But 11 years after the first insomniac was born, I’m still exhausted, as I am convinced he emerged from my womb with no need of sleep, and then his sister two years later with the same curse. I’m not sure how it happened, being that I’ve always needed eight hours of sleep to stay sane.

The last two months there has been a lot of cussing in our house after 8 p.m., when we begin the rituals. In desperation I headed to my shelf of expert advice to see if any nuggets in there would apply, or at least not nauseate me. I came away empty-handed. Great intentions. Perfect principles. Wise stuff. Just not going to work on my rebels, who defy traditional rules and procedures.

So I’m back to threatening. However, threatening, itself, can be complicated, and deserves its own guidelines.

Here are my two cents on how to threaten effectively. These are not principles that will foster healthy sleep habits. They will merely get you a few days of sleep if you are like me, in the state of emergency. Experts aren’t big on Band-aids. I am.

1. Prep the threat.

My fundamental mistake in releasing a threat is not being totally prepared. In an impatient huff, I might blurt out something stupid like, “If you don’t go to sleep, I’m going to … going to … going to …,” brainstorming about which option is best, at which point my two devious offspring start laughing. The result is that they do not take future threats seriously, and I have lost all negotiating power (which effective parents don’t need because they don’t have to negotiate with their kids) because I didn’t think through the bribe before opening my trap in a premature fit.

2. Specify the threat.

Threats should be like legal documents. Hell, you could get out a piece of paper with all the specifications written down and, instead of them pinky-swearing, you could get a signature. The more detailed the better because kids who don’t sleep tend to be smart and manipulative. So when I take away the family iPad from my daughter, she finds a computer in the house and starts surfing YouTube or making videos of herself. When we take that away, she grabs one of our iPhones and downloads an app where she can try out new hairstyles on stick-skinny chicks. If she can’t find those, she’ll steal her brother’s iPod and start uploading photos to his Instagram. I should have stipulated that ALL electronics are banned, that she has to do something really radical like read a book or use pencil and paper and draw.

3. Time the threat.

Just as important as the content of the threat is the delivery: in particular, when you deliver the threat. I’ve found that when my insomniacs are overly tired and irrational they can’t hear a word I say, even if I’m yelling. Therefore, it’s best to wait until breakfast, when I will say very calmly that they have lost electronics for the day or until they learn how to calm themselves down and go to bed without making visits to our room or to a sibling’s room in the middle of the night, sleepwalking, singing Macklemore’s song lyrics, “I’m gonna pop some tags,” or perfecting Anna Kendrick’s cup act in “Pitch Perfect.”

Threatening is not easy. So hopefully these guidelines assist you in reaching for a wide Band-aid and a few nights’ sleep before you have to come up with an entirely different set of new threats. Good luck!

Did I do everything on my list? Did I pay the cable bill? What’s the due date on that project, again? Work has been so demoralizing lately. But I can’t quit. I’ll never find another job in this economy.

I’m screwed.

It’s this kind of internal racket that hinders sleep for many people night after night. In their book Goodnight Mind: Turn Off Your Noisy Thoughts & Get a Good Night’s Sleep, authors and sleep specialists Colleen E. Carney, Ph.D, and Rachel Manber, Ph.D, delve into the many reasons our minds keep us from sleeping. They provide valuable tips and techniques that address these culprits.

Train Your Brain to Sleep

One reason your mind keeps you up is because you’ve unwittingly trained it to be alert, according to the authors. For instance, they note that if you spend many nights in bed tossing and turning or being upset that you can’t sleep, your bed has become a cue for tossing and turning and being upset.

The key, then, is to make your bed become a cue for sleepiness. The authors suggest readers:

• Avoid napping, because “…you need to associate sleep with only one location (your bed) and one time (your sleep window).” Have a plan for the times you’re most likely to want to nap. For instance, if you fall asleep watching TV, sit up straight or do some light activity like folding laundry.
• Avoid active activities in bed. Again, your bed needs to be associated with sleep only. So don’t text, talk on the phone, play games or watch TV in bed. Regarding sex, it depends on how you feel after. If you feel sleepy after sex, your bedroom is OK. If you feel alert, you could have sex earlier in the day or somewhere else in your home. “Or you may opt to make sex an exception to the rule anyway.”
• Go to bed only when you’re sleepy, which is different from feeling tired or sapped of energy.
• Get up at the same time every day. This can lead to poor sleep in the beginning, but this trains your body clock and eventually when you’re getting up at the same time seven days a week, you’ll start getting sleepy earlier, too.
• If you can’t sleep or you start worrying, get out of bed. Participate in an activity that doesn’t make you more awake, such as reading, knitting or listening to music.

Minimize Worrying

“If you give yourself time earlier in the day to deal with unfinished business, your worries will be less likely to follow you to bed,” write Carney and Manber. They suggest carving out 20 to 30 minutes in the early evening for this exercise. Take a piece of paper, and divide it into two columns. For one column write “Worries or Concerns.” In the second column, write “Next Steps” or “Solutions.”

When you jot down a worry, think of the next steps you can take toward a solution. Then focus on one small step you can take. It’s especially helpful to break down your solutions into a series of small steps so you don’t feel overwhelmed.

Another strategy the authors suggest is occupying your mind with something else. For instance, think about a story (just nothing that’s so exciting it keeps you awake). Focus on the details, such as what the characters are wearing and saying and what the surroundings look like. If a story doesn’t work for you, they also suggest thinking of a hobby, such as golfing or decorating a home (again, just make sure it doesn’t wake you up).

Stop Thinking Like a Poor Sleeper

If you can’t sleep, or you wake up in the middle of the night, instead of getting yourself worked up with negative thoughts like “I won’t be able to sleep all night, I’m screwed,” the authors suggest taking a matter-of-fact approach: “It seems as if my mind is too active to sleep right now. Trying to force sleep is counterproductive; I am going to go to the couch and watch a sitcom.”

Also helpful is to have realistic expectations and accurate beliefs about sleep. For instance, it’s a common belief that you need eight hours of sleep or more per night. Holding onto this belief only makes you feel more anxious when you don’t reach this number. But, in general, sleep quality is more important than quantity.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s also normal to spend up to 30 minutes trying to fall asleep or being awake in the middle of the night.

Practice Mindfulness

Worrying involves focusing on the future. That’s where mindfulness can be incredibly helpful: It helps us focus on the present. For instance, start with focusing your senses on your surroundings. What do you see? What do you hear? How does the temperature feel on your skin?

You also can use mindfulness to observe your thoughts, especially if your mind is always buzzing, and you feel trapped by their thoughts. Carney and Manber suggest the following exercise:

When a thought comes to mind, simply notice it and imagine the words of the thought being written on a leaf. Imagine placing the leaf on a stream and watching it float away until it disappears around a bend. Here comes another thought (leaf). Notice it. Notice the words on the leaf as it floats away. If you notice any negative emotion, accept that it is there; notice it without judgment; gently turn your attention to observing your thoughts once more. Do this as often as necessary; that is, whenever you notice yourself distracted, refocus your attention. If critical thoughts about how this exercise is unfolding arise, put those on leaves too and set them adrift.

Quieting your mind takes practice. The above tips can help.

At one time in my life, this used to bug me. I would look at the clock and think, “oh no, I must get back to sleep or I’ll be so tired in the morning.” And then I’d spend the next hour or two willing myself to go back to sleep: tossing and turning, demanding that I slip back into unconsciousness; huffing and puffing that I wasn’t sleeping. I’d even check the clock every 10 minutes to see if I’d slept.

But the reality was, and still is, the more that I demand something of myself, the less likely I am to achieve that goal — and that really is the principle of living an unhappy life.

Sure I want to go back to sleep. I would even really, really, really, prefer to be sleeping right now, but I’m not. So, instead of lying there, beating myself up for waking when I “absolutely shouldn’t have,” I get up. I grab a drink, get something to eat and power up my laptop.

I realized a while back that, for me, it’s easier to get up and do something I enjoy. Use the extra time I have to write something, read, watch some TV, or just get lost in the weird and wonderful things people upload on YouTube.

This extra quiet time can be a bonus, before the world machine cranks up, and I slip into my lane on the daily highway of life.

Sure, I might be a little tired later, but the reality is that a few hours less sleep every now and then is not going to affect my performance. It will only affect that if I’m constantly telling myself, “I won’t be able to cope with work/life/kids because I woke so early and I’ll get tired.”

If you’re the type of person who uses that snippet of destructive thinking, then you’ll start sabotaging yourself. Sometimes after not sleeping well, people even play the ‘poor me card.’ They tell work colleagues how little sleep they’ve had, and how they won’t be able to do so-and-so job, or how they might need to go home early because of exhaustion.

Thinking and behaving like this can be quite common, and its roots can usually be found in childhood messages such as “You’ve got school tomorrow. You need to get your sleep or you won’t be able to do well.”

Really? How many times did you hear this, yet still stayed up late reading about dinosaurs, and made it through school the next day?

Even scientists don’t know how much sleep people need.

Each person’s sleep patterns and needs are different. You might be somebody like me, who likes around eight hours a night, or you might need fewer, such as four. Trouble is, if you’re the type of person who needs four, but you think you should have eight, that is where your problems will start.

Sleep problems can start if, instead of embracing your pattern and learning to live with it, you start to create your own anxiety around not getting enough sleep. Soon enough, sleeping will start to be a problem because you’ll be worrying about it before you go to bed, and that worry will interfere with your sleep pattern.

Soon you’ll be going to sleep, only to wake yourself so you can check that clock to see if you’ve been sleeping. And as you can tell, that irrational behavior will confirm that you haven’t slept as much as you demand because you woke yourself up!

The next step from there is usually some type of insomnia, because you’ve worked yourself up into such anxiety about sleeping. After a while you will be tired and your cognitive functioning will be impaired. You’ll be worrying during the day whether you’ll even sleep at night; and nearer to sleep time you get, the more anxious you’ll become and the more your body won’t be able to relax, so the more impossible it is to sleep. Catch-22, created by you.

If you do wake early, then make the best of that time. If your sleep pattern is such that you sleep a few hours a night, but need a nap during the day, then do it. Stop telling yourself you “must sleep now or else.”

I’ve found my way with managing my occasional lack of sleep. What about you? Is there a pattern you could change? Are you demanding something of yourself that leads to sleep problems? If so, these need to be addressed. So go do it — go change.

I first decided to try it in 2010 to see if it would be able to help ease my lifelong sleeping issues.

Usually I put a lot of thought into the medical providers I work with. In this case, I did not do any research into which practitioner I wanted to use; I simply chose the acupuncturist located one block from my house. It was certainly convenient, and seemed like a good idea at the time.

I recall those sessions as being strange. In addition to needles being placed all over my body, my sessions also involved smoke and fire. Sometimes, an herb would be placed on top of the acupuncture needles, then set on fire. Smoke was used in a procedure called “cupping” where glass jars were suctioned all over my back.

Craniosacral therapy was also used on me. My acupuncturist would rub two bones on the back of my skull at a very specific point. All of this was supposed to make me sleep. When pressed as to how this would all work, my acupuncturist would sometimes use the word “magic.” Magic? Really?

I went to these sessions four times, as I was told this was how many visits were needed to assess if my treatment was working. I saw no difference after four visits and stopped going. My western mind told me the process was all a bit much for me. If I felt the magic was working, I could have gotten over it, but I saw no progress. Plus, acupuncture is not covered by health insurance and my visits were getting expensive.

A few months ago, I started to feel my inability to sleep was at a point where it was greatly affecting my life. I have a variety of sleeping pill prescriptions, but nothing seemed to be helping me as much as I hoped. I was starting to feel desperate and out of control. This is when I thought again of acupuncture.

I wondered if a different practitioner might be able to help me more than the first one had. I did a good amount of online research and settled on someone. I’ll admit, aside from good online reviews, part of the appeal of this new provider was that everyone in the office was from China. I thought that a practitioner of Chinese medicine who was actually from China may have different viewpoints and use an alternative approach. This supposition was really based on nothing, but it made sense to me at the time.

When I called to make an appointment, the person on the phone did not ask me any questions or tell me what to expect. She simply wanted to know when I would come to the office. When I went to the office at that specified time. I found a dark hallway and a locked door. When I called the office’s phone number, I could hear the phone ringing on the other side of the door. No one answered; no one was at the office. I had been stood up.

I soon received a call explaining there had been a scheduling error. I understand that these things happen, but decided not to make another appointment. I had a bad first impression of that acupuncturist’s office and did not want to move forward with them.

This led to more Internet research. I settled on a group of acupuncturists not far from my house. When I called to inquire, the person who answered the phone asked me a great number of questions about why I wanted to come and what my symptoms are. This made me feel comfortable.

I filled out a lot of paperwork before the first visit. The paperwork contained very personal questions about my body and health, with some of the questions being highly detailed. I answered to the best of my ability.

At my first appointment, I handed in my paperwork to the acupuncturist and we talked for a long time. She wanted to know more about my patterns of insomnia and anything else that was wrong with my well-being. We settled on insomnia as my primary issue, but also addressed headaches, nausea, and neck pain.

This acupuncturist did not use smoke, fire, or magic. She simply asked me to remove my shirt and lie face down on a table. She then placed needles all over my neck, shoulders, back, and calves. I lay like that for around 20 minutes, then the needles were removed. I replaced my shirt, then turned onto my back. The acupuncturist then placed needles in my forehead, arms, wrists, and legs.

The next two sessions proceeded much like the first, but with less interviewing. Each time I would go, we would check in on my sleep and other ailments, then I would lie still while needles were placed in various areas of my body. The needles would sometimes feel uncomfortable, but the sessions were, overall, relaxing.

At my third visit, I was given my assessment. I was informed I had imbalances in the Chinese medical organ systems of spleen/stomach, heart/small intestine, and liver/gall bladder. I was also told my blood needed additional nourishment. I did not understand what this meant, but went along with it.

To help my treatment of these problems, I was given a prescription of Chinese herbs. I was prescribed the herb blend of Suan Zao Ren Tang. This came in a powder and I was instructed to mix five scoops of granules with a cup of water. I was told to take it at night, two hours after eating dinner. It seemed imperative that I take the herbs on an empty stomach and with no other medicine.

The herb drink did not taste good, but it wasn’t terrible. The flavor reminded me of celery. I began drinking my prescribed dose every night.

When I started taking the Suan Zao Ren Tang, I began to feel like I was falling asleep with more ease and had less frequent headaches. I began feeling positive about the acupuncture treatments and my herbs. I felt like it was all working.

My acupuncturist soon added another herb blend to my routine. I started taking Si Wu Tang in the morning. This one came in pill form and I took seven of them as soon as I woke up. I found swallowing seven pills immediately upon waking to be strange.

This was followed by a bad couple weeks of sleep and I became discouraged. During that time period, I had an acupuncture treatment that did not seem to help. I couldn’t help but associate the downward turn with the addition of the Si Wu Tang pills. When the bottle ran out, I did not buy more.

I started to feel more negative about my acupuncture treatments. For the price I was paying, I wanted to be sure it was doing something. At my next session, I asked the acupuncturist what I could reasonably expect from the treatments. She said she did not understand my question. I found this vaguely annoying — if a health-related service is being provided, I think it is fair that a client understands how long interventions will take and how to assess if they are working.

The acupuncturist reviewed my paperwork with me and pointed out the areas in which I was making progress. She had a point on some of the issues. I was then given the unsatisfying answer that treatment takes time and everyone responds differently. Because we were trying to fix the underlying cause of my insomnia rather than mask its symptoms, it would take an undetermined amount of time. I understood what the acupuncturist was saying, but would have preferred to assign a time and price assessment to my treatment. The costs of the treatments and the herbs were quickly adding up.

At that same visit, my Si Wu Tang was officially discontinued. It was replaced by something called Free and Easy Wander Plus. This was in a pill and I was instructed to take five of them when I woke up in the morning. I started taking these the next day.

I have now had eight acupuncture sessions and have purchased three more. I am still unsure as to if this is working. I seem to be sleeping a little bit better, but I don’t know if this is because of the acupuncture or other factors. When all my acupuncture sessions are done, I will have spent $800, plus the cost of the Chinese herbs. I would like to know if this money has helped me with my insomnia, but how can I tell for sure? This makes me feel highly frustrated. I had hoped my results would be more concrete.

People seem to have strong pro or con opinions about acupuncture. I am still somewhere in the middle. I’m desperate to have help with my sleeping issues, but am unwilling to pump endless money into a practice that may not be doing much for me. The experience has left me feeling both confused and hopeful, a strange combination to figure out as it continues to unfold.

So what is alternative treatment? You may already have some experience with the most popular, according to the Monitor on Psychology. Meditation, biofeedback, hypnosis and progressive muscle relaxation are all popular complementary or alternative psychological treatments. 

Although you may be familiar with the most popular, there are dozens of alternative and complementary treatments, which typically fall into four categories:  mind-body medicine, biologically-based practices, manipulative and body-based practices and energy medicine.

The Monitor article reports that, although these, and many other, alternative and complementary treatments have been around for thousands of years, the National Institute of Health (NIH) has been studying their usefulness, safety and role in improving health and health care for only a little more than a decade.

But many people embrace these treatments and are visiting alternative medicine practitioners more frequently than they visit their primary care doctors.  And these treatments are big business. A 2007 study found that $34 billion is spent each year on products and services for alternative and complementary medicines.

Continued research on the effectiveness of these treatments is ongoing and crucial.  However, current research suggests that many are effective for treating a wide range of problems, ailments and disorders.

There are too many to document in one post, but the following are the top 4 according to frequency of use, as reported in the Monitor.

1. Dietary Supplements.

Dietary supplements are used to promote general health, as well as to improve depression and anxiety and to decrease pain.  Common supplements reported in the Monitor include ginkgo biloba, St. John’s wort and vitamin supplements.  Although regulated by the FDA, they are held to very different quality standards than more conventional medicines.

• Caution: The FDA does not review the safety and effectiveness of any supplement before it is sold to consumers.  Supplements can vary widely from brand to brand and may interact with other medications. They should not be used without the knowledge of a physician.

2. Meditation.

Meditation is a process in which people learn to focus their attention in a particular way and on purpose.  It is used to treat a variety of symptoms, including high blood pressure, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, stress and insomnia.  It is also used to promote general health and well-being.

Meditation is integrated into many psychological treatments and practices with positive results; however, there are no formal qualifications necessary to practice it.  It is important that those who use this method receive appropriate training.

3. Chiropractic.

Chiropractic physicians use noninvasive treatments, such as spinal manipulations or chiropractic adjustments, with the aim of improving nerve and organ functioning by aligning spinal vertebrae.  These treatments are used to treat an array of ailments, from pain and headaches to stress and ADHD, among others.

Becoming a chiropractic physician requires several years of graduate work.  Most psychologists are unlikely to hold a chiropractic degree and, if they did, it would not be appropriate to serve as both a psychologist and chiropractor for the same client.

4. Aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy uses smells and aromas naturally extracted from plants to balance, harmonize and promote health of mind, body and spirit.  It is used clinically to relieve symptoms typically addressed in psychotherapy; holistically, to improve overall well-being; and aesthetically, in various oils and skin care products.

The Monitor cites recent research that indicates that aromatherapy can help treat pain, anxiety and agitation specific to dementia.  However, while certification is not required, it is recommended.  There are also risks related to toxicity, skin irritation and dosing regulations that require a competent professional to oversee, the article states.

Reference

Barnett, J.E., Shale, A.J.,(2013). Alternative Techniques.  Monitor on Psychology, 44(4).

In order to get chores done or get in a little extra leisure time, many cut corners on sleep.  We rationalize that a few hours here and there won’t make much difference.

But sleep deprivation can have effects on both your mental and physical health.

So what are these negative effects of not getting enough sleep?

Negative Effects of Not Getting Enough Sleep

1. Lower stress threshold. When you’re tired, routine activities, such as stopping at the grocery store on the way home from work, walking the dog or picking up the house can feel like overwhelming tasks.
2. Impaired memory.  Deep sleep fosters the formation of connections between cells, and REM sleep aids in memory formation.  Students considering pulling an all-nighter to study for that big exam might do better to get some sleep.
3. Trouble concentrating.  When you’re dragging yourself through the day, it’s hard to stay alert and focused.  This is why we don’t want our pilots and surgeons to lose too much sleep.  Sleep-deprived people have trouble focusing on tasks and overestimate their performance.
4. Decreased optimism and sociability.  Whether it’s the effort we have to put into staying awake or other factors, sleep deprivation makes us less hopeful and less friendly.
5. Impaired creativity and innovation. A growing body of research suggests that sleep deprivation may have a particular effect on cognitive processes that rely on our experience of emotions.
6. Increased resting blood pressure.  Several studies have found that sleep deprivation leads to increased blood pressure (Fujikawa et al., 2009) and even half a night of sleep loss has been reported to increase blood pressure in people with hypertension or pre-hypertension (Lusardi et al., 1996).
7. Increased food consumption and appetite.  Research indicates that acute sleep loss enhances pleasure response processing in the brain underlying the drive to consume food (Benedict et al., 2012).  The researchers raise the question of whether chronic sleep deprivation is linked to rising levels of obesity.
8. Increased risk of cardiac morbidity.  A number of factors can lead to an increased risk of heart attacks, and sleep deprivation is one of them.  During experimental sleep deprivation of healthy participants, increases in inflammation associated with the future development of cardiovascular disease occurred.

Why we experience all of these health problems related to sleep loss is not entirely known.  The strain of staying awake, alterations in hormone levels that the body releases during sleep, upsetting the strong circadian drive for sleep, loss of REM sleep and other factors may all play a role.

Although scientists may still debate the function that sleep provides us, it is clear that lack of sleep is associated with mental and physical dysfunction.

If you’re one of the chronically tired or if you view sleep as a waste of precious time, it might be time to change the way you think about sleep.  You  may not be aware of what your brain and body are doing during sleep, but that time is vital to your ability to function and potentially to your life.

Need help with getting to or staying asleep? Try these tips for shutting off your brain before bedtime.

References

Fujikawa T., Tochikubo O., Kura N., & Umemura S. (2009). Factors related to elevated 24-h blood pressure in young adults. Clinical and Experimental Hypertension, 31(8), 705-712.

Lusardi P., Mugellini A., Preti P., Zoppi A., Derosa G., Fogari R. Effects of a restricted sleep regimen on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in normotensive subjects. Am J Hypertension. 1996;9:503–5.

Benedict C., Brooks S. J., O’Daly O. G., Almèn M. S., Morell A., Åberg K., … & Schiöth H. B. (2012). Acute sleep deprivation enhances the brain’s response to hedonic food stimuli: an fMRI study. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 97(3), E443-E447.

Such research looks at the way sleep affects cardiometobolic disease, the name given to disruption of a variety of physical and cognitive functions. These disruptions can affect basic skills such as appetite regulation and mood. Sleep researchers apparently are issuing the rest of us a wake-up call.

Each of us has an internal clock, a circadian rhythm that regulates our sleep needs. This is synchronized by the amount of sunlight we are exposed to.

But when we are tempted by the demands of our social clock — such as reading that last email, staying up for late-night TV, or going out and staying out late with our friends — we fall out of sync and the effects can take their toll. This circadian disruption often is at the core of numerous problems.

The problems with sleep may not just be limited to this earthly world. David Dinges, a sleep expert at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, recently published a study with his colleagues that looked at the potential effects of a simulated 17-month-long trip to Mars. In this unique experiment conducted in Moscow by Russian and European space agencies, six volunteers — three Russians, a Frenchman, an Italian-Colombian and a Chinese — were confined in a mock spaceship.

All but one of the volunteers had problems with getting enough sleep. In turn they became lethargic, started showing signs of depression, and were also inclined to do less exercise, which likely would have counteracted some of these effects.

In addition to sleep disruption in tight quarters, isolation from family and lack of privacy may also have played a role or had an impact. A report on this simulation and its effect on the volunteers recently was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Sleep Quiz

So whether you are planning a trip to Mars, or just following your social clock, take our quiz on sleep and see our suggestions at the end for making sure you get what you need to function well.

1. What can be affected by too-little sleep?
A. Glucose Metabolism
B. Hormone regulation
C. Immune functioning
D. All of the above

Answer? D. Various studies have shown that too little sleep affects each of these functions.

2. What percent of U.S. adults say they do not get enough sleep half the time?

A. 35
B. 25
C. 15
D. 5

Answer? B. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 25 percent of us do not get the sleep we need at least half the time.

3. How many American workers get fewer than 6 hours of sleep a night?
A. Just over 60 million.
B. Just over 50 million
C. Just over 40 million
D. Just over 20 million

Answer: C. According to CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety, about 41 million people get this little sleep.

4. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver fatigue results in how many crashes annually?

A. 100,000
B. 75,000
C. 50,000
D. 25,000

Answer: A. Not only are there 100,000 crashes, there are 1,550 deaths and over 70,000 injuries.

5. Significantly less sleep per night has been associated with all but which of the following?
A. Greater total calorie intake
B. Increased fat consumption
C. Burning more energy
D. Eating more snacks

Answer: C. In a 2011 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition short sleep made people eat more, but they didn’t use more energy to burn up the extra calories. The authors point to this finding as one possible explanation for obesity.

6. Recent studies suggest that how many people lose an hour of sleep a week because of their social demands?

A. 15%
B. 25%
C. 50%
D. Nearly 70%.

Answer: D. In a 2012 study in Current Biology researchers in Germany and the Netherlands found 69 percent of those surveyed lost an hour a week. They also found that about 33 percent lost more than two hours.

7. Neighborhoods with higher rates of physical and social disorder:

A. Have poorer sleep quality
B. See themselves as having fewer physical problems
C. Experience depression
D. A and C

Answer: D. Where you sleep actually introduces a risk factor, according to a 2012 article published in Social Science & Medicine.

Get Good Sleep Tonight

Suggestions for getting a better and longer good night’s sleep:

• Try to keep the temperature moderate, the lights out and use a night light when you get up. Remember, our bodies are affected by light. Keep iit low so it lets you see, but doesn’t stir your biochemistry.
• Just before you go to bed, avoid caffeine, nicotine, chocolate, and over-the-counter medication that may contain stimulants. While alcohol initially may help you fall asleep, the process your body uses to remove it from your system changes your metabolism and can wake you.
• If you do exercise (which you should if you have medical clearance), don’t do it right before sleep. This often arouses people and can make it difficult to get to sleep.
• Keep the bed a special space for sleeping and lovemaking. The mind can associate the bed with almost everything else that can detract from falling and staying asleep. Eating, TV, and deep emotional discussions are frequent culprits.Pleasant dreams.

Want to learn more?

Check out this feature article from the American Psychological Association’s Monitor on Psychology’s January 2013 issue, Awakening to Sleep.

With so many apps on the market, it’s hard to know which are useful.

Many are designed by software developers instead of psychologists, without scientific testing. They range from beneficial, to harmless but useless, to bordering on fraudulent.

The apps selected for this list make no hucksterish claims and are based on established treatments. Progressive Muscle Relaxation, for example, has been used for a century and is likely just as effective in this new medium. Knowledge from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy enrich two apps on this list. Others mix solid information with ingenuity.

Don’t forget to download the free PsychCentral app to keep up with the latest mental health information.

1. BellyBio

Free app that teaches a deep breathing technique useful in fighting anxiety and stress. A simple interface uses biofeedback to monitor your breathing. Sounds cascade with the movements of your belly, in rhythms reminiscent of waves on a beach. Charts also let you know how you’re doing. A great tool when you need to slow down and breathe.

2. Operation Reach Out

Literally a lifesaving app, this free intervention tool helps people who are having suicidal thoughts to reassess their thinking and get help. Recommended by followers of @unsuicide, who report that this app has helped in suicidal crises. Developed by the military, but useful to all. Worth a download even if you’re not suicidal. You never know if you might need it.

3. eCBT Calm

Provides a set of tools to help you evaluate personal stress and anxiety, challenge distorted thoughts, and learn relaxation skills that have been scientifically validated in research on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Lots of background and useful information along with step-by-step guides.

4. Deep Sleep with Andrew Johnson

Getting enough sleep is one of the foundations of mental health. A personal favorite I listen to all the time, this straightforward app features a warm, gentle voice guiding listeners through a Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) session and into sleep. Features long or short induction options, and an alarm.

5. WhatsMyM3

A three minute depression and anxiety screen. Validated questionnaires assess symptoms of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD, and combine into a score that indicates whether or not your life is impacted significantly by a mood disorder, recommending a course of action. The app keeps a history of test results, to help you track your progress.

6. DBT Diary Card and Skills Coach

Based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan, this app is a rich resource of self-help skills, reminders of the therapy principles, and coaching tools for coping. Created by a therapist with years of experience in the practice, this app is not intended to replace a professional but helps people reinforce their treatment.

7. Optimism

Track your moods, keep a journal, and chart your recovery progress with this comprehensive tool for depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders. One of the most popular mood tracking apps available, with plenty of features. Free.

8. iSleepEasy

A calm female voice helps you quell anxieties and take the time to relax and sleep, in an array of guided meditations. Separately controlled voice and music tracks, flexible lengths, and an alarm. Includes a special wee hours rescue track, and tips for falling asleep. Developed by Meditation Oasis, who offer an great line of relaxation apps.

9. Magic Window – Living Pictures

Not technically a mental health app, it makes no miraculous claims about curbing anxiety. However, there is independent research indicating that taking breaks and getting exposure to nature, even in videos, can reduce stress. This app offers an assortment of peaceful, ambient nature scenes from beautiful spots around the world.

10. Relax Melodies

A popular free relaxation sound and music app. Mix and match nature sounds with new age music; it’s lovely to listen to birds in the rain while a piano softly plays.

Do you have a favorite app not on the list?
Please share links in the comments.

In fact, Randall, a senior reporter at Reuters, notes that sleep is one of the youngest fields in science. Until the 1950s, researchers believed that our brains remained quiet during slumber.

But the discovery of the stages of sleep shattered this perspective. For instance, our brains are just as active in REM sleep — aptly named rapid eye movement because our eyes shift rapidly against our lids — as they are when we’re awake.

In Dreamland, Randall shares a slew of these fascinating, surprising and eye-opening facts, anecdotes and research studies. These are a few curious tidbits from his book.

Our Normal Sleep Isn’t So Normal

Today, we think that sleeping through the night is a sign of normal and healthy slumber. In fact, people who wake up around the same time every night think their sleep is fractured — and that something is wrong, Randall writes. And when they complain about this concern to their doctors, they probably walk away with a sleeping pill, he says.

But segmented sleep has actually been the norm for thousands of years — that is, until the advent of artificial lighting. In the 1980s and ‘90s, history professor Roger Ekirch began seeing interesting patterns in his book collection, which included tales and medical texts: references to “first sleep” and “second sleep.”

Psychiatrist Thomas Wehr also began seeing strange results in his sleep experiment: After participants, who were deprived of artificial light for up to 14 hours, caught up on their sleep and felt more rested, they’d wake up around midnight and lie awake for about an hour, and then fall asleep.

In another study, Wehr found that during that hour awake the brains of participants were churning out higher levels of prolactin. This hormone reduces stress and relaxes the body after orgasm, according to Randall.

Before Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, people would fall asleep after sunset. Then they’d naturally wake up around midnight for about an hour. During that time individuals might do anything from praying to reading to having sex. Then they’d naturally fall back asleep until morning.

Randall notes that other studies have confirmed that people naturally experience segmented sleep. And in areas with no artificial light, people still experience first and second sleep.

Naps Get a Bad Rap

In our society, naps are viewed as luxurious activities only reserved for the privileged or the lazy. That’s a shame, because research continues to show the benefits of naps and discredit these beliefs.

One study found that astronauts who slept for just 15 minutes had better cognitive performance, even when there was no boost in their alertness or ability to pay attention.

Another study found that participants who napped and experienced the deeper stages of sleep had more flexible thinking. They were able to apply information they memorized to a new task much better than participants who watched a movie instead of napping.

Randall also notes that participants who take naps outperform their counterparts who aren’t allowed to doze off on other various tasks. For instance, research has found that they’re able to finish mazes faster and remember longer lists of words.

Big companies have even made naps part of their workday. According to Randall, Google and Nike are just some of the companies that have created specific spaces for their workers to sleep. “The idea is that naps may allow engineers and designers to arrive at creative solutions more quickly than they would by staying awake all day,” he writes.

In Dreamland Randall explores many more peculiar issues surrounding sleep, from the purpose of dreams to the bizarre world of sleepwalking and “sleep crime.”

While sleep research is in its infancy, one fact is undeniable: Sleep is vital for everything from our survival to our success.

When functioning optimally, sleep can sharpen our thinking and help us problem solve (like golfer Jack Nicklaus did when he figured out how to tweak his swing in his sleep). When gone wrong – as in cases of sleepwalking and sleep deprivation – it can distort our cognitive skills, sink our mood and even make us dangerous.

As Randall notes, “Sleep isn’t a break from our lives. It’s the missing third of the puzzle of what it means to be living.”

Woman sleeping photo available from Shutterstock

That’s because as the days get shorter and colder, we spend more time indoors and are less active, according to Ashley Solomon, PsyD, a clinical psychologist who blogs at Nourishing the Soul. “We tend to be more sedentary, which we know impacts our level of energy and even interest in activities,” she said.

It also doesn’t help that our bodies produce more melatonin when the sun sets, making us sleepy, said Deborah Serani, Psy.D, a clinical psychologist and author of the book Living with Depression. (Interestingly, melatonin is known as “the Dracula of hormones,” because it only comes out at night, according to the National Sleep Foundation.)

Our eating habits also contribute to our sinking mood and energy levels. “We tend to eat warmer, heartier meals because that’s part of our evolutionary survival strategy for staying protected through the winter months,” Solomon said. Eating more sugary foods – which is common from Halloween to New Year’s – also spikes glucose levels, leading to a crash of exhaustion, Serani said.

But that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to a dull and fatigued fall and winter. Here are five ways to lift your energy and mood.

1. Better understand your body clock.

For some of us seasonal changes have a dramatic effect on our bodies. For others, it’s a subtle shift, if there’s one at all. This has to do with our circadian rhythms.

Our circadian rhythm is essentially an internal body clock. “[It] regulates our body with respect to sleeping, feeding and well-being,” Serani said. Circadian rhythms respond to sunlight. With less sun exposure in the fall and winter, many people experience a shift in their circadian rhythm, she said.

How can you tell if you’ve been affected? If you’re sluggish during the times of the day you used to feel energetic or you’re exhausted when you used to be well rested, the seasonal changes might be affecting you, she said.

To reset your clock, on the weekends, when possible, wake up without an alarm so your body gets adequate rest, Serani said. For some, melatonin supplements might improve sleep, she said.

Getting enough sunshine is key. Twenty minutes a day seems to be the magic number, Serani said. You can achieve that by going outside or soaking in the sunshine by a window, she said. Or you can buy a light box, which emits bright artificial light.

(Light therapy is actually very helpful for people with seasonal affective disorder, a form of clinical depression that occurs during the winter. This New York Times article has some good information.)

2. Keep up regular physical activity.

Depending on where you live, you might want to participate in winter activities, such as skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice-skating or hockey.

But if those aren’t appealing, Solomon said, “even taking a short walk each day or going to an indoor yoga class can help.” Workout DVDs are another option.

If you’re not sure what you like, try a variety of activities that sound like fun. Then pay attention to which activities boost your mood and energy levels.

3. Eat a variety of foods.  

“Make sure you’re eating a variety of foods, including as many fruits and vegetables as you can,” Solomon said. If fresh produce isn’t available, eat foods that are in season, she said.

Also, “Though the colder weather makes us crave sweets and starches, be mindful to keep protein in your diet as a balance,” Serani said. “Protein doesn’t spike your sugar levels, leaving you to feel more satisfied, less irritable and tired than simple carbohydrates and sugars.”

Keep in mind that this isn’t about restricting what you eat or feeling ashamed – or sinful – about eating sugar. (There’s nothing criminal about savoring your favorite desserts.) Rather, it’s about paying attention to how foods affect you, giving your body the nutrients it needs and enjoying what you eat.

4. Socialize.

As the temps take a nosedive, the last thing you might want to do is leave your house. But try. “Schedule regular contact with friends and family, even if it’s via Skype,” Solomon said. Still, make sure you’re also getting out, she stressed.

5. Pamper yourself.

When you think of treating yourself, what comes to mind? For instance, consider taking fragrant baths, drinking hot tea, reading books, lighting candles or cuddling with a loved one, said Serani, who tends to pamper herself more during the fall and wintertime. “These seasonal things raise dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin, feel-good hormones that improve mood,” she said.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

If you’re feeling deeply depressed and your daily functioning is impaired, your winter blues might actually be seasonal affective disorder. Learn more about SAD here, and get an evaluation from a mental health professional.

Woman in the snow photo available from Shutterstock

But if we take the mind-body connection one step further and study exercise and cognitive functioning, will we see a link?

Cognition is your brain’s ability to acquire and process knowledge through thought, experience and your senses.  It involves thinking, remembering, judging and problem-solving.

Our ability to take in information and reason informs our social behavior and can contribute to life’s successes.  For example, you might make a judgment call about whether it is the right time to ask for a raise based on knowledge you’ve acquired and synthesized about your work environment.

A number of research studies have identified a link between improved cognitive functioning and exercise in elderly people.  A 2004 study, for example, found that exercise did, in fact, improve the cognitive functioning of elderly people with cognitive impairments or dementia.  In an analysis of more than 30 years of data and 2,020 subjects, this study found that groups who exercised fared better in terms of mental acuity than those who did not exercise.

Can the same be true for adults of all ages?  According to a recent study presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress and reported in the Wall Street Journal, it can.

This small study involved overweight, sedentary adults.  They first underwent a series of assessments and then completed twice-weekly exercise sessions.  These sessions involved both cardiovascular exercise (biking) and weight training, lasting for four months.

The fitness gains for the group were clear, with reduced waist circumference and lower body weight.  Researchers reported the more surprising result:  “significantly and clinically” improved functioning on tests of mental acuity.

“Even ten minutes can change your brain,” says Harvard Medical School psychiatrist John Ratey, author of the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.  According to Ratey, exercise increases the level of brain chemicals called growth factors.  It is these growth factors that help make new brain cells and establish new connections between brain cells to help us learn.

German researchers found that high school students scored better on high-attention tasks after completing 10 minutes of a complicated fitness task.  Their research suggests that complicated physical activities, such as tennis or dance, enhance our attention and concentration, thereby improving our capacity to learn.

A 2011 Canadian study found that in an elderly population even those who engaged in short walks, cooking, gardening and cleaning scored better on cognitive tests than those who were more sedentary.

According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise has a wide array of benefits including weight control, combating health problems and disease, improved mood, greater energy, better sleep, better sex and more fun.  If these advantages aren’t enough to get you motivated, maybe knowing that it also improves your mind will.

We all feel tired from time to time, and a multitude of factors contribute to tiredness and fatigue.  One factor may be an underlying medical condition, such as anemia, hyperthyroidism or a heart condition.  Struggles with psychological problems — such as anxiety and depression — can also be linked to feelings of tiredness. Medication side effects are yet another factor.

But sometimes when we’re sleepwalking through the day, it’s simply because of what we eat. 

Eating too much contributes to obesity, which has a significant impact on our energy levels and feelings of tiredness.  But, even when we aren’t overweight, the foods we eat can leave us feeling sluggish and worn out.

In one study, children with unhealthy eating habits — particularly those who often ate salty foods — were more likely to feel tired throughout the day.  These children also tended to have health concerns related to blood pressure, HDL cholesterol and atherogenic index (a measure used as a predictor of heart disease). 

This study highlights the connection between what we eat and our physical health.

We’ve all heard the cliché “you are what you eat.”  But many of us forget or fail to apply the adage to our own diet.  We view food and eating as a comfort or a social experience and forget that when making food choices, its primary function is to fuel our bodies.

Your body, like your car, won’t perform well when it doesn’t have the proper fuel.  How you choose to fuel your body will impact your energy level and your body’s ability to function.

3 Eating Habits that Contribute to Tiredness

1. Skipping meals.  Sometimes we’re too busy to eat (particularly in the morning) or we’re trying to lose weight and attempt to reduce calories by skipping meals.  But research shows that eating at regular intervals improves concentration and alertness.

2. Missing a food group.  According to the American Dietetic Association, we require a mix of foods to sustain energy.  Our needs differ with age, gender and overall physical health, but each of us requires carbohydrates (the primary fuel for sports and exercise), healthy fats for long-term energy, and protein and dairy to aid in balancing fluids and improving immune function.

3. Not getting enough fruits and vegetables.  Public messages abound, telling us to eat fruits and vegetables.  But they can be easy to skip, since they are often not central to fast food or restaurant menus, require time and effort to prepare and don’t have the addictive qualities of fats and carbohydrates. 

However, fruits and vegetables provide vitamins and important chemicals in the body that are essential to maintaining energy.  The mineral magnesium, for example, helps regulate the production of energy, body protein and muscle contractions.

If you’re chronically tired, unmotivated or having difficulty concentrating, ruling out medical causes and considering contributing psychological conditions is important.  However, don’t forget that often our feelings of wellness and energy stem from the foods we use to power our bodies.

For instance, you might worry about your baby’s health, which is actually one of the most common stressors in pregnancy, according to Christina G. Hibbert, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and expert in postpartum mental health.

You might also get stressed out about getting ready for your baby’s arrival, she said. And if you’ve experienced problems with your current pregnancy or a previous miscarriage, you might be feeling especially anxious.

Below, Hibbert shared effective ways moms-to-be can cope with stress.

1. Move your body.

According to Hibbert, pregnant women who exercise – under the care of their doctors – are better able to manage stress. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has a list of general guidelines for exercise during pregnancy (which appears on this page).

2. Get support.

Talk to your friends or join a pregnancy support group, Hibbert said. They can help you minimize the stress and pressure you feel, provide support and problem-solve with you.

3. Feel your feelings.

“Many women ignore or deny feelings of stress, but it simply piles up until you feel like you’re going to explode or implode,” Hibbert said. She suggested sitting with your emotions with someone you trust. “Let someone who cares about you be with you, hold your hand, listen, and feel it with you.”

She also recommended practicing deep breathing every day. Doing so soothes stress and even helps with childbirth. Try this: “Inhale deeply, to your toes, for a slow count of five; then exhale slowly for five. Repeat for five to 10 minutes.”

Another approach she recommends is to channel your emotions into art, such as journaling, painting, drawing or music.

4. Make sleep a priority.

“When you’re pregnant you need more sleep than normal, and you can’t afford to stay up too late, get up too early, and go all day long,” Hibbert said. “The toll it takes on your body and the baby is not worth it.”

Because sleep is cumulative, every catnap counts. So go back to sleep when you wake up, get to bed earlier, take frequent naps and sleep in when you can, suggests Hibbert.

Getting enough sleep during the third semester can be especially tough. Blame it on your burgeoning belly, weaker bladder and thoughts about your upcoming birth. To overcome such challenges, Hibbert suggested using pillows to prop your body; limiting how much you drink in the late afternoons and evenings; and writing down your worries to clear your mind.

5. Seek therapy.

“Many women think they’ll feel better ‘once the baby comes,’ but usually it’s the opposite: Stress tends to increase once the baby is born,” Hibbert said. So if stress is sapping your health or functioning, don’t hesitate to see a therapist. “The sooner you seek help, the better—for you, your baby, and your family.”

Further Reading

Hibbert suggested checking out Postpartum Support International and American Pregnancy Association for more information on pregnancy and postpartum emotional health. Also, Hibbert’s website offers valuable information for moms and moms-to-be.

But like a leech, depression saps all your energy and vitality. You feel lethargic, hopeless and pessimistic, according to John Preston, PsyD, professor at Alliant International University and co-author of Get It Done When You’re Depressed with Julie A. Fast.

So the last thing you want to do is… anything.  You might think “I’d like to do this, but I just can’t,” Preston said.

But there are several ways you can get things done when you’re struggling with depression. They do require effort on your part, but they work. Here are Preston’s top suggestions.

• Enlist a loved one’s help. It’s essential to have someone you trust to support and encourage you, Preston said. This person will essentially act as your coach. It could be anyone from your spouse to a sibling to a parent to a close friend.

• Participate in your normal activities. When people get depressed, they do several things that worsen symptoms, Preston said. “On top of the list is becoming more and more socially withdrawn.” It feels natural to isolate yourself when you’re struggling. For instance, you might feel uncomfortable around people, Preston noted. But it’s vital to stay engaged with life. (In fact, behavioral activation treatments for depression focus on increasing pleasant activities and behaviors, which research has found to be effective.) Preston suggested sitting down with your loved one and writing all the specific things you used to do before you were depressed. The key, he said, is to get very specific about the activities. In other words, “What are the things that have been part of the fabric of [your] life?” he said. List all the activities that were a source of meaning and enjoyment for you, he said. Also, include errands, such as mowing the lawn or grocery shopping. Then create a detailed schedule that you’ll follow daily. The goal is to combat the tendency to withdraw from life, which only feeds the depression.

• Get adequate sleep. The very things you might turn to while you’re depressed can actually sabotage your sleep, including alcohol and caffeine. And “lack of appropriate sleep can intensify depressive symptoms,” Preston said. People usually drink alcohol to relax and caffeine to undo the lethargy of depression. Caffeine may even have some transient antidepressant effects, Preston said, but those dissipate after about 20 minutes. You still might fall asleep just fine, but both substances reduce the amount of time spent in restorative slow-wave sleep. So the profound exhaustion is actually exacerbated. 

• Get physical. “One of the most effective treatments for depression is exercise,” Preston said. “Inactivity has a significant effect on decreasing dopamine and serotonin,” making depression more severe, he said. Movement increases them. But it’s nearly impossible to exercise when you’re depressed, he said. That’s where your loved one (i.e., coach) comes in. They can exercise with you, and help you get out the door.

• Have compassion for yourself. People with depression can be incredibly mean to themselves. But it’s important to develop a sense of understanding and compassion for yourself, Preston said. He pointed out that this is different from sugarcoating your circumstances. Instead, you might say, according to Preston: “I don’t like it, but I’m struggling here. Depression hurts. I need to be decent to myself.” Struggling with depression doesn’t make you weak or less-than. Many people struggle with depression.

Keep in mind that depression is highly treatable. So in addition to trying the above tips, be sure to get a proper evaluation, and seek treatment.

A Note on Too Much Sleep in Depression

About 15 percent of people with depression sleep 10 to 12 hours a day or more, Preston said. Yet they’re still profoundly worn out, he said. He cautioned that about four out of five people with hypersomnia and severe depression have a form of bipolar disorder. It’s important to get evaluated for bipolar disorder.

To stabilize sleep, Preston suggested the same tips: Reduce or eliminate your caffeine and alcohol intake, and exercise. For about a month, you’ll still feel fatigued, he explained. But you can make these changes to boost energy, he said:

• Instead of drinking a cup of coffee, go for a brisk 10-minute walk. You can simply walk for five minutes and walk back, he said. This gives you the same energy burst as a cup of coffee, he said. Just be sure it’s a brisk walk, and not a stroll. (You know it’s brisk if you have to catch your breath or have a tough time talking, he said.)

• Expose yourself to bright light. Unless you have eye disease or bipolar disorder, take your sunglasses off when you’re outside. When light hits your retina, it activates the hypothalamus, which activates serotonin and other neurotransmitters, Preston said. This leads to positive mood-altering effects, he said.

• Eat protein. Eat a snack that’s mostly protein (with very little carbs), which helps to boost energy within five minutes, Preston said. Examples include nuts, eggs and tofu. He noted that this works really well for about half of the people who try it.

Any less, and it’s the equivalent of giving yourself a daily handicap — making your life harder than it has to be. (Any more and it also doesn’t really benefit you.)

Now researchers have discovered that one of the things that may be contributing to our lack of of quality sleep is artificial lighting. Light seepage coming in from outside (like a streetlight) or coming from inside your bedroom — such as leaving a TV or computer on — appears to affect our mood over a period of four weeks.

The latest research comes out of Ohio State University and its results should be taken with a grain of salt, because it was done not with humans, but with hamsters. Apparently hamsters’ sleep habits are close enough to humans in order to suspect the results are somewhat generalizable:

In the experiment, half of the hamsters spent eight weeks in a standard light-dark cycle of 16 hours of light (150 lux) and 8 hours of total darkness each day. The other half spent the first four weeks with 16 hours of normal daylight (150 lux) and 8 hours of dim light — 5 lux, or the equivalent of having a television on in a darkened room.

Then, these hamsters were moved back to a standard light cycle for either one week, two weeks or four weeks before testing began.

Once the experiment was complete, the hamsters were given a variety of behavioral tests to see how they were doing. The hamsters who were consistently exposed to the dim lighting weren’t as active during the day compared to their total darkness counterparts.

Additionally, the hamsters exposed to dim light showed greater depressive symptoms than did the others, such as less interest in drinking sugar water that they usually enjoy.

The good news is that, at least in hamsters, as quickly as the negative effects of artificial lights may have on our sleep patterns, we can pretty readily repair the damage too:

While hamsters exposed to light at night for four weeks showed evidence of depressive symptoms, those symptoms essentially disappeared after about two weeks if they returned to normal lighting conditions.

As with any animal or pilot study, his research will need to be replicated in humans to verify the results. In the meantime, it couldn’t hurt to try a little experiment in your own bedroom, and try to shut out or minimize the intrusion of artificial lighting. You may notice a difference in a few weeks’ time. At the worst, you’ll simply be sleeping in a darker room.

Read the full article: Keep the TV or Computer on At Night? You’re at Greater Risk for Depression