Top of the day to you!

I have had a few folks mention that they were getting more than 1 e-mail message a week. So before I go on any further, let me just share with you the strategy with your weekly messages.

1) The last Sunday of the month you will receive a short article and all the other Sundays you will receive a Recipe.

2) Each Tuesday there will be a notice about our Women's Entrepreneurial Boot Camp in Miami Beach, FL, and

3) Once a month we do a tele-seminar, which is the last week of the month, and you will receive a notice on that subject on Saturday, Monday and Thursday!

Now that we got that out of the way, let me share with you about a good night's sleep! I did a tele-seminar a few months back on REST and I had, in my experience, the Best physician, Ronald Cridland, M.D. on the show on that subject. It was a hit! Let me recap some highlights.

We could easily divide our 24 hours into 3 groups of 8 hours. 8 hours work; 8 hours free time to do as one pleases and 8 hours sleep/rest! And I say Sleep/Rest, as they are two entirely different entities.

SLEEP is the condition to where consciousness has ceased where as REST is the period of inactivity where the body regroups some of it's expended energy and there could be 4 kinds of rest mentioned here.

1. Physical Rest is where we just sit or lay down for a bit to relax.
2. Mental Rest is where we detach the mind from any and all intellectual activity!
3. Sensory Rest is where we engage in just being quiet without using our eyes, as we use up a lot of energy with our eyes. We will always hear things even when we are asleep, but not be conscious of it.
4. Emotional Rest where we withdraw for and interaction in the ups and down's of life. Basically Rest is the ceasing of all ways of using up our energy which allows the body to redirect its energy to restoration.

Now without SLEEP, we would eventually die in misery in a very short amount of time. Sleep soothes and rests the muscles, nerves and brain which is one of our best natural rejuvenators. When we sleep it's at that time we regenerate, repair and prepares us for new activity. Without Nerve Energy, the Brain and body would be functionless. Vitality could be defined largely as NERVE ENERGY. This NERVE ENERGY is to humans what the battery is to the automobile. It's the Spark of our Existence. It is every bit as important to our health as all the other things we discussed so far for example, air, water, food, sunshine, attitude all of which will assist us in staying well for life.

So the real purpose of sleep and rest is to regenerate nerve energy. There are several ways our body gets its energy, three of which are REST/SLEEP/ NUTRITION and EXERCISE (Mitochondria)! But let's talk about the rest/sleep portion of our lives, when we are sleeping, it's during that time when there are several other things that are going on in the body that are not nearly as prevalent as when we are awake

For example the body is repairing cells, digesting and assimilating food we ate that day! It's healing tissues and organs; making new cells; replenishing cells with fuel; eliminating wastes to the proper channels…our muscles tense; our pulse rate, blood pressure, body temperature all rise and fall; we become sexually aroused; and many other activities are in place. Only part of the brain is asleep, but it's at this time when all those other things I just mentioned that are going on in the body via the nervous system. We all have anywhere from 75-100 trillion cells in our body that is entirely governed and connected to the brain. So it's at this time the brain gets the most regeneration of its nerve energy.

One of the reasons why we are having so much stress in our lives is we are not allowing the body to take care of itself. The rest of our days depends upon the rest of our nights. By the way, notice how important sleep/rest really is to the body…if we don't get enough of it, we just conk out so to speak, the body takes it whether we like it or not. One of the best forms of torture in concentration camps is keeping people away by slapping them and throwing water on them until they just crack and start talking without much conscious effort.

NOW HOW MUCH REST/SLEEP TO WE NEED: Well the bottom line is to sleep when you're sleepy! Different conditions require different amounts of sleep to recuperate the energy the body needs and that it just used up. Here is my feeling about this whole subject, The longer we are awake, the more energy we use up and the less we sleep, the less energy we produce/generate!

All cultures take a nap every day. I've been in 23 countries and they all shut down for a certain amount of time to let the workers take a nap and play games. When I was in Japan I used to go out with them to do their exercise routine and bounce the ball around. And they all shut done for the nap.

In Mexico they call it a Siesta. In the Philippines and Guam and Panama and well it seems that the US is the only culture who thinks it's a waste of time. When I was in Japan, talk about the entire Naval Base shut down. In Aruba, every one of the stores shut down for the Nap Time in the afternoon and people talk about it with praise.

HERE ARE SOME THINGS TO OBSERVE ABOUT SLEEP AS A WHOLE.

• The more comfortable the body is physically in bed the more favorable to a deeper the phase of sleep. Sound sleep is the objective.
• The better the blood circulates, the more apt top get a good nights' sleep and then the great restorative, regenerative and eliminative powers take over!
• The better ventilation in the room where we sleep the sounder the sleep.
• The ideal temperature of the air we breathe throughout the night should be from 65 – 70 degrees.
• Those who eat excessive cooked foods and animal products always require more sleep as they have more poisons to eliminate from their bodies.
• Do not drink before going to bed. It wears on your kidneys and other eliminative organs more than it needs.
• The last meal of the day should be about 4-5 hours before retiring.
• Light interferes with sleep.
• A NAP is usually about an hour or less.
• Foul odors disturb sleep. Pleasant smells in the room from open windows really add to a deep sleep.
• Comfortable mattresses are best. Not hard surfaces. If that was so then why don't we just sleep on concrete slabs? We need to have a comfortable mattress which brings me to:

THE BEST BEDDING TO USE: White linens are best and are the most porous of all cloth. But they're also very expensive, so the next best is white COTTON. At all times the best fiber next to your body should be cotton. It breathes very well because of its porous properties and absorbent ability. It also has a great heat retention capacity. Outdoor Sleepers in cooler climates can use wool blankets but should have some cotton pajamas or underwear next to the skin. Goose down comforters are also excellent.

NOW ABOUT THE PILLOWS: there are several good pillows. I have one I got from my Chiropractor and I bought everyone in my family one last year for Christmas. They cost a little over $100.00, but since I spend 1/3 of my life in bed, I want the best. Now Goose down pillows are also very good with a cotton covering then of course your cotton pillow case. The main reason for a pillow is to keep your head comfortably elevated to allow air to circulate under your head.

NOW ABOUT THE MATTRESS: Obviously the mattress has a lot to do with the quality of your sleep. We know that the ideal sleeping conditions are in a relatively weightless condition. But the real thing to be concerned about selecting a mattress is for maximum comfort and maximum circulation. Try an ultra soft innerspring mattress with cotton padding would be ideal for air can circulate through the mattress onto our bodies furnishing oxygen and removing wastes more efficiently. Now hammocks are terrific. I can remember when I was in Viet Nam, over 90% of the time I slept in Hammocks. The mosquitoes were incredible but we used nets and the Citronella Oil and did very well.

The best, most refreshing time to doze is mid-afternoon. That's when our circadian rhythms — neural timekeepers in the brain — normally dip and leave us drowsy. And a short nap sometime between 1 and 4 P.M. is least likely to keep us from sleeping that night. "Fifteen to 20 minutes is enough," says Dr. Maas. "We shouldn't nap longer than 30 minutes, or we go into deep sleep and feel groggy upon rising." Studies also show that we benefit from an afternoon nap when we're going to be up very late that night; taking a short snooze six to eight hours before your normal bedtime can minimize sleepiness and impaired reflexes the next day.

You can often read your child a bedtime story, then doze in his/her bed while he/she settles down to sleep. It helps to stay conscious through an episode of ER or some midnight sex." At work, up your productivity with a power nap: "Substitute a sleep break for a coffee break," Dr. Maas suggests. "Use the sofa in the staff lounge or close your door and lay your head on the desk." Bus and train commuters can make a pillow of a pocketbook and lean against the window (advice best followed if you have a travel companion who can wake you at your stop).

"At home, nap when the children nap. Or put on their favorite video and sack out on the sofa next to them," suggests Dr. Maas. My strategy: Take the kids for a drive until the motion lulls them to sleep, then park the car and crank back the seat for a snooze. And let your husband drive to family outings so you can pay off your sleep debt in the passenger seat.

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conclusion: Tips for a Good Night's Sleep

1.Sleep only as much as you need so you will feel refreshed the following day.

2.Get up at the same time each day seven days a week. Regular wake up times lead to regular sleep onset times.

3.Add exercise to your daily schedule, It can deepen your sleep.

4.Insulate your room against sound and light.

5.Keep your room temperature moderate. Excessively warm or cold temperatures can disturb sleep.

6. Consider eating a light snack before bedtime. Both hunger and excessive fullness can disturb sleep.

7. Avoid excessive liquids in the evening so you do not have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

8. Avoid caffeinated beverages (tea, coffee, and colas) in the evenings

9. Do not smoke tobacco

10. Avoid alcohol, especially in the evening. Although alcohol may help you fall asleep more easily, your sleep will be disturbed later by it.

11.Do not get angry or frustrated because you cannot sleep. Get out of bed, go to a different room and do something different.

12.If you find yourself looking at the clock at night turn it so you cannot see it or cover it up.

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NAPPING

It is important to keep a regular sleep schedule, even on days off and weekends. However, if you can't get enough sleep or feel drowsy, naps as short as 20 minutes can be helpful. Naps can maintain or improve alertness, performance, and mood. Some people feel groggy or sleepier after a nap. These feelings usually go away within 1-15 minutes, while the benefits of the nap may last for many hours. The evening or night worker can take a nap to be refreshed before work.

Studies show that napping at the workplace is especially effective for workers who need to maintain a high degree of alertness, attention to detail, and who must make quick decisions. In situations where the worker is working double shifts or 24-hour shifts, naps at the workplace are even more important and useful.

It is important to keep a regular sleep schedule, even on days off and weekends. However, if you can't get enough sleep or feel drowsy, naps as short as 20 minutes can be helpful. Naps can maintain or improve alertness, performance, and mood. Some people feel groggy or sleepier after a nap. These feelings usually go away within 1-15 minutes, while the benefits of the nap may last for many hours. The evening or night worker can take a nap to be refreshed before work.

Studies show that napping at the workplace is especially effective for workers who need to maintain a high degree of alertness, attention to detail, and who must make quick decisions. In situations where the worker is working double shifts or 24-hour shifts, naps at the workplace are even more important and useful.

This was a long article, but I wanted to take the confusion out of napping and sleep and put everything in it's proper perspective for you.

Best to you and I wish you great things.

Wayne "The Mango Man" Pickering

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Copyright © 2003 Center for Nutrition, Inc