Sound Sleep Guide

Archive for November, 2008

Sleep apnea is possibly the most commonly seen sleep disorder and affects in the region of 18,000,000 Americans. A sleeping disorder which is characterized by interrupted breathing while sleeping, it is also without doubt the most dangerous of all sleeping disorders because it starves the brain of critical oxygen and occasionally proves fatal.

There are two very different types of sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is essentially a neurological condition in which breathing is broken because of signals sent out by the brain. Obstructive sleep apnea is essentially a mechanical problem where the windpipe is obstructed either by too much tissue or as a result of the unusual collapse or relaxation of the muscles around the windpipe. In both cases however the results are effectively the same with repeated interruptions to the breathing that starve the brain of oxygen and place sufferers at greater risk from such things as high blood pressure, stroke and heart attack.

Regrettably, diagnosing sleep apnea can be difficult because snoring, which is one of its commonest symptoms and frequently leads to sleep apnea being called the snoring disease, is also often seen as a symptom of various medical conditions. Snoring is certainly normally present with sleep apnea as the brain counters a lack of oxygen by awakening the sufferer sufficiently to restart breathing and this usually produces snoring.

This frequent awakening throughout the night also results in a poor quality of sleep and it is quite common for sleep apnea sufferers to get up in the morning feeling even more tired than they were when they went to bed. This also results in a feeling of sheer exhaustion during the course of the day and an overwhelming wish to sleep.

However, tiredness resulting from a poor quality of sleep is just part of the problem and a variety of other symptoms will also generally be seen including headaches in the morning, a lack of memory and a problem in maintaining concentration.

Left untreated the increasing exhaustion from sleep apnea can lead to major psychological difficulties starting with simple tetchiness and moving on to depression with clear changes in both mood and behavior.

Both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea can be treated and, provided the problem is diagnosed at an early stage, treatment can often be fairly simple. For instance, mild cases of obstructive sleep apnea caused by nasal congestion can generally be treated with nothing more than a course of decongestants. Likewise, many cases of sleep apnea which are not too serious may be treated with the use of a mask that is worn during sleep and that delivers air at a constant pressure in order to keep the airway open. Lastly, in the most severe cases surgery might be necessary and can be very effective, although it may also lead to numerous complications and must be considered with care.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember about sleep apnea is that because it carries the potential risk of respiratory failure sufferers ought not to be tempted to use sleeping pills or to take other types of artificial sleep enhancers without first seeking the approval of a doctor.

Natural sleep remedies can without doubt provide an effective complement to prescribed treatments and herbal remedies which are designed to improve both the duration and quality of sleep can be helpful in the management of the excessive daytime sleepiness often brought on by sleep apnea. Also, such things as chromatherapy, aromatherapy and guided relaxation and meditation can help in reducing the anxiety and insomnia that come with sleep apnea.

Of all the problems that one needs to consider when thinking about those pounds that seem to keep creeping on year after year, the connection between weight gain and snoring is just one more than cannot be denied. But why would a few extra pounds cause a person to snore? What is it about added pounds that can mean a connection between weight gain and snoring?

There are a few things to consider here. One is that when a person is overweight they usually have excess body fat around the throat and neck even if they're not aware of it. You don’t need a neck the size of your leg to have too much fat in this area! This connection between weight gain and snoring happens when that added weight closes or collapses the airways in the throat which can cause not only snoring but other sounds such as gasping, wheezing, choking, snorting, and noises that we usually call snoring even though technically they’re not. This is probably the most common connection between weight gain and snoring and is not always easily fixed. You can use a body pillow to put behind you and prop yourself up so that you sleep on your side; this keeps those airways more open than if you sleep on your back. Some have also found it helpful to put something under the feet of their bed so that they’re slightly elevated at their own feet; this keeps the mouth from dropping open and forces a person to keep breathing through their nose. While this isn’t always a permanent solution to the problem of weight gain and snoring it can help someone that always sleeps on their back.

The other common connection between weight gain and snoring has to do with the damage that one does to their respiratory system overall with added weight. It is a simple fact that excess weight can result in an excess of body fat around the lung area and certain parts of the respiratory system and this can cause breathing problems. It’s not unusual for those that are seriously overweight to have asthma and other respiratory problems. This could be one of the most dangerous connections between weight gain and snoring as being unable to breathe freely can mean damage to every cell in the body if left unchecked.

Sleep is most important factor in determining how you live, perform, think. Around 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders. Around 47 million adults may be putting themselves at risk for injury, health and behavior problems because they aren’t meeting their own minimum sleep requirements.

Do you take more than 30 minutes to sleep?

Does it happen to you regularly?

If your answer is yes, you might suffer from sleep disorder or insomnia.  Now insomnia is a symptom, not a medical problem. Persistent insomnia indicates that something isn’t working properly for you.

There is growing evidence that sleep disorder has bad affect on our heart and mental health. Insomnia also triggers irritation, anxiety and frequent mood swing. Here are 11 tips for a healthy sleep at night

1.Always take a bath before you go to bed.

2.Use dim lights after 8 p.m.

3.Design your bedroom in such a way that it is conducive to sleep. You should use a firm mattress and pillow at night.

4.You should not go to bed after heavy exercise. However, relaxation exercises like deep breathing, listening to soothing music helps.

5.You should not watch action packed movie, avoid intense conversations before bed time. However you can read light books which you can easily pick up and put down.

6.You should not look at the clock because it will make you anxious.

7.Avoid alcohol and strong coffee before bed time. It is found that the stimulating effect of caffeine lasts up to 12 hours. 

8.A glass of warm milk or a cup of herbal tea helps you to sleep.
 
9.You can not force yourself to sleep. If you cannot sleep, get up after 30 minutes and do something relaxing or productive.

10.You need to practice natural stress management techniques to avoid any kind of anxiety attack.

11. If you can not sleep because of snoring of your partner, take appropiate steps.