The Good Sleep Guide 10 Steps to Better Sleep and How to Break the Worry Cycle

by SHARP, TIMOTHY

• ISBN13: 9781583940754
• ISBN10: 1583940758
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-08-08
• Publisher: Frog Books

Summary

Given that 80% of people have experienced sleep problems and 30% suffer from chronic or long-term sleep problems, Timothy Sharp'sThe Good Sleep Guideis an essential tool for reducing the amount of time we spend lying awake, watching the minutes and hours tick by. Based on his own research, Dr. Sharp addresses lifestyle issues as well as physical and psychological problems that interfere with sleep. These include diet, medication, alcohol, and caffeine, as well as depression, anxiety, and relationship difficulties. He offers a commonsense approach that includes specific relaxation techniques and tips to establish a good sleep routine.

Author Biography

Dr. Timothy J. Sharp is a consulting and clinical psychologist and clinical lecturer specializing in sleep problems, pain management, anxiety, and depression.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	xi
Introduction	1	(8)
How The Good Sleep Guide will help you	2	(2)
How to use this guide	4	(1)
Who will benefit?	4	(3)
Meet Paul and Sonia	7	(2)
CHAPTER 1 Understand the need for sleep	9	(20)
Why is sleep so important?	9	(3)
The Good Sleep Guide can help you	12	(1)
Who else is not sleeping?	13	(2)
A brief overview of sleep disorders	15	(3)
Insomnia	18	(3)
Problems associated with insomnia	21	(4)
Treatments for insomnia	25	(4)
CHAPTER 2 Make sleep a priority	29	(20)
The missing piece in the puzzle	29	(3)
What happens when you don't sleep well?	32	(2)
Why not put more time into sleeping well?	34	(6)
Make sleep a priority	40	(1)
Determine to do something	41	(2)
Commit to the program	43	(3)
Still unsure?	46	(3)
Chapter 3 Watch your diet	49	(19)
You are what you eat	49	(1)
A balanced diet	50	(3)
Alcohol	53	(3)
Sleeping pills	56	(6)
Caffeine	62	(3)
Cigarettes	65	(1)
On a positive note	66	(2)
Chapter 4 Exercise and be active	68	(18)
The relationship between exercise and sleep	68	(1)
Activity versus exercise	69	(2)
A healthy, active lifestyle	71	(3)
Regular exercise	74	(4)
Motivation to keep it up	78	(8)
Chapter 5 Learn to relax	86	(21)
Tension and stress	86	(3)
How relaxation can help	89	(1)
What is relaxation?	90	(1)
How to relax	91	(6)
Maximizing the gains from relaxation	97	(2)
Overcoming common problems	99	(3)
Other useful strategies	102	(5)
Chapter 6 Sort out your sleep routine	107	(22)
Sleep routine	107	(2)
The sleep routine gone wrong	109	(3)
Common problems	112	(3)
Solution Part I - Sleep restriction	115	(6)
Solution Part II - Stimulus control	121	(7)
In summary	128	(1)
Chapter 7 Organize your time	129	(19)
Daytime connections to sleep	129	(2)
Time management	131	(5)
Plan your day	136	(2)
Just do it!	138	(1)
Wind-down time	139	(5)
Lack of pleasant activities	144	(4)
Chapter 8 Develop healthy thinking and control worry	148	(37)
Worry	148	(2)
Causes of worry	150	(2)
Understanding worry	152	(5)
Understanding unhelpful thoughts	157	(3)
Common examples of unhelpful thoughts	160	(6)
How to combat worry	166	(15)
Other thought-control strategies	181	(4)
Chapter 9 Deal with other problems	185	(22)
The relationship between sleep and other problems	185	(2)
Depression	187	(6)
Anxiety	193	(4)
Relationship difficulties	197	(7)
Chronic pain and chronic health problems	204	(3)
Chapter 10 Persevere and practice	207	(23)
Perseverance	207	(3)
Practice	210	(3)
Make the program part of your life	213	(4)
Use reminders	217	(2)
Schedule regular reviews	219	(3)
Monitor for warning signs	222	(3)
Elicit help from family and friends	225	(4)
Keep at it	229	(1)
Further help and some tips	230	(25)
Where to get more help	231	(7)
Dealing with jet lag	238	(5)
Coping with shiftwork	243	(3)
Following the birth of a baby	246	(4)
Conclusion	250	(5)
Index	255