Teeth Grinding in Children (bruxism) : What Can You Do?
Teeth grinding in children is otherwise known as bruxism and happens when children clench their upper and lower teeth, rubbing them together. Commonly children grind their teeth whilst sleeping and are not aware of what they are doing.
What are the causes of bruxism in children?
It is not known for certain why some children start grinding their teeth and some children don’t. There are many theories to suggest that it could be down to the fact that the sets of top and bottom teeth do not fit together comfortably due to the fact that children’s teeth and jaws grow in phases leading to unpleasant sensations in the area. The natural response of the child is to grind their teeth to soothe themselves which often later develops into a habit. It has also been shown that both children and adults grind their teeth when they feel anxious in some way, or even as a response to facial pain such as an earache or teething. It has also been shown that hyperactive children have developed bruxism.
More recent research has suggested that sleep disturbances may be a cause for bruxism in children as well as causing a number of other problems such as bed-wetting, drooling and sleep-talking. Interruptions in the rapid eye movement (REM) patterns due to dehydration during sleep can be the underlying cause of many of these problems, though your dentist will be able to advise you more on this matter.
What are the effects?
Children do not usually experience ill effects from grinding their teeth. Even when their milk teeth show wear it usually does not cause any pain or damage, yet if this wear gets severe, or if your child has already lost their milk teeth, then it is advisable to seek treatment from your dentist as dental problems such as tooth infections can occur. In most cases of teeth grinding in children they will usually outgrow the problem.
What can be done to help?
Whilst the problems will most likely go away you may want to try some methods to help the child stop grinding their teeth in the meantime. Your dentist would be the best source of advice, and will be able to make sure that there are no problems regarding the alignment of the child’s teeth.
The most common remedy recommendation is usually a mouth guard. Wearing a mouth guard at night will prevent the child from grinding their teeth and night, and has a very high success rate in reducing the habit. However, your child may feel uncomfortable wearing a mouth guard and for this reason it is wise to look into other treatment options. In many cases hypnosis has been shown a successful way to get people of all ages out of the habit of grinding teeth.
In children whose grinding appears to be down to stress or anxiety it is extremely important to discover the underlying cause for these feelings. Try ways to relax your child before they go to sleep, such as a warm bath and a massage of the jaw. These methods will help to ensure that your child has a deep, relaxing and uninterrupted sleep.
The most important thing is that you needn’t be alarmed by a child’s grinding as it is extremely common. If your child already has their adult teeth then it is more of a worry, though there are many options available so seek advice from your dentist.
Causes and Cures Which Help to Stop your Partner Snoring
One of the most irritating and unpleasing act is the snoring in a high or low tone by the partner. Snoring is becoming a major health issue in today’s world.
However with proper consultations and proper treatments you can help for partner to stop snoring and put a stop to the unpleasant noises and get you and your partner a good night sleep. Here are the some of the causes and cures listed below which help to stop your partner snoring
Following are the basic causes of snoring
Causes of snoring
Snoring can be caused by the nasal congestion by the blockage of airway sue to cold. The congestion leading to the vibration of the soft tissue which causes snoring. Asthma and exposure to smoke can cause snoring which restricts and irritates while breathing. Snoring can also be caused by enlarging of the tonsils and adenoids, smaller jaw and a long tongue which makes it difficult to breathe. Snoring is mainly caused by obesity i.e. excess fat in the body of the individual. The fatty tissue in the back of the throat and the neck makes it difficult to breathe.
Sleeping on back makes the problem of snoring more worse. Due to the gravity the tongue slid backwards to the back of the throat which limits the airway.
A substance which make the muscles to relax and promotes drowsiness like the alcohol which narrows the air passage and restricts the air to flow easily which encourages snoring. People can also inherit the problem of snoring by hereditary. You inherit narrow passage which causes snoring.
Older people are more likely to suffer from snoring as advancing age contributes to snoring. Snoring grows with the advancing age.
Following are some of the ways by which you can help your partner to put a full stop to snoring
Cures for snoring
* Elevating the head of your bed prevents the tongue from sliding backwards and helps for breathing more easily. This supports your jaw and tongue to move forwards.
* Homeopathic medicines and nasal strips available help you to clear your nasal congestion which in turn helps you to cure snoring by making the air flow more freely.
* Getting rid of the habit of sleeping on your back will cure your snoring. Sleeping on your back makes your tongue to move backwards which creates breathing problems. You should make it a point that you sleep in your side and get habituated to it.
* Reducing weight will reduce the fatty tissue presented at the back of your throat. Improving your fitness level will also help you to cure snoring.
* Proper diet plays an important role to cure snoring problems. Intake of nutritious food and avoiding high calorie food will help extensively.
* Use of the various types of dental appliances will help cure snoring problem .These appliances that are constructed by a specialized dentist specializing in these types of appliance which will cure your snoring.
Sleepwalking causes – Part 7
July 31, 2009 by insomniac
Filed under Sleepwalking
Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder (parasomnia) affecting an estimated 10 percent of all humans at least once in their lives. Its causes have still not been conclusively established and will vary from individual to individual.
In past times and in various cultures, the moon has been thought to play a part in sleepwalking. As a result, some parents placed a doll in the window of their child’s bedroom to keep the moonlight out. Today, myths still surround sleepwalking and its causes. One of these is that sleepwalking happens while you’re dreaming when, in fact, it is more likely to occur when you are in a very deep, non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Current thinking is that sleep walking occurs when REM intrudes into non-REM sleep stages, normally in the earlier part of the night. There are some differences in opinion, however, concerning the causes of sleepwalking in children as opposed to that which occurs in adults.
Children between the ages of 6 and 12 most commonly walk in their sleep and the causes may relate to fatigue or anxiety. However, some experts believe that sleepwalking probably results from immaturity in the brain’s regulation of sleep/wake cycles. It is slightly more common in boys and seems to run in families. Most children outgrow this particular parasomnia (brain disorder) as their nervous systems develop.
In adults, sleepwalking is usually associated with stress or other psychological disturbances but may also be seen with reactions to drugs and alcohol, and medical conditions such as epilepsy. In the elderly, sleepwalking may be a symptom of an organic brain syndrome or REM behaviour disorders.
Common Types Of Sleep Disorder
July 30, 2009 by insomniac
Filed under Sleepwalking
Did you ever experience a long tiring day at school or work? Your body may have been aching with pain and you laid down for a relaxing sleep. What a wonderful feeling that was! Most people enjoy the luxury of sleep without realizing that it isn’t always possible for many people to achieve this. Sleep helps us in more ways than we can imagine but it sometimes eludes people who don’t even know what they were missing.
Sometimes we take for granted the great benefits that are afforded to us from a restful nights sleep and we begin to abuse the privilege by staying up too late or “burning the midnight oil” a bit too much. The more we use our body, the more that we must load up on sleep. If we don’t catch up, our body starts to get confused and this can eventually lead to a sleep disorder. First we find ourselves irritable and slow. Then we lose our ability to fully relax and we are in for a much bigger problem down the road.
Common sleeping disorders often begin unnoticed. We might just be having signs of some minor problems but we don’t think too much of it. Then we may begin to have difficulty falling or staying asleep but think this is only a “passing phase”. Little do we know, we are already experiencing, what doctors would diagnose as insomnia, a sleep disorder that results to sleepiness at other times of the day. Insomnia is the most well-known sleep disorder but it is still undiagnosed in thousands of people. It causes slow reactions in our nervous system and poor mental concentration. These factors might just lead to accidents and lesser productivity throughout the day. Stress is also considered one of the major reasons why one out of three adults experiences some degree of insomnia at one time or another.
A less common but quite alarming case of insomnia is the chronic insomnia. This is known as a severe case of insomnia which is caused by too much stress and by our body’s chemistry and medical condition. This second case of insomnia is less common than the first but still quite common overall. It also tends to go undiagnosed in many people.
Sleepy people who experience a gradual loss of muscle tone (called cataplexy) may be experiencing another type of sleep disorder known as Narcolepsy. This is a sleep related disease that affects the NREM or “Non Rapid Eye Movement” sleep. Narcoleptic patients experience sudden muscle weakening which sometimes causes them to fall. They may fall into a NREM sleep phase almost instantly and this can be extremely dangerous. A simple act of happiness or laughter may trigger what is called a cataplectic attack where the person just falls asleep and tips over! A related disease called sleep paralysis is also alarming and can occur in narcoleptics where they lose control of their muscles especially when lying down before they go to bed.
Children commonly experience a sleep disorder familiarly known as “bedwetting” which is actually called Nocturnal Enursis. This ordinarily happens during NREM sleep as does talking in your sleep and sleep walking. These disorders are also common amongst children.
Sleep Apnea is a breathing disorder which is not understood by many people and which is therefore undiagnosed in many people. It is still quite common however and is caused by the muscle and tongue relaxation on the soft palate at the throat’s base. This is the part of the throat which allows an individuals air passage to collapse especially those with narrow airways. It creates a sleeping disorder somewhat similar to snoring but it is actually a lot more serious than just snoring. Sleep apnea causes a person to lose the much needed REM phase of their sleep and thereby depletes their energy and dangerously affects their brain chemistry. A person with sleep apnea is more prone to accidents and poor health as well as poor performance at work or school.
Sleeping disorders can be avoided if we raise our awareness about them and take preventive measures to stop them. We must make sleeping a daily habit and try to get a better night’s sleep all the time. If we make sure and do this, we will surely reap the benefits soon!
Sleep disorders symptoms
July 30, 2009 by insomniac
Filed under Narcolepsy
Across the country, millions of people have trouble getting to sleep every night. From nightmares to sleep paralysis, sleep disorders affect millions of Americans every single night.
Insomnia may be the most commonly recognized sleep disorder. It includes the inability to fall asleep as well as waking up without be able to fall back to sleep.
Sleep apnea is a cycle of falling to sleep and waking back up every few minutes or hours. Individuals with sleep apnea may actually awaken as much as 200 times a night. Other signs or symtoms include loud snoring (that may indicate breathing problems), excessive daytime sleepiness, and cessation of breathing or choking spells in the night.
Narcolepsy is another sleep disorder that is actually a neurological disorder affecting more than 250,000 Americans. There are four classic symptoms that define this symdrome:
sleep attacks(suddenly falling asleep)
cataplexy: this is a type of paralysis that usually follows a period of heightened emotion such as fear or anxiety. The individual experiences a momentary loss of muscle tone-usually in the legs or arms. These episodes are short, lasting less than a minute.
sleep paralysis
Here are some of the signs of a sleep disorder:
*Repeated waking during the night
*Inability to fall asleep
*Snoring with periods of irregular breathing
*Startled waking with gasping
*
Sleep apnea solutions: Breathless no more
July 30, 2009 by insomniac
Filed under Sleepwalking
Causes of sleepwalking and its treatment
Introduction to sleepwalking
The sleepwalkers show a variety of behaviors, ranging from cleaning the house, switching the lights on-off, walking in the house or street, going places, talking as if in a conversation’, shouting, abusing, throwing things, hitting the partners, etc. In extreme cases some people have had sex with strangers and committed murder while sleepwalking.
Sleep walkers are found moving around with a glazed look in their eyes as if awake. There is a myth that one should not wake up a person while they are sleepwalking. Later in the article we explain what one should do if a person is found sleepwalking.
An interesting fact in the research about sleepwalking is that, as high as 18% of the population suffers from sleepwalking
Causes of sleepwalking
There is a lack of consensus on the causes of sleepwalking. Anxiety, fatigue, stress, worry and sleep deprivation are some of the causes that modern sciences have come up with. There are no known cures for sleepwalking except for some short term success with psychotropic drugs and clinical hypnotherapy.
The findings on the root causes of sleepwalking in spiritual research:
Findings of the Spiritual research conducted by the Spiritual Science Research Foundation (SSRF) show that “The root causes of sleepwalking are 95% spiritual and only 5% psychological.”
This is one of the reasons why modern science has not been able to come up with a cure for sleepwalking.
Spiritual perspective of causes and consequences of the act performed during sleepwalking
The spiritual factors are primarily due to departed ancestors and the common ghost playing pranks, i.e. getting the person to do some small mischief.
More elaborate acts during sleepwalking such as sexual interactions with strangers and gruesome murders, etc. are orchestrated by higher-level ghosts such as subtle sorcerers.
According to spiritual science even though an act may have happened due to the person being under the complete influence of the ghost, he/she still has to face karmic or spiritual punishment for it. This spiritual punishment is in the form of demerits accrued which play out either in this life or the next. However the demerits incurred are less than if the person murdered in the waking or conscious state of his own volition. If the cause of sleepwalking is spiritual in nature as opposed to psychological then the demerits earned are even less.
Why do we have to pay for a crime or bad action that a ghost does through us?
The reason for this is that a ghost gains entry into our consciousness and possesses us due to our own vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities include a high amount of demerits accrued from previous births, incorrect deeds, personality defects such as fear and anger that lead to anxiety and stress, lack of spiritual practice, etc.
Treatment of sleepwalking
With regards to the myth about not waking up the sleepwalkers, whether the root cause is psychological or spiritual, it is imperative that we wake them up.
Regular spiritual practice needs to be done daily and lifelong to protect ourselves from the harmful side of the spiritual realm and to also facilitate our spiritual progress.
An effective spiritual remedy such as salt-water treatment is also recommended.
Lighting of SSRF incense sticks near the bed when going to sleep will act as a deterrent for ghosts to take advantage of people and provide relief to sleep walking.
Symptoms and treatment of common sleep disorders – Part 1
July 30, 2009 by insomniac
Filed under Narcolepsy
Sleep disorders affect every aspect of a person’s life and can be life threatening if not controlled. Not only does the lack of sleep steal quality of life but quantity as well. Without healthy sleep, the individual walks though life like a zombie, unable to fully enjoy or participate in life’s adventures and challenges.
Sleep Apnea
Considered the number one sleep disorder, sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that occurs when airflow is interrupted. Sleep apnea also indicates other disorders such as high blood pressure, obesity irregular heartbeat and impeding heart attack or stroke. Frequently accompanied by excessive snoring or trouble breathing, sleep apnea interrupts the REM sleep patterns, which creates chronic morning headaches and sleepiness throughout the day. Diagnosis is best done in an accredited sleep lab. Treatment frequently includes a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) mask, which regulates and maintains constant airflow throughout the night. In addition, a medical professional should be consulted to treat the underlying cause whether it be excessive weight, high blood pressure, or irregular heart beat,
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder involving the lack of hypocretin, which regulates the person’s ability to control her or his sleep patterns. More than just sleepiness, Narcolepsy is the uncontrollable urge to sleep, which is triggered by intense emotions or situations. Symptoms first appear between the ages of 15 and 30; without treatment, the symptoms become increasing worse to the point of sleep paralysis and excessive disturbing dreaming. Diagnosis is done over night in a sleep lab where brain waves and body movements are evaluated. In addition, a Multiple Sleep Latency Test may be performed to determine the length of time it takes the individual to drift into a deep sleep, while redefining their daily sleep requirements. Medication and an individualized sleep schedule helps keep the Narcolepsy controlled.
REM Behavior Disorder
In normal sleep, the body becomes temporarily paralyzed restricting movement and response to stimuli. With REM Behavior disorder, the body retains mobility, thereby being able to move, talk and react in response to what is happening in their dreams as well as to the people around them. The disorder stems from the brains inability to distinguish the electrical activity of the awaking state from that during sleep. A sleep study along with medication has been as the
Make Sleepless Nights A Thing Of The Past By Using Meditation To Cure Insomnia
Most people who have insomnia realize there are often medical reasons that cause people to have insomnia. Many people do not realize that your own thoughts can be playing a big part in your sleepless nights.
While researching little known insomnia facts, I ran across a story of a man who couldn’t sleep, he tossed and turned but he just couldn’t fall asleep with his window closed. He was exhausted and ended up tossing something across the room. He heard the window shatter and soon afterward, knowing the window was now open, he fell asleep. In the morning he woke to find the window closed and a pile of glass in his room where he had broken some other object during the night. His own thoughts played a trick on him. He was certain he couldn’t sleep unless the window was open, when he thought the window was open, he fell asleep.
Could it be that our minds are powerful enough to control our sleep patterns and even control our insomnia without us realizing it? Of course it is. The human mind is very powerful and how it works is very mysterious. What we do know is not only can our thoughts trigger episodes of insomnia, insomnia can be cured through meditation. One of the most relaxing, stress relieving things we can do is meditate.
Meditation is a natural way to improve your mood and relieve stress. To use meditation to cure insomnia, you don’t have to restrict your meditation sessions to shortly before you go to bed. You can improve your sleep quality if you keep stress from causing you problems throughout the day also.
To meditate you should:
* Find a quiet area that is comfortable and private.
* Get comfortable, a seated position is best.
* Relax your whole body, you can do this with your eyes shut if it helps you to concentrate.
* Breathe in deeply through your nose.
* Control your exhale and slowly let out your air through your mouth.
* Concentrate on your breathing pattern and let everything else leave your mind. To help you relax, you can choose a focal point, one thing for you to concentrate on. This is to be the only thing on your mind. You can imagine you are in this place in your mind. When you need to relax during the day, if you are frustrated, you can close your eyes and return to this point.
After a few meditation sessions, you will have your mind trained to relax on demand. This is a useful tool when it comes to curing insomnia.
Curing insomnia through meditation is possible because you have trained your mind to tell your body to relax. You are now in control of your body and able to put yourself into a relaxed, rested state. If you start the night by being completely relaxed when you go to bed and you keep your mind off of everything besides relaxation, you will easily drift off to sleep.
Insomnia is a condition that robs people of sleep every night. More than 10% of all adults have insomnia. You don’t have to join them, instead you can have a good night’s rest if you use meditation techniques to cure insomnia.
If you have difficulty going to sleep for more than 2 weeks and you cannot cure your insomnia through meditation, you should seek the assistance of a medical professional.
How to tell if you have a sleep disorder – Part 3
July 28, 2009 by insomniac
Filed under Treatments
If you have a sleeping disorder, or Dyssomnia as it is sometimes called, then you will be experiencing disruptions in your sleep patterns on a regular basis. If you occasionally experience difficulties in sleeping then it may not be a full blown sleeping disorder that you have, rather a general problem caused by an outside influence such as too much caffeine or an overstimulating environment now and then.
Those suffering from a sleep disorder generally feel sleepy during the day and find that eventually, their general functioning is impaired. Memory problems may be experienced, fatigue, mild hallucinations and mood swings including an inability to cope with everyday situations which others can handle more easily.
If you are finding it hard to go to sleep on a regular basis, or are waking in the middle of the night or far too early most mornings then you may have a sleep disorder.
If you feel that you are less able to cope with life’s ups and downs than usual then you may be suffering from a lack of sleep, possibly accompanied by depression.
The best way to find out for certain is to make an appointment with your doctor who can give you a diagnosis.
Many people feel that they should just put up with sleeping problems and that it would be silly of them to seek help, feeling that it is of no great importance. However, sleep disorders can cause unnecessary suffering and anxiety and in some cases may lead to accidents as the dyssomniacs physical reaction time becomes slower and they are less able to respond quickly when required to do so.
Driving a car may become hazardous for a sufferer of a sleeping disorder, and for other road users. As concentrating on the task at hand becomes difficult the driver is likely to swerve and to confuse others as to his or her intentions.
Doctors deal with patients who have sleep disorders everyday and will not be surprised to see a new patient so there is no cause for embarrassment. They can either refer a patient to a counselor, for medical treatment if needed or give sleeping pills to alleviate the problem.
Doctors and counsellors who regularly help patients with problems relating to stress or sleep, or both, understand that a patient may be tearful and at their wits end in attempting to cope with a severe lack of sleep.
It is also possible to seek help by way of alternative methods. Stress related sleeping problems can often be helped by the sufferer taking St Johns Wort, although taking a prescribed antidepressant simultaneously is ill advised.
Like-wise, Chamomile infusions, hops and Valerian are also natural alternatives to prescribed sleeping pills and can aid in attaining sleep if the sufferer needs to calm themselves mentally and physically in preparation for sleep.
What is sleepwalking?
July 28, 2009 by insomniac
Filed under Sleepwalking
Sleepwalking, or somnambulism, is a disorder that happens when a person walks or engages in some other activity while asleep. A sleepwalker may get up and walk around, dress, or do a number of routine activities. While most sleepwalkers limit their activity to a walk down the hallway or a trip to the bathroom, some people may even drive a car while sleepwalking. Sleepwalking has also been used as a defense against criminal charges, even murderthough this defense has met with limited success.
Sleepwalking episodes usually last only a few seconds, but can last up to half an hour. The sleepwalker has no recollection of the events, and may be surprised to awake in a different place than in bed. Sleepwalking can happen at any age, but occurs most often in children. Many children outgrow the tendency to sleepwalk as they get older.
Causes of Sleepwalking
The cause of sleepwalking is unknown, but is believed to be associated with fatigue or anxiety, especially in children. Sleepwalking in adults can have many additional causes, including mental disorders, medical conditions, or the use of certain drugs or alcohol. Fever and sleep apena can also be causes of sleepwalking.
It is known that there are five stages of sleep, which make up a sleep cycle. These cycles are divided into REM and non-REM sleep. (REM refers to rapid eye movement.) Sleepwalking usually occurs during deep, non-REM sleep. This most often occurs about one or two hours after falling asleep.
How to Tell if Someone is Sleepwalking
Eyes are open, but with blank look
May talk, but not make sense
Doesn’t respond when spoken to
May sit up or seem awake while still asleep
Walking or other activity during sleep
Not remembering the activity upon awakening
Seeming confused and disoriented upon awakening
Treatment and Prevention
There is no specific treatment for sleepwalking. Sleepwalking in itself is not a serious condition, though it may be an underlying symptom of a different disorder. If sleepwalking occurs often, doctors may do testing to rule out medical causes such as seizure disorders. A psychological evaluation may also be performed to see if the sleepwalking is a symptom of stress. Sometimes, tranquilizers have been prescribed to help prevent sleepwalking.
What to do with a Sleepwalker
While no harm will come from waking a sleepwalker, the sleepwalker should be awakened gently. The sleepwalker will seem disoriented and confused and have no recollection of his activities. A sleepwalker should either be guided back to bed while still asleep or awakened gently and helped back into bed.
Sleepwalkers are often injured by tripping or falling, and precautions should be taken to keep the sleepwalker from being hurt. Such precautions include clearing the room of obstructions, removing sharp of dangerous objects, use of locks, and blocking dangerous stairways.
For more information about sleepwalking, check out the following websites:
“National Sleep Foundation
“American Sleep Association
