Difficulty Sleeping: Try Asking Yourself This Question

An increasingly large number of people are experiencing difficulty sleeping and our society as a whole is suffering from the results.

We all deserve a excellent night’s sleep, but when we don’t, our lives start to change. In the small term, difficulty sleeping isn’t a problem and can be easily modified but left to develop over time we could have a major problem on our hands.

We start to look and feel tired. We tend towards irritability and illogical mood changes rather than cool logical choice making. We can’t focus, listen for any length of time and our memory looses its edge Delicate and precise becomes lumbering and inaccurate and in the extreme, our ability to operate machinery of any kind loses all judgment and control.

Further sleep difficulties can cause a breakdown in our immune system, a rise in blood pressure and possible pressure on the heart. Left un-modified for very long, chronic insomnia will develop, perhaps sleep apnea and even a disruption of the sleep phases and para-somnias such as night terrors.

I reckon that if you are experiencing difficulty sleeping then you first have to examine for yourself, the answers to the question: “What exactly is the problem with my sleep?” Secondly you will need to share this information with your doctor. Yes, it could be serious and you will need professional help!

1…Try asking yourself the question first!

When you question the question, “What exactly is the problem with my sleep?” you will tend to answer in one of five possible ways. They are as follows:

* I Have a Problem Falling Asleep: this may occur on first going to bed which could be the start of sleep latency or onset insomnia, or it may occur during the night, which is more of a sleep fragmentation often caused by jet-lag or shift-work disruption.

* I Have a Problem Staying Awake: this could be early signs of narcolepsy especially if you are falling asleep at inappropriate times and loosing control of your limb. It could also be a sign of extreme tiredness due to sleep apnea occurring during the night.

* I Have a Problem Getting Up in the Mornings: this may be a problem with sleep inertia where it takes an hour or more to become fully awake. This could be caused by sleep apnea or a delayed sleep phase disorder.

* My Sleeping is Disrupted: such things as sleep-walking, sleep-terrors, nightmares or bruxism (teeth grinding!) may be occurring during your normal sleep time. These are known as para-somnias and often require treatment.

* My Sleeping Partner Affects My Sleep: this is usually caused by a partner snoring, having restless legs, excessive teeth grinding or constantly waking up from sleep apnea. You won’t sleep well until their problems are solved!

2…Now do something about it!

Once you have chose on the parameters of your sleeping difficulties you are armed with information that should be shared with your doctor. You could learn more by visiting our website, but whatever you choose to do, you should include a visit to your doctor to share your concerns. Step Two: Take Action!

We all tend to have difficulty sleeping at some time or another but if the problem persists we need to take action before the problem becomes chronic. Look carefully at your needs, collect information and share it all with your doctor.

This flu season protect yourself better by making sure you get enough sleep

The talk this flu season is about how to best protect ourselves from the N1H1 flu. So while you are making an appointment to get your flu shot, if you believe its appropriate for you or rushing to the drug store to load up on Vitamin C  – take stock of one more thing.  Are you sleeping well? As someone who is in the sleep business I have learned well the benefits of sleep – primarily this most vital fact; while we are snoozing our bodies are boosting our immune system to help us fight off colds, flu viruses and much more serious health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure and weight gain. It needs to be appreciated that along with eating well and exercising, sleep is the most vital thing you can do to ensure you stay healthy and are able to resist whatever is lurking in the air and waiting to pounce.

As the weather gets colder and we are confined inside more, breathing circulated air, getting less natural vitamin D from sunshine, doing less walking outside and relying on our cars more – we are more susceptible to becoming run down and exposing our weakened immune systems to illness.

The body uses sleep to restore itself physically and mentally. While sleeping cell and tissue hurt is repaired. Not enough sleep leaves you with less protection against infections and weaker muscles and organs. It also makes you more likely to reach for alternative energy sources such as sugar rather than sticking to a balanced and vitamin enriched diet composed of fresh foods that you select and prepare yourself. Denying our body the healthful food it needs further compromises the immune system.

This year take a excellent look at your sleep habits and make sure that you are getting at least 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep 7 days a week, that you are preparing as many meals as you can using fresh ingredients (including lunch) and that you make time to walk at least half an hour daily in the fresh air if you can’t get to a gym.

its smarter and simpler to take action to prevent an illness than to deal with its effect, small and long term, after you have become ill. And if you are a woman who works outside the home while raising children you owe it to them to avoid catching a cold or the flu which can be easily passed to them. You are already at heightened risk of infection of you have children between the ages of 2-6 who are in childcare or school. During these years they are themselves building their own immune systems as they get exposed to all kinds of bugs from their school age friends. Mothers of young children are sick more than the general population for that fact alone so it is more vital that we maintain a healthy lifestyle, with as small added stress as possible, so that we and our children don’t end up passing sickness back and forth like a boomerang.  You and your children need to develop a disciplined sleep routine that allows you to wind down at night and sleep well to keep your bodies strong.

And keep in mind that a sleep deprived person takes much longer to recuperate from illness than a healthy well rested one. And it is also the run-down individual that is least likely to take the time needed to rest and heal – instead seeing themselves as a hero for taking as small time off work as possible. If you or anyone in your family falls ill take it as a sign that you need to rest and heal and examine your lifestyle to lessen the chance of a reoccurrence.

So sleep adequately, eat well balanced meals and rev up your engine once a day. Set a excellent example for everyone around you and we can all ensure that this flu season won’t be any worse than any other – maybe better as a result of all this heightened vigilance and awareness. Knowledge is power. Use it wisely.

Tova Greenberg is President of The Sleep Genie. For more information on how to sleep well go to: http://www.TheSleepGeniec.om

Home Remedies for Insomnia – Quiz Yourself on the Basics

If you’re researching the home remedies for insomnia out there, then below are three key questions you need to know the answer to. If you want results, then you’ll benefit from these questions. The format will be as follows: I’ll state the question, follow up with the right answer, followed by a lot of information to help you.

1. When I get started with a home remedy for insomnia I:

A) Take an over the counter medication along with the home remedy.

B) Follow the directions as instructed.

C) Research the remedy further to see if it’s valid.

The right answer is B. When you start trying a home remedy to cure your insomnia, you want to follow the instructions. Here’s why, if you don’t follow the instructions then you may not get the results you want. Also incorporating over the counter sleep medication with the remedy will not help you choose if it works or not. In regards to the other answers, if you choose to research the treatment you just bought, then you simply researched at the incorrect time. You should do all your research before purchasing. This way you know if the insomnia cure is workable with your current life style.

2. If I am stressed at night just before bed time, I:

A) Plot for the next day.

B) Just go to bed mad and agitated and try and get some well deserved sleep.

C) Write down my problems using a pen and paper.

There are two right answers here: A and C. If you sit down with a pen and paper and write out your schedule for the next day, then you are “giving yourself permission” to handle your issues the next day. This can do wonders for your mind set and is worth a try. Also, writing is very therapeutic when it comes to confronting your problems. A simple exercise to try is writing down your thoughts (no matter how far out there they are) and then shred them. It’s a fantastic way to let go and go forward. If you go to bed mad and agitated then you probably won’t get to sleep at a decent hour. Your best bet in this case is to try the exercises mentioned above.

3. When it comes to coffee or caffeinated drinks and my sleep I:

A) Will never give them up. I perform too well with them.

B) Try to cut back or eliminate the caffeine from my diet.

The right answer is B. It may be something as simple like caffeine that is causing your insomnia. You start feeling the effects of caffeine as you get older. When you’re a young adult, it gives you all the energy you need to conquer the world. Then one day you’re thirty-something, hyped up in the morning and crashing in the afternoons. Then you’re looking for more coffee to stay alert. You’re best bet is to try and cut back on the afternoon coffee. If you want to be really effective, try cutting out caffeine all together. But, be prepared to fall asleep at inconvenient times. If coffee is such a vice where you would never give it up, then you need to consider going to decaf coffee. When it comes to home remedies for insomnia, you are aiming for a natural balance in your body so you can fall asleep at night again.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects an opinion. This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult a physician for any and all medical advisement.

Next Page »