Archive for the ‘Sleep’ Category

• Causes and Consequences of Sleep Deprivation

  Date: 2010.09.11 | Category: Sleep | Response: 0

  We need 7 to 8 hours of sleep daily. However, we neglect the precious sleeping time and are busy burning midnight oil on things we think are more important. When a person does not have quality sleep for a sufficient period, it can cause sleep deprivation.

  Sleep deprivation can result in depression, anxiety, increased stress, irritation and many other negative consequences. So, if you find yourself drowsy and have a hard time fighting off sleep during the day, its time to get proper sleep.

  As per the research study published in British journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, people without sleep for 17 to 19 hours are worse than people who were drunk. Sleep deprivation, if it is consistent and chronic, can lead to loss of judgment, loss of reasoning, confusion etc.

  Causes of Sleep Deprivation :
  Many of us do not get quality sleep to meet the demands of our busy lifestyle. To balance the work and other activities, we tend to sacrifice the sleeping time. Here are some of the causes of sleep deprivation:

  Sleeping disorders Working during the night and traveling Medical illnesses Disturbance from noise, light etc. Depression, excessive worry

  Sleeping Disorders which Cause Sleeplessness :
  Here are the common disorders which cause sleeplessness:

  Obstructive Sleep apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea is caused when a person is unable to breathe properly due to obstruction of the nose or throat. This can be caused due to enlarged tonsils, deviated septum etc. Narcolepsy: A chronic sleeping disorder which is characterized by excessive day time sleepiness Nocturnal mycoclonus: Nocturnal mycoclonus causes jerking of legs while sleeping. This causes brief awakening during the night resulting in daytime sleepiness and insomnia

  Consequences of Sleep Deprivation: Psychological Effects:
  Lack of sleep can cause both short-term and long-term effects. The initial effects of sleep deprivation are drowsiness, memory loss, and irritability. In case of chronic sleep deprivation, a person may experience blurry vision, loss of judgment, and inability to concentrate. Continual sleep deprivation can also cause severe mental effects such as hallucinations, mania, and nausea.

  Sleeplessness not only puts you at an increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, work accidents, but it can also decrease your work productivity. Irritability, anxiety can in turn cause problems in your social life.

  Physiological Effects:
  Sleep deprivation can also cause severe health problems. When people do not sleep properly for several months, they can develop diabetes type 2. Many studies have even linked lack of sleep to obesity. Other health consequences of sleep deprivation are depression, heart problems, high blood pressure etc.

  How to Ensure Proper Sleep:
  To get proper sleep, about 7 to 8 hours a day, you should take some steps:

  Have a regular sleeping pattern i.e. sleep and wake up at the same time every day Make sure your bedroom is conducive for sleep by cutting off noise, light while sleeping Avoid drinking caffeinated drinks, soft drinks or eating food just before bedtime Keep the temperature of your bedroom conducive for sleeping, not too warm or cool Have a warm bath, listen to music which can help you sleep

  If you are sleepy during the day, try taking short naps, but do not make this a habit as napping during the day can make sleeping difficult at night. If you are unable to sleep, consult your doctor as you could be suffering from a sleeping disorder.

• Should I Go For Otc Or Natural Sleep Aids

  Date: 2010.08.27 | Category: Sleep | Response: 0

  Are you getting difficulty sleeping? Rest – it appears like it must be so effortless however above 50% of men and women will, at some stage in their living, have trouble falling asleep. You can find a number of various sorts of insomnia -short term, chronic, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, waking up early or poor sleep in general. Stress, anxiousness, depressive disorders, drugs, tobacco, alcohol as well as caffeine can trigger or worsen difficulty sleeping. What do we do for the next morning to fight our sleepiness? Caffeine! -which worsens stress/anxiety/depression as well as quite frequently alcohol the next night -all in attempt to trick our bodies as well as thoughts into feeling “well rested.” Our thoughts do not assistance either…we now have problems slipping asleep, what do we start thinking? “Oh bother, I can’t fall asleep…now I will only get 5 several hours of slumber…what if I do not fall asleep…then tomorrow is proceeding to suck…” as well as on as well as on -a vicious cycle! When we have sleep disorders as well as invest our nights rolling restlessly on our bed and also staring in the ceiling we can get desperate to discover a very good all natural sleep aid. In our desperation, we are able to attempt so numerous solutions as well as all natural sleep aid with out examining whether or not they are trustworthy rest products and also whether or not they are very good for our wellness. We will need to not believe all that’s discovered on the internet. Numerous companies are keen only in marketing their all natural sleep aids plus they are not worried about buyer security. So it gets really essential that you just grow to be a accountable buyer by selecting only trusted products. You should not topic your self to unnecessary dangers by deciding on unwarranted goods for the sleep.

  You can discover a number of all natural sleep aids on the internet for slumber problems. Most on the items which you come across are compound products that attempt to induce rest by means of chemical substances. This isn’t a natural method of falling asleep. Although you might uncover short-term relief via such goods, you might be really likely to possess complications at a later stage. You may experience a lot of side effects and also wellbeing connected troubles which are extremely complex. You must consequently attempt to stay clear of these kinds of products and solutions and also only consider naturall or herbal sleep remedies with no any unwanted effects. As long as you are going to pick compound supplements you can suffer this kind of complications.

  The only reputable sleeplessness remedy therefore is all natural sleep aid. You will likely be in a position to save yourself from unwanted effects along with other wellness issues only by selecting healthy rest aid. If your rest ailments are connected to dietary deficiencies, you are going to be in a position to rectify your troubles in a very healthy way by getting pure sleep minerals. These all natural sleep aid compensate for that minerals which are deficient in our food. As these minerals don’t force your body to rest by means of chemical compounds, it is a organic sleep help. Also these all natural sleep aid do not have any unwanted effects. Even if you take these all natural sleeping aids all of your existence, you won’t produce any dependency or addiction. As opposed to quite a few other sleep products as well as pills, you won’t suffer any hangovers. You are going to be able to carry out normally not having any problem the following day.

• Types Of Natural Sleep Aids

  Date: 2010.08.27 | Category: Sleep | Response: 0

  Three of the most commonly used natural sleep aids include kava, melatonin and valerian. These are herbal products that help the body naturally wind down in order to prepare for a full night’s rest. The majority of these items can be purchased over the counter and typically do not need a doctor’s prescription. However, it is best to consult with your doctor before buying any natural sleeping aids. He/she will help diagnose your particular sleep disorder (or if your case is serious enough to warrant the use of natural sleep aids), which can help you figure out which type of natural sleep aid will work best for your needs.

  Kava is an herb that serves to naturally combat feelings of anxiety. Having anxiety is a common symptom related to insomnia, which many people suffer from. In natural sleep aids, kava is available for use as a liquid extract, tablet, capsule or beverage. When consumed, kava works as a sedative, which helps insomniacs fall asleep and stay asleep. However, it is important to note that this natural sleep aid should not be used long term since it can cause severe liver damage.

  Other natural sleep aids include melatonin, which is actually a naturally recurring hormone in the human body. This hormone works to regulate a person’s sleep cycle and wake cycle. This makes it an obvious choice for use as natural sleep aids. Melatonin comes in capsule or tablet form and is supposed to be taken 30 minutes before going to bed.

  Valerian is another herbal product in the natural sleep aids category. This herb can be found in tablet, capsule, tea or liquid extract form and typically takes between 2-3 weeks to take full effect. Valerian should be taken one hour before going to bed.

• Natural sleep without drugs

  Date: 2010.08.16 | Category: Sleep | Response: 0

  If you aren’t getting enough sleep your health is at serious risk. Just as bad is getting too much sleep. You may have thought that you’ll just be tired and cranky if you don’t get enough sleep. Scientists say it’s much worse than that.

  If you don’t get enough sleep you’re likely to have problems with short-term memory, slowed reaction times and reduced performance at work or at school. There are also affects on mood and resilience.

  That’s not all. Some researchers have found that not getting enough sleep can reduce your immune response and contribute to weight gain.

  You’re not the only one at risk, either. Almost half of all heavy truck accidents are connected to driver fatigue. Some estimates say that over 100,000 auto crashes in the US every year, and thousands of related deaths and injuries are caused by falling asleep at the wheel.

  Then there’s the widespread financial impact. The US National Commission on Sleep Disorders estimates that sleep deprivation costs $15 billion a year in reduced productivity.

  The message seems to be that bad things will happen if you don’t get enough sleep. Just in case that’s not enough to get you thinking about how much sleep you’re getting, let’s consider the positive side.

  Getting Enough Sleep Makes Things Better

  All is not gloom and doom. Scientists tell us that if you get enough sleep, lots of things in your life will improve.

  In addition to simply being able to do better work, researchers say that sleep increases your ability to make sense of new knowledge and learn new skills. In fact, Carl Hunt, director of the US National Commission on Sleep Disorder Research, says that “Sleep is as important to our overall health as exercise and a healthy diet.”

  Everyone seems to agree that we need to get enough sleep. Some scientists are sure that we’re not.

  Scientists say we need More Sleep

  It seems like newspapers and magazines are filled with stories about how we don’t get enough sleep. They cite study after study that support the idea that we just aren’t getting the sleep we need.

  A Gallup poll found that a third of us have daytime sleepiness. A couple of years later the American Sleep Foundation did a study that upped that number to 43 percent. They also found that 62 percent of adults have trouble sleeping.

  An article in the Wall Street Journal claimed that “On average, most people sleep 75 minutes less each night than people did a century ago.” Other articles join the chorus telling us that we’re not sleeping as much as we should and not sleeping as much as our grandparents did.

  Not surprisingly, the scientists who think we’re not getting enough sleep offer us a wide variety of therapies. Others merely say that the sleep deprivation problem is a great reason to increase funding for sleep research.

  But it’s almost impossible to get all scientists to agree on any one thing. Not surprisingly, there are scientists who think that the articles and studies about us all being sleep deprived are simply wrong.

  Scientists say we get Plenty of Sleep

  Professor Jim Horne of the Sleep Research Centre at the University of Loughborough is the leading contrarian. He thinks the idea that our ancestors slept better than we do is simply rubbish.

  Horne points out that sleeping wasn’t always as easy as it is today. In the country, people often slept in the same room with animals of various kinds. In the cities there was lots of noise and other sleep disturbers.

  No matter where you were, there wasn’t much temperature control. It was hot in the summer and cold in the winter. And people often shared their beds, sometimes with other people, almost always with bugs. Professor Horne thinks we have it better now.

  Dr. Horne is a naysayer, believing it all to be drug industry hype. He’s convinced that adults can survive quite well on five or six hours of sleep a night.

  He buttresses his argument with analyses of how the brain works and which parts are involved in sleep. He references high achievers like Bill Clinton and Margaret Thatcher who are reputed to function at full throttle on four hours of sleep a night.

  It’s very convincing ? unless you know from personal experience how much of hell life without good sleep is.

  Disputers like Dr Horne are in the minority due to the overwhelming bulk of lab tests, sleep clinic results, anecdotal evidence and personal testimony of sufferers wandering through life in a dazed fog of half life.

  So, How Much Sleep do you Need?

  How much sleep do you need? That depends on what you want to do.

  There are lots of variables. There are lots of different personal preferences. I have friends who function perfectly well on very little sleep and at least one for whom nine hours a night is optimal. Each person is different, but every human runs by the same code. That?s why we all need specific amounts relating to our own personal cycles. As different as people are, they share similarities that are amazing. Each of us who feels rested and energized when they wake up sleeps in cycles of definite periods we can measure within 30 minutes each other.

• Reasons Why Sleep is Important

  Date: 2010.08.06 | Category: Sleep | Response: 0

  It is widely supported that sleep is vital in leading a healthy lifestyle. Many people still sleep less than the recommended number of hours, though. It may not seem that much to those who cut off their sleeping time for their personal endeavors, but sleep is something that you can ignore.

  There are many reasons why sleep is important, most of it pertaining to our health and personal well-being. Our body needs to rest and charge up, after all. Sleeping gives the body that needed energy and reorganization of thoughts and physical functions.

  1. Less sleep can make you fatter. It was discovered that those who sleep for less than seven hours tend to be fatter or more obese. This is because insufficient sleep appears to disturb our hunger hormones. Less sleep can lower leptin (hormone that suppresses appetite and speeds up metabolism) and increase ghrelin (which stimulates appetite).

  2. Less sleep makes you eat food that is bad for your heath. This is especially applicable to people suffering from sleep apnea. One reason for the sleeping illness they have is because of a diet that is very high in cholesterol, protein, total fat, and total saturated fat.

  3. Less sleep can make you likely to have diabetes. People who sleep five or fewer hours of sleep were found to be twice more likely to have the illness.

  4. Less sleep makes you more prone to heart attacks. A study back in 2003 discovered that heart attacks were more likely with those who sleep for five hours or fewer than with those who sleep more. Less sleep also contributes to an increase in blood pressure.

  5. Less sleep ticks off your balance. This is understandable. Less sleep makes your body disoriented that it would not be able to function properly. Take note that accidents can happen when your body takes a fall or you get drowsy while driving.

  6. Less sleep makes you more prone to depression. Sleep helps in relaxing our emotions and reorganizing our thoughts. Sleeping in less than the recommended number of hours is not enough, and will make you prone to worries and distress. This could lead to behavioral issues like ADHD, especially in children who suffer from lack of sleep.

  7. Less sleep shortens your life span. There have been many studies about this, and they all discovered that those who sleep less than five hours every night have greater risk of dying early.

  There have been lots of studies and information that promote the need for a nice complete sleep. This recommendation is not a rootless conclusion. A lot of our daily activities are affected by how much sleep we can get.

  The reasons stated on why sleep is important are credible enough for us to take sleep seriously, despite our fast and hardworking lifestyle. People today are concerned on what they do when they are up and awake that they dismiss sleep as a waste of time sometimes. This should not be the case, as sleep gives a lot of benefits for our body and our health.