How to Sleep Well With Back Pain

Pain of any kind can disturb your sleep. Back pain can compromise on sleep quality. The following are a few tips to help you overcome back pain and enjoy a good sleep.

Look for a diagnosis

Back pain is so common that you might not associate it with a disease. Certain 'danger signs' associated with your back pain require you to pay a visit to your doctor!

• If you are older than 50 years or younger than 20 years
• Has fever with back pain
• Constant pain
• Weight loss
• Pain following an accident or assault
• Sensory loss or weakness of legs
• History of cancer
• Back pain lasting for more than a month

Finding the root cause of your back pain can help you control your pain with proper treatment.

Support your lower back

Inadequate support to your lower back can bend it. Long term lack of back support and wrong posture can result in back pain.

• Change your mattress if it is more than 7 years old.
• Check for sagging on the mattress.
• If you are a side-sleeper, keep a pillow between your knees.
• If you sleep on your back keep a place a pillow under your knees.
• Sleeping on your stomach worsens back pain. If you must, then tuck a pillow under your belly.

Take good care of your back

• Maintaining good posture while sitting, working and lifting heavy objects will prevent damage to your spine and back muscles.
• Take adequate rest, when you have a mild backache.
• Massage your back to improve blood circulation

Practise good sleep hygiene

Good sleep habits will help fall asleep faster even when you have back pain. Taking a hot shower before going to bed helps you relax and softens your backache.

Sleeping pills may not help you sleep if your back pain is severe. Always discuss with your doctor before taking sleeping pills when you have a back pain.

Causes of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness

Daytime sleepiness can arise due to a number of causes. Depending on the severity in can affect your work, study and general quality of life. Here's a list of the most common causes of daytime sleepiness.

1. Sleep Deprivation
2. Fragmented sleep
3. Obstructive sleep apnoea
4. Idiopathic hypersomnia
5. Restless legs syndrome
6. Narcolepsy
7. Circadian rhythm sleep disorders
8. Medications that cause drowsiness
9. Jet lag
10. Night shifts
11. Depression
12. Hypothyroidism
13. Anaemia
14. Head injury
15. Brain tumors
16. Kidney failure
17. Drug abuse

Have I missed anything? Add more to this list!

How Long Can You Stay Awake Without Sleeping?

Most of us need to sleep at least for 6 hours every day. We can barely tolerate one night without sleeping. But how much sleep deprivation can the human body endure?

The world record for the longest period of staying awake is held  by Randy Gardner, a 17 year old who endured the prolonged sleep deprivation for a science fair. He stayed awake for 11 days without the use of any stimulants. The 264 hour wake up time was continuously monitored.

As anyone with sleep deprivation, Randy showed a reduction in brain function and concentration. There was also increased mood changes and hallucinations. Despite this, after two days of extended sleep, Randy recovered completely and had no long term consequences of this prolonged sleep deprivation.

Randy's record is one of the many experiments done on human sleep deprivation. There have been several experiments involving test subjects staying awake for 8 to 10 days. They all suffered no long term complications.

The Guinness World Records is not accepting records for staying awake due to adverse health effects and possible death from prolonged sleep deprivation.

Some soldiers engaged in war have reported to have gone 3 to 4 days without sleeping. People with untreated mania, also can be hyperactive for several days at a stretch. But in most instances, it is difficult to exclude microsleeps.

Prolonged sleep deprivation (around two weeks) of mice during experiments have resulted in death. Diseases like fatal familial insomnia, which progress to complete sleep deprivation, also result in death. A person diagnosed with fatal familial insomnia lives on average for about 18 months.

What is the longest period you have stayed up? Do you know anyone who can easily stay up for prolonged periods?

Outdoor Sleeping Tips - How to Enjoy Camping Without Missing Your Bedroom

Camping outdoors gives us a chance to get closer to nature. We can enjoy the wildlife up close and grasp the feeling of jungle living. But sleeping in the outdoors can become unpleasant unless you are poorly prepared. The following tips will help you snooze better outdoors and get most out of your camping experience.

Maintain a positive attitude

Sleeping in outdoors will not be the same as snuggling in your cozy bedroom. You need to tolerate a certain level of inconvenience. It is all part of the outdoor experience. Too much worrying itself can become a barrier for sound sleep.
Plan ahead

It is important to find out about the conditions you might encounter during outdoor sleeping in your particular camping site. Check the night time temperature, weather and precautions needed against insects and other animals. Also be mindful of the regulations dictating your campsite.

Pick the right sleeping bag

Selecting your sleeping bag or mattress will depend on how much weight you can carry and your personal preference on comfort. You can always give your sleeping bag a test-run at your own bedroom floor, before taking it out into the wild.

Pillows

Carry your own pillow (even a miniature version) if you can't sleep without one. But there are alternatives. You can take only a pillowcase and stuff it with clothes. Roll up a towel and use it as a pillow or neck support.

Earplugs

You might be surprised noisy it can get in the wild. If you are a light sleeper, then carry a pair of ear plugs to dampen the sounds of nature. Sleeping close to a water flow, can work as natural white noise, helping you screen out the rest of the sounds.

Pick a suitable spot to sleep

When setting up your tent, look out for roots, stones or uneven ground. Don't set up your camp on a mountain top (if it can be helped) since you can experience strong winds and lower temperatures at night.

Light exercises before sleep

Engaging in some light exercises or stretching before sleeping can help you fall asleep faster. Avoid workouts that make you sweat. This will cause the heart rate to rise and stimulates your mind, making it harder to fall asleep.

Plan your meals

Your travel plans might dictate on meal times, but try to have a gaps of 3 or 4 hours between dinner and sleep time. You might want to grab a light snack before sleeping to keep yourself from waking up hungry early morning.

Insects and animals

You can't rely on campfire to ward off insects. Carry insect repellents to avoid mosquito and other bug bites that disturb your sleep. Keep your food safely packed at hanged from a branch, further away from your sleep area.

Mimic your usual sleep routine

Even while camping, it is important to repeat the tasks you are familiar with before going to sleep. Brush your teeth and drink some water. If you are used to reading a book, then carry one and read it before going into your sleeping bag.

Relax and enjoy your adventure

You may not have the same level of comfort at your bedroom, but sleeping outdoors has it's own rewards. If there's a clear sky you can enjoy thousands of stars dotted against a dark sky. You can breath pristine air. And more importantly, you will begin to appreciate your bedroom and it's comforts better.

The Easy Guide to Becoming a Morning Person

If you are a 'night owl' then waking up early may not be your cup of tea. Here's a quick (but easier-said-than-done) guide to transform yourself into a morning person.

Go to bed early

It's not rocket science. Even a morning person needs to get an adequate amount of sleep (this may vary individually). So plan the night before, and sleep early. Having a sleep-friendly bedroom will help you fall asleep quickly. Drinking a little extra amount of fluids can help you, since a full bladder in the morning is a good enough reason to get up. But don't overdo it.

Get quality sleep

Never underestimate the benefit of quality sleep. Poor sleep quality will make you sleep more and still feel tired in the morning. A quiet bedroom, good quality mattress and pillows, getting treatment for sleep disorders all help you to sleep better.

Wake up to your alarm

An alarm comes in handy when you need to change your sleep habits. Set your alarm to go off at a multiple of 90 minutes (e.g. 6 hours, 7.5 hours, 9 hours) works best. Our sleep cycles usually last for 90 minutes, so the alarm goes off when we are in shallow sleep, making it easy to get up.

During the first few days, keep a back up alarm set at your usual wake up time.

Reward yourself for waking up early

The most difficult part of getting up early, is the first few minutes of trying to get out of bed. It's so easy to crawl back into bed and snuggle. One way to overcome that temptation is to reward your new found good behaviour.

Start doing a workout (plan this the previous night), make yourself a cup of tea or (my favourite option) listen to upbeat music. Rewards not only strengthen your new habit, but is also helps you to make good use of your extra few hours in the morning.

Practice makes permanent

It might take you awhile to adjust to the new routine, but keep pushing yourself. You might miss out every now and then, but stay positive.

What's your secret to waking up early? Share your own tips!

My Pet is My Alarm Clock

I once had a pet cat who wakes me up in the morning. It's amazing how quickly they adapt to assume the role of an alarm clock.

Having your pet dog or cat wake you up isn't rare. But such behaviour isn't always welcomed by pet owners. While you can turn off your alarm on weekends to catch an extra bit of sleep, your pet alarm don't come with a snooze button.

Why do pets wake their owners?

You might think it's your pet's superior intelligence, but waking up owners is often a behaviour reinforced via classical conditioning.

Let me explain.

Your pet can wake up early one day feeling hungry. Since it can't find it's owner, it might walk into your bedroom and start barking or meowing. You might get up and feed your pet. That simple act of feeding, is a reward in the eyes of your pet. The reward strengthens the behaviour of waking you up early morning. So the next day, your pet will try even harder to wake you up to reap the rewards.

So in a way it's you, who set the alarm, in the first place.

How to stop your pet alarm

Sooner or later you will be annoyed by our pet's 'alarm clock' behaviour. When it does, you might find the following steps useful to change it's bad habits.

Stop rewarding your pet

You encouraged it (maybe unintentionally), so it is up to you, to correct it. Avoid waking up to your pet's calls. And don't associate waking up with feeding.

Reinforce good bahaviour

Wait till your pet gives up trying to wake you, and reward the silence. So your pet will learn that it is the silence that gets them food, not to noise or scratching.

Create a distance between you and your pet

If your bedroom has a door, close it so your pet can't come onto the bed. Wear ear plugs if door-closing isn't an option.

Make your pet sleep more

Play with your pet late at night to make it tired. Feed them dinner late so they are less likely to be hungry in the morning. You can even use thick curtains to block out light to make it seem dark in your pet's room.

Does your pet wake you up early morning? Share your story and tell us how you dealt with it.

7 Interesting Facts About Microsleep

1. What is microsleep?

We all have experienced drowsiness. When extreme drowsiness causes us to sleep momentarily, it is called microsleep. Microsleep can last from a faction of second upto 30 seconds.

2. What causes someone to microsleep?

Sleep deprivation is a the main reason for microsleeps. It can also occur as a result of extreme fatigue, narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnia and depression. So anyone can have microsleep.

3. Aren't short naps good for you?

Taking a short nap is helpful when you're sleepy. But microsleep occur suddenly, without prior warning. Very often you are completely unaware of having a brief nap. While this may not affect you badly while reading a newspaper, it can lead to grave consequences when you doze off while driving or doing a hazardous task. Microsleeping is responsible for many motor traffic and workplace accidents.

4. How can you tell if a person is microsleeping?

Fixed gaze, drooping eyes, slow eyelid closure, complete failure to respond and head nodding are telltale signs of microsleeping.

5. Are there any tests to confirm microsleeping?

EEG recordings, which measure brain's electrical activity can be used to confirm microsleeping. When you close your eyes and fall asleep, the brain waves change from alpha to theta waves. The same occurs during microsleeping. The domination by theta waves is considered as a microsleep. This is an oversimplified explanation as various regions of the brain act differently during microsleep.

6. Does the whole brain shut down during microsleep?

Microsleeping can be described as a localized sleep by several regions of the brain. The areas controlling vision, co-ordination go into sleep, while others are active.

7. How to prevent microsleeping

If you are worried about microsleeping, or caught yourself suddenly jerking into consciousness, then you need to improve the quality of your sleep to prevent microsleeps. Avoid sleep deprivation and accumulating sleep debt. Seek treatment for sleep disorders. Avoid drowsy driving or other high risk activities when you feel sleepy.

Do you know someone who microsleeps? Share this post with them and tell us their story!

Pregnancy Sleep Tips

Pregnancy can bring more challenges to your sleep habits. Changes in your body might force you to change your sleep posture. Or the frequent visits to the bathroom and heartburn can really tax your sleep. Here are few tips to help you overcome these problems and enjoy a quality sleep during pregnancy.

Learn relaxation techniques

Expectations and worries can make pregnancy a stressful experience. Try learning deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation or yoga to help alleviate anxiety and stress. Since some mothers need bed rest for a safe pregnancy, always consult your doctor regarding your choice of physical activities.

Drink fluids wisely

The growing baby takes up space inside the tummy leaving the bladder less room to expand. Frequency urination is a common symptom particularly during the first and last trimesters. So drink plenty of fluids during the day but reduce it close to bedtime to prevent your bladder from disturbing your sleep.

Adjust your sleep posture

If you sleep on your stomach, then the growing belly can make it difficult to maintain your preferred sleep posture. As the pregnancy progresses, sleeping on your back compresses the large blood vessels, reducing the blood flow to the baby. Best position to sleep is on your side (preferably your left side).

Grab extra pillows

When you sleep on your side, keep a pillow under your knee and tummy to support your body. Alternatively, you can use a body pillow for support.

Take naps during the day

Short day time naps can help you overcome tiredness and make you more relaxed. Heartburn can aggravate when you sleep soon after a spicy meal. Keep a gap of at least 2 hours to minimize heartburn and acid reflux. Limit your naps to 30 minutes so you wake up refreshed. Too much daytime sleep can make you sleepy and also prevent you from falling asleep at night. 

Don't forget sleep hygiene

Good sleep habits like sleeping and waking at regular times will also help you during pregnancy. Also keep your bedroom colourful and clean.

Keep away from sleeping pills

It is best to minimize the use of sleeping pills to avoid any harm to the growing foetus. But some medications are registered to use during pregnancy to help overcome sleep problems. Always ask your doctor before taking any sleeping medications.

If you are worried about having a sleep disorder during pregnancy, talk to your doctor. Your sleep disorder can be a sign of another illness like depression or sleep apnoea.

Share these tips with a pregnant mother and add anymore tips that have worked for you.

How to Wake Up Early Without an Alarm Clock

Waking up to an alarm can be a real pain. It is even more painful to forget to set up the alarm and wake up late to miss something important. Is there an alternative to alarm clocks? Can our biological clocks be used to wake up early morning?

The following steps will help you wake up naturally without an alarm clock.

1. Regularize your biological clock

Our internal clock can get disturbed by bad sleep habits. Our biological clock is synchronized with the light and dark. When you get too many naps during the day, the body gets mixed signals. Stick to a regular routine. Night shifts and jet lag can ruin your internal clock and it could take weeks to get things in order. Too much caffeine in the night can also prevent the body from relaxing and slowing down before sleep, which is a natural part of our daily habits.

Poor sleep habits is one reason for alarm clocks to exist. So get your internal clock in shape before anything else.

2. Assess how much sleep you need

Not everyone requires the same amount of sleep. Sleep requirements also vary with age. While a toddler can sleep up to 14 hours, an adult requires only half that number.

Signs of sleep deprivation can help us assess how much sleep we need. Excessive daytime sleepiness, inability to pay attention, forgetting simple tasks and falling asleep too quickly (reduced sleep latency) all point to inadequate sleep.

3. Practice waking up at a fixed time

Waking up at a regular time helps your body adjust to a rhythm. You might need an alarm clock to help you with this. And often we set our alarms to go off at a fixed time in the morning. With time, the body will adjust and will 'switch-on' just before the wake up time.

4. Go to sleep at a regular time

Similar to waking up, going to bed at a regular time will help your body relax and anticipate sleep. This helps you to enjoy better sleep. Good quality sleep makes it easier to wake up in the morning, because your body has had enough rest.

When you go to bed, picture yourself waking up in the morning. Give suggestions to your brain to wake up at the desired time. Talk to yourself and say you're going to wake up.

5. Minimize sleep disturbances

External stimuli can affect the quality of your sleep. Waking up during sleep can disrupt the sleep cycle and make it difficult to wake up at the desired time. Our blog post on creating a sleep-friendly bedroom will point you in the right direction.

6. Plan your morning routine

When you have some task to do in the morning, it motivates you to wake up. But it has to be something you like doing. If you are keen on fitness, then do a light workout soon after waking up. I found that running can be a good motivator to wake up. It is much easier to run early morning, so it acts as an incentive to wake up early. Watching television, drinking tea or enjoying the sunrise can be used to motivate yourself.

7. Don't throw away your alarm clock, just yet!

Even after following all the above steps, you can't guarantee 100 percent success. So when you have an important appointment, have the alarm clock as a back up, 20 or 30 minutes later than your wake up time. That will take away the stress of trying to wake up all by yourself.

Try this and you might be surprised how amazing and accurate our biological clock can be. But it can get affected by mood, stress or illnesses.

Have you ever had any success waking up without an alarm clock? Share your views with us!

Try These Natural Sleep Remedies to Prevent Insomnia

When you don't get enough quality sleep, it is easy to turn into sleeping pills for a cure. But try these natural sleep remedies that can help you improve you sleep. Sometimes, a few adjustments to your daily routine is all you need to switch back to good sleep.

Modify your diet

Food habits can mean the difference between good sleep and twisting and turning in bed with insomnia.

A light dinner helps your body to relax. It also minimizes acid reflux, which can interfere with good sleep. Avoid caffeine (tea, coffee, milk chocolate) in the evening and night. If you must have chocolate, then stick to dark chocolate which improves sleep. Oatmeal, cherry, banana, honey and cheese promotes sleep. Soy based products also interfere with sleep when consumed later in the day.

If you don't eat enough food containing calcium (milk, yogurt, cheese, almonds, fish etc.) and magnesium (almonds, potato, rice, soybeans and oatmeal etc.) then consider having a calcium and magnesium supplement. Calcium and magnesium can help you relax and enjoy a good sleep.


Having a glass of milk before you sleep helps you fall asleep faster and give enough calories to keep your body running during sleep.

Relaxation techniques

Anything that helps your mind to calm down before lying down in bed will help you enjoy a good sleep. It will cut down on sleep latency, which means you will fall asleep faster.

Meditation can reduce your stress level and help you get into sleep. Progressive muscle relaxation is another way to loosen up before you hit the sack.

Exercise wisely

Physical activity will help you overcome the stress build up during the day. But exercising few hours before going to bed is a bad habit with bad consequences. Try to space out your workouts with your napping time. Also try light exercises like yoga, if you only have spare time available for workout close to your bedtime.

Relaxation music

Listening to soothing music can help you relax and enjoy a good sleep. Noise pollution during sleep, on the other hand interferes with your sleep, especially if you are a light sleeper.

Aromatherapy

A good aroma can lift up your spirits. The smell of lavender can induce sleep.

Tweak up your bedroom

Having a cozy bedroom is one way to beat insomnia. Few months ago I wrote a blog post on how to create a sleep-friendly bedroom.

Sleep on a hammock

If you aren't the kind that hugs your bed, then try sleeping on a hammock. Gentle rocking helps you to fall asleep faster. Your sleep is also immune to noise pollution when you sleep on a rocking bed. If you can't find a hammock, at least dreaming of a hammock or a boat itself can help you sleep better.

Cold shower

Having a shower in the night helps you to relax before bedtime. It also cools your brain and reduce the metabolism so you can fall asleep more easily.

Good sleep hygiene

Benefits of good sleep hygiene can never be underestimated. Sleeping and waking up at regular times will help your body adjust to a rhythm that promotes good sleep.