How You Can Sleep Like a Baby Almost Every Night, Part II

by

John Stephen Mauldin, MLA (not AI assisted)

All right reserved, copyright © 2025

By contrast, there are organic foods that improve our sleep: Walnuts contain tryptophan, a sleep-enriching amino acid that manufactures melatonin which, as we have seen, is the hormone that sets our cycles of sleep. Green leafy vegetables are rich with calcium, which assists our brain’s use of tryptophan to manufacture melatonin. And almonds are rich in magnesium, a mineral that allows us to remain asleep deeper and longer.

   Temperature is also a sleep determinant. Generally, a cool bedroom of approximately 67 to 70 degrees is most conducive for sleep; yet our age, body heat, and the local climate will affect this, as well.

   A memory foam pad, in addition to a quality mattress protected by a clean mattress cover and clean sheets, may help, too. That might allow us to lay still longer without needing to change positions and, therefore, increase our time spent in the anabolic deepness of REM.

   Quietness, of course, is necessary. Earplugs or a “white noise” machine may be a solution to noise we cannot control.

   Yet listening to music or the television during the night will reduce the multiplied benefits of our sleep, so spend the night with blissful silence instead. If in the habit of listening to music or the unmelodious sounds of a television all night, this unhealthy habit can be overcome in only three weeks.

   Our snoring or that of a partner is a common challenge, too. Yet this is so varied in nature that it is best to find the appropriate solution to address your needs by meeting with your physician rather than attempting to list all the possibilities here.

   However, it is important to know that snoring is symptomatic of sleep apnea, which is a serious condition that should be tested by a doctor who is a sleep specialist. Those with sleep apnea have multiple extended pauses in breathing while sleeping, which affect the body’s oxygen supply and, depending on one’s age and health, may lead to serious health consequences including heart failure and stroke.

   I was diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea and a medical device to curb this situation was ordered by my physician. But there is a worldwide shortage of these devices. So, while waiting for it to arrive, I found a simple alternative solution. I insert a soft, small plastic device in my nose that widens the airways of my nostrils, which allows me to breathe through my nose, rather than my mouth. On other occasions, I use a specially designed nostril dilator made with adhesive tape, which fits across the bridge of the nose. I also sleep on my right side and position a firm, oversize pillow along my back. That keeps me from rolling over and assuming the supine position, where I am prone to snore and have difficulty breathing.

   Of course, these are temporary substitutes. Solutions prescribed by a doctor for sleep apnea should be followed carefully.

   Fresh air is another element of sound sleep. An opened bedroom window is the obvious solution, but that often invites light, noise, heat, cold, or insects. In those cases, keeping plants near the bed may be the answer. The species of Spathiphyl`lum, commonly known as peace lilies, might be the best choice. It produces pure oxygen and will not cause an allergic reaction since its pollen is too large to affect humans.

   The American Lung Association states that indoor air can be more polluted than the air outdoors. Some of the most common air pollutants within our homes include formaldehyde, asbestos, mold, radon, benzene, and carbon monoxide, which is an odorless lethal gas. Exposure to the fine particles produced by these gaseous toxins can cause dry eyes, headaches, asthma, and more serious conditions. NASA suggests that plants like peace lilies can filter out the majority of these toxic fumes, which they absorb through their roots and leaves. Research also indicates that rooms with houseplants contain up to 60% fewer airborne molds and bacteria than rooms without them. For these reasons, I sleep with a peace lily and a snake plant (Sansevieria) on my nightstand, which seems to improve my sleep.

   Vigorous exercise is another tonic for the mind and body because physical exertion and then rest is our natural state; to relax well, we must include at least some minor athleticism in our lives. Walking one mile each day, for example, will enhance positive thoughts and recreate our youthfulness. Hence the word recreation.

   Deep breathing is another elixir of health that may help us sleep. While walking in the fresh air, try inhaling deeply through your nose and holding your breath for ten seconds each time your left foot hits the ground. Then exhale completely. This exercise will increase your lung capacity and deliver more oxygen to your vital organs. Maybe you can soon hold your breath for twenty or thirty seconds, which should expand your lung volume and improve your breathing efficiency at night. Talk with your doctor first.

   And since we spend one-third of our lives in the bunk, it might be helpful to think about our mattress. Whether it is hard, soft, or somewhere between the two depends upon one’s discriminating taste.

   I spent several nights in India on a hard bed made of nothing more than woven wicker (with no blankets, sheets, or pillow) and slept surprisingly well. However, my queen-sized bed at home consists of two mattresses, a foam mattress more than two inches thick, and a quilted mattress pad.

   After putting that to pen, I remember Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Princess and the Pea and laugh a little at myself. Yet our lives are considerably determined by our quality of sleep and, therefore, we should not skimp and scrimp about good bedding. Undeniably, the extra cushion allows me to sleep in one position with hardly a stir, which is indispensable for descending into and remaining in REM. Perhaps that is an idea that may help you sleep deeply, too. Yet your bed must satisfy your preferences and leave you fully refreshed in the morning.

   As we have seen, even the most introverted and taciturn people expend a flurry of phrenetic energy while dreaming, reacting to the day’s episodes. Moreover, dreams are responses to every event of life, for the unconscious mind never relinquishes its experiences.

   Perhaps our dreams begin as an autobiographical soliloquy of word thoughts. But soon, they transcend words, becoming images that fly through our minds with mercurial swiftness that only the ever-powerful unconscious can create, interpret, assimilate, and store in its proper place.

   Yes, our mind invents images for the purpose of translating them into its idiosyncratic language, of which there exists only one in the Universe — a dialect is uniquely yours. May it be a prelude to your cherished hopes.