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Environment Pollutants Haze Threatens Agriculture

By Victor Mallet in Paris

A vast cloud of pollutants in the sky over south Asia is threatening agricultural output, modifying rainfall patters and damaging human health, according to a report published today by the UN Environment Programme (Unep).

The phenomenon, known as the Asian brown haze or brown cloud, is a 3km-thick blanket of particles created mainly by the burning of wood and dung, and fuel for vehicles and power stations.
Although smog clouds are often seen in south and east Asia, the Unep report, based primarilly on the observations of more than 200 international scientists taking part in a study called the Indian Ocean experiment, is the first detailed assessment of its effects.

"It's now absolutely clear that we have a very, very dangerous increase of particulates, especially in the Asian region," Klaus Toepfer, Unep executive director, said at the launch of the report in Paris.

The release of the report coincides with preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg later this month. The meeting comes 10 years after the Rio Earth Summit.

"Our scientists are warning us that this is only a topic in Asia but the data base in Asia is now the best," Mr Toepfer said. "There are global implications because a pollution parcel like this can travel half way around the globe in the week."

The report contains photographs showing the brown haze blanketing the Himalayas below Mt Everest, and says that over the Indian Ocean-up to 1,000km down wind of the Indian cities producing the pollution the smog is "comparable to suburban air pollution in North America and Europe".

Among the more alarming findings in the report is that the haze can reduce sunlight reaching the ground buy 10 per cent, reducing the productivity of the Asian region's vital rice crop by about the same amount.

At the same time, the particles in the haze absorb heat, which can double the heating effect of the sun in the lower atmosphere.

The combination of surface cooling and lower atmosphere heating seems to be sharply reducing rainfall in drought-stricken parts of western Asia such as Pakistan and Afghanistan and increasing it further east, where there have been frequent floods.

Unep emphasised that its conclusions were preliminary and that further research was urgently needed, particularly into the issue with the broader problem of global warming caused by greenhouse gases.

Paradoxically, the haze can sometimes counteract global warming, raising the disturbing possibility that moves to reduce smog in the interests of public health could "significantly amplify" global warming over Asia.

The report, nothing that Asia will have a population of 5bn within three decades, recommends further research and international to stop the growth of the pollution that causes the "Asian brown cloud".

The Asia Brown Cloud: Climate and other Environmental Impacts. Unep/Centre for Clouds, Chemistry and Climate. htpp://www.rrcap.unep.org

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A good match: tennis and heart health

Tennis tops all sports when it comes to preventing cardiovascular disease. The reason? It's the aerobic activity people seem to stick with from youth into middle age, say researchers at Johns Hopkins University.

A study in The American Journal of Medicine reported on a survey of the sports participation of almost 1,300 male doctors beginning in 1946, when they were 22 years old. Physical activity was measured again 22 years later, and the incidence of cardiovascular disease was followed to about age 60. One-third of the doctors surveyed in their 40s who had played tennis in college reported having played it in the past week; no other sport came close to this level of participation. Correspondingly, the data showed that tennis was the only sport linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. "Sustainability of activity should be considered when developing physical education programs for young adults," conclude the study's authors.

Shedding light on diabetes

Fear of the dark is usually considered irrational, but diabetics could have good reason to leave the light on. An article in the British medical journal The Lancet suggests that complete darkness increases retinal damage from diabetes, and that the damage might be mitigated by sleeping in a partially illuminated room.

Retinal damage is a common complication of diabetes and can lead to blindness. Called diabetic retinopathy, it is believed to be caused by oxygen deprivation in the retina. Researchers at Cardiff University, studied nighttime retinal caused reduced activity in retinal tissue, related to vision loss.

Neville Drasdo, M.D., lead author of the study, says that sleeping in a partially lit room is a fesiable way to ward off diabetic retinopathy, but cautions that chronic exposure to light nonwaking hours could cause sleep pattern disruption.

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The Healing Grocery
When Food Is Your Best Medicine

BY KATE CHYNOWETH

Food for thought
Smart food choices to boost your brain power

SUMMER VACATION HAS GOING THE way of the season's last ripe peaches, and it's back to school and work. Fortunately, your mental alertness and mood don't have to dip with the temperature. By eating the right food, you can keep your mind healthy and clear, an indisputable advantage whether your next cerebral challenge comes during a long business meeting, homework assignment, or demanding yoga class.

While most of us know that certain nutrients, such as the essential fatty acids in fish, are crucial to brain function, new studies show that myriad other nutrients can improve our cognitive capabilities. For example, B vitamins help produce important neurotransmitters that can enhance mood and sleep, while antioxidants may help prevent neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's.

But what foods are the best sources of these potent nutrients and how can we most effectively reap their benefits? It can be confusing. Essential fatty acids, for instance, are most beneficial to the brain when eaten in specific proportions. Since many vitamins work best in synergy, knowing how to pair them helps maximize their positive effects. Steering clear of foods that can harbor dangerous brain toxins is equally important. The meal and snack suggestions below can help you keep your brain in top from, nourishing your body, too.

Boosting memory
The brain is made up of a whopping 60 percent fat and these lipids are susceptible to harmful oxidation, the same process that turns vegetable oil rancid. In the brain, fat oxidation leads to free radical production. Free radicals attack cells, sometimes leading to neuro-degenerative diseases. Luckily, we can slow down the harmful oxidation process by getting plenty of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E. recent studies show that vitamin E reduces memory loss and other symptoms of cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's or Pakinson's , and protects against the development of such diseases.

The most common source of vitamin E in our diets is unsaturated vegetable oil, but it can do harm as well as good. These oils are prone to oxidation, particularly after sitting more than four months on the shelf. John Nowicki, a naturopathic doctor at Radiance Healing Center in Issaquah, Washingtonm who focuses on natural approaches to good cognitive function, says that eating oxidized fats may contribute to increased oxidation in the brain. To avoid unnecessary exposure to oxidation by-products, he recommends buying new oil long before the old bottle's shell life expires, and adding a capsule of vitamin E to it to help prevent oxidation. You can also try cooking with red palm, grape seed, or rice brain oils, which are less likely to oxidize because of their particularly high antioxidant content. Health food stores often carry grape seed and rice brain oils. Nowicki says red palm oil is exceptionally stable, but it can be hard to find. Check the Internet for sources.

There are plenty of great foods that supply vitamin E, including almonds, sunflower seeds, soy products, whole grains, leafy greens, spinach, and brussels sprouts. And there's good news if you love guacamole: Avocados are the highest fruit source of vitamin E.

Vitamin B6 plays a role in the synthesis of serotonin, the neurotransmitter linked to improving memory, lifting mood and regulating sleep

Promoting brain development
Healthy fetal brain development depends on getting the right nutrients during pregnancy. Pregnant women can start on the right track by including delicious natural foods packed with vitamins like folate and choline in their diets.

The B vitamin folate prevents fetal neural tube defects, and is important to take both prior to and during pregnancy to ensure healthy development of the brain and nervous system. While folate is plentiful in many foods, it can easily be destroyed during cooking, and body stores are small; this is one reason the FDA mandated in 1998 that cereal grain products be fortified with folic acid. Foods rich in folate include legumes, such as lentils, chickpeas, and black beans, and green vegetables, such as spinach and asparagus.

Choline is also essential to fetal brain development. This important B vitamin-which is needed through-out life-helps build acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved and nerve function. Studies are even being conducted to determine whether a mother taking choline during pregnancy can decrease her child's vulnerability to psychiatric illnesses later in life. Eggs are a terrific natural source of choline, packed with 282 milligrams each, nearly half the daily recommended amount. The government recently added choline to its list of essential vitamins, and plants to supplement some grain products and beverages with choline under the ingredient name lecithin or soy lecithin.

Menu A
Breakfast
Whole grain cereal with bananas and berries

Lunch
Large salad with romaine or assorted leaf lettuces, avocado, tomato, hard boiled egg, and chickpeas
Optional: anchovies or cheese
Dressing: extra virgin olive oil with lemon or balsamic vinegar and herbs

Snack
Cashews, pecans, or almonds; or trail mix with sunflower and pumpkin seeds

Dinner
Baked salmon Sauteed greens (kale, chard or mustard greens) with onions Baked potato

Menu B
Breakfast
Eggs with whole grain bread

Lunch
Mushroom and barley soup

Snack
Banana smoothie

Dinner
Spinach salad with mandarin oranges, goronzola cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and walnuts or pine nuts Brown rice-tofu, and steamed vegetables sprinkled with brewer's yeast

Getting it to the table:
These menus are packed with brain-friendly B vitamins and antioxidants from whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes, fish and animal proteins, leafy greens, potatoes, and bananas.

Elevating mood
Since the B vitamins play such an important role in brain development, it's not surprising that they continue to be important building blocks in our emotional and cognitive health from childhood through maturity and old age. Experts in the field agree that subtle deficiencies in vitamin B3, B6, or B12 can lead to mood disruptions and even the onset of dementia among the elderly. Happily, bringing these nutrients to the table isn't difficult. The benefits to your brain are worth the small effort.

Vitamin B6 is particularly important because of the role it plays in the synthesis of serotonin, the neurotransmitter linked to improving memory, lifting mood, and regulating sleep. Vitamin B6 helps convert tryptophan to serotonin. Great sources of vitamin B6 include potatoes, bananas, and whole grains. Get tryptophan from warm milk, almonds, amaranth, barely, and turkey.

Vitamin B6 works most effectively in the brain when the body has adequate supplies of other B vitamins, such as B3 and B12. One great way to cover your bases is brewer's yeast. Sprinkle it over steamed rice and vegetables or mix it into smoothies. Yeast is an excellent source of all the B vitamins except for B12. Vitamin B12 is generally found in animal products such as eggs, meat, fish, and cheese.

Clearing brain pathways
Combating inflammation and blockage in crucial brain pathways is essential for peak cognitive performance. The far reaching benefits of omega-3 essential fatty acids are particularly impressive for cerebral blood vessels and brain cells, where avoiding inflammation can prevent brain dysfunction such as strokes or Alzheimer's diseases. The medical literature suggest that daily doses of anti-inflammatory drugs can have damaging side effects, such as gastric ulcers and potential liver and kidney toxicity. Why not enjoy a delicious grilled salmon steak rich in omega-3 oils and reap the same benefits?

To take full advantage of the healthful effects of essential fatty acids, eat a balanced, one-to-one ratio of omega-6 and omega-3. Since most American diets are higher in omega-6, pay particular attention ot foods rich in omega-3. East fatty fish like salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, or anchovies three to four times per week, or take one or two teaspoons of fish oil five days a week. Other dietary sources of omega-3 include pumpkin seeds and raw walnuts, which make hearty additions to salad. For the most wholesome sources of omega-6, look for organic, cold-pressed safflower or sunflower oil (avoid commercially processed brands), snack on raw pistachio nuts or sunflower seeds, or make pesto with raw pine nuts.

Another important approach to keeping brain pathways clear is reducing levels of homocysteine, an amino acid derivative that can clog and destroy blood vessels to the brain. Getting plenty of B vitamins, including folate, lowers blood levels of homocysteine.

Cover your bases by sprinkling brewer's yeast over steamed rice and vegetables

Putting brain food on the menu
Neuroscience is complicated, but eating to increase your brain power doesn't have to be. With essential fatty acids and B vitamins, the brain can actually regenerate and rebuild itself. Focus on getting protein from delicious grilled fish, bean soups or burritos, and tasty egg breakfasts. Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables and satisfying nuts and grains. When possible, buy organic food. The harm from pesticides used on commercial produce can outweigh the benefits gained from their nutrients.

Finally, avoid foods that have a negative impact on your state of mind. During a yoga class, for instance, it's obvious that relaxed and meditative states are easier to access when neural pathways aren't disturbed by the over-stimulating chemicals found in sugar, caffeine, and food additives. It's also important to avoid the dips a hypoglycemic state reduces cognitive function. Try to eat regular, balanced meals. If you don't have time to sit down to breakfast, take a snack to go. Studies show that eating a healthy breakfast improves performance on cognitive tasks, particularly those involving memory.

While some people may need to supplement their diets, natural foods provide variety and a smart foundation. The beauty of eating for your brain is that it's good for your entire body.

Broccoli vs. bacteria
If worrying about your diet is giving you ulcers, then broccoli might be just the food to make you feel better. A laboratory study found that a chemical in broccoli eradicates Helicobactor pylori, a bacterium that causes ulcers and raises the risk of stomach cancer.

The study, published in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, tested the chemical, sulforaphane, on mice and human cells. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University, and France's National Center for Scientific Research, exposed bacteria-infected stomach cells to sulforaphane in amounts comparable to those obtained through a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, kale, and broccoli. Of these, broccoli contains by far the highest amounts of sulforaphane.

Doctors have been using antibiotics to treat ulcers since 1994, when the National Institutes of Health endorsed the view that ulcers were caused by H. pylori, and not just by excess acidity and stress. Antibiotics have side effects and don't kill all H. pylori, which can persist in cells lining the stomach. Sulforaphane exhibited the ability to eradicate theses "hiding" bacteria. Additionally, some strains of H. pylori are drug-resistant, and up to 20 percent of ulcer patients didn't respond to medication. By contrast, the Johns Hopkins researchers found that no strain was resistant to sulforaphane.

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Beyond Hormone Replacement Therapy

The Lowdown on Alternatives You Can Trust

Day after day for ten years, Christine McCandles faithfully took her hormones. In addition to relieving the hot flashes of menopause, she believed the drugs would bolster her heart and bones. But last summer, along with millions of other women, McCandles had a rude awakening. One day she picked up her morning newspaper and learned that researchers with the government-sponsored Women's Health Initiative had abruptly halted their study of estrogen and progestin, also known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), after deciding the health risks outweighted the benefits.

Taking HRT for a period of five years, the researchers concluded, heightened a woman's risk of invasive breast cancer by 26 percent, heart attack by 29 percent, and stroke by 41 percent. A week later, in another blow to estrogen replacement therapy, National Cancer Institute researchers reported that women who took estrogen alone for ten years or more significantly increased their risk of ovarian cancer.

"What an eye-opener that was," says McCandles, 58, of San Jose, California. "Here I thought I was taking something good for me and, bang, I find this out." Within four days, she had ditched the estrogen and begun exploring alternatives. "If I start to have symptoms, I'm going to look into homeopathy or maybe acupuncture. These things have been around for hundreds of years. There must be something to them."

McCandles has plenty of company. Around the nation women are flushing their pills down the toilet and looking for safer, more natural alternatives to long-term hormone replacement therapy. "Hormone replacement therapy is still the gold standard for hot flashes," says Stacie Geller, director of the Cancer of Excellence in Women's Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Geller, along with most doctors, maintains that hormones are safe and effective when used for a year or two to relieve acute symptoms of menopause. "It clearly works for that. The problems is that it's been used for something it's not intended for. It's gotten caught up in this whole philosophy of keeping women forever young."

Alternative Treatments for Menopause

Therapy	Brands	Pros and Cons
Herbs
Black cohosh	Remifemin and others (also available in teas, capsules, powders, and liquid extracts in varying concentrations)	Some evidence it relieves hot flashes; can intract with anti-hypertensive medicines; may cause stomach upset
Red clover	Promensil and others	May be effective for hot flashes and night sweats; lowers cholesterol
Evening primrose oil	May brands	Popular remedy but studies have not shown efficacy for menopausal symptoms
L-arginine herbal formulations	ArginMax	May improve sex drive and satisfaction
Foods
Soy	Available in supplement form and in soy foods such as soy nuts, tofu, and tempe	May be effective for hot flashes; dietary sources may be safer than soy extracts or powders
Flaxseed, beans, lentils		Unknown if these help menopausal symptoms but other health benefits have been reported
Supplements
Calcium	Available in supplement form and in foods, including milk products	No evidence it relieves menopausal symptoms but it does protect against osteoporosis
Vitamin E	Available in supplement form and in foods, including nuts, vegetable oils, and green leafy vegetables	Some studies suggest it alleviates hot flashes; may provide other health benefits for the heart and brain
Natural Progesterone
Cream	Many brands	Some studies suggest it relieves menopausal symptoms
Micronized tablets	Prometrium	Excellent evidence it relieves menopausal symptoms
Alternative Modalities
Homeopathy		May relieve menopausal symptoms; should be used in consultation with a trained homeopath
Acupuncture		Some studies suggest it relieves menopausal symptoms
Deep breathing		Some research suggests it relieves hot flashes; excellent for general heath
Yoga, chi gong, tai chi		Excellent evidence they improve general health
Lifestyle Changes
Exercise		Helps prevent cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis; may alleviate menopausal symptoms
Wear light-colored clothes in layers		Lessens discomfort of hot flashes
Avoid spicy foods, limit alcohol		May alleviate hot flashes
Use lubricating gels and creams during sex	Replens, Astroglide, Vegisil, K-Y Jelly	Can help relieve vaginal dryness, pain, and itching
Eat a balanced diet righ in bright-colored fruits and vegetables		Improves general health, prevents cancer, and heart disease.

An Abundance of Alternatives
Named for the Greek and Latin words for "moon" and "stop," menopause is the time many women realize they can't stay young forever. As women age, their bodies begin to produce less estrogen, resulting in irregular periods and, ultimately, the cessation of menstruation at around age 50. (Technically, menopause is the first anniversary of a woman's last period. The estrogen decline leading up to that is called perimenopause.) with these hormonal changes, many women experience hot flashes, insomnia, weight gain, depression, anxiety, mood swings, night sweats, heart palpitations, vaginal dryness, concentration and memory problems, and loss of libido. While symptoms often go away in a year or two, some women grapple with them for many years.

In response to the growing market for menopause remedies, health product manufacturers have come up with a host of alternatives to hormone replacement therapy. Step into your local health food store and you're likely to face shelves full of teas, creams, capsules, audiotapes, and herbal concoctions promising relief from hot flashes and other symptoms. A search for books about menopause at online bookseller Amazon.com yields more than 500 choices, many of them touting "natural" remedies and "revolutionary" diet regimens to achieve balance and vitality.
The tricky part is weeding through the supplements and diet plans, the meditation techniques and homeopathic remedies, to find what works for you. "People have to understand that at menopause a very potent and important steroid hormone- the one that turns a girl into a woman-is going away, and no one thing is going to replace it," says Margaret Mahony, M.D., a San Jose, California, gynecologist who specializes in menopause management. "Most women who are serious about alternative approaches have to try a bunch of different thing and find the combination that works for them."

In considering alternative treatments for menopause, it's important to understand that most have not undergone the large, placebo-controlled trials that Western health authorities use to test safety and effectiveness. "The problem is there's no really good science behind most of what's out there," says Geller, who's now leading one of the first major trials of medicinal herbs for menopause. "There are a lot of anecdotal reports and case studies. And for some of these therapies, the results look promising. But we really don't know for sure."

In this climate of uncertainty, it's vital to keep your regular physician in the loop. "A lot of women use alternative therapies, and 70 to 80 percent of them don't tell their health-care provides," Geller says. 'If women are going to take these things, they need to tell their health provider, who can watch out for side effects and interactions."

Whatever approach you take, remember that menopause is a stage of life, not a disease. "This is a pivotal point for a women," says Laura Corio, M.D., a women's health specialist in New York City and author of The Change Before the Change: Everything You Need to Know to stay Healthy in the Decade Before Menopause. "Your heart is changing, your bones are changing, your body is changing, your self-image is changing. It's bitch getting old, but there are a lot of things you can do to make yourself look better and feel better."

Black Cohosh

Black cohosh appears to successfully treat a number of menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, insomnia and irritability.

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Rid Your Life Of Insomnia By Making Your Bedroom A Haven For Sleep

For the third time this week, Jack can't sleep.

His wife fell asleep easily enough around 11 p.m., when they both went to bed, And though he's lying in a comfortable bed in a dark room with his eyes closed, Jack just can't drop off.
It's not that he isn't tired-after two consecutive nights of restlessness, his body was ready to shut down halfway through the workday. But now, lying in bed, the one place that makes the most sense for him to feel sleepy, he can't relax. The clock on the nightstand records the hours ticking by. Midnight. 1:15 a.m. 2:38 a.m. Still he can't sleep. The alarm will ring at 7 a.m., and he'll haveto heave his unwilling body out of bed to work another day, feeling so exhausted he can barely think.

Like an estimated 60 million Americans, Jack has a sleep disorder, in this case insomnia. He has difficulty falling asleep at night, or sometimes wakes up at 2 or 3 a.m., and is unable to get back to sleep. During the day he is exhausted. At night he is frustrated and panicky.

The causes of insomnia very widely and the potential solutions even more so. But if you suffer from this condition, one of the easiest and most effective treatments is to change your sleep environment. A few simple adjustments can transform your bedroom from a torture chamber to a soothing cradle.

It's easier than you think, and it all starts with a basic understanding of insomnia itself.

WHAT IS INSOMNIA?
Those who suffer from insomnia, the most common sleep disorder, complain of inadequate or poor-quality sleep. They may have difficulty falling asleep, wake up frequently during the night, wake up too early in the morning, or sleep restlessly through the night, waking up tired.

Short-term, or transient, insomnia can be caused by a particular event and clear up on its own. Or it can be chronic, occurring again and again over a period of years or even decades. Some people suffer insomnia their whole lives.

Although insomnia's causes are highly individual, a few conditions make some people more likely to experience it in its chronic from:

AGE: Insomnia tends to occur more frequently in those over 60, possibly because the body produces less sleep-inducing melatonin as it ages.
GENDER: Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from insomnia.
DEPRESSION: Insomnia is strongly connected with clinical depression; it may even be depression's first recognizable symptom.
STRESS: People with stressful lives often drag their stress into bed with them, taking longer to fall asleep and sleeping less restfully than those who classify their lives as unstressful.

Short-term insomnia can be exacerbated by any of these factors, but it's usually caused by something more clear cut, such as environmental noise, medication, a change in sleeping patterns, or fallout from illness.

Whatever its causes, the effect of insomnia can be devastating.

"It's like I've had a bad disease all my life," says Jack. "My insomnia had a lot to do with why I didn't finish graduate school. I haven't performed as well as I could have at different jobs; it's caused an amazing amount of stress. On the occasional night when I do get a really good night's sleep, I feel really amazingly good, and I get this sense of what my life could have been like without this problem."

Insomnia also has intense physical effects, including diminished energy and motivation as well as decreased productivity and creativity. After a while, your immune system suffers; the number of natural cells that fight viruses and cancers decline. The body's hormonal system, which is finely regulated and harmonized during sleep, goes awry.

In fact, if it goes on long enough, insomnia will create havoc practically everywhere in your body.

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?
Even those who suffer from chronic insomnia aren't helpless in its grip. A number of different sleep-boosting techniques, ranging from aromatherapy to progressive relaxation methods to supplements like St. John's wort and melatonin can help. Severe insomnia is best treated by a health practitioner, but one of the easiest ways to battle milder forms is to fine-tune your sleep environment.

Let's start in the belly of the beast-your bed.

Create a relaxing place to lie
Whatever you sleep on, be it a featherbed, coil mattress, futon, or just a mat on the floor, it should be comfortable.

"A good mattress, hard or firm according to your needs, and a stable mattress are very important to restful sleep, sometimes more than we give them credit for," says Carl Hunt, M.D., a sleep, expert and director of the National Institute of Health's National Center for Sleep Disorders Research. "Bedding should be warm enough, yet not so warm and heavy that you'll wake up too warm in the middle of the night."

That's elementary. But while you may have considered that your thin, old blankets or lumpy mattress may affect your sleep, have you looked at the bed's placement? Position your bed to minimize light and noise while you sleep. If someone in your house is a night owl, putting your bed against a shared wall is probably a bad idea, as is sleeping under a window in full view of a streetlight. Alternatively, if you have trouble waking up in the morning, put your bed in a spot that gets morning light.

"There was a time when humans didn't need alarm clocks-you opened the curtains at night and the morning sunlight woke you up naturally," says nutri Sleep isn't rest period for your brain. In fact, while your body is dozing, your brain is extremely active. Doing what? Scientists aren't quite sure, but they do know that sleepers pass through phases, each with its own physiological indicators, brain activity, and benefits to mind and body.

All the stages together make up a sleep cycle, and most people go through four or five sleep cycles lessens while the time spent in deep or dreaming sleep increases. If something happens to throw off a cycle, it can throw off the processes occurring at each stage and wreck a whole night's sleep.

STAGE 1: The Hypnagogic State

This is the stage where you feel yourself sleepy. Your thoughts get dreamy and hazy while your muscles become relaxed. Body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure slowly drop. You may yawn, and eyes may begin to feel heavy.

Your normal, waking-stage brainwaves, beta waves, are replaced by slower alpha waves. If you're sleeping normally, this stage lasts only a few minutes.

STAGE 2: Light Sleep

As your body slides into sleep, alpha brainwaves are replaced by slower theta waves, with intermittent bursts of alpha waves and delta waves, the largest and slowest brainwaves in sleep. Your body relaxes still further, and your breathing, temperature, and heart rate decrease again. You may be awakened easily.

STAGE 3: Moderate Sleep

Brainwaves slow markedly in the third stage, becoming large, slow delta waves. The body is fully relaxed and stabilized, and may sweat lightly. The body begins to restore itself at this stage. In sleepers under 30, human growth hormone is released, which helps cells divide and signals the body and organs to grow.

STAGE 4: Deep Sleep

Brainwaves slow further still, with delta waves cycling without interruption. Breathing. Heart rate, metabolism, and temperature are at their lowest. At this stage, the immune system begins to restore itself, creating new disease-fighting cells.

STAGE 5:REM Sleep

REM, or rapid eye movement, is the dreaming stage, during which our eyes roll back and forth. Brainwaves quicken from the slow delta pace, with quick bursts of alpha waves. The muscles in your body become still, except for a few finger, toe, and facial twitches. Breathing and heart rate speed up and slow down according to what's going on in your dreams.

Research has shown that the REM stage may be the most important of all. Dreams rid the brain's emotional centers of the chemicals that are aroused by the events of the day. Since it occurs last and deepens toward the end of the night's sleep, this is the stage that can be most affected by insomnia.

Insomnia is strongly connected with clinical depression; it may even be depression's first recognizable symptom.

Turn off the night light
Light is a powerful brain stimulant, and it plays a crucial role in the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulated the body's sleep rhythms. Without melatonin your won't sleep, or you won't sleep peacefully.

As you doze, your body produces anywhere from 5 to 10 times the amount of melatonin released during the day. As it enters the bloodstream, it slows your walking brainwaves. Soon muscles relax, blood pressure drops, heart rate slows, and your body slips into sleep.
Your body's ability to produce melatonin can be hampered by a variety of things, including getting to much light. An enzyme your body uses to synthesize melatonin, N-acetyltransferases, or NAT, is most completely inactivated by exposure to light, natural or artificial. Believe it or not, but even a nightlight shining five feet away from you can cut down drastically on the amount of melatonin your body products.

If you sleep with light shining into your bedroom, wear eyeshades, invest in heavy, light-blocking curtains, and shut your bedroom door to minimize the disturbance. Before you go to bed, spend the evening under dim, relaxing lights to get your melatonin production rolling.

Watch the clock
Melatonin can also be disturbed by electromagnetic fields. Every day, our bodies are exposed to EMFs from refrigerators, TVs, computer monitors, stereos and many other.

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