This classic song from Iolanthe is so right about battling with the sheets during a dreadful night’s failure to sleep well. A good night’s sleep means the head hits the pillow and we next wake, without an alarm, in the morning, refreshed and calm of sheet. We have not had to get up in the night to pee nor have we lain there thinking about our bank account, which seems to be leading us to immediate bankruptcy. We sleep in one long section for between 6 and 9 hours, depending upon the individual.
And some do sleep like this: usually men. Women, particularly post baby, have a much harder time staying asleep. Until men can breast feed, that isn’t likely to change. However, even we women should be able to have a good nights sleep. When we wake, men or women, it is due to the body talking to us and letting us know that all is not well. If the time we wake is consistent, then that gives an even bigger clue as to what the body is trying to tell us.
If we wake before midnight, we are probably hungry. If there is a bit of extra baggage to be lost around the gut or derriere, then taking a bit dollop of extremely high quality fish oil will help keep hunger pangs at bay and contribute towards weightloss. Skinny people may find eating small snack before going to bed helps.
Waking between 1am and 3am signals the liver in distress. Apart from healing the liver, cutting back on the booze or excess sugar/starch will help.
Waking between 3am and 5am means we are lacking antioxidants. There are many anti-oxidants: vitamins C, D and E; CoQ10; turmeric; grape seed; NAC; it is a long list. Taking an ever changing wide variety will help.
Waking at 5am, if overweight, means, in Chinese medicine terms, that the triple burner is struggling. There is a Chinese medicine that will help this, which I can get from Charles Poliquin. Contact me for more information.
Of course, if the time of waking varies, then there are many other causes of insomnia Here are a few ideas:
- Low magnesium levels
- Pain
- Dehydration
- Drinking tea or coffee after 4pm – or getting canned.
- Hormone imbalances.
- Poor digestion.
To address night waking properly rather than battering it with sleeping pills or anti-depressants will make us much healthier as well as happier – because we aren’t so very tired!