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How to Sleep Easy with Sciatica Pain

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Sciatica is the pain associated with the sciatic nerve that runs from your spinal cord through your hip bone down your legs to your feet. Your lower back pain can be caused by a herniated disk that applies constant pressure on your sciatic nerve. This pressure produces muscles spasms, numbness in legs and feet, a sharp stinging pain, tingling and sometimes loss of movement. Simple tasks from walking, sitting, standing and even sleeping can greatly be affected by these symptoms. Treatment for sciatica depends on the severity of the pain and its symptoms. If there is no disk or nerve degeneration or difficulty moving then more conservative, natural treatments are most effective. Read more »

Cheap Christmas Sleep Gifts

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The Christmas season is upon us and the rat race has begun from decorating, get-togethers, family fun and shopping, who has time to sleep! We crave sleep and we just don’t have time for it. 43% of Americans between the ages of 13-64 have reported that they rarely or never get a good night’s sleep during the week. If you or someone you know has run raged this holiday season and needs a good night’s sleep…get them the gift of sleep along with some Christmas sleep gifts. Sleep gift gadgets are helpful, but their effectiveness does not replace good sleep habits like; going to bed the same time every night, limiting caffeine and giving yourself (or them) some “me” time to relax at night. So, give yourself or your sweetie a night off, take a nice bath with lavender scented oil or curl up on the couch and read a good book. Some sleep related gadgets can help you to doze off. Here are a few ideas to promote sound sleep. Read more »

Sleep Easy with Exercise

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A new study published in the Journal Mental Health and Physical Activity reported that those who exercised at a moderate to vigorous level for 50 minutes three times a week had a 65% chance for better sleep quantity than for those that exercised less. These people also stated they felt more alert all day and had fewer leg cramps while sleeping. There now is evidence that regular physical activity may be the next step to improve sleep without prescription sleep aides. Using exercise guidelines that have been used for cardiovascular health can make you stronger, improve your heart health and benefits your sleep. The study included health data from more than 3,000 men and women between the ages of 18 and 85. They wore a monitor on their right hip for a week and were questioned on their quality of their sleep as well as how easy it was to fall asleep. Read more »

Performance Sheets Sheex Review for Sleep Comfort Bedding

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What are the best sheets on the market today? There have been many articles and advertisements lately on Sheex bedding. Sheex Inc. was founded by Susan Walvius and Michelle Marciniak, two former basketball coaches at the University of South Carolina. Susan Walvius graduated from Virginia Tech in 1986 a went on to coach Division I women’s college basketball for 21 years starting as an assistant coach at Bradley University and finished her career at the University of South Carolina in 2008. Michelle Marciniak graduated from the University of Tennessee, was an 11 year veteran of USA Basketball and was then the assistant coach for USC until 2008. Read more »

2011 Best Sleep Gadget Gifts

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Black Friday has come and gone and many of us are now feeling a little sleep deprived. Most of us will catch up on our lost sleep by the time the weekend is over, but some live with sleep deprivation daily. If you know someone that can’t sleep or shows symptoms of insomnia like lack of focus, irritability and/or slow motor function you can help them by giving the gift of sleep this Christmas. Here are some of the 2011 best sleep gadget gifts offered this year. Read more »

Sleep Facts

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The world record of no sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes during a rocking chair marathon. The record holder reported hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory lapses. People can take cat naps with their eyes open (I have personally witnessed this and it is creepy), so without medical supervision it is really impossible to tell if someone is really awake or not. More Sleep Facts ..... Read more »

Milwaukee Ad States Dangers of CoSleeping

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In a recent ad campaign in Milwaukee that shows two individual posters of babies (one white, one black) lying bed next to a large knife stating that “YOUR BABY SLEEPING NEXT TO YOU CAN BE JUST AS DANGEROUS. The second leading cause of infant mortality in Milwaukee is SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) which is often the result of unsafe sleep. The Department of Health’s website reports that unsafe sleep includes co-sleeping or sharing the bed with their parents. Read more »

Facts about What Causes Restless Legs Syndrome RLS

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Here are some basic facts about what causes restless legs syndrome. What is restless legs syndrome? Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurologic disorder characterized by throbbing, creeping and painful sensations in the legs and an irresistible urge to move them. The sensations are typically worse during periods of inactivity and usually strongest at night. The symptoms are improved with activity. For this reason, people with RLS generally have insomnia, which may be severe. There are no known cures for restless leg syndrome, but some individuals have experienced a temporary remission. Read more »

MYGABA Gabapentin or GABA Supplement or Benzodiazepine

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What is GABA? Gamma-Amino Butyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid which acts as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. It inhibits nerve transmission in the brain, calming nervous activity. As a supplement it is sold and promoted for these neurotransmitter effects as a natural tranquilizer and an anxiety suppressor. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals released from one cell to another. Major neurotransmitters are serotonin, dopamine and GABA. The neurotransmitter serotonin is produced from the amino acid 5HTP and GABA is mainly produced from the GABA amino acid glutamine. GABA functions as an inhibitory neurotransmitter meaning that it blocks nerve impulses. Without GABA the nerve cells fire too often and too easily. Anxiety disorders, panic attacks, seizure disorders, headaches, Parkinson’s syndrome and cognitive impairment are related to low GABA activity. A deficiency of GABA and 5HTP can cause health and mental illnesses, especially mood and sleep disorders. Both GABA and 5HTP have a calming effect on the brain that can relieve anxiety. Read more »

Cheap Mattresses are Sleep Stealers

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A recent survey revealed that many health and back problems are due to old or cheap mattresses. The Arc Consulting for the Better Sleep Council found that 82% of 400 surveyed adults believe that their sleep problems are caused by their mattress and almost half described the condition of their mattress as bad or very bad. Although they recognize that their mattress is in bad condition, they are fail to see that it is a sleep stealer and could end up contributing to other health issues. Read more »

Pumpkin and Sleep

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Tryptophan is an amino acid that aids the production of melatonin and serotonin which control our sleep/wake cycle. Pumpkins are rich in tryptophan which can help people fall asleep easy. Foods, like pumpkin, that have tryptophan must be eaten with high glycemic carbohydrates for better absorption. This is why you feel lethargic after you have had your Thanksgiving meal of turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. Mashed potatoes are high glycemic carbohydrates while turkey and pumpkin pie are loaded with tryptophan. Tryptophan works during the day to promote serotonin that helps with depression and anxiety, while at night it produces melatonin that causes us to feel sleepy. Read more »

Dont be SAD Sleep Easier when Twilight Comes Sooner

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We all need a good night’s sleep. We are not like Edward the vampire from the Twilight series that doesn’t sleep at all. Getting the required amount of sleep can be difficult for some who work the late shift, are flying over multiple time zones or just too stressed from everyday life, but what happens to our body’s natural 24 hour circadian when we turn the clocks back an hour this Sunday? For us living in North America the end of daylight savings time means many more awake hours in darkness and colder weather, which keeps us indoors. Therefore, many will feel depressed, have more sleep disruptions, fight afternoon sleepiness and are just plain weary. Read more »

Best Over The Counter Sleep Aid OTC

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If you have read my articles at A Sleep Easy you know that keeping a sleep routine, eliminating caffeine before bedtime and taking a nap before 4pm are a few tips in getting a good night’s rest. Still for some people insomnia may not be that easy to overcome and you may consider taking an over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aid. But what is the best over-the-counter sleep aid for you? OTC sleep aides are meant to be taken on an occasional sleepless night because the more you take them the less effective they become. OTC sleep aides affects linger in your system the next day causing you feel listless which makes it difficult to stay focused at work or school. If you haven’t slept well for over two weeks I recommend that you talk to your doctor. There may be an underlying medical condition that is causing your insomnia. If you are considering OTC supplements it is important to know their side effects. Read more »

Bed Wetting Solution

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When my daughter was 5 she still had a problem with wetting her bed. In fact, many times I would catch her during the day struggling not to go to the bathroom in order to finish playing or watching a television show. Although wetting herself because she didn’t want to miss out on anything can be easier to prevent, wetting her bed at night was entirely a different problem. Did you know that 20% of 5 year olds and 10% of 6 year olds wet the bed? Most children grow out of it and others need an easy bed wetting solution like a simple reward system to achieve a positive result, dry nights. Read more »

Sleep too Easy Narcolepsy Facts

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Some narcolepsy facts state that anyone, at any age (although most symptoms are usually first noticed in teenagers or younger adults) can develop this sleep disorder that affects the nervous system. Narcolepsy often runs in families with 8 to 12 percent of people with narcolepsy having a close relative with this condition. It can cause excessive sleepiness, including frequent sleep attacks during the day. If you have narcolepsy it can have a huge impact on your active, busy lifestyle. Read more »

Hotel Guests Lose Sleep

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Since I travel a lot I get a bit picky about my hotel room. Not only is the size of the bed important for a good night sleep, the noise inside as well as outside the room is equally important. Location, location, location if the room is next to the elevator you will hear the mechanics all night. If the room is at the end of hall next to the stairwell you can imagine how many times you will hear the door slam in the morning. Having a room in the middle of the hallway you might be listening to children run up and down the hall all night. Then there is the lead foot that stays up all hours in the morning stomping overhead. So where is the best room location? I prefer to be a the end of the hall, away from the elevator, across from the stairwell on the top floor. If you are lucky enough to get an upgrade, such as with Hilton Honors or Priority Points, you might get a bigger room with some additional amenities with all the comforts of home, but in a bad location. So you have to make a decision, amenities or a little noise. Read more »

Alcohol is Not a Sleep Aid

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One of the most important ways to get a good night’s sleep is establishing a healthy sleep routine. When I talk about a sleep routine, I not only encourage good sleep habits, but suggest making healthy lifestyle changes to promote high-quality and quantity of sleep. One healthy life style change is eliminating alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol is not a sleep aid as it is disruptive and tricky when it comes to sleep. How many of you have a drink or two after a long day of work to help you relax enough to fall asleep easy? Do you wake up during the night after the alcohol wears off? Alcohol causes you to miss out on deep sleep and waking up during the night will affect how you perform the next day. Read more »

I Like Dreaming Lucid Dreaming

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What is a lucid dream? A lucid dream is when the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming. A lucid dream can begin as a normal dream and then the dreamer can control how the dream ends. Have you ever changed how your dream was ending and decided to go back to another part of the dream and start over? This type of lucid dream is known as dream-initiated lucid dream or DILD. Another type of lucid dream is wake-initiated lucid dream (WILD) that occurs when the dreamer goes from a normal waking state directly into a dream state with no lapse in consciousness. Dreams are very important to sleep. According to an article published in the Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Dr. J. Allan Hobson, a psychiatrist and long time sleep researcher disputed the main function of the rapid-eye-movement sleep cycle (REM) where most dreaming occurs, is physiological. Read more »

Dream Journal January 31 1985

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Do you ever dream that you have been locked out of your home or hotel room? Dreamt of wanting to play a drum while riding on an amusement ride? Have you dreamt of parts of other dreams within your dream? In this dream journal I will be writing about dreams from my past and present and interpret them. Enjoy! Read more »