The Insomnia Blog by Sleep Doctor Michael Breus, Ph.D.

Sleep… and Get Rich

Okay, so I know that sounds like a gimmick. If anyone could get rich automatically through sleeping, we’d all be filthy wealthy after a few priorities changes. But here’s what I mean: how may of you have arrived at a solution, invention, or great idea during dreamful sleep?

I’m wondering this because of a music site reporting how Kid Rock attributes many of his successes to insomnia. He claims that he came up with the idea for his hit song “All Summer Long” thanks to a restless night… and that he “can’t stop dreaming up new tunes.”

Did you catch that? He claims he “dreams” up his tunes during “restless sleep.” The two don’t really go hand in hand, do they? If you have insomnia, you’re not sleeping. If you’re dreaming, you’re very much enjoying a special stage of sleep. According to Kid Rock, he hasn’t a full night’s sleep in years. He says his brain “never stops” and that he keeps a notepad by the bed to record his mid-night thoughts.

It’s common to experience a night of dreams so vivid and memorable that you feel awake for most of it. People who say they “don’t sleep” actually do, and if you were to get them in a sleep lab you’d watch them sleep for several more hours than they think they do.

Wall Street Got Your Sleep?

I feel like I blogged on this topic just a few weeks ago. And I probably did. The depressing news is inescapable. You can’t turn the TV on without getting punched in the stomach—even if you don’t work in financials or own stock in them.

There are plenty of nervous people out there, especially seniors who have retirement funds falling with the whims of the market. Articles like this one show the extent of the damage leaking through the older communities. But you don’t have to be retired or thinking about it soon to feel the heat. How many people are losing sleep over the state of affairs?

It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that sleeping pill prescriptions are on the rise as the economy is on the decline, or at least in a temporary ditch. About one in five people take non-narcotic sleep aids now. Even though those who take something to help them fall and stay asleep are not advised to use them every single night. But my bet is that people who can’t get a handle on their stress load or learn how to cope with the constant noise from the news and media are reaching for them routinely.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m a big proponent of prescription sleep aids when the time and circumstance calls for them. The jury is still out, however, on their long-term effects when used frequently. For example, just last week my industry journal reported on a review of several studies showing a link between prescription sleeping pill use and skin cancer.  But don’t panic: a direct causal link has not been proven between sleeping pills and skin cancer, and this report simply opens the door for more research and data-gathering.

It’s worth noting, though, that sleeping pills are not the magical end-all be-all for people with sleep troubles. Given the volume of sleep troubles today, I’d love to see more people attempting to nix their sleep problems in the bud naturally before resorting to long-term use of prescription sleep aids. And that starts with turning off the media’s noise. TODAY!

How to turn off the media noise with the lights at night:

• This may sound obvious, but it bears repeating: turn off the news and stop reading all forms of current media at least two hours before bedtime.
• Do something out of the ordinary before bed that takes your mind off the ordinary stress, such as taking a warm bath, getting a Swedish massage, taking a yoga class, or going for a light walk.
• Avoid heated conversations about world affairs at dinner or anytime after 3 pm for that matter!
• See if you can go at least a day—and three if you can do it—during which you avoid all sources of news and media. Pretend you’re on a deserted island and have no access to newspapers, the Internet, or the stock ticker on CNBC.

Stress is inevitable and in many ways, unavoidable. But it’s MANAGEABLE if you take charge of it.

A sign that you may not be managing stress well is if you find yourself going more than two weeks and you’re using a sleep aid every single night. If that’s the case, then it may be time to call a time-out and examine why you’re unable to get a good night’s sleep naturally.

Think of it this way: the news will ALWAYS be there no matter what. But your happy, vibrant self will not. I’d pick the latter over the former every day.

Married, Sleeping Solo?

You’re not alone. Well, maybe you are at night in bed, but you’re among the 23 percent of married couples who sleep solo. Would you believe that requests for two master bedrooms in new homes is on the rise? That’s right: the National Association of Home Builders predicts that by 2015, 60 percent of all custom upscale homes will be built with two “owner suites.” Wow.

More and more people these days are saying good night to their significant other and closing the bedroom door behind them. I heard about this sleep trend a while ago, and then read a more sobering article last week online that highlights the extent—and potential downfalls—of this movement.

People are choosing it for a variety of reasons, the common denominator being that couples don’t get a good night’s sleep while sharing a bed. Snoring, general tossing and turning, and opposite schedules are chiefly to blame (sorry, but I’m leaving out the “I don’t like my spouse anymore” motive; let’s keep the sleeping separately for serious relationship/emotional issues aside please).

Will Your Kids Snore When They Grow Up?

We all like to think of our kids as semi-perfect little beings, and that we can control their development and maturation to some degree. It’s a well-documented fact, for example, that if we don’t teach them how to eat well and engage in physical activity, they can grow up overweight, obese or experience diabetes in some cases.

But what about other, less-obvious habits that could be “programmed” in a child early on and which surface much later in life? In particular, can an adult’s snoring be traced back to childhood?

I just read about a new study out of Britain that offers some interesting clues into why some kids are more likely to develop into adult snorers. According to the research, a kid with respiratory problems could be a precursor for snoring as an adult. I assume “respiratory problems” could be anything from allergies, exposure to animals that cause respiratory issues, or ear infections. This type of research is just in its infancy, but I hope more emerges to help us define the risk factors that may cause some children to become snorers in later life.

As the article points out, snoring is not just a nuisance. It can signal more serious problems like sleep apnea, which cuts off a person’s breathing momentarily during the night.

It would be wonderful if we can help prevent snoring in the first place by taking into consideration risk factors experienced during childhood. Not that we need to add one more item on the list of things to worry about when it comes to our kids.

But I think the overall lesson here is clear: much of how well we live as adults can be linked to what happened during our tender years. We may someday discover that the blueprints of our adult lives are clearly written out by the time we’re 25 or so. From our brain chemistry and moods to our ability to fight fat and get a good night’s sleep…you have to wonder, how much of our adult lives are chained to the past?

Something to think about. I’m a big believer in the ability to change and modify habits to support a healthier lifestyle, but as parents and role models for kids I think it’s important to bear this in mind.

Questions to consider in light of this new study:

•    How well do your kids sleep? Do you even know the answer to this question?
•    Are they overweight or do they already snore?
•    If you have a child who suffers from respiratory problems, have you ever discussed this with the pediatrician? Has your child been tested for sleep apnea?
•    Do YOU have trouble sleeping, or do you suffer from chronic snoring?
•    Have you ever discussed the value of a good night’s sleep with your kids?

In this next generation, may we find more restful, quiet nights.

The News Got You Down? Turn It Off within 4 Hours of Bedtime

Now that the Olympics are over, we are deluged with the old, depressing news again wrapped around the incessant coverage of the upcoming election. Between the energy and housing crises, between the bickerings about global terrorism and war, and between woes about the stock market and the future of health care, it’s no wonder most Americans are gloomy. But should we be this gloomy?

There was a fascinating op-ed piece in the Los Angeles Times the other day written by Dan Ariely, a Duke University professor of behavioral economics who commented on the doldrums of consumer confidence today, which is at a 40-year low. Things are not as bad as they seem, at least not when you compare the state of our economy today to that of the early 1980s when both inflation and unemployment shot into the double digits. The problem we have, though, according to Ariely, is that we’re experiencing “learned helplessness.”

This phenomenon happens as a result of chronic exposure to an alarming sequence of market disasters. First we had the tech bubble burst, then came the housing tumble, and now oil prices and the mortgage meltdown keeps people up at night. Add to that all the depressing news circling daily about new and old wars, and minor threats to our health like tainted food and toxic products. All these events have occurred in quick succession and in some regards, unexpectedly. No one, for example, could have predicted the housing fallout during the boom just a few years ago.   

Of all the remarks Ariely makes, I particularly enjoy his pointing out the fact we consume news much differently today than in previous decades. Not only do we seek sensational news rather than that which can help us make sense of the world, but we eat it up 24-7 on our televisions, radios, computers, and even cell phones. He writes, “Even stories about the economy take the shape of gossip about people who are struggling, who have lost their jobs and can't pay for gasoline.” How true that is.

Now you’re probably wondering what all this has to do with sleep. Well, my friends, how many of us sit up late at night watching re-runs of news we’ve already seen on TV earlier in the day? Watching television can be relaxing for some, but I’m not sure there’s anything sedative about today’s news (unless, of course politics really puts you to sleep—then you’re in luck!).

I think we would all do well if we were more mindful of when and how we get our news. Unlike the recent Olympics, which were stimulating, warm and friendly, today’s news is mostly rousing and disheartening. A bad mix for restful sleep and insightful days.

I challenge anyone who feels down to try this: like caffeine, avoid all news within four hours of bedtime. This includes newsy journals and magazines, too. See if you sleep better. Watch how you feel better.

Top 5 Things to Avoid before Bedtime (within 4 hours):

•    Caffeine (including medications that include caffeine like headache medicine)
•    Arguments and heated conversations (ahem, this includes your kids)
•    Too much alcohol or rich foods that can cause digestive issues
•    Electronic overload, such as computer usage, texting, e-mail, and Internet surfing
•    Stimulating, depressing news or TV shows