How To Sleep: What you Need to Know

How to Sleep

What You Need to Know

. . . about getting a good night’s sleep

by Neil Smith

Neil Smith is a well-respected author and journalist, specializing in natural health and well-being issues. Writing regularly for local and national press, over the last seven years Neil has become increasingly fascinated by how and why we sleep. More particularly, how changes to our sleep patterns can lead to significant improvements in our quality of life.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Part 1: Why We Sleep

Chapter 1: Repairing the Mind

Mental Health

Depression

Anxiety

ADHD and Autism

Memory

Dreams

Chapter 2: Repairing the Body

Physical Health and Sleep

Sleep and Genes

Immune System

Healing

Chapter 3: Repairing the Soul

Sleep and Wellness

Emotions and Sleep

Loneliness

Part 2: Sleep Problems and How to Fix Them

Chapter 4: A Normal Sleep Pattern

Sleep-Wake Disorders

Chapter 5: Insomnia

Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

Chapter 6: Narcolepsy

Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

Chapter 7: Snoring

Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

Chapter 8: Sleep Apnea

Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

Chapter 9: Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder

Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

Chapter 10: Parasomnia

Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

Chapter 11: Restless Leg Syndrome

Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

Chapter 12: REM sleep behavior disorder

Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

Part 3: Sleep Through Time

Chapter 13: The History of Sleep

Chapter 14: Ancient Africa

Tribal Sleeping Techniques

Dreams

Egyptian Sleeping Culture

Egyptian Dream Temples

Chapter 15: Ancient Asia

Ancient China

Ancient India

The Babylonian People

Chapter 16: Ancient Europe

Ancient Greece

The Nordic People

Chapter 17: Ancient America

The Inca People

The Native Americans

Chapter 18: Ancient Australia

Conclusion

References

Image References

Introduction

In recent years, it has become common knowledge that getting enough sleep is crucial for our health and well-being. Sleep, along with a proper diet and appropriate exercise routine, is becoming increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of good health. The many studies done by researchers and sleep scientists show that having a good, restful, and productive sleep is extremely important to the way our body functions, heals and protects itself, not to mention the way we go about our waking lives and interact with others. In fact, it would be fair to say that there are very few things more important to our continued welfare and happiness.

After a good night’s sleep, you should feel refreshed, alert, and ready to face the day, although, it may take a few minutes to fully awaken from a deep slumber. People who have good sleep habits can fall asleep easily and have very few nights where their sleep is disturbed or interrupted. A good night of sleep is not just about the number of hours you spend in bed. A quick search of the internet will tell you that an adult should be getting between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. However, just because you sleep for the right amount of time, does not necessarily mean that to your brain and body are achieving a night of good sleep.

Fragmented sleep can disrupt the normal pattern of sleep phases, resulting in a less fruitful or constructive night of sleep. Even if you get eight hours sleep every night, you may feel foggy or fuddled when you wake due to a light or restless sleep. This means that your sleep cycle is not right, something is preventing your brain from entering the deep sleep and exiting the deep sleep that you need. Our bodies and minds have their own rhythms for sleep, it is biologically ingrained in us to sleep a certain way, but due to the pace, stresses and 24-hour always-on nature of our post-industrial society, we have strayed further and further away from what we naturally need to achieve deep sleep.

Sleep deprivation has been shown to have a negative impact on mood, attention, memory, and overall quality of life. Furthermore, sleep-wake disorders such as insomnia, apnea and narcolepsy have been linked to serious health problems such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. Luckily, it is not all as negative as it sounds. This book will help you understand the necessity of sleep, the problems that occur when sleep goes wrong and how to fix them. We also explore the fascinating history of sleep and how ancient cultures viewed and regarded sleep. Reading through these chapters will give you a greater appreciation of how good quality sleep can benefit and change your life. You will learn how to help yourself get a better night’s sleep, how to identify sleep problems that you may have and how to solve them. Everyone deserves a good night’s sleep!

Part 1: Why We Sleep

Chapter 1: Repairing the Mind

Sleep has historically been understood as a subconscious activity. However, the true purpose of sleep has always been widely debated. We still do not fully comprehend all of the things that happen when we are asleep but scientists and sleep researchers have made huge leaps in our understanding over the last nine or ten years. When you sleep, your mind does a lot of work. While your