Sleep is an essential part of living and one that is often taken
for granted. The average person spends well more than one-third
of his or her life sleeping. However, sleep is essential to
normal functioning. Our body utilizes sleep as a time to
rejuvenate, rest, repair and process the many experiences of the
day. Sleep deprivation is known to result in fatigue,
irritability, emotional swings, and decreased physical and
mental performance, and can even raise blood pressure. Disorders
of sleep are unfortunately common. Sleep hygiene is a term used
to describe the many aspects of the daily schedule that may
affect sleep. Believe it or not, we are all born with an
internal clock. Many people who suffer from problems with sleep
have problems with the functioning of the internal clock. Sleep
hygiene refers to the process for resetting our internal clock
to help us sleep properly. The first step to good sleep hygiene
is to arrange our sleep environment so that it favors sleep.
This means that where you sleep should