Did you know that our sleep duration and quality depends on our sex, race, and socioeconomic status? University of Chicago researchers discovered that African Americans sleep less than Whites and men sleep less than women. The mean scores are as follows: Time spent in bed: 7.5 hours; Time to fall asleep: 21.9 minutes; Sleep duration: 6.1 hours; Time spent sleeping: 80.9 %.
We have all experienced those sleepless nights. Give these ideas a try the next time you are counting your 276th sheep.
Guided Imagery: A study in 2007 in Brazil found that 12 insomniacs slept better after listening to guided imagery CDs for 5 consistent weeks.
Herbal Tea: Many herbs like passionflower, chamomile and skullcap have sedative properties. Look for them in tea form at your natural health food store and relax with a cup about an hour before you head to bed.
5-HTTP: This is a new drug that is derived form tryptophan, which helps up serotonin levels, a brain chemical that helps regulate sleep. Natural Medicine doctors recommend taking 1 capsule of 100 milligrams nightly.