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

Nappuccino please, extra foam!

One Nappuccino please. An afternoon one, no longer than 20-30 minutes.
I come from a long line of nappers. My mother is from the deep South and when I was little, we used to go there to visit my grandmother. EVERYONE there would take a nap from noon to 2. Businesses closed down, traffic was non existence and no one came to visit because without air conditioning, everyone tried to wait out the afternoon heat. My grandmother and great aunt would carefully take off their cotton summer dresses, and wearing their white dress slips, stretch out on their beds trying to catch a breeze from the table top metal fans. It was a quiet, soothing time to unwind and de-stress, at least for anyone over the age of 20; it was pure torture for anyone younger. 2 hours, an eternity, a lifetime, to wander around the house and wait for the world to start up again.


There are 2 types of optimum naps. The first one is 20-30 minutes long, which is just enough time, for a 'pick me up' to get you through the rest of the day, Any longer than that and you fall into deep sleep and then into a 'REM' cycle , where you start dreaming. A REM cycle occurs every 90-120 minutes of sleep and can last from 5 to 45 minutes. Either nap short enough not to go into REM, or nap long enough to go through a complete cycle. Waking up in the middle will cause you to feel 'groggy' almost like a sleep hangover.


Think napping is a waste of time? That nothing productive can come from it? Tell that to some of the most famous nappers, Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison. And in our own time, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, slackers both!


There has been debate of which comes first, getting sleepy around midday and your body temperature drops or maybe it's the other way around, your body temperature drops and that causes you to seek sleep. The best way to remember the optimum length is ' 40 winks.' Just long enough to give you a power nap. 40 winks to remind yourself that the world can carry on without you and for you to retreat into the bliss of your unconsciousness, and give your mind and thoughts a rest, a break from it all, to come back to awareness with a clearer vision and refreshed enough to handle whatever else comes your way.


So flip the fan on, feel the cool breeze on your face and take a nap, cat!

SleepCompass.com Jane

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

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

Ah, you can PRETEND! Work with me here-
This is a GREAT DVD, I brought it to 2 different friends homes, hit 'play' and asked them what they thought. Well... I had to wake them up first!
I'm chattering away, trying out the 'mood music' or just using the fireplace sounds and when I turned to look, they were asleep! There IS something that is so comforting about fire, I think it is in our DNA.
Fire equals-

• Safety from predators-
• Hot dogs and S'mores anyone?
• Warmth when you're cold-

One thing I miss in south Florida is having a fireplace, although even when I lived up north, I was lousy at getting a fire started. This saves me all the hassle. (hint -place a space heater next to you!) Try keeping your eyes open or even focused when watching the flames dance around the screen. Buying this at Christmas, I got the demo the store was using, they were all sold out!

Have a glass of wine or hot chocolate, listen to either just the fire crackling or Nat Cole and treat yourself to the bliss of feeling peaceful, safe and warm.

Sweet Dreams! Jane SleepCompass.com

Stormy Weather-

Being in the middle of hurricane season and having a tropical storm headed my way, made me think- are there any advantages to sleeping now?

Team Advantage:

1. It's dark outside at the crack of noon. That's a big change from the bright Florida sun!
   
2. It's cooler outside at the crack of noon. (See above )
   
3. You never sleep alone because all of your cats and dogs and birds and hermit crabs are somewhere in the bedroom with you. (helpful hint, keep the crab in the cage!)
4. You CAN sleep in because so many businesses and schools are closed. Although being in the medical field all my life means either being at the hospital for hours on end or on call.
5. Ever wonder why they call rainy weather 'good sleeping' weather? Decreased pressure = decreased oxygen in the blood. Our bodies make us sleepy to keep us from expending energy. Traveling from Florida to the higher altitude of Santa Fe, New Mexico made me incredible sleepy along with giving me a headache that lasted for days. Beautiful state, but half awake until my body adjusted to the change.

Team Disadvantage:

1. Charlie!


2. Frances!


3. Jean!


4. Wilma!
   
5. ANDREW!!! No electricity, means no air conditioning, no ice, no cooked food, no TV, no computer, and for me, no roof!
   
   Right now, it's Team Advantage, with it being cooler outside and surrounded by a wagon train of cats, but check on me in a couple of days after Fay passes through!
   

1. Sleep tight! SleepCompass.com Jane

Does drinking coffee do this to you?

I Have Friends (Hello Nancy!) that keeps Starbucks in the black and Juan Valdez with his rich Columbian beans in a 401 K. And they NEVER look like this! This is an actual photo of me at noon after working my night shift in the Sleep Lab. That 12 o'clock sun can be murder on the eyes, to a night owl like me! It is light that sets our circadian rhythm and lets us know when it is appropriate to go to the bank or post office (10pm is a no-no, the alarm system frowns on you pressing your face against the glass) and it's the absence of light that produces melatonin that signals us to sleep, hence my candid photo.

Decreases in melatonin production has non funny side effects, such as increasing the risk of breast cancer, by % 50 in women who are late shift workers. Article after article tells us to get 8 hours of sleep AT NIGHT, but what if you can't? Here are some suggestions if you have to sleep during the day-

1. 
   
   Keep the room as dark as possible. Obvious, but sometimes overlooked.
2. 
   
   Keep it as cool as possible. Remember, temperature and light are the 2 things that induce sleep
3. 
   
   Remind everyone to only call if it's an emergency! I turn the house phone off in the bedroom and keep my cell next to the bed. I have family and friends who are very considerate of this, so I am lucky.
4. 
   
   Have a little something in your stomach. You'd be surprised how often hunger can wake you up. And I'm NOT talking platters of Taco Bell here, no matter how much I love the stuff! Half a peanut butter sandwich, some eggs, turkey...a little protein goes a long way although a lot of people recommend complex carbs.
5. 
   
   White noise is a must. I have 2 fans going and that seems to block out any street or neighborhood noise. I have a lot of patients who bring in white noise machines to the sleep lab.

Unfortunately, I am now so conditioned to fall asleep when I hear a box fan running, I am a danger to myself in the fan aisle of Wal-Mart!

No matter what time of day OR night is your usual sleep routine, keep these tips in mind to get the best sleep that you can.

Sweet Dreams- Jane SleepCompass.Com

Secret to becoming Happier? Only $6.95!

Want to learn how to make your life simpler, become more happy, get more productive? Sure you do! Leo Babauta's new E-book is here, 'Zen habits-Handbook for Life'

Starting in early 2007, with no readers and no idea how to blog, Leo Babauta's 'Zen Habits' website has been named 'Best overall Blog' in 2007 Performancing Blog Awards and now has a readership of over 64,000! Zen Habits covers: achieving goals, productivity, being organized, motivation,



simplifying, living frugal, parenting, happiness, and successfully implementing good habits among other things.

Composed of essential Zen Habits articles gathered in an e-book format, (and easily printable) 'Zen habits- Handbook for Life' allows you the joy of having the best of Leo's advice, view points and life experiences.

The book is divided into 3 sections:

Section 1: Simplicity
Decluttering
Single-tasking
Edit Your Commitments
Eiminate All But the Essentials
Don’t Do Everything on Your To-do List
The Art of Doing Nothing
Declutter Your Mind
72 Simplicity Tips
Eat Slower

Section 2: Productivity
Purpose Your Day: Most Important Tasks
Focus on the Big Rocks
Clear Out Your Inbox
Clear Your Desk
Become an Early Riser
Become Motivated When You’re in a Slump
Make the Most of Your Laziest Days
Decompress After High Stress

Section 3: Happiness
Cultivate Compassion in Your Life
Escape Materialism
Practical Tips for Living the Golden Rule
Accept Criticism With Grace and Appreciation
Have Faith in Humanity, and Restore Kindness
Boost Your Self-Confidence
Live Your Life Consciously

Leo's book takes you through all of these sections, step by step, in an easy to read layout that shows you how to achieve these goals. Not just 'great ideas', these are Leo's own steps he used to transform his life.

I LOVE 'how-to' books on transforming your life and one with a money back guarantee? Can't get any better than that!

'Zen habits-Handbook for Life' is a present to give not only to yourself, but anyone else on your gift giving list!

Pleasant Dreams- Jane SleepCompass.com

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

Leaving on a Jet Plane....

I had an interesting phone conversation with a very successful business executive. We were trying to set up another phone conference and I asked him if Sunday night after 7 pm was too late to call.
'Are you kidding? he said 'I answer my phone 24/7! My secretary is flying back from China the night before and I live on both coasts of the country. I'm always up!'
Wrong thing to say to someone who's life calling is teaching good sleep habits to people.
'That's NOT healthy', I told him, 'Everyone needs uninterrupted sleep.'
'I know, I know, I take 2 weeks off consecutively a year for vacation. That's when I sleep.'

Sigh. I know with being in different time zones, it's not easy to know night from day. Here are some traveling tips most experts agree on-

1. Stay well rested, BEFORE you travel. Wearing yourself down and trying to 'catch-up' on the trip doesn't work.
2. Stay hydrated. Rule of thumb- 8 oz of water per hour of traveling time. This is especially true on long or overseas flights. All that water drinking (NOT caffeinated beverages, they dehydrate you)has another benefit. Those multiple trips to the bathroom help with the circulation in your legs! This helps cut down on the risk of blood clots forming from sitting so long.
3. Set your schedule to your new time zone. Even if your body says it's ready for dinner and it's breakfast time where you are, eat those eggs and waffles.
4. Sunlight is the best way to reset your circadian rhythm, which is basically your body's clock. Take a walk outside, sit in the sun, or eat outside if possible. If you HAVE to take a nap, don't make it any longer than 20-30 minutes. Otherwise, you will go into REM or dreaming sleep and will wake -up with a 'sleep hangover.'

Combine jet lag with sleep debt and you are really setting yourself up for misery. Sleep debt is defined as our specific daily sleep requirement. It varies per individual, but in general is between 7-8 hours. The amount of sleep our body needs minus the actual amount it is receiving equals = sleep debt.
Sleep debt does not 'go away' or spontaneously decrease on it's own. The only way to decrease it is to get the extra sleep you need. Sleep IS essential, 'putting it off' is a dangerous habit modern society has embraced. Normal drowsiness and the intense desire to sleep is enough to cause most people to got to bed early or sleep late to erase this debt. Not listening to your bodies need for sleep can create a dangerous situation. Excessive daytime sleepiness and sleep deprivation causes us to make mistakes both on the job and in judgement. Increased chance of auto accidents is the most obvious, along with some that aren't as apparent at first. This debt creates a tremulous strain on our bodies in it's ability to regenerate, refresh and restore itself .

Think that you really are more productive on less sleep? Sleep on this-
William C. Dement MD PhD the founder of the Sleep Research Center, the world's first sleep laboratory, at Stanford University, states-
'A recent survey of Stanford undergraduates revealed that their number one complaint was not getting enough sleep! A validation of this complaint was heard from the lips of a well known alumnus, Tiger Woods, who said that one of the best things about his choice to leave Stanford for the professional golf circuit was that he could now get enough sleep!'

And we all know how well HE'S done on a good night's sleep!

• 
  NightWave Sleep Assistant helps people fall asleep more easily.
  


• 
  For people who experience common insomnia due to stress, restless thoughts, feelings of agitation, or jet lab.
  


• 
  Silent, completely natural, non-invasive, and requires no headphones, wires or masks.
  


• 
  Less expensive, less risky, and more supportive of overall health than prescription medications.
  


• 
  Safe and effective for all ages.
  
  
  
  

SleepCompass.com Jane