Book Title: Combating Sleep Disorders
Authors: Gina Graci, Kathy Sexton-Radek

The heavy lunch makes you sleepy

You got back from lunch and started feeling drowsy. No doubt carbohydrate intake induces generation of Serotonin which promotes sleepiness, digestion of food increases body temperature increasing alertness. It is the circadian rhythm of the human body that gives a natural boost in sleepiness typically from midnight to 7am as well as from 1pm to 4pm in the afternoon. So, don’t blame the food.

The late night agony

Off your computer and room lights, you lie down in bed and start wondering how the lack of sleep will kill you the next morning. Then you start your rituals of tossing and turning while shaking off your worries. You are not alone.

You’ve probably seen enough of that documentary telling you eight hours of sleep is essential for optimal performance. Eight hours is a standard. Terms such as long sleepers and short sleepers exist because there are people who require more or less sleep to feel refreshed. So don’t fret if you don’t sleep eight hours.

The average sleep period for adults, taking different age groups into account, is approximately 7 hours and 15 minutes.

Some things you can try

Sleep Restriction Therapy
This professional looking name suggests creating sleep deprivation to encourage consolidated sleep. It simply means: sleep less so that you feel sleepy when it’s time to sleep.

Stimulus Control Therapy
Another professional term suggesting reduction of stimulus that possibly promotes alertness thus inducing sleep. Examples given in the book includes engaging in “boring, non-mentally stimulating activity” (possibly sheep counting), and associating the bed with sleep and sex only. In other words, think less.