The second component (sleep preparation) is one that is often given the least attention – perhaps because its’ pathways are often rather boring and not very attractive to those selling sleep-enhancing products. What is important for all of us to know, however, is that these boring pathways are often inexpensive, readily accessible and very important. These pathways include those that are always included on the sleep-enhancement lists: such as cessation of TV viewing one hour before entering the bedroom. Other pathways are obvious, but often not mentioned: such as going to the bathroom right before entering the bedroom.
There are a third set of pathways that are part of the old wives tales (and old husbands tales). Some of these tales are valid: the pathways described in these tales have proven to be helpful. For instances, sleep is readily induced by consuming some delicious turkey (it contains tryptophan) a few hours before bedtime. Remember the drousy relative at last year’s Thanksgiving dinner? How about “count your blessings instead of sheep”? There is some evidence that a moment of appreciation before settling down for sleep can be effective. The fourth set of component-two pathways are much less orthodox (and often controversial), such as eating a banana or drinking Kefir before entering the bedroom. And what about preparing a list of completed tasks during the day just ended or preparing a list of tasks to be completed during the coming day? Are these good ideas or just the sort of thing that keeps us awake! Maybe this advice is intended only from the achievement-driven alphas among us.
We enter the world of high-power commercialism as we turn to the third component. Recall the many commercials. “You can’t get a good night sleep without an expensive, softness-controlled bed.” “How can you find a great night sleep without my special pillows!” “ I guarantee that you will get a better night sleep if you buy my breathable, very soft sheets.” There are other component three pathways that are less marketable and a whole lot less expensive: such as preparing a bedroom that is cold, quiet, dark and/or filled with fresh, circulating air. Sleep-enhancing appliances might be the most important (and most controversial) way to improve our intake of air (and for the sake of our sleep-partner, reduce the occurrence of snoring). These are the expensive CPAP machines, the somewhat less expensive jaw-alignment appliances, and the least expensive use of nostril-expanding tape strips At an even more fundamental (and very sensitive) level are those pathways that concern our relationship with a sleeping-partner: do we snuggle with someone we love and what about sex before sleep? I will be introducing a wide variety of third component pathways that range from machinery to orgasm .
