How To Induce Sleep - 10 Ideas

I use to lay awake at night wondering how I could induce sleep! Honestly; I did, it was no joke.

In fact I got to the stage where I really didn't look forward to the end of the day as I knew that that was when the battle would begin.

Sleep

So I set to and made it my mission to discover ways to help me get some decent shut-eye.

How To Induce Sleep - 10 Ideas

I've tried all of the following to varying degrees of success. The last one is the remedy I've stayed with as it works the best for me, but we're all different so try them all & see what works best for you. I hope you discover 1 that does.

1. Instigate a bedtime routine- such as always going to bed at the same time (even if you don't feel sleepy). Remember it takes 2 weeks for a behaviour pattern to become a habit so don't give up after a few nights if nothing seems to be happening any differently.

2. Old fashioned, I know, but it can work. Always have a warm milky drink before you go to bed. This is scientifically proven to help induce sleep.

3. Pay attention to where you sleep. Is it too light for you even with curtains drawn? Consider buying curtains or blinds with a 'blackout' fabric as a lining. They are easily available, not too expensive and are fantastic to use if you're a shift worker & have to sleep during the day.

4. Try not to eat anything after 8pm at night. This means that your body won't be digesting (and therefore working) during the night when you're trying to sleep. It's just 1 less thing for your body to cope with.

5. Try & relax. Easier said than done, I know. Try to have some SSS ( silence,solitary,stillness) time to yourself. During anytime of the day would be helpful, but especially at night just before you want to get to sleep.

6. If necessary, decide to sleep in the spare room (if you have one) if you normally sleep with a partner. Sometimes the stress of thinking you're keeping someone else awake because you can't sleep acts as a vicious circle and just gets you more stressed out.

7. Try some over the counter herbal/natural remedies. If they don't work for you at least they won't have had any unpleasant side effects & you can stop taking them instantly. You don't have to wean yourself off them. ( Remember to try them for at least 2 weeks though)

8. Try; if possible, to sleep when you feel tired- even if it seems unsociable. At least sleep when you can & then try some of the above ideas once you're not so fractious.

9. Try holistic treatments such as reflexology, Acupuncture or massage. These work on the mind, body & spirit and may very well get to the root of the problem without needless medication.

10. Last but not least & my favourite. Use binaural beats to lower your brain frequencies in minutes to instil quick & healthy sleep patterns. Basically they are low delta frequencies; totally harmless, just relaxing and natural (your brain already produces them!) Your brain is directly responsible for sleep & it's when there's too much inner chatter and busyness going on that sleep seems unobtainable. We just don't switch off. Listening to these frequencies has been a life-saver for me & they've given me my life back as I can now function again & no longer have to worry about how to induce sleep.

How To Induce Sleep - 10 Ideas

To find out more about what worked for me and could work for you too. Visit my website http://www.youramazingmind.blogspot.com/

Sleep Wrinkles - Preventing and Repairing Them

As we age, the appearance of sleep wrinkles, those facial lines that develop from sleeping with your face against a pillow, becomes much more prominent. This should come as no surprise if you consider how much of one's life is spent sleeping. If you are getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night, you sleep 1/3 of your life. Consequently, by age 60, you will have slept 20 years. It is obvious why sleeping on our face eventually leads to creases that become permanently etched in the surface of the skin. Sleep wrinkles are much easier to prevent than they are to repair. As a result, you should make every effort to keep from getting them in the first place.

The most effective and least costly method for preventing sleep wrinkles is to sleep on your back. People who sleep in this position simply do not develop these wrinkles. Chinese women recognized this fact ages ago, and always slept on their backs using concave porcelain pillows. If you are unaccustomed to sleeping in this position, you might try placing a pillow under you knees to decrease stress on the lower back and increase your comfort.

Sleep

If you are unable to sleep on your back, using a pillow that minimizes facial wrinkling is another possibility. Sleep on a big, soft, non-synthetic pillow that you are able to fluff and squish. Those with natural fill, such as down and feathers, offer the most comfort, long-term performance, and adjustability. This type of pillow supports the head while providing softness, eliminating pressure points, and increasing facial circulation to reduce squashing and sleep wrinkles. There are also pillows available made specifically for preventing sleep wrinkles. They support the head while keeping the face and eye tissue away from the pillow.

Sleep Wrinkles - Preventing and Repairing Them

Choosing the correct pillowcase on which to sleep can also deter the formation of sleep creases. If you awaken with these unsightly lines in the morning, your cotton pillowcase may be to blame. Instead of cotton, sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase that allows your face to slide across the pillow thereby minimizing skin wrinkling. Another option for not only preventing sleep lines, but also repairing those which you already have, is to use a copper technology pillowcase. It is imbedded with copper micro fibers which serve to repair your skin as you sleep. Copper has been proven to stimulate collagen production thereby helping reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

Unfortunately, if you already have sleep wrinkles, they may be difficult to alleviate. As we age, our skin loses its elasticity. When the skin becomes creased while sleeping, it no longer readily snaps back when the head is not resting on the pillow, as it did when we were younger. Since these wrinkles are not the result of muscle contractions, such as worry lines or crow's feet, products with Botox-like benefits are ineffective. In order to correct them, new collagen needs to form under the wrinkles to push up the skin from below. There are many skin care products on the market that contain various peptides that promote the formation of collagen. If topical formulations are ineffective, you might want to consult your dermatologist about a wrinkle filler such as Restylane.

Sleep Wrinkles - Preventing and Repairing Them

Article by Cynthia Ruscitto. For more information on protecting your skin from premature aging, please visit http://anti-agingskincare.weebly.com

Sleep is an Important Aid to Stroke Recovery

Sleep contributes a lot to the success of a stroke patient's rehabilitation program. Brain scientist and former stroke patient, Jill Bolte Taylor reveals this in an interview.

Taylor contradicts the methodology of most rehabilitation facilities wherein stroke patients are kept awake through medication or through activities that depended on therapists' schedule despite the patient's tiredness. Taylor's treatments stopped when she was tired and began when she was ready for it, regardless of the time of day or night.

Sleep

This proves that stroke rehabilitation programs' effectiveness rely on the capability of the human body to absorb information in a given day especially when the brain is not functioning properly.

Sleep is an Important Aid to Stroke Recovery

APPLYING THE BENEFITS OF SLEEP TO STROKE PATIENTS

1. Sleep helps the brain consolidate memories

Harvard Medical School's Dr. Jeffrey Ellenbogen tested whether sleep helps build and maintain memory and overcome interference. Results showed that sleep is not a state of mental inactivity for it actively helps the brain digest memories such as those from recently learned facts or working memory.

Participants who did not sleep between learning and testing recalled less of the new words they learned than those who slept. Sleeping in between therapy,then, allows the stroke patients to absorb information derived during their rehabilitation.

2. Sleep strengthens the brain

Various psychologists during the 84th Annual Convention of the Western Psychological Association presented the benefits of Random Eye Movement (REM) Sleep, which occurs between the 6th and 8th hour of sleep when dreaming begins. REM sleep produces sleep spindles that allow the brain to store new information into long-term memory. Sleep spindles are one- to two-second bursts of brain waves that rapidly wax and wane at strong frequencies.

The brain, while in REM sleep, transfers short-term memories in the motor cortex to the temporal lobe, to become long-term memories. Sleep spindles are transmitted as the temporal lobe makes sense of the new information and stores it in long-term memory. In this process, neurotransmitters essential to remembering, performance, and problem-solving are replenished by the brain.

Sufficient sleep strengthens and recuperates the brain to overcome common problems like short attention spans. Stroke patients can also be given Neuroaid to expedite recovery of neurological functions.

3. Sleep decreases risk for another stroke

Patients with diabetes and high blood pressure who suffered stroke may decrease the risk of another stroke by increasing sleep in their regime. According to Dr. Eve Van Cantor, professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago, lack of sleep increases risk for diabetes and high blood pressure to become less susceptible to medication.

Scientific research has proven the effects of sufficient sleep (8 hours) to the human body, to behavior, and to society as a whole. This is why sleep should be interspersed in a stroke patient's rehabilitation program, even if this means incorporating more hours of sleep. The length of time is irrelevant. Patience is a real virtue that reaps great rewards like the 8-year recovery of Jill Taylor.

Sleep is an Important Aid to Stroke Recovery

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Can Adjustable Beds Help Your Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition that occurs when a person is asleep, and it is caused by an obstruction to the air passageways of the nose, throat, and chest. The most common side effect of sleep apnea is snoring. This occurs when the air passageways become restricted to the point that even shallow inhalations and exhalations cause them to vibrate. Sleep apnea may be frightening because it is something that occurs while unconscious, and it is thus uncontrollable. The best way to prevent sleep apnea is to sleep in a position that helps the respiratory system function with ease. For this reason, physicians recommend sleeping upright to remove pressure from the chest and enable easy breathing throughout the night.

It is recommended that those with sleep apnea use a device to help them sleep in a semi-upright position to enable proper breathing throughout the night. For years, physicians typically recommended that individuals use pillows to prop themselves up in bed. This presents a problem for most sleepers, however, because pillows tend to deflate or shift during the night. As a result, a semi-upright position is nearly impossible to maintain through the night. The sleeper returns to a nearly flat position before long, causing the air passageways to become restricted and the side effects of sleep apnea to take hold.

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Adjustable beds will be very helpful for individuals who suffer with sleep apnea. Adjustable beds allow the head to be elevated. This prevents the tongue from falling back and blocking the airway. Once this situation is prevented, the person's sleep will no longer be interrupted. Adjustable beds naturally readjust the airway so that the sufferer will start having a good night's sleep.

Can Adjustable Beds Help Your Sleep Apnea?

Those who are overweight also suffer from this sleeping disorder. Due to their weight, the body is more prone to narrowing of airway and painful pressure points in the body. An overweight person's neck suffers as well. When there is much fat around the neck, the tissues causes the narrowing of airways. This is the reason why overweight people snores loudly at night. Even though the person is still overweight, adjustable beds can help. These beds support the body in a comfortable position in which the tongue will no longer fall back and cause breathing interruptions.

The most important thing one gets with an adjustable bed is the ability to sleep in a fixed angle throughout the night. This redistributes body weight across the body, relieving the upper torso from the pressure that typically causes sleep apnea. Sleeping in a semi-upright position also helps to prevent acid reflux and other GERD symptoms from forming. These new beds may also be used with a memory foam mattress to provide superior support for the hips, lower back, and shoulders. Such added support is ideal for individuals who suffer with arthritis pains as well. Sleeping in an upright and fully supported position relieves joints of the tension that causes morning stiffness, muscle tension, and arthritic pain.

Getting complete rest is essential to be energetic, revitalized, and productive the next day. Adjustable beds are a great investment for you to make sure that you will have complete rest. With an adjustable electric bed, all adjustments can be done using a remote control. With the different models of adjustable beds, you can pick portable, lighter or wall hugging ones to save space. There are also adjustable beds that come with massages to relax the body after a very tiring day.

Can Adjustable Beds Help Your Sleep Apnea?

Medical benefits of adjustable beds include relief from sleep apnea, acid reflux, arthritic pain, and muscle tension. Readers are encouraged to read more about how adjustable beds reduce the incidence of body pains, GERD symptoms, and sleep apnea.

Treatment of Mixed Sleep Apnea

Mixed sleep apnea is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea symptoms. When the patient exhibits physical blockage as well as an inability to maintain normal breathing due to a malfunction of the brain, the patient is diagnosed with mixed sleep apnea. Unfortunately, mixed sleep apnea is usually much harder to treat than the others when exhibited separately. This is because conventional methods of treatment for one type of sleep disorder often make the other type of apnea more severe. An example of this is the occurrence of CPAP and BiPAP causing the patient's central sleep disorder to worsen, or the use of drugs such as theophylline and acetazolamide, which help relieve central sleep disorder symptoms but worsen obstructive sleep disorder symptoms.

One treatment that has had some success in mild cases of mixed sleep apnea is the introduction of small amounts of CO2 through non vented masks in an attempt to reduce CO2 homeostasis instability. This is achieved using a PAP Gas Modulator, which has yielded promising results. However, this is still an experimental treatment and is not yet an accepted solution.

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Currently, there is a very effective form of treatment that has recently been given the stamp of approval from the FDA: adaptive servo-ventilation, or ASV. An ASV machine monitors the breathing of the patient and rapidly changes the pressure of the air fed into the patient. This combats the erratic breathing the patient is experiencing, eventually eliminating it all together. This is accomplished using various complicated algorithms. These algorithms take in data gathered from sensors monitoring the patient, and can provide the ASV machine with information that it uses to adjust its pressure within three breaths. The machine takes into account the previous three minutes of breathing and then calculates an optimal target breathing, which it then implements in the event the patient's breathing begins to deviate.

Treatment of Mixed Sleep Apnea

The ASV machine also varies its pressure in a much gentler manner. Imagine the pressure of both a BiPAP and an ASV machine were graphed as a function of time. The BiPAP's graph would look square, as its pressure is increased in a burst and decreased just as quickly. The ASV machine's graph, however, would closer resemble a sine wave, as the pressure is gradually increased and decreased with breathing, making for much smoother and natural ventilation. This decreases the erratic tendencies of the mixed sleep disorder, and eventually eliminates the symptoms as the ASV machine adapts.

Thought the treatment of mixed sleep disorder is still a developing science, many leaps and bounds are being made in the field. The promise of controlled CO2 introduction through the PAP Gas Modulator and the rapid response of the ASV machine is great, and continued research into these treatments as well as the development of new and more effective treatments continues. There is much to be learned from mixed sleep disorder, even today, and the more that is learned, the better we are able to treat it.

Treatment of Mixed Sleep Apnea

Go to Sleep Apnea Zone to get your free ebook on Sleep Apnea at Sleep Apnea [http://sleepapneazone.org/]. Sleep Apnea Zone also has information on Treatment of Mixed Sleep Apnea [http://sleepapneazone.org/] along with a lot of other free information. Come by our new Sleep Apnea Community site today for free ebooks and other free information that can help you today.

Acid Reflux, Sleep Apnea and Heart Palpitations

Acid reflux, sleep apnea and heart palpitations are serious problems that people have to look after; otherwise, problems that are more serious could result in untreated symptoms.
A person who suffers from sleep apnea may also complain of frequent headaches, dry mouth, and a sore throat in the morning, heart palpitations, urinating throughout the night, falling asleep while working or driving, and chronic fatigue and memory problems.
People who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea have an increased risk of hypertension, stroke, heart disease and accidents while driving or working.

If suffering from acid reflux, sleep apnea and or heart palpitations, you are strongly recommended to consult a doctor. It is common for people to have an occasional sleepless night but a lack of sleep on a regular basis is cause for concern. Insomnia can be the result of sleep apnea or even nighttime acid reflux. Insomnia will leave you feeling tired throughout the entire day. It will also cause psychological and physiological damage to your body.

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When underlying ailments such as sleep apnea, lung disease, hot flashes and diabetes are treated the insomnia may be treated as well. Natural remedies available for insomnia include a change in lifestyle such as a better diet. Much of the food we eat is made up of toxins, which cause an imbalance in the body. The alkaline imbalance may be what triggers insomnia in some people.

Acid Reflux, Sleep Apnea and Heart Palpitations

Acid reflux, sleep apnea and heart palpitations can all be traced in some way to the food we eat. Hydrogenated fat, refined table salt, mono sodium glutamate, sugar, chocolate, corn syrup, refined oils, baking powder, fried foods, junk foods, carbonated soda and alcohol are all toxins that will cause problems in the human body. Replace these poor health choices with natural foods and you may begin to notice a change in your overall health and you may be able to sleep better at night. Fruits and vegetables have plenty of fiber and natural enzymes that balance the acid-alkaline ratio in the body.

Acid reflux can cause chest pain because stomach acid causes the esophagus to become inflamed and can lead to chest pain. This pain may feel quite similar to pain associated with angina, which is felt by people with coronary heart disease. Acid reflux does not directly cause heart palpitations but it may cause a person to feel extremely anxious which in turn may cause palpitations. Another scenario may be that the person may actually be experiencing a heart related attack of pain of some sort. In this case, the palpitations may be the result of a heart attack. Other symptoms of heart disease that could rule out acid reflux include nausea and shortness of breath.

Acid reflux, sleep apnea and heart palpitations are serious ailments that are linked to our lifestyle. If you are someone who is at risk for heart disease, it is important to rule out acid reflux disease before assuming it is responsible for the chest pains and heart palpitations. Even something that feels like a typical case of heartburn could be a sign of heart disease, so a careful history and evaluation of the patient is required.

Acid Reflux, Sleep Apnea and Heart Palpitations

Do you suffer from acid reflux? Check out our site for valuable information on Acid Reflux Symptoms and Treatments
by T.D. Houser

The Link Between Sleep Apnea, Anxiety, and Depression

Obstructive sleep apnea has been identified as a serious medical sleep disorder affecting millions of Americans, often without their knowledge. These individuals awake each morning tired, achy, depressed, and confused about why they can't seem to get a good night's sleep, in spite of going to bed early. They overreact, lose their temper, cry more frequently, and can become irrational.

The word apnea translates to "without breath". Individuals with sleep apnea tend to lose their ability to breathe as they sleep, due to a collapsing airway. This sleep disorder means the individual must wake up momentarily after going without oxygen for too long. When this happens minute by minute, hour by hour, night after night, the effects can be devastating, both mentally and physically. The problem is not the number of hours of sleep they get each night. The problem is the number of times they wake up each night to start breathing again.

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Sleep Deprivation Leads To Psychotic Episodes

The Link Between Sleep Apnea, Anxiety, and Depression

Sleep deprivation, as any new parent can tell you, can be a highly destructive and tortuous situation. Being woken up again and again throughout the night makes it impossible for your mind or your body to get the rest needed to function properly. To complicate matters even more, the brains of sleep deprived individuals end up with an over stimulated amygdala, which shuts down the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is the center for logical reasoning and the source of calming chemicals. The amygdala, on the other hand, is the Lizard Brain that initiates the "fight or flight" response.

To prepare for perceived conflicts, the amygdala releases chemicals that increase heart rate, glucose levels, and blood pressure. Being constantly "on alert" drains the mental and physical resources of the person suffering form sleep apnea. In contrast, individuals who are able to sleep through the night, both due to healthy airways or the use of CPAP machines or BIPAP machines, are able to think rationally, awake rested, and control their emotions.

Loss Of Sleep Means Loss Of Control

Sleep apnea frequently results in emotional problems such as depression and anxiety. While this sleep disorder is easily resolved with CPAP machines or BIPAP machines, many sufferers ignore their symptoms until they become unbearable, often resulting in difficulties at work, failed relationships, and debilitating depression.

Compromised thought processes resulting from sleep apnea make individuals with this sleep disorder lose their ability to think rationally or to control their emotions. Instead of losing your spouse, your career, or your good health to this treatable sleep disorder, a simple visit to your doctor's office can start you on the path to better health and clearer thinking.

CPAP Machines And BIPAP Machines

CPAP machines and BIPAP machines provide nearly instant relief from the negative effects of sleep apnea by correcting this sleep disorder. CPAP machines deliver air through a CPAP mask, worn as you sleep. While it does take a few nights to get used to, the results are astounding and immediate. BIPAP machines operate in a similar fashion but they provide a higher pressure inhalation and a lower pressure exhalation. Your doctor can tell you which system will help you to get the good night's sleep your mind and body so desperately need.

The Link Between Sleep Apnea, Anxiety, and Depression

Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information on Sleep apnea, please visit http://www.cpapwholesale.com/.

Sleep Apnea History

Sleep apnea is a disorder defined as a pause of breathing while asleep. There are three types of sleep apnea. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common. This type of sleep apnea is caused by an obstruction which stops the flow of air to the nose and mouth. The second type is Central Sleep disorder (CSA). This type of sleep issue involves the region of the brain and nerves that regulate breathing do not function properly which causes breathing to be impaired. The third and final type of sleeping issue is Mixed Sleep issue and is rare. The type of sleep issue is a combination of Obstructive Sleeping issue and Central Sleep problem Each pause in the breathing while sleeping is called an apnea.

o It is believed the first documented reference to sleep issue was described in writing entitled "The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club" by Charles Dickens in 1837.

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o In 1965 a French doctor, Dr. Gastault and his colleges studied individuals with the sleep issue which is now known as sleep issue. In 1981, a group of Australian doctors documented treatment of sleep issue patients with what continuous positive airway pressure during sleep (CPAP), one type of successful treatment that is used by sleep issue patients today.

Sleep Apnea History

o In 1990 the non-profit organization, The American Sleeping disease Association (ASAA), was founded. The purpose of this organization is to increase the understanding of sleeping disease. The ASAA works with other non-profit organizations and societies of health care professionals to assist in reaching those individuals that are undiagnosed with sleeping disease. If undiagnosed, and left untreated, sleeping disease can be life-threatening and lead to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

o In 1988, the ASAA created the A.W.A.K.E. (Alert, Well, And Keeping Energetic) Network. This network plays a role of advocacy and education about sleeping disease. This network is made up of hundreds of groups in almost every U.S. state. The network provides advice about types of sleeping disease therapy, sleeping disease treatment, weight loss, and new research findings. ASAA publishes a newsletter entitled The Wake-Up Call which provides useful medical information about the disease.

Sleep problem is not a rare disorder, but it is often an undiagnosed disorder. An individual with sleep problem is not aware they are not breathing properly. Even though individuals with sleep problem notice symptoms associated with sleep problem, most of the time individual's with sleep problem seek medical attention because of symptoms noticed by their sleep partner.

Sleep problem is diagnosed by a sleep study test called polysomnography (PSG) which is conducted by sleep specialist at a sleep clinic. The PSG test records the bio-physiological changes while the patient sleeps. The PSG monitors the brain waves, eye movement, muscle activity, and heart rhythm of the patient. A patient is said to have sleep apnea if the PSG test defines five or more episodes of apnea (pause in breathing) per hour. The PSG also diagnoses which of the three types of sleep apnea the patient experiences.

Sleep Apnea History

Go to Sleep Apnea Zone to get your free ebook on Sleep Apnea at Sleep Apnea [http://sleepapneazone.org/]. Sleep Apnea Zone also has information on Sleep Apnea History [http://sleepapneazone.org/] along with a lot of other free information. Come by our new Sleep Apnea Community site today for free ebooks and other free information that can help you today.