Book Review and Giveaway: Master Your Sleep: Proven Methods Simplified by Tracey Marks

** this giveaway is closed **

Last month I preview this book during out January anti-resolution week. I am very happy to be part of the blog tour for this book and to be able to share more about it with you! AND to be able to offer a giveaway, to help YOU with YOUR sleep problems!

Synopsis: Sleep disorders plague a frightening percentage of the population, and many people who have problems sleeping simply learn to live with their affliction. But at what cost? Sleep disorders can affect all aspects of life, from school and work to personal relationships to mental health. Because of the myriad types of sleep disorders and the equally numerous treatment methods, there is no quick fix for all sufferers.

Master Your Sleep is for those who are looking for answers. Dr. Tracey Marks explains how and why we sleep and delves into the many types and potential causes of sleep disruption. Master Your Sleep will help readers understand their sleep patterns and provides an extremely thorough exploration of potential treatments, from herbal and prescription medications to a variety of therapies. From the simple to the complex, Dr. Marks explains the potential risks and benefits found in all treatment methodologies.
Dr. Marks wrote Master Your Sleep: Proven Methods Simplified (being released this month) for burned-out, stressed-out, and over-stimulated professionals she sees at her Atlanta-based private practice. Master Your Sleep is designed to help people get a good night’s sleep without medications. The techniques in the book have been shown in studies to be superior to medication and longer lasting, but many people just don’t know how to do them. The book aims to make the techniques easy to put to use.”

Learn more at www.beyondburnoutblog.com.  

About the Author:

TRACEY MARKS, MD, (www.beyondburnoutblog.com) is an Atlanta psychiatrist and psychotherapist specializing in how stress and anxiety impact quality of life. Dr. Marks has worked with numerous women struggling to balance their life and work, while also overcoming burnout, depression and other stress-related issues. Dr. Marks obtained her undergraduate degree from Duke University and her medical degree from the University of Florida. Board certified in both General Adult Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry, she is a frequent forensic contributor on “InSession” on TruTV.

Review: Appropriately enough, I read this WHOLE book one night when I could NOT sleep! Yes, I know, but it's true! My work schedule is crazy and the alternating schedule never gives my body a chance to catch up, so I always have a night every 2 weeks where it is VERY hard to go to sleep early (ie before 2am!). So I was extremely interested to see what Dr Marks could offer in advice!


The next day in fact, I put Dr. Mark's suggestions for shift workers into play and found that her timeline (1-2 hr nap 3 hours before shift with 2 cups of coffee at the beginning of the shift) is definitely what works well for me, and keeps me more alert on night shifts. Day shift is still another story- but part of that is I am naturally a night owl (ask my Mom, I was that way in-utero even!). I was happy to see that Dr. Marks agreed with my doctor on choice of sleep medicine (Sonata) for when I just can't sleep. Her chapter on sleep medicines was very informative and a must read if you have been prescribed sleep meds or are considering them!


I loved how Dr. Marks equated a good sleep behavior routine for adults to that of a toddler:

• have a regular bed time
• no fluids before bedtime, avoid alcohol and caffeine (ok so those aren't really TODDLER, but you get the idea!)
• have comfortable pajamas
• have your room cool and dark
• no technology- no radio OR tv while sleeping!
• keep your bedroom for sleep/relaxing- NO work
• take daytime naps, if you work nights
• exercise helps wear you out and help you sleep
• meditate or relax

Yup- think like a toddler and you'll sleep better! Dr. Marks also has an excellent chapter dealing with sleep issues and training of children, and the effects of children's sleep patterns on their parents! The book comes with a great cheat sheet to post on your fridge or where you will see it- it counts down 6 hours before bedtime and reminds you what NOT to do or have. 


If you or anyone you know, has a sleep problem, get this book and see if Dr. Mark's can help you too!

Giveaway:

THREE Winners will receive their own copy of Master Your Sleep!

Entries:

Make sure I have an email address, with your comment, s
o I can contact you, if you win!   
If I don't have a way to contact you, you will forfeit your win!

USA only

3 day winner's rule : Winner has 3 days to acknowledge they won prize,
and confirm address, if no contact, then new winner will be picked in their place. 

Please post each entry separately, i.e. 2 comments for Subscribing: 

     Some entries have been combined on one line, check carefully! 

• Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect (1 entry) 
• Follow me on Twitter, Facebook or Networked Blogs (1 entry for EACH)
• Subscribe to this blog (2 entries) 
• Share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter (please use BTHM1 in your Tweet!) -you can use the new SHARE and RETWEET buttons below this post!) (2 entries EACH, per DAY)
• Stumble this post/giveaway (2 entries)  (use the new SHARE button below!)
• Have / Put the "Bless Their Hearts Mom Blog" Button on your blog or website (3 entries)
• Enter this post link in a Giveaway Linky on another site (4 entries)** MUST provide link to the Giveaway Linky! 
• Blog about this giveaway (5 entries)
• Subscribe to Dr. Mark's Beyond Burnout newsletter (2 entries)

Contest will end on February 21st, at midnight. Winner will be picked by Random Number (random.org) on February 22nd, and emailed. As soon as winner's info is received, I will email their names to PR By the Book, and they will mail the books out to the winners.

Disclosure / Disclaimer:  I received this book from PR By the Book, free of charge, for review purposes. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it either.