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What Everyone Needs to Know About Sleep Health

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Sleeping Woman

SLEEP HEALTH NEWS


Sleep: What Everybody Needs More Of!

Get 8 hours! We have all heard that many time over. Just look at your sleep pattern and you can see easily see why you may be tired all the time, run down or sick. If you want those abs to show give a little bit of time to organizing your sleep.

When we are sleep deprived the amount of effort to do all the exercise and nutrition will be a constant battle. We as a society are sick, fat and many are becoming dietetics partially because we do not sleep enough to let our bodies repair themselves properly.

Here is a stat:

In 1910 the average adult slept 9-10 hours per night Today we are lucky to get 7 hours per night. Just 8 short years ago we slept on average 800 more hours per year.

We must understand that sleeping controls eating. Not enough sleep leads to getting fat, storing fat, always being hungry, and many other disease-related illnesses such as diabetes.

Part of the problem exits because of watching TV, working late at night under bright lights, or using the internet late under the same conditions. Your brain thinks it is daytime and your costisol level (hormone which wakes you up in the morning) stays high and disrupts your sleeping pattern by mobilizing blood sugar. Insulin (fat storage hormone) get called out to put sugar in the muscles and the excess guess where~fat!

We are getting more and more addicted to high carbohydrate diets and these diets lead us down a path of no return. The result is less sleep because we are ampted up by the light sugar and stimulation late at night.

The shorter we make our night by depriving sleep the less melatonin (sleeping hormone) we produce. The less melatonin we have the more estrogen, testosterone, cortisone and more insulin we produce.

To understand this a little better just think of the first 4 hours of sleep as a melatonin bath which allowing growth hormone to secrete and repair the body from the inside out on a cellular level. If you miss this vital bath your are going to be in debt and with all debt you have to pay back sooner or later.

The last 4 hours or so is when we dream or psychic regeneration. Cortisol begins to secrete at the tale end of this part of sleep and eventually wake you up. But again staying up late under bright lights disrupts this delicate balance. Makes you run down craving carbos to get back into the game and producing insulin and making you fatter.

Our sleeping pattern controls our eating schedule, so do the following to help insure your bodies ability to get sound and rest full sleep.

Do not skip breakfast! If you eat a small breakfast followed by a medium lunch then top that off with a large dinner you are going to have what I call the APPLE syndrome. You will look like an apple. This is a sure sign of becoming insulin resistant. The main reason you do not want to eat in the morning is stated about in this section. You are playing with your hormones and additional blood sugar is still in your body when you wake up and guess what -- I'm not hungry in the morning... now you know why and if you are ever going to see those abs you have to change you thinking. Do you body a favor and start eating in the morning and not just carbohydrates. I prefer a good dose of protein to start my day!

Try to sleep at least 9 hours per night when starting this program. Go to bed at dusk our bodies are wired to follow the sun.

Make sure you bedroom is dark and I mean dark. No alarm clock in your face, drapes left open so outside light can enter the room. The darker the room the less your body will sense light and start to secrete cortisol. Believe it or not your body will sense the light even with your eyes closed. Have you ever woke up when some one turns on a light!

Go to Bed an hour earlier then you normally do to start out. Turn off the TV by 9 PM and read if you can not fall asleep.

Can't Sleep? Why Insomnia Shouldn't Be Ignored

Your husband snores. Your kids are up half the night. You're worried about a big presentation at work. It's no surprise you have insomnia; the real shocker would be not feeling tired at the start of the day. A 2007 National Sleep Foundation survey found that nearly two thirds of women said they got a good night's sleep only a few nights a week; 29 percent took sleeping pills or other sleep aids regularly. Eighty percent said they don't slow down when they're tired. Most just prop their eyes open and get through the day. (This year, the economy may be making matters even worse. The sleep foundation's latest survey, released today, found that nearly a third of Americans are losing sleep because they're worried about the economic crisis and its implications for their personal finances.)

While soldiering on sleepily may be the only solution at times—new parenthood and sleep deprivation often go hand in hand, for instance—there are medical options and other ways to address many sleep problems. Unfortunately, you can't count on a primary-care doctor to know how to help. "You'll confront a bunch of doctors who either don't know about sleep problems or have an understanding that is antiquated," says Andrew Krystal, director of the sleep research lab and insomnia program at Duke University Medical School. Finding a knowledgeable provider is key, he says.

There's good reason not to ignore insomnia: It often signals other medical or psychiatric problems, particularly in women, and a savvy practitioner may diagnose and treat an underlying problem that would otherwise escape detection. Evidence also suggests that people who consistently get too little sleep may be at risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Women are about twice as likely as men to suffer from major depression during their lives, and it's nearly always accompanied by difficulty sleeping. Women also suffer from anxiety disorders more frequently than men, and lack of sleep can become a focus of anxiety. That can create a vicious cycle of sleeplessness and worry that leads to chronic insomnia, says Barbara Phillips, director of the sleep center at the University of Kentucky. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, a severe form of premenstrual syndrome that afflicts up to 8 percent of women, brings sleepless nights for some as well.

Perhaps the most often missed medical condition that can cause insomnia in women is obstructive sleep apnea. OSA occurs when people stop breathing momentarily during sleep because their airway becomes blocked when muscles in the throat relax. They may briefly wake up dozens of times a night to breathe, though they generally won't realize it. A contributor to heart disease, sleep apnea has many causes, including anatomical problems in the jaw or throat, obesity, and muscle laxity, which increases with age. Before menopause, women are half as likely to have sleep apnea as men; once past that stage, the sexes get it in equal numbers. Declining levels of estrogen and progesterone may be partly to blame for the age-related jump. Research shows women who are using hormone replacement therapy are less likely to have it.

Doctors who are accustomed to diagnosing sleep apnea in men—in whom the most common symptom is snoring, not insomnia—may miss the signs in women. As a result, women with sleep apnea and insomnia are sometimes misdiagnosed as depressed when, in fact, they are not, says Meir Kryger, chairman of the National Sleep Foundation. In such cases, antidepressants are unlikely to improve symptoms of either sleep apnea or the accompanying insomnia, he says.

Treating an underlying condition won't necessarily cure a sleeping problem, even if that condition was the insomnia's original cause, researchers have learned. That's another reason experts stress the importance of seeking help. If you have sleeping difficulties for more than a month, consider seeing a doctor, preferably at a clinic that specializes in sleep disorders. (To find one in your area, you can go to sleepcenters.org.) A specialist may do a complete work-up and identify medical problems that have been keeping you from getting the restful shut-eye you need. If you turn out to have sleep apnea, a doctor may fit you with a device that delivers pressurized air through the nose and helps keep your airway open.

For other problems, a sleep specialist may work with you to change behaviors that can perpetuate insomnia. The practitioner may urge you to get out of bed whenever you're unable to sleep, for example, or may temporarily limit the number of hours you spend in bed to help you develop more consolidated, stable sleep patterns. He or she may prescribe sleeping pills as well. Both strategies work: Studies show that on average, 2 out of 3 people experience significant improvement in their sleep after either taking a sleep medication or being treated with cognitive behavior therapy, a form of talk therapy, says Duke psychologist Jack Edinger. The difference, of course, is that sleeping pills work only as long as you continue to take them. The benefits of behavioral change, on the other hand, can last a lifetime.

10 Reasons Not to Skimp on Sleep

You may literally have to add it to your to-do list, but scheduling a good night's sleep could be one of the smartest health priorities you set. It's not just daytime drowsiness you risk when shortchanging yourself on your seven to eight hours. Possible health consequences of getting too little or poor sleep can involve the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, and nervous systems. In addition to letting life get in the way of good sleep, between 50 and 70 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder—insomnia or sleep apnea, say—that affects daily functioning and impinges on health. Consider the research:

1) Less may mean more. For people who sleep under seven hours a night, the fewer zzzz's they get, the more obese they tend to be, according to a 2006 Institute of Medicine report. This may relate to the discovery that insufficient sleep appears to tip hunger hormones out of whack. Leptin, which suppresses appetite, is lowered; ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, gets a boost.

2) You're more apt to make bad food choices. A study published this week in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that people with obstructive sleep apnea or other severely disordered breathing while asleep ate a diet higher in cholesterol, protein, total fat, and total saturated fat. Women were especially affected.

3) Diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance, its precursor, may become more likely. A 2005 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people getting five or fewer hours of sleep each night were 2.5 times more likely to be diabetic, while those with six hours or fewer were 1.7 times more likely.

4) The ticker is put at risk. A 2003 study found that heart attacks were 45 percent more likely in women who slept for five or fewer hours per night than in those who got more.

5) Blood pressure may increase. Obstructive sleep apnea, for example, has been associated with chronically elevated daytime blood pressure, and the more severe the disorder, the more significant the hypertension, suggests the 2006 IOM report. Obesity plays a role in both disorders, so losing weight can ease associated health risks.

6) Auto accidents rise. As stated in a 2007 report in the New England Journal of Medicine, nearly 20 percent of serious car crash injuries involve a sleepy driver—and that's independent of alcohol use.

7) Balance is off. Older folks who have trouble getting to sleep, who wake up at night, or are drowsy during the day could be 2 to 4.5 times more likely to sustain a fall, found a 2007 study in the Journal of Gerontology.

8) You may be more prone to depression. Adults who chronically operate on fumes report more mental distress, depression, and alcohol use. Adolescents suffer, too: One survey of high school students found similarly high rates of these issues. Middle schoolers, too, report more symptoms of depression and lower self-esteem.

9) Kids may suffer more behavior problems. Research from an April issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that children who are plagued by insomnia, short duration of sleeping, or disordered breathing with obesity, for example, are more likely to have behavioral issues like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

10) Death's doorstep may be nearer. Those who get five hours or less per night have approximately 15 percent greater risk of dying—regardless of the cause—according to three large population-based studies published in the journals Sleep and the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Relaxation Tips for Falling Asleep Fast and Naturally

With all the hustle and bustle of daily life, sometimes it can seem almost impossible to get the body and mind kicked into low gear at the end of the day so we can get to sleep. If you find yourself lying in bed every night, staring at the ceiling and trying to get to sleep so you won’t be exhausted the next day, you’re not alone. Millions of people suffer from one form of sleep problem or another with no relief in site.

Many times a natural cure for insomnia can be found; you just need to teach yourself how to sleep better naturally, so you can not only get to sleep faster but also feel more rested in general. Here are some easy relaxation tips that can help you fall asleep naturally:

Stretch and breathe
Set aside 10 to 15 minutes before bed every night to do some simple stretches and deep breathing exercises. You don’t want to do a workout or warm-up, just some very mild stretches. The purpose is to help your muscles relax and be ready for sleep, so you want to move slowly in a relaxed way and concentrate on calm thoughts. Doing these simple stretching exercises every evening before bed can help your body to begin winding down and helps your mind prepare for rest as well.

Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and gently reach for your toes, then gently stretch toward the ceiling. If you have the space, you may want to try doing these exercises while sitting in the floor. Remember never to push yourself to the point of pain. Concentrate on taking deep breathes from the diaphragm between stretches and exhaling completely during the stretches. Don’t take the deep breathing portion of this exercise for granted. The breath actually holds the key to relaxation in a more powerful way than you may realize. It also works well for panic attacks, which can sometimes go hand-in-hand with severe sleep deprivation.

Take a bath or shower
Having a warm bath or shower can really help your muscles loosen up and release the day’s tension. If you add candlelight and soft music, you can make this nighttime ritual feel like a spa treatment. This will help your mind look forward to it, so it can get used to the ritual of relaxing before bed. If you take a bath, try combining some light reading with soaking to distract your mind and encourage it to relax.

Create a sanctuary
You can extend the spa environment of your bathroom to the bedroom by making your sleeping area as inviting as possible. Beautiful, soft sheets can help make the bedroom inviting, as does making sure the room is as dark or light as you need to be comfortable. Many people find sleep is made easier by having the room as dark as possible so they won’t be awakened by the morning light. But if you’re one of those people who can’t sleep without a little bit of light, get an attractive nightlight that will provide the illumination and comfort you need and also decorate your bedroom.

If you can develop a routine of getting in the mood for sleep every night before bed and do it at the same time every night, you’ll be on your way to finding a natural cure for insomnia and getting the rest your body is yearning for. But remember, learning how to sleep better is only part of the equation; the other is actually putting what you have learned into practice and doing it regularly.

Insomniacs: Time to Sleep!

Insomnia has spread like epidemic disease that has been affecting millions of people in US itself.

Insomnia is a potentially serious sleep disorder that prevents person from getting the sleep needed by the individual.

If you are looking out for answer to the question “”why in the world can’t I fall asleep?” or if you are tuning and tossing on your bed and your mind is jumping from what all are the things to be done tomorrow, when you know that you will able to complete the do list only if you will take the desired sleep or manage to do somehow or may be even nothing with your exhausted and fatigued body around entire day.

An every day process of turning and not able to manage your sleep and you are companying the bats and owls in night.

Common reasons causing insomnia are:
- Sleep Apnea
- Restless Leg Syndrome
- Depression
- Alcohol and other drug abuse
- Life changes and/or accumulation of life stressors
- Anxiety
- Circadian Rhythm Disorders

Going to physician is important as he will identify the cause of insomnia and focus appropriate treatment for it.

Also in mean while try these every handy and useful tips to make you fall asleep:

Breathing exercise:
When you focus on your breathing and on your body by altering the breathing patterns while relaxing your muscles the varying thoughts that goes inside you tends to take backseat and this makes you relax and able to slow down your mind so that you can sleep.

Hot bath:
Taking hot bath helps you relax and calm down and if you are not able to sleep within fifteen minutes then this is one good way.

Keep your room dark, so switch off lights and television and computer.

It’s important that you don’t allow your brain to be programmed as “being in bed” with “awake”. So don’t be in bed if you are not falling asleep after 15 minutes.

Don’t do anything that stimulate your brain like getting back to work, use computer, watch television or even listen stimulating music or be in bright light.

Sit quietly, rather meditate on emptying the thoughts in mind. Deep meditation is restorative for body.

Listening to low and soothing music helps.

Light reading will also help you to focus your attention somewhere else.

Drink Chamomile Tea one hour before you go to bed, and take a bit of Valerian root along with it.

Alcohol is not sleeping aid
It may make you sleep but the relaxation that you get when you sleep normally is not available with alcohol and moreover you may even have hangover.

Regular exercise:
Regular exercise helps in regulating sleep exercise but remember not to exercise two hours before sleeping that will activate your brain more.

Consult physician:
You are not a psycho if you do that, rather it will help you from becoming a psycho.

Sleep well people its necessary for well being of your health and mind.

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