<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<rss version="2.0">
<channel>
<title>Latest Articles by jpurfield</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/</link>
<description>Articles at Populate.NET</description>
<language>en-us</language>
<item>
<title>Strategies For Deep Sleep When You Have Insomnia</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/Alternative_Medicine/strategies-for-deep-sleep-when-you-have-insomnia.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/Alternative_Medicine/strategies-for-deep-sleep-when-you-have-insomnia.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Are you suffering from insomnia and in need of sleep? Finding strategies for deep sleep when you have insomnia can be challenging. The reason for some sleep orders stem from other conditions you may have. As you know insomnia is the inability to fall and stay asleep. The condition can last for months and destroys you mentally and physically during your work day. 

You should see a doctor and try to diagnose the type of insomnia you have. They may also prescribe medication to help you get to sleep. However, most people who have insomnia are concerned about becoming dependent on the prescribed drugs. So some try alternate strategies (which are viable) to try and sleep all night. 

To beat your insomnia you have to deal with the source that causes it. It's the inability to relax your body and clear your mind that keeps you awake at night. One train of thought is to add exercise to your lifestyle. There are many benefits to exercise. Not only does it reduce the risks of many health problems it also helps in reducing anxiety. All you need to do is add a half hour of exercise to your day. 

Starting an exercise habit is easy when the weather is good. You could always squeeze in a half an hour to jog during lunch time or early in the morning. On the other hand when the weather is bad you need to exercise indoors. However, the easiest way is to work out indoors at home because it's easier to get started with working out and without the inconvenience of traveling to the gym.

The next strategy you want to incorporate into the evening hours is to avoid thinking about the things that cause you stress. In other words forget about work and the bills for a bit. Have you ever heard athletes saying "leave it all out on the field"? You should follow that rule for your work. Keep work at work. While now a days it's much easier to work at home during off hours, it is not advisable. If you need to clear your mind, block some time for yourself in the evening. 

If you do are suffering from insomnia, your best bet is to start treating it. There are many natural remedies for insomnia that you can try while seeking professional help. 

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects an opinion. This article is not a substitute for medical advice. You should consult a physician for medical advisement. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Helpful Ways to Fall Asleep</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/helpful-ways-to-fall-asleep.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/helpful-ways-to-fall-asleep.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Sleep disorders can affect people in many ways. When sleep disorder keeps a person from falling asleep at night, it wreaks havoc on your daily performance. It affects you as a parent and your productivity at work. So if you're having trouble going to sleep at night, here are a couple helpful ways to help you fall asleep. 

When it comes to finding a natural way to fall asleep, it is best to deal with the source of the sleep disorder. If your day is filled with such constant stress such as an ungrateful boss, a full and uncompromising schedule or worrying about not being able to afford gas to get to work, then you need to take time out to relieve your stress and anxiety. Remember, the idea is to get your body to shift its thoughts to something that's more pleasurable and relaxing. 

One thing that's really easy to start doing just take up reading. Reading has many benefits that can last a lifetime. You should plan to read a book (preferably in print, not from the computer monitor) that interests you roughly 15 minutes to half an hour before you go to bed. Reading a book will help you take your mind off of your daily stresses temporarily and can eventually help you go to sleep. Make sure when you read, you do not have the television on and you're reading in a quiet place. 

If you're one of those people that have thoughts racing every second, you want to make sure you make a conscious effort to read the words of the book. This means you have to tell yourself to read every word in the book. Because while you're reading are actually taking in the words of the book and hopefully enjoying it.

Another helpful hint help to you fall asleep, is to clear your mind. Sometimes the best way to stop thinking about your problems is to think about nothing. One of the easiest ways to clear your mind is to focus on your breathing. Think about the breaths going in and leaving your body, and only concentrate on that. Concentrating on your breathing will hopefully help you steer clear thinking about the stresses of the day, and hopefully help you to relax. The goal is to relax enough to the point where you want to back to sleep. When

While not being able to fall asleep at night can be devastating to your body and mind. Just remember that it may have to do with the stress and anxiety in your day to day life. The best way to help yourself is to remove yourself from the daily stresses for a while so you can relax and finally go to sleep at night. Hopefully it to helpful ways to fall asleep discussed above will be effective for you. Once you find yourself sleeping more at night, you may be able to deal with your daily routine more effectively. 

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects an opinion. This article is not a substitute for medical advice. You should consult a physician for medical advisement. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Signs of Sleep Deprivation - Early Signs Can Help You Stop It</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/Diseases_and_Conditions/signs-of-sleep-deprivation-early-signs-can-help-you-stop-it.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/Diseases_and_Conditions/signs-of-sleep-deprivation-early-signs-can-help-you-stop-it.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Sleep deprivation is when your body does not get the required sleep it needs. Sleep deprivation could be voluntary or not (through a sleep disorder). There are many signs of sleep deprivation. Some are noticeably obvious and some symptoms are not because you may think the other symptoms you're experiencing may be due to another condition you think you have. Sleep deprivation can affect anyone with a demanding lifestyle. If you work hours on your job, or juggling a job and school, you can easily deprive yourself of sleep. Here are some signs to look out for during your day.

One of the main signs of sleep deprivation is not being able to concentrate. If you are having trouble focusing on your work during the day you may need to make an effort to get more sleep. Also, it may amount to more than it as there are other mental challenges in front of you. For one, you may feel you are moving slowly or you may feel someone is physically trying to hold you back. You may find creativity is out the door that day because your brain is not functioning at an optimal level. You may find yourself being short with others because not getting enough sleep affects your mood and mental outlook greatly.

In addition to the mental signs of sleep deprivation, you may be experiencing physical problems as well. For example, your reaction time in may slow down during physical activity or worse yet, you may even be experiencing aches and pains for no apparent reason. You may even experience unexpected weight gain when your sleep deprived. Also, watch out who you speak to at work because you may be slurring your speech might not be able to control it.

Remember, if you're experiencing any of the above may the simple matter of not getting enough sleep at night. Most people need eight hours of sleep at night. However, most people wind up getting less than that. So if you feel you're not effective during the day, you maybe not getting enough sleep at night. There is only one way to find out charter get the recommended hours of sleep a night and see if you feel refreshed and more in tune to what you are doing.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects an opinion. This article is not a substitute for medical advice. You should consult a physician for medical advisement. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Causes and Treatment of Insomnia - Herbal Remedies For Sleeplessness</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/Diseases_and_Conditions/causes-and-treatment-of-insomnia-herbal-remedies-for-sleeplessness.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/Diseases_and_Conditions/causes-and-treatment-of-insomnia-herbal-remedies-for-sleeplessness.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ If you are having trouble falling asleep at night then you might want to know the causes and treatment of insomnia. There are also many prescription drugs you can take. However, some of them can be addictive and may not be a long-term solution. Since herbal products are natural, your body may react to them in a positive way, and help you get to sleep at night. 

Like with any drug you're considering taking, make sure you read the labels to the products carefully to take the right dosage. If you don't take the right dosage, the product may not work as you intended. Here are a few remedies for sleeplessness that you can look into.

The first herbal product you want to look into is called valerian root. The Ancient Greeks and Romans have depended on Valerian root as a medicinal product. Later on it started being described for people that were suffering from insomnia. You can take this product orally and it does not many adverse effects however it's been reported that you take too much you may get a stomach ache.

The next herbal remedy for sleeplessness I'd like to discuss is called Kava. It comes from the Western Pacific is it is known as an intoxicating herb. Basically it is known to tranquilize you without clouding your mind. People not only use Kava to help you sleep, but it is also for anxiety and stress. It usually comes in a powder form or you may able to buy the actual root. In powder form, you can mix with the liquid and you could feel the effects within 20 to 30 minutes it can last for well over two hours. So if you take at night, kava could you a head start to get to sleep at night.

While Kava is known to be safe it is known to have side effects when you take too much of it. Reportedly it's known to cause minor skin rashes when taken a lot and repeatedly. So it just like with any other drug you want to take a minimal dosage first and see a tolerance for it. A very small amount of people are allergic to Kava. If you feel that you are allergic to something, you may want to see a doctor first and discuss Kava with the doctor.

So there you have it. The two herbal remedies for sleeplessness described above may be worth a try to help you get some sleep a night. Valerian root and Kava are well-known to help people sleep so may be worth it to try these as you may experience the benefits of these remedies before moving on to prescription methods. However, if you are unsure about the effects of these products is always best to discuss the doctor before taking them.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. You should consult a physician for medical advisement. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Pure Sleep - The Truth About Insomnia Natural Cures</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/Alternative_Medicine/pure-sleep-the-truth-about-insomnia-natural-cures.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/Alternative_Medicine/pure-sleep-the-truth-about-insomnia-natural-cures.html</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ If you are laying awake in bed all night and looking  to get pure sleep, then read this article to learn about two insomnia natural cures. Home remedies for insomnia are getting popular because people are empowered to treat themselves. While seeing a doctor is very important for correct diagnosis and treatment advisement, being able to cure the insomnia on your own, along with the doctor will help you for the long-term.

Most common treatment of insomnia people do on their own is purchase over the counter sleep medications. I have to say, over the counter sleep medications are great for the short-term, and can help you get out of a jam of you need to get to sleep. However, these products are not for the long haul and you risk side effects and become dependent of these medications. One of the main side effects you should be aware of is you can wake up very drowsy and sluggish the next day. You'll most likely be tired during the entire day. This makes these products counter productive.

Natural cures for insomnia may be more effective, because they deal with the root of the problem - your mind and body. One thing you can try is making changes in your diet. Eliminating heavy meals at night can help you get to sleep quicker. Also eliminating caffeine from your diet or at least in the night time can help a lot. For example, if you drink a lot of soda and coffee during the day, you may want to try the decaffeinated versions. You may want to try to reduce processed sugar from your diet as well.

Another problem for people who suffer from insomnia is obsessive thoughts. The good news is there are insomnia natural cures to get help you rid of these thoughts at night. A very effective way is to talk to your spouse or with the person you are living with in the evening before bed time. If you have no one to talk to, then writing is the way to go to get rid of obsessive thoughts. This can be as simple as taking a pen and paper and writing out your problems. Or, you may want to plan for your next day.

Lying awake at night while everyone else is sleeping is not a desirable thing anyone wants to do. However, the good news is, you can try the home remedies for insomnia discussed above on your own, such as making a few simple changes in your diet and writing to help you get some pure sleep at night. You can also expand on these to make them work for your lifestyle. 

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects an opinion. This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult a physician for any and all medical advisement. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Facts About Insomnia - Avoid These Common But Surprising Mistakes at Bed Time</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/Diseases_and_Conditions/facts-about-insomnia-avoid-these-common-but-surprising-mistakes-at-bed-time.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/Diseases_and_Conditions/facts-about-insomnia-avoid-these-common-but-surprising-mistakes-at-bed-time.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ If you want to learn more facts about insomnia, you may want to consider a huge mistake others make in their own attempts to cure their insomnia. I think you'll be thrown off a little once you read it. However, you may understand why it's a common thing people try to do at night. When it comes to insomnia....

People try way too hard to get to sleep when they are in bed.

I know it sounds crazy, but you'll find that trying to make yourself go to sleep is indeed counter productive. The reason is if your body is not ready to go to sleep it will not do so. You see, your brain controls your central nervous system. Going to sleep is something you cannot control. For example, what happens during those afternoon battles at work when people are fighting to avoid falling asleep? The funny thing is your brain is ready for you to go to sleep. No matter how hard you try, your head is close to falling on the desk and you're seconds away from passing out. Then you trying anything you can to keep from falling asleep. The exact opposite is happening at night with you. 

So what if you're not ready to go to sleep but want to go to sleep? First you have to figure out why you're wide awake. Usually it has to do with all those thoughts running through your head. You know them. The ones about paying the bills, how things are getting more expensive, and anything else that bothers you. I understand those thoughts well. They are common to have. Not only are these obsessive thoughts not fun to think about, they run as fast and are busy as rush hour on the Los Angeles freeway. So your goal is to try and get some control over them. 

While you can't control your brain to get to sleep, you can still cure your insomnia by getting rid of those thoughts for the evening. You have to learn to let go of them. Yes, it's easier said and done. However, you can still try if you know what to do. One way to take your mind off of things is to read a book. Read something that's of interest to you and take in the words. Don't try to read to fast because all that does is apply pressure to your self. You want to make an effort to read every word. Once you are a few pages into the book, you'll be into the story and not the mortgage bill.

There are many other facts about insomnia you could learn about. The more you know the better chance you have of getting to sleep at bed time quicker. Also, with better sleep you of course get your daily productively and your life back. Good Luck with curing your insomnia. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Insomnia Natural Cures - Why You Shouldn't Even Think About Trying Hard to Fall Asleep</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/Alternative_Medicine/insomnia-natural-cures-why-you-shouldn-t-even-think-about-trying-hard-to-fall-asleep.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/Alternative_Medicine/insomnia-natural-cures-why-you-shouldn-t-even-think-about-trying-hard-to-fall-asleep.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Are you having difficulty falling asleep at night from insomnia? The last thing you want to do is get into bed at night and try and force yourself to go to sleep. The bottom line is this sleep strategy will not work for you. Here's why. 

Sleeping is something you do. It's not something that you command yourself to do. Think about all the times that you were falling asleep at the most in opportune times. For example, what about those mid afternoon involuntary shutdowns that you are fighting off at work? Remember those? You found it impossible to focus on your work if anything at all. It seems like you had no choice but to fall asleep. So you can see, the act or function of sleeping is a matter of when your brain slows down enough to let you go to sleep.

The brain is very complex and you can't just "tell it" to fall asleep. In fact the brain regulates all the activity we do. It controls our central nervous system. It's probably sad news for those of us who think they are in full and constant control of sleeping but that's just the way it is. Therefore, if you're trying very hard at night to fall asleep, all you really doing is putting more pressure on yourself. All you're doing is piling on more thoughts in your head. So the first thing you should be doing at bed time is to stop thinking about falling asleep as a life or death situation.

As discussed we cannot order ourselves to go to sleep. What do we do with the millions of thoughts racing through your head? The good news is you can slow down your thoughts. There are ways to deal with those obsessive thoughts, and help relieve the pressure you compiled from your day. You just need to know and understand how to let go of us thoughts. The trick here is to focus on something else that is pleasant to you and not think about falling asleep. There are many ways to do is. For example, you can focus on your breathing. Think about inhaling the fresh air and on the exhale think about the thoughts leaving you.

If you hate going to bed at night because you wind up staring at the ceiling most nights, then you'll see are many things you can do to slow down your thoughts and start getting to sleep at night. I used to hate going to sleep at night because I knew I wasn't getting any sleep. That has changed now as I learned to let go.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects an opinion. This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult a physician for any and all medical advisement. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Insomnia Natural Cures - Frequently Asked Questions</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/Alternative_Medicine/insomnia-natural-cures-frequently-asked-questions.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/Alternative_Medicine/insomnia-natural-cures-frequently-asked-questions.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ If you're thinking about insomnia natural cures instead of using medication treatments, then you need to know the basics. Here are a few frequently asked questions about the approach you take when trying these natural cures for insomnia.

I try very hard by telling myself every night to get to sleep. However, it never works for me. Why?

First of all if telling yourself to get to sleep is not working for you, then why are you still trying? The problem is that you are applying to much pressure to yourself. You are adding on to the pressure and obsessive thoughts you accumulated during the day. If you think about it, you are now adding "one more thing you have to do". Plus sleep is something that happens because you're brain tells us when it's time to fall asleep. Not the other way around. The first thing you should do is try to not force yourself to go to sleep. It may actually help you get to sleep quicker. 

I can't sleep because I have what seems like millions of thoughts pounding my head. What do I do with all the thoughts in my head?

Let go of these thoughts or slow down your brain's thought activity. You can let go of these thoughts by shifting your mind to something that is not stimulating. For example, you can imagine yourself in a desirable setting doing absolutely nothing. Or you can count your breaths. Since the brain tells us when it's time to go to sleep, you'll need to do learn how to accept your thoughts in order let go of them. 

What do I do at night if I wake up and can't get back to sleep?

Well, there are many things you can try. However, the main thing here is to make sure you do not apply pressure to yourself to get back to sleep. This is tough to do because if you look at the clock at all, you realize all you have is a few hours left until the alarm goes off. If you get to this point you basically convinced yourself into thinking you can't get to sleep. Making the same efforts to slow down your thoughts as you initially did to get to sleep will help you get back to sleep again. 

After reading this article, you should see the continuing point we allude to is the mind. You'd be surprised how the human brain controls your sleeping. While we cannot control our brain, we can have it switch to a lower gear. Good luck in your efforts to get to get consistent sleep at night.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects an opinion. This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult a physician for any and all medical advisement. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Facts About Insomnia - Avoid These Mistakes If You Want to Win Over Insomnia</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/Diseases_and_Conditions/facts-about-insomnia-avoid-these-mistakes-if-you-want-to-win-over-insomnia.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/Diseases_and_Conditions/facts-about-insomnia-avoid-these-mistakes-if-you-want-to-win-over-insomnia.html</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Are you trying to treat your insomnia on your own? Then you may want avoid as many mistakes as possible while you're learning the facts about insomnia. Even though you should see your doctor for a consultation, many people try to cure their insomnia on their own. The combination works well. However, people do run into some mistakes that can keep them from curing it. 

They don't know what type of insomnia they have.

This is a biggie. People don't know the type and this is critical for effective treatment. Insomnia for the most part can be divided into two categories: Primary and Secondary. With primary insomnia, you may need more assistance because there is no reason for or nothing causing the insomnia. Primary insomnia is treated at a treatment center that specializes in behavioral therapy. 

Secondary insomnia is a symptom of another condition. The goal is to treat the cause of the insomnia. This can be treated by a doctor and you can treat this on your own by making simple changes in your lifestyle.

They don't realize they are sensitive to caffeine from their diet.

Caffeine is linked to many cases of insomnia. I believe (from my experience) you get more sensitive to caffeine as you get older. Caffeine affects the brain very similar to an amphetamine does. Also it's addictive. People love having their morning coffee because it gets them all fired up for the day. However, the caffeine can leave you jittery and anxious especially, if you drink a lot of it during throughout the day. Most cut out caffeine in the night time. This is usually very effective when trying to combat your insomnia.

They are too desperate to get to sleep. 

This mistake has everything to do with your mindset. Most people don't realize that trying to fall asleep out of an act of desperation will just not happen. Very anxious people just don't slow down at night in bed and try to clear their mind. Your brain is the main player when it comes to getting to sleep and you can't control it. However, you can control the thoughts going to your brain by just attempting to slow them down. You'd be surprised how easy it can be. I usually just sit back and think about the space between my thoughts as they race through my brain. Usually, you slow down enough and clear your mind. 

The best way to help yourself is to learn as many facts about insomnia as you can. Basically, the article discussed the importance of knowing what type of insomnia you have, paying attention to the amount of caffeine you drink and trying to clear your mind at night. If you can do your best to avoid the mistakes discussed above you may find yourself getting quality sleep sooner rather than later. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Insomnia Natural Cures - Quiz Yourself on the Basics</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Health/Alternative_Medicine/insomnia-natural-cures-quiz-yourself-on-the-basics.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Health/Alternative_Medicine/insomnia-natural-cures-quiz-yourself-on-the-basics.html</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ If you're researching insomnia natural cures, then below are three key questions you need to know the answer to. If you want results, then you'll benefit from these questions. The format will be as follows: I'll state the question, follow up with the correct answer, followed by a lot of information to help you. 

1. When I get started with a natural cure for insomnia I: 

A) Take an over the counter medication along with the home remedy.
B) Follow the directions as instructed. 
C) Research the remedy further to see if it's valid.

The correct answer is B. When you start trying a home remedy to cure your insomnia, you want to follow the instructions. Here's why, if you don't follow the instructions then you may not get the results you want. Also incorporating over the counter sleep medication with the remedy will not help you decide if it works or not. In regards to the other answers, if you decide to research the treatment you just purchased, then you simply researched at the wrong time. You should do all your research before purchasing. This way you know if the insomnia cure is workable with your current life style. 

2. If I am stressed at night just before bed time, I:

A) Plan for the next day.
B) Just go to bed angry and agitated and try and get some well deserved sleep.
C) Write down my problems using a pen and paper. 

There are two correct answers here: A and C. If you sit down with a pen and paper and write out your schedule for the next day, then you are "giving yourself permission" to handle your issues the next day. This can do wonders for your mind set and is worth a try. Also, writing is very therapeutic when it comes to confronting your problems. A simple exercise to try is writing down your thoughts (no matter how far out there they are) and then shred them. It's a great way to let go and move forward. If you go to bed angry and agitated then you probably won't get to sleep at a decent hour. Your best bet in this case is to try the exercises mentioned above. 

3. When it comes to coffee or caffeinated drinks and my sleep I:

A) Will never give them up. I perform too well with them. 
B) Try to cut back or eliminate the caffeine from my diet.

The correct answer is B. It may be something as simple like caffeine that is causing your insomnia. You start feeling the effects of caffeine as you get older. When you're a young adult, it gives you all the energy you need to conquer the world. Then one day you're thirty-something, hyped up in the morning and crashing in the afternoons. Then you're looking for more coffee to stay alert. You're best bet is to try and cut back on the afternoon coffee. If you want to be really effective, try cutting out caffeine all together. However, be prepared to fall asleep at inconvenient times. If coffee is such a vice where you would never give it up, then you need to consider going to decaf coffee. When it comes to home remedies for insomnia, you are aiming for a natural balance in your body so you can fall asleep at night again.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects an opinion. This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult a physician for any and all medical advisement. ]]></description>
</item>

</channel>
</rss>

