Our brain system

This simply helps us understand the importance of sleep to our brain system. It helps to coordinate memories, solidify learning and enhance concentration. A quality sleep which refers to sleep where you are actively dreaming or known as the REM sleep also regulates your mood. Lack of sleep could lead you being cranky, affect your social interaction, decision making as well as your emotions.We spend a third of our lives sleeping though we tried our best to cut the hours to as little as possible. People vary to the hours they need to sleep or better put as the hours they choose to sleep.

Figures like Napoleon and Margaret Thatcher were happy with four hours of sleep while some of us need more. It is often claimed that sleep will help the body to rejuvenate from the day's activities. However sleep researches have shown that the amount of energy saved is merely as much as 50kCal- the energy in a piece of toast! So why do we sleep anyway? Perhaps Thomas Edison is right, sleep is just a waste of time. Why Do We Sleep? It is a question that has baffled scientists for centuries and surprisingly, no one knows exactly why do we sleep.

The way to look at it is to know what are the sleep deprivation effects. When you continuously don't get the amount of sleep you need, you will suffer symptoms such as daytime drowsiness, trouble concentrating, increased risk of falls and accidents, and lower productivity. Sleep deprivation also gives impact to motor skills to an extent enough to be similar to driving while drunk! Based on the statistic, 100,000 accidents and 1500 deaths each year are caused by driver fatigue.

Basically, sleep is an essential time of rest which benefits our minds and bodies in many ways. It plays a significant role in maintaining the normal levels of cognitive skills such as the memory, speech, innovating and flexible thinking. Have you ever burned the midnight candle to study for you final exam, only to find that you can hardly remember anything when answering your papers?

Sleeping knowlege

In addition to being more susceptible to accidents, physical and mental problems, people who can't sleep experience consequences like significant mood swings, abnormal behaviour, hallucinations and even death in the most severe yet unlikely cases. To find more precise answers as to what is sleep, present research efforts have been focused on examining the result of sleep deprivation on the immune system. If you can't sleep at night because you need to finish an important assignment that needs to be submitted the next day, think again. Insufficient sleep will result in a compromise of your physical, emotional and mental health.

Your capacity for work declines substantially, causing you to underperform.

Due to sleep being linked to the restorative processes of the immune system, sleep deprivation induces a biological response similar to the body fighting off an infection.At some point of your life, you would have said "I can't sleep", and shrugged it of as something unimportant. Here's a detailed answer to "what is sleep": physically, it is a time when our muscles relax and recover as the body synthesises new proteins. Mentally, it allows for the mind to be restored, reenergised and rejuvenated. That is why having sufficient sleep is especially critical for children; it is required for growth, development and psychological processing, which is why parents are at a loss when their tots can't sleep.

Thus, it is a period of rest integral for maintaining the proper functioning of our bodies. William Dement, who specialises in sleep research, announced that although most college undergraduates have some knowledge of personal health, they draw a blank when questioned "What is sleep" and are unaware of the result when they can't sleep. He further stated that all students should be educated on the importance of physical fitness, good nutrition and healthy sleep, of which he classifies the three as the "fundamental triumvirate of health."

Sleep is hardly inactive - the brain goes through tasks like integrating new information, organising long-term memory as well as repairing and renewing tissue, nerve cells and other biochemicals while we sleep. The duration of and quality of sleep attained correlates to the standard and amount of work managed the next day. If you can't sleep, your body cannot rest and your mind cannot sort out your experiences and emotions - which is definitely a cause for concern.

Good Sleeping Must Have Power

Sleep helps you to achieve more emotional stability, which can help you in almost every aspect of life. Sleeping has endless health benefits. A good night’s rest can go a long way in today’s busy lifestyle. The average adult requires around 7-9 hours of sleep, so try to work that into your hectic lifestyle each night. Remember napping can always help too! A regular sleep schedule helps promote better sleeping habits and falling asleep faster.

More and more in our fast paced world depression is affecting American’s lives. Depression can be caused by any number of things, and it can be a very serious condition. Sleep helps to control our irritability, and our anxiety, which are too of the leading contributors to depression.

1 Sleeping Can Help You to Live Longer.

Too little sleep is often correlated with a shorter life span. It is not quite spelled out whether sleep is a cause or an effect, but a healthy sleep schedule is related to longer years for a person. In 2010 a study in women between 60 and 70 showed more deaths occurred for those who got less than 5-6 hours of sleep each night; however too much sleep can also be harmful. A healthy balance of rest is required.

2 Sleep Helps Creativity

In addition to improving memory sleeping also is linked to creativity. Creativity is vital to many individuals in life. Without new inspiring ideas, the world will take much longer to develop. A good night’s sleep can help you to find that creative drive that you yearn for. Often times, writers block is associated with a lack of sleep.

3 Sleep Helps Your Heart

Everyone wants a strong healthy heart. Sleep plays a major role in helping maintain a healthy heart. Your cardiovascular system is always under stress and high blood pressure can be the main culprit. Sleep helps to keep cholesterol levels in check, which plays a major role in heart disease.

4 Sleeping Helps to Control Weight

If you are on a new diet plan, you may want to plan for an earlier bedtime as well. Diet and exercise are a key part to losing weight. Without proper rest and recovery diet and exercise may be useless. Your body needs to repair muscle proteins, and sleep can ensure that your diet is be maximized to its full potential. Otherwise, nutrients would be wasted, and you would be left feeling groggy.

5 Sleep Helps to Avoid Accidents

On average one and six accidents are related to sleep deprivation. Sleepiness affects our decision making, and reaction time. On top of that, a winding smooth road is unfortunately, too relaxing, and falling asleep at the wheel is a very scary possibility. A combination of a lack of sleep and getting behind the wheel can be even more dangerous than alcohol related incidents.

Make sleeping easier

If you just can't sleep, feel free to get back up and read, do some needlework, or whatever will make you sleepy. Forcing yourself to sleep will probably just make your brain stay active longer, so try to work with your body instead of against it!

Exercise for at least thirty minutes a day. Most women in normal pregnancies are encouraged to exercise every day. Talk with your healthcare provider before starting a regimen, but exercise may help you sleep better. It can burn of excess energy, calm your mind, and loosen sore muscles to make sleeping easier. Great exercises for pregnant women include walking, swimming, yoga, and aerobics. Don't force yourself to sleep. One of the worst things you can do is to try to force yourself to sleep when you can't. Go to bed, and try to fall asleep for about fifteen minutes. I was talking to a friend at night recently and she was telling me that she couldn't seem to be able to get to sleep.

In fact she is not the only person whom I have encountered to have problem falling asleep at night. Another two friends were telling me the same thing; that they felt tired but just couldn't fall asleep. Are you having the same problem? To some, sleep comes almost naturally - they just lay down on the bed and before they know it, they have fallen asleep. Yet to others, sleep is a luxury which ironically they can only dream about. Fortunately most people only experience sleeping problem once in a while. Nothing could be more frustrating than not being able to sleep. Tossing and turning. Your mind is racing, going over everything that happened today.

What contributes to one's sleepless agony? There are many factors that contribute to the sleepless night. These factors include work and household responsibilities which can make sleep difficult to come by. Factor in other unexpected challenges such as financial worries, layoffs, relationship issues or an illness worsen the problem. It is important to know what causes the problem of sleepless night so that one can control or eliminate the problem at its root cause. However, one may not always know what causes the sleepless night. In this case, one can still make some changes in the environment and adopt habits that encourage a better sleep. Let us take a look at some tips which you can use for better sleep.

Some problems of Sleeping

Sleeping during pregnancy can be a big problem for many women. Sometimes the issue is that you have way too much on your mind, so it becomes difficult to settle down for sleep. Don't drink a lot of water or other fluids right before bed. Certainly you need to up your intake of water and other healthy fluids during pregnancy, but you don't have to do it right before bed. Sleep during the day if you can't sleep at night.

If possible, take naps during the day. You'll probably need more sleep than usual during your first and third trimesters, and daytime naps can help. Some women actually have an easier time sleeping and getting comfortable during the day, so don't be afraid to sleep then if that's what works for you. Just make sure you're getting your rest! A few hours before bed, start tapering off your fluid intake. If you get thirsty, have just enough sips of water to quench your thirst. This can dramatically impact your ability to stay in bed asleep longer instead of getting up to use the bathroom!

Othertimes, sleep problems are caused by the general discomfort that's common in the second and third trimesters. Many women also experience sleep problems brought on by the need to empty their bladders more often than usual. Some scientists actually think that pregnancy sleep problems might be related to hormonal changes that are meant to get you used to waking up every few hours like you'll have to do with a newborn! You're already likely to be exhausted during pregnancy, so don't let extra sleep problems create even more tiredness in your life. Instead, use these tips to help you get a better night's sleep, no matter what trimester you're in.

Ease lower back pain with extra pillows. It's best for pregnant women in the second trimester or later to sleep on the left side, which gets the most blood flow to the uterus and kidneys. However, this might be uncomfortable for you at first. Sleeping with your knees bent with a pillow between them can help. Experiment with placing pillows behind your back, too, since this can help support your lower back and ease that pain that often comes with later stages of pregnancy.

Sleeping position means

The remainder of those in the poll said the position they fell asleep varied or did not know.Professor Idzikowski also examined the effect of various sleeping positions on health. He concluded that the freefall position was good for digestion, while the starfish and soldier positions were more likely to lead to snoring and a bad night's sleep.

Professor Idzikowski said "Lying down flat means that stomach contents can more readily be worked back up into the mouth, while those who lie on their back may end up snoring and breathing less well during the night. "Both these postures may not necessarily awaken the sleeper but could cause a less refreshing night's sleep."

The research also found that most people are unlikely to change their sleeping position. Just 5% said they sleep in a different position every night.Take some methods to improve the quality of your sleep:

Foetus: Those who curl up in the foetus position are described as tough on the outside but sensitive at heart. They may be shy when they first meet somebody, but soon relax. This is the most common sleeping position, adopted by 41% of the 1,000 people who took part in the survey. More than twice as many women as men tend to adopt this position.

Log: Lying on your side with both arms down by your side. These sleepers are easy going, social people who like being part of the in-crowd, and who are trusting of strangers. However, they may be gullible.

Yearner: People who sleep on their side with both arms out in front are said to have an open nature, but can be suspicious, cynical. They are slow to make up their minds, but once they have taken a decision, they are unlikely ever to change it.

Soldier: Lying on your back with both arms pinned to your sides. People who sleep in this position are generally quiet and reserved. They don't like a fuss, but set themselves and others high standards.

Freefall: Lying on your front with your hands around the pillow, and your head turned to one side. Often gregarious and brash people, but can be nervy and thin-skinned underneath, and don't like criticism, or extreme situations.

Starfish: Lying on your back with both arms up around the pillow. These sleepers make good friends because they are always ready to listen to others, and offer help when needed. They generally don't like to be the centre of attention.

Research suggests women have a different relationship with sleep

Research suggests women have a different relationship with sleep when it comes to illness. One study showed that women who got less than 8 hours of sleep demonstrated an elevated risk for heart problems. Men in the study who got the same amount of sleep also saw increased risk, but the increase was not as significant as it was for women. The results of a recent study on cancer and sleep found that women were significantly more likely than men to suffer from insomnia while undergoing cancer treatment. I’d like to see even more research that sets out to explore differences in the ways men and women experience sleep. The more we understand about how gender influences sleep, the better we’ll be able to develop targeted, effective remedies for sleep problems for both men and women.

Wall Street Journal caught my eye recently—it’s a great roundup of recent research on the differences between the way men and women sleep. Gender differences in sleep are a fascinating and important area of study. We all know that men and women have different sleep tendencies—think of all those early bird/night owl partnerships out there—but we’re now beginning to understand more about why gender matters when it comes to sleep.I was particularly interested in a couple of the most recent studies, which show evidence of some fundamental biological differences between men’s and women’s sleep. One suggests that there are marked differences in the circadian rhythms of men and women. In this study, researchers observed the circadian cycles of 157 men and women between the ages of 18 to 74, measuring melatonin levels and body temperature in order to track the 24-hour sleep-wake cycle. Over the course of a month-long inpatient sleep period, researchers found significant differences between men and women in both the timing of their circadian clocks—which help govern sleep times and wake times—and the duration of the circadian clock itself. Among those differences:

Women’s circadian clocks are set to an earlier hour than men’s, making them more inclined to fall asleep earlier and also to wake earlier. Women showed a stronger inclination for activity earlier in the day than men.
Circadian cycles were actually shorter for women than for men, by six minutes. Even a slight difference can have significant impact on nightly sleep and on energy levels during the day. Think about a clock that runs a handful of minutes behind every day. Over time, those minutes really add up! Not only did women’s circadian clocks generally run earlier and shorter than men’s, but also many more women had internal clocks that ran a full cycle in under 24 hours.
　　
Another recent study found that women tend to perform better than men when low on sleep, and also can rebound more quickly from mild sleep deprivation when they get restorative sleep. I was really interested in this one because it looks at the question of making up for work-week sleep deprivation with extra rest over the weekend. Women and men were asked to sleep for only six hours per night, over six consecutive nights, to approximate the typical sleep deprivation that many of us experience during a busy work week. The participants then spent two nights “catching up” on their rest with extended overnight sleep. Researchers found that women scored higher on performance tests during the period of low sleep, and that their performance improved more than men’s after two nights of extended sleep. (Take note: Neither men nor women in the study were able to truly “catch up” on their sleep over the two nights. Both fell short, but women simply came closer than men.) We know that women spend more time than men do in deep, slow-wave sleep stages over the course of a night. Time spent in deep sleep is restorative and memory boosting, which likely explains the advantage women have in performing under low-sleep conditions.

Women may reap real benefits from deeper sleep, but there is also evidence that they are in other ways more vulnerable than men to sleep disorders, and to the health risks associated with lack of sleep. The biological phases of a woman’s life—menstruation, pregnancy, menopause—and the hormonal shiftsthat accompany them make women more likely to experience disruptions to their sleep. Women in general are more susceptible than men to sleep disorders such as insomnia. Because of their propensity for deep sleep during the first part of their lives, women may receive protective benefits early on. But particularly after the age of 40, women’s sleep often deteriorates.

Diphenhydramine comes alone

Diphenhydramine comes alone and in combination with pain relievers, fever reducers, and decongestants. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice on which product is best for your symptoms. Check nonprescription cough and cold product labels carefully before using two or more products at the same time. These products may contain the same active ingredient(s) and taking them together could cause you to receive an overdose. This is especially important if you will be giving cough and cold medications to a child.

Diphenhydramine comes as a tablet, a rapidly disintegrating (dissolving) tablet, a capsule, a liquid-filled capsule, a dissolving strip, powder, and a liquid to take by mouth. When diphenhydramine is used for the relief of allergies, cold, and cough symptoms, it is usually taken every 4 to 6 hours. When diphenhydramine is used to treat motion sickness, it is usually taken 30 minutes before departure and, if needed, before meals and at bedtime. When diphenhydramine is used to treat insomnia it is taken at bedtime (30 minutes before planned sleep). When diphenhydramine is used to treat abnormal movements, it is usually taken three times a day at first and then taken 4 times a day. Follow the directions on the package or on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take diphenhydramine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor or directed on the label.

When there are new questions, you will:

•tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to diphenhydramine or any other medications.

•tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: other diphenhydramine products (even those that are used on the skin); other medications for colds, hay fever, or allergies; medications for anxiety, depression, or seizures; muscle relaxants; narcotic medications for pain; sedatives; sleeping pills; and tranquilizers.

•tell your doctor if you have or have ever had asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or other types of lung disease; glaucoma (a condition in which increased pressure in the eye can lead to gradual loss of vision); ulcers; difficulty urinating (due to an enlarged prostate gland); heart disease; high blood pressure; seizures; or an overactive thyroid gland.If you will be using the liquid, tell your doctor if you have been told to follow a low-sodium diet.
•tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking diphenhydramine, call your doctor.

Sleep right way

Sleeping at the wrong time - shift work and parenthood. Your may have to work at night, staying awake when you would normally be asleep. If you only have to do this occasionally, it's quite easy to adjust. It is much harder to cope with if you do it regularly. Shift workers, doctors and nurses working all night or nursing mothers may all find that they sleep at times when they ought to be awake. It's like jet lag where rapid travel between time zones means that you are awake when everybody else is asleep.

A good way to get back to normal is to make sure that you wake up quite early at the same time every morning - whatever time you fell asleep the night before.  Use an alarm clock to help you. Make sure that you don't go to bed again before about 10 pm that night. If you do this for a few nights, you should soon start to fall asleep naturally at the right time.
Sleeping too much

You may find that you fall asleep during the day at times when you want to stay awake. This will usually be because you have not been getting enough sleep at night. If you are still falling asleep in the daytime, even after a week or two of getting enough sleep, see your doctor. Physical illnesses such as diabetes, a viral infection, or a thyroid problem, can cause this sort of tiredness.

Sleep problem:

Sleepwalking

When you sleepwalk, you appear (to other people) to wake from a deep sleep. You then get up and do things. These may be quite complicated, like walking around or going up and down stairs. This can land you in embarrassing (and occasionally dangerous) situations. Unless someone else wakes you up, you won't remember anything about it. Sleepwalking sometimes happens after a night terror (see below). If your sleep is broken or you aren't getting sleep, you are more likely to sleepwalk.

A sleepwalker should be guided gently back to bed and should not be woken up. You may need to take precautions to protect them or other people, such as locking doors and windows, or locking away sharp objects, like knives and tools.

Night terrors can happen on their own, without sleepwalking. Like a sleepwalker, a person with night terrors will appear to wake suddenly from a deep sleep. They look half-awake and very frightened, but will usually settle back to sleep without waking up completely. All you can do is sit with them until they fall asleep again.

Night terrors are different from vivid dreams or nightmares as people don't seem to remember anything about them the next morning.

Nightmares

Most of us have had frightening dreams or nightmares. They usually happen during the later part of the night, when we have our most vivid and memorable dreams. They don't usually cause problems unless they happen regularly, perhaps because of emotional distress. Nightmares often follow a distressing or life-threatening event such as a death, a disaster, an accident or a violent attack. Counselling may be helpful.

The Power of Sleeping

Sleep consists of a series of distinct cycles and stages that restore and refresh your body and mind. Even minimal sleep loss takes a toll on your mood, energy, efficiency, and ability to handle stress. If you want to feel your best, stay healthy, and perform up to your potential, sleep is a necessity, not a luxury. Learn what happens when you’re sleeping, how to determine your nightly sleep needs, and what you can do to bounce back from chronic sleep loss and get on a healthy sleep schedule.Many of us want to sleep as little as possible—or feel like we have to. There are so many things that seem more interesting or important than getting a few more hours of sleep.

However just as exercise and nutrition are essential for optimal health and happiness, so is sleep. The quality of your sleep directly affects the quality of your waking life, including your mental sharpness, productivity, emotional balance, creativity, physical vitality, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort!Sleep isn’t merely a time when your body and brain shut off. While you rest, your brain stays busy, overseeing a wide variety of biological maintenance tasks that keep you running in top condition and prepare you for the day ahead. Without enough hours of restorative sleep, you’re like a car in need of an oil change. You won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on "service" and you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown.It’s not just the number of hours in bed that is important—it’s the quality of those hours of sleep. If you’re giving yourself plenty of time for sleep, but you’re still having trouble waking up in the morning or staying alert all day, you may not be spending enough time in the different stages of sleep—especially deep sleep and REM sleep. By understanding how the sleep cycles work and the factors that can lead to those cycles being disrupted, you’ll be able to start getting both the quantity and the quality of sleep you need.


For more on understanding your biological clock and sleep-wake cycle, see the Harvard Bonus Article below.Your internal 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, otherwise known as biological clock or circadian rhythm, is regulated by processes in the brain that respond to how long you’ve been awake and the changes between light and dark. At night, your body responds to the loss of daylight by producing melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleepy. During the day, sunlight triggers the brain to inhibit melatonin production so you feel awake and alert.This sleep-wake cycle can be disrupted by factors such as nightshift work, traveling across time zones, or irregular sleeping patterns, leaving you feeling groggy, disoriented, and sleepy at inconvenient times. The production of melatonin can also be thrown off when you’re deprived of sunlight during the day or exposed to too much artificial light at night, disrupting the sleep-wake cycle and preventing you from getting the sleep you need.

Sleep can influence you wants a strong heart

Everyone wants a strong healthy heart. Sleep plays a major role in helping maintain a healthy heart. Your cardiovascular system is always under stress and high blood pressure can be the main culprit. Sleep helps to keep cholesterol levels in check, which plays a major role in heart disease.If you are on a new diet plan, you may want to plan for an earlier bedtime as well. Diet and exercise are a key part to losing weight.

Without proper rest and recovery diet and exercise may be useless. Your body needs to repair muscle proteins, and sleep can ensure that your diet is be maximized to its full potential. Otherwise, nutrients would be wasted, and you would be left feeling groggy.Sleepiness affects our decision making, and reaction time. On top of that, a winding smooth road is unfortunately, too relaxing, and falling asleep at the wheel is a very scary possibility. A combination of a lack of sleep and getting behind the wheel can be even more dangerous than alcohol related incidents.More and more in our fast paced world depression is affecting American’s lives.

Depression can be caused by any number of things, and it can be a very serious condition. Sleep helps to control our irritability, and our anxiety, which are too of the leading contributors to depression. Sleep helps you to achieve more emotional stability, which can help you in almost every aspect of life.Sleeping has endless health benefits. A good night’s rest can go a long way in today’s busy lifestyle. The average adult requires around 7-9 hours of sleep, so try to work that into your hectic lifestyle each night. Remember napping can always help too! A regular sleep schedule helps promote better sleeping habits and falling asleep faster.

Rapid eye movement sleep

* Sleep Helps Job Performance

This one almost seems like a no brainer, but still many of us wake up agitated, and our performance on the job suffers as a result. Without the necessary rest we are unable to perform complex problem solving skills, and find ourselves constantly playing catch up. Good sleep makes for good work.

* Sleep Helps Athletic performance

Athletic performance is more important that some may think. Not everyone is going to be a super star athlete like Kobe Bryant, but receiving athletic grants or scholarships can go a long way for ones future. Athletic performance is linked to stronger social skills, improved classwork, and of course, fun. Resting up for the big game is very important if you want your performance to be top notch.

* Sleep Improves Memory

When you are sleep deprived you often find difficulty concentrating, remembering, or even constructing clear thoughts. Sleeping helps your brain with rest/recovery and in turn your brain is busy organizing and sorting out thought or memories.

* Sleeping Helps Repair Your Body

Your body is constantly at war with the outside world. When we are breaking down muscles and draining our bodies physically, sleep can help to repair proteins that have been damaged. While this can be done out of sleep, the majority of protein repair happens in REM sleep. Sleep also helps to repair damaged skin cells that can lead to acne, or even scarring. A healthy body requires healthy sleep.

* Sleep Reduces Stress

Whether you are getting ready for a full night’s sleep, or just taking a nap, sleep can help to control your mental and physical stress levels. Sleeping can help to lower high blood pressure levels and elevated levels of stress levels. Today’s world is a fast paced lifestyle, so sleeping can definitely slow your stress levels.

The only cure for fatigue is sleep

What do loud music, slapping yourself, freezing air conditioning and yelling at the top of your lungs all have in common?Thumbs up if you guessed they're all commonly used by tired drivers to stay awake at the wheel and thumbs down if, like me, you've attempted any of them. The problem with driving fatigued, regardless of crazy stay-awake techniques, is that your reaction time and peripheral vision are affected well before your head starts to nod.

Just being awake for 17 hours is the equivalent of driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.05%.Seeing tired drivers on local roads is commonplace over the holidays. But put them on some of the state's most notorious stretches of road, the Bruce and Warrego Highways come to mind; at high speed and you have a recipe for disaster.Unlike the other members of the 'fatal four', speed, alcohol and seatbelts, police are almost powerless when it comes to fatigue, yet tired drivers are one of the biggest killers on Queensland roads.

While some have called for laws banning driving while fatigued, RACQ believes enforcement would be impractical. How can you gauge tiredness, given it affects everyone differently?

So forget the loud music or face slaps, the only cure for fatigue is sleep. And if you're driving long distances, make sure you take a 15-minute break every two hours.

Sleeping in the Hospital?

The condition is well known in younger individuals (which I am not) and among those who have hyperthyroidism (not me), smoke excessively (never), ingest too much caffeine (I stopped drinking coffee 2 years ago) or who take crack cocaine (never). Thus, the doctors of the covery sleeping hospital and I were somewhat puzzled when at 6:30 AM on an early February Saturday morning I went to my computer, experienced lightheadedness for less than 2 seconds and felt a "fluttering" in my chest (I was too stupid to think it was my heart). I stood up, walked around, felt better and sat down again only to have the fluttering recur. The little walk was repeated, the symptoms where no longer noticed, but when they recurred a third time, a voice in my head said "Go the hospital, because this is not normal."

I walked in approximately 7:30 AM and found the ER empty. The usual Friday night crowd of post alcoholic vomiters, members of the well-known street gangs who were bleeding from assorted knife and gunshot wounds (aka the Friday night knife and gun club) and the assorted neighbors who use the ER as their primary care facility all had been cleared out. My reception by the nursing staff was instantaneous, as was the loud cry, "CODE PURPLE," from the nurse who had taken my blood pressure and pulse. An aid instantly appeared with a wheelchair and I asked what all the fuss was about. The nurse, who knew that I was a physician, looked at me as if I was from Mars and commented: “Your pulse is a 180 and the blood pressure is 70/30. And you walked in?”

Within minutes I was in a treatment room surrounded by staff, and EKG pads were placed on my chest and legs. The resident (I could tell by the color of the coat) stated calmly "SVT, get an IV line and adenosine." More minions gathered around me and needles started entering my body. The chief of the ER stood by me and said, "When we shoot the drug, you will have a burning sensation throughout your chest for about a half a minute." They shot the drug, but I felt nothing (I could not help but wonder if this was all a dream), the EKG and pulse rate converted and I felt like a new person. But clearly I was not, because the team insisted that I stay overnight and be tested. I asked for what and they responded "for STUFF" and to get a rest.

"STUFF" meant blood tests, one for cardiac enzymes to determine if there had been cardiac damage (every 4 hours), and another for blood sugar (because I was diabetic), another for general chemistries (this is how hospital makes money), etc, etc, etc The long and the short of the story are quite simple. Although I was in a private room, I got absolutely no rest throughout the night because of the frequent blood draws and, if you can believe in the need to take my temperature and other vital signs at four in the morning. Needless to say, I was delighted to leave at noon the next day, with a sincere desire never to return. I left the hospital thinking, "How is it that no doctor ever asked if I got the rest they said I needed?"

A second episode occurred in June, with pretty much of a replay except that I insisted to return home after the medication had been administered in the ER and before any talk of hospitalization. This time, the talk centered on my meeting a cardiologist and obtaining advice for long term care. I made my appointment for much later in the month amidst an arising level of concern. At this point, fate decided to intervene. A friend called and invited me to dinner at a local club. Within an hour I found myself sitting across from an absolutely beautiful lady cardiologist in the same Department where I had my appointment. As she listened to my story, her eyes grew wider and she said doctor voice: "Come to my office tomorrow, at 12:30 PM; you need surgery and the sooner the better." In due course, I was examined, made more aware of the risks and problems that would have occurred if I do not have the surgery and scheduled for the procedure.

As luck would have it, I was seated at the dinner table of Dr. Alexander Golbin, Editor of the Sleep&Health, exactly two evenings before my scheduled procedure, when I had my third and final episode of SVT. I toyed with an idea of rushing into the hospital but thought better of it when I looked at the caviar and other goodies waiting at the table, thinking that if I do have to go I might as well go with a full stomach.

Some tips take your better sleeping

It is important to keep the temperature of your room at a comfortable level. Just as you do not want to wake up in the middle of the night shivering, you do not want to wake up in the night sweating too. Ideally, your room should feel slightly cool when you first enter it. This will ultimately match more closely to that of your body when you are in the deep midst of your sleep. If you are sleeping alone, it will be much easier to achieve this with a little trial and error on your own. If you are sharing the room or sleeping with a partner, it gets a little complicated. Some testing and compromising will usually make everyone happy.

Just as temperature is an important factor that makes the bedroom a better sleeping environment, a quiet room is more conducive for a better sleep. Any inconsistent or irregular noise can lead to inconsistency in your sleeping patterns. Do you know that a fan may helps you to sleep better? I'm kidding you right? No, I'm not. A fan (or anything that will produce a constant monotone noise) will many times offer enough insulation from erratic noise such as a dog barking or traffic that you’ll be able to get a good night’s rest. Of course ear plugs would do the job too.

Besides temperature and noise, lighting is also an important factor to take note. The darker the bedroom, the better it is. You can use curtains or eye covers.

Use the bed for sleeping: With the exception of sex, bed should only be used for sleeping and nothing else. Do not watch TV, use the laptop, listen to the radio, eat, or read in bed.

Go to bed only when you are sleepy: If you can't fall asleep within 15 - 20 minutes, get up and do something boring in dim light until you are sleepy. Don't feel frustrated not being able to fall asleep. The unnecessary stress will only give you more problem sleeping.

No caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before sleep: These are stimulants that can keep you awake. Caffeine is commonly found in coffee, soda, iced tea and chocolate. It is advisable to avoid caffeine intake after lunchtime as caffeine can stay in the system for up to 12 hours. Although smoking gives you a relax feeling, it actually puts stimulant into your bloodstream. Thus it is also not advisable to smoke near bedtime. Alcohol which is often believed to be a sedative and can make it easier to fall asleep, actually disrupts sleep; it causes you to wake up during the night.

Don't go to bed hungry: Probably most people are excited to read this point especially Singaporean where they have the habit of eating supper. It is advisable to have a light snack, but avoid a heavy meal before bed. Research has shown that small snacks rich in carbohydrates may help improve sleep. In addition, milk or dairy products have been shown to be sleep inducing.

Exercise regularly: Exercise is not only a good way to help you to reduce stress, but it can also help you to sleep better. Regular physical activity can help you to fall asleep faster and improve your quality of sleep. However, do not exercise 2 - 3 hours before you sleep especially if you are the type of person who becomes more alert with exercise. Some light stretching will be good.

A Research Report To The U.S. People

The battle against insomnia is affecting productivity in the work place, according to a new study. The disorder costs the average U.S. worker about 11 days of work in lost productivity every year. The study was published in the September 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.

 

 

Findings were compiled from a sample of 7,428 employees who were a part of the larger American Insomnia Study. Employees answered questions about their sleep habits and their work performance. According to the study, other estimates have been done before. However, they relied on smaller samples, as well as medical databases that only focused on insomnia patients who had been treated already.

Insomnia rates in the sample were about 23% in employees. It was found to be lower in workers who were 65 and older. Insomnia rates were higher among working women than working men.

Researchers say that these findings could justify adopting screening and treatment programs in the workplace. On average, the cost of treating insomnia can be anywhere from $200 a year for a sleeping pill or up $1,200 for behavioral therapy.

The study also found that insomnia rates were lower in people with less than a high school education and in college graduates. People with a high school education or a little college education had higher rates of insomnia.

It May Dangers of Drowsy Driving

This scenario may seem all too familiar, driving back from work, coming home from long weekend at the beach, and feeling tired but pushing through another 2 hours when you’ve already been driving for 6. Most of us drivers have been there, but many people do not realize the dangers of drowsy driving. Driving drowsy increases the likelihood that you will be involved in an accident, and the chances that you could be seriously injured or killed while driving.
Scientists compare driving tired to driving drunk, because, like alcohol, excessive sleepiness slows down our reaction times, decreases overall awareness and impairs judgment. Despite the dangers, an alarming 41 % of drivers admitted to having fallen asleep while driving, according to study released by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
Most of us know not to drive drunk or let a friend or a family member get behind the wheel while intoxicated, many of us don’t seem to act as responsibly when it comes to drowsy driving. Tiredness can be hard to recognize, even for the person driving, so here are some signs to look out for (from the National Sleep Foundation):

• Turning up the radio or rolling down the window to stay awake
• Impaired reaction time and judgment
• Decreased performance, vigilance and motivation
• Trouble focusing, keeping your eyes open or your head up
• Daydreaming and wandering thoughts
• Yawning or rubbing your eyes repeatedly
• Drifting from your lane, tailgating and missing signs or exits
• Felling restless, irritable or aggressive

Sleep during the day if you can't sleep at night

You're already likely to be exhausted during pregnancy, so don't let extra sleep problems create even more tiredness in your life. Instead, use these tips to help you get a better night's sleep, no matter what trimester you're in.

Don't drink a lot of water or other fluids right before bed. Certainly you need to up your intake of water and other healthy fluids during pregnancy, but you don't have to do it right before bed. A few hours before bed, start tapering off your fluid intake. If you get thirsty, have just enough sips of water to quench your thirst. This can dramatically impact your ability to stay in bed asleep longer instead of getting up to use the bathroom!

Ease lower back pain with extra pillows. It's best for pregnant women in the second trimester or later to sleep on the left side, which gets the most blood flow to the uterus and kidneys. However, this might be uncomfortable for you at first. Sleeping with your knees bent with a pillow between them can help. Experiment with placing pillows behind your back, too, since this can help support your lower back and ease that pain that often comes with later stages of pregnancy.

Sleep during the day if you can't sleep at night. If possible, take naps during the day. You'll probably need more sleep than usual during your first and third trimesters, and daytime naps can help. Some women actually have an easier time sleeping and getting comfortable during the day, so don't be afraid to sleep then if that's what works for you. Just make sure you're getting your rest!

Exercise for at least thirty minutes a day. Most women in normal pregnancies are encouraged to exercise every day. Talk with your healthcare provider before starting a regimen, but exercise may help you sleep better. It can burn of excess energy, calm your mind, and loosen sore muscles to make sleeping easier. Great exercises for pregnant women include walking, swimming, yoga, and aerobics.