Wenatex Blog :: Healthy Sleep for a Better Life

Women definitely don’t have it easy! PMS, the immense pains associated with child birth, enchanting the days and nights of our families, menopause and the list goes on.

If all this is not enough, menopause may be accompanied by unbearable temperature fluctuations… day and night… Or could it be something else?

In an issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch, February 2008, it was reported that of 102 women with menopause 56% had hot flashes and 53% also experienced sleep troubles.  Although the study is very small it reiterates the need to understand if sleep difficulties could not be the origin of hot flashes in some women.

Talking from experience, I also know of men battling with sleep disorders also complaining about hot flashes…

This study can only reiterate the importance of ensuring that we all find the best possible sleep available.

So to the question….could a healthier sleep environment help menopausal women to achieve better sleep? The answer can only be yes!

Until next time

Be wise and have fun

J. Semo

From the miracles we observe in nature, there is one that fascinates me every time I think about it, that is, the capacity of animals and, potentially, plants to adapt and change themselves because of something they have learned about their environment.

What is learning? In the excellent book, The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind, By Elkonon Goldberg , I think I found a simple explanation that we can share. He says the following: “ When the organism is exposed to a new pattern of signals form the outside world, the strengths of synaptic contacts (the ease of signal passage between neurons) and local biochemical and electric properties gradually change in complex distributed constellations. This represents learning, as we understand it today.” In other words, every time an organism learns something new, its network of nerves expands to create more complex and capable networks.

Did you know that one of the vital times when this expansion of brain networks takes place is when we sleep? Therefore, if sleep is interrupted for any reason, like for example, pain, illness, noise, bad position bad sleep position etc., learning will be impaired.

Be wise and have fun!

Jane Teresa Anderson, who is a trained scientist and also a published author of books about dream interpretation sent us an EXCELLENT contribution to this post; “Why Do We Often Dream of Sex and Action?”

I decided to share it with you as an new entry instead of merely a comment.

Thank you Jane Teresa for your input, patience and wisdom.

I recommend you to visit the Following Links:

http://www.dream.net.au

http://www.wenatex.com.au/article_dreaming.asp

Be wise and have fun

—————————————————————————

Yes, it’s true, the areas of the brain most active during dreaming are the areas involved in sensing and processing emotions, instincts, drives (such as sex, which is also instinctual and emotional), as well as the areas of the brain that normally, while we are awake, sense and process what we see, hear, smell, touch and taste.

The reasoning part of the brain is pretty much switched off during dreaming! You only have to look at your dreams to realise this is true. Logic has little place in the dramas dreams weave.

In simple terms, the right brain is active and the left brain is sleepy during dreaming.

Here’s the good bit:

Dreams - once interpreted - give you the opportunity to understand how your unconscious mind is programmed. This is important because it’s your unconscious mind that’s in control of how your life turns out . Your fears, whether you know about them or not, dictate how you act in life no matter how much you think your reasoning brain is in control.

Your deepest beliefs about life, the ones that affect how you go about your life and what happens in your life as a result, are anchored in your emotions. These beliefs are mostly unconscious, and because your unconscious mind is a more powerful driving force than you conscious mind, it ‘wins’.

So - isn’t it wonderful that dreams allow you to observe the emotions and beliefs that are really in the driving seat of your life? Knowledge is power - once you know about your unconscious patterns they can be changed.

Yes, we’re reasoning, logical creatures, and this distinguishes us from non-human animals. Yes, we can put a cap on our emotions and drives while we are awake. But I’d argue that being able to remember and interpret our dreams is also what distinguishes us from non-human animals, and it is this ability that enables us to be super-human: to evaluate our unconscious patterns and beliefs and change them so that we truly master our lives and the way we respond to the world.

Oh - you want to know more about sex dreams?

What is the personality of your dream sex partner? Choose three words to describe his or her personality. If the sex is good, you may be unconsciously absorbing these traits into your life. If the sex is not so good, the same applies but you may not be too happy about this fact. However, every dream is unique and it’s the rest of your dream storyline that is the key to the interpretation.

Hope this helps,

Jane Teresa

D R E A M S

Information provided in this blog is to be used for educational purposes only. It should NOT be used as a substitute for seeking professional diagnosis or treatment of any disorder.

Quote in Original Language:“Den som bærer sorg til sengen, sover ikke godt.”

Origin of the Quote: Norway.

English Translation: If you bring your sorrow to bed you will not sleep well.

Meaning: Evident.

General Information: Quotes and picture provided by Elin. K.

Although, the science of sleep strongly opposes reading in bed, I have to tell you, I need to read something to switch off my thinking and help me get off to sleep. I usually spend 20 minutes or so reading some pearls of wisdom, and this puts me to sleep like a baby with a big smile.

I would like to share with you one of my readings…I hope you will consider sharing some of your favourites as well.

The book I am currently reading is called Virtue and Happiness, The Manual of Epictetus. Previous to reading this, I did not know who this Greek gentlemen was… but… Oh la la… he is amazing! I will leave you with one of his beautiful writings:

Signs of someone who is progressing:

He blames no one,
He praises no one,
He complains of no one,
He accuses no one,
He never speaks of himself as of someone important or who knows something.

If you wish to learn about Sleep Tips, visit the Wenatex website or book for a FREE healthy sleep seminar.

Until tomorrow,  be wise and have fun!

Links: http://www.shambhala.com; http://www.wenatex.com.au/sleep_tips.asp

Information provided in this blog is to be used for educational purposes only. It should NOT be used as a substitute for seeking professional diagnosis or treatment of any disorder.