Narcolepsy Symptoms
People with narcolepsy experience frequent “attacks” of sleep, which last from a few seconds to 30 minutes or more. These attacks come while a person is awake and are unrelated to the amount and quality of nighttime sleep. Other symptoms may include:
* Cataplexy: Sudden muscle weakness often triggered by strong emotions such as laughter, anger or surprise. This weakness may cause the head to drop, the knees to give out, facial muscles to sag or even a complete collapse of the body.
* Sleep Paralysis: People with narcolepsy may be unable to talk or move when waking up or falling asleep.
* Vivid Dreams: These dreams often occur when first falling asleep and can be “hallucinogenic” in nature and easily confused with real life.
Causes of Narcolepsy
In narcolepsy, the border between being asleep and being awake can be blurred. A person with narcolepsy tends to fall directly into REM sleep without passing through the normal sleep stages. This may cause the “sleep paralysis” and “vivid dreams” symptoms. Researchers have discovered that people with narcolepsy have a lower amount of a protein called hypocretin that helps keep your awake. Some researchers think that narcolepsy is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system (due to a prior infection or injury) attacks and destroys hypocretin.
Who Has Narcolepsy?
Fewer than 50,000 Americans have been diagnosed with narcolepsy, but it is estimated that between 250,000 and 350,000 people have the disorder in the U.S. Narcolepsy is often misdiagnosed as depression, epilepsy (a seizure disorder) or other conditions. About 10 percent of people with narcolepsy have a close family member who also has it, suggesting a hereditary connection. Narcolepsy symptoms usually begin in young adults or adolescents.
Management of Narcolepsy
Currently there is no cure for narcolepsy, however the symptoms can be managed. A doctor may prescribe stimulants, antidepressants or other medications to treat narcolepsy. Some people find that taking short 15-minute naps several times a day reduces daytime sleepiness. Treatment for cataplexy may include REM sleep-suppressing medication (e.g., venlafaxine, fluoxetine or atomoxetine).
A Narcolepsy Breakthrough?
Researchers studying dogs discovered that a gene can cause narcolepsy. This gene (hypocretin receptor-2) gives the instructions for how to produce hypocretin, a protein necessary for sleep regulation. When the gene is defective, the protein that is built doesn’t function correctly. While this gene exists in humans, it is still unknown if people with narcolepsy have a defective version of hypocretin receptor-2.
Sources
National Institutes of Health; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. NIH Publication No. 06-5271.
National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Understaning Sleep
Showing posts with label Sleep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sleep. Show all posts
Monday, November 5, 2007
Nocturia Excessive Nighttime Urination
Getting up to urinate once or more during a night is called “nocturia.” Normally, urine output decreases during the night. Most people can go between seven and nine hours at night without having to use the bathroom.
Causes of Nocturia
There are many possible causes for frequent nighttime urination. These include medical causes, illnesses and behaviors. Some example includes:
* Drinking too many liquids close to bedtime
* Injesting too much caffeine in the evening
* Drinking too much alcohol in the evening
* Congestive heart failure
* Diabetes
* Kidney problems
* Urinary tract infection
* Medications
* Excessive vitamin D
* Damage to the nerves of the urinary system
Treating Nocturia
Reduce the amount of fluids you drink close to bedtime. If frequent urination continues, talk to your doctor. There may be simple solutions to nocturia, such as taking a certain medication earlier in the day, or treating a urinary tract infection. Other treatments will depend on the cause of the frequent urination.
Sources
National Library of Medicine, Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia
Causes of Nocturia
There are many possible causes for frequent nighttime urination. These include medical causes, illnesses and behaviors. Some example includes:
* Drinking too many liquids close to bedtime
* Injesting too much caffeine in the evening
* Drinking too much alcohol in the evening
* Congestive heart failure
* Diabetes
* Kidney problems
* Urinary tract infection
* Medications
* Excessive vitamin D
* Damage to the nerves of the urinary system
Treating Nocturia
Reduce the amount of fluids you drink close to bedtime. If frequent urination continues, talk to your doctor. There may be simple solutions to nocturia, such as taking a certain medication earlier in the day, or treating a urinary tract infection. Other treatments will depend on the cause of the frequent urination.
Sources
National Library of Medicine, Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia
Avoid Falling Asleep While Driving
Every year, over 100,000 accidents and 1,500 deaths are caused by driver fatigue. Lack of sleep affects our reaction time, judgment and ability to concentrate. This can be especially dangerous if you are driving.
Avoiding Falling Asleep While Driving
Caffeine, stimulants and other tricks may revive you temporarily, but these things are not reliable and do not work for long periods of time. Instead, the best solution to driver fatigue is to avoid being tired. Here are some tips to make sure you are alert enough for a nighttime drive:
* No Sleep Debt: Before a long or nighttime drive, be sure that you have had several nights (in a row) of 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Plan on setting aside this time before you leave.
* Take Breaks: Taking a break during your drive will allow you to stretch, move and wake up.
Plan for breaks and even a quick 20-minute nap.
* Arrive by Midnight: The time between midnight and early morning is when our body most wants to be sleeping. This is the most dangerous time to be driving in respect to sleep.
* Know the Warning Signs: If you are yawning constantly, can’t remember the last few moments of driving or cannot keep your eyes focused, pull over and take a quick nap.
What Not To Do
Many people think that opening the window, playing loud music or talking on the phone will help you stay awake. These are, in fact, dangerous thing to do because:
* They distract you from driving at a time when you need to concentrate.
* They give you a false sense of security and keep you on the road when you should stop.
Instead of using tricks, pull over and take a quick nap.
Sources
National Institutes of Health; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. NIH Publication No. 06-5271.
Avoiding Falling Asleep While Driving
Caffeine, stimulants and other tricks may revive you temporarily, but these things are not reliable and do not work for long periods of time. Instead, the best solution to driver fatigue is to avoid being tired. Here are some tips to make sure you are alert enough for a nighttime drive:
* No Sleep Debt: Before a long or nighttime drive, be sure that you have had several nights (in a row) of 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Plan on setting aside this time before you leave.
* Take Breaks: Taking a break during your drive will allow you to stretch, move and wake up.
Plan for breaks and even a quick 20-minute nap.
* Arrive by Midnight: The time between midnight and early morning is when our body most wants to be sleeping. This is the most dangerous time to be driving in respect to sleep.
* Know the Warning Signs: If you are yawning constantly, can’t remember the last few moments of driving or cannot keep your eyes focused, pull over and take a quick nap.
What Not To Do
Many people think that opening the window, playing loud music or talking on the phone will help you stay awake. These are, in fact, dangerous thing to do because:
* They distract you from driving at a time when you need to concentrate.
* They give you a false sense of security and keep you on the road when you should stop.
Instead of using tricks, pull over and take a quick nap.
Sources
National Institutes of Health; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. NIH Publication No. 06-5271.
Jet Lag and Sleep
Jet lag is a term for changes in the internal daily rhythms of the body (circadian rhythms) that people experience when traveling from one time zone to another. For example, traveling from the West Coast to the East Coast results in a three-hour time change. Your body will remain on the original schedule. So when the alarm clock rings at 8 a.m., your body thinks it is 5 a.m. In the short term, jet lag results in unpleasant tiredness and difficulty getting on schedule in the new time zone. Frequent travelers may suffer from more severe effects of jet lag.
Long-Term Effect of Jet Lag
While not well understood, researchers have found that routine interruption in the circadian rhythms of mice can lead to shortened life expectancy. Researchers placed both young and aged mice on an 8-week cycle of shifts in light exposure.
Jet lag preventionAll the jet lag issues and how to avoid and prevent jet lagwww.nojetlag.com
In one group, the light cycle was advanced 6 hours every 7 days. Another group’s light exposure was delayed 6 hours every 7 days. A third group maintained a constant 12-hour light cycle.
The young mice did not seem affected greatly by the changes in light, but the aged mice experienced marked increases in mortality. Only 47 percent of the first group survived the study, 68 percent of the second group. This is compared to 83 percent of the control group.
Does that mean humans shorten their lives by flying? No. There isn’t enough data about human travel and circadian rhythms to know the long-term effect. But the aforementioned study, along with the known fact that jet lag increases the risk of sleep disorders like insomnia, should throw caution on routine travel that causes large changes in the daily cycle.
Reducing the Effect of Jet Lag
The body takes about 1 day per hour of change to adjust. There are no techniques to speed up that process, but you can ease the transition:
* Light therapy: Through exposure to full-spectrum lights or sunlight, a person can make the adjustment to a new time zone more gradual. This is especially effective when you can get exposure to bright lights in the last few hours of morning sleep.
* Gradual Adjustment: Before leaving on a trip, take 3 or 4 days to begin adjusting to the new schedule. Each day, sleep an hour later (or earlier) so that the change will not be as drastic. For example, if you are going to “lose” 3 hours of sleep, wake up an hour earlier each day for two days before you leave. You will adjust to the new time zone much faster that way.
* Supplements: Melatonin, valerian and other supplements may help people temporarily fall asleep faster. Consult a doctor before taking these.
* Sleep Habits: Establishing good sleep habits will really pay off when you travel. If you have trained your body to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep, you will have a much easier adjustment to the new time zone.
Sources
Chronic Jet-Lag Increase Mortality in Aged Mice. AJ Davidson, MT Sellix, J Daniel, S Yamazaki, M Menaker, and GD Block. Chronic Jet-Lag Increases Mortality in Aged Mice. Curr Biol. 2006 November 7; 16(21): R914–R916.
National Institutes of Health; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. NIH Publication No. 06-5271.
Long-Term Effect of Jet Lag
While not well understood, researchers have found that routine interruption in the circadian rhythms of mice can lead to shortened life expectancy. Researchers placed both young and aged mice on an 8-week cycle of shifts in light exposure.
Jet lag preventionAll the jet lag issues and how to avoid and prevent jet lagwww.nojetlag.com
In one group, the light cycle was advanced 6 hours every 7 days. Another group’s light exposure was delayed 6 hours every 7 days. A third group maintained a constant 12-hour light cycle.
The young mice did not seem affected greatly by the changes in light, but the aged mice experienced marked increases in mortality. Only 47 percent of the first group survived the study, 68 percent of the second group. This is compared to 83 percent of the control group.
Does that mean humans shorten their lives by flying? No. There isn’t enough data about human travel and circadian rhythms to know the long-term effect. But the aforementioned study, along with the known fact that jet lag increases the risk of sleep disorders like insomnia, should throw caution on routine travel that causes large changes in the daily cycle.
Reducing the Effect of Jet Lag
The body takes about 1 day per hour of change to adjust. There are no techniques to speed up that process, but you can ease the transition:
* Light therapy: Through exposure to full-spectrum lights or sunlight, a person can make the adjustment to a new time zone more gradual. This is especially effective when you can get exposure to bright lights in the last few hours of morning sleep.
* Gradual Adjustment: Before leaving on a trip, take 3 or 4 days to begin adjusting to the new schedule. Each day, sleep an hour later (or earlier) so that the change will not be as drastic. For example, if you are going to “lose” 3 hours of sleep, wake up an hour earlier each day for two days before you leave. You will adjust to the new time zone much faster that way.
* Supplements: Melatonin, valerian and other supplements may help people temporarily fall asleep faster. Consult a doctor before taking these.
* Sleep Habits: Establishing good sleep habits will really pay off when you travel. If you have trained your body to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep, you will have a much easier adjustment to the new time zone.
Sources
Chronic Jet-Lag Increase Mortality in Aged Mice. AJ Davidson, MT Sellix, J Daniel, S Yamazaki, M Menaker, and GD Block. Chronic Jet-Lag Increases Mortality in Aged Mice. Curr Biol. 2006 November 7; 16(21): R914–R916.
National Institutes of Health; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. NIH Publication No. 06-5271.
Effects of the Night Shift on Sleep
Working the night shift can wreak havoc on your sleep. This leads to an increased risk of insomnia and other sleep disorders. Night shift work has also been shown to increase the risk of heart and digestive problems, as well as problems with moods and emotions. Night shift workers are at an increased risk for safety accidents due to tiredness.
The Effect of the Night Shift on Your Body
When you are awake at night and asleep during the day, your body does not receive powerful biological cues from the amount of light in the environment. These cues are necessary to regulate the circadian rhythms that control your sleep/wake cycle. This causes difficulty in falling asleep and getting enough deep sleep.
An additional problem is switching from a night schedule to a day schedule on days off, or during changes in your work shift. This switching causes the same effects as jet lag. The body needs one hour per day to adjust to changes in sleep. Night shift workers may find that impossible.
Dealing with the Night Shift and Sleep
There are a number of things that you can do to make sure you get enough good quality sleep even while working the night shift:
* Bright Lights: While at work during the night, try to be in as much bright light as possible. A full-spectrum light would be best, but any increase in light will help your body to regulate its sleep/wake cycle.
* Dark Bedroom: When you are trying to sleep, make your bedroom as dark as possible. Close the curtains and the door. Some people find that sleep masks help block the light, allowing for more refreshing sleep.
* Increase Your Total Sleep: Add naps and lengthen the hours you spend sleeping to make up for a loss in sleep quality.
* Limit Caffeine: Use caffeine only in the early part of your shift. Try to avoid it toward the end of your shift so you will be able to go right to sleep when it's time.
* Limit Shift Changes: Try to stay on one schedule for as long as possible. Shifting between day and night work is especially hard on the body.
Sources
National Institutes of Health; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. NIH Publication No. 06-5271.
The Effect of the Night Shift on Your Body
When you are awake at night and asleep during the day, your body does not receive powerful biological cues from the amount of light in the environment. These cues are necessary to regulate the circadian rhythms that control your sleep/wake cycle. This causes difficulty in falling asleep and getting enough deep sleep.
An additional problem is switching from a night schedule to a day schedule on days off, or during changes in your work shift. This switching causes the same effects as jet lag. The body needs one hour per day to adjust to changes in sleep. Night shift workers may find that impossible.
Dealing with the Night Shift and Sleep
There are a number of things that you can do to make sure you get enough good quality sleep even while working the night shift:
* Bright Lights: While at work during the night, try to be in as much bright light as possible. A full-spectrum light would be best, but any increase in light will help your body to regulate its sleep/wake cycle.
* Dark Bedroom: When you are trying to sleep, make your bedroom as dark as possible. Close the curtains and the door. Some people find that sleep masks help block the light, allowing for more refreshing sleep.
* Increase Your Total Sleep: Add naps and lengthen the hours you spend sleeping to make up for a loss in sleep quality.
* Limit Caffeine: Use caffeine only in the early part of your shift. Try to avoid it toward the end of your shift so you will be able to go right to sleep when it's time.
* Limit Shift Changes: Try to stay on one schedule for as long as possible. Shifting between day and night work is especially hard on the body.
Sources
National Institutes of Health; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. NIH Publication No. 06-5271.
Health and Snoring
Snoring occurs when the airways in the throat and mouth are partially blocked. The blockage disturbs the incoming air and causes tissues in your mouth and throat to vibrate. These vibrations create the snorts and sounds that characterize snoring.
Causes of Snoring
Snoring can be caused by having larger tissues in the throat and mouth. Tissue size increases with weight; that's why overweight people are more likely to snore. People who take alcohol or sedatives before sleep may snore because the tissues in the throat and mouth relax more. Some people who snore may have sleep apnea, a sleep disorder related to interrupted breathing during sleep.
Snoring can be a Red Flag
While snoring itself does not cause a health condition, people who snore also often have other risk factors.
Snoring has been associated with an increased risk for diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
Pregnant women may begin snoring for the first time in the second trimester. This occurrence may indicate a rise in blood pressure, which is dangerous during pregnancy. Pregnant women who begin snoring should have their blood pressure checked.
Ten to 15 percent of children snore due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Snoring in children has been linked to lower intelligence scores and increased behavioral problems. If a child snores 2 to 3 times a week, he or she should be checked by a physician.
Stopping Snoring
Snoring can be treated through a combination of lifestyle changes and devices including:
* Losing weight
* Avoiding smoking
* Sleeping on your side
* Elevating your head during sleep
* Treating congestion
* Using a mouthpiece prescribed by a dentist
Do-it-yourself Snoring Cures
# Numerous products are available to help you stop snoring as well as a host of at homeremedies. Most of these are harmless and may even help some: Nose Strips: Supposedly you put these on your nose and they help keep your nostrils open all night long. Seems like a sound approach and can help with congestion-related snoring. If the snoring is caused by sleep apnea, being overweight or another reason, these probably won't help much.
# Snoring Sprays: There are over-the-counter sprays you can buy to make you stop snoring. This seems to be a stretch.
# Nose Drops and Snoring Gum: Not a lot of evidence that these are doing much except costing you money.
# Mouthpieces: Unless designed by a dentist for your mouth, these devices are unlikely to help.
# Anti-Snoring Pills: Wouldn't it be great if a pill could make you stop snoring? The marketing team at these companies thought so too.
# Air Filters: Changing the air in your bedroom could help if your snoring is caused by congestion from allergies in the air.
# Mouth Exercises: Mouth exercises to open your throat and unclench the jaw may help some snorers. Australians suggest learning to play the didgeridoo.
# Shaking: There is a belief (perhaps perpetuated by endless Brady Bunch reruns) that shaking a person every time they snore will 'teach' them not to snore. While shaking a person may cause his or her snoring to stop temporarily, this technique does not address the underlying cause of snoring.
Bottom Line: If you want to stop snoring, try changes in lifestyle first, especially weight loss.
Source
Causes of Snoring
Snoring can be caused by having larger tissues in the throat and mouth. Tissue size increases with weight; that's why overweight people are more likely to snore. People who take alcohol or sedatives before sleep may snore because the tissues in the throat and mouth relax more. Some people who snore may have sleep apnea, a sleep disorder related to interrupted breathing during sleep.
Snoring can be a Red Flag
While snoring itself does not cause a health condition, people who snore also often have other risk factors.
Snoring has been associated with an increased risk for diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
Pregnant women may begin snoring for the first time in the second trimester. This occurrence may indicate a rise in blood pressure, which is dangerous during pregnancy. Pregnant women who begin snoring should have their blood pressure checked.
Ten to 15 percent of children snore due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Snoring in children has been linked to lower intelligence scores and increased behavioral problems. If a child snores 2 to 3 times a week, he or she should be checked by a physician.
Stopping Snoring
Snoring can be treated through a combination of lifestyle changes and devices including:
* Losing weight
* Avoiding smoking
* Sleeping on your side
* Elevating your head during sleep
* Treating congestion
* Using a mouthpiece prescribed by a dentist
Do-it-yourself Snoring Cures
# Numerous products are available to help you stop snoring as well as a host of at homeremedies. Most of these are harmless and may even help some: Nose Strips: Supposedly you put these on your nose and they help keep your nostrils open all night long. Seems like a sound approach and can help with congestion-related snoring. If the snoring is caused by sleep apnea, being overweight or another reason, these probably won't help much.
# Snoring Sprays: There are over-the-counter sprays you can buy to make you stop snoring. This seems to be a stretch.
# Nose Drops and Snoring Gum: Not a lot of evidence that these are doing much except costing you money.
# Mouthpieces: Unless designed by a dentist for your mouth, these devices are unlikely to help.
# Anti-Snoring Pills: Wouldn't it be great if a pill could make you stop snoring? The marketing team at these companies thought so too.
# Air Filters: Changing the air in your bedroom could help if your snoring is caused by congestion from allergies in the air.
# Mouth Exercises: Mouth exercises to open your throat and unclench the jaw may help some snorers. Australians suggest learning to play the didgeridoo.
# Shaking: There is a belief (perhaps perpetuated by endless Brady Bunch reruns) that shaking a person every time they snore will 'teach' them not to snore. While shaking a person may cause his or her snoring to stop temporarily, this technique does not address the underlying cause of snoring.
Bottom Line: If you want to stop snoring, try changes in lifestyle first, especially weight loss.
Source
Understanding Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing is interrupted during sleep. This interruption is caused by short (10-20 second) blocking of the upper airway. This blockage is caused by the short tissues at the back of the throat relaxing too much. Breathing interruptions can occur from five to 100 times per hour; fewer than five is considered normal.
Is Sleep Apnea Dangerous?
Yes. While a person with sleep apnea cannot suffocate – the brain will wake the person up enough to tighten the muscles at the back of the throat - there is an increased risk of sudden cardiac activity that can lead to abnormal heart rhythm and even death.
How Do I Know if I Have Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea may happen without the person being aware of the episodes.
The main symptom is overall fatigue, lack of energy and tiredness due to these sleep interruptions. People with sleep apnea do not spend enough time in the deeper stages of sleep. This can lead to moodiness, irritability and increased risk of accidents.
Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Often when breathing starts again, a person with sleep apnea will snort or snore loudly. While this is common, not everyone with sleep apnea will make these sounds.
Other Symptoms
Because of the repetitive awakenings and decreased amount of oxygen in the blood during sleep interruptions, a person with sleep apnea may also have some of the following symptoms:
* Morning headaches
* Problems with concentration
* Problems with memory
* Increased release of stress hormones, such as cortisol (which increases risk for stroke, heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems)
Who Gets Sleep Apnea?
Between five and 25 percent of Americans have sleep apnea, with almost 50 percent of those going undiagnosed. Sleep apnea is almost twice as common in men as it is in women, with one in 25 men having some form of sleep apnea (compared to one in 50 women). Three percent of children and 10 percent of adults over 65 have sleep apnea. Non-Caucasians are more likely to have sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea Risk Factors
Risk factors for sleep apnea include:
* Being overweight, as extra fat tissue around the neck makes it harder to keep the airway open
* Throat and tongue muscles that “overrelax”
* A thicker neck and smaller head shape
* Congestion
* Family history of sleep apnea
* Enlarged tonsils and adenoids
Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
In addition to taking a detailed family history and examining your mouth, nose and throat for enlarged tissues, a doctor may use the following tests to diagnose sleep apnea:
* Polysomnogram (PSG): This test uses a device that records your breathing throughout the night.
* Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT): This test, often done at a sleep center, involves timing how quickly you can fall asleep during the day. If you fall asleep fast, you are probably not getting enough sleep at night. This test is used when the PSG is normal, but the person is still excessively tired during the day.
Treating Sleep Apnea
Mild forms of sleep apnea can be treated by changing the way you sleep and other lifestyle behaviors. These changes include:
* Sleeping on your side to help your airway stay open
* Avoiding any medications, supplements or other substances that affect your breathing or make you too relaxed, including sleeping pills, herbal supplements and sedatives
* Losing weight, which will reduce the amount of tissue that can block your airway
More serious cases of sleep apnea can be treated by using devices that help keep the airway open throughout the night. These include:
* Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device: This device is a mask worn at night that keeps air flowing enough to prevent the airway from closing.
* Mouthpieces: Some people with sleep apnea find that the condition improves if they wear a specially-designed mouthpiece while they sleep. This mouthpiece helps to keep the throat open during sleep.
* Uvulopatatopharyngoplasty (UPPP): This is a long word for “removing the tonsils, adenoids, a part of the soft palate, uvula, and some soft tissue at the back of the throat” through surgery.
Sources
National Institutes of Health; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. NIH Publication No. 06-5271.
Is Sleep Apnea Dangerous?
Yes. While a person with sleep apnea cannot suffocate – the brain will wake the person up enough to tighten the muscles at the back of the throat - there is an increased risk of sudden cardiac activity that can lead to abnormal heart rhythm and even death.
How Do I Know if I Have Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea may happen without the person being aware of the episodes.
The main symptom is overall fatigue, lack of energy and tiredness due to these sleep interruptions. People with sleep apnea do not spend enough time in the deeper stages of sleep. This can lead to moodiness, irritability and increased risk of accidents.
Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Often when breathing starts again, a person with sleep apnea will snort or snore loudly. While this is common, not everyone with sleep apnea will make these sounds.
Other Symptoms
Because of the repetitive awakenings and decreased amount of oxygen in the blood during sleep interruptions, a person with sleep apnea may also have some of the following symptoms:
* Morning headaches
* Problems with concentration
* Problems with memory
* Increased release of stress hormones, such as cortisol (which increases risk for stroke, heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems)
Who Gets Sleep Apnea?
Between five and 25 percent of Americans have sleep apnea, with almost 50 percent of those going undiagnosed. Sleep apnea is almost twice as common in men as it is in women, with one in 25 men having some form of sleep apnea (compared to one in 50 women). Three percent of children and 10 percent of adults over 65 have sleep apnea. Non-Caucasians are more likely to have sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea Risk Factors
Risk factors for sleep apnea include:
* Being overweight, as extra fat tissue around the neck makes it harder to keep the airway open
* Throat and tongue muscles that “overrelax”
* A thicker neck and smaller head shape
* Congestion
* Family history of sleep apnea
* Enlarged tonsils and adenoids
Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
In addition to taking a detailed family history and examining your mouth, nose and throat for enlarged tissues, a doctor may use the following tests to diagnose sleep apnea:
* Polysomnogram (PSG): This test uses a device that records your breathing throughout the night.
* Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT): This test, often done at a sleep center, involves timing how quickly you can fall asleep during the day. If you fall asleep fast, you are probably not getting enough sleep at night. This test is used when the PSG is normal, but the person is still excessively tired during the day.
Treating Sleep Apnea
Mild forms of sleep apnea can be treated by changing the way you sleep and other lifestyle behaviors. These changes include:
* Sleeping on your side to help your airway stay open
* Avoiding any medications, supplements or other substances that affect your breathing or make you too relaxed, including sleeping pills, herbal supplements and sedatives
* Losing weight, which will reduce the amount of tissue that can block your airway
More serious cases of sleep apnea can be treated by using devices that help keep the airway open throughout the night. These include:
* Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device: This device is a mask worn at night that keeps air flowing enough to prevent the airway from closing.
* Mouthpieces: Some people with sleep apnea find that the condition improves if they wear a specially-designed mouthpiece while they sleep. This mouthpiece helps to keep the throat open during sleep.
* Uvulopatatopharyngoplasty (UPPP): This is a long word for “removing the tonsils, adenoids, a part of the soft palate, uvula, and some soft tissue at the back of the throat” through surgery.
Sources
National Institutes of Health; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. NIH Publication No. 06-5271.
Understanding Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless Legs Syndrome Overview
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sleep disorder that causes a tingling or prickling sensation in the legs that is temporarily eased by moving the legs. People with RLS feel an impulse to stretch and move their legs to stop the pain. This interferes both with falling asleep and with staying asleep. RLS can occur in one or both legs (and is often worse in the calves) and occasionally in the arms.
RLS Symptoms
In addition to painful tingling in the legs, people with RLS may experience several other symptoms, including:
* Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep
* Periodic limb movement in sleep (PLMS), which are brief, sudden movements of the legs every five to 90 seconds
* Painful sensations in the legs when sitting or lying down for a long period of time (for example, while sitting in a car or behind a desk)
Who Gets Restless Legs Syndrome?
Between five and 15 percent of Americans are estimated to have RLS. The older you are, the greater your chances of having RLS. Approximately 30 percent of insomnia in older adults is caused by RLS. Women are more likely than men to have RLS. Pregnancy, kidney problems and nutritional deficiencies can trigger or worsen RLS. RLS is thought to be a hereditary disorder.
What Causes RLS?
Researchers think that an iron deficiency in the fluid in the brain causes RLS. Iron is necessary for the brain to produce dopamine, which controls limb movement. Testing for iron in the blood does not diagnosis RLS because the blood iron may be normal while the iron in the fluid around the brain is too low.
RLS and High Blood Pressure
Recent studies show that blood pressure may elevate by an average of 22 points systolic (top number) and 11 points diastolic (bottom number) during episodes of RLS. In addition, the blood pressure could spike every 20 to 40 seconds many times during the night. This increases the risk of heart disease.
Managing RLS
RLS cannot be “cured” but it can be managed. In some cases, doctors will prescribe medications that work like dopamine in the body. These help control the painful sensations and impulsive movements. People with mild cases may benefit from sedatives or changes in lifestyle. Avoiding caffeine, practicing good sleep hygiene, stretching, taking a hot bath and massaging the legs before bedtime may help RLS symptoms. Iron and vitamin supplements may also help some people with RLS.
Sources:
National Institutes of Health; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. NIH Publication No. 06-5271.
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sleep disorder that causes a tingling or prickling sensation in the legs that is temporarily eased by moving the legs. People with RLS feel an impulse to stretch and move their legs to stop the pain. This interferes both with falling asleep and with staying asleep. RLS can occur in one or both legs (and is often worse in the calves) and occasionally in the arms.
RLS Symptoms
In addition to painful tingling in the legs, people with RLS may experience several other symptoms, including:
* Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep
* Periodic limb movement in sleep (PLMS), which are brief, sudden movements of the legs every five to 90 seconds
* Painful sensations in the legs when sitting or lying down for a long period of time (for example, while sitting in a car or behind a desk)
Who Gets Restless Legs Syndrome?
Between five and 15 percent of Americans are estimated to have RLS. The older you are, the greater your chances of having RLS. Approximately 30 percent of insomnia in older adults is caused by RLS. Women are more likely than men to have RLS. Pregnancy, kidney problems and nutritional deficiencies can trigger or worsen RLS. RLS is thought to be a hereditary disorder.
What Causes RLS?
Researchers think that an iron deficiency in the fluid in the brain causes RLS. Iron is necessary for the brain to produce dopamine, which controls limb movement. Testing for iron in the blood does not diagnosis RLS because the blood iron may be normal while the iron in the fluid around the brain is too low.
RLS and High Blood Pressure
Recent studies show that blood pressure may elevate by an average of 22 points systolic (top number) and 11 points diastolic (bottom number) during episodes of RLS. In addition, the blood pressure could spike every 20 to 40 seconds many times during the night. This increases the risk of heart disease.
Managing RLS
RLS cannot be “cured” but it can be managed. In some cases, doctors will prescribe medications that work like dopamine in the body. These help control the painful sensations and impulsive movements. People with mild cases may benefit from sedatives or changes in lifestyle. Avoiding caffeine, practicing good sleep hygiene, stretching, taking a hot bath and massaging the legs before bedtime may help RLS symptoms. Iron and vitamin supplements may also help some people with RLS.
Sources:
National Institutes of Health; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. NIH Publication No. 06-5271.
Understanding Insomnia
Insomnia is a broad term used to describe difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. The term also includes the situation of a person not feeling refreshed after 7 to 9 hours of being in bed. Temporary insomnia is normal and can be brought on by stress and anxiety. Chronic insomnia is defined as experiencing insomnia symptoms at least 3 times a week for at least one month. Between 30 and 40 percent of adults report some insomnia each year, with 10 to 15 percent saying they have chronic insomnia.
Effects of Insomnia
Chronic insomnia causes a person to feel tired during the day and can lead to moodiness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and other effects related to lack of sleep. Insomnia can significantly lower a person’s quality of life.
Most cases of insomnia are considered “secondary,” which means they are caused by something else. These causes include:
* Medication Side Effects: These are especially common with decongestants, some pain relievers and steroids.
* Diseases and Health Conditions: Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, asthma, heart disease and many other health problems can cause trouble with sleep.
* Poor Sleep Behaviors: These include drinking alcohol before bed, exercising before bed, drinking caffeine in the evening, poor exposure to sunlight and other behaviors that interfere with the body successfully achieving enough restful sleep.
* Sleep Disorders: Restless legs syndrome or sleep apnea are just two common sleep disorders.
A few people have chronic primary insomnia, which is difficulty sleeping not caused by any other factor. These people may have an oversupply of certain hormones, faster heart rates or other physiological differences that make sleep difficult.
The Insomnia Cycle
One of the biggest dangers in insomnia is known as the “insomnia cycle.” This occurs when a person has difficulty falling asleep one night and then becomes anxious about falling asleep the next night, which makes it more difficult to fall asleep. The more they cannot sleep, the more anxious about sleep they become – which keeps them from sleeping. To break the ”insomnia cycle,” practice healthy sleep habits, such as only going to bed when you are tired, not lying in bed awake for more than 20 minutes and avoiding afternoon and evening caffeine.
Insomnia Treatment
Many of the most effective insomnia treatments involve changing your sleep behaviors and habits, while some require medications and supplements:
* Improving Your Sleep Habits: By changing your habits around sleep you can greatly shorten the time it takes to fall asleep. More exercise, more sunlight exposure and less caffeine are just three examples of habits to change to improve sleep.
* Relaxation Therapy: Some people with chronic insomnia may be directed to practice relaxation therapy, which can involve tensing and relaxing different muscle groups or focusing on deep breathing. Relaxation therapy can help people to fall asleep faster.
* Sleep Restriction: Another effective insomnia treatment involves sleep restriction. This involves limiting sleep to 4 or 5 hours a night and then gradually adding time onto sleep. This can help retrain the body to fall asleep and stay asleep. People practicing sleep restriction should avoid driving and other dangerous activities until they are getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night.
* Sleep Medications: There are many (widely advertised) sleep medications, which are available by prescription. Some of these medications may help you to fall asleep, but you may wake up unrefreshed. Some also lose their effectiveness over time. Sleep medications should be used under the careful direction of a doctor and as part of a comprehensive sleep plan that also addresses sleep behaviors.
* Supplements: Many supplements claim to help with insomnia. The two most popular are melatonin and valerian.
o Melatonin: This hormone is naturally produced by your body and stimulated by exposure to sunlight. Studies have not shown that melatonin is effective in treating insomnia. However, many people claim that taking melatonin helps them to fall asleep. Before taking melatonin, remember that the goal is for your body to produce enough melatonin on its own. Supplements may actually decrease your own production and should only be used in the short-term and under a doctor’s supervision.
o Valerian: This is an herb that is reportedly effective in helping people fall asleep. Studies on valerian have been inconclusive. Valerian comes in many different forms (tea, pills extracts) and is unregulated. Dose and quality can vary widely from one product to another.
Source
Effects of Insomnia
Chronic insomnia causes a person to feel tired during the day and can lead to moodiness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and other effects related to lack of sleep. Insomnia can significantly lower a person’s quality of life.
Most cases of insomnia are considered “secondary,” which means they are caused by something else. These causes include:
* Medication Side Effects: These are especially common with decongestants, some pain relievers and steroids.
* Diseases and Health Conditions: Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, asthma, heart disease and many other health problems can cause trouble with sleep.
* Poor Sleep Behaviors: These include drinking alcohol before bed, exercising before bed, drinking caffeine in the evening, poor exposure to sunlight and other behaviors that interfere with the body successfully achieving enough restful sleep.
* Sleep Disorders: Restless legs syndrome or sleep apnea are just two common sleep disorders.
A few people have chronic primary insomnia, which is difficulty sleeping not caused by any other factor. These people may have an oversupply of certain hormones, faster heart rates or other physiological differences that make sleep difficult.
The Insomnia Cycle
One of the biggest dangers in insomnia is known as the “insomnia cycle.” This occurs when a person has difficulty falling asleep one night and then becomes anxious about falling asleep the next night, which makes it more difficult to fall asleep. The more they cannot sleep, the more anxious about sleep they become – which keeps them from sleeping. To break the ”insomnia cycle,” practice healthy sleep habits, such as only going to bed when you are tired, not lying in bed awake for more than 20 minutes and avoiding afternoon and evening caffeine.
Insomnia Treatment
Many of the most effective insomnia treatments involve changing your sleep behaviors and habits, while some require medications and supplements:
* Improving Your Sleep Habits: By changing your habits around sleep you can greatly shorten the time it takes to fall asleep. More exercise, more sunlight exposure and less caffeine are just three examples of habits to change to improve sleep.
* Relaxation Therapy: Some people with chronic insomnia may be directed to practice relaxation therapy, which can involve tensing and relaxing different muscle groups or focusing on deep breathing. Relaxation therapy can help people to fall asleep faster.
* Sleep Restriction: Another effective insomnia treatment involves sleep restriction. This involves limiting sleep to 4 or 5 hours a night and then gradually adding time onto sleep. This can help retrain the body to fall asleep and stay asleep. People practicing sleep restriction should avoid driving and other dangerous activities until they are getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night.
* Sleep Medications: There are many (widely advertised) sleep medications, which are available by prescription. Some of these medications may help you to fall asleep, but you may wake up unrefreshed. Some also lose their effectiveness over time. Sleep medications should be used under the careful direction of a doctor and as part of a comprehensive sleep plan that also addresses sleep behaviors.
* Supplements: Many supplements claim to help with insomnia. The two most popular are melatonin and valerian.
o Melatonin: This hormone is naturally produced by your body and stimulated by exposure to sunlight. Studies have not shown that melatonin is effective in treating insomnia. However, many people claim that taking melatonin helps them to fall asleep. Before taking melatonin, remember that the goal is for your body to produce enough melatonin on its own. Supplements may actually decrease your own production and should only be used in the short-term and under a doctor’s supervision.
o Valerian: This is an herb that is reportedly effective in helping people fall asleep. Studies on valerian have been inconclusive. Valerian comes in many different forms (tea, pills extracts) and is unregulated. Dose and quality can vary widely from one product to another.
Source
Sleep and Aging
Sleep Needs Don’t Change as You Age
There is a myth that older people need less sleep. That is simply not true. All adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. As we age, it gets more difficult to get a good night’s sleep. That doesn’t mean we don’t still need seven to nine hours. One of the challenges to healthy aging is troubleshooting sleep to ensure that we are getting enough rest for good health.
Sleep Changes in Older Adults
For a number of reasons, older people have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. As we age, we may notice some of the following:
* Taking longer to fall asleep
* Sleep is less deep
* Waking up three or four times a night
* Frequent nighttime bathroom trips
* Sleep is not as restful or satisfying
* Tendency to fall asleep in the early evening and wake up in the early morning
Why Older Adults Sleep Less
As we age, our bodies change. These changes impact the length and quality of our sleep. Depending on your situation, one of more of these factors may apply:
* Hormones: As we age, our bodies secrete less of two important sleep hormones: melatonin and growth hormone.
o Melatonin is important because changes in the level of this hormone control our sleep cycle. With less melatonin, many older adults feel sleepy in the early evening and wake up in the early morning. They also may have more trouble falling asleep.
o Growth hormone is what makes children sleep so deeply. As we age, our body secretes less of this hormone and deep sleep becomes more difficult.
o Menopause causes a great deal of hormonal changes in women, sometimes resulting in night sweats and other symptoms that interfere with sleep.
* Health Conditions: Health conditions can interfere with sleep. As we age, we are more likely to develop a chronic illness. These illnesses result in changes in our body that interfere with normal sleep. By managing your health condition well, you can minimize this effect. Examples of how some illnesses interfere with sleep are:
o Some health conditions (like arthritis) cause pain, which makes it difficult to fall asleep.
o Other conditions (like diabetes or an enlarged prostate) may cause you to use the bathroom frequently during the night, which interrupts deep sleep.
o Heart disease, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions may cause you to wake suddenly due to breathing difficulties or changes in heart rate.
o Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and mental illnesses may cause anxiety that interferes with sleep.
* Lifestyle Changes: As we age, our daily routines change. These changes can affect our sleep. By increasing exercise and time spent outdoors and decreasing napping, you will improve both the length and quality of your sleep:
o Lifestyle Changes Older people get less exercise. Be sure to talk to your doctor and get a healthy amount of daily exercise.
o Sunlight: Sunlight helps your body to produce melatonin, which regulates your sleep cycle. Try to get at least two hours of exposure to bright light each day. If it is difficult for you to get outside, consider using a full-spectrum light indoors.
o Napping: While napping can be great, if you are napping more than 20 minutes a day, you may be interfering with your sleep.
o Alcohol, caffeine and nicotine: These three culprits will wreak havoc on your sleep. If you are having trouble, cut back and be sure not to use any of these within three hours of going to bed.
* Medications: As we age, it is more likely that we are taking one or more medications. These medications can often interfere with sleep. Your doctor may be able to change your medication to one that doesn’t cause you to lose sleep, or possibly change the time of day you take that medication. Some common medications that are known to interfere with sleep include: some high blood pressure medications, antidepressants, steroids, some decongestants and bronchodilators.
What To Do?
The good news is that you can usually greatly improve your sleep by identifying the underlying cause and making changes. If your lack of sleep is due to illness or medication, talk to your doctor about the possibility of changing the medication or the time of day you take it. Follow the above sleep tips and be sure to get some exercise and sunlight every day.
If your sleep does not improve, you may have a sleep disorder. Health conditions that prevent a person from falling asleep or staying asleep include sleep apnea and insomnia. A doctor can help treat these conditions.
Bottom line: Try making changes in your sleep and lifestyle habits. If that doesn’t help, talk to your doctor. Whatever you do, don’t accept being tired as part of getting older.
Source
There is a myth that older people need less sleep. That is simply not true. All adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. As we age, it gets more difficult to get a good night’s sleep. That doesn’t mean we don’t still need seven to nine hours. One of the challenges to healthy aging is troubleshooting sleep to ensure that we are getting enough rest for good health.
Sleep Changes in Older Adults
For a number of reasons, older people have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. As we age, we may notice some of the following:
* Taking longer to fall asleep
* Sleep is less deep
* Waking up three or four times a night
* Frequent nighttime bathroom trips
* Sleep is not as restful or satisfying
* Tendency to fall asleep in the early evening and wake up in the early morning
Why Older Adults Sleep Less
As we age, our bodies change. These changes impact the length and quality of our sleep. Depending on your situation, one of more of these factors may apply:
* Hormones: As we age, our bodies secrete less of two important sleep hormones: melatonin and growth hormone.
o Melatonin is important because changes in the level of this hormone control our sleep cycle. With less melatonin, many older adults feel sleepy in the early evening and wake up in the early morning. They also may have more trouble falling asleep.
o Growth hormone is what makes children sleep so deeply. As we age, our body secretes less of this hormone and deep sleep becomes more difficult.
o Menopause causes a great deal of hormonal changes in women, sometimes resulting in night sweats and other symptoms that interfere with sleep.
* Health Conditions: Health conditions can interfere with sleep. As we age, we are more likely to develop a chronic illness. These illnesses result in changes in our body that interfere with normal sleep. By managing your health condition well, you can minimize this effect. Examples of how some illnesses interfere with sleep are:
o Some health conditions (like arthritis) cause pain, which makes it difficult to fall asleep.
o Other conditions (like diabetes or an enlarged prostate) may cause you to use the bathroom frequently during the night, which interrupts deep sleep.
o Heart disease, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions may cause you to wake suddenly due to breathing difficulties or changes in heart rate.
o Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and mental illnesses may cause anxiety that interferes with sleep.
* Lifestyle Changes: As we age, our daily routines change. These changes can affect our sleep. By increasing exercise and time spent outdoors and decreasing napping, you will improve both the length and quality of your sleep:
o Lifestyle Changes Older people get less exercise. Be sure to talk to your doctor and get a healthy amount of daily exercise.
o Sunlight: Sunlight helps your body to produce melatonin, which regulates your sleep cycle. Try to get at least two hours of exposure to bright light each day. If it is difficult for you to get outside, consider using a full-spectrum light indoors.
o Napping: While napping can be great, if you are napping more than 20 minutes a day, you may be interfering with your sleep.
o Alcohol, caffeine and nicotine: These three culprits will wreak havoc on your sleep. If you are having trouble, cut back and be sure not to use any of these within three hours of going to bed.
* Medications: As we age, it is more likely that we are taking one or more medications. These medications can often interfere with sleep. Your doctor may be able to change your medication to one that doesn’t cause you to lose sleep, or possibly change the time of day you take that medication. Some common medications that are known to interfere with sleep include: some high blood pressure medications, antidepressants, steroids, some decongestants and bronchodilators.
What To Do?
The good news is that you can usually greatly improve your sleep by identifying the underlying cause and making changes. If your lack of sleep is due to illness or medication, talk to your doctor about the possibility of changing the medication or the time of day you take it. Follow the above sleep tips and be sure to get some exercise and sunlight every day.
If your sleep does not improve, you may have a sleep disorder. Health conditions that prevent a person from falling asleep or staying asleep include sleep apnea and insomnia. A doctor can help treat these conditions.
Bottom line: Try making changes in your sleep and lifestyle habits. If that doesn’t help, talk to your doctor. Whatever you do, don’t accept being tired as part of getting older.
Source
Top 10 Sleep Disorders and Sleep Problems
Getting between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night can be a challenge for many people. If you are dissatisfied with the amount and quality of sleep you are getting, you may have a sleep disorder. Some sleep disorders are caused by medical problems and others are caused by lifestyle and sleep habits.
1) Insomnia
Between 30 and 40 percent of adults report some difficultly falling asleep or staying asleep each year. In American, 10 to 15 percent of all adults reports long-term, chronic insomnia. Insomnia can be attributed to medical conditions, poor sleep habits, medications and many other causes. Insomnia can be treated through medications, lifestyle changes and other techniques.
2) Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
Between 5 and 15 percent of adults have some form of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). It is a disorder that causes a tingling or prickling sensation in the legs that is temporarily eased by moving the legs. People with RLS feel an impulse to stretch and move their legs to stop the pain. These movements interfere both with falling asleep and staying asleep.
3) Sleep Apnea
Between 5 and 25 percent of American adults have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder in which breathing is interrupted 5 to 100 times per hour. Often these interruptions are not enough to wake a person, but significantly disturb sleep. People with sleep apnea often feel tired and fatigued. Treatment for sleep apnea varies from changing sleep habits to surgery.
4) Snoring
Snoring can be a sign that something is not quite right. People who snore often are at risk for heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions. Snoring can be treated, which will improve overall health through a more restful sleep pattern.
5) Falling Asleep
Because of poor sleep habits, many people spend more than 15 minutes each night trying to fall asleep. Reading or watching television in bed and other habits train our bodies to stay awake longer and be awake in bed. By adjusting our sleep habits, we can retrain ourselves to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep all night.
6) Night Shift
Night shift work can alter your sleep habits. While working the night shift, it is important to make sure you are getting enough quality sleep. This not only will make you feel more energized, but it will also protect your health from the long-term effects of lack of sleep.
7) Jet Lag
Jet lag can seriously affect sleep. This common travel problem makes it difficult for the body to adjust to a new time zone.
8) Sleep and Driving
Driving while sleepy is dangerous, causing more than 1,500 deaths a year. Relying on caffeine and stimulants to keep you awake can be dangerous. Instead, plan ahead to get good sleep before you go and schedule breaks to take short naps.
9) Nocturia
Nocturia is a word for waking up to urinate once or more each night. The causes of nocturia vary, but treatment can include drinking liquids and taking medication earlier in the day.
10) Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a serious sleep disorder that affects between 250,000 and 350,000 Americans. Narcolepsy is marked by excessive daytime sleepiness, often resulting in sleep attacks that last from a few seconds to 30 minutes. Other symptoms include vivid dreams, sleep paralysis and cataplexy.
Source
1) Insomnia
Between 30 and 40 percent of adults report some difficultly falling asleep or staying asleep each year. In American, 10 to 15 percent of all adults reports long-term, chronic insomnia. Insomnia can be attributed to medical conditions, poor sleep habits, medications and many other causes. Insomnia can be treated through medications, lifestyle changes and other techniques.
2) Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
Between 5 and 15 percent of adults have some form of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). It is a disorder that causes a tingling or prickling sensation in the legs that is temporarily eased by moving the legs. People with RLS feel an impulse to stretch and move their legs to stop the pain. These movements interfere both with falling asleep and staying asleep.
3) Sleep Apnea
Between 5 and 25 percent of American adults have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder in which breathing is interrupted 5 to 100 times per hour. Often these interruptions are not enough to wake a person, but significantly disturb sleep. People with sleep apnea often feel tired and fatigued. Treatment for sleep apnea varies from changing sleep habits to surgery.
4) Snoring
Snoring can be a sign that something is not quite right. People who snore often are at risk for heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions. Snoring can be treated, which will improve overall health through a more restful sleep pattern.
5) Falling Asleep
Because of poor sleep habits, many people spend more than 15 minutes each night trying to fall asleep. Reading or watching television in bed and other habits train our bodies to stay awake longer and be awake in bed. By adjusting our sleep habits, we can retrain ourselves to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep all night.
6) Night Shift
Night shift work can alter your sleep habits. While working the night shift, it is important to make sure you are getting enough quality sleep. This not only will make you feel more energized, but it will also protect your health from the long-term effects of lack of sleep.
7) Jet Lag
Jet lag can seriously affect sleep. This common travel problem makes it difficult for the body to adjust to a new time zone.
8) Sleep and Driving
Driving while sleepy is dangerous, causing more than 1,500 deaths a year. Relying on caffeine and stimulants to keep you awake can be dangerous. Instead, plan ahead to get good sleep before you go and schedule breaks to take short naps.
9) Nocturia
Nocturia is a word for waking up to urinate once or more each night. The causes of nocturia vary, but treatment can include drinking liquids and taking medication earlier in the day.
10) Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a serious sleep disorder that affects between 250,000 and 350,000 Americans. Narcolepsy is marked by excessive daytime sleepiness, often resulting in sleep attacks that last from a few seconds to 30 minutes. Other symptoms include vivid dreams, sleep paralysis and cataplexy.
Source
Top 10 Health Benefits of a Good Night's Sleep
In the past, sleep was often ignored by doctors and surrounded by myths, but now we are beginning to understand the importance of sleep to overall health and well-being. In fact, when people get less than 6 or 7 hours of sleep each night, their risk for developing diseases begins to increase.
1. Keeps Your Heart Healthy
Heart attacks and strokes are more common during the early morning hours. This fact may be explained by the way sleep interacts with the blood vessels. Lack of sleep has been associated with worsening of blood pressure and cholesterol, all risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Your heart will be healthier if you get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.
2. May Prevent Cancer
People working the late shift have a higher risk for breast and colon cancer. Researchers believe this link is caused by differing levels of melatonin in people who are exposed to light at night. Light exposure reduces the level of melatonin, a hormone that both makes us sleepy and is thought to protect against cancer. Melatonin appears to suppress the growth of tumors. Be sure that your bedroom is dark to help your body produce the melatonin it needs.
3. Reduces Stress
When your body is sleep deficient, it goes into a state of stress. The body's functions are put on high alert which causes an increase in blood pressure and a production of stress hormones. Higher blood pressure increases your risk for heart attacks and strokes. The stress hormones also, unfortunately, make it harder for you to sleep. Learn relaxation techniques to counter the effects of stress. There are also stress reduction techniques for sleep.
4. Reduces Inflammation
The increase in stress hormones raises the level of inflammation in your body, also creating more risk for heart-related conditions, as well as cancer and diabetes. Inflammation is thought to one of the causes of the deterioration of your body as you age.
5. Makes You More Alert
Of course, a good night's sleep makes you feel energized and alert the next day. Being engaged and active not only feels great, it increases your chances for another good night's sleep. When you wake up feeling refreshed, use that energy to get out into the daylight, do active things, and be engaged in your world. You'll sleep better the next night and increase your daily energy level.
6. Bolsters Your Memory
Researchers do not fully understand why we sleep and dream, but a process called memory consolidation occurs during sleep. While your body may be resting, your brain is busy processing your day, making connections between events, sensory input, feelings and memories. Your dreams and deep sleep are an important time for your brain to make memories and links. Getting more quality sleep will help you remember and process things better.
7. May Help You Lose Weight
Researchers have also found that people who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to be overweight or obese. It is thought that the lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite. The hormones ghrelin and leptin, important for the regulation of appetite, have been found to be disrupted by lack of sleep. So if you are interested in controlling or losing weight, don't forget to pay attention to getting a good night's sleep.
8. Naps Make You Smarter
Napping during the day is not only an effective and refreshing alternative to caffeine, it can also protect your health and make you more productive. A study of 24,000 Greek adults showed that people who napped several times a week had a lower risk for dying from heart disease. People who nap at work have much lower levels of stress. Napping also improves memory, cognitive function and mood.
9. Reduce Your Risk for Depression
Sleep impacts many of the chemicals in your body, including serotonin. People with a deficiency in serotonin are more likely to suffer from depression. You can help to prevent depression by making sure you are getting the right amount of sleep, between 7 and 9 hours each night.
10. Helps the Body Make Repairs
Sleep is a time for your body to repair damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays and other harmful exposures. Your cells produce more protein while you are sleeping. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair damage.
Sources
Archives of Internal Medicine, 1 2003;163:205-209.
Archives of Internal Medicine, 2. 2007;167(3):296-301.
Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention. Vol. 13, 936-943, June 2004.
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Vol. 89, No. 5 2119-2126.
Public Library of Science. PLoS Medicine Vol. 1, No. 3, e68 doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0010068.
Brigham and Women's Hospital Reducing Your Risk for Depression.
NIH Senior Health Sleep and Aging.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep
1. Keeps Your Heart Healthy
Heart attacks and strokes are more common during the early morning hours. This fact may be explained by the way sleep interacts with the blood vessels. Lack of sleep has been associated with worsening of blood pressure and cholesterol, all risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Your heart will be healthier if you get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.
2. May Prevent Cancer
People working the late shift have a higher risk for breast and colon cancer. Researchers believe this link is caused by differing levels of melatonin in people who are exposed to light at night. Light exposure reduces the level of melatonin, a hormone that both makes us sleepy and is thought to protect against cancer. Melatonin appears to suppress the growth of tumors. Be sure that your bedroom is dark to help your body produce the melatonin it needs.
3. Reduces Stress
When your body is sleep deficient, it goes into a state of stress. The body's functions are put on high alert which causes an increase in blood pressure and a production of stress hormones. Higher blood pressure increases your risk for heart attacks and strokes. The stress hormones also, unfortunately, make it harder for you to sleep. Learn relaxation techniques to counter the effects of stress. There are also stress reduction techniques for sleep.
4. Reduces Inflammation
The increase in stress hormones raises the level of inflammation in your body, also creating more risk for heart-related conditions, as well as cancer and diabetes. Inflammation is thought to one of the causes of the deterioration of your body as you age.
5. Makes You More Alert
Of course, a good night's sleep makes you feel energized and alert the next day. Being engaged and active not only feels great, it increases your chances for another good night's sleep. When you wake up feeling refreshed, use that energy to get out into the daylight, do active things, and be engaged in your world. You'll sleep better the next night and increase your daily energy level.
6. Bolsters Your Memory
Researchers do not fully understand why we sleep and dream, but a process called memory consolidation occurs during sleep. While your body may be resting, your brain is busy processing your day, making connections between events, sensory input, feelings and memories. Your dreams and deep sleep are an important time for your brain to make memories and links. Getting more quality sleep will help you remember and process things better.
7. May Help You Lose Weight
Researchers have also found that people who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to be overweight or obese. It is thought that the lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite. The hormones ghrelin and leptin, important for the regulation of appetite, have been found to be disrupted by lack of sleep. So if you are interested in controlling or losing weight, don't forget to pay attention to getting a good night's sleep.
8. Naps Make You Smarter
Napping during the day is not only an effective and refreshing alternative to caffeine, it can also protect your health and make you more productive. A study of 24,000 Greek adults showed that people who napped several times a week had a lower risk for dying from heart disease. People who nap at work have much lower levels of stress. Napping also improves memory, cognitive function and mood.
9. Reduce Your Risk for Depression
Sleep impacts many of the chemicals in your body, including serotonin. People with a deficiency in serotonin are more likely to suffer from depression. You can help to prevent depression by making sure you are getting the right amount of sleep, between 7 and 9 hours each night.
10. Helps the Body Make Repairs
Sleep is a time for your body to repair damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays and other harmful exposures. Your cells produce more protein while you are sleeping. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair damage.
Sources
Archives of Internal Medicine, 1 2003;163:205-209.
Archives of Internal Medicine, 2. 2007;167(3):296-301.
Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention. Vol. 13, 936-943, June 2004.
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Vol. 89, No. 5 2119-2126.
Public Library of Science. PLoS Medicine Vol. 1, No. 3, e68 doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0010068.
Brigham and Women's Hospital Reducing Your Risk for Depression.
NIH Senior Health Sleep and Aging.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep
Top 10 Ways to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Your “sleep hygiene” describes your sleep habits. By improving your sleep habits, you can increase your chance of falling asleep fast, staying asleep and sleeping between seven to nine hours each night. A good night’s sleep has many health benefits. Most importantly, you will feel great.
1. Only Sleep and Have Sex in the Bedroom
The bedroom should be used only for sleep and sex. That means no reading in bed and no TV in bed. Doing these things (or anything else) confuses your body, making it difficult to fall asleep. Give yourself about 15 minutes to fall asleep. If you haven’t fallen asleep by then, get out of bed until you are sleepy. You can do some quiet reading (pick something boring), but avoid TVs and computer screens. Remember, your goal is to train yourself to fall asleep quickly. Reading a stimulating book, watching TV or doing anything else undermines that.
2. Keep a Schedule
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This will train your body to sleep on a schedule. If you can maintain this schedule for several weeks, you will probably find yourself falling asleep faster and feeling more refreshed. Do not sleep in on weekends or stay up late. Your body adjusts to changes in your sleep schedule at a rate of one hour per day. That means if you wake up at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays, but 8:30 a.m. on weekends, you need two days to adjust. You won’t be sleeping well again until Wednesday each week.
3. Make a Bedtime Ritual
Create a nightly ritual to signal that it is time to sleep. Start the ritual about 30 minutes before you lie down to help release stressful thoughts and be ready to sleep when you lie down. A little quiet reading (not in bed) or a warm bath can be great. Avoid watching TV, since it stimulates your brain.
4. Exercise Daily
Daily exercise will improve your chances of falling asleep quickly and sleeping deeply. Try to exercise early in the day and never within three hours of bedtime. Exercising too late in the day can make it difficult for you to fall asleep. A daily exercise habit will not only improve your sleep hygiene, but it will also improve your overall health.
5. Get Some Sunlight
Sunlight helps regulate your circadian clock and make you feel sleepy at night by stimulating your body to produce melatonin (a hormone that regulates your sleep cycle). You need exposure to bright light every day. Morning sunlight exposure can be especially helpful. Be sure to open the drapes every morning to let light in.
6. Avoid Caffeine in the Afternoon
Some people are caffeine sensitive and cannot drink any coffee, tea or other caffeinated beverage up to six hours before bedtime. If you are having trouble sleeping, try avoiding all afternoon and evening caffeine.
7. Make Your Bedroom Dark
The contrast between light during the day and dark at night helps reinforce your body’s natural rhythms. By making your bedroom dark at night, you will be able to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Closing drapes and doors can help reduce the light in your bedroom.
8. Avoid Alcohol
That small glass of wine can make it more difficult to stay asleep. After an evening drink, you might fall asleep just fine, but you will likely wake up in the middle of the night. This effect is caused by a rebound in blood sugar and withdrawal from the alcohol after it is metabolized. Try avoiding alcohol before sleep and see if you sleep more soundly. For every drink you have, give your body at least an hour to process it before trying to fall asleep.
9. Don't Smoke
The nicotine in cigarettes is a stimulant that will keep you awake, which is just one of the things that smoking does to your body. If you smoke, many resources are available to help you quit. The benefits quitting include better sleep, a longer life, more energy and saving money. Smokers also may wake up early due to nicotine withdrawal.
10. See a Doctor
Finally, if these lifestyle changes don’t help, contact your doctor. You may have a sleep disorder or just may need some temporary help getting yourself in good ‘sleep shape.’
Source
1. Only Sleep and Have Sex in the Bedroom
The bedroom should be used only for sleep and sex. That means no reading in bed and no TV in bed. Doing these things (or anything else) confuses your body, making it difficult to fall asleep. Give yourself about 15 minutes to fall asleep. If you haven’t fallen asleep by then, get out of bed until you are sleepy. You can do some quiet reading (pick something boring), but avoid TVs and computer screens. Remember, your goal is to train yourself to fall asleep quickly. Reading a stimulating book, watching TV or doing anything else undermines that.
2. Keep a Schedule
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This will train your body to sleep on a schedule. If you can maintain this schedule for several weeks, you will probably find yourself falling asleep faster and feeling more refreshed. Do not sleep in on weekends or stay up late. Your body adjusts to changes in your sleep schedule at a rate of one hour per day. That means if you wake up at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays, but 8:30 a.m. on weekends, you need two days to adjust. You won’t be sleeping well again until Wednesday each week.
3. Make a Bedtime Ritual
Create a nightly ritual to signal that it is time to sleep. Start the ritual about 30 minutes before you lie down to help release stressful thoughts and be ready to sleep when you lie down. A little quiet reading (not in bed) or a warm bath can be great. Avoid watching TV, since it stimulates your brain.
4. Exercise Daily
Daily exercise will improve your chances of falling asleep quickly and sleeping deeply. Try to exercise early in the day and never within three hours of bedtime. Exercising too late in the day can make it difficult for you to fall asleep. A daily exercise habit will not only improve your sleep hygiene, but it will also improve your overall health.
5. Get Some Sunlight
Sunlight helps regulate your circadian clock and make you feel sleepy at night by stimulating your body to produce melatonin (a hormone that regulates your sleep cycle). You need exposure to bright light every day. Morning sunlight exposure can be especially helpful. Be sure to open the drapes every morning to let light in.
6. Avoid Caffeine in the Afternoon
Some people are caffeine sensitive and cannot drink any coffee, tea or other caffeinated beverage up to six hours before bedtime. If you are having trouble sleeping, try avoiding all afternoon and evening caffeine.
7. Make Your Bedroom Dark
The contrast between light during the day and dark at night helps reinforce your body’s natural rhythms. By making your bedroom dark at night, you will be able to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Closing drapes and doors can help reduce the light in your bedroom.
8. Avoid Alcohol
That small glass of wine can make it more difficult to stay asleep. After an evening drink, you might fall asleep just fine, but you will likely wake up in the middle of the night. This effect is caused by a rebound in blood sugar and withdrawal from the alcohol after it is metabolized. Try avoiding alcohol before sleep and see if you sleep more soundly. For every drink you have, give your body at least an hour to process it before trying to fall asleep.
9. Don't Smoke
The nicotine in cigarettes is a stimulant that will keep you awake, which is just one of the things that smoking does to your body. If you smoke, many resources are available to help you quit. The benefits quitting include better sleep, a longer life, more energy and saving money. Smokers also may wake up early due to nicotine withdrawal.
10. See a Doctor
Finally, if these lifestyle changes don’t help, contact your doctor. You may have a sleep disorder or just may need some temporary help getting yourself in good ‘sleep shape.’
Source
Understanding Sleep
Sleep is a major part of our lives. However, researchers and doctors understand little about sleep and what it does for us. What we do know is that sleep has many health benefits and getting a good night’s sleep is the key to feeling energized every day. Understanding sleep can help you improve your health and may even extend your life.
Sleep Habits
Sleep habits are the key to getting a good night’s sleep. We can either train ourselves to fall asleep quickly every night, or we can train ourselves to lie awake in bed through bad habits. Exercise, caffeine, stress and other factors can influence the quantity and quality of our sleep. Changing your sleep habits can lead to greatly improve sleep quality and quantity.
Sleep Disorders and Sleep Problems
If changing your sleep habits doesn’t help, you may have a sleep disorder.
The most common sleep disorders include:
* Insomnia
* Sleep apnea
* Restless Legs Syndrome
* Narcolepsy
The following situations can interfere with your daily Zzzzs as well:
* Jet lag
* Working the night shift
* Nighttime driving
* Snoring
Sleep Diagnosis and Treatment
You may have a sleep disorder if it takes you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep each night, you are tired during the day and you do not feel rested. If you think you might have a sleep problem, try these three steps:
* Improve Your Sleep Habits: Make big changes in your sleep habits for 2 to 3 weeks to see if you can figure out what is causing you to sleep poorly.
* Keep a Sleep Diary: Track your sleep and other behaviors for several days to make connections between your daily activities and your sleep quality.
* Find a Sleep Center and Doctor: If your sleep doesn’t improve, take your sleep diary to a sleep center or sleep doctor near you for more testing.
Sleep Needs
Each individual’s sleep need varies. For the majority of adults, the daily sleep need is between 7 and 9 hours. Some people need even more than 9 hours and others need less than 7, but this is rare. If you are awake and alert during the day and feel satisfied with your sleep, then you are getting enough sleep.
Sleep and Aging
There is a myth that people need less sleep as they age. This is simply not true: Older adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. However, good sleep is harder to get as we age because of health conditions, medications and other reasons. Protecting your sleep as you age will give you more energy and better health.
Sleep Myths
Other sleep myths include misunderstandings about the benefit of sleeping in to “catch up” on sleep, sleep in children, the benefits of napping and more. Clearing up these sleep myths will help you to make better decisions about your daily sleep habits.
Sleep Benefits
While we know that sleep makes us feel refreshed, there are many health and other benefits to a good night’s sleep. These include improving heart health, improving your memory and maybe even preventing cancer. Other benefits include improving your skin and helping you concentrate.
Napping
Napping can be a great way to increase your sleep and improve your energy. Napping has been shown to increase productivity and even protect against heart disease. Napping strategies will help you take effective, short naps and then go back to your day recharged.
Sleep Biology
Sleep is a complicated process consisting of five stages. These stages include falling asleep (stage 1), brain slow-down (stage 2), deep sleep (stages 3 and 4) and rapid eye movement (REM). In each stage, the brain and body act differently. During the night, we cycle through all these stages approximately every 100 minutes.
Circadian Rhythms
Throughout the day the body makes changes in various hormone levels. Some of these changes, known as circadian rhythms, control our wake/sleep cycle. By getting enough exposure to bright light and following other behavioral suggestions, we can work with our circadian rhythms help ourselves fall asleep fast every night.
Dreaming and Sleep
Of course, dreaming is one of the strangest and least understood parts of sleep. Dreams seem to be important in creating memories out of the day’s events and solidifying learning. Dreams can be extremely vivid, interesting and potentially meaningful to the dreamer.
Source
Sleep Habits
Sleep habits are the key to getting a good night’s sleep. We can either train ourselves to fall asleep quickly every night, or we can train ourselves to lie awake in bed through bad habits. Exercise, caffeine, stress and other factors can influence the quantity and quality of our sleep. Changing your sleep habits can lead to greatly improve sleep quality and quantity.
Sleep Disorders and Sleep Problems
If changing your sleep habits doesn’t help, you may have a sleep disorder.
The most common sleep disorders include:
* Insomnia
* Sleep apnea
* Restless Legs Syndrome
* Narcolepsy
The following situations can interfere with your daily Zzzzs as well:
* Jet lag
* Working the night shift
* Nighttime driving
* Snoring
Sleep Diagnosis and Treatment
You may have a sleep disorder if it takes you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep each night, you are tired during the day and you do not feel rested. If you think you might have a sleep problem, try these three steps:
* Improve Your Sleep Habits: Make big changes in your sleep habits for 2 to 3 weeks to see if you can figure out what is causing you to sleep poorly.
* Keep a Sleep Diary: Track your sleep and other behaviors for several days to make connections between your daily activities and your sleep quality.
* Find a Sleep Center and Doctor: If your sleep doesn’t improve, take your sleep diary to a sleep center or sleep doctor near you for more testing.
Sleep Needs
Each individual’s sleep need varies. For the majority of adults, the daily sleep need is between 7 and 9 hours. Some people need even more than 9 hours and others need less than 7, but this is rare. If you are awake and alert during the day and feel satisfied with your sleep, then you are getting enough sleep.
Sleep and Aging
There is a myth that people need less sleep as they age. This is simply not true: Older adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. However, good sleep is harder to get as we age because of health conditions, medications and other reasons. Protecting your sleep as you age will give you more energy and better health.
Sleep Myths
Other sleep myths include misunderstandings about the benefit of sleeping in to “catch up” on sleep, sleep in children, the benefits of napping and more. Clearing up these sleep myths will help you to make better decisions about your daily sleep habits.
Sleep Benefits
While we know that sleep makes us feel refreshed, there are many health and other benefits to a good night’s sleep. These include improving heart health, improving your memory and maybe even preventing cancer. Other benefits include improving your skin and helping you concentrate.
Napping
Napping can be a great way to increase your sleep and improve your energy. Napping has been shown to increase productivity and even protect against heart disease. Napping strategies will help you take effective, short naps and then go back to your day recharged.
Sleep Biology
Sleep is a complicated process consisting of five stages. These stages include falling asleep (stage 1), brain slow-down (stage 2), deep sleep (stages 3 and 4) and rapid eye movement (REM). In each stage, the brain and body act differently. During the night, we cycle through all these stages approximately every 100 minutes.
Circadian Rhythms
Throughout the day the body makes changes in various hormone levels. Some of these changes, known as circadian rhythms, control our wake/sleep cycle. By getting enough exposure to bright light and following other behavioral suggestions, we can work with our circadian rhythms help ourselves fall asleep fast every night.
Dreaming and Sleep
Of course, dreaming is one of the strangest and least understood parts of sleep. Dreams seem to be important in creating memories out of the day’s events and solidifying learning. Dreams can be extremely vivid, interesting and potentially meaningful to the dreamer.
Source
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