By Sarah Albers
If you lie awake, tossing and turning all night, take heart. You are not alone.
Just in America, approximately 60 million people suffer from insomnia each year.
While there are many causes of this sleep disorder, some general guidelines
can help you get the sleep you need.
Any parent can recall the advice given to help their children fall asleep. This advice
works just as well for grown up children. Create a bedtime routine. This clues your body
in to the fact that it is now time to fall asleep. Common parts of a routine may be to take
a warm bath in low lighting. Read a few chapters of a predictable, non-exciting book while
sitting in your easy chair. Drink a glass of milk (cold or warm). Play some soft
music on the stereo. Mix and match these elements as you see fit, but do the same
things before every sleep event. Your mind will learn to relax and let sleep happen.
Another good piece of advice is to save the bed for two activities only. Sex and
sleep are the only things that should occur in the bed. Get rid of the television set,
do not read while laying in bed, and certainly do not eat a snack while in bed.
All of these activities will make your brain wind up again just when it is time for it
to shut down for the night. Sex, however, can be very helpful in helping one fall asleep.
Ensure that the room is the right temperature and that it is dark enough. Optimum
sleeping temperatures differ just as people do. Some like it cool to cold with plenty of
warm blankets or a quilt on, while others would like it to be warm in the room with no covers
at all. If you are part of a mis-matched sleeping couple you will have to work on some
compromise that may include sleeping in separate rooms.
Stop worrying about the day's events, or the events that are to come tomorrow.
There is nothing that you can do to solve or preplan things right before you fall
asleep. Try to empty your mind of things that take concentration. It may be helpful to
meditate or do yoga breathing exercises before bed.
If you try these simple hints, you may start having that good night's sleep again. If you
are still unable to get to sleep, visit your physician to see if there are alternate therapies
that will help. He or she may refer you to a sleep therapist, a sleep center, or may just prescribe medication to help you fall asleep.
Remember that sleep is critical to your health. You must get an adequate amount in order to
function properly. Most people need 7 to 8 hours per night. Many people try to suffice with only 4 to 5 hours per night. This results in lower cognitive function during the day. Please get help if you cannot sleep.
Sarah Albers, the author of this article, also has a book on Sleep Disorders. If you are interested in reading it, go to http://www.ebooks-n-audiobooks.com/Sleep_Disorders.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Albers
Please note that these articles are supplied to our visitors as a courtesy. We are not responsible for their accuracy or content, nor are we responsible for or necessarily share the opinions and views of the authors.
All About Sleep Apnea
By Keith George
Do you feel restless, have morning headaches, feel irritated, is forgetful, sweat at night, frequently go to the toilet etc? If yes, then you are probably suffering from sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a type of sleep disorder in which the patient suffers from pauses in breathing while asleep. In layman terms, the person while asleep forgets to breathe, which causes restless sleep and consequent problems associated with lack of sleep. Its most serious consequence is to the heart and may lead to congestive heart failure.
Symptoms:
The main symptoms are restless sleep, loud snoring with silent periods in between followed by gasping, morning headaches, forgetfulness, mood changes, anxiety, depression, frequently urinating, sweating at night, bedwetting, increased heart rate etc. However the individual suffering from sleep apnea does not feel difficulty in breathing. A spouse is the best person to indicate whether the individual has breathing problems.
Diagnosis:
A definite diagnosis is obtained by polysomnography. Polysomnography is a multi parametric test for studying sleep. It monitors brain function (EEG), eye function (EOG), muscle function (EMG), heart function (ECG), breathing function etc.
Types:
There are two types of sleep apnea Central sleep apnea and Obstructive sleep apnea. In central sleep apnea, the breathing is paused due to lack of effort. In obstructive sleep apnea the breathing is blocked even though there is an effort to breathe.
People With High Risk:
Sleep apnea affects both children and adults. Obese people, individuals with flabby muscles, increased soft tissue near the airway, heavy face and neck etc are more at risk compared to normal individuals. Children mostly suffer from obstructive sleep apnea and are usually over tired or hyper. Due to sleep apnea the children tend to be thin and not grow properly.
Treatment:
The treatment deals with removing the obstruction from breathing. In children the obstruction is usually due to tonsils or adenoids and are cured by tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. In adults if the obstruction is due to enlarged lymphoid tissues, then steroids are prescribed to reduce the swelling. Medicines like methylxanthine theophylline and amphetamines are used in treatment of sleep apnea.
Life style changes are also advised such as avoiding alcohol, medicines like muscle relaxants and sedatives, losing weight, quitting smoking etc. Some times, changing the pillow or changing the direction (sideways, on back, on chest) also helps. Avoiding sleeping on the back is very effective. For this keep a tennis ball in the back pocket of your trouser, this way it will be uncomfortable to sleep on the back and you will unknowingly shift to sleep sideways. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a strong method used when other methods are not working. In this method an oxygen mask with positive air pressure is attached to the patient while sleeping. Many people have found relief from using CPAP. Neurostimulation is under study to treat the disorder from a neurological angle.
Keith George always writes about valuable news & reviews. A related resource is Sleep Apnea Further information can be found at Trends & News.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_George
Do you feel restless, have morning headaches, feel irritated, is forgetful, sweat at night, frequently go to the toilet etc? If yes, then you are probably suffering from sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a type of sleep disorder in which the patient suffers from pauses in breathing while asleep. In layman terms, the person while asleep forgets to breathe, which causes restless sleep and consequent problems associated with lack of sleep. Its most serious consequence is to the heart and may lead to congestive heart failure.
Symptoms:
The main symptoms are restless sleep, loud snoring with silent periods in between followed by gasping, morning headaches, forgetfulness, mood changes, anxiety, depression, frequently urinating, sweating at night, bedwetting, increased heart rate etc. However the individual suffering from sleep apnea does not feel difficulty in breathing. A spouse is the best person to indicate whether the individual has breathing problems.
Diagnosis:
A definite diagnosis is obtained by polysomnography. Polysomnography is a multi parametric test for studying sleep. It monitors brain function (EEG), eye function (EOG), muscle function (EMG), heart function (ECG), breathing function etc.
Types:
There are two types of sleep apnea Central sleep apnea and Obstructive sleep apnea. In central sleep apnea, the breathing is paused due to lack of effort. In obstructive sleep apnea the breathing is blocked even though there is an effort to breathe.
People With High Risk:
Sleep apnea affects both children and adults. Obese people, individuals with flabby muscles, increased soft tissue near the airway, heavy face and neck etc are more at risk compared to normal individuals. Children mostly suffer from obstructive sleep apnea and are usually over tired or hyper. Due to sleep apnea the children tend to be thin and not grow properly.
Treatment:
The treatment deals with removing the obstruction from breathing. In children the obstruction is usually due to tonsils or adenoids and are cured by tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. In adults if the obstruction is due to enlarged lymphoid tissues, then steroids are prescribed to reduce the swelling. Medicines like methylxanthine theophylline and amphetamines are used in treatment of sleep apnea.
Life style changes are also advised such as avoiding alcohol, medicines like muscle relaxants and sedatives, losing weight, quitting smoking etc. Some times, changing the pillow or changing the direction (sideways, on back, on chest) also helps. Avoiding sleeping on the back is very effective. For this keep a tennis ball in the back pocket of your trouser, this way it will be uncomfortable to sleep on the back and you will unknowingly shift to sleep sideways. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a strong method used when other methods are not working. In this method an oxygen mask with positive air pressure is attached to the patient while sleeping. Many people have found relief from using CPAP. Neurostimulation is under study to treat the disorder from a neurological angle.
Keith George always writes about valuable news & reviews. A related resource is Sleep Apnea Further information can be found at Trends & News.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_George
Causes of High Blood Pressure
By Paul J Johnson
High blood pressure can be caused by any number of factors in a person’s life or by many factors all adding together. However, the hard truth is that if you don’t control your blood pressure, it can lead to many serious medical conditions, including heart attack and stroke. By understanding the causes of high blood pressure, you can learn how to prevent your levels from exceeding the normal range and therefore promote in yourself and your family a healthier overall lifestyle.
One of the major causes of high blood pressure is cholesterol. In most cases, a person with higher than normal cholesterol levels will also suffer from high blood pressure. This is due to the fatty deposits left on the artery walls from the cholesterol in your blood stream. The body actually needs no cholesterol, since it produces enough on its own, but the foods we eat often introduce more into our body. When no more can be absorbed into the blood stream, the cells deposit fat onto the walls of the arteries. This fat turns to a hard plaque, making our blood vessels smaller and smaller over time. The same amount of blood needs to flow through these smaller spaces, creating a higher blood pressure.
An unhealthy diet also causes high blood pressure in another way. When there is too much sugar in the blood stream. Glucose, or blood sugar, increases due to diabetes, in which the body does not produce the chemical that regulates blood sugar. Ingesting food high in sugar, such as most desserts, can also cause your blood sugar to increase, as can stress, hormone levels, and infection. When there is more glucose in the blood stream, your blood is essentially thicker, and harder to push through your arteries and veins, creating a higher blood pressure.
High blood pressure does not only come from an unhealthy diet, but can also occur due to drug intake as well. People who drink alcohol excessively, for example, increase their risk greatly of having high blood pressure. Caffeine is another drug that is proven to raise blood pressure, especially in combination with nicotine, which is found in cigarettes. Many other narcotics, especially those that are illegal in the United States, have also been show to increase your blood pressure.
Genetics is a final factor in the high blood pressure battle. Some estimate that 30% of high blood pressure cases can be attributed, at least in part, to genetics. We do not have any control over our genes—genetics refers to the coding used in our bodies that produces everything from the color of our eyes to our height to the ability we have (or do not have) to curl our tongues. We get this genetic make-up from our parents, and so there is nothing we can do to stop ourselves from having a “high blood pressure” risk when we are born. However, we can prevent genetics from playing a major role be overall living a healthy life. By taking steps to reduce our high blood pressure, we can create a better future for our bodies, whether our parents suffered from high blood pressure or not. Living this healthier lifestyle, including eating a low-cholesterol diet, watching our sugar intake, and introducing less drugs into our bodies can help us overcome high blood pressure.
Paul Johnson has an interest in High Blood Pressure. For further information on High Blood Pressure please visit Blood Pressure or High Blood Pressure Symptoms .
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_J_Johnson
Please note that these articles are supplied to our visitors as a courtesy. We are not responsible for their accuracy or content, nor are we responsible for or necessarily share the opinions and views of the authors.
High blood pressure can be caused by any number of factors in a person’s life or by many factors all adding together. However, the hard truth is that if you don’t control your blood pressure, it can lead to many serious medical conditions, including heart attack and stroke. By understanding the causes of high blood pressure, you can learn how to prevent your levels from exceeding the normal range and therefore promote in yourself and your family a healthier overall lifestyle.
One of the major causes of high blood pressure is cholesterol. In most cases, a person with higher than normal cholesterol levels will also suffer from high blood pressure. This is due to the fatty deposits left on the artery walls from the cholesterol in your blood stream. The body actually needs no cholesterol, since it produces enough on its own, but the foods we eat often introduce more into our body. When no more can be absorbed into the blood stream, the cells deposit fat onto the walls of the arteries. This fat turns to a hard plaque, making our blood vessels smaller and smaller over time. The same amount of blood needs to flow through these smaller spaces, creating a higher blood pressure.
An unhealthy diet also causes high blood pressure in another way. When there is too much sugar in the blood stream. Glucose, or blood sugar, increases due to diabetes, in which the body does not produce the chemical that regulates blood sugar. Ingesting food high in sugar, such as most desserts, can also cause your blood sugar to increase, as can stress, hormone levels, and infection. When there is more glucose in the blood stream, your blood is essentially thicker, and harder to push through your arteries and veins, creating a higher blood pressure.
High blood pressure does not only come from an unhealthy diet, but can also occur due to drug intake as well. People who drink alcohol excessively, for example, increase their risk greatly of having high blood pressure. Caffeine is another drug that is proven to raise blood pressure, especially in combination with nicotine, which is found in cigarettes. Many other narcotics, especially those that are illegal in the United States, have also been show to increase your blood pressure.
Genetics is a final factor in the high blood pressure battle. Some estimate that 30% of high blood pressure cases can be attributed, at least in part, to genetics. We do not have any control over our genes—genetics refers to the coding used in our bodies that produces everything from the color of our eyes to our height to the ability we have (or do not have) to curl our tongues. We get this genetic make-up from our parents, and so there is nothing we can do to stop ourselves from having a “high blood pressure” risk when we are born. However, we can prevent genetics from playing a major role be overall living a healthy life. By taking steps to reduce our high blood pressure, we can create a better future for our bodies, whether our parents suffered from high blood pressure or not. Living this healthier lifestyle, including eating a low-cholesterol diet, watching our sugar intake, and introducing less drugs into our bodies can help us overcome high blood pressure.
Paul Johnson has an interest in High Blood Pressure. For further information on High Blood Pressure please visit Blood Pressure or High Blood Pressure Symptoms .
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_J_Johnson
Please note that these articles are supplied to our visitors as a courtesy. We are not responsible for their accuracy or content, nor are we responsible for or necessarily share the opinions and views of the authors.
I Needed to Know How to Fall Asleep
By Lee Kiley
I can’t think of anything worse than a fit and healthy person being deprived of sleep on a constant basis. Sleep depravation followed me around for years and I've lost count on how many articles and quick tips I'd read on how to fall asleep. Nothing seemed to work and as a consequence I was always operating on half steam and became known for being a grumpy old sod. It's true, I was restless, irritable, and discontent more often than not, to the point that not even I liked being around me.
The problem I had was that there was no problem. By that I mean all was well with the world, I had no financial or health worries and enjoyed my work. However, the latter had a few upsets when things didn't go my way, as I had a tendency to pole volt over mouse poop on trivial problems when I was too over tired. They say that lack of sleep never killed anyone, but I tell you something, it was no fun living in a constant state of what seemed like semi consciousness. I just had to find a way how to fall asleep.
I would often joke that it was all my mother's fault. I told her she confused me as a kid. "You'd make me go to bed when I was wide awake, and then make me get up in the morning when I was fast asleep" I used to jest. I doubt there's anything in that, but I did have this thing where I really hated going to bed at night because I just knew I was going to lay awake for hours.
Although sleeping pills may work for some, I've yet to find any that will help me. Sure, pills can get anyone off to sleep, but I'm more tired throughout the day with them than without them. I'd even been seen nodding off in front of the computer screen at work and the manager has had to give me a nudge on more than a few occasions, so sleeping pills were defiantly out.
Actually, my problem has been twofold. But the results are the same in that I'm always knackered. Sometimes I could fall asleep quickly, but then I wake up well before I've had sufficient snooze and therefore not able to get back off again. Or, the other way around was where I just couldn't nod off for hours and when I did eventually, it was almost time to get up and get ready for the day ahead.
You may have noticed that the above was written in the past tense. That's right, I've since found a solution after all these years. As a matter of fact, it was a friend of a friend who gave me the resolve. He asked me if I ate late at night. I said that I ate supper as I lay in bed. He went on to say that he had the same problem and that by eating late at night was giving him bad dreams. He said that a bad dream would wake him up just as he was nodding off, of wake him up half way through his nap from where he would not be able to get back into a deep sleep again.
I've always suffered bad dreams. Not always nightmares, but pretty unpleasant dreams nonetheless, but I never connected the two together. I tried this guy's suggestion and I cannot believe I've slept like a log since then. I now eat supper about 3 hours before I go to bed, and almost every night now, I not only sleep like a baby, but I don't seem to have any dreams at all, or none that I can remember anyway. My whole attitude and outlook upon life really has changed as a direct consequence of a healthy sleeping pattern.
There is a solution to insomnia no matter who you are or what the cause. If you're having problems, don't give up trying because your life will improve ten fold once you find your solution. Explore the options online too, as there are some great free suggestions on how to fall asleep. Good night!
Lee Kiley is a proficient writer and webmaster for InstructHow dot com where he writes on such issues as How to Talk to Girls in the 21 st Century! and How To Train a Dog. He also has many other ‘How to’ related pieces on the site.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Kiley
Please note that these articles are supplied to our visitors as a courtesy. We are not responsible for their accuracy or content, nor are we responsible for or necessarily share the opinions and views of the authors.
I can’t think of anything worse than a fit and healthy person being deprived of sleep on a constant basis. Sleep depravation followed me around for years and I've lost count on how many articles and quick tips I'd read on how to fall asleep. Nothing seemed to work and as a consequence I was always operating on half steam and became known for being a grumpy old sod. It's true, I was restless, irritable, and discontent more often than not, to the point that not even I liked being around me.
The problem I had was that there was no problem. By that I mean all was well with the world, I had no financial or health worries and enjoyed my work. However, the latter had a few upsets when things didn't go my way, as I had a tendency to pole volt over mouse poop on trivial problems when I was too over tired. They say that lack of sleep never killed anyone, but I tell you something, it was no fun living in a constant state of what seemed like semi consciousness. I just had to find a way how to fall asleep.
I would often joke that it was all my mother's fault. I told her she confused me as a kid. "You'd make me go to bed when I was wide awake, and then make me get up in the morning when I was fast asleep" I used to jest. I doubt there's anything in that, but I did have this thing where I really hated going to bed at night because I just knew I was going to lay awake for hours.
Although sleeping pills may work for some, I've yet to find any that will help me. Sure, pills can get anyone off to sleep, but I'm more tired throughout the day with them than without them. I'd even been seen nodding off in front of the computer screen at work and the manager has had to give me a nudge on more than a few occasions, so sleeping pills were defiantly out.
Actually, my problem has been twofold. But the results are the same in that I'm always knackered. Sometimes I could fall asleep quickly, but then I wake up well before I've had sufficient snooze and therefore not able to get back off again. Or, the other way around was where I just couldn't nod off for hours and when I did eventually, it was almost time to get up and get ready for the day ahead.
You may have noticed that the above was written in the past tense. That's right, I've since found a solution after all these years. As a matter of fact, it was a friend of a friend who gave me the resolve. He asked me if I ate late at night. I said that I ate supper as I lay in bed. He went on to say that he had the same problem and that by eating late at night was giving him bad dreams. He said that a bad dream would wake him up just as he was nodding off, of wake him up half way through his nap from where he would not be able to get back into a deep sleep again.
I've always suffered bad dreams. Not always nightmares, but pretty unpleasant dreams nonetheless, but I never connected the two together. I tried this guy's suggestion and I cannot believe I've slept like a log since then. I now eat supper about 3 hours before I go to bed, and almost every night now, I not only sleep like a baby, but I don't seem to have any dreams at all, or none that I can remember anyway. My whole attitude and outlook upon life really has changed as a direct consequence of a healthy sleeping pattern.
There is a solution to insomnia no matter who you are or what the cause. If you're having problems, don't give up trying because your life will improve ten fold once you find your solution. Explore the options online too, as there are some great free suggestions on how to fall asleep. Good night!
Lee Kiley is a proficient writer and webmaster for InstructHow dot com where he writes on such issues as How to Talk to Girls in the 21 st Century! and How To Train a Dog. He also has many other ‘How to’ related pieces on the site.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Kiley
Please note that these articles are supplied to our visitors as a courtesy. We are not responsible for their accuracy or content, nor are we responsible for or necessarily share the opinions and views of the authors.
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