Sleep to Be Sexy, Smart, and Slim: Get the Best Sleep of Your Life Tonight and Every Night

Health writer Michaud (Total Health for Women) and Reader's Digest health director Bain make a convincing case for the serious impact sleep deprivation has on women's health-including weight gain, diminished libido, irritability and difficulty concentrating, not to mention potentially fatal effects like falling asleep at the wheel-and offer worthwhile advice on getting a full night's rest. Thirty pages of tips include strategies for slowing down and releasing stress (meditation and muscle relaxation rituals), food remedies both familiar (cookies and milk) and sophisticated (a high-carb meal four hours before bedtime), and a number of other suggestions: sleep in a cold bedroom, wear socks to bed, stay away from the computer as bed time nears (light from the computer monitor stimulates the brain and wakefulness). A long section looks at specific ""sleep saboteurs"" like menopause, pregnancy, depression, illness, nightmares and jet-lag, and a final section looks at medication, including the new generation of sleep aids (Ambien, Lunesta) and other classes (antidepressants, antihistamines) used for sleep. A directory of local resources completes this able one-stop reference aimed at women, but widely applicable to anyone suffering sleepless nights.