What is Sleep Really?
We all agree we can’t live without sleep; many studies have been done on the detrimental effects of going without it. Each of us has a unique relationship with sleep but is that a healthy relationship or one fraught with difficulties? It is essential to understand the purpose of sleep and its vast importance in […]
When Your Sleep Window Opens – Don’t Let It Close Without You
Do you know when your body naturally prepares for sleep? A few years back, I devised the “Washington Sleep Wellness Window” to help my patients remember when their sleep cues begin to appear, indicating the opening of a window that invites them to the world of restful sleep. I emphasize this to highlight the importance […]
Lack of Sufficient Sleep (LOSS) Carries Greatest Risk to Children
While all of us are affected by lack of sufficient sleep, what I dubbed LOSS, children living in toxic stress environments are perhaps the most vulnerable to the damaging consequences of insufficient sleep. The concept of LOSS and its effects on health and personal well-being are essential to understanding the risks to children. The ramifications […]
How Sufficient Sleep Mitigates Toxic Stress and Trauma
It has been well-accepted that stress, physical and mental, is detrimental to our health and can contribute to illness. Mothers know it. Doctors talk and write about it. It is a prominent, irrefutable causal relationship for most of us. As convinced of the idea as you may be by your observations and what you have […]