Valerian

Before you pop another sleeping pill or spend any more midnight hours staring at your bedroom ceiling, consider this natural aid to help overcome insomnia. America is a sleep deprived society in which sleep is now considered a luxury. Adults sleep 1.6 hours less per night than their grandparents did—that averages out to less than […]

Can't Fall Asleep?

It’s nearly midnight in Apartment 3B, and Rose still cannot fall asleep, even though she went to bed at 10:30. When she finally drifts off, it is around 12:30 a.m. For the next few hours Rose will sleep lightly and poorly before her alarm goes off at 6:30, awakening her so she can get ready for work.

There are millions of people just like Rose. They do not share the delight of the prophet Jeremiah, who said, “I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me” (Jeremiah 31:26, NIV).*

The inability to get a good night’s sleep is a serious problem. Even one night of insufficient or restless sleep can result in irritability and inability to concentrate properly. Various studies indicate that establishing a chronic sleep debt can depress the immune system, causing greater susceptibility to illness and depression. And a lack of sleep can also be dangerous. The Department of Transportation estimates that up to 100,000 motor vehicle accidents a year occur because drivers become drowsy or fall asleep at the wheel. Yet, like any problem, sleep disorder can be managed and conquered. Here are a dozen ways to get a better night’s sleep.
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Sleep Apnea and Restless Limb Syndrome affecting your sleep?

I can fall asleep, but I wake up throughout the night and never seem to feel rested the next day. How do I get a good night’s sleep?

There are several different stages of sleep that need to be reached in order to achieve quality rest. Many things can disrupt your ability to achieve quality sleep, including your external environment and medical problems.

Your external environment
An uncomfortable bed, constricting clothing, bright lights, and noises can be distracting while you slumber. Even a disruptive spouse who snores or tosses and turns could be the reason you don’t get rest!

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Spring Ahead

SLEEP! I’m literally crying out for sleep. I don’t care about anything else but sleeping. I’m so exhausted I’m barely functioning––seriously. It has been an absolutely horrible few weeks all packed full with no sleep. I’m cranky, moody, and virtually on the point of a meltdown. And to just make matters worse, there was a time change this weekend which resulted in a loss of one more hour of sleep.

Any of you feel the same? What’s your culprit for lack of sleep? Mine is the kids. They’re both teething right now, my daughter with two-year molars and the baby with his first set of pearly whites. I wonder why kids can’t just get all their teeth at one time. It seems so much more logical from a parent’s point of view. One big painful event and then it would be over. Oh, well; that’s life I guess.

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Fat Walk

Well, it’s the beginning of another week, and it doesn’t look anymore promising than last week. I’ve finally made a game plan on how I’m going to get back into shape after the birth of my son. However, because of extreme fatigue from dealing with my children, I haven’t been able to start it. And it’s not the exhaustion from the baby, because the baby is doing great! In fact, he is sleeping 4-5 hours at night already. Instead, it’s my almost- two-year-old daughter who’s giving me a run for my money. She is the one who has been getting up every two hours at night. Last night she woke up at 2 a.m. and never went back to sleep; she just screamed all night. Lucky me! This vicious cycle with her has been going on for the past seven days. My husband and I have been getting roughly about two hours of sleep a night between her and the baby. Doesn’t that make you feel bad for me?
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Everybody Sleeps

Finally, two weeks ago I delivered my baby! He is just perfect! However, like most babies his sleep schedule is a little different from mine. His first week of life he decided that midnight until 3 a.m. was a good time to be awake. I didn’t agree. This second week he has been choosing a […]

Kava Kava

Kava kava is prepared from the fresh or dried rhizomes and rootstocks of a robust perennial shrub, Piper methysticum. This shrub possibly originated from Vanuatu. Seafaring Polynesians spread the shrub to Hawaii and throughout the South Pacific Islands. Kava kava (also called kava) is closely related to the black pepper plant.

The shrub grows best in warm humid conditions with lots of sunlight at an altitude of 500 to 1,000 feet above sea level. Kava kava, with its large heart-shaped leaves, can grow up to 10 feet high and can form dense thickets. A 3-year-old plant can produce a massive 20-pound rhizome with many roots. Depending upon the resin content, the rootstock color varies from white to yellow.
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Chamomile

For Common Complaints

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is one of the best known and most versatile of medicinal plants. While it is indigenous to various parts of central and southern Europe (Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Italy, and Croatia), and northwestern Asia, chamomile is now widely cultivated in Australia, Argentina, the United States, northern Africa, and Egypt.
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