Has it become the norm today for those of us over 40 to have trouble sleeping? Everyone I talk with these days is finding it difficult to get a restful night's sleep. They should re-name insomnia and call it The Baby Boomer Sleep Disorder!

Here are a couple of things that you can do today to begin getting a more restful sleep.  

• Magnesium deficiencies have been linked to sleeping disorders, anxiety, and irritability. And how can you not be grumpy when you're trying to survive on only a few hours sleep? Well, one easy solution is to get the recommended 400 milligrams of Magnesium each day. Eating foods rich in magnesium like legumes, dark leafy green vegetables, wheat bran, almonds, cashews, and whole grains as part of your daily healthy eating habits can help reduce your insomnia. Keep in mind, though, that it's difficult to get enough of your daily magnesium from foods. There's a great supplement available that I use, and highly recommend, called "Calm." Natural Vitality produces it and you can find it in Whole Foods and other health food stores. 
• Acu-Yoga is a practice that involves pressing Vital Acupressure points, while in Yoga poses, for added benefits. (You know me - the Queen of Multi-Tasking!) These acupressure points run along Meridians, or energy pathways in the body, and can relieve a multitude of symptoms. They're the same points used for placement of needles when you receive Acupuncture.  

  Shoulder Stand is a Yoga inversion. Here is a supported version called Legs Up the Wall that most women love. Begin sitting on a couple of folded blankets with your right side against a wall, making sure that your right hip is partly climbing the wall. Slowly slide your legs up the wall as you bring your back down to the mat so that you are lying with your torso perpendicular to the wall, legs are up the wall and buttocks are touching the wall. This pose helps regulate the thyroid gland and the parathyroid, which are in the base of your neck, reduces the stress hormones coursing through your body, and relieves hot flashes, hypertension and insomnia. Breathe deeply for two to three minutes in this pose and then gently slide your legs back down the wall and get some zzz's. While you are resting in this pose with your hips on the blankets, you will feel the area in between your shoulder blades pressing into the floor. There are two vital acupressure points on each side of your back called B38 (the 38th point on the Bladder Meridian). These points are especially good for relieving insomnia, so just by resting in this position, you are also pressing these acupressure points. I love multi-tasking!  

Enjoy!