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welcome to night eating!
Please read the following as it contains important information for optimal site
navigation!
  If you haven't visited the homepage, you're missing out on some important info, so I'll just give you a "heads up" here!
You've reached "night eating," part of the emotional feelings network of sites. If you scroll
down to the footer on this page, you'll see the complete listing of all the sites in the network!
All of the sites
in the emotional feelings network of sites are linked together thru a very complete network of underlined link words. Anytime you see an underlined link word, if you should be
interested in more information concerning that word, simply click on it & a new browser window will appear. The page that
opens up will give you an entire page filled with information concerning the word of
your interest.
the emotional feelings network
of sites was designed like this because as an ex-night eater, I was also faced with many other life dysfunctions,
mental illness I was unaware of, domestic violence, a lack of any positive self esteem & so much more....
As I began my recovery,
I began to slowly discover how all of the subjects contained within the emotional feelings network
of sites are connected to each other. Soon I also discovered that there's power in educating yourself about it
all.
As you gain power thru your newly acquired knowledge, you begin to regain a
sense of control. As you begin to feel better, you become stronger & you're more able to begin your own journey
thru recovery & personal growth. Once you begin, you will see how the subjects contained within this network of sites
really is... all pertinent information for you - as a night eater!
visit the homepage for a better understanding of what's contained within the emotional feelings network of
sites!
thanks for stopping by.... i hope that something
within the network will be of use to you today....
kathleen
The science of sleep
We spend a third of our lives doing it.
Napoleon, Florence Nightingale and Margaret Thatcher got by
on four hours a night.
Thomas Edison claimed it was waste of time.
Why do we sleep?
So why do we sleep? This is a question that has baffled scientists
for centuries and the answer is, no one is really sure. Some believe that sleep gives the body a chance to recuperate from
the day's activities but in reality, the amount of energy saved by sleeping for even eight hours is miniscule - about 50 kCal,
the same amount of energy in a piece of toast.
We have to sleep because it is essential to maintaining normal
levels of cognitive skills such as speech, memory, innovative and flexible thinking. In other words, sleep plays a significant
role in brain development.
What would happen if we didn't sleep?
A good way to understand the role of sleep is to look
at what would happen if we didn't sleep. Lack of sleep has serious effects on our brain's ability to function. If you've
ever pulled an all-nighter, you'll be familiar with the following after-effects: grumpiness, grogginess, irritability and
forgetfulness. After just one night without sleep, concentration becomes more difficult and attention span shortens considerably.
With continued lack of sufficient sleep, the part of the brain
that controls language, memory, planning and sense of time is severely affected, practically shutting down. In fact, 17 hours of sustained
wakefulness leads to a decrease in performance equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.05% (two glasses of wine). This is
the legal drink driving limit in the UK.
Research also shows that sleep-deprived individuals often have
difficulty in responding to rapidly changing situations and making rational judgements. In real life situations, the consequences
are grave and lack of sleep is said to have been be a contributory factor to a number of international disasters such as Exxon
Valdez, Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and the Challenger shuttle explosion.
Sleep deprivation not only has a major impact on cognitive functioning
but also on emotional and physical health. Disorders such as sleep apnoea which result in excessive daytime sleepiness have
been linked to stress and high blood pressure. Research has also suggested that sleep loss may increase the risk of obesity
because chemicals and hormones that play a key role in controlling appetite and weight gain are released during sleep.
What happens when we sleep?
What happens every time we get a bit of shut eye? Sleep occurs
in a recurring cycle of 90 to 110 minutes and is divided into two categories: non-REM (which is further split into four stages)
and REM sleep.
Non-REM sleep
Stage one: Light Sleep
During the first stage of sleep, we're half awake and half asleep.
Our muscle activity slows down and slight twitching may occur. This is a period of light sleep, meaning we can be awakened
easily at this stage.
Stage two: True Sleep
Within ten minutes of light sleep, we enter stage two, which
lasts around 20 minutes. The breathing pattern and heart rate start to slow down. This period accounts for the largest part
of human sleep.
Stages three and four: Deep Sleep
During stage three, the brain begins to produce delta waves,
a type of wave that is large (high amplitude) and slow (low frequency). Breathing and heart rate are at their lowest levels.
Stage four is characterised by rhythmic breathing and limited
muscle activity. If we are awakened during deep sleep we do not adjust immediately and often feel groggy and disoriented for
several minutes after waking up. Some children experience bed-wetting, night
terrors, or sleepwalking during this stage.
REM sleep
The first rapid eye movement (REM) period usually begins about
70 to 90 minutes after we fall asleep. We have around three to five REM episodes a night.
Although we are not conscious, the brain is very active - often
more so than when we are awake. This is the period when most dreams occur. Our eyes dart around (hence the name), our breathing
rate and blood pressure rise. However, our bodies are effectively paralysed, said to be nature's way of preventing us from
acting out our dreams.
After REM sleep, the whole cycle begins again.
How much sleep is required?
There is no set amount of time that everyone needs to sleep,
since it varies from person to person. Results from the sleep profiler indicate that people like to sleep anywhere between
5 and 11 hours, with the average being 7.75 hours.
Jim Horne from Loughborough University's Sleep Research Centre
has a simple answer though: "The amount of sleep we require is what we need not to be sleepy in the daytime."
Even animals require varied amounts of sleep:
| Species |
Average total sleep time per day |
| Python |
18 hrs |
| Tiger |
15.8 hrs |
| Cat |
12.1 hrs |
| Chimpanzee |
9.7 hrs |
| Sheep |
3.8 hrs |
| African elephant |
3.3 hrs |
| Giraffe |
1.9 hr |
The current world record for the longest period without sleep
is 11 days, set by Randy Gardner in 1965. Four days into the research, he began hallucinating. This was followed by a delusion
where he thought he was a famous footballer. Surprisingly, Randy was actually functioning quite well at the end of his research
and he could still beat the scientist at pinball.
source: Click here
Sleep, Thoughts, Worries & Fears
by Remez Sasson
Do you fall asleep immediately after entering bed, or do thoughts
and worries flow into your mind, keeping your sleep away? Do you find it hard to ignore them?
While lying in bed at night, it is quiet and dark, there are
fewer outside distractions, and therefore you are more aware of the movements of your mind. You feel that thoughts are attacking
you, not giving you a moment's rest, especially if you are experiencing some problems in your life.
If you are not healthy you will probably think about your health.
If you have problems at work, then thoughts about these problems will probably flood your mind. A child will have thoughts
about his parents, teachers or examinations, and a businessman about his work. Thoughts, worries and fears that are usually
repressed during the day surface up and swarm the mind.
What would be willing to do to free yourself from these nibbling,
restless thoughts that prevent you from falling asleep? Won't you be happy to be able to silence all the thoughts that pop
up when you are in bed?
If you fight these thoughts and try to stop them forcefully,
they will grow stronger, because you will be giving them more attention. If you want to get rid of a tree growing in your
garden and cut it down, it will grow again quite fast, but if you stop irrigating the tree, it will gradually wither. You
need to treat your thoughts in the same manner. In order to reduce their quantity and strength, you have to ignore them, which
is equivalent to not watering the tree.
How can you ignore these nagging thoughts that go with you to
bed? Here are a few tips to help you:
1. Go to bed at a reasonable hour, not too early and not too
late.
2. Lie down on your bed and relax your body.
3. For 2-3 minutes pay attention to every muscle in your body
from head to toe. If you find any tense muscle, relax it.
4. For about one minute, let thoughts come freely into your
mind.
5. Watch these thoughts as they come and go.
6. Tell your mind that if it has any important thoughts that
require attention, you are willing to discuss them tomorrow.
7. If one of the thoughts is too persistent, write it down so
that you can remember to think about it the next day.
8. Now try to look at the thoughts with lack of interest. Lack
of interest is the magic word when it comes to controlling and silencing thoughts. Do not let your feelings to be aroused
and manipulated by your thoughts.
If thoughts still come, and they probably will, it is all right.
Don't fight them, but just try to ignore them by losing any interest in them. An ignored thought ultimately goes away. Don't
worry if you fail at first. Keep on trying and the situation will improve.
9. Watch the thoughts that enter your mind, as if watching a
boring movie and they will lose their power.
10. There is another thing that can be done, and that is to
practice meditation every day.
After practicing meditation for some time it will affect your
sleep. As a by-product of meditation your mind will get accustomed to being relaxed and at peace, and when you go to sleep
it will be much easier to ignore persistent and disturbing thoughts. In fact, you might fall asleep immediately upon switching
off the light.
© Copyright Remez Sasson
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It's in the news....
About getting a good night's sleep!
Achieve a Deep, Uninterrupted Sleep
24 ways to get the rest you need.
Nighttime Habits
Blessed
sleep - the holy grail of health. Lack of sleep can send
your blood sugar levels skyrocketing, contribute to weight gain, lead to depression, put you at risk for diabetes & cause
brain damage.
That's just the warm-up. Sleep deprivation
can alter your levels of thyroid & stress hormones, potentially affecting everything from your memory to your immune system,
heart & metabolism.
Of course, lack
of sleep can kill you instantly - as when you run your car off the road because you've dozed
at the wheel (an estimated 71,000 people are injured in fall-asleep crashes each year).
In fact, studies
find that if you've been awake thru the night, it's as if you had a performance impairment equal to .10 percent blood alcohol
content, more than enough to get you arrested for drunk driving in most states.
Given the
evidence, you'd think we'd all be hitting the pillow as soon as the sun dropped below the horizon. Ha! Today Americans
get 25% less sleep than they did a century ago. Nearly 4 out of 10 don't get the minimum
7 hours of sleep necessary for optimal health & daytime functioning, while 15% get less
than 6 hours most nights.
Since we're all in agreement that a good night's sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health & mood, pick 3 of these tips to
follow each night until you get the night's sleep you so desperately crave.
1. Create a
transition routine. This is something you do every night before bed. It could be as simple as letting the cat out,
turning out the lights, turning down the heat, washing your face & brushing your teeth.
Or
it could be a series of yoga or meditation exercises. Regardless, it should be consistent to the point that you do it without
even thinking about it.
As
you begin to move into your "nightly routine," your mind will get the signal that it's time to chill out & tune down,
dialing down stress hormones & physiologically preparing you for sleep.
2. Figure out your body cycle.
Ever find that you get really sleepy at 10 p.m., that the sleepiness passes, and that by the time the late news comes on,
you're wide-awake? Some experts believe sleepiness comes in cycles. Push past a period of sleepiness and you likely won't
be able to fall asleep very easily for a while. If you've noticed these kinds of rhythms in your own
body clock, use them to your advantage. When sleepiness comes, get to bed. Otherwise, it might be a long time until you are
ready to fall asleep again.
3. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water and iron them
before making up your bed. The scent is scientifically proven to promote relaxation, and the repetition and mindlessness of
ironing will soothe you. Or, instead of ironing your sheets, do the next best thing: Put lavender water in a perfume atomizer
and spray above your bed just before climbing in.
4. Hide your clock under your bed or on the bottom shelf
of your night stand, where its glow won't disturb you. That way, if you do wake in the middle of the night or have problems
sleeping, you won't fret over how late it is and how much sleep you're missing.
5. Switch your pillow. If you're
constantly pounding it, turning it over and upside down, the poor pillow deserves a break. Find a fresh new pillow from the
linen closet, put a sweet-smelling case on it, and try again.
Adjust Your Bedroom
6. Choose the right pillow. One Swedish study
found that neck pillows, which resemble a rectangle with a depression in the middle, can actually enhance the quality of your
sleep as well as reduce neck pain. The ideal neck pillow should be soft and not too high, should provide neck support, and
should be allergy tested and washable, researchers found. A pillow with two supporting cores received the best rating from
the 55 people who participated in the study. Another study found that water-filled pillows provided the best night's sleep
when compared to participants' usual pillows or a roll pillow. Yet another study found that a pillow filled with a special
"cool" material composed of sodium sulfate and ceramic fiber provided a much better night's sleep than one filled with polyester.
The reason, the researchers suggest, is that the cooler pillow kept the subjects' head cooler during the night, improving
their sleep. While you may not be able to find a sodium sulfate-filled pillow, you can buy a pillow made of natural fibers,
which are better at releasing heat than polyester.
Other pillow tips: if you're subject to allergies
or find you're often stuffed up when you awake in the morning, try a hypoallergenic pillow. And experiment with the pillow's
thickness. While a thick, fluffy pillow might sound appealing, it might be too thick for you, leading to neck strain. Try
a thin pillow.
7. Switch to heavier curtains over the windows, and use them. Even the barely noticeable ambient
light from streetlights, a full moon, or your neighbor's house can interfere with the circadian rhythm changes you need to
fall asleep.
8. Clean your bedroom and paint it a soothing sage green. Or some other soothing color. First,
the more clutter in your bedroom, the more distractions in the way of a good night's sleep. The smooth, clean surfaces act
as a balm to your brain, helping to smooth out your own worries and mental to-do lists. The soothing color provides a visual
reminder of sleep, relaxing you as you lie in bed reading or preparing for sleep.
9. Move your bed away from any
outside walls. This will help cut down on noise, which a Spanish study found could be a
significant factor in insomnia. If the noise is still bothering you, try a white noise machine, or just turn on a floor fan.
10. Tuck a hot-water bottle between your feet or wear a pair of ski socks to bed. The science is a little complicated,
but warm feet help your body's internal temperature get to the optimal level for sleep. Essentially, you sleep best when your
core temperature drops. By warming your feet, you make sure blood flows well through your legs, allowing your trunk to cool.
11. Kick your dog or cat out of your bedroom. A 2002 research study found that one in five pet owners sleep
with their pets (and we're not talking goldfish here). The study also found that dogs and cats created one of the biggest
impediments to a good night's sleep since the discovery of caffeine. One reason? The study found that 21 percent of the dogs
and 7 percent of the cats snored!
Lose Some, Gain Some
12. Sleep alone. Sure you love your spouse
or partner, but studies find one of the greatest disruptors of sleep is that loved one dreaming away next to you. He might
snore, she might kick or cry out, whatever. In fact, one study found that 86 percent of women surveyed said their husbands
snored, and half had their sleep interrupted by it. Men have it a bit easier; just 57 percent said their wives snored, while
just 15 percent found their sleep bothered by it. If you absolutely will not kick your partner out (or head to the guest room
yourself), then consider these anti-snoring tips:
- Get him (or her) to stop smoking. Cigarette smoking contributes
to snoring.
- Feed him (or her) a light meal for dinner and nix any alcohol,
which can add to the snoring.
- Buy some earplugs and use them!
- Play soft music to drown out the snoring.
- Present your lover with a gift-wrapped box of Breathe Right
strips, which work by pulling the nostrils open wider. A Swedish study found they significantly reduced snoring.
- Make an appointment for your sleeping partner at a sleep center.
If nothing you do improves his or her snoring, your bedmate might be a candidate for a sleep test called polysomnography to
see if sleep apnea is the cause. Better to help your partner -- and yourself -- than to exile the poor sonorous soul!
13. Take a combination supplement with 600 mg calcium and 300 mg
magnesium before bed. Not only will you be providing your bones with a healthy dose of minerals,
but magnesium is a natural sedative. Additionally, calcium helps regulate muscle movements. Too little of either can lead
to leg cramps, and even a slight deficiency of magnesium can leave you lying there with a racing mind.
14. Eat a handful
of walnuts before bed. Walnuts are a good source of tryptophan, a sleep-enhancing amino acid.
15. Munch a banana before
bed. It's a great natural source of melatonin, the sleep hormone, as well as tryptophan. The time-honored tradition, of course,
is warm milk, also a good source of tryptophan.
16. Drink water before bed, not fruit juice. One study found it took
participants an extra 20 to 30 minutes to fall asleep after drinking a cup of fruit juice, most likely because of the high
sugar content in juice.
Relax Yourself
17. Take antacids right after dinner, not before
bed. Antacids contain aluminum, which appears to interfere with your sleep.
18. Listen to a book on tape while
you fall asleep. Just as a bedtime story soothed and relaxed us when we were children, a calming book on tape (try poetry
or a biography, stay away from horror novels) can have the same effect with us grown-ups.
19. Simmer three to four
large lettuce leaves in a cup of water for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, add two sprigs of mint, and sip just before you
go to bed. Lettuce contains a sleep-inducing substance called lactucarium, which affects the brain similarly to opium. Unlike
opium, of course, you won't run the risk of addiction!
20. Give yourself a massage. Slowly move the tips of
your fingers around your eyes in a slow, circular motion. After a minute, move down to your mouth, then to your neck and the
back of your head. Continue down your body until you find you're so relaxed you're ready to drop off to sleep. Another option:
alternate massage nights with your significant other. You get Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Your significant other gets Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday. You do each other on Sundays.
21. Take a hot bath 90 to 120 minutes before bedtime.
A research study published in the journal Sleep found that women with insomnia who took a hot bath during this window
of time (water temperature approximately 105°F), slept much better that night. The bath increased
their core body temperature, which then abruptly dropped once they got out of the bath, readying them for sleep.
22.
Use eucalyptus for a muscle rub. The strongly scented herb provides a soothing feeling and relaxing scent. You can find
eucalyptus oil to mix into a carrier oil, or even a eucalyptus-scented cream.
23. Spend 10 minutes journaling the
day's events or feelings after tucking yourself into bed. This "data dump" will help turn off the repeating tape of our
day that often plays in our minds, keeping us from falling asleep.
24. Keep a notepad at your bedside along with
a gentle night-light and pen. Then, if you wake in the middle of the night and your mind starts going, you can quickly
transfer the to-do list to the page, returning to sleep knowing you "caught" those thoughts.
If you're tired of
feeling like you're not at your best or like you're not getting the sleep you need, then it's time to take action! Sign-up
for the National Sleep Foundation's Sleep Challenge today!
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Learn about Good Sleep Hygeine!
Tips for a Good Night's Sleep
Provided by National Institute of Neurological Disorders
& Stroke
Adapted from "When You Can't Sleep: The ABC's of ZZZ's,"
by the National Sleep Foundation.
Set a schedule
Go to bed at a set
time each night & get up at the same time each morning. Disrupting this schedule may lead to insomnia. "Sleeping in" on
weekends also makes it harder to wake up early on Monday morning because it re-sets your sleep cycles for a later awakening.
Exercise
Try to exercise 20 to 30 minutes a day. Daily exercise often helps people sleep, although
a workout soon before bedtime may interfere with sleep. For maximum benefit, try to get your exercise about 5 to 6 hours before
going to bed.
Avoid caffeine, nicotine & alcohol
Avoid drinks that contain caffeine, which acts as a stimulant
& keeps people awake. Sources of caffeine include coffee, chocolate, soft drinks, non-herbal teas, diet drugs & some
pain relievers. Smokers tend to sleep very lightly and often wake up in the early morning due to nicotine withdrawal.
Alcohol robs people of deep sleep and REM sleep & keeps them in the lighter stages of sleep.
Relax before bed
A warm bath, reading, or another relaxing routine can make it easier to fall sleep.
You can train yourself to associate certain restful activities with sleep & make them part of your bedtime ritual.
Sleep until sunlight
If possible, wake up w/the sun, or use very bright lights in the morning. Sunlight
helps the body's internal biological clock reset itself each day. Sleep experts recommend exposure to an hour of morning sunlight
for people having problems falling asleep.
Don't lie in bed awake
If you can't get to sleep, don't just lie in bed. Do something else, like
reading, watching television, or listening to music, until you feel tired. The anxiety of being unable to fall asleep can
actually contribute to insomnia.
Control your room temperature
Maintain a comfortable temperature in the bedroom. Extreme temperatures
may disrupt sleep or prevent you from falling asleep.
See a doctor if your sleeping problem continues
If you have trouble falling asleep night after night,
or if you always feel tired the next day, then you may have a sleep disorder & should see a physician. Your primary care
physician may be able to help you; if not, you can probably find a sleep specialist at a major hospital near you. Most sleep
disorders can be treated effectively, so you can finally get that good night's sleep you need.
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