Are you one of those people that wake up feeling refreshed,
energized and ready to take on your day?

If your like most people, you probably don’t take the ability
to sleep well for granted.  Rather you probably ponder what
magic you might produce to ensure a sound night’s sleep.

Hours of relentless activity and stressful lifestyle patterns
can wreak havoc on a person’s natural sleep cycle.


= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The Circadian Clock: A Secret of Sound Sleepers
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Sleep patterns are regulated by the body’s internal system or
clock often referred to as the circadian clock. This internal
system is responsible for regulating the following:

* Body Temperature
* Hormone Levels
* Heart Rate
* Vital Body Functions
* Brain Wave Activity


Chronic sleep loss can result in poor health and general malaise.
Mental impairment is also prevalent in those who are sleep
deprived.

Nearly every person at one time or another has suffered from
insomnia or poor sleep.  More people than not suffer from chronic
insomnia, due in part to their inability to regulate their body’s
circadian clock.

Efficient sleepers know how to regulate their clocks to ensure 
that they sleep soundly and efficiently every night.  Not only 
do they sleep well, they often require far less hours of sleep 
per night than most average people.


Becoming a Sound Sleeper

So how exactly can you tweak your internal clock to work in 
your favor?

There are several methods employed by efficient sleepers that 
work in tandem to help program the body’s internal clock.


= = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Circadian Clock Adjusters
= = = = = = = = = = = = =

* Routine that relaxes and prepares the body prior to sleep.

* Use of light therapy to rouse the body in the am and promote
  a sleep like state in the evening.

* Supplementing with natural products that help reduce anxiety
  and tension.

* Development and use of a strict sleep schedule that does not
  vary from week to week.


Let’s discuss each of these in a little more detail:

Routine – establishing a bedtime routine is key to setting your
body’s internal clock.  Parents have used routines for years to
send their children to bed in a timely fashion.

Why?

The fact of the matter is routines WORK.

They signal the body that the time has come to rest, and the
body responds accordingly.

Light Therapy – are you one of the people that have difficulty
rousing in the morning?

Simply by exposing your body to more natural light in the am and
decreasing the intensity of light used in the evenings may help
re-set your circadian clock and help you sleep more soundly.

Supplementation – there are many natural substances that can help
induce a more sleep like state in the body and help regulate the
body’s internal clock.

Some of the more popular include: melatonin, GABA, B vitamins, 
Kava.

Schedule – efficient sleepers know the importance of sticking 
with a sleep schedule.  You can’t go to bed at a different time 
every night and expect to get a good night’s sleep.

You need to set up a schedule that seldom varies in order to 
set your body’s internal clock.

Setting your circadian clock is easy when you have the right 
tools and the right frame of reference.  You can get the sound 
night’s sleep you’ve always dreamed of, with a little help and 
practice.