Golden Slumbers under Attack

June 18, 2012 at 2:51 am | Posted in Insomnia, Pain Management, Pain Relief, Sleep Health | 6 Comments
Tags: Behavioral Pain Relief, Chronic Pain, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, Holistic Health, Insomnia Treatment, Integrative Medicine, mental-health, mind body medicine, Sleep Health

           The United States faces an epidemic of fatigue with 60 million people suffering from insomnia and 23 million people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. 

            Poor sleep causes people to suffer mentally, emotionally, relationally, vocationally, physically and medically.  Sleeplessness also leads to significant health problems with lasting personal, economic and social repercussions. 

            For example, insomnia sufferers are 73 percent more at-risk for anxiety and 69 percent more at-risk for depression. These disorders are even more pronounced for the elderly, with over 50 percent of the elderly experiencing some form of insomnia. Further, poor sleep health is associated with obesity, diabetes, viral infections, cardiovascular problems, cancer, increased pain, memory loss and impaired judgment.

            The good news is you can self-regulate poor sleep health.

            Here is a three-tier plan for restoring a deeper, more rejuvenating sleep as you were meant to naturally live and sleep. You can learn more about the three-tier plan by participating in the 90-minute webinar “Effective Clinical Self-Regulation Strategies for Restorative Sleep Recovery.” This webinar will be broadcasted live for the first time Sunday, June 24^th at 7:00 p.m. EST.  Click on the following link to learn more and register: www.mindbodymedicinenetwork.com/Webinars.html. 

            The three-tier plan for restorative sleep is designed to return “Golden Slumbers” to your life. The three-tier plan consists of taking care of your (1)Body, (2)Mind, and (3) Bedroom. 

            This three-tier plan has been researched, honed and tested by Rubin Naiman, Ph.D., with the University of Arizona’s Center for Integrative Medicine. (UA-CIM).  Dr. Naiman is one of Dr. Andrew Weil’s integrative sleep health colleagues at UA-CIM.

            Dr. Naiman is the mentor to the new Integrative Sleep Health Certification program being offered through the Mind Body Medicine Network, starting with the June 24^th webinar on “Effective Clinical Self-Regulation Strategies for Restorative Sleep Recovery,” with Linda Cammarata, RN, and Ed Glauser, LPC.

            Below is a brief outline of the three-tier plan along with a few helpful tips for each tier that will alleviate sleeplessness, increase self-regulation, and lead to restorative and rejuvenating Golden Slumbers.

(1)Attending to the Body:

• Lifestyle changes– Learn how to pay attention to natural sleep-awake rhythms and sleep scheduling. Learn how to incorporate exercise and good nutrition into a healthful lifestyle. Learn how to regulate caffeine and alcohol consumption. TIP:  Exercise three to six hours before bedtime and commit to 30 minutes of exercise a day.
• Medical– Learn how to identify, understand and regulate physical conditions, symptoms, pain and discomfort. TIP: Achieving optimal sleep can increase pain thresholds by 200 percent.  
• Medication – Learn how to understand medication side affects, ineffectiveness with long-term use, and the effects from reduction and elimination of sleep medications TIP: Increasing adenosine in your brain enhances sleep drive throughout the day.

(2) Attending to the Mind:

• Cognitive Behavior Therapy– Learn how to understand and control your irrational and negative thoughts and behaviors.  TIP: Use positive sleep thoughts to fall into a gentle, deep sleep
•  Values and Beliefs – Learn how to apply it for a meaningful experience TIP: Use restorative sleep to repair cells and gain a fresh perspective
• Spiritual/Religious Practice – Learn how to use it to restore at a deep level TIP: Surrender and let go to your higher power and/or to nature.

(3) Attending to the Bedroom:

• Physical Environment – Learn how to create a calm and restful environment to increase sleep scheduling. TIP: Keep your bedroom cool, dark, quiet and clean. Also, calm your mind by clearing your nightstand.
• Subtle Environment – Learn about chemical and energy influences on sleep. TIP: Avoid chemicals in mattresses, overly dramatic television before bedtime, late night computer use, and lighting from electronic devices including your alarm clock.  You may even get to the point of not even needing an alarm clock and wake up naturally at your scheduled time.
• Social Environment– Learn how to improve sleeping with a partner or pet. Tip: Use the healing power of touch, nurturance and love to relax.

            Learn how to restore Golden Slumbers to your sleep health by taking part in the Mind Body Medicine Network’s 90-minute webinar on “Effective Clinical Self-Regulation Strategies for Restorative Sleep Recovery.”

            The webinar takes place on Sunday, June 24^th at 7:00 p.m. EST.  For more information on the MBMN webinar and to register, click on the following link: www.mindbodymedicinenetwork.com/Webinars.html.  

            Lastly, you may want to listen to Golden Slumbers by the Beatles as you work toward your own restorative sleep and realize your own Golden Slumbers is once again at peace and no longer under attack. 

Ed Glauser, M.Ed, N.C.C., LPC

Owner & Clinician

Mind Body Medicine Network, LLC

“The BEST Clinical Webinars in Mind Body Medicine in the World. Period.”

www.mindbodymedicinenetwork.com/Webinars.html