Unfortunately, this is not what normally happens. Once in bed, we toss and turn; thoughts and events of the day continuously churn in our heads, keeping us wide awake until the wee hours of the morning. Instead of having a restful night, we end up waking up more tired, less rested, and in a foul mood. The new day becomes a continuation of the previous exhausting day, leading to another sleepless night. The cycle goes on until we become insomniacs and sleep deprived, resulting in cumulative stress, low productivity, irritability, bad temper, unhealthy eating habits, obesity, low immunity, possibly depression and poor health.

Sleep is a critical lifestyle practice that requires special care. Adults spend a good third of their life sleeping to repair organs, cells, and injuries; make immune and killer cells; fight pathogens; refuel energy; refresh the brains; rest overworked bodies; regain depleted strength; and unwind bodies and minds.

Sleep is vital for infants, children, and adolescents to grow physically and develop mentally and emotionally. They require more hours of sleep according to their ages than adults. The sick and injured need more hours of sleep and rest than the healthy to help conserve energy for repair.

Though neither emphasized nor observed, guidelines for preparation for bedtime are imperative in order to facilitate hygienic and restful slumber. Let us see what they are and how to practice them in an appropriate manner.

I shall start with the obvious, a nutritious diet. A fit body and balanced brain chemistry are usually a result of a good nutrition and healthy lifestyles. A diet should emphasizes whole fruits, vegetables, and grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fish, poultry, turkey, eggs, good fats (omega 3-6-9), little red meat, and low-fat dairy. These foods offer important nutrients such as the B vitamins, folic acid, magnesium, calcium and triptophan and serotonin to make neurotransmitters to induce restful sleep and relax the body and mind. Multi-vitamins-and-minerals help recover physical and mental equilibrium to regain healthy sleep.

Fatty, fried, and fast foods (the 3Fs) are unhealthy ways of eating that lead to indigestion, thus interfering with good sleep. Transfats (hydrogenated fats), additives, and chemicals in the body can burden the organs (liver, kidneys) with toxins. Refined sugars and carbohydrates and food over consumption can lead to obesity and disease (diabetes), disrupting the body’s equilibrium and thus sleep. Nutrient and emotional imbalances can disturb sleep and result in depression if neglected. Heavy and late meals at night counteract efforts to sleep.

Stress is a leading culprit in interfering with sound sleep. Negative emotions and thoughts, work and mental overload, mental and physical abuse, and continuous nagging hamper night sleep and hurt self-esteem. Physical exhaustion can incur equal damage to body, mind, and sleep. Therefore, it is of a paramount importance to unwind yourself once you are at home. How is that done?

Leave your work and its worries away from home. Relaxation methods (meditation and prayers) and therapeutic exercises (yoga, tai chi) slow down brain waves; diffuse stimulating negative emotions and thoughts; calm racing ideas; and direct the brain toward positive and constructive thinking and self-confidence.

A 30-minute nap, or an afternoon siesta, assists in revitalizing both body and brain and enhances night sleep. A midday snooze, or a power nap, has shown in a Greek and other studies to reduce risk of heart disease as well as boost immunity and overall health; renew energy; refresh memory; improve cognitive functions, performance, and learning skills in the young and old; relieve stress; increase endurance and productivity; and enhance physical and mental reactions. It is also stated in a large British study (Reuters) that sleep deprived individuals “are more than twice as likely to die of heart disease.”

According to Berkeley assistant professor Matthew Walker, “You need to sleep before learning, to prepare the brain [and] to absorb new information.” A nap should be brief and not exceed 30 minutes to give the above benefits. However with sleep deprivation, longer naps can be restorative to both brain and body.

Famous personalities and inventors like Churchill, Einstein, and Edison made a ritual of power napping. The Arabs who brought the culture of siesta to Spain believed in the habit’s restorative and refreshing effects on the brain and the body.

According to Dr. Mao, Chinese medicine recommends a noontime nap, which lowers the incident of heart disease by 30 percent, enhances immunity, and extends longevity.

While regular activity and energizing aerobic exercises induce profound restful sleep, exhaustive exercises and vigorous activities before bedtime can counteract efforts to unwind for sleep.

To drift into deep slumber, you need to follow these bedtime rituals. It is important to keep regular sleeping hours (preferably before midnight); sleep at least seven hours mostly at night; and refrain from eating two hours before going to bed. The last meal should be satisfying but light. Fries, fat, strong spices, smoking, alcohol, caffeine, and stimulants lower quality of sleep. Hunger, too, can cause sleeplessness and headaches. Warm herbal infusions like chamomile, mint, lavender, valerian, passionflower, basil, and anise help relax the body and mind before bedtime.

Water is essential during the day, but not before bedtime to prevent waking up in the middle of the night. You can have a glass of water around five o’clock when you get up for morning prayers. Studies indicated that a high percentage of heart attacks occur between 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. Drinking and eating during these early hours can reduce the risk.

Relaxation techniques before bedtime can help sleep as well as listening to calming music; deep inhalations and exhalations and prayer. Watching violent movies or exciting television shows can be arousing and so do computer games, late work, mental stimulation, and physical activities. A warm bath with lavender oil and a warm cup of chamomile or passion flower can be soothing before bedtime.

Your bedroom should be relaxing and exclusively for sleep with soft lights and minimum noise and empty of clutter. It should be cool and welcoming for sleep. Bed sheets should be clean and smoothed out. Pillows should not be high or hard on the neck; the mattress should be firm but comfortable; and blanket should neither be too thick nor too light. If you are not an early bird, your curtains should have a blackout to block the morning light or wear an eye-patch.

Your sleeping position is a determining factor to restful sleep to prevent tossing and turning or waking up with a stiff neck, a backache, numb limbs, or aching muscles. If you sleep on your back or you are overweight, you will invariably end up snoring, leading to restless sleep for you and your partner. Restless sleep can arise from uncomfortable sleeping positions, mattresses, or pillows, too high or too low temperatures, jetlag, or racing thoughts. Before you decide to take sleeping pills investigate the cause in order to prevent sleep loss and disease. Physical and mental awareness can help you diagnose your problem before it becomes too late. Analyzing the pattern of your sleep and daily activities can help the diagnostic process.

Lack of sleep is a major cause to car crashes and fatal accidents. The Exxon Valdez oil spill happened, because the captain was sleep deprived, which resulted in an ecological disaster due to poor judgment and slow responses.

When sleep is insufficient, one becomes sleepy and tired by mid-morning. Sleep loss has cumulative effects on the brain and body. According to Walker, “sleep is critical,” and “Sleep loss can impair the immune system and brain processes such as learning and memory” […] “The emotional centers of the brain overreact more after sleep deprivation” […] “to negative emotional stimuli.” In labs in 1980s, rats started dying “after just five days” of forced sleep deprivation.

According to Dr. Elliot Friedman of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, “Poor quality sleep and low quality social relationships increase the risk of high levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6),” a chemical that provokes inflammation, an underlying cause of many chronic illnesses like arthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer. Restful sleep and social interaction are two healthy lifestyle practices, which appear to lower IL-6.

Scientists suspect that an underlying cause of lack or disturbed sleep can be physical, emotional, or mental pressure like depression, unhealthy relationships, loss of loved one, physical exhaustion, financial problems, illness, hormone imbalance, alcohol, caffeine, pharmaceutical or recreational drugs, and smoking.

Sleep deprivation is a serious matter that can result in psychological problems and pathological conditions like stress, irritability, anger, depression, diabetes, stroke, blood pressure, heart problems, obesity in children and adults, low immunity, reduced cognitive performance, and even cancer. With sleep loss, the body makes less killer cells to fight cancer.

There are several alternative techniques that can help reverse sleep loss. Some of them are meditation, prayer, biofeedback, relaxation method, massage with calming oils, deep breathing exercises, hypnosis, acupuncture and body cleansing and balance. A vacation, a few days in a spa, or moderate social interaction can renew vitality and invite mental and physical relaxation and sound sleep.

A very recent study done by a branch of the Natural Institute of Health revealed a physiological phenomenon. The subjects in the study were found to have higher blood levels of oxytocin (brain’s calming hormone) immediately after a single session of “light” massage than by a deep tissue massage. However, both kinds demonstrated better results in reducing stress hormones than no massage at all.

Sleep deprivation has become a common disorder in our modern age of rush, challenge, and stress. It is affecting physiological, psychological, and emotional behaviors as well as quality of life, relationships, productivity, and job sustainability.

Make an effort to improve your sleep; don’t become another victim of destructive modern lifestyles!