Sleep deprivation and insomnia negatively affect the immune system decreasing the activity of T NK cells (natural killers) by 30%. These NK T cells are responsible for destroying cancer or infected cells in our body and its existence is limited. According to various studies, deprivation of sleep and insomnia double the risk of obesity and increase the risk of heart disease too. Good quality sleep is important for health, for the system immune and to delay aging. The disability produced by Lack of sleep is equivalent to alcohol intoxication. Sleep is largely a habit. It is also a learned behavior. This means you can train your mind and body to get back into the habit of sleeping good. But it takes practice. Sleep conditioning is more successful if you follow these steps constantly: Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day: The discipline of health oriental known as Ayurveda recognizes and values ​​the different biological cycles during the day. According to Ayurveda, cycles progress in six units of four hours, starting with waking up at 6:00 am and ideally scheduled for the time going to bed at 10 pm. This pattern allows eight hours of sleep and is said to be in harmony with the activity of the human body and mind (biological clock). But can sleep late into the night, restart your cycle by sleeping between 15 and 30 minutes before every two or three days.If you can’t sleep until the wee hours of the morning, restart your cycle by going to bed 15 to 30 minutes before every two to three days. Create a calm environment for sleep: There should be no noise, television, computers or cell phones. The most important: darkness. Your alarm clock shouldn’t glow, the light shouldn’t glow under the door. Do not overstimulate: Avoid watching the news on television, surfing the Internet in new sites or replying to work-related emails before lie. Avoid disturbing images and current events or emails annoying workloads that can agitate your mind and make it much more difficult To fall asleep. Avoid heavy meals late at night. Avoid alcohol in the late afternoon and evening. Alcohol can help you fall asleep, but it can interrupt your sleep at night. If you smoke, stop it. If you are not going to quit smoking, avoid nicotine at the end of the afternoon and evening. Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening. The effect of caffeine reaches its peak 1 to 4 hours after consumption and can exert its effect stimulating for up to 7 hours. Do not overindulge in fluids at night – the urge to urinate is a common reason for waking up during the night. Try to reduce your intake of liquids two hours before bedtime. Exercise regularly.Exercise improves the quality of sleep, especially among older people. Avoid vigorous exercise 2 hours before about sleeping. Use aromatherapy: certain scents can help, soothing essential oils they will have a calming effect on the body. Although tastes vary from person to person, some oils that seem effective include lavender, jasmine, geranium and marjoram. You can put five to eight drops in a bath before bed, or buy an essence diffuser and let the essence flow through the air. As well you can massage your face with a few drops or put a few drops on your pillow before sleep.Establish a relaxing routine before bed, such as taking a hot bath (if feel a little sore, add half a cup of Epson salts, magnesium sulfate, to water, plus an equal amount of baking soda). Read or meditate, this will It will allow you to relax and send a signal to the brain that it is time to sleep. Develop a dream mantra: A mantra is a mental pattern in which to concentrate. Try conjuring one before bed. A mantra doesn’t have to be verbal. You can use an image, a thought, or a feeling. The idea is make your mind focus on one thing to silence it. To some people like the phrase “I am very happy to be in bed and rest”, and others they can create a lovely image of a place where no one can disturb them. If you can create a dream mantra successfully, eventually other thoughts Intrusives will dissipate and may drift to sleep. With practice, you can become so good that you can fall asleep almost immediately after Evoke the mantra of your dreams. Diet: Include in your diet more often lettuce, banana, apple, cheese fresh, turkey, whole grains, lentils, avocado and fish. All these foods have an essential amino acid called tryptophan that serves as a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps the body regulate patterns of sleep, mood and appetite. Physical exercises increase libido. Don’t go to bed angry: If you are angry at your partner, speak up. Take no anger to the bed. Laying in bed stewing in your own juices will activate your system immune system and this will prevent you from falling asleep. If you don’t fall asleep in 30 minutes, get up and do something relaxing like listening soft music or read a book. Don’t be obsessed with sleep. The more i know worry, the harder it is to relax and fall asleep. Marisia Jimenez ND