Shara Rendell-Smock has written more than twenty computer software manuals, numerous newspaper articles, including a monthly health column for The Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Practical Ways to Overcome Sleep Disorders - Part 4

I definitely found it frustrating to record nightly details that underscored my failure to sleep. Yet I did discover things I never realized about my existing nonsleep pattern. I was able to focus on ways change it.

Little by little, I changed the routine so I got more sleep. In the end, I saw significant improvement.

I used the sleep log in the book, No More Sleepless Nights, by Dr. Peter Hauri of the Mayo Clinic. This excellent book teaches readers to become their own sleep therapists.

The Sleep Log

Here's the version developed by Dr. Peter Hauri. Dr. Hauri recommends answering these questions daily, about 30 minutes after waking. Just estimate the times. The object is to realize how you felt about your sleep.

Click here for the form (it's a printable version!)

Two weeks after completing this form, I realized I was all over the place: I had no routine to teach myself to relax and get sleepy! I waited until I dropped, went to bed, got a second wind, got up and worked or read, tried again.

From my time using biofeedback, I learned to breathe slowly and deeply. This sleep log revealed that I needed to try a routine. I hadn’t even realized the importance of this. By combining the breathing and developing a routine, I have come a long way in my long-term sleep difficulties.

I started by improving my bedroom: new, firm mattress; put the recliner in the BR; room-darkening blinds; white noise machine. I adjusted the temperature ever so slightly at night. Sometimes while I read in my recliner I enjoy fragrant candles.

Combined with these environmental aspects, I molded myself to a stable, but not rigid, routine: Now I try to wind down at roughly the same time each night. This is the single most helpful routine I learned. I trained myself to turn off the work mode!

I rarely drink caffeine past 2:00 p.m. (yeah, that’s an obvious one), I no longer drive myself nuts worrying (extremely counterproductive) about the time it takes me to fall asleep, and I try to rise at about the same time each morning.

Following this fairly simple routine, I achieve refreshing sleep much of the time. Instead of getting four to six hours of sleep nightly, I usually manage seven to eight.

After those first few weeks, I haven’t kept a sleep log. That’s wonderful, but I think it may be time to record one week as a checkup.

To try to help as many people as quickly as possible, I’ve covered fundamental ways to improve sleep. If you're interested in learning more about Sleep Disorders (or having me do future articles on it), let me know.

Next Week:

Issue # 8
Tuesday, Dec. 22, 1997

Osteoporosis

Stats indicate that for those over the age of 50, one of every two women and one in eight men will have an osteoporosis-related fracture. Our sedentary lifestyle puts us at risk for this disease. Yet osteoporosis is not inevitable. Here's some information on this disease and how we can prevent it.