The Mystery of Sleep

Key Words
sleep, insomnia, fatigue, stress, tension, Ravintsara, lavender, mandarin, lemon verbena, marjoram, plant oils, over-tired, drowsiness, can't sleep, help falling asleep

We first experienced it in the womb. We cannot live without it. It heals our wounds, recovers our weakness and manifests our deepest desires, fears, and . . . well, dreams. It is sleep, and few human experiences are as mysterious and poorly understood.

We know that regular sleep is essential for survival, yet we treat it as an optional activity. But lack of sleep not only causes physical damage, it prevents your body from making key hormones that give you vitality and protect you from illnesses like cancer and heart disease. Health conscious consumers select nutritious food, incorporate an exercise program, and include dietary supplements in their daily regimen, but may devote little thought to the loss of sleep and how it accelerates aging of the body.

Before the invention of the electric light bulb, people slept an average of 9 to 10 hours a night. Sleep and wake cycles were closely related to sunrise and sunset. Now many folks are averaging 7 hours per night or less. The availability of activity and entertainment around the clock offers unprecedented distractions from achieving healthy sleep.

Lack of healthy sleep is associated with a whole host of physical problems. Did you know that going for 17 hours without sleep (or sleeping just 7 hours a night or less) impairs your performance the same amount as if you have a blood-alcohol level of 0.05%--the legal limit for driving in most areas of the world?   Click to Continue...

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By Paul Fassa, NaturalNews

Terry's healthy comment of the week:

Raise good cholesterol naturally 
In one study, drinking three, 8 ounce glasses a day of 100% cranberry juice or taking two cranberry extract capsules for a month, increased good cholesterol (HDL) levels in healthy adults by 10%.

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria:

Dare to Dream Big
So many people today are living with less than God's best because they've allowed fear to stop them from pursuing their dreams. We have to remember that fear is not from God. It's a lie from the enemy to paralyze us and steal our power.

Today's verse tells what God has given us: power, love, and self-discipline or self-control. When you are confident in God's promises, there's nothing that can stop you. But when fear creeps in, you hesitate. You're not as strong as you were before. You feel powerless. Not only that, but it affects your love. Love prompts us to give, and when we are afraid, we tend to clench our fists and act selfishly. Fear also affects our self-discipline or self-control. It makes us panic and do things without thinking.

If you've allowed fear to steal from you in any area of life, today you can be free—you can be finished with fear. Conquering fear starts with a choice to believe God's promises and then taking a step of faith to act on them. As you step out, God will be with you. He'll give you power, love, and self-discipline so that you can confidently move forward into the abundant life He has for you!

A Prayer for Today
"Father God, I come to You today declaring that I am finished with fear. Thank You for giving me power, love, and a sound mind. I choose to stand on Your promises. Fill me with Your peace and joy today as I move forward in victory with You. In Jesus' Name. Amen."

Terry's Favorite Sites

How to find a Holistic or Alternative Physician?
Go to the
American Academy for the Advancement of Medicine
(ACAM) website or call: 1-888-439-6891

Motivational Thought for the Day
Earl Nightingale: Was a motivational author and speaker

"A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds; it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities that were somehow absent before the change."

Today's Scripture:
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline"
(2 Timothy 1:7, NLT).