Sleep Deprivation - Alarming New Studies
Nov 28, 2006 Insomnia
There have been several studies recently that link sleep deprivation with an increased risk of developing diabetes, obesity, heart disease and cancer.
That’s rather scary when you consider 3.5 million Americans suffer from insomnia.
With regard to the obesity cases, researchers have found that even mild sleep deprivation can disrupt the hormones ghrelin and leptin that regulate appetite. Sleep deprivation may also increase substances in the blood that indicate increased inflammation which is associated with diseases like colon cancer, breast cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Not all experts agree with the findings, claiming that the link between health problems and sleep problems could be caused by other factors. However, most experts agree that further studies need to be done.
More Bad News
Sleeping difficulties may be a red flag for a serious illness. In a recent Harvard Medical School study involving 82,000 nurses, they found an increased risk of death among those who slept less than six hours a night.
What About Pills?
The most popular way to treat insomnia and other sleep disorders is with sleeping pills. It’s a $2.1 billion a year business. The most common drugs are Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata. Although they are not as addictive as the barbiturates prescribed in the past (the kind Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley took), most experts agree that the new drugs have not been tested enough for long-term use.
Melatonin is a popular over-the-counter sleep aid, but it is not regulated or approved by the FDA and there are no reliable studies that show it works. Something to consider when using melatonin are the purity levels and correct usage. Most people take it 30 minutes before bed when they should take it several hours before bed.
Any Good News?
There is a non-drug therapy that seems to be working for sleep disorders that are caused by stress, depression, or other psychological factors. It’s called cognitive behavioral therapy and is showing some promising results. In one study, researchers found patients got to sleep faster after the therapy than after taking Ambien.
The treatment includes training patients how to calm their mind and body and teaching them how their thought patterns can cause sleeplessness. Other therapy actually restricts the amount of time you spend in bed. The goal is to get six great hours of sleep rather than six hours of poor sleep spread over an eight hour period.
Tags: sleep deprivation
Can a Better Pillow REALLY Help?
Nov 25, 2006 Insomnia
Apparently so, for some people.
My boyfriend swears by his obnoxiously expensive ortho pillow he sleeps on. Plus he has one of those little contoured pillows that fits in between his knees when he sleeps on his side. He insists that sleeping well is just a matter getting comfortable. He arranges his pillows just so, and within 5 minutes (sometimes less), he’s off to never-never land.
I’m jealous.
I did try a cheap version of the ortho pillow (memory foam or something like that) a few years ago. I didn’t notice any significant improvement in my sleeping patterns. In fact, I usually end up on my stomach sometime during the night (a big no-no I’ve been told) and those little pillows just didn’t work in that position. My daughter loved it when she came to visit, so I ended up giving one to her.
I suppose I could “borrow” my boyfriend’s pillow for a few nights to see if it would work for me, but I doubt I could wrestle it away from him. Even if he did offer to part with it to help me out, the guilt I would feel would surely prevent me from getting any sleep.
Lo and behold, someone has designed a pillow just for us side and stomach sleepers!
Here’s the list of problems that the pillow can help with:
Sufferers of : Lower back pain, shoulder pain , frozen shoulder or neck and shoulder pain
Stomach, back or side sleepers.
People who snore and have sleep disorders like sleep apnea.
People on the go who need a more restful sleep for improved energy next day.
People who need insomnia treatment and users of sleep aids, who have problems sleeping.
TMJ sufferers, people with migraine headaches
Pregnant women who just can’t get comfortable.
From car accident survivors to people with pinched nerves in the neck.
GiGi
problems sleeping, pillow, better sleep, insomnia, sleep disorders
Technorati Tags: problems sleeping, pillow, better sleep, insomnia, sleep disorders
How I Cured My Insomnia…well, almost…
Nov 24, 2006 Insomnia
Chances are, if you are suffering from insomnia or have other sleep problems, you’ve already read plenty of articles about cures for insomnia.
Sound Advice?
The advice in those articles seemed like sound advice:
“Â Keep your bedroom cool
“Â Remove distractions
“Â Try to establish a consistent routine
“Â Limit alcohol and caffeine, etc.
But somehow that advice hasn’t worked for you. Why?
The Drug Cycle
If you’re like me, you have an Ambien (or some other sleeping pill) prescription that you try not to abuse. So you cut the pill in half and limit how often you take it. Every once in a while, after a few days of sleepless nights, you take a half - it feels so good to have a full night’s sleep, even if it IS drug-induced. You swear you’ll wait a while to take another but the next night you have problems falling asleep BECAUSE you took the Ambien the night before. And so the cycle begins all over again. Sound familiar?
A Solution
Is there a way to break the drug cycle?
Is there a natural cure for insomnia that really works?
For me, it came in an e-book written by Martin Brock. Finally, a way to break the sleeping pill cycle using natural methods. Many of his suggestions were common sense theories I had heard before, but some were new to me.
What’s Different?
What’s different about this book is that the sleep cycle is fully explained in a way that makes sense. You not only learn what happens in your body during the sleep cycle, but also why certain activities you do affect your sleep patterns. This is powerful information. Why? Because now you have the tools to get off those pills forever!
Imagine how good it would feel to WELCOME going to bed at night instead of dreading the endless tossing and turning?
Let’s Get Real
Do I sleep soundly every night? No, of course not. There are nights I still toss and turn, but now I know why. I’m simply NOT applying the techniques I’ve learned from his book. So it’s an easy fix to remedy the problem and get back on track. I can restfully say that I am off the Ambien and feeling much better.
An Added Bonus
Many of the recommendations in this book will also improve other areas in your life because they are good for your overall health. You may choose not to follow some of the recommendations, but you only have yourself to blame if you don’t get a good night’s sleep.
If you are serious about finally breaking your insomnia habit once and for all, I urge you to take a look at this book.Â
natural cure for insomnia, insomnia, sleep, sleep problems
Technorati Tags: natural cure for insomnia, insomnia, sleep, sleep problems
Tags: cure insomnia
Alarming New Studies About Insomnia
Nov 23, 2006 Insomnia
There have been several studies recently that link sleep deprivation with an increased risk of developing diabetes, obesity, heart disease and cancer.
Â
That’s rather scary when you consider 3.5 million Americans suffer from insomnia.
With regard to the obesity cases, researchers have found that even mild sleep deprivation can disrupt the hormones ghrelin and leptin that regulate appetite. Sleep deprivation may also increase substances in the blood that indicate increased inflammation which is associated with diseases like colon cancer, breast cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Â
Not all experts agree with the findings, claiming that the link between health problems and sleep problems could be caused by other factors. However, most experts agree that further studies need to be done.
More Bad News
Sleeping difficulties may be a red flag for a serious illness. In a recent Harvard Medical School study involving 82,000 nurses, they found an increased risk of death among those who slept less than six hours a night.
What About Pills?
The most popular way to treat insomnia and other sleep disorders is with sleeping pills. It’s a $2.1 billion a year business. The most common drugs are Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata.  Although they are not as addictive as the barbiturates prescribed in the past (the kind Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley took), most experts agree that the new drugs have not been tested enough for long-term use.
Melatonin is a popular over-the-counter sleep aid, but it is not regulated or approved by the FDA and there are no reliable studies that show it works. Something to consider when using melatonin are the purity levels and correct usage. Most people take it 30 minutes before bed when they should take it several hours before bed.
Any Good News?
There is a non-drug therapy that seems to be working for sleep disorders that are caused by stress, depression, or other psychological factors. It’s called cognitive behavioral therapy and is showing some promising results. In one study, researchers found patients got to sleep faster after the therapy than after taking Ambien.
The treatment includes training patients how to calm their mind and body and teaching them how their thought patterns can cause sleeplessness. Other therapy actually restricts the amount of time you spend in bed. The goal is to get six great hours of sleep rather than six hours of poor sleep spread over an eight hour period.
For a natural cure for insomnia, read my review of:
To a good night’s sleep!
GiGi
insomnia, sleep deprivation, insomnia cure, sleep disorders
Technorati Tags: insomnia, sleep deprivation, insomnia cure, sleep disorders
New Book Review on Insomnia
Nov 15, 2006 Insomnia
Here’s a new book for Insomnia. I know I’ve been promoting Powerful Sleep and although I think that’s a great book,
this one is a better value. All the same great information - check it out:
GiGi
