Love Your Pillow

People frequently ask me about pillows and how often they should be replaced. Great question! It's one of the easiest things to tackle to improve your sleep environment, and actually one of the most important.

Talking About Sleep Medication

If you have been taking sleeping pills for longer than one month (millions are), I am sure that you question whether it is the right thing for you TODAY. There are well-established step-by-step ways to taper down and slowly eliminate your use of pills, together with one or two individualized actions to re-train your body to sleep well.

It's NOT About Time

Are you this person? If you can't fall asleep quickly, you roll over to see how long you have been bed? Then, when you wake during the night, for any reason, you do what? You check the time!!! Listen below to hear how this could be the simplest problem you could solve to improve your sleep and energy.

Why Waste Time Sleeping?

Hi sleep advocates, I am feeling so happy that conversations about healthy sleep are more and more common, and people are helping each other change the way sleep is viewed. We now know that it is the third pillar of health, standing strong with healthy eating and physical activity.

Build your Buffer Zone

Want to take your energy up another level? We all do, I know. Silly question. But I ask it because I think many of us do not realize how energy-deprived we are. The best way to boost long-term, balanced energy is to improve your sleep.

What You Didn't Know About Breathing and Sleep

People have the most fascinating experiences that lead them to help others improve their health. What led you to this work? Shortly after my Mom passed away from cancer at the age of 57, I was diagnosed with cancer myself, at age 36. That led to 14 years of medical protocols, chemotherapy, ICU, radiation, and reconstructive surgeries.

YOU: in Action

Since sleep is a partially learned skill, today I thought I would talk about learning. I have been thinking about this a lot as I prepare for some new teaching that I will be doing this fall. I want to improve how I support people as they are learning new skills.

Is it OK to Go to Work Drunk?

Recently I had the privilege to speak with the Calgary Wellness Network about sleep and productivity in the workplace. The wellness directors and disability managers in the room were surprised to learn that roughly 20 hours of wakefulness produces a performance impairment equal to a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.10%.

What To Do When You Have Tried Everything to Sleep Better With No Success

I meet a lot of people who are really frustrated with insomnia or poor sleep, because they just feel that they have tried EVERYTHING to feel better, to sleep better, but nothing is working. They have tried various medications and supplements that maybe work for a little while, then don't.

Are You the Worst Sleeper In The World?

If you claim this status, my heart goes out to you. There are so many of us struggling, that I proclaim it an epidemic! Sleep deprivation is a serious problem in our culture, and it's time we woke up to the facts.

Your First Line of Defense Against A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad

In biological terms, the 'first line of defense' refers to your best weapon against bodily harm. Specifically, it refers to how your body's physical design protects against disease. Skin, for example. It's your largest physical barrier that prevents against infection.

The Night Owl Versus The Early Bird

Everyone has their own unique circadian rhythm, and we are each genetically programmed for our natural sleep/wake timing. Yes, it's in your genes! Some of us just naturally get tired early in the day and rise early with a smile on our face (early birds or larks).

Change Your Sleep, Change Your Life

I'm sure you have experienced fuzzy thinking at one time or another. You know the feeling. It's really hard to find the right word to get your point across, or to recall important details from last week's meeting, or to remember if you closed the garage door this morning.

3 Facts I Bet You Didn't Know About Sleep

I recently attended the American Academy of Sleep Medicine annual Sleep 2015 conference in Seattle, and was delighted to be among 4,500 delegates advocating for healthy sleep. With colleagues catching naps between sessions (and even a few extra winks in sessions), rest assured that your sleep health professionals are 'walking the talk' when it comes to prioritizing sleep, a primary pillar of health.

Poor Sleep Injures Your Brain

Your brain is older today than it was yesterday. But aging doesn't need to be accompanied by deteriorating brain function, such as dementia or memory loss. This is something you can avoid or postpone. How? By doing everything you can to get a good night's sleep.

Do You Snore? Do You Have Sleep Apnea?

No doubt you have a favourite sleep position that you adopt as you are drifting off to sleep. And most people change positions several times during the night, which is very healthy for your circulation and muscle tone. Only 8% of us are back sleepers.

Does Pain Interfere With Your Sleep?

I want to share a trick that can help you manage pain that blocks you from a peaceful night and keeps you from waking up refreshed and ready to conquer your day. You may have chronic pain that stops you from falling asleep, where you become distressed, thinking "When is this going to end?"

The Sleep Well Tonight Kickstart Series

Many people who struggle with sleep tell me they've tried everything and still can't get results. Lying awake in the middle of the night, mind racing, dreading the alarm clock that will start buzzing in only a few short hours.