Sleep Yourself Into Health and Happiness

So many tips to preserve youth and beauty are offered by dietitians, trainers and beauticians. Some of them are useful, indeed. But all of them require effort, time, everyday self-control. Still, there is one pleasant and simple yet totally effective way to stay fresh, healthy and young. It is a good night's sleep.

Doctors of the whole world have to bitterly admit that hardly anybody these days would want to use such a simple and natural method of staying young as long sound sleep. Instead, there are more and more women with dark circles under their eyes, irritable and overstressed, that is women who do not get enough sleep. True, the daily routine can be very dense in tasks of all sorts: personal, work and house-keeping.

The deficit of sleep has become a real silent epidemy. According to World Health Organization, half of the planet sleeps less than a human body requires. On the average, Americans lack for 338 hours of sleep annually, that is almost two weeks.

Ask yourself how many hours of sleep you deprive yourself for the sake of something "more important". Many people think unjustly that not sleeping enough is a norm of life. Even more, sleep is perceived by many as some kind of luxury. Yet it is a vital necessity.

According to the doctors, an adult must sleep at least 8 hours a day. But few people follow this rule. The main rule-breakers are women, and they do it involuntarily.

First of all, such is the way of life. For example, young moms, when they don't get enough sleep, take it for granted. Often women cannot sleep because of hormones, when their level changes significantly. This happens during menstruation or pregnancy or when climax approaches.

Another reason is watching TV at night. Finally, women are worried about unemployment more, and they often do more work at home, depriving themselves of sleep.

It actually seems like people do anything at night but sleep, while good night's sleep can make human lives longer alongside with good food and exercise.

Is there any way to obtain this healthy habit? Yes.

Research shows that chronic loss of sleep speeds up aging, and it is reflected first of all on the face. It also entangles health problems such as heart and digestion issues. This, too, shows up in the appearance. Besides that, because of the lack of sleep, the body makes less hormones which regulate the need for fats and carbohydrates. Then the body gets its nourishment without restrictions, thus heading to obesity.

1. Try to stay in bed for 8 hours at least every night. This is how you can find out how much time exactly you need to get enough sleep. Healthy people sleep all night through.
2. Go to bed and wake up at the same time, even during the weekend. Don't set your inner clock wrong.
3. The bedroom must be dark and quiet. Before you sleep it is good to do something relaxing: yoga for sleep, meditation. If lots of worries knock into your head, imagine them in one big suitcase and leave it behind the door.
4. Don't go to sleep when hungry. It is not good either to stuff yourself before sleep. But if you feel hungry you can take in some milk products, low in fats, or boiled chicken or turkey meat. Bananas are a good remedy both against hunger and for better sleep.
5. Don't get dependant on sleeping pills. Even if your doctor proscribes you those, ask for the pills that only help fall asleep, so that the body and mind only tune on the sleeping wave, and you continue to sleep by inertia on your own.Then the next day your head will be clear.
6. Don't drink coffee, tea or alcohol, don't smoke and avoid physical activity several hours before going to bed.

• Give up watching TV late at night. Many broadcasts can be watched at a different time, and the missed film can be found on a DVD.
• Although many supermarkets are open 24/24, don't go shopping late at night. Train yourself into revising your fridge regularly to avoid an emergency rush. Stock products in advance rather than at the last moment.
• Make it a rule to leave thoughts about work at work. Experience shows that doing your work tasks at home is low in efficiency. But the lack of sleep is guaranteed.
• Stop considering hours of sleep a waste of time. A person who gets enough sleep is more effective during the day than a person who had a white night. Even if you "save" two hours by not sleeping during the night, you will lose in productivity during the day.

Sleep tight and sleep a lot. Sleep as much as you need. And may this Sleeping Buddha help you.