Herbal Treatments for Insomnia

For those people who are reluctant to rely on medical treatment or prescription drugs for their sleeping problems, they could go for insomnia herbal treatment. There are numerous herbal remedies for those who suffer from insomnia. However, despite the fact that many of these treatments are herbal, this does not necessarily mean that the herbs can be taken in large amounts, or any time he or she wants to. Sure, there are some herbal treatments for insomnia that have no adverse side-effects, but some herbal treatments can be hazardous when abused or consumed improperly. This goes to show that despite the name, not everything is completely safe. Certain precautions should be taken, and it is best to consult a doctor first, especially when the insomnia is severe.

Avena Sativa, an insomnia herbal treatment, is extremely safe. It is more commonly known as oats, and it is basically the same oats sold as oatmeal or rolled oats. Unless consumed as extracts or tincture, women should not use it during pregnancy or when breast feeding their child. Besides that, Avena Sativa has no adverse side effects. Oats helps people sleep by containing a mild sedative. Plus, oats are rich in vitamins and minerals (such as vitamin B and fiber). California Poppy, a perennial herb, does not contain any opium like its close relative. It does, however, have mild opiate effects. It aids people by relaxing the body, easing off anxiety and stress. It can have adverse effects when taken in large quantities by children or senior citizens. Celery seed is another insomnia herbal treatment that relieves a person from nervousness and anxiety. Celery stalks are more commonly recognized, but it is the seeds that have potent effects. Consumption of the seed, however, can make a person lose potassium, so replenishing the body with it is vital. If intake of this seed causes diarrhea or stomach pains, intake should be stopped.

Chamomile is another good herbal treatment that can give a lethargic effect. In fact, its flowers are even used as tranquilizer. It is also readily available in tea form. Hops is also considered as a sedative, and this is the same herb that gives a bitter taste to beer. People who suffer from depression are not advised to consume hops. Kava is another herb that can help people fall asleep, and it has a similar effect as alcohol. Besides being a sedative, it is also considered as an anti-depressant, although it can harm the liver. Lemon balm, usually consumed as a tea, is another tranquilizer-like sedative. It can also work as bath salts. People using thyroid medication should not use lemon balm.

Other herbs include Motherwort, Passion Flower, St. John Wort, Skullcap, Valerian, Wild Cherry and Yarrow. People who wish to consume any of these should research about the herbs first, or consult a doctor. Pregnant and breast-feeding women are not allowed to consume nearly all of these herbs because it can have adverse effects on their child’s wellbeing. Also, no one herb is applicable for all people, so there is a chance that certain herbal treatments might not work.

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Sleeping aids for Insomnia Reviewed -> Sleeping aids for Insomnia

Insomnia and Acupuncture

Humor: Insomnia

3:15 a.m.: Wake up feeling a bit warm – is it night sweats or my husband? I toss off the covers, realize I’m cold again, and try to stop thinking about the fact that my son didn’t get the part he wanted in the school play. Then I feel stupid for having stage mother-induced insomnia.

3:37 a.m.: Not sure if I really dozed off, but now I’m wide awake again. My husband makes that little pre-snoring noise, I nudge him gently to get him to roll onto his side, and he insists he wasn’t asleep, so how could he be snoring? I feel like a heel for over-reacting, but he says it’s fine, cuddles against me and falls promptly asleep with his elbow jabbing into my side. And THEN starts snoring. Not loudly, but enough to remind me that he’s asleep and I’m not.

3:46 a.m.: I go to the computer, figuring a couple of boring solitaire games will make me drowsy. However, I discover a pile of unanswered emails, start to get agitated, and then decide to try again to get to sleep.

4:01 a.m.: In my effort to get back into bed without disturbing my quietly-snoring husband, I bang my shin on the bookcase and nearly trip over the sweatshirt I forgot to pick up last night. Now I’m wide awake, in pain, and really annoyed with myself – why can’t I sleep? What’s wrong with me? Why did we put the bookcase right next to the door where people could bang into it?

4:05 a.m.: Deep, cleansing breaths . . . I relax one body part at a time, starting with my toes, which feel heavy and sink into the bed, then my feet, except the covers are all twisted, let it go, okay, where was I?, oh, right, now my knees are relaxed, except I know that bruise on my shin will be bad tomorrow, forget it, go back to relaxation, think waves of soft blue light, crap, why can’t I do this? Millions of idiots manage to meditate and calm themselves and get back to sleep, I’m such a loser!

4:19 a.m.: Get up and go read in the closet, where I can turn a light on without disturbing my sleeping husband, feeling like a total martyr because I’m not reading in my nice warm bed, but he’s got to get up for work early in the morning and he has a long day, and besides, reading in bed probably won’t help me fall back asleep anyhow. Wow, I had no idea there were so many dust bunnies on this closet floor.

4:32 a.m.: My back feels funky, maybe it’s from sitting on the floor, but it reminds me to make that list of all the things I should talk to the doctor about at my upcoming checkup, all 3 minutes of it, but maybe she’ll figure out that my insomnia is caused by something treatable and exotic and I’m not just neurotic. I wonder if she’ll send me to one of those cool sleep clinics?, only I doubt I could fall asleep with a bunch of electrodes taped to me and people watching me, that sounds so weird.

5:02 a.m.: Okay, now it’s a semi-reasonable hour, I can definitely get up and start the coffee. The paper won’t be here yet, but I can catch up on some of those piled-up emails. Geez, how did I get so behind? And OH, I wish my friends would stop sending those chain-letter emails where if I don’t forward the cute message to five special women in the next five minutes, I’ll break the sisterhood circle of support.

5:57 a.m.: How weird, the alarm is going to go off in about 3 minutes, and NOW I feel like going back to sleep! I’m going to be a wreck all day . . . but at least I caught up on emails. And the paper’s here!

Natural Cures For Sleep Apnea

You could be suffering from sleep apnea and not even know it – since it happens only when you’re sleep. And if you live alone, it is even harder to detect..

The symptoms of sleep apnea

While there may be no visible symptoms of sleep apnea, feeling tired an worn out all day and falling asleep during the day are good indicators. This is because sleep apnea iliterally robs you of sleep as it can cause you to stop breathing — as many as 50 or a 100 times during the night. And these interruptions take their toll.

Diagnosing sleep apnea

If you do feel tired and fatigued all day, you absolutely should see a doctor. He or she will do a physical exam and take a medical history. This history typically ncludes asking you and your family questions about how you sleep and how you function during the day. You doctor will most likely check your mouth, nose, and throat for extra or large tissues. such as your tonsils, uvula, and soft palate.

Your doctor may also order a sleep test. This test is often done in a sleep center or sleep laboratory, which may be part of a hospital. You will probably stay overnight., although sleep studies can sometimes done in the home. The most common sleep recording used to find out if you have sleep apnea is called a polysomnogram or PSG.

If you suffer from sleep apnea, would you consider it to be a mild case? In other words, do you stop breathing for just a few seconds at a time – for a few times during the night?

In this case, your doctor will most likly recommend behavioral changes, rather than any serious medicine or surgery.

These changes typically include losing weight (rapid weight gain can be an associated symptom of sleep apnea), sleeping in a different position such as one side and not on your back.

What to do about sleep apnea

Here are five other natural treatments you might try for your sleep apnea:

1. Minimize your use of alcohol, antihistamines, or tranquilizers.

2. Develop regular sleep habits, and especially make sure you get enough sleep at night.

3. Gargle with salt water to shrink your tonsils

4. Don’t smoke or expose yourself to other irritants (such as dust or perfumes).

5. Try eliminating mucus-producing foods (such as dairy and bananas) for two weeks. Then begin eating themn again and see if you notice any differences.

Two other semi-natural treatments

What are the treatments if you have moderate or severe sleep apnea?

There are two treatments available that do not require surgery.

First, doctors often prescribe a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (C-PAP) machine. This machine literally blows air into your nose via a tube and mask, the aim being to keep the airway open by maintaining a constant level of air pressure.

Second, for really severe sleep apnea there is another machine called the Bi Level machine(Bi-PAP). This sleep apnea machine does the same job but with two different pressures of air that help the body breath in and out properly.

Coping With Infant Sleep Disorders – Part 1

There are many types of infant sleep disorders, however a physician is often the only person who can properly diagnose them. As a child gets older, they go through a period of having nightmares. Sleep terrors or night terrors are other forms of sleep disorders. The child usually outgrows these forms of sleep disorders.
Usually, all that is needed is to rub the babys back or nudge them and they will start breathing on their own again. In rare cases, infant CPR is needed to revive the baby.Before any hospital releases a baby who has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, the parent or parents are required to go through an infant CPR course. If the babys breathing is too shallow or stops altogether, the monitor will sound a loud high-pitched alarm to alert you of the danger. The baby needs to be attached to the monitor all of the time he or she is sleeping. During waking hours, it is not necessary to use the monitor.Only your babys pediatrician can determine when the monitor is no longer necessary. He or she will discuss with you the progress of your baby before any decisions are finalized.

The Battle With Insomnia Some Main Causes Of Insomnia

Did you know that close to half the population of the U.S. suffers from insomnia? This is a startling statistic, until you realize that just about everyone experiences some form of insomnia at least once in their lifetime. Many other people suffer constantly for many years with major negative consequences.

Winning the battle with insomnia is very important because it has a major affect on your life and those close to you. Not getting enough sleep will definitely make you cranky and moody, causing you to lose your concentration throughout the day. It can also weaken your immune system, making you much more vulnerable to illnesses. So if you’re suffering from insomnia, it’s time to do battle and seek out a solution. One characteristic of someone with insomnia is their inability to even “will” their bodies to go to sleep no matter how much they try. They toss and turn until the sheets fall off their bed. They try counting sheep, without success. They get up and drink some water and do some stretching exercises with the same results ? no sleep.

Insomnia isn’t just about not being able to sleep, but also means waking up many times during the night, or having a sense that you didn’t get a good night’s sleep, or even waking up too early in the morning and not being able to get back to sleep.

It’s a good idea, if this sounds like your sleep pattern, that you determine what kind of insomnia you have. You can do this without the need to consult a doctor.

Here are a few of the main causes of insomnia for you to review.

One of the major causes is psychological factors such as depression, sadness, or constant negative thoughts and feelings running through the mind. These thoughts may have been the result of some traumatic event that you can’t shake (perhaps an embarrassing incident at work, or financial problems, or the death of a loved one). Stress, anxiety, excitement and even nervousness are all contributing factors that can lead to insomnia.

Of course, physical injuries or illnesses will also cause insomnia. I’ve had a pinched never in my lower back for over twenty years and it causes me to toss and turn all night. Chiropractic treatments help, but unless I have surgery, the strain on the nerve will never go away. Some people suffer from heart problems and many other illnesses and quite often it’s the medication they’re taking that causes sleeplessness. Food, of course, is another factor that will cause insomnia. It’s particularly important to watch your intake of caffeine, which includes coffee, chocolate, and tea. Any foods with caffeine should be on your watch list of things to either avoid or consume in moderation. This also applies to alcohol and nicotine, because they’re all stimulants that can keep your mind awake. Engaging in any vigorous exercise too close to bedtime isn’t a good idea because it increases your heart rate, can get you excited, and in effect prevent you from falling asleep.

Try to create a quiet atmosphere by the time you are ready to turn in for the night, and of course, make sure your bed is comfortable for you. Turning out the lights will also help you sleep better.

One problem for many insomniacs is they constantly look at the clock! Stop doing that because it just gets you stressed out, and probably keeps you awake even longer. In fact, get rid of the clock near your bed altogether. If you need an alarm clock to signal when it’s time to get up, then turn its face away from you so you can’t see it.

Room temperature will have an affect on your ability to sleep, so try to make it as comfortable as possible. There may be other people you have to consider when it comes to room temperature, so try to find a balance that works for everyone.

Finally, stop complaining about not being able to sleep, because it will just get you stressed out. Try to relax. Perhaps a nice warm bath will help to soothe your body. Herbal remedies, meditation and even sex can all be methods that help you relax enough to fall asleep.

It’s important not to ignore the consequences brought about by insomnia because an extended period of not sleeping well will create havoc with your health, relationships and could even damage your career. If all else fails, you may have to consult a therapist to help you find deeper root causes of your inability to get a full night’s sleep.

Sleep paralysis treatments – Part 8

Sleep paralysis is a natural function that our brain uses normally to shut down our system of movement to ensure our safety during periods of dreaming. What makes it a sleep disorder is when this function is started either just as we enter sleep, or after we wake, which can be most frightening, although it is not physically harmful to us. But the experience of being paralysed, or sensing a presence in the room, that may be trying to crush or even talk to you, particularly if that presence seems evil, can be very worrying nonetheless.

In most cases the treatment for the disorder can be as simple as following a hygienic sleep behavioural pattern. In other words the disorder can often be corrected by simple changes to ones daily lifestyle. By this, it is being suggested that you should eat healthily, not get stressed, don’t overeat during the evening, keep a good exercise pattern and make sure that you get ample sleep. All of these changes will have the effect of reducing the amount of anxiety that you night be suffering, and also ensure that sleep is a more relaxing time for you.

In the event that a sleep parlay episode occurs, then the best advice to give to the sufferer is for them to maintain their calm, as it will pass within a few minutes. If the sufferer is anxious about allowing it to continue, they can always ask their partner to help them to come out of the paralysis stage, which can be done with no harm being suffered.

In extreme or persistent cases, medication can help. These will normally consist of anti-depressants such as Prozac. However, on of the side effects of these is that, once the medication course is finished, the episodes can return with increasing frequency, thus one should only take these under the correct supervision.

Sleep Paralysis: How To Deal With It!

There is a sleep disorder that happens before falling asleep and/or waking up. It is important that you understand why this happens, how and what causes it to occur.

It is believed that sleep is a natural occurrence that can help the body to rest and recharge. However, its purposes are only partly clear. In the natural cycle of sleep, there are two types, which are the REM or rapid eye movements and the non-rapid eye movement or NREM.

The rapid eye movement type of sleep has a low voltage electroencephalogram. This has a relatively absent muscle tone. This is the type of sleep where in you tend to remember your dreams as they occur. In the non–rapid eye movement type of sleep, this accounts for about 75 up to 80 % of total sleeping time to a normal adult. There is a less chance that you can remember your dreams.

As compared to REM, it has four stages: stages 1 and 2 are considered light sleep, while stages 3 and 4 are known as deep sleep or slow wave sleep, as seen in the electroencephalogram. Oftentimes, during NREM, there are movements in the extremities. This causes “Parasomnias” like sleep walking.

Now, with regards to the things that control the sleeping pattern of humans, the circadian clock found in our brain mainly controls it. This is along with a human’s willingness to sleep. The timing for a correct and optimal sleep also depends on the correct timing when the two circadian markers occur right after the middle period of sleep and before awakening. Thus, this results to the maximal secretion of melatonin and the minimum core body temperature.

At the National Sleep Foundation in the United States, they claimed that eight to nine hours of sleep for adults is optimal and may even offer benefits like good memory, alertness and problem solving solutions. Furthermore, overall health can also be guaranteed. A study from the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine also showed that cognitive and school performance decreases for those who have fewer than eight hours sleep.

The average amount of sleep an individual needs per day depends on the age of that person. If you are and adult, mainly seven hours up to eight hours or more of sleep will do. If you are an adolescent, between 13 up to 17 years old, nine up to ten hours is required.

This makes sleep important; not only for the rest it can provide us but for the learning capacity we can endure given that we meet the necessary time needed for sleep. With regards to sleep paralysis, why and how it happens and how can we really manage it? This is a condition characterized by the non-permanent paralysis of the body. This happens shortly after we wake up or shortly before we fall asleep. It occurs when the brain is in the REM state and then you suddenly wake up even though as somewhat body paralysis persists.

It is important to remember that in REM there is a so called REM atonia or absent muscle tone. This can make a person conscious to everything that is happening but cannot move his or her body. There is also a hallucinatory element of this state, on which you see fanciful objects similar to dream-like objects that may appear in the room along with one’s normal vision. Some scientist proposed that this condition calls for a theory on alien abductions and ghostly encounters.

The symptoms that an individual can experience are paralysis (as mentioned) and hallucinations, which can either be experienced in combination or not. These symptoms may be observed for a fraction of a second or up to several minutes. The possible causes that some scientist suggested were:

1)Some motor neurons or cells in the brain, which are responsible for a person’s motor skills, are affected by an impediment of their release and thus, stops functioning;

2)Low levels of melatonin, which is a substance in the brain responsible for sleeping. This can prevent the stimulation of the muscles of the dreamer.

It is said that most people who suffer from sleep paralysis, also suffers narcolepsy later on in life. There are also reports on certain factors that can increase the occurrence of this disorder. One factor is sleeping in an upward position, having an irregular sleeping schedule, increased stress, sudden environmental or lifestyle changes and a dream, which precedes the episode.

Treatment involves drugs like Clonazepam and Ritalin. The one mostly recommended is Clonazepam because of its high effective results. Ritalin is successful as a daytime drug, which promotes structured sleeping patterns and can prevent sleep paralysis in some patients. Monitoring of blood pressure is a must while using this drug.

Certain steps can also help you lessen the episodes of this disorder. You should learn how to recognize sleep paralysis. It is best to know the symptoms. Ask friends if they have the same experiences, this way, you can somehow overcome your fright. You should also determine the inducing factors that are present in your current lifestyle. The best preventive way possible is for you to try to lessen or completely avoid the triggers present in your life.

Regular sleep is highly recommended to significantly reduce the likelihood of sleep paralysis. If you have a partner or someone who shares the bed with you, you need to tell him about it and ask him that he should wake you out of your paralysis. You can do this by opening your eyes and doing a groaning sound in order to call his attention. When you get older this event is less likely because it only happens mostly at a young age. When you are a teenager it may be so frequent but once you get to your thirty’s, it may lessen or even before this happens all the symptoms may disappear completely. Lastly, you need to write down when you had your last episode. This way, you can track down if it’s happening in an increasing fashion.

Thus, knowing these symptoms can provide you not just an understanding of the situation but the right way on how you can deal with this dilemma. The tips given should be kept in mind. Being afraid can do more harm than good, so just relax and maintain a healthy way of living and sleeping.

Common sleep disorders and how you can get a good nights rest – Part 8

There are a variety of sleep disorders ranging from sleep paralysis,sexsomnias,

parasomnias(e.g.sleepwalking,s leep talking,and night terrors).Sleep apnea,narcolepsy,

snoring,RLS(Restless leg syndrome)when properly diagnosed can be managed in various ways dependent upon signs and symptoms.Sexsomnia still has an unknown etiology.Defining sleep

disorders by signs and symptoms is difficult for the physician related to the fact that they are not trained in sleep medicine and sleep disorders and there is such a wide range of psychopathic illnesses that can cause sleep disorders that it has to be narrowly defined.

Paralysis is one sleep disorder that one may experience.Defined it is the inability to move or speak,also with the possibility of visual or auditory hallucinations(e.g.the perception of a menacing presence in the room,Some perceptions are spiritual visions,OBE(out of body experience)even alien encounters.The paralysis occurs close to REM sleep(rapid eye movement)while in the dream state but the voluntary motor system has shut down.If the brain emerges from REM to a semi conscious state while the muscles are paralyzed one may experience this.

Sexsomnia is a particularly fascinating topic whereby sexual behaviour is acted out during sleep,it is a subtype of parasomnia.Virtually all sleep disorders carry a risk of sexually inappropriate behavior.Several illnesses have as morbidities a sleep alteration

(e.g.psychiatric disorders-anxiety,depression,p ost traumatic stress disorder or neurological diseases or Parkinsons)

In conclusion,there are procedures on obtaining a good nights sleep with minor sleep disorders.Develop a healthy sleep routine.Go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning.Keep a sleep diary to determine how much sleep you actually need to be a productive person.Studies have shown that a nice dark room and soothing music will help with the productivity of sleep.Soothing nature sounds,classical or meditation will help lull you into a better nights sleep.When you get up,go outside and get some sunlight.Do some physical exercise to get your blood circulating.

It is a serious disorder as it impairs ones work productivity and all other areas of ones life.One must treat the underlying symptoms(e.g.anxiety and /or depression)

in order to get at the root cause.

How to stop fearing death

The Falcon Of Death Wears Yves-Saint Laurent

As the falcon of death swoops down onto the bird (man) to release him from his bodily cage the bird screeches in sheer terror mentally as he is paralyzed by the grip of impending death. Wait, stop, is this how it is supposed to be when the bird of eternity is locked up in a fleshy little cage? We should be eagles of immortality feeling at ease in never-ending space. Unfortunately when a bird is long confined in a cage even if set free may still want to return, likewise when a man is so attached to his bodily cage desires to return even so after being set free by death. Caged and imprisoned for so long the bird has forgotten the freedom it had in the skies. It is the same with the soul imprisoned in man’s body through many lives, it loses its memory of home in the vastness of space.

Did you know that most people fear dying because they were told that it will be painful?

Why is man so stricken with horror and grief when he senses himself nearing or seeing death? When death arrives like a cruel tyrant it is very difficult for an individual to maintain a mental equilibrium when he feels his peace and harmony will be destroyed. It is not so hard for someone to give up an old Yves St. Laurent overcoat when he has the chance of getting a new one, but because of deep attachments to their possessions, some people find it impossible to throw away even old used garments. Likewise, mundane people grieve when they are being ousted from their dearly loved bodies. Do you want to live with apprehensions? As long as you are alive you are not dead and when you die there is nothing to worry as it will be all over! At least for a while that is.

Spiritual masters tells us that when we die it is totally devoid of pain. When you go to sleep at night you do not feel any pain and when the last sleep finally comes there is no pain. As sleep expels the aches and pains of the hard worked day, death voluntarily releases us of all bodily pain and suffering. Death does not come as a punishment, but is the cessation of all of life’s sorrows as a essential finish to our bodily confinement and that our souls may depart this earthly realm and journey in a freer form to higher regions. The body may be buried or reduced to ashes in cremation but, the spirit will no longer be subjected to the torments of the body. Oh… what a relief for the soul is now free in a body of light in the beauty and peace of the astral spheres with no more bills

Snoring… What are the Risks and Treatments?

 

Approximately fifty percent of Americans snore. While this may not be bothersome if you live on your own, if you happen to live with a significant other, certain issues may arise. Snoring is often disruptive and not treatable. Many people who share a bed with a person who snores almost never experience a good night’s sleep. However, snoring doesn’t only affect the non-sleeper. Snoring also affects the person responsible for creating the havoc.

People who snore are at a greater risk for numerous life threatening diseases. For instance, sleep apnea can be a result of snoring. This particular illness can result in an obstruction of breathing during the night. It also enhances the person’s risk of developing hypertension, stroke, and cardiac arrest. Kids who snore, on the other hand, are more likely to develop attention deficit disorder. So as you can see, snoring is not just a bunch of laughs. There are numerous health concerns to take into consideration.

So if you happen to suffer from snoring, the best advice is to sleep on your side. There are numerous little gadgets and nasal sprays out there which claim to help relieve the symptoms, but not too many of these products actually work. So basically avoid sleeping on your back because it induces mouth breathing and use a pillow to raise your head up higher. Also try to avoid alcohol and any other products which disrupt sleep. And if your snoring is really bad, you should consult with a physician. The physician can give you a detail examination of all of the participating organs, such as mouth, nose, throat, neck, and ears. This is very important, especially when your health is concerned. So if you snore, be sure that you are aware of the treatments and risks.

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