Dr Oz as I have touted about natural alternatives to prescription and over –the-counter (OTC) sleep aids. Why? We see in the news about celebrity deaths due to prescription drug abuse and recent news articles like the one from The Washington Post that described a study that suggest people who take sleeping pills as Ambien, Lunesta, Retoril and Sonata were more likely to die 2 ½ years earlier than those that do not use these drugs, with the risk rising along with the amount of medicine taken. People prescribed 18 or fewer sleeping pills a year have are 3.6 times as likely to die as those didn’t take these drugs. Also people taking high doses were 35% more likely to develop a major cancer, not including melanoma during that period. Studies show that 6 to 10 percent of Americans take sleep aids! Read more »
Kindle for Sleep Kindle about Sleep
Do you like to read before going to bed at night because it helps you to relax? Reading is another popular way to relax. Pick something that you enjoy reading, something with a nice pace and nothing too scary. Curl up in a comfy spot and read away. Before you know it, you will be ready for bed and relaxed enough to go right to sleep. Do you read from a book or one of the new electronic e-readers like iPad or Kindle? Read more »
Lark Personal Sleep Coach
Lark announced today its association with sleep experts on its new Personal Sleep Coach. Lark the same company that has the first, patent-pending silent and natural-feeling wake-up silent alarm clock and wireless sleep tracker. The Personal Sleep Coach goes beyond simple sleep monitoring; it will help you to understand your sleep patterns and sleep health while giving you ideas on how to improve the quality and quantity of your sleep. Over time your Personal Sleep Coach will track your improvement and urges you to improve with words of encouragement. The new Lark coaching experience is a great Christmas gadget gift for those who have trouble falling asleep easy or can’t get enough sleep during the night. Read more »
MYGABA Gabapentin or GABA Supplement or Benzodiazepine
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 »
Best Over The Counter Sleep Aid OTC
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 »
Alcohol is Not a Sleep Aid
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 »
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and Muscle Spasms are Symptoms of Low Potassium in Women
This article will cover potassium and how it affects sleep, good sources of potassium in foods, potassium deficiency symptoms, potassium supplements and potassium supplements side effects, including overdose. Potassium symbol K for the Neo-Latin term kalium is a vital and necessary mineral for the proper function of organs, fluids and muscles. Because it contributes to muscle function restless leg syndrome (RLS) and muscle spasms are symptoms of low potassium in women. Do you ever wake up during the middle of the night grabbing your calf from a painful charley horse? Do you find it hard to fall to sleep easy at night because of restless leg syndrome (RLS)? Do you have muscle spasms in your legs or arms that disrupt your sleep? An article written by the New England Journal of Medicine in 1998 illustrated how low levels of potassium has various effects on the central nervous system causing conditions like tinnitus, memory loss, anxiety, sleep problems from muscle cramps, irregular heartbeat, afternoon sleepiness and confusion. Read more »
Sleep Better with Panicyl for Anxiety
According to Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) stress and anxiety may cause sleep related problems or make physical and mental health conditions worse. An anxiety disorder can cause insomnia symptoms; can’t fall asleep easy, can’t fall back to sleep after waking up during the night, wake up too early and afternoon sleepiness. While sleep disorders like sleep apnea, sleepwalking, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome (RLS), bruxism (teeth grinding) not only keep you awake but they also interfere with physical, mental and emotional functioning that causes stress and anxiety. There are many health concerns when people don’t get enough sleep such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke and obesity. There are many anti-anxiety drugs on the market, but many have bad side effects and can be addicting. So what can you do? You can sleep better with Panicyl for anxiety, because it is not only manufactured in an FDA registered facility to adhere to many quality control and safety standards; it contains ingredients like GABA which will not only help you to relax, it can also reduce anxiety. Read more »
Coconut Water Health Benefits Sleep
Anxiety can affect our sleep and natural anxiety remedies are more readily available on the market than ever. Magnesium is a vital mineral and perhaps one of the most important natural remedy for anxiety because of its effectiveness, record of safe use, availability and value. Anxiety impairs our ability to fall asleep easy which can lead to many a sleepless night. Over time insomnia can develop which puts you at risk for other health problems such as; heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Although there are many anxiety medications, these medications only relieve the symptoms and are not a long-term solution. Coconut water health benefits sleep because it contains magnesium which naturally calms the nervous system and the muscles that help you to relax. Read more »
Too Much Magnesium Side Effects – Hypermagnesemia
If you do not get enough magnesium you can develop sleep disorders such as not being able to fall asleep easy due to anxiety, insomnia and restless leg syndrome (RLS). It is also known to cause muscle weakness, abnormal heartbeat, low blood pressure, hyperventilation, mental confusion and possibly eye twitches. It is best to contact your doctor to see if you have a magnesium deficiency otherwise too much magnesium side effects are drowsiness, blurred vision, difficulty breathing, coma and muscle paralysis. Although not very common is hypermagnesemia a condition when the kidneys are unable to eliminate excess magnesium from the body. Your body regulates magnesium levels by shifting magnesium into and out of cells. When there is a breakdown or destruction of cells, the electrolyte magnesium moves from inside the cell, to outside of the cell wall. This shift of magnesium outside of the cells causes hypermagnesemia. Read more »
Sleep Number vs Tempurpedic
When purchasing a bed it is important to find the one that is “just right”, not only in size but also with comfort to help you fall asleep easy and stay asleep throughout the night. The Sleep Number and the Tempurpedic are two choices in a long line of bedding options. What are the comparisons between the Sleep Number vs Tempurpedic? See full vs queen size bed for more information. Read more »
Full vs Queen Size Bed
Do you ever go to a hotel and they tell you all they have left is a room with two queen beds? Then when you get to the room you find out they are not queen beds but full size beds? Why don’t they know the difference between a full vs queen size bed? The queen size bed offers a larger space for couples allowing 30” each while a full only gives them 27” (which is about the width of a crib). The difference is significant as it gives the person room to turn over without having to worry about falling off. As far as cost, the queen mattress sells for more because you are getting more but the variance could be as little as $40.00 or as high as $1200.00 depending on the quality of the bed. Many couples prefer the queen mattress vs a full and the added space is worth the extra money in the long run because it will allow them to fall asleep easy and stay asleep throughout the night and every night for at least the life span of the mattress. The Better Sleep Council recommends replacing your mattress every five to seven years. But Consumer Reports magazine says a mattress can easily last 10 years or more if you treat it properly. Read more »
Bed Bugs Heat Treatment
My daughter recently rented a trundle bed from a well known furniture rental facility. It was a used trundle that not only was falling apart but in a short time they found that it was also infested with bed bugs. At first they thought they had fleas, but then they started to see the signs of bed bugs; eggs, molted skin and feces. What do bed bugs look like on a mattress? They are brown in color, oval, flat, wingless and when fully mature are about the size of an apple seed. Their eggs or larva are white and look like a grain of rice. As they develop the larva will change colors from white to a hint of brown or golden color. The larva will not respond to chemical treatment and stick firmly to whatever surface they are laid on. Nymphs and adult bed bugs move from place to place but eggs cannot, so it is best to kill them in their larva stage. Bed bugs heat treatment can kill bed bugs and their eggs without harming the environment and can be effective in a single treatment. You can sleep easy since it takes only one treatment, it can be more cost effective than repeated chemical alternatives. The cost for a heat treatment varies on the size of your house and the area in which you live. Read more »
Cool Pillow for Hot Flashes
If you are suffering from hot flashes because of menopause you know how it can affect your sleep. During menopause your ovaries slowly decrease their production of two hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Progesterone promotes sleep and when levels drop during menopause or menstruation it makes it hard to fall asleep easy, while lower levels of estrogen can compound the issue by making you more vulnerable to stress. Hot flashes are a rush of adrenaline that can be mild, moderate or severe. Mild hot flashes last less than a minute, produce a feeling of warm, but you experience little to no perspiration. Moderate hot flashes cause you to feel warmer and produce perspiration that lasts 2 -3 minutes. Severe hot flashes will generate extreme night sweats, intense body heat that last for longer periods of time. A cool pillow for hot flashes made with Outlast technology can provide relief and promote a better night’s sleep. Read more »
Chillow Pillow
Have You Heard About the Chillow Pillow? A Chillow Pillow is a thin, soft thermo-regulated pad that slides into your pillowcase on top of your pillow that delivers a very soothing and relaxing effect. It is safe, hypoallergenic and nontoxic unlike other products. The Chillow Pillow is unlike gel filled packs that are usually too cold for comfort, its meant to be cool just enough for you to fall asleep easy, but if you want it colder you can put it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. The cooling effect eases your migraines, hot flashes or sunburn. How does the Chillow Pillow work? Read more »
Side Effects of Melatonin Supplement
Melatonin is not U.S. FDA regulated, its primary medical role is an over-the-counter supplement that treats insomnia. Insomnia is when a person can't fall asleep easy, finds it difficult to stay asleep during the night, wakes up too early and has trouble staying awake during the day. Melatonin Definition: Melatonin is a natural hormone secreted by the pineal gland. It plays an important role in regulating the circadian sleep-wake cycle, but has also been reported as a powerful antioxidant. Researchers believe that this hormone has the capability to restore a healthy immune system. Studies have revealed that people who are consistently exposed to artificial light, especially if they work the late shift, usually do not get enough sleep therefore they can compromise their immune system. Other studies reveal that cancer especially breast cancer was associated with low levels of melatonin. What are the possible drug interactions and side effects of melatonin supplement? Read more »
Magnesium Sleep Aid
All vital minerals are equally significant, but some are required in larger amounts for adequate nutrition. The difference in the amount required is referred to either as macro-mineral or micro-mineral. Macro-minerals are the larger minerals that the body needs to maintain a fluid balance and they include: calcium, magnesium and phosphorus that work together or independently and electrolytes; sodium, potassium and chloride. Micro-minerals or trace minerals are a larger group of nutrients that include chromium, copper, iodine, zinc and selenium, among others. Read more »
Tempurpedic Mattress Topper
A Tempurpedic Mattress topper has become very popular over time. Due to the cost of the memory foam mattress a memory foam mattress topper can save you money, but be aware of cheaper imitations. There are a few guidelines for density, construction, the pressure and body movement reduction nature and warranty on each product. You should be able to distinguish between a good memory foam mattress topper and a discounted replication. I received a memory foam mattress topper for Christmas. I needed one because I have degenerative disk disease in my lower back making it very uncomfortable to fall asleep easy and stay asleep throughout the night. I would also wake up with stiffness and pain in my lower back which would take several hours to overcome. Read more »
Memory Foam Crib Mattress
The arrival of a new bundle of joy is coming. You are in the midst of planning for your new baby when you realize that there are numerous options available when it comes to crib mattresses. Of course you want the best for your baby, a mattress that gives him the comfort and support he needs to fall asleep easy and (eventually) stay asleep all night , but determining what is the best is not always easy. It seems there are as many options available in crib mattresses as there are in adult bedding. Deciding between a memory foam crib mattress and a traditional spring coil mattress is not as simple as you may think. Read more »
Sleep Aid Kava Kava Warning
Kava is a plant native to the South Pacific and has been used for thousands of years in rituals and ceremonies. This shrub produces large, green, heart-shaped leaves that grow thickly on the branches. Long, slender flowers grow where the branches meet the stems. The roots look like bundles of woody, hairy branches. Today in the South Pacific kava is a popular social drink similar to alcohol in Western societies. In the West there have been safety concerns about kava due to cases of liver damage and even deaths and in March 2002 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a sleep aid kava kava warning. As a result, kava has been banned from the market in Switzerland, German, Canada and several other countries are considering similar action. This ban has hurt the export economy of the Pacific Islands countries. Due to these potential dangers, kava should be used only under the guidance of a qualified healthcare practitioner. Read more »