There’s an empathizing article in the May/June issue of Spirituality & Health about why we sleep. Written by Jill Neimark, a writer who contributes the Open Mind, Open Heart column to the magazine, the article documents her first-ever bout with insomnia and what she learned while dealing with it.

One of the things she says: “If you can’t sleep, you look for someone or something to blame.” Jill targeted her boyfriend and her bed, of all things. She devotes an entire page to the anatomy of her bed.

This fascinates me.

She ends up with a wool-filled futon covered by an organic cotton cover by Surround Ewe Sleep Systems. She added a wool felt from Shepherd’s Dream.

Her new bed definitely helps her resume her normal good night’s rest. But after her seven-month ordeal with sleeplessness, her revelations about what we need to know about sleep are perceptive and profound.

Spirituality & Health just recently upgraded its website, so I hope this article is available online soon. If not, consider subscribing to it, or at least to their new newsletter (upper right-hand corner of the home page).

I look forward to reading every issue, whether I’m sleepless or not.

Janet Muniz

Photo Credit: jayceh

Retirement Living TV has a new and original primetime television series called Whole Body Health. Premiering April 29, the show explores alternative, holistic healthcare treatments and ancient healing practices with the help of medical experts.

The premiere show explores the history of yoga, and it moves on to a variety of therapies in complementary, alternative and integrative medicine. Host Dr. Kevin Soden experiences many of these treatments first-hand; his immediate reactions can help users get a feel for how each one cold help you.

Whole Body Health is a companion series to RLTV’s Healthline, a show that shows users how to take better control of their healthcare.

The whole philosophy here is that the more healthy you are, the more you’re like to enjoy your life.

Which could translate into a better night’s sleep, too.

Janet Muniz

Photo Credit: hoyasmeg

Dr. Mercola runs the Natural Health Center in Hoffman Estates, IL. He offers 33 Secrets to a Good Night’s Sleep, a plethora of practical suggestions for getting past common obstacles to healthy rest.

If you’ve ever had trouble sleeping, you’ve probably heard some of these secrets before. Yet Dr. Mercola is currently recommending something called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Described as “psychological acupressure,” it works much like traditional acupuncture treats physical ailments, but without the needles.

I’ve been working with practitioners of these types of alternative treatments, like Dr. George Pratt, Erika Barrantes, Kris Kirkbride and others in developing informational materials to share with potential patients—and other practitioners—that help with healing through the emotions. Fascinating stuff.

It’s a little like The Secret meets What the Bleep Do We Know? meets traditional western medicine. Perhaps more.

These days, our stress levels may be on high alert. Indeed, life in the United States and around the world has gotten much more challenging in the past eight months, even longer. What do you have to lose by opening up to potentially powerful –if not unorthodox—tools to help navigate through hard times?

Here’s the other benefit: you may actually get a good night’s sleep in the process.

Janet Muniz

Photo Credit: Jacob Bøtter