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If you sometimes experience trouble falling asleep or trouble going back to sleep after waking in the night and if it happens more than sometimes, then you are not alone. There are an estimated 70 million Americans having trouble getting a good night's sleep. Here are a few facts to keep you awake at night:
~ One third of Americans suffer from insomnia at some point
~ 84 classifications of sleep disorders have been found
~ Accredited sleep centers have risen by 630% in just 15 years
~ There were 1,000 sleep centers in 2006, now there are 2,365
~ 2 million children suffer from sleep disorders
~ 18 million Americans probably suffer from sleep apnea with 50% undiagnosed
~ Bhopal, Challenger, Exxon Valdez, and Three Mile Island are attributed to sleep deprivation
~ The biggest risk of sleep deprivation is a car crash
~ Source
Sleep deprivation and insomnia can be more harmful than simply raising your crankiness level. It can predispose one to diabetes which could lead to a higher chance of heart disease or stroke, it certainly results in a poorer quality of life and a case of severe sleep apnea can lead to hypertension, heart problems and a greater risk of stroke. So please, if you have an ongoing or chronic problem see your doctor. If your problem is less severe then here are a few tips I gathered that may help:
The number one tip I see is the suggestion to keep a regular sleep schedule. Going to bed and getting up at around the same time every day, including weekends and holidays, reinforces your body's sleep habit -- your circardian rhythm -- which is an important strategy for good sleep.
Watch what you eat or drink, taking care not to over stimulate with caffeinated beverages. Also, if you are a smoker, nicotine is as much a stimulant as caffeine so try to stay away from those cigarettes before bedtime.
According to what I've read, naps are good, but that is only when they are not. You make the call as it seems the "experts" can't.
Boost melatonin production at night by shutting down the computer, iPad or other electronics which create stimulation. Use a low watt bulb in your bedside lamp and attempt to make your bedroom as dark as possible for better sleeping conditions. You may want to consider keeping a flashlight by the bed for middle of the night trips to the bathroom.
Keeping your room temperature cool, but not cold is another aid to good sleep. Once again I find that no one much agrees or offers the "best" temperature so I guess this one is another "you make the call" tip.
These seem to be the key tips for better sleep, but if you have a boatload of money you can take a sleep vacation.
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You could go to Canyon Ranch in Tuscon where guests are taught all about getting better sleep and learn relaxation strategies. Guests then take all they've learned home with them after they have enjoyed a night of real rest.
Or one could choose the Benjamin Hotel in NYC which is complete with a custom made mattress, a Sleep Guarantee, and a Sleep Concierge. What’s more, the Sleep Concierge also runs a twitter account to help you ‘perfect the art of sleep’. All this in a luxury room on a custom designed Benjamin Bed with 500-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets, down duvet cover, Anichini bedding and a 12 choice pillow menu.
~ Ten Great Sleep Destinations