Rest In Peace
We aren’t dead yet, but a lack of sleep could be shedding days, months, years off our lives. So what keeps you up at night? I stumbled upon this article from Real Simple for those of us who are the light-sleeping type and are awoken by noises.
They key piece of advice here is that it isn’t loudness that keeps us awake or wakes us but the suddenness, like a dog barking or a horn honking. Below are a few tips from the article on how to drown out the sounds:
Add white noise: “Background noise is good for two reasons,” says David Neubauer, M.D., associate director of the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, in Baltimore. “It helps block outside noises, like road-repair workers and your neighbor’s stereo. Beyond that, psychologically, it’s soothing.” Try running a fan, an AC window unit, or anything that drones continously.
Plug your ears: Earplugs made of soft foam or moldable silicone, which conform to the shape of the outer ear canal, are inexpensive and easy to use. You can still hear, even well enough to have a conversation, but sound is muffled and unlikely to wake you.
Listen to soft music: Background music has been shown to help improve sleep. In one recent study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, senior citizens in Taiwan who had difficulty sleeping listened to calming music for 45 minutes before bedtime. They subsequently slept significantly longer and more deeply than those who didn’t hear the music.
Sip warm drinks: Chamomile tea works for many people, as does hot milk. “Some teas have mild soporific effects,” says sleep expert Helene Emsellem. “When you warm milk, it releases tryptophan,” an amino acid used by the body to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter believed to promote sleep. “But over time the body can develop an immunity to tryptophan,” she adds, “and its sleep-promoting properties dissipate.”
Personally, sipping warm drinks has always worked for me. The research behind tryptophan, specifically 5-Hydroxytrytophan, is highly encouraging which is why we’ve included 5HTP in the SleepSmart complex. 5HTP has been shown to reduce sleep latency and promote deep sleep.
Be wary of ear plugs, however. I’ve had a few friends try ear plugs and have gotten so used to the feeling of having their ears plugged they can’t sleep without them. Using only when necessary is probably the best way to go with these types of remedies.
Happy sleeping!
