above, and there are many more, work with your mind and body to gradually retrain you to relax and relieve stress in preparation for sleep. Try it…you have much sleep to gain.
“ 101 Feng Shui Tips for your Home” authored by Richard Webster is a wonderful book to help get you started.



SleepCompass Nancy

What Happens In Deep Sleep?

We know that there are stages of sleep and the deepest stage is Delta sleep, when the body restores itself and growth hormones are released. This typically occurs in the first few hours of sleep. If you’re a sleep technologist you will see that the brain waves slow and the body seems to show a normalizing of oxygen levels in the blood, heart rate and we see rhythmic breathing.

Is this the time when my soul leaves the body in good hands, resting in bed and connects with other dimensions that give way to spiritual wisdom, knowledge and enlightment? Perhaps it is when I get answers to the questions that run through my mind during waking hours. Or…could it be that this is a time when my soul simply connects with other souls?

When I think of spirituality I tend to think in terms of personal growth and enlightment; we are spirtual beings having a human experience. How often have you heard that phrase? Now back to Delta sleep, spirituality and yet another question…is it possible that the soul might seek and find wisdom and knowledge that goes beyond personal growth and enlightment, but instead inspiration and insight to help humanity?

I believe we are indeed spiritual beings having a human experience and having said that, it is quite possible that when my BODY is being restored my spirit/soul is free to explore and restore. If I am to believe this to be so, then these experiences which occur during Delta sleep are not likely to be recalled during the day. They might appear to me as yes, inspiration or insight during the waking hours.

We dream during REM sleep which I believe is how we process events of the day, conflicts or even pleasant events, but in contrast Delta sleep is deep, allowing us to restore the body and while the vehicle is resting, the soul is restoring in what may be the only way it knows.

One more question… could “Déjà Vu” , which some of us often experience but can’t quite recall why this experience feels familiar, be what we have gleamed during our soul exploration in deep sleep? Next time you have a Déjà Vu experience perhaps it’s a spiritual experience your soul is remembering while you were in deep sleep.

Sleep is important to the body and soul on many levels. It is indeed a gift to behold and preparation for sleep is a ritual of sorts, routine if you will just as a child takes comfort in routine, schedules, and the preparation for bedtime. Adults who do the same may experience bedtime as something to look forward to each night not only for rest but possibly for deep sleep soul exploration that one can only imagine. Sleep well!

'Discover the Gift Of Sleep'-SleepCompass.com Nancy