Doctor Oz talked about alternative supplements for sleep problems; GABA for sleep is the most common brain neurotransmitter that allows us to relax. Gamma Amino Butyric Acid or GABA is an amino acid produced in the brain. It is a natural tranquilizer that increases the level of Human Growth Hormones (HGH) which is vital for all human beings. If sleeplessness last for a considerable period of time it should not be ignored and GABA can treat insomnia because it induces good quality and quantity of sleep. Free from unusual side effects, GABA prevents after effects like drowsiness and lethargy. There are many factors why we cannot fall asleep easy at night including anxiety, stress, illness and an unhealthy lifestyle. Read more »
Magnesium Rich Foods
You need magnesium to continue good health as it performs various functions to maintain normal blood pressure, metabolism and heart rate, keep bones strong, regulate blood sugar levels, helps you fall asleep easy, produce protein and keeps bones strong. Symptoms of a magnesium deficiency are insomnia, high blood pressure, muscle cramps that cause restless leg syndrome (RLS), osteoporosis, hyperactivity and panic attacks. The average adult needs about 300-400mgs of magnesium daily. One way to compensate for this deficiency is to include magnesium rich foods in your diet. Magnesium rich foods are in green leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, fruits, fish, desserts, dairy products and certain drinks like coffee and cocoa. Read more »
Lack of Sleep
With the holidays approaching, everyone has a lot more to do than there is time in the day and many of us find that we suffer from lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation is common in today’s world and some believe that they can live on less sleep than they need. You need sleep to regenerate your body and brain in order to function normally during the time you are awake. Research has shown that sleep deprived subjects are less likely to pass verbal learning tests due the brain’s unregenerated neurons. Also they show signs of slurred speech, stuttering, speaking in a monotone voice and/or speak in a much slower pace than they do when fully rested. Lack of sleep impairs one’s ability to focus, reduces the speed to perform and lessens efficiency. One symptom of prolonged lack of sleep is hallucinations, when the brain is unable to perform optimally it creates images dissimilar from reality possibly resulting in temporary insanity. Read more »
Seizure Disorder and Lack of Sleep
A seizure disorder is when there is a miscommunication in the brain’s nerve cells that causes a loss of consciousness and makes the body jerk and twitch. Although many may only have one seizure in their lifetime, some have seizures over and over again which is known as the condition called epilepsy. There is no known single cause for epilepsy but there are many factors that may contribute to the cause such as a head injury, trauma or high fever, baby shaking syndrome, toxic chemicals, large doses of certain drugs, stroke, tumors or other disease that alter the balance of the brain’s chemical structure. When the condition can be determined by any factor that may cause seizures it is known as Symptomatic Epilepsy, if not it is called Idiopathic Epilepsy. Read more »
Gotu Kola for Sleep
Gotu Kola is known as one of the most vital rejuvenating herbs in Ayurvedic Medicine. Ayurvedic medicine, in the United States, is an "alternative" medical practice that claims it is based on the traditional medicine of India. Practiced for over 5000 years, these herbal and dietary practices are thought to be necessary for good health because they are believed to have the power to restore harmony and balance in mind, body, and spirit. Gotu Kola is considered a rejuvenative nervine recommended for nervous disorders, epilepsy, senility and premature aging. Gotu Kola allows you to sleep easy by combating stress and depression along with congestive heart failure, urinary tract infections and high blood pressure which can be caused by chronic sleep deprivation. Read more »
What Causes Sleep Eating?
In order to understand what causes sleep eating we need to look at what causes us to sleep walk. Sleep-related eating disorders are abnormal eating patterns during the night and can occur during sleepwalking. Sleep deprivation, chaotic sleep schedules, fever, stress, magnesium deficiency, and alcohol intoxication can trigger sleepwalking. You can walk into the kitchen, prepare food and eat without recollection the next day. People usually eat high caloric foods and don’t understand why they are gaining weight or even developing type 2 diabetes. Another closely related disorder is night eating, when one cannot fall asleep easy unless they eat. Symptoms of sleep eating are; little or no appetite the next morning, eating late at night, eating most of your calories after dinner and waking up during the night which requires eating to fall back to sleep. Read more »
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs and Sleep Easy
There has been a lot of publicity lately regarding bed bugs. If you remember a news story on 11/04/2010 where Christine and David Drabicki from Plymouth, MI filed suit against New York's Waldorf-Astoria, saying she and her husband became infected with bedbugs during a stay at the well-known hotel. New York has been hard hit by bedbugs. The United Nations, the Harlem office of former U.S. President Bill Clinton, several retail stores and a movie theater have suffered outbreaks of the infestation. But it is not just New York City; the U.S. is facing a national infestation. A matter of fact bed bug infestation has risen 500% in the last few years and as you can see it is not just hotels; offices, retail stores, movie theaters and flea markets have been invaded too by these tiny, blood sucking pests. How to get rid of bed bugs and sleep easy? Read more »
Anorexia Nervosa Causes Nocturnal Sleep-Related Eating Disorder and Sleep Deprivation
Many people who have the eating disorder anorexia nervosa also may suffer from a nocturnal sleep-related eating disorder (NS-RED) in which they binge eat night after night. Individuals with NS-RED usually have trouble falling asleep easy and/or staying asleep during the night that can lead to chronic sleep deprivation. What is anorexia nervosa? Anorexia nervosa [...] Read more »
Sleeping Pill Addiction and Insomnia
Prescription sleeping pills are generally used for a short duration to treat insomnia. The definition of a sleeping pill addiction is an addiction or dependency that is present in an individual who shows three or more of the following symptoms; preoccupation with the drug, using more of the drug than prescribed, developing a tolerance to the drug, suffers from withdrawal symptoms if not taken, can’t stop taking the drug, development of other emotional or physical problems related to the drug use and seeks alternative drugs to seek the same effects. Read more »
Deep Sleep Easily Strengthens Memories
A study that was published November 2, 2010 in the Journal of Neuroscience suggests if we want to learn a new word to sleep easy on it. Deep sleep easily strengthens memories of new words by a process that integrates the word into our vocabulary, changes the memory representation by making the word recognizable and easier to recall in the future. The study also implies that reading or studying for a test later in the day is more effective because our brains use the “downtime” of sleep to integrate what has been learned. Read more »
Mind Your P’s and Q’s Easy Sleep Techniques Meditation and Self Hypnosis
In my last post Yoga Positions to Sleep Easy I talked a little about how meditation can relax a restless mind. Meditation or even self-hypnosis takes patients and practice to achieve the maximum benefit and allow you to get the quality and quantity of easy sleep you need. Not only does meditation/self-hypnosis help with sleep [...] Read more »
Yoga Positions to Sleep Easy
Yogic Sleep or Yoga Nidra is a state of deep sleep consciousness. Attaining Yogic Sleep requires lots of patience and practice. When you first try Yoga Nidra there is a good chance you will not experience true Yoga Nidra although practicing may be very relaxing as this meditation method uses breathing exercises, visualization techniques and body relaxation auto-suggestions. The practice of yoga relaxation has been found to reduce tension and anxiety and helps with headaches, chest pain, rapid heart rate, sweating and stomach aches. There is nothing more effective than achieving a natural quieting, relaxing and stabilizing peace of mind and emotions than trying meditation and simple yoga positions to sleep easy. Read more »
Melatonin Can Cause Easy Sleeping
I have talked generally about how melatonin can cause easy sleeping, but now I’d like to be more specific on what melatonin actually is and how it may benefit those that can’t sleep. Melatonin is a hormone secreted naturally in the pineal gland of our brain and it helps to regulate other hormones and the body’s circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is our internal 24 hour clock that plays a critical role with our sleep/wake cycle. During the day our melatonin production decreases and at night we produce more melatonin. Its highest production level is between 2am and 4am. Our body has the amazing ability to adjust hormones by how much or how little light we receive. When we receive too much light at night is disrupts our sleep/wake cycle because we are not producing enough melatonin. Shift work, night work and jet lag can cause you to produce less melatonin. You also produce less melatonin naturally as you age and that may be the reason older adults sleep less or develop chronic insomnia. Read more »