Sound Sleep Guide

Archive for October, 2008

Today’s use of traditional Chinese medicine brings together hundreds of years of Chinese medical practice that includes using Chinese medicine to cure insomnia naturally. ‘Traditional Chinese medicine’ is a relatively modern term that was first used by the People’s Republic of China during the 1950s when the country was attempting to build a significant export trade for its time honored practices and medicines.

Nowadays, traditional Chinese medicine does not simply cover medicinal products, but also covers such things as herbal preparations and a number of practices including acupuncture and massage. The core of Chinese medicine is that the human body functions as the result of various interconnected processes that are constantly interaction with the environment around us. While these processes remain in balance you are healthy however, if they are not running alongside one another smoothly, your health suffers.

There are a number of different philosophies which govern Chinese medicine including such things as the theory of Yin-Yang which is concerned with the role of the five elements (earth, water, fire, wood and metal), the flow of energy along the meridians of the body and the interaction between the body’s organs that are described in the theory of Zang-Fu.

For many years there has been conflict between those people who follow traditional Chinese medical practices and those people who believe in the science-based practice of Western medicine. Now however traditional Chinese medicine, along with other types of Asian and Oriental medicine, is being increasingly accepted in the West and we commonly refer to these practices as alternative medicine.

For many millions of sufferers herbal remedies have long proved to be effective in treating insomnia, or in relieving insomnia symptoms, and things like lavender, chamomile, lemon balm and passion flower have long been known for their medicinal properties. There can be very few insomniacs who have not had a drink of hot honey and lemon before retiring for the night.

A rising number of people are also turning to acupuncture or, for those people who do not like the though of needles, acupressure. Both arts have been practiced for many hundreds of years and were born out of the traditional Chinese practice of adjusting energy levels in the body by controlling its flow along the meridian lines of the body.

In spite of its growing acceptance there are still a lot of people who are wary of Chinese medicine. But anyone who has first-hand experience of it in action, particularly those of us who have been fortunate enough to spend time living in the Far East, will be more than happy attest to its effectiveness.

If you suffer from insomnia then Chinese medicine is one route which you should consider seriously and a good place to start is with a simple herbal remedy for insomnia.

40% adults are suffering from insomnia as per the National Center for Sleep Disorders. Chronic sleep disorder problem leads to a lowered immune system, irritability, lack of concentration and daytime sleepiness. People with insomnia often suffer from diseases like diabetes, hypertension, obesity and memory loss.

4 types of sleeping disturbances

(1) Breathing interruptions during sleep is called sleep apnea

(2) Difficulty in falling asleep or Insomnia

(3) Narcolepsy – sleep attacks during the day

(4) A tingling or prickly sensation in the legs called restless legs syndrome

Insomnia symptoms are

• Trouble in falling asleep at night

• Disturbed sleep like waking up repeatedly during the night, and not able to go back to sleep again

• Waking up too early in the morning

• Feeling tired in the morning after waking up

• Feeling sleepiness during the working hour

• Psychological problems like irritation, memory loss and lack of concentration.

What are the common causes of insomnia

Psychological (like anxiety), physical (arthritis pain, cough or any other physical discomforts), and temporary events (environmental aspects like noise, light, or extreme temperatures) are the three main causes for sleep disorder.

Insomnia Treatment

There are many treatments for sleep disorders. If you are facing sleep disturbances for few days, you can improve the condition just by having regular sleep habits, lifestyle change, exercise etc.

If the problem continues, it is always best to ask a doctor for a proper diagnosis to identify the cause of insomnia.

You should take medical treatment if sleep disorders cause problems in carrying out daily activities. The main reason is most of the drugs create a dependency in the long run.

You can also try self-help and other non-medicinal insomnia treatments like improved sleep habits, sleep hygiene, stress management and relaxation techniques and other natural sleep aids.

Disclaimer : Please consider this article only for general information. You should consult your doctor before taking action.

For the person that suffers from snoring, going to bed often has nothing to do with going to sleep. It is important to recognize that an individual that snores is often as easily disturbed by the snoring as the partner that shares their bed. This important reality has resulted in the consumer market being flooded with stop snoring devices that promise to put an end to the snoring dilemma that so many people suffer with on a nightly basis.

In recent years, medical technology has worked very hard to determine solutions that might end the constant battle between snoring and sleep deprivation and bring a peaceful nights sleep to everyone involved. While there are many stop snoring devices available on the market today and each of them guarantees to provide the desired result it is important to review the promises, objectives and guidelines to establish which one is best for your personal needs.

The Pillow That Promises To Stop Snoring

The “Sandler” pillow is a popular device created to stop snoring. Named after its creator, the “Sandler” pillow promises to put an end to snoring. The design of the pillow forces the snoring individual to sleep on their side. It is widely upheld that those who sleep on their side do so with their mouth closed and therefore do not snore as readily as someone that is sleeping on their back. While some mild snoring may occur while sleeping on the side as the vibration in the soft palate is still in existence, the loud disruptive snoring that takes place during back sleep does not occur.

A Stop Snoring Device That Provides An Audible Reminder To Roll Over

In recent years, there has been the creation of electronic stop snoring devices that provide behavior modification by use of an electric beeping sound. In a methodology similar to the concept of the famous Pavlov’s dog, the machine is attached to the snoring partner and begins to emit a beeping sound when the snorer rolls from side to back. Since it is a common held belief that the snoring gets louder when the snorer is on their back, this machine prevents that position change by way of an electronic beeping sound. While it seems the beeping sound would be just as disruptive as the snoring, the basic idea is that the sleep position monitors are to be used for short-term behavior modification, not as a lifelong device to prevent nightly snoring.