Today's high stress world has been playing havoc with our sleep. Sleep Disorders increase as stress increases and as we age. Sleep comprises one third of our life, and controls everything from hormones to sell rejuvenation.

Stress and anxiety are not difficult to manage. Relaxation practices may not sound realistic or viable. Many people do not understand how sitting on the floor and raising the arms slowly will improve your health. However, you need to step back and understand the Pavlov effect.

This phenomenon is simply the power to train your brain to respond the way you want it to. Raising and lowering your arms while in the Lotus position have minimal medical benefits on its own, but its ability to train your body to respond the way you want it to is a proven medical fact. Relaxing mediation can reinforce your body's natural sleep-wake cycle.

Insomnia - This results in difficulty falling asleep, waking up regularly in the night, and waking up tired.

Sleep apnia - you stop breathing during sleep that can result in mood and memory disorders. It is caused when muscles at the back of the mouth loose control and cannot keep the air passages open

Brockism - clenching and grinding teeth at night. Some people do this in the day, but others do it at night. This can cause ringing in the ear, headaches, lack of sleep, and pain.

REM Behavior Disorder - people act out their dreams. They talk and move in their sleep. They lack the muscle paralysis that most people experience while sleeping. They often do not feel rested when they wake up in the morning.

RLS, Restless Leg Syndrome - burning, creeping, and tugging in the legs make you want to move them. No one is sure what causes RLS.

Narcolepsy - overwhelming fatigue and seizures can be mistaken for epilepsy and depression.

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

Finding the reason why you are having trouble sleeping is not always easy. One way is to go to bed a few nights without a clock. Sleep until you wake up. This will tell you how much sleep time your body needs. Everyone is different. Some people can experience a good night's sleep in 4 hours. Others need six and even nine hours.

The old wives' tale that people need eight hours sleep, and anything beyond that is laziness is a myth that has been proven several times by medical research.


Sleep Hygiene

Sleep Hygiene is important to a good night sleep. The first thing, only use your bed for sleep and sex. This helps your brain associate the brain with sleep only. There are some reports that claim that people who watch television prior to sleep do not go through all three stages of sleep, or sleep as well.

Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol prior to sleep and do not exercise before bedtime. This can send the brain mixed signals

Train Your Brain to Shut Down

This is a Pavlo theory in practice. It can train your body to fall asleep at the same time every night. If you can't fall asleep after 30 minutes, read a book or listen to music. Do not lay and stare at the wall.

Keeping a regular sleep routine starts before it is time to go to bed. The routine relaxes the body and alerts the brain to switch to sleep mode. This helps it prepare for sleep.

A hot bath can also relax the body and activate the part of the brain that controls the sleep functions.

Also, avoid the 'jet lag syndrome.' People who have sleep problems should not stay awake late to watch a movie or go out to a party. This can mess up their sleep routine, and put their natural sleep-wake routine out of sync.