Almost half of people in America have sleep issues. Why? One reason might be that most of us just really can’t seem to turn off our brains or our cell phones, tablets and Kindles. While technology has certainly made it possible for us to have global information at the click of a button, it’s also made us one of the most exhausted generations ever – and it’s all of our own doing. We live in a culture that seldom makes time to rest. Hard work and independence are prized, but the concept of “early to bed, early to rise” has become “early to bed, early to play with tablets before sleep.”

RESTLESS RESTING

While common knowledge states that it’s necessary for us to get at least eight hours of sleep a night, most of us are really getting far less because we can’t relax. The majority of us toss and turn every night, unable to put the cares of the day to rest and finally get some shuteye. Simply put, we can’t relax; we’re just too wired. Want to give yourself a better chance at sleeping soundly? Give yourself some time before bed to wind down. Stay away from particularly violent movies or music for at least an hour before bedtime.

ANYTHING WITH WIRES WILL KEEP YOU WIRED

Be honest. That little tablet or Smartphone probably spends the night mere inches away from your pillow. If it has wires coming from it, it will keep you wired, so if you’re waking up feeling exhausted and irritable, please move the tablet or cell phone or Kindle away from your sleeping space. But what if your Smartphone is your alarm clock? Well, investing in an inexpensive alarm clock would take care of the cell-phone-as-alarm-clock issue – most alarm clocks can be had for less than $10.

BEDTIME SHOULD BE A NO-SMARTPHONE ZONE

But what if you don’t use your cell phone or tablet as your alarm clock? Then, why should the phone or tablet be away from your bed?  For one thing, the temptation to wake up in the middle of the night and check your email or a social networking site may be just too great to resist, especially at 4 am when you’re feeling restless and work seems hours away. Another reason is that night owl friends sending texts or emails may make your phone light up or disturb your sleep, even if your phone has a Do Not Disturb feature on it. Out of sight, out of mind, log off of Facebook.

BINAURAL BEATS MAY PUT YOU TO SLEEP

What if you’ve done all that – given up watching Game of Thrones directly before bedtime and moved your tablet or phone halfway across the house when it’s bedtime – and you’re still having sleep issues? Binaural beats can help you finally fall asleep by using a combination of Ho’oponopono and brain wave technology, you’ll soon be sleeping like a baby.

Photo By: Sonya Green