With the coming of the New Year, many will have made resolutions to lose weight, stop smoking or get more exercise. These are all worthy goals.

Here’s another resolution to consider – get more sleep!

For many of us, this may be as unattainable as some of the other resolutions. In fact, in giving time to some of our other resolutions, we may even be increasing our sleep debt.

However, if you make sleep more of a priority, you’ll find that your other goals will be easier to achieve. When you are well-rested, you’ll have more energy for exercise. You’ll be in a better frame of mind to make better food choices. Most importantly, with better sleep, you’ll be better able to manage your wieght because your natural hunger suppression mechanism will work as it should.

Another resolution to consider if you are not sleeping as well as you would want is to finally take that step and seek the advice of a sleep specialsit. The majority of people who have sleep problems never tell their physician because they don’t believe that a ’sleep’ problem is a medical or health problem. As a result, 90% of people with sleep disorders have never been diagnosed.

This New year, resolve to get the sleep you need to be healthy and in so doing, you’ll be better able to achieve your other important goals and resolutions.

While one can suspect that sleepy children and adolescents might be suffering with an undiagnosed sleep disorder, it should not be the only consideration. Children who are sleepy at school may be the victims of night-time sexual or physical abuse or family dysfunction.

David Meece was sleepy in school all the time because his father’s abuse resulted in disrupted nights or saw the family sleeping in the car. (see www.associatedsleepservices.com/events) But his is not the only such story. In his book, hockey player, Theoren Fleury describes the abuse he suffered at the hands of his hockey coach and the impact it had on his sleep.

“(he) insisted that I sleep over at his house at least twice a week ….. I would get absolutely no sleep. None. I was on guard. …… I would drag myself to school the next day and fall asleep in class.”  “I let him do what he needed to do to get it over with so I could get some sleep. I needed to function the next day.”

Shame and fear often prevent these children from telling anyone anything about what is happening to them. It is critical that adults who interact with these sleepy children consider not just sleep disorders, but other situations which may be efffecting the child’s sleep.

If these children are not saved from the abuse or dysfunction, many of them will find that in adulthood they experience an on-going insomnia. They find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.  Even though they may have been removed from the abuse for many years, the years of being ‘on-guard’ during the night has effectively programmed to continue being ‘on guard.’  The insomnia can also be associated with unresolved emotions associated with the abuse.

Watch for vulnerable children. They really need an adult who crusades on their behalf. Help them to have a ’safe place to sleep.’

Are you a sleeping beauty?

If you are, you likely know the importance of sleep in making you look beautiful. During sleep, cells are nourished and regenerated. Those who get enough restfull sleep tend to have fewer wrinkles and generally look younger, especially if they don’t smoke.

This effect of sleep on appearance is especially noticeable if one hasn’t slept well for a few days. If this extends to weeks or years, one looks older and less healthy.

Now the beauty industry has jumped on this as a handy marketing ploy. Olay started the trend with its advertisements for a night cream. The copy stated “Put some muscle into your beauty sleep. (Use our night cream.) Wake with firmer, more beautiful skin.”

Though women have for centuries employed night creams for hands, face and body, the beauty industry is now finding many other opportunities to ‘push product’ for night-time use. Though they recognize the advantage of getting the most out of the natural restorative process that is sleep, they have also found another avenue for promotion. Time. When you are very busy with work and family, it may be difficult to find time to get to the salon. No problem. Simply apply these products while you sleep and voila!

There has been an explosion of products for use on the hair at night, while other products for night-time use include teeth whiteners and self-tanners. Beauty sleep has taken on a whole new meaning.