This is a guest post by Ben Jacobs. His information is at the bottom of this article.

Sleeping problems afflict millions of people in around the world. Chances are you or someone you love has suffered from sleep problems at some point in their life – if not right now. Lying in bed being unable to fall asleep is a frustrating experience. In some respects, even dangerous when it creates condition wherein which sleep deprived people drive, operate machinery, and work at their jobs without proper attention due to lack of sleep.

If you find yourself lying awake at night, unable to sleep, here are a few tips to consider to change the situation. Keep in mind there is no one-size-fits-all solution for insomnia; everyone is different. Taken in their totality though, these tips should help out anyone suffering from sleep problems. Also note the holistic nature of these solutions; nothing here involves insomnia tablets, sleeping pills, or other intoxicants.

Photo by Bernhard Benke

1. Take Deep Breaths
Focusing on your breath has powerful effects on the mind. If stress, external noise, or a racing mind is a reason for insomnia, learning to focus on your breathing while falling asleep is a very helpful tactic to fight insomnia.

Start by simply closing your eyes, and taking a long, deep breath.

Follow this by a second, and then for the third – take the deepest breath you can and hold. Release.

Start over, slowly counting to 10.

2. Visualize Your Body Relaxing
This method involves intentionally visualizing parts of your body as relaxed and content in a slow and methodical manner.

Start by closing your eyes and imagining a wave of relaxation starting at your feet. Concentrate on this sensation in your feet for a moment. Take a breath, and slowly move the relaxation upwards to your legs. Continue to your pelvis; hold. Carry it over your stomach, chest, neck, into your arms, to your head, and past your head.

Note: This tactic can be combined with the deep breathing exercises if you wish.

This method has amazing results – it’s common to experience tingles in addition to a distinct sense of relaxation and warmth all over your body.

While these methods may not work for everyone, many will find success in using them to calm the mind in a completely natural and healthy manner. Unlike prescription medications, which have nasty side effects, all effects resulting from deep breathing and visualization are positive. For those skeptical, just give it a try – you might wake up the next morning surprised to find it worked.

Byline: Ben Jacobs is the blogger behind Dreaming Life, a blog on sleep/dream health, lucid dreaming, and consciousness studies.

A sedentary lifestyle with no exercise inevitably leads to stiffness and a limited range of motion. If you have not worked out in years, you can restore lost flexibility through specific exercises such as  Thai yoga, a variation of yoga that originated in India and was imported into Thailand through the spread of Buddhism in Southeast Asia.

What’s Thai yoga?

Thai yoga is referred to as ruesri dat ton or “the hermit’s auto-cure” in the Thai language. Unlike the much better known Thai massage, Thai yoga is practiced alone without the help of a therapist or masseur, although learning from a teacher in person is a must for a serious practitioner.

Photo by myyogaonline

What’s Thai yoga exercise like?

Like other types of yoga exercise, Thai yoga is made up of a body of postures. The yoga assumes each posture in an exact manner to get the desired health benefits. Every pose works on different parts of the body through twisting, bending, stretching and balancing. The yogi watches his breath and syncs it with his every move.  While holding the breath, the yogi concentrates on sending energy to those areas via the sen lines, an invisible network of energy in the body. According to the principles of traditional Thai medicine, the sen lines are responsible for keeping the body in good shape.

What good is Thai yoga?

You do not have to believe in the existence of energy lines, or even know anything about them, to use Thai yoga. Just doing the exercises correctly improves your range of motion. In Thai yoga, you pull and bend in all directions, working on the whole body. With regular practice, the bones and muscles grow stronger and more elastic. It enables you to move more smoothly and reduces the risk of injury. Common problems such as stiffness and back pain disappear.

Who practices Thai yoga?

Anyone who wants to enjoy better health can practice Thai yoga so long as they have no serious health problems. If you are sick or have a serious injury, talk with your doctor first and let your yoga teacher know. Special provisions or restrictions may apply depending on your condition.

Besides this, there are safety guidelines that everyone should follow, such as not holding the breath for too long, and not pushing yourself too hard when exercising. The ability to do yoga does not come to people overnight. You have to work for it and that takes time. Take it easy on yourself.

Thai yogis practice with the Buddha’s teachings in their hearts. Buddhism embraces the “middle way.” Compassion, harmony and moderation are keywords to live by.

How do I learn more about Thai yoga?

Not many people know about Thai yoga. Even the Thai people do not practice ruesri dat ton as a rule, preferring Thai massage instead or even yoga from India. Because it is hardly known, there isn’t a lot of Thai yoga training available. In Thailand however, a few yoga masters still teach this art to earnest students.

Traveling should be fun and exciting, but can often become a big drag when jet lag catches up with you and demands you fall asleep. But taking pills and sleep-aids without restraint is not the proper way to reset your body’s natural clock. When your body asks “Where am I?” try combating the tiredness with some time-tested, natural jet lag remedies.

Prepare, Prepare!

The first step for how to get over jet lag fast is to be like any good away-camper and prepare for your trip ahead of time. First, know that your body will be going through a great ordeal when you cross time zones. Traveling far away from where your body is synced means that your temperature response, digestive process, and brain are all running on a different clock. Thus, give your body a break and take it easy a few days before a long flight. Start shifting when you go to sleep either a little earlier or later, depending on where you’re headed. Avoid alcohol and intense foods that will make your digestion work overtime.

Drink Water

Before and after your flight, make sure to drink lots of water. On average, a body loses up to 2 pints of water simply due to elevation and humidity changes that go along with an airline flight, so make sure to stay hydrated. Since fatigue, exhaustion, and weakness are all side effects of dehydration, make sure you get enough to drink to avoid stacking these problematic feelings on top of those of jet lag. Specialists argue that perhaps the best jet lag treatment is drinking copious amounts of water before and after your flight.

Photo by \!/_PeacePlusOne

Get Outside

Getting outside to spend time in the sun is one of the best ways of how to get rid of jet lag. Your body knows how to take cues from nature in order to reset its biological clock. Studies have also shown time and time again that bright light is the best way to cure jet lag quickly. So when you get off of your plane, spend the first day outside in the sunlight being active and exercising. Then head off to bed when the sun sets in your destination. Avoid sleeping in through the brightest parts of the day just because you feel tired and cranky. More time in the sun will help you wake up faster.

Try a Sleeping Aid

If you find yourself having a hard time falling asleep in your destination, don’t hesitate to use a gentle sleeping aid to help tell your body when it needs to go to sleep. Often, an antihistamine such as Benadryl is strong enough to ease your body into sleep as long as you have been following proper jet lag procedure during your trip. Gentle sleep inducing teas or herbal supplements are a great way to fall asleep faster, such as:

• Sleep Tea: Tea for bedtime, such as Sleepytime Tea, is made naturally to help you fall asleep.
• Melatonin: Taking this hormone at specific times during the day will help you reset your biological clock.
• Valerian Root: A sleep aid, this root helps trigger melatonin production.
• Chamomile: This herb is a popular relaxant found in many teas. Just make sure to avoid tea with caffeine.

Often, jet lag pills are filled with more body-altering substances than you need, but don’t rule them out if you’re traveling to a place where times have been swapped 180 degrees.

Resetting Your Body’s Clock Naturally

When you get off of your plane in your new destination, don’t immediately down jet lag pills and succumb to drug-induced sleep. Not only will this cause other side effects that are detrimental to your health, your body doesn’t have a chance to reset its biological clock naturally. Instead try jet lag remedies such as drinking water, getting outside, and going to sleep naturally to help ease through the pain of jet lag.

Bipolar disorder is an illness that affects many people, some of which are ashamed or embarrassed to come forward and seek treatment. Someone in your family, your circle of friends, or even yourself may suffer from this disruptive condition and not even be aware of it. It is important to know some of the bipolar disorder symptoms so you can ensure those affected can receive the help they need.

What Is Bipolar Disorder

You may be questioning what is bipolar disorder and how can it affect an individuals daily routine. The disorder is a chronic illness that has relapses and tends to get worse without any form of treatment. It is defined as periods of mania or excitability with alternating periods of severe depression. It also affects roughly the same number as men as women, making it a disease that knows no gender discrimination. I know that we all experience mood swings from time to time, sometimes even a few within the same day. But the mood swings associated with bipolar disorder are so severe that they will interfere with everyday functions. They are also quite abrupt and will occur with little or no warning.

Types of Bipolar Disorder

There are two recognized types of this condition, bipolar I and bipolar II with the first being the more severe of the two. Bipolar I encompasses individuals who have had at least one totally manic episode with relapses of periods of depression. The second type is a classification for people who rarely have full manic episodes, but do experience high energy levels followed by bouts of depression. You should also understand that the disease affects people differently, and some may be more prone to mania outbursts while others exhibit mainly periods of depression. However, there are individuals who will alternate between the two.

Bipolar Disorder Manic Episodes

There are numerous warning signs and symptoms associated with bipolar disorder. I tend to find the lists somewhat overwhelming but breaking them down by category does seem to help. You should evaluate the symptoms during manic episodes and then during the states of depression. The symptoms during the excitability phase include quick agitation or irritability, extreme hyper-activity and uncontrollable temper. You will notice inflated self-esteem of the person; they will commonly claim to have extraordinary abilities. They will have little need for rest,  become overly involved in activities and display risky behavior. An individual experiencing a manic episode will also possess racing, random thoughts and be distracted easily.

Bipolar Disorder Depressive Episodes

The other side of bipolar disorder is severe depression and there are many red flags here as well. Symptoms include extreme fatigue, lack of interest, and listlessness. A person may also have a hard time concentrating, difficulty remembering and even have trouble making decisions. They will seem to have no self-esteem. When communicating, you may hear them speak of persistent sadness, suicidal thoughts or an obsession with death. They will withdraw from family events and many other social activities.

Treatment for Bipolar Disorder

Research has found that using antidepressants alone is not successful in the treatment of the disorder. The condition must be addressed properly with medication, therapy, support systems and even changes in lifestyle. It is vital for you to encourage loved ones who display signs of bipolar disorder to seek help in order to regain control of their lives.