Foreword
Dr. Sarah Brewer
Everyone experiences sleep problems at some time during their life. Often the problems are short-lived, caused by fleeting issues such as jet lag or worry about a job interview or driving test. But sleeplessness that’s a result of ongoing problems such as work stress, for instance, may last for weeks and, if not tackled, can become a long-term condition that interferes with your quality of life.
Lack of sleep is also bad for your health. Research consistently shows that people who sleep soundly for seven to eight hours at a time have the lowest risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, and obesity, and also mount better immune responses against infection.1
Adequate sleep may even help you live longer, if a study that followed twenty-one thousand sets of twins for over twenty-two years is to be believed. According to the results, those who achieved the magic seven to eight hours’ sleep per night lived longer than those who habitually slept for shorter or longer periods.
If sleep eludes you, sleeping pills are not the answer. Instead, follow the advice in this fabulous book and tackle your sleep problems naturally using diet, lifestyle, cognitive, mindful, and other alternative approaches. You’ll be glad to know that doesn’t include the proverbial counting of sheep — far too boring an exercise to distract you from your genuine worries.
I can guarantee you will find numerous sleep-inducing suggestions you’ve never encountered before, at least one of which is bound to work for you.
DR. SARAH BREWER,
MSc (NutrMed), MA (Cantab), MB, BChir,
RNutr, MBANT, CNHC