By Andy | June 11, 2008 - 4:26 am - Posted in News, Power Nap, Sleep Habits

Is a lot of people who want to travel cross country without hotels, want to save on rent, or just don’t feel like driving home after a long day. Sleeping in your car may be illegal in certain places, especially if the individual sleeping has been drinking alcohol. The laws about drinking and driving differ from country to country, and can sometimes rely on a policeman’s judgment regarding whether they think you’re intending on driving before fully sobering up. The best way to keep away from potential problems is not to drink at all - however, if it is unavoidable, do not put the keys in the ignition, and certainly do not start the car, not even to run the heater. Instead, put the keys in the glove box - and be sure not to sleep in the driver’s seat. Be aware that if the car is parked on public roads, the police or other emergency services may need to ask you to move it, which can make life interesting.

Furthermore, in some places sleeping in a car may be a dangerous practice, as there could be a possibility ofsleep in car being mugged or even killed. If you can find a safe place, however, sleeping in your car can be an extremely useful option when making road trips. On a weekend excursion it can allow you to save money that would otherwise be used to pay for a hotel room, and it can also remove the possibility of driving unsafely after a good night on the town. It may also be necessary to sleep in one’s car for a variety of unforeseen reasons - when broken down and awaiting rescue during daylight hours perhaps, when you’re so completely lost you can’t even find a town (let alone a B&B), or when you’ve locked yourself out of the house (or someone else has locked you out), or when very bad weather has forced you to stop, or, in extreme circumstances, when you don’t have anywhere else to sleep.

Select a Spacious Car to Sleep In. If you attempt to sleep in a vehicle such a Ford Ka, you are unlikely to get a good night’s sleep. Such a vehicle is small and has thin doors that do not keep the heat in very well. A larger vehicle with a more spacious interior, such as the Ford Cortina, will offer superior comfort. Read The Full Story…

By Andy | April 25, 2008 - 12:22 am - Posted in Insomnia, Power Nap, Sleep Habits

There are many factors, both internal and external, that can influence the quantity and quality of your sleep. Food can be a common source of creating a chemical origin for insomnia. You may not be able to control or eliminate all of the factors that interfere with your sleep, but you can create an environment and adopt habits that encourage a more restful night.

Here are a ten “Not-to-do” lists that may improve your quality of sleep:

1.Eat right, sleep tight. Try not to go to bed hungry, but avoid heavy meals before bedtime. An over-fullinsomnia belly can keep you up. Some foods can help, though. Milk contains tryptophan, which is a sleep-promoting substance. Other foods that may help promote sleep include tuna, halibut, pumpkin, artichokes, avocados, almonds, eggs, bok choy, peaches, walnuts, apricots, oats, asparagus, potatoes, buckwheat, and bananas.

2. Avoid napping. Napping can only make matters worse if you usually have problems falling asleep. If you do nap, keep it short. A brief 15-20-minute snooze about eight hours after you get up in the morning can actually be rejuvenating.

3. Avoid watching TV, eating, and discussing emotional issues in bed. The bed should be used for sleep and sex only. If not, you can end up associating the bed with distracting activities that could make it difficult for you to fall asleep.

4. Avoid smoking. Cigarettes contain nicotine, which has been linked to difficulty falling asleep and problems awakening. Also, when smokers fall asleep, they experience nicotine withdrawal, which may cause them to awaken. Read The Full Story…

By Andy | April 18, 2008 - 4:34 am - Posted in Sleep Habits, Sleepy-Foods

What does food have to do with sleep? Our nutritional status and the food we eat always influence our sleep. Luckily, some foods actively aid falling asleep and staying asleep.
They relax tense muscles, quiet buzzing minds, and/or get calming, sleep-inducing hormones - serotonin and melatonin - flowing.

The following foods can make getting a good night’s sleep a dream come true:

1. Warm milk. It is not a myth. Milk has some tryptophan - an amino acid that has a sedative - like effectwarm milk - and calcium, which helps the brain use tryptophan. In addition, there is the psychological throwback to infancy, when a warm bottle meant, “relax, everything’s fine.”

2. Turkey. Turkey contains tryptophan. To get the most from the tryptophan in turkey, eat a slice of white turkey meat on a slice of whole-wheat bread in the middle of the evening.

3. Honey. Drizzle a little in your warm milk or herb tea. Lots of sugar is stimulating, but a little glucose tells your brain to turn off orexin, a recently discovered neurotransmitter that’s linked to alertness.

4. Chamomile tea. Chamomile tea’s mild sedating effect has helped many restless people fall asleep - it is the perfect natural antidote for restless minds/bodies. Read The Full Story…