Have you ever considered acupressure? The results sound incredible.

In a recent sleep research study, acupressure helped chronic insomniacs get a better nights rest for up to two weeks after the treatment. Similar to acupuncture, acupressure involves pressing the bodies pressure points in order to stimulate health. Unlike acupuncture, which uses thin needles to access the pressure points, acupuncture simply uses fingers and hands.

This controlled study has yielded favorable results for the alternative treatment. 50 people with chronic insomnia were split into two groups. One group received acupressure treatment while the other remained a control group, receiving light touches at the acupressure areas instead. Improvements in sleep were measured with a standardized test over a period of 5 weeks. In the end, the group receiving the acupressure treatment had significantly better results during the  trial and continued for two weeks after.

Although the exact science behind acupressure is not known, the results speak for themselves. Applying pressure to specific pressure points stimulates blood flow to deep muscle tissue. Doing this increases the temperature of your muscles and makes them feel more flexible and relaxed.  One specific pressure point, called the HT7 point, is particularly known for improving insomnia.

The HT7, or The Spirit Gate, is located on the wrist, on the same side as the pinky. Before going to sleep, try rubbing the area slowly but firmly. This should help you get to sleep. If you want to wake up, instead of rubbing the point, tap on it. If you don’t feel any changes in results, try scheduling an appointment with a acupressure professional. This will let you learn first hand how and where to apply pressure on your own.

According to a research study by Harvard, blue lights can actually help people fight fatigue and stay more alert and awake at night. Unfortunately, the same can be giving you trouble with sleep.

With today’s technology, there are lights on 24/7, many of which are blue LED lights. Just looking at my own setup, I have blue light being emitted from my computer, speakers and router (not to mention the other lights coming from my monitor and modem). Being able to turn off or somehow cover all sources of light before you go to sleep can help you get to sleep much faster and experience a deeper sleep.

Ideally, you should limit the brightness of the lights around you at least an hour before you go to sleep. Artificial lighting tells our brain that it is not yet night time and we should not be tired. This causes our body to stay more alert and awake at a time when we should be feeling tired and sleepy.

High doses of vitamin B₁₂ have been reported to relieve a few cases of DSPS and non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome. Vitamin B₁₂ neither helps you wake up nor fall asleep in the short term, and it is not yet clear why vitamin B₁₂ would have an effect on circadian rhythms.

Reportedly, the dose needed for a significant effect in treating these circadian disorders is 2-3 mg per day, which is about 1000 times the ordinary recommended daily allowance. There have been no reported side effects from such large doses of vitamin B₁₂. Vitamin B₁₂ tablets are available from many drugstores and health food stores. The vitamin is also available in injectable form, but that is only for people who cannot absorb it at all from food.

Melatonin is a treatment for sleep/wake timing disturbances. It is a hormone whose concentration in the blood rises as the body prepares for sleep. It has been synthesized and can be taken orally, as a pill, at night to induce sleepiness and a seemingly natural sleep.

Melatonin has two effects which are of interest to individuals with DSPS. For many people, it advances the timing of sleep in the short-term, making them feel sleepy soon after they take it. Melatonin is also believed to have a chronobiotic effect – it actually helps reset circadian rhythms. Melatonin is the only known drug which resets circadian rhythms at safe doses. Ordinary sleeping pills, such as benzodiazepines (Flurazepam, Valium, and others), do not have this chronobiotic effect. Although in the popular press melatonin has received more attention than light therapy as a chronobiotic treatment for jet lag, recent research has indicated that bright light is a more powerful circadian phase-resetter than melatonin.

Advantages of Melatonin

• It is easy to take melatonin. Sleep deprivation isn’t necessary, although if you take too much you will feel tired or hung-over the next day.
• Big help for jet-lag.
• Is available over the counter.

Disadvantages of Melatonin

• Most people, if they could, would rather sleep without taking sleeping pills. It is possible for people with even severe DSPS to sleep at night without using melatonin at all. Ask yourself whether you are willing to take melatonin every night for many years. Would use of a sleeping pill make you lose the skill of falling asleep without medication?
• Buying, selling, or importing melatonin is restricted in some countries. If you do not know how to obtain melatonin, or whether you can legally bring it into your country, ask your local authorities.
• Some melatonin users have reported:
  • increase in vivid dreaming and nightmares
  • tiredness the following day
  • restlessness instead of sleepiness after taking melatonin
  • mood changes
• Melatonin has been shown to affect reproductive cycles and inhibit sexual development in animals. Its effects on humans are not known. Do not take melatonin if you are:
  • a child or adolescent
  • pregnant or breastfeeding
• There is some evidence to suggest that melatonin may have cardiovascular effects, and therefore might be detrimental in patients with cardiovascular disorders.
• Consult your doctor before taking melatonin if you:
  • are depressed
  • have an autoimmune disease, diabetes, leukemia, or a lymphoproliferative disorder
  • are taking MAO inhibitor drugs or corticosteroids

Dosage and Timing of Melatonin

If you decide to take melatonin for DSPS, take it at least 30 minutes before you want to fall asleep. Individuals vary widely in how much melatonin they need to take to bring about sleep. Start with a low dose of about 100 or 200 mcg (pronounced “micrograms”; 1000 mcg = 1 mg = 0.001 g), and if necessary work up to higher doses gradually.

Light therapy (phototherapy) is more widely used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder, but it is also an effective method of adjusting sleep/wake timing. The principle behind it is that exposure to light in the morning advances the sleep phase, whereas light in the evening delays it.

For light therapy, you need a source of very bright light. Room lighting is not bright enough. Sunlight is good, if you have lots of windows or if you can get outside. You should never look directly at the sun, of course. Most convenient is an electric light box or light visor, available from some medical supply stores or by mail-order. A good light source will have the UV radiation filtered out. Remember that the intensity of light drops off exponentially with distance from the source. For example, if you double the distance between the light source and your eyes, the dose you receive is reduced by 75%. Treatment effectiveness also increases (up to a point) with the length of exposure – 30 minutes to two hours is often recommended.

Advantages of Light Therapy

• The light levels in commercial light therapy equipment are believed to be safe for eyes, at least in the short term and for people who do not already have eye disease.
• Does not require taking time off work or school.
• Light therapy daily or a few times a week is a simple way to maintain your sleep schedule once you have moved it to an earlier time.

Disadvantages of Light Therapy

• Certain medical conditions and medications are incompatible with light therapy. Check with your doctor if you are taking any kind of medication, or have any skin or eye disease.
• Headache is a possible side effect. It may help to avoid reading or having to focus your eyes during the light exposure. and to decrease the intensity of the light.
• Overdosage can make you feel “wired” and overstimulated – if this happens, decrease the time or intensity of the light treatment.
• The long-term effects of bright light treatment are not yet known.
• You can do other things in your morning routine while under exposure to light, but you may still need to wake up earlier than you normally would, so you can get enough light before leaving the house in the morning. You don’t have to get out of bed for light therapy, as long as you keep your eyes open.
• Equipment for light therapy can cost several hundred dollars (Canadian or US). If you have a doctor’s prescription for light therapy, and extended medical insurance, your insurance plan may cover it.
• Requires some time – a few days to two weeks – to take full effect. During this period, you will probably feel sleep-deprived.

Timing of Light Therapy and Sleep

Light exposure timed just before the middle of the night is most effective in delaying the sleep phase, and light timed just afterwards is most effective in advancing it. In this case, “night” refers to your night, so if you are used to sleeping between 4 am and noon, the middle of the night is around 8 am (give or take about an hour). The general rule is that light therapy for DSPS should begin as soon as you can get up in the morning. Minimizing your exposure to light in the evening may also be helpful.

There are different ways you can reschedule your sleep with the help of light treatment

1. Cold-turkey phase advance. That is, if you want to be getting up at 7 am, you force yourself up at 7 am, and don’t take naps, every day until (you hope) you get used to it. Light therapy upon waking should accelerate the adjustment.
2. Gradual phase advance. This means getting up a little earlier, e.g. by 15 minutes, every day or every other day, until you reach your desired wakeup time. It can take a long time if you are more than two hours away from the schedule you want.
3. Sleep deprivation-phase advance (SDPA) consists of staying up all night then moving bedtime one or 1.5 hours earlier the next night. If you are more than 1.5 hours away from your desired schedule, you can do this once a week on the weekends until you’re there. SDPA doesn’t always work – some DSP individuals cannot fall asleep until their normal bedtime even after staying up all night.
4. Cold-turkey phase advance with a nap. This involves getting up early for light therapy and going back to bed for a nap after the light treatment is over. You will probably find it easier psychologically to wake up early if you know you can go back to sleep again soon.

Daily stress keeps people awake at night. In a study of over 2000 people, 51% of Americans said that they lose sleep due to stress. There are many steps that can be taken to reduce and relieve stress, especially in the bedroom. Here are 50 ways I’ve collected from various lists:

1 – Listen to Music
Throughout the day and before you go to sleep, listen to music. In a growing field of music therapy, there is evidence that shows that links music to stress reduction and increased happiness in doing everyday things. So keep your ipod handy at all times.

2 – Fish & Aquarium
Studies have shown that gazing at fish in an aquarium reduces stress and decreased blood pressure. So get yourself your own Nemo.

3 – Set Up a Home Spa
Run some warm water in the tub, scented candles and relaxing music to really drift into relaxation.

4 – Decrease Commitments
We tend to over schedule ourselves and commit to too many things. Leave room in your schedule to just relax.

5 – Practice Breathing Exercises
Take several long breaths, inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth. When you breath, let your stomach rise and fall, not your shoulders and chest. This can be don’t anywhere and helps get rid of stress.

6 – Doodle
Whip out the paper and colored pencils (or markers if you prefer) and just start doodling. Drawing gets our minds off things and lets us express ourselves freely.

7 – Meditate
Meditation has long been used to empty your mind and calm the body. A great way to relax and relieve stress.

8 – Prepare the Day Before
If you know what you will be doing the next day, prepare as much as you can the day before. Being ready to go through the day easily gives lots of peace of mind.

9 – Be Comfortable
Wear comfortable clothing, sit in a comfortable chair, and live in a comfortable environment. Anything less can annoy and bother you throughout the day.

10 – Write Stuff Down
Our memories aren’t perfect and trying to remember everything is hard. If we realize we forgot something, it can be really stressful trying to remember what it is we forgot. Carry around a small notepad and a golf pencil and jot down things you need to remember.

11 – Prioritize
Set priorities to all of your life’s actions and complete them in that order. This will also give you a list of everything you need to do, making managing your responsibilities easier.

12 – Avoid Negative Nancys
Pessimists will always find something wrong and will likely make you feel glum. Don’t be negative Nancy, instead try to make people look on the bright side.

13 – Look On The Bright Side
There is almost always a positive from every event that occurs. Find it and make that the primary emotion you feel.

14 – Make Copies
Make copies of anything important that you would feel stresses about losing (keys, documents, etc). This way, if you lose something, you at least have a duplicate and will help ease the stress.

15 – Manage Your Time
Try to make a time table for all your activities with room for error. This way you know what you have time for and what you don’t have time for and don’t need to lose sleep thinking about “Will I have time to do X tomorrow?”

16 – Stay Organized
This will not only help you manage your time and prevent things from needlessly being lost, but will also make you much more efficient. Take the time needed to set up organization in your life and stick to it.

17 – Fix Or Replace Everything That Doesn’t Work
These broken (or about to break) objects are the small daily hassles that build stress. Fix or replace anything that you’ve been putting off for a while and reap the benefits of a long awaited accomplishment.

18 – Laugh
Laughter is the best medicine. Surround yourself with as many things that make you laugh as you can. Hang around funny people or rent a funny movie.

19 – Set Periodic Attainable Goals
Set small goals for yourself and accomplish them one at a time. Each time you accomplish a goal, you’ll feel better about yourself and do something that needed to be accomplished.

20 – Read a Book
Reading is peaceful and relaxing. Go to your local library and ask someone what their favorite fiction novel is. Check it out and read it.

21 – Have a Plan B
Things don’t always go the way we plan them to in life. Having a plan B will have you better prepared for the uncertain and take loads off your mind.

22 – Exercise
Any physical exercise helps relieve stress. It pumps up your endorphins and improves your mood.

23 – Clean Your House
Take it one step at a time and clean one room. Really give it 110% making sure absolutely everything is spotless.

24 – Fresh Air
Unless you live in a place filled with smog, open up a window and get fresh air inside your home as much as you can.

25 – Nice Smelling Fresh Air
Get incense or scented candles in every room, car and workplace to make the place smell pleasant.

26 – Learn Something New
It’s always great to know about something new (whether its a fact or skill). Learn it and share it with friends and family.

27 – Don’t Procrastinate
Get things done ahead of time. This is huge.

28 – Get a Massage
Relax the body as well as the mind. A full body massage will relax your tense muscles and body aches.

29 – Find a Hobby
Hobbies are fun things that you like to do in your free time. They let you have fun, relax, and some let you hang out with other who have the same hobby.

30 – Say No
You don’t have to say yes to every request that is made to you.

31 – Don’t Assume
You know what assuming does don’t ya? Talk things through instead of assuming and turning out to be wrong.

32 – Keep Finances In Check
Always have a money in the bank. In the event of some emergency which will cost you, you won’t have to scrape up money in a hurry or cut back from other activities.

33 – Yoga
Yoga is like meditation for the body. It stretches out all your muscles and helps them relax. If you do a group yoga session, you also get the ability to meet new people.

44 – Meet Someone New
Meeting a new person can change a person’s life for the better. New stories, activities and more fun to be had when you introduce someone new into your life.

45 – Hang Out With Friends
If you don’t want to meet anyone new, just hang out with your current friends. Hit up a bar, casino or show to get your mind off things and relax.

46 – Go to a Restaurant
When does delicious food ever make us feel worse? Someone else cooks it for you too!

47 – Let Go Of Things Not In Your Control
Many people stress about things that are not in their control. Accept and adapt to whatever happens. Fussing over something that you can’t affect only makes things worse.

48 – Take Mini-Vacations
Go skiing, jet skiing, mini golfing, comedy club or anything else that breaks you usual daily routine and have fun.

49 – Don’t Solve Everyone’s Problems
Don’t take everyone’s problems to be yours. You don’t need additional burden to up your stress.

50 – Smile
Just do it.

Do a few of these every day and you’ll feel the stress leave your daily life and become a thing of the past.

Quick Tip #4 – Drink A Glass Of Warm Milk To Help You Sleep

Milk has the chemical tryptophan which makes your sleepy. Drinking a warm glass of milk does help you get to sleep.

Another addition I like to make is adding a teaspoon of honey and mixing it. Honey has sleep inducing qualities as well. Try to get darker honey as opposed to lighter honey.

Although I haven’t tried this myself, I have heard this works.

2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons of honey

1 cup of warm water

Mix them all together and drink before going to sleep. You can adjust the quantity of honey and vinegar to best suit your flavor.

If anyone does try this, please comment on the results.