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Angela Henderson Author of The Good Sleep Guide Hawthorn Press |
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You could say that sleep has played a large part in the life of Angela Henderson, author of The Good Sleep Guide for You and Your Baby. Not only does she freely admit to being a "sleep-aholic" (sometimes enjoying up to 9 hours a night); she also made a special study of the subject at University in Durham as part of her psychology degree. The sleep deprivation she experienced after the birth of her first baby, Amber, in 1992 convinced her that here was an unsung and under-acknowledged problem waiting to be solved. The child of a military family, Angela travelled widely in her early years, slotting into army school after army school, as her family moved around the world. As an adult, she retained the love of travel, which she continues to pursue to this day; but she chose, for her own children, Steiner Waldorf schools, and a much more child-centred, holistic approach to their education. Her career has spanned many fields; her initial steps in the environmental field progressed to food and health campaigning, incorporating the study and practice of dietary therapy. Angela is the co-author of one of the Food Commission's earliest publications "Food irradiation: who wants it?"; she has not only written many articles on food and health-related topics, but has also appeared regularly on radio, to discuss and answer health and diet issues. It was during her time as Director of Action for ME that she discovered a skill - and huge satisfaction - in assimilating large amounts of information which she could then present in a concise and easy-to-follow format: invaluable for those with a condition which deprived them of the energy to read long books. The birth of her first baby Amber in 1992 and the ensuing juggling of work and childcare was life changing - as it is for many parents. Reeling from the tiredness she experienced during months of sleepless nights with Amber, it occurred to her that sleepless parents were as much in need of help and crucially easy-to-follow good information, as had been the ME patients she had written for previously. It was the birth of her second baby, Joseph, in 1996 which gave her the impetus and opportunity (having decided to stay at home with him) to research and write the sleep guide she wished she had been given with her first baby! This research confirmed what she had suspected previously, that:
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Harnessing her considerable skills, Angela collated both existing research and clinically approved methods from Universities, other authors and sleep clinics; and from all this condensed it down into a simple, step-by-step sleep programme to help her new baby to sleep. It worked. Thereafter her aim was clear; to use her own experiences to write a step-by-step guide for all parents to show how to either avoid or put an end to the misery of prolonged night-waking - which can so ruin what should be a wonderful time for both parent and baby. Angela set up ABC Health Guides, with the aim of offering a series of practical, step-by-step guides for parents. "The Good Sleep Guide for You and Your Baby" was the first in the series. Its concise and easy-to use format was an immediate hit with health visitors who have since recommended it to thousands of sleep-deprived (and often depressed) new parents. The result was a word-of-mouth best seller, with over 13,000 copies sold in its first edition. Angela is now planning to write other Essential Health Guides, aiming to bring parents and children important and practical health information in a concise and accessible manner. In between times, she directs her boundless energy to travel (especially Turkey, where she has a small cottage), learning Turkish, playing the organ at her local church, and, of course, raising her children - who now sleep the sleep of the angels! Angela Henderson lives in the North of Scotland. |
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