Break the Sleep Disorder Cycle Naturally

Restless nights, exhausted throughout the day, can't stay awake at work or school all seem to be symptoms of one or more of multiple sleep disorders. Of the sleep disorders, the most common are
- insomnia
- restless leg syndrome
- sleep apnea

The aforementioned disorders are the most common which people tend to suffer through with little to no ease. As a result of this, many have ventured towards prescription sleep aids to assist in acquiring a descent nights sleep at best. Unfortunately, the use of these prescriptive medicines could possibly leave you feeling drowsy and still tired throughout the day. Most people don't want to feel this way throughout the day, nor do they want to become dependent upon prescriptive methods. For this reason, many are seeking natural remedies to assist them in finding a pleasant night of slumber.

This author has been subject to two of the three aforementioned sleep disorders, sleep apnea and insomnia. I would go days pacing around the house, frustrated that I could not fall asleep and getting rather upset at my wife, children and dog who would fall asleep so easily which I could not comprehend. When I would finally become so exhausted that I would fall asleep, my wife would eventually wake me up by hitting me across the chest, as my sleep apnea could be so terrible that I would go without breathing for what would seem minutes at end. Of course, anyone who has a sleep disorder understands that once awake, we're awake again with our horrible bout of insomnia. Many have recommended that I use prescriptive medicines, or even the old idea of a warm cup of milk before going to sleep. Hmm, insomnia and lactose intolerant. If I'm going to be up, I don't want to spend the entire night hanging my head over the toilet.

Although I won't say that the following suggestions are the end all be all, I will say that I have found ease falling asleep and waking fully recharged after employing a few of the following techniques:
- Exercise
- Warm Shower
- Meditation
- Write for release
- 30 minutes of activity

As you look at this list, some of you are probably thinking I am out of my mind as some of these you say will wake you up and keep you awake throughout the night. Like many of you, I thought the same way until I decided to try these after determining my cause of not sleeping. To place the cause of all my trouble in one simple word, Stress. Stress, if you take the time to read about, can be both good and bad for a person. Unfortunately, I am one of those strange people who thrive over short deadlines and the stress that develops because of this. I am not one of those individuals who enjoy having something that I cannot accomplish and therefore must wait and allow the slow stress build around me. Take a moment and think about the various stresses you may have in your life. Once you do this, you may not feel better; but you have at least identified the stresses which you are facing.

Once the stresses are identified, now comes the fun (or challenge) of reducing the stress so both your body and mind may relax and allow you to have a good night sleep. Many people find that if they exercise, especially some sort of cardio (walking, jogging, stationary bike, etc.) they are able to relax and push the stress aside. During this period of exercise, you should try to remove any thought from your mind and just allow the exercise itself to take over and clear your mind. Of course, some may also say that they are more awake after that period of exercise, which brings you to the next activity of the warm shower.

A warm shower can be extremely soothing as you allow your muscles to relax while the warm water pulses down upon you. During the warm shower, you should only think about your exercise and how you were able to keep your mind clear. Unfortunately, there are times that while your in that shower you will begin allowing your mind to drift towards the events of the day, the activities of the next day, and all the things which you must accomplish in the short amount of time you have available.

When this begins to take over, I decide it is time to take a few moments of meditation. Meditation, when my mind is beginning to crowd with all of these other thoughts, your crazy you say. This is exactly what you need to do, as many think of mediation in one specific aspect. There are two aspects of meditation that I will challenge you with. There is that one which everyone knows where you are sitting there in a lotus position, a clear mind, not a care in the world, your body preparing to levitate while you catch a fly with a pair of chopsticks. The second is the feeling that you are sitting there and all the thoughts of the activities which you have to do. This is that feeling that the wait of the world is on your shoulders and your looking for some type of release as you are beginning to become further stressed. This second set of meditation can be useful should you channel all of those thoughts, activities and stress to one specific area, a pad of paper.

Next to my bed I sleep with a pad of paper and pen. This pad of paper and pen is the tomorrow list. The tomorrow list exists so that as a thought crosses my mind I will write it on a list and tell myself I will deal with it when I wake up the next morning. Now this takes a little bit of practice, because you have to tell yourself that you can deal with that specific issue the next morning and believe that it can wait until then. I know that if I put something on that list, I can clear it out of my mind until the next morning. If when I lay down and the thought comes back, I sit back up and write further everything associated with that idea that is keeping me awake. I will elaborate in as much detail so I know that I have dismissed it all and will deal with it when I wake up the next morning. This seems like an extremely simple technique, but a technique that I will swear by as this technique has allowed me to gain some great nights of sleeping. Now when I am awake in the evening, and my wife wakes up she immediately asks if I have written my thoughts down. Amazing that after I am finally done writing I am able to fall asleep.

There still remains the challenge that after you have applied all the following, you still cannot sleep. I know, because I have been there as well. When this happens, I will get up and either watch television for thirty minutes, or read for thirty minutes. After those thirty minutes, I will write down any new thoughts and lay down for ten to fifteen minutes. If after those ten to fifteen minutes I cannot fall asleep, I will spend thirty more minutes trying those activities again with the hope of falling asleep soon after. Usually after a few iterations, I am able to fall asleep. If not, what is the worse that can happen, another sleepless night..we have all been there already.

The order of the five specific techniques are not relevant if you are able to skip one or two and find yourself in slumber. The important thing is that you are able to sleep. Whether you believe in what was written or not, try it. What is the worse that can happen, you fall asleep! Sweet Dreams!