November 10th, 2007 by Phil

Want to learn how you can sharpen that brain of yours and keep it vibrant and effective? Then read on…

1. Learn what is the “It” in “Use It or Lose It”. A basic understanding will serve you well to appreciate your brain’s beauty as a living and constantly-developing dense forest with billions of neurons and synapses.

2. Take care of your nutrition. Did you know that the brain only weighs 2% of body mass but consumes over 20% of the oxygen and nutrients we intake? As a general rule, you don’t need expensive ultra-sophisticated nutritional supplements, just make sure you don’t stuff yourself with the “bad stuff”.

3. Remember that the brain is part of the body. Things that exercise your body can also help sharpen your brain: physical exercise enhances neurogenesis.

4. Practice positive, future-oriented thoughts until they become your default mindset and you look forward to every hansgrohe-downpour-air-royale-14in-shower.jpgnew day in a constructive way. Stress and anxiety, no matter whether induced by external events or by your own thoughts, actually kills neurons and prevent the creation of new ones. You can think of chronic stress as the opposite of exercise: it prevents the creation of new neurons.

Please go to www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2007/08/22/10-habits-of-highly-effective-brains/

November 10th, 2007 by Phil

I stumbled across this video the other day and I thought I’d share it with you. This hypnosis video titled ‘Instant Problem Solver’ works great at clearing the mind and helping you think with clarity. I’m not saying it will solve your problems instantly as it suggests, however it’s certainly relaxing and a great stress reliever.

November 3rd, 2007 by Phil

Here are some links to several sleep articles which I hope you’ll find useful:

How to beat insomnia

Insomnia Cures

Cures for Insomnia

Sleep Facts

Sleep Techniques

How Much Sleep Do I Need

Natural Sleep Remedies

Cant Get No Sleep

How to Fall Asleep

How to Sleep Better

Sleep Program

Insomnia Help

Causes of Insomnia

Natural Sleep Aid

Fall into Sleep

Sleep Help

Sleep Deprivation

Sleepless

Sleeping Pills

Fall Asleep

Sleep Problems

Sleep Aids

Sleep Disorders

Enjoy!

October 27th, 2007 by Phil

If you are interested in a natural sleep aid to help you fall asleep or a drug-free method of dealing with insomnia, then read on.

I’m sure you’ve heard about drinking warm milk to help you sleep. It’s not exactly a miracle solution and its effectiveness does vary. Milk contains amino acid that is converted to a sleep-enhancing compound which will help you relax and fall asleep. A caffeine and alcohol free beverage such as chamomile tea will also help you to relax in the evening before sleep.

Lack of Vitamin B will affect your sleep, so taking a supplement may help. A good product containing A-Z of vitamins and minerals is recommended to give you overall health benefit. It’s also advisable to check your iron level as women who are deficient in iron tend to have more problems sleeping.

If you are after natural sleep aids try Standardized Valerian extract which is a safe and non addictive sedative that works by calming the mind and body. Valerian is available at most pharmacies and is a natural remedy to aid sleep. Taken before bedtime it can ease nerves and calm the mind to help you drift off to sleep. Lemon balm and Hops, are also soothing remedies which can calm and relax the mind and body.

Aromatherapy is an age old art and is the use of essential oils from aromatic plants to promote a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Essential oils may be blended together to create your own personal blends. Through inhalation the essential oil can be absorbed into the bloodstream stimulating the production of relaxing hormones such as endorphin and serotonin.

Lavender, rose and Chamomile all have soothing and relaxing qualities. Essential oils can be used in several ways, such as vaporization and massage. Try adding a few drops in your bath to help ease away tension. Alternatively try scented candles and incense in the evening which can also help relax, and calm the body and mind before sleep.

As well as trying some of these natural sleep aids, try and improve your sleep habits and ensure that you are getting up and going to bed the same time everyday, including weekends. Put into practice the following:

* Every morning expose yourself to sunlight for a good few minutes to increase your serotonin levels. This will help wake you up.

* During the day ensure that you eat healthily and participate in some light exercise.

* Try to deal with stress and worry. If you feel that you are not coping, take a break or talk to someone.

* Leave your troubles at work. Try and relax when you get home.

* Unwind in the evenings and avoid stimulants such as caffeine

* Listen to some relaxing music and dim lighting to increase your melatonin levels which will help induce sleep

* In bed, try relaxing progressively from your head to your toe. Remember it is not a time for worry or thoughts.

If you suffer from sleeplessness, consider a natural sleep aid, but more importantly improve your sleep habits and pay attention to your emotional levels in the day.

October 13th, 2007 by Phil

Sleep deprivation is generally the cause of sleep disorders such as apnea, narcolepsy and insomnia. Sleep deprivation affects millions of people around the world and is the lack of sleep which is crucial for restoration and rejuvenation.

Contrary to what people think, insomnia is not defined by the number of hours a person sleeps. As we get older, we tend to need less sleep. Babies might need between 10 to 14 hours a night and children between 9 to 12 hours sleep. Sleep is important for growth as well as for restoring muscular energy.

The optimum amount of sleep for most adults is around 7 to 8 hours a night. Although as I said it really does differ from person to person, some people may need as few as 4 hours, or as many as 10 hours of sleep per night.

If you feel refreshed during the day and not sleepy until bedtime, then obviously you’re getting enough sleep. The amount of sleep required varies from person to person and depends on a number possible of factors including, age, genetic make-up, the amount of exercise you get, what you do during the day, the quality of your sleep and whether you are still growing.

5 hours of deep quality sleep is far better than 12 hour of broken sleep. It’s important to note that it’s the quality of sleep obtained at night and not just the quantity that determines how you feel the next day. There are various stages of sleep and it’s in the deeper stages that the body is able to restore.

Lack of sleep generally causes daytime tiredness, lethargy, aching muscles, blurred vision, headaches, nausea, irritability and frequent yawning. Although sleep deprivation is not life threatening it can adversely affect brain functioning. You may find that your ability to concentrate or carry out tasks more problematic.

You may find that after a good night’s sleep that you feel refreshed and energized. Sleep enables you to restore and rejuvenate many functions of the mind and body. Without sleep your immune system may weaken leaving you susceptible to illnesses. Sleep is essential for the release of growth hormones for proper physical and mental development.

Sleep studies have found that sleep deprivation can have the similar affects to those of excessive alcohol. Thousands of accidents a year occur due to falling asleep or loss of concentration, mainly while driving or operating dangerous machinery. Its total cost, in terms of illness, injuries, and decreased quality of life is staggering. A constant lack of sleep severely affects quality of life and can often lead to mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Sleep deprivation affects all ages including students in high school. In act in a recent study it was revealed that 1 in 4 students admitted to falling asleep in class. Most schools start early which prevents students getting enough sleep. Forced sleep deprivation over a long period can lead to insomnia. Fortunately in many school districts, opening school times have been delayed to give students more time to sleep.

However this doesn’t prevent the fact that people are working longer hours than ever and with electricity, the average amount of sleep a night has decreased dramatically.

With sleep deprivation becoming an increasingly growing problem and insomnia affecting a third of all adults, more needs to be done to counteract this problem. People need to be made aware of the seriousness of sleep deprivation and more importantly how to deal with it.

October 9th, 2007 by Phil

I was about to write a post on how to apply EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). But as it’s a physical technique which requires explanation of the various tapping points on the body’s meridian system, I thought it would be difficult to explain with just words. I found this great video which gives a simplified version of the technique. Use this to combat stress anytime. If you want to know more about how you can apply EFT, as well as several other powerful techniques to beat insomnia, visit How to beat insomnia

Here’s the video for the stress busting technique:

October 6th, 2007 by Phil

Do we have control over stress? Some people wake up and feel that they are not in control of their thoughts and emotions, and they might wake up in a bad mood, with negative thoughts about themselves and the rest of their day. We’ve all experienced a bad day where nothing seems to go right.

What we all need to realize is that we do have control of our thoughts and emotions. In a relatively short space of time you can learn to handle stress and control your emotions. It’s important that we deal with stress as it can have detrimental effects on our physical and mental health.

Stress is an overproduction of adrenalin and other hormones, when these hormones are not expelled quick enough, we may experience a spike. In the short term this can affect our mental and physical state of being. We may feel upset, angry or hurt. Physically we may feel tense, irritable and on edge.

In the long run, too much stress will have a far greater impact than just a headache. Too much stress increases your chances of heart disease, stroke, heart attacks and psychological disorders. What’s more, stress is a major factor in causing sleep disorders.

So what can we do to reduce stress?

Here are some ideas you can try when you feel stressed:

In the next few post, I will show you how you can deal with stress using a simple yet highly proven and effective technique. In the meantime, take it easy on the cushion.

September 27th, 2007 by Phil

I don’t think there’s an awful lot I need to say other than what’s already in the title. If you’re serious about getting your life together and you want to know how to acquire all that you desire, then watch this video. Millions have watched this video and it has undoubtedly opened up people’s eyes, to what is achievable with the power of thought.

I thought I’d post this a) because I’ve watched it and loved it (I have it on DVD) and b) I’ve been searching for ages to find a free video available online and I wanted to share it with you. Oh, by the way there are Hebrew subtitles but they’re barely noticeable -sorry!)

Enjoy!

***This video has now been removed by Google video***

September 25th, 2007 by Phil

Want to know how to sleep better at night?

If you suffer from insomnia, you’ll be glad to know that there are effective solutions to help you regain a normal sleeping pattern. Insomnia doesn’t develop overnight, rather it’s a learned negative habit.

Just as you’ve learned these negative habits that prevent you from getting any sleep, you can learn positive ones to counteract your old habits. Sometimes sleeplessness can be triggered by a traumatic event such as a death in the family or troubling times.

More frequently, insomnia is the result of normal daily life; work, relationships and family life can all be factors in its cause. We live in a profit and success driven world where heart attacks, strokes and depression are becoming common place. Stress is an accepted part of our daily lives and yet it is one of the most destructive factors to our mental and physical health.

We often undermine its negative effects and ignore the body’s signal of excessive stress. In fact, even a little stress a day is bad for you. When we experience it in huge doses, you may experience headaches, tension, palpitations, blurred vision and irritability.

Too much stress can weaken the immune system and lead to psychosomatic illnesses, depression, anxiety disorders, heart attacks and strokes. This is why it is absolutely vital to deal with stress. The most effective and healthy way to combat stress is to deal with it before it emerges, so that it can be expelled quickly.

How is this done? There are too highly effective and powerful techniques you can try; EFT which stands for Emotional Freedom Technique, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Through these techniques you can learn to counteract stress before it unleashes its devastating effects on the mind and body.

Sleep is an integral part of life. It’s vital for restoration and growth and essential for health. It’s important to remember that the sleep process doesn’t begin as soon as you rest your head. The day reflects into the night. You cannot expect to rush around all day, with thoughts of worry, stress on your mind and expect to fall asleep soundly if you suffer from insomnia.

So pay attention to your day, deal with stress effectively. A life without stress is a happy and healthy life. Without stress sleep will come more easily.

If you enjoyed this article on how to sleep better, stay tuned for more!

September 22nd, 2007 by Phil

Learn hypnosis, EFT and NLP and much more. You can beat insomnia and attain deep refreshing sleep every night. Please watch the following video or visit How to Beat Insomnia

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