1. How much sleep do you typically get each night? Typically, about 6.5 hours. Do you think it's enough? No.
2. If you are not getting enough sleep, what do you think is the cause? Too many things to do and not enough time to do them. Also, if I want to watch the news, I'm up until 11:30, then have to do my getting ready for bed ritual (which includes laying out clothes for the next day), get to bed around 12 or later, then up at 6:30.
3. What healthy sleep habits to you plan to start?Beyond going to bed at 10:30 or earlier, I don't know what else to do. I don't eat for 2 hours before I typically go to bed, but I have yet to get 8 hours of sleep during a weeknight.
4. Have you noticed a connection between your weight or health and how much sleep you get? Most definitely! If I don't get enough sleep, I find that I steadily gain weight. When I have gotten enough sleep in a night, I've lost weight overnight! The lack of sleep also raises my stress levels and make me more irritable and fatigued during the week. I'm hoping the lack of good sleep will go away once I finish my schooling this fall.

Herbal tea is an excellent idea to aid sleep. However, Valerian isn't effective for many people - in fact, it can have the opposite effect! As an herbalist I recommend a tea of passionflower, chamomile, linden, catnip and hops.

I do not sleep the traditional 8 hours per day, it is more like 4-5 hours yet I never feel tired or sleepy the next day. Coincidentally when I do sleep 8 hours or more I tend to be very sluggish and less alert. I just took and passed a major exam which required 12 hours of study per day and I still did my 4-5 hours sleep but I did stick to a pattern of going to bed at the same time every night and waking up the same time every morning. My friends all think that I am a supercharged bunny but I do worry that it will affect me later. However this has always been my sleep pattern and even when I do try to get more sleep it takes me longer to fall asleep so I spend that "quiet time" worrying about everything else.
P.S. I do not drink caffeniated liquids unless I cannot avoid it. I am a tea drinker and at best will drink only herbal teas. Tell me what do you think about this?

At age 49, I have combatted insomnia for the past 11 years. I usually can get to sleep okay and go to bed at the same time, but i wake up frequently and often cannot go back to sleep. I take a cal/mag suppl. before bed or have taken 2000 mg tryptophan. When it gets really awful, i use Ambien which i hate to take. Valerian does not work. Kava kava does not work. I eat well, exercise for 30 minutes daily. It is really frustrating. I have difficulty losing weight and gain easily so watch intake very carefully - mostly whole foods, little sugars.

Thank you for this. I am a terrible sleeper, and wake up several times a night. I have tried Melatonin, but it did not help. My doctor does not think I need the sleep clinic, so I am on my own. I have just started reading- in the living- for an hour before going to bed - I think it is helping. I wear ear plugs, and will now add the eye mask - I have several. I would love to sleep through the night. I am also over weight and am trying your many suggestions, but I think the lack of sleep is my biggest problem. Maybe your suggestions will help I definitley will try them- thank you

I need sleep and plan to use these tactics immeditely. I am 7 months pregnant which has it's own affects on sleep but I will do anything at this point. I've never slept through the night and didn't know this was abnormal. I thought everyone woke up a few times during the night. I had no clue that you are supposed to fall asleep and stay asleep until morning!! I'm yanking my TV out of the bedroom today!

Unfortunately most of us have to work a minimum of eight hours a day. (usually more) Add to that an average drive of thirty minutes back and forth to work. Then even if you spend your weekends cooking healthy food for the week... it still takes time to prepare what you are having for dinner. And packing a healthy breakfast and lunch to take with you the next day. Not to mention trying to fit in some exercise and wind down time in my schedule. And doing the bare essentials of going through my daily mail and phone messages. Do the math! Unless someone has figured out a way to have a 28 hour day... just doing the basics to stay healthy takes more time than is available. Oh... and make sure you get that dinner prepared and eaten within the first forty five minutes you are home from work... or you won't make that three hour window of no eating before bed. Does someone have a magic wand that I don't know about???

Now THIS makes sense!
In the last 7+ yr. sleep has been a BIG problem, (if I get 2 hr. it's a good night), and in the last year and a half I have seen my health literally falling apart as well - Blood Pressure, Glucose, getting larger in the mid section, and upper body even though the scales say the same, secluding myself (maybe depression). All I can say is THANK YOU!
I am going to start some routines and see if it helps, but at least now I feel like I might be able to DO something that will help because so far all the Dr.'s want to do is treat the symptoms - not ONE of them have addressed the fact that I don't sleep!
THANK YOU!

I can't remember the last tiime I had a good night's sleep. I have restless leg syndrome and am constantly changing positions in bed. I've followed all the normal suggestions (no TV in the room, rituals, hot tea, etc.) I would love to find a natural remedy, as the prescription drugs available have some serious side effects and scare me! I'd appreciate any ideas anyone might have. Maybe there's one I haven't heard about yet.

Thanks!

I can't remember the last time I had a good night's sleep--I have restless leg syndrome. I am constantly changing position and moving my legs. There are new drugs available for this condition, however too many side effects that scare me! If anyone has a natural remedy for the condition, I would love to hear about it. I'm willing to try anything at this point. Thanks!

How much sleep do you typically get each night? 5-7 hours

Do you think it's enough? When it's 5, definitely not, and I feel it the next day.

If you are not getting enough sleep, what do you think is the cause? I have long work days. It's tough when you have a hectic schedule to not eat 3 hours prior to bed. I try to get exercise in a lunchtime. Winding down at the end of the day is typically watching a favorite tv program, but then I get energized to clean at night, so I'm wound up before bed!

What healthy sleep habits to you plan to start? I will try to get to bed at a more regular time. Sometimes it's 9:30p, sometimes it's 11:30p, but I'm up by 5am each morning! I'm also going to focus on getting meals in a little earlier, which I've been trying over the last few weeks. Remember, it takes 21 days to form a habit...so I'm getting there!

Have you noticed a connection between your weight or health and how much sleep you get? Most definitely. I've gained about 30 lbs over the last 1 1/2 yrs due to stress and lack of sleep and now it's tough to get it off.

I have to say thank you for such great info. I listened to your Ultrametabolism book on my iPod and was so impressed by your format and knowledge that I bought the book along with your Ultra Simple Diet book. I've been eating organic for a few months now and am starting to eat less gluten products. It's amazing how much better you feel when you understand what's causing you to feel bad! You have great insights and I appreciate the effort you've put into letting the public know what to look for and how to live a healthier lifestyle.

I sometimes dot my shoulders with lavendar oil; it has a relaxing effect that helps me to fall asleep.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea (I was getting absolutely no REM sleep and very little Stage 4 & 5 sleep) and have used a CPAP machine religiously for the last six months. While I do believe I sleep better with the machine, I don't feel better! I still drag through many days....still need a nap many afternoons. I do exercise, although should do more. Have not lost any weight although I only have about 20 extra pounds. I don't use caffeine at all. Recently I've tried liquid melatonin and it really helps.... but I think that I should be feeling a lot better by now. Any suggestions?

My sister has sleep apnea - we're both overweight.......she uses this mask-like device that makes her life a living hell.......she can't go visit without taking this awful contraption - scares her granddaughter - so she doesn't use it when she sleeps over.......
There may be benefit - but in my opinion, it's totally eclipsed by the hideous solution to sleep apnea.......
Maybe they can find a pill - then let me know.

I have the stress of a tax practice, a daughter in college and a son in jail. Had it not been for the great shape I am in by following Dr Hyman's ULTRAMETABOLISM suggestions including good sleep I am sure that I would be overweight or dead. Thanks for the comments on writing down worries. I usually pray in the morning but doing so at night should help too.

Dear Louise:
Make sure that there is ABSOLUTELY no light in the room where you are sleeping when taking melatonin. My wife benefited by getting hormones tested and getting biodentical treatments. Just about one pound per week lost since April using Ultrametabolism & suggestions from Susanne Somers books. Try Ezekial bread products as well.
Blessings

i have known my whole life ive had problems at night. i grew up wetting the bed pretty much every night until i was 23. i now am on medication to control my bladder at night. i also sleep chomatose. i go into a deep sleep but waking up and staying asleep during the night are my problems. during the night i usually get up at least twice during the night. i very rarely get a whole night sleep. this is the way i have been living my whole life and i see in others the difference in sleep and what it can do to a person. i will try and look into going to a sleep lab. id have to ok it with my doctor first i guess though.

I would like to know about the magneseum bath. How is it absorbed through the skin. I was under the impression that nothing can be absorbed through the skin.

I fully agree with everything you've said here. Now we need solution. Since we can't change our days to 28 hrs., I believe that something drastic has to be done in all work places. I believe naps are extremely important as well, but since we don't have a 'siesta' period during the day many people don't have a chance to take one. I think work days should be shortened by an hour each day, for everyone (either that or every place of work should have a rest area for people to take 'catnaps' as needed). I know that while that would sound preposterous for some, eventually something has to be done to help people know that they are not 'lazy' for needing to rest occasionally! We are under tremendous stress to keep up with this faster paced world, and unless something is done both outside and inside the home, we are all going to lose in the end!

I fully agree with everything you've said here, but we need more solutions. Since we can't change our days to 28 hrs., I believe that something drastic has to be done in all work places.

I believe naps are extremely important as well, but since we don't have a 'siesta' period during the day many people don't have a chance to take one. I think work days should be shortened by an hour each day, for everyone (either that or every place of work should have a rest area for people to take 'catnaps' as needed). I know that while that would sound preposterous for some, but productivity lowers and the higher probability of accidents rises when people are exhausted. Eventually something has to be done to help people know that they are not 'lazy' for needing to rest occasionally! We are under tremendous stress to keep up with this faster paced world, and unless something is done both outside and inside the home, we are all going to lose in the end!

This is SO TRUE! I have noticed a huge difference in my health and energy levels, and my memory, based on now getting eight hours of sleep. I have also noticed that the quality of my sleep has improved since I stopped watching the evening news and political shows. My husband uses melatonin suplements to help him sleep, and that works better for him than any prescription or none prescription thing he has tried.

This is exactly what I needed to hear today. I a stay-at-home mom of 2 toddlers and for the past few months my husband has been on night shift and also working overtime. With basically having to handle the house and kids and everything else by myself while my husband works and sleeps, I end up staying up until midnight just to have 'me time'...to read, catch up on e-mails, take a bath, etc. I've noticed that my sleep is not as restful and I wake up more during the night and only getting 5-7 hours a night. AND I'm trying to lose weight but noticing it's difficult since I'm tired during the day, irratable and stressed out. Getting back to a normal sleep pattern is going to be the answer for me. Going to bed within 2 hours of the sun going down and getting up within an hour of when it comes up is probably my best bet, and getting the kids in this routine will be good for them too. I'll now use my 2 hours of 'me time' to relax and sleep. And if my husband can ever get on day shift again that would be the best thing for him. Would you believe me if I said he looks 5 years old than he did six months ago when he started working this night shift?? He has more wrinkles, bags under his eyes, and more aches and pains...just at 35.

I have a very irregular sleep pattern. Some nights I sleep 4-5 hours, others I sleep 7-8, and on the weekends I might get 9-10 or more. I feel like I'm tired and sluggish whether I get 5 or 8 or 10 hours of sleep. I've tried getting into a regular sleep pattern of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, and it just has not worked. No matter how many lists of "things to do" or journals I keep, I am stressed out and usually this is what causes me to lie awake in bed for hours at a time. This affects my daily life, and I used to think it was just one of the pitfalls of being a college student, but it is beginning to take a serious effect on my life as I become an adult.

you are a hack. weight loss occurs when your energy balance is in favor of burning, not consuming. true, while sleeping the energy substrate used is fat, through Kreb's Cycle (electron transport chain), however, getting more sleep does NOT mean that you are burning more calories than you intake. you cannot make a claim that people will loose weight without changing their diet or including exercise, that sleep alone will do it. that statement alone should make you the laughing stock of any and all people associated with health care, exercise science, or physical education. it is a shame that a person like you is capable of plying your trade on the uninformed, and catering to what they want to hear. you shoul be ashamed of yourself.

you are a hack. weight loss occurs when your energy balance is in favor of burning, not consuming. true, while sleeping the energy substrate used is fat, through Kreb's Cycle (electron transport chain), however, getting more sleep does NOT mean that you are burning more calories than you intake. you cannot make a claim that people will loose weight without changing their diet or including exercise, that sleep alone will do it. that statement alone should make you the laughing stock of any and all people associated with health care, exercise science, or physical education. it is a shame that a person like you is capable of plying your trade on the uninformed, and catering to what they want to hear. you shoul be ashamed of yourself.

Dr. Hyman is great!

Dr. Hyman is great!

Aron, you are a hack! First off, Dr. Hyman did say that exercise and nutriton are important. And second, he mostly talked about quality of sleep. Many have sleep disorders such as apnea. Poor quality of sleep raises bp, lowers body temp., causes fatigue, etc. which all can cause one to gain weight.

I don't get any regular amount of sleep. I work three different shifts each week (1 day 11p-7a, 2 days 3p-11p, then 2 days 7a-3p). On the days I switch shifts, I normally get no more than 5 hours in bed, with about 4-4.5 hours of sleep.
Yes, I am overweight and this has gotten worse. I have started trying to get more consistent sleep (not staying up long after I get home, not eating just before I go to bed, etc.)

Hi,

I had the meals delivered for one week and kept with it strictly. I did, however, continue to have one cup of coffee in the morning and one can of diet pepsi during the day. I then continued on my own for two more weeks eating the same as the delivered meals. I have not lost any weight. I work out 4 days a week.

I have done many things to get good sleep. I wear ear plugs, have a dark room, and have a bedtime ritual. But, I still wake up after about 5 hours of sleep no matter when I fall asleep. The worst part of it all, is that I get tired three times a day weather I have sleep or not-10am, 5pm, and 8pm. I have no idea why this is.

Jennifer, my sister had restless leg syndrome for many years. Her doctor said nothing would help. She saw a commercial on tv that was promoting magnesium for restless leg syndrome and was intrigued. She did not buy the product advertised, but saw a calcium and magnesium supplement at Costco and took a chance. It worked immediately.

 Hello, This is Mary

I am 36 years old with 2 toddlers. My youngest just started day care last week- which still feels a little strange. I haven't had this much time to myself in years. First thing I want to do is lose the extra pounds I put on during the last pregnancy. One of the girls next door has suggested I join her walking group two days a week. After my first pregnancy I lost around 35 pounds using the Herbalife products, but when I called the man that sold them to me three years ago he told me this week he doesn't sell them anymore. He told me to look on the internet. It's disappointing because he was really nice and  he called me regularly to make sure I was using their products correctly. It was nice to have someone checking in with me every week to see how I was and it kept me motivated.

I searched on the internet for someone that sells Herbalife in New Jersey. I found many websites but I don't want
just to buy the products, I want to find someone trustworthy that sells the products so I can also meet them and  get started again.

Could anybody here recommend someone in New Brunswick?
.

Thanks, Mary

In order to perform all the activities and meet our schedules in our work such as attending a meeting, we should make sure that we don’t have any illnesses or diseases. Sometimes getting sick lead to poor performance on work as well as you cannot focus on what you’re doing. Getting sick also adds burden on your pocket.  With the rising health care cost, we cannot afford that someone in our family will get sick. Luckily, Walgreens, the prescription megastore, is offering free healthcare to those who qualify for a while. And it seems that it will last the rest of 2009; so what are waiting for, go to your nearest Walgreens that has one of the Take Care clinics that they installed in certain store locations now.  Read more at http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/03/31/walgreens-take-care-clinics/

I have  tried all the things you suggested I have a question. How do you get to sleep when you are in pain. I have 2 bone spurs on my neck that cause pain, what can I do for that?