Archive for March, 2008
March 31st, 2008 at 04:00pm
Under Sleep / Sleep Disorders
Being in the showbiz industry can take its toll on you and such is the problem that Grey’s Anatomy star Justin Chambers confessed. Apparently, this was the result of his battle with exhaustion, something that he described as a biological sleep disorder.
It is safe to say that a lot of us suffer from the same problem even though we are not aware of it. In our minds, we feel we can go the distance without sleep. As they say, you can sleep a lot when you grow old. But while you are in the prime of your life make the most of it.
But the matter of health is also a matter to be considered. Remember that we are not robots. We are humans and our internal organs need sufficient rest in the form of sleep to be able to withstand the various rigors of a competitive life.
Chambers tells People magazine, “I suffer from a biological sleep disorder. Your body is tired but your mind keeps racing. You lie down and then you get up and pace, and then you lie down but you can’t fall asleep.
“It’s like a dog chasing its tail. You get to your wits’ end. I went a good two months without really sleeping.
“So a specialist I had been working with referred me to UCLA. They gave me (medication) in a private room with a connection to the outside, and I slept. Two days there was perfect.”
(Source) SFGate
anatomy, exhaustion, justin chambers, sleep, sleep disorder Read Original Post Here
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March 31st, 2008 at 03:09pm
Under Sleep / Sleep Disorders
CPAP =
Cannot
Possibly
Act
Passionate ?
I can’t pass up the opportunity to blog about this recent MSNBC headline: “Do you think I’m sexy? Apnea aid raises doubts.”
It’s the white elephant in the room. The thing no one wants to notice much less talk about. How does a couple where one person uses a CPAP machine at night get past the “unsexy” factor of the machine to keep the bedroom a romantic spot?
The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine, or CPAP, is a device used by people with obstructive sleep apnea who have a problem that causes their airways to collapse during sleep. Their breathing essentially gets cut off multiple times during the night.
With a CPAP, the airway stays open, so breathing is possible. Sleep becomes much more restful and solid. Untreated sufferers of sleep apnea never feel fully rested, which can result in chronic sleep deprivation that can be life-threatening. And last time I checked death is not too sexy.
Many people who participate in the support group at www.sleepapnea.org share very positive remarks about the experience with a CPAP. I think I would, too, if I suddenly got a good night’s rest. But there are plenty of detractors out there dying to complain about this device.
The CPAP machine is the best we have right now for treating sleep apnea. It also shuts up the snoring that frequently accompanies that apnea (unsnoring partners listen up: data shows that sleeping with a snoring bed partner makes you lose about 1 hour of sleep!).
But it’s no surprise to me that for some couples, the CPAP is derailing romance more than snoring or any other disturbance in the bedroom. There’s nothing sexy about being hooked up to a face mask with hoses and whirring sounds that can seem like you’re sleeping next to a little motor, or in the case of your partner’s CPAP, Darth Vader. This is such a triple-edged sword, though.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, troubles in the bedroom leads three in 10 couples to sleep in separate bedrooms. What’s more, about 25 percent of people with partners and 10 percent of singles admit that sleep problems leave them too tired for sex. But what happens when the solutions to sleep problems become a new problem for getting it on? And how can you otherwise solve the sleep problems that also put a damper on sex?
The Solution
My answer (and I don’t think this is all that revolutionary): schedule sex before bringing out the CPAP and stop looking for excuses!
Let’s get real, I don’t think it takes a CPAP machine to kill the moment. There are so many other issues we deal with that can make having a vibrant sex life equally as challenging. How about the hours we put in at work? The late-night TV watching and e-mailing? The kids’ distractions?
I believe the number one reason people don’t have sex as frequently as they’d like is because they feel too tired. So if the CPAP provides restful sleep, it can save your sex life–you can’t have it both ways! You need the CPAP to capture the Zs to deal with your day–and have energy left over at night.
Certainly you can think of a million reasons–other than a CPAP machine–for why you’re not feeling randy. You’re simply not trying hard enough (no pun intended). Think of CPAP as standing for “can put away promptly.” It’s not a permanent fixture. It’s like a piece of clothing you can take off… just as you would for sex.
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: sleep apnea, CPAP, sleep deprivation, sleep disorders, relationships, sexual health, intimacy, couples
This article is cross-posted at Dr. Breus’s Blog, The Insomnia Blog.
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March 30th, 2008 at 03:08pm
Under Sleep / Sleep Disorders
As parents, we will find ourselves blowing our tops on our kids at times because of a mischief now and then. While we all know that we scold or shout at them to let them know that they did something wrong, it would be likewise wise to analyze how we go about it.
Toddlers are in their developmental stage and it is only normal to find them groping for form as far as trying to figure out why “Mom is mad at me”. This can go as far as affecting their sleeping schedule since areas of fear or misconceptions are sure to arise. The next time you try to stress a point, do broaden your line of thinking. You should know better on what your child needs to get the proper sleeping habits they have.
A pediatrician from Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital has crunched data from 4600 families to analyse whether the parenting method has any effect on sleep behaviour of children between the ages of one and three.
(Source) The Age
developmental stage, Health Issues, How to sleep better, misconceptions, parents, proper sleeping habits, SLEEP News, SLEEP Psychology, toddlers Read Original Post Here
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March 29th, 2008 at 05:40pm
Under Sleep / Sleep Disorders
As far as sleep is concerned, it would be best to solicit it using the natural means and avoid the sleeping drugs that we often see being endorsed. Not all people who have sleep issues have to turn to the sleeping pills offered today. You can still find the alternative means where you do not put your overall health at stake.
Drugs have side effects and can affect other areas of your body. That is a given. But for people who are desperate to resolve their sleeping crisis, drugs can help but only for a while. It will reach a point that your body will become immune and show some ill effects of fabricated means of sleep.
Most of these drugs, used over a long time, tend to lose their benefit. So although you may take more, they will have less effect. Also, once you get into the habit of taking medication to help you sleep, you may have difficulty breaking the pattern.
(Source) The Chicago Tribune
drugs, health, How to sleep better, ill effects, sleep, Sleep Disorders, SLEEP News, Sleeping Pills, sleeping pills Read Original Post Here
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March 28th, 2008 at 04:27pm
Under Sleep / Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorder victims can strike anyone. Notably married couples, not all partners have patience with regards to trying to put up with their partner’s sleeping problems which can go as far as breathing problems up to snoring. If you look at it, snoring can act as a stimulant for worst nights ahead as even the normal sleeper may start finding sleep issues since he or she cannot sleep soundly as they should be.
If you look at it, sleep problems pose as a web of problems if you check it out. One problem leads to another and may go as far as affecting the overall health of a person suffering from these sleep disorders. They just have to address the sleep problem so that it doesn’t get out of hand.
You’re not alone if feel like you need a nap at work. About 70 million of us have some sort of sleep problem according the National Sleep Foundation. And, many disorders go untreated.
(Source) WhoTV.com
breathing problems, couples, Health Issues, How to sleep better, sleep, Sleep Disorders, Sleep Issues, SLEEP News, sleeping problems, sleep disorders Read Original Post Here
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March 27th, 2008 at 12:53pm
Under Sleep / Sleep Disorders
Sleep is synonymous to the proper amount of sleep and something that most of us need direly if we want ourselves to be rational at times. But the question here is do we have the proper means of getting the ideal sleep practices and ensure ourselves that we have fully recharged from a hectic day while being awake?
Chances are that our moods will be the telling factor. People who sleep more are expected to develop a worst condition of having to manage their personal selves especially if they lack rest and sleep. All of us are only human and to be grumpy or even grouchy at times is only something we can expect when we are tired or lack the amount of sleep to settle our minds back to our sane selves.
Not getting enough kip can also contribute to feelings of hostility and anger, though the researchers found women were more likely to be made grumpy by a lack of sleep than men were.
(Source) New Zealand Herald
amount of sleep, How to sleep better, moods, proper amount of sleep, sleep, Sleep Disorders, Sleep Issues, SLEEP News Read Original Post Here
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March 26th, 2008 at 11:50am
Under Sleep / Sleep Disorders
We have seen most elderly women become grumpy at times and normally, we attribute it to PMS or Post Menstrual Syndrome. While this affects them and becomes a pain for them most of the time, lack of sleep also has a hand on why they become grumpy at times making excuses all the more clearer why mood swings are frequent within them.
Sleep problems become more high risk for older women. For one, we all know that lack of sleep affects as far as the heart and respiratory systems of our bodies. Women often find themselves pressured and stressed at times and while some are pretty good at handling it, giving them slack with regards to their mood swings due to sleep disorders is excusable if you think about it and when understood.
Read more of it here at the SIFY News.
Health Issues, How to sleep better, lack of sleep, menstrual syndrome, mood swings, respiratory systems, sleep, Sleep Disorders, Sleep Issues, SLEEP News, sleep disorders Read Original Post Here
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March 26th, 2008 at 11:50am
Under Sleep / Sleep Disorders
While we are continuously groping for form on the growing problems of sleep disorders, it has been discovered that some of these are traced to ADHD or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Add it as another area that needs to be addressed, it is best to see a sleep specialist to see if you are categorized in this area of deficiency and hyperactive disorder that seems to be broadening the questions why many of us are experiencing growing pains in sleep.
Sleep disorders are present anywhere today. We often condition our minds on their area of issues. But not all sleep deficiencies are alike and unless the conclusion is given by a certified sleep specialist, chances are that our condition can only be figured out if we start checking out with them.
“The increase in sleep efficiency and the marked effect on sleep latency was paralleled by the subjective estimate of a more restorative sleep; for example, the patients rated their sleep better,” Dr. Sobanski told Medscape Psychiatry.
(Source) Medscape Today
adhd, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, deficiencies, Health Issues, How to sleep better, hyperactive disorder, sleep, Sleep Disorders, Sleep Issues, SLEEP News, sleep disorders Read Original Post Here
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March 24th, 2008 at 02:40pm
Under Sleep / Sleep Disorders
When I got back from vacation this week and was brushing up on the headlines I’d missed, this one immediately caught my eye:
“Sleep well: American zombie myths dispelled. Contrary to conventional wisdom, Americans get 8 hours of shut-eye nightly.”
The person who penned that headline knew it would cause a stir, at least in my camp.
The article I read online pointed to a new study done by the University of Maryland, indicating that Americans get about 8 hours of sleep a night, and possibly more in recent years.
This data is clearly contrary to what the non-profit National Sleep Foundation reports: that we get only 7 hours nightly or less.
The article also mentions the fact the NSF is funded in part by pharmaceutical companies that make sleep aids, which I think tacitly suggests it may have an interest in reporting sleep deprivation. I don’t agree with that remark, but that’s beside the point.
So, who is right?
What’s the real story? Are we sleep deprived or not?
In all honesty, it’s hard to know for sure. Every study that tries to figure this out uses a different method. The Maryland one considered federal data collected via telephone surveys and time-use diaries (records from people who write down how they spend their time each day).
The NSF polls people annually, but it doesn’t exactly target the same number or type of people as other studies. It’s also done over the course of one year, whereas the Maryland study came from three years of data. Suffice it to say it’s nearly impossible to make real comparisons. Apples and oranges.
What shouts out at me, though, is that UM notes that the average amount of sleeping time for adults has increased by about 3 hours per week in the past decade.
8.4 Hours of Sleep Per Night?
Are people really getting 8.4 hours a night, which is what UM suggests? And are we averaging as much sleep nowadays as we did 40 years ago?
I have a hard time believing that, from both a practical perspective and as a practicing sleep doctor who sees more than his fair share of zombies seeking help. Forty years ago we didn’t have the Internet, the always-on cell phones, the TV in every room, the 50+ hour work week, working moms as the norm, and the 24/7 markets, convenience stores, and CNN.
Put simply, we didn’t have nearly as many excuses to scrimp on sleep. Oh, and let’s not forget how far we commute these days. Lots of people trekking into metropolitan areas have to get up before dawn and drive home in the dark to avoid traffic; what kind of sleep do those people get?
Sleep Surveys Can’t Do it All
Now, you might wonder, “What’s the point”? And you’re right: All the sleep surveys in the world won’t help you get more and better sleep. That’s something you have to do on your own. Sleep surveys point to problems, but they certainly don’t solve them. Whether we’re a sleep deprived nation or not, if you’ve got problems with sleep, it’s 100 percent for you. You shouldn’t care where you fall in the spectrum.
So don’t let this last survey keep you up at night. Focus on putting sleep at the top of your list–and aspiring to the 8.4 hours a night that UM says you get.
Related Topics:
This article is cross-posted at Dr. Breus’s Blog, The Insomnia Blog.
Technorati Tags: sleep, sleep deprivation, study, 8 hours sleep Read Original Post Here
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March 24th, 2008 at 01:40pm
Under Sleep / Sleep Disorders
In the world of career and professional undertaking, not all people are blessed with having a normal 9 to 5 job. Some of us have to work at different hours and one of them include the dreaded graveyard shift time where we are working while others are sleeping. Normally this shift starts from 12 AM all the way to 8 AM. But given the little options, we are left with no choice but to adjust our sleep schedule so we are able to cope up with our work and retain earning a living.
Now when you find yourself suddenly encountering sleepy spells, this is normal but only for the first couple of days. It will all boil down to a point where we will most likely find ourselves having to change our sleeping habits if we are to keep the job that we are currently holding.
There are some who cannot take the night differential but there are others who can. One reason here is difference of pay since in most cases, the pay is higher than the normal work most of us have. But for some, weighing out the worthiness of continuing a different type of work schedule may not be that appealing especially if sleep gains a better weight as far as importance is concerned.
Here are some tips to help people who have to deal with work shifts from the Los Angeles Times.
earning a living, graveyard shift, How to sleep better, sleep, Sleep Disorders, SLEEP News, sleeping habits Read Original Post Here
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