Come see us at our new consolidated website!

Follow SHC on the next leg of its journey!

After some observation, experimentation, and AB testing, SHC has decided to merge This Week's Sleep News and SleepyHeadCENTRAL into one new website.

Please visit at http://sleepyheadcentral.com/ and adjust your subscriptions accordingly.

You'll have the same great content in a cleaner, more optimized format that frees up SHC to do more work in the field. 

(We are currently including some of our best posts and curations from the last 3 years, so you can still find old favorites as well as brand-new information you can use.)

You can also expect new original content and fine-tuned curation targets in 2017 as well as other forward-thinking surprises, benefits, and offers.

Thanks for your support and do share this news with your sleep-challenged friends!

In the spotlight: sleep deprivation and sleep debt

This week, we spotlight recent news about sleep deprivation and sleep debt (the accumulation of sleep deprivation that may never be reversed for some people) with more than 50 links that cover all kinds of territory: 

• Drowsy driving and its relationship to sleep deprivation
  
• Sleepy people around the globe
  
• Sleep deprivation and memory problems
  
• The high cost of sleep deprivation in the workplace
  
• Solutions for getting adequate Zzz and reclaiming a healthy sleep schedule
  
• College student sleep deprivation
  
• How sleep-deprived kids suffer differently
  
• Mood and sleep loss
  
• How sleep deprivation shortens women's lives
  
• Police officer fatigue and sleep debt

Be aware that regular sleep loss and habits which prevent you from getting at least 7 hours of quality of sleep a night are going to have a long-term impact on your overall health and will increase your chances for having a fatal car accident, making major mistakes at work, or suffering from relationship problems. 

This week's links were published or updated been 8.1.16 and 10.7.16

CLICK HERE

Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Make sleep a PRIORITY.

AUG 21 || THE COVETEUR
How I'm making sleep a priority, one Netflix-free night at a time
"...I’m making a conscious effort to shut my laptop and put my phone on 'Do Not Disturb' at least 30 minutes before bed. So far I’ve seen a huge improvement."

SEPT 2 || CLEVELAND CLINIC
9 Reasons Why You Need to Make Sleep a Higher Priority (Infographic)“In this infographic, Dr. Foldvary-Schaefer points out 9 ways sleep deprivation is harmful to your health that might just make you consider hitting the hay a wee bit (or a lot!) earlier tonight."

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Lavender aromatherapy for the win!

JAN 13, 2014 || GARDEN THERAPY
If This Doesn’t Help You Sleep I Don’t Know What Will!“Spritz your way to a good night's sleep with this Lavender Linen Spray!"

AUG 6 || GLOBAL TRAVELER USA
Virgin Atlantic Airways Introduces Sleep Aids
"Virgin Atlantic partnered with high-end British brands de Mamiel and This Works to offer a two-step aromatherapy kit for Upper Class passengers. The aromatherapy is designed to bust jetlag and help travelers fall asleep and wake up more refreshed and acclimatized to the time zone."

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Take a sleep vacation.

DEC 13, 2015 || {LIFE}BUZZ
15 Incredible Hotel Rooms Where You Can Sleep Under The Stars“Remember those glow-in-the-dark stars you taped to your ceiling as child? Now, you can sleep under the stars without them falling on your face. In this list, you will find some of the best outdoor hotel rooms that push the limits of the average vacation."

AUG 6|| VOGUE
Do You Need a Sleep Vacation? 6 Luxury Getaways Designed for a Better Night’s Rest
"Luxury hotels pride themselves on fulfilling guests’ every desire.  ... perhaps the most-sought-after luxury is one that has remained elusive: a proper night’s sleep."

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Position yourself.

AUG 2 || POSITIVE MED
Fix Your Health Issues With Proper Sleeping Positions“Certain sleeping positions can treat or even resolve harmful health conditions."

AUG 21 || HER
This is best position to sleep in when you have your period
"I think all women will agree that getting to sleep when you have your period can be a lot more difficult than normal nights."

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Review your scrips.

AUG 16 || SOUND SLEEP HEALTH
Are common medications interrupting your sleep?
"[T]here are several common classes of drugs that can cause insomnia. Below, we discuss ten of them."

SEPT 15 || HEALIO
Hypnotics may increase risk for suicidal ideation, suicide
“Researchers expressed concern regarding benzodiazepine receptor agonist hypnotics, which can cause parasomnias and may lead to suicidal ideation or behavior in individuals not known to be suicidal."

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Exercise now to sleep better later.

JUN 7 || LONG-TERM LIVING
Study: Exercise improves sleep and daytime awareness
“As people age, the body’s natural sleep/wake cycles (circadian rhythms) can get out of kilter. But the more a person exercises, the better the body can maintain its own internal clock, according to a study published in The Journals of Gerontology A."

AUG 4 || SOUND SLEEP HEALTH
How to exercise your way to sleep apnea relief
"A 2014 meta-analysis published in Lung revealed 'a statistically significant effect of exercise in reducing the severity of sleep apnea in patients with OSA with minimal changes in body weight.' "

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Banish racing thoughts.

AUG 3 || HEALTHFINDER.gov
Health Tip: Meditating at Bedtime
“A busy mind can keep you from a good night's sleep. And a relaxing meditation ritual may be just what you need to wind down."

AUG 16 || THE NEW YORK TIMES - WELL
A New Therapy for Insomnia: No More Negative Thoughts
"We’ve all heard about the power of positive thinking. But will it help me sleep?"

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Skip the evening nightcap.

JULY 9 || BT.com
Alcohol and sleep: what you need to know about how drinking affects your sleep pattern
“Alcohol may appear an attractive option at the end of a long day – research conducted by Leeds University ... showed 38% of people admitted to drinking alcohol at least once a week to help their sleep. ... But sleep experts have warned that the drug is actually more likely to disrupt your sleep further."

AUGUST 23 || MEDICAL DAILY
How Does Alcohol Affect Your Sleep?
" 'People tend to feel that alcohol helps them fall asleep a little quicker, and therefore people associated that with helping them sleep,' Christian Nicholas, research fellow in the Sleep Research Laboratory at the University of Melbourne, reportedly said. 'But when you actually go and look at what is happening while they sleep, the quality of that sleep isn’t good.' "

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Rub it out.

JULY 22 || CARE2
Acupressure for Insomnia
"If you’re tired of sheep-counting and lying awake due to insomnia, rest assured you can take matters into your own hands in the form of acupressure."

SEPT 14 || SOUND SLEEP HEALTH
How can sleep benefit from massage therapy?
“Two things occur when you get a massage which can help with sleep: a reduction in pain and tension in the body, and a gentler, more stable journey from wakefulness to sleep."

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Stick to a schedule.

SEPT 12 || TECH.co
Alternative Sleep Schedules Can Supercharge Your Work Life
"Entrepreneurs know that eight or nine hours of sleep on a consistent nightly basis is the best thing to do, but it’s far from practical. The best advice you can give is to get better sleep."

SEPT 13 || BUSINESS INSIDER
I had a 'sleep doctor' tell me how to structure my entire day — and I've never felt more energized
“Here's the daily routine Breus outlined for me — and what happened when I tried to follow it. Keep in mind that this schedule won't work for everyone, especially if you have a different chronotype."

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take Two Tips: Rise & Shine.

JUN 12 || IMAGE
How To Make Waking Up Easier
"...when the time comes for the day to begin again, these tips and tricks just might make leaving your beloved bed in the AM easier."

SEPT 8 || THE INDEPENDENT
9 things you can do today to get up earlier tomorrow
“The good news is that some of the easiest strategies for waking up earlier are ones you can employ tonight."

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Practice bedtime rituals.

JUN 3 || NEW YORK MAGAZINE
The 5 Painless Changes I Made to Get a Better Night’s Sleep
"For two weeks, I made incremental changes to my nighttime rituals, what little of them I had."

SEPT 1 || THE INDEPENDENT
7 bedtime rituals that are hard to adopt, but will pay off forever
“Some of these habits — like bedtime reading, spending time with family, and going for an evening stroll — are easy to take on. Others, however, are more difficult."

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Happy Anniversary to SHC!!!

I'm so grateful for the support SHC receives from its followers, as well as the volume of sharing of its posts, the interactions I get to have with readers, and the opportunity I am afforded everyday to help ordinary people find solutions to problems with sleep... something so critical to a well-lived, healthy, happy life. 

You can expect more fun in the next year, including a yet-to-be-revealed book title for release in 2017! For those who subscribe to SHC's free, occasional newsletter, a 10 percent discount on all of its original titles for sale in 2017 is just one of the benefits. Subscribe here!

SHC is also out there on the web in all your favorite places!

Facebook - Twitter (@SleepyHeadCtrl) - Pinterest - Google+

Come find and follow SHC! Let me know what SHC has done right, what SHC has failed at, or what SHC should be doing to help you make the best healthcare decisions you can for yourself and your loved ones. I'm all ears!

Finally, we're looking to move into some new directions: 

Multimedia: If you are someone with a skill set in video editing, podcasting, or other multimedia content development, and you want to partner with us on a future project, contact me directly. 

Sponsors, angels, and volunteers: As SHC grows and expands, resources shrink. It's run chiefly by me alone, the curator, and while I can invest in services to help with this growth and expansion, I do not make any money from the production of SHC, so every expense comes out of my own pocket. 

Now is the time for me to connect with those who really believe in the SHC mission, and who want to help invest in its future. Might this be you? You could be a business owner, a doctor, a marketing expert, an artist, an activist, a caregiver... or a straight-up donor.

I have an early adopter mindset, embrace out-of-the-box thinking, and am wide open to ideas, offers, and advice. Give me a nudge!

Thank you again for your encouragement. Sleep well, everybody!

~Tamara Sellman RPSGT CCSH, curator

Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Read to Relax.

AUG 25 || HUFFINGTON POST
Great Motivational Quotes To Read Before Going To Sleep
"Countless studies have shown that people with higher levels of gratitude and positive thoughts before bed slept longer and reported better rest quality than those with more negative thoughts."

SEPT 14 || ROMPER
9 Books To Help You Cope With Anxiety
“Edmund Bourne's The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook is highly recommended for people suffering from anxiety. The book touches on cognitive therapy, relaxation techniques, and even lifestyle changes like diet and exercise."

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Take a nap.

APR 26 || NATIONAL POST
Workers should be allowed to nap after lunch, says French think tank: ‘The politics of insomnia must end!’
"Even as Spain moves to kill the siesta, a leading Gallic think-tank says French businesses should encourage staff to take a post-lunch snooze of 15 to 20 minutes, insisting that it boosts productivity."

JUN 7 || FLYER NEWS
Could the key to your best life be… napping?
“The best way to fall asleep quickly is to sleep under the right conditions. It can be hard to boost your productivity by taking a 10-minute nap when it takes you 30 minutes just to get to sleep. Make sure temperatures are optimal, set an alarm, block out as much noise and light as possible and prepare for a successful sleeping venture."

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Get some help

FEB 2014 || JOURNAL OF CLINICAL SLEEP MEDICINE
Impact of Brief Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia on Health Care Utilization and Costs
"The results of this study suggest that the utilization of health care services by individuals with chronic insomnia can be reduced to some extent by delivery of bCBTi."

AUG 3 || KSAT NEWS
Consumer Reports researches different way to help insomniacs fall asleep
“ 'Cognitive behavior therapy has been shown to improve the amount of sleep you get, as well as how often you wake at night,' Dr. Orly Avitzur, Consumer Reports medical director, said."

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Lights OUT!

JUN 21 || NPR.org
Bright, Bluish-White LED Streetlamps Disrupt Sleep Cycles, AMA Says
"Bright, energy-efficient LED streetlamps can be bad for our health, according to the American Medical Association."

AUG 5 || THE WEEK
This week I learned why sleeping with the lights on is a terrible idea, and more (podcast)
"Read more about the facts mentioned: Sleeping with your light on could mess with your body clock and accelerate aging (via Quartz)."

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Sleep Hygiene September || Take 2 Tips: Be prudent about pot

AUG 18 || SOUND SLEEP HEALTH
Marijuana: Is it an effective sleep aid?
"Is smoking marijuana different than consuming it in edible form? ... Yes. Smoking (or vaping) marijuana introduces the same or similar problems that smoking cigarettes brings: inhaled particulate matter has a long-term detrimental effect on the respiratory system. ... However, consuming marijuana in edible or capsule forms does not seem to result in the same systemic inflammation caused by inhaling smoke. This bodes well for people who are turning to marijuana for treatment of pain..."

AUG 19 || FUTURITY
More sleep trouble with daily marijuana habit
"Daily marijuana users report more sleep disturbance than people who use marijuana less often or not at all, new research finds. This counters the perception that the drug helps to treat insomnia."

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