COMMON SLEEP DISORDERS

COMMON SLEEP DISORDERS

from the articel "5 Common Sleep Disorders: Disturbing or Dangerous?"

By Laurie Sanchez, Lifescript Staff Writer
Published January 26, 2011
Reviewed By Edward C. Geehr, M.D

From teeth grinding to leg twitching, our bodies do strange things while we sleep. Why do they happen and when should we worry? We explain 5 night-time behaviors and what to do about them…

We think our bodies shut down for the night when we fall asleep. But sometimes they’re still going – kicking, gasping, even making us wet the bed.

These abnormal behaviors are called parasomnias, disorders involving involuntary physical activity that happens during sleep.

Should you be worried about them?

“Sleep reflects our state of health, but it also affects our health – in ways we never knew until the last 20 years of sleep research,” says Kathy Gromer, M.D., a sleep specialist at the Minnesota Sleep Institute.

We asked sleep experts what these bodily behaviors mean, what to do about them and when you should see a doctor.

MY THOUGHTS

here are the 5 most common sleep disorders.  see if you're familiar with any of them.

1. Sleep Apnea
2. Grinding Teeth
3. Restless Limbs
4. Night Sweats
5. Wetting the bed

SLEEPING TIPS WHEN IN YOUR 40S

Sleeping Tips when you're in Your 40s

from "Sleep Like a Baby at Any Age"
By Dorothy Foltz-Gray, Special to Lifescript
Published December 23, 2010

In Your 40s

Sleep Stealer: Perimenopause

The sleep problems of your 40s are like those in your 30s, but add hot flashes and night sweats to the list. These menopause mainstays can start years before your period.

“They can be enough to wake you, but you may not even be aware of being hot,” Krystal says.

Snooze saver: Discuss hot flashes and night sweats with your doctor, Krystal suggests. Antidepressants like SSRIs or SNRIs can help with these issues and treat anxiety as well.

Also, get more active, Kogan says. Exercise deepens sleep and reduces the time it takes to start snoozing.

Work out at least 20 minutes a day, five days a week, but not close to bedtime; exercise raises your core temperature, which can keep you up.

MY THOUGHTS

that is one sleep stealer that cannot be avoided.  the suggestions in the article should be noted though. it cannot be avoided but it can be lessened.

YOU'RE NOT PERFORMING BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT SLEEPING

Too Little Sleep: The New Performance Killer
By Margaret Heffernan | February 10, 2011

As we all work longer and longer hours, take less vacation and work through the weekend, we may assume we’re being heroic, or virtuous.

The truth is we’re not; new research shows we’re stupid.

Quite literally.

Missing just one night’s sleep has a noticeable impact on the brain’s ability to function as Dardo Tomasi and his colleagues at the Brookhaven National Laboratory discovered when they took 14 healthy, non-smoking right-handed men and made half of them stay awake through the night. In the morning, both rested and groggy subjects were put through a serious of tests that involved tracking ten balls on a screen. As they completed the tests, an MRI scanner took pictures of their brains, to see how the rested brain differed from the one that was deprived of sleep. They found that the sleepier the subjects, the lower their accuracy in the tests.

The Smartest Thinking is First to Go

Most telling of all, the higher order brain activity - in the parietal and occipital lobes - was the first thing to go. But while the parietal and occipital lobes were less active, the thalamus was very busy. Scientists hypothesize that it works extra hard to stay alert. So all the energy you want to concentrate on solving a hard problem just goes on staying awake.

What these and other studies indicate is that, yes, we can stay awake for long periods of time with little sleep - but what we lose, progressively, is the ability to think. “A tired worker tends to perform like an unskilled worker.” Or you could say: a smart worker starts to work like a mindless one. I was reminded of this when interviewing former Countrywide mortgage dealers, so many of whom talked about their sweatshop hours.

An adult should get 6-8 hours of sleep a night. Less than that, and sleep deprivation starts to starve the brain. There is why we crave comfort food - donuts, candy - when we’re tired: our brains want sugar. After 24 hours of sleep deprivation, there is an overall reduction of 6 percent in glucose reaching the brain. But the loss isn’t shared equally;  the parietal lobe and the prefrontal cortex lose 12 to 14 percent of their glucose. And those are the areas we need most for thinking: for distinguishing between ideas, for social control and to be able to tell the difference between good and bad.

MY THOUGHTS

old habits die hard. that includes sleeping habits.  back in college, i would go for days without shuteye.  i couldn't shake off the habit.  i've convinced myself that my best "thinking times" are at midnight until the wee hours of the morning. probably true when i was a lot younger. doesn't hold water now.  the past couple of weeks i would work until 3 or 4am.  the next day, i have to redo a lot of things because a lot of what i've done weren't sensible  enough. i was working hard.  but i wasn't working smart.

HOW TO SLEEP WHEN IN YOUR 30s

SLEEP LIKE A BABY WHEN YOU'RE IN YOUR 30s

Sleep Like a Baby at Any Age
By Dorothy Foltz-Gray, Special to Lifescript
Published December 23, 2010

In Your 30s

Sleep Stealer: Depression

“It’s the largest cause of insomnia in women in their 30s,” says Andrew Krystal, M.D., director of the Insomnia Sleep Research Program and professor of psychiatry at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C.

And women are twice as likely as men to get depressed, he says.

Snooze saver: Talk to a doctor about your blues. They may prescribe antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine inhibitors (SNRIs).

The don’ts include napping during the day, exercising close to bedtime or turning your bed into an extra office, Krystal says.

Sleep Stealer: Worry

You’re fretting about your career and whether Prince Charming will show up, London says. It may seem like you always need to be “on” to get the job and man you want.

“You’re out there to impress,” Kogan says. And this performance anxiety can keep you from sleeping.

Snooze saver: Set good sleep habits, Martin says.

“The rules are simple: Get out of bed and go to bed at the same times every day. Don’t try to make up for lost sleep. Use the bedroom for sleep and sex only.”

Also, turn the face of your clock away from the bed: Seeing the minutes tick by will make it harder to drift off.

Most important, keep your worries in perspective. By reasoning with yourself, you decrease anxiety, London says. “And the less anxious you are, the better you’re going to sleep.”

If that doesn’t work, consider seeing a therapist to help you address the fears keeping you awake.

Sleep Stealer: Overbooking

You’re balancing a job, an active toddler, time with friends – and your husband. The only wiggle room may be a few hours snatched from sleep.

Snooze saver: If you’re voluntarily giving up sleep, remind yourself that in the long run (heck, even the short run), skipping sleep is counterproductive.

“If you’re having symptoms of sleep deprivation – daytime sleepiness, falling asleep when you don’t mean to, trouble concentrating, irritability – the only solution is to allow yourself more sleep,” Krystal says.

Sleep Stealer: Pregnancy

Your back hurts, you have to pee, the baby’s kicking.

“As the pregnancy progresses, you have increased risk of restless leg syndrome, the feeling that you have to move your legs,” Krystal says. That can wake you up and keep you from nodding off. About 70%-80% of women in their third trimester report difficulty sleeping.

Snooze saver: If an aching back is keeping you up, sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees and another one beneath your stomach to support your growing girth.

If you’re experiencing restless leg syndrome, ask your doctor to check your iron levels (low iron has been linked to the condition). And reduce your fluids a couple hours before bed if you’re waking for frequent bathroom breaks.

While you can’t keep a baby from kicking (after all, that’s good movement), being comfortable ups your odds of getting shuteye.

Sleep Stealer: Crying newborn

Get ready: For at least three months - and probably longer - your baby will wake you during the night to be fed, changed or soothed.

Snooze saver: Sleep whenever your baby does, Krystal advises.

“There’s a big temptation to do other things,” like showering, returning phone calls, doing laundry. Resist the urge to multi-task – you need rest.

And don’t fight your fatigue by guzzling coffee; that will only keep you awake when you have the chance to sleep.

MY THOUGHTS

i don't remember babies but i do recall endless worries and countless overbookings.  at 30, there is so much to be done.  So many things to prove. Wanting so much to please. at 30, most people would still be in that finding-your-place-in-the-sun stage. those are real  'sleep stealers'. 

but then, you have so much ahead of you if you're in your 30s.  don't worry so much about lack of sleep. you'll live! and survive to tell your in-your-30s escapades.

unless your sleep deprivation is taking its toll on your health and mental condition - a trip to a doctor will do you good. 

HOW YOU SLEEP DEPENDS ON YOUR AGE

HOW YOU SLEEP DEPENDS ON YOUR AGE

from "Sleep Like a Baby at Any Age"
By Dorothy Foltz-Gray, Special to Lifescript
Published December 23, 2010

When was the last time you had a good night’s sleep? Last year – or last decade? No matter your age, many things can keep you up: kids, deadlines, work worries. Read on for the worst sleep stealers at different life stages – and how to cope with them...

Once we leave childhood, satisfying sleep is often harder to come by.

The average 30- to 60-year-old woman sleeps fewer than seven hours a night, says the National Sleep Foundation. Women are also more likely than men to have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.

We’re simply not getting enough zzz’s, says Andrew Martin, M.D., director of the Institute for Sleep Medicine at Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, N.J. “[People] need about eight hours a night,” he says.

Without it, our health takes a nosedive: Less sleep may increase your risk of high blood pressure, according to a 2009 study at the University of Chicago. With every hour of lost sleep, risk rose 37%.

Poor sleep also increases your chance of heart disease, cancer and obesity, says Svetlana Kogan, M.D., founder of Doctors at Trump Place, a complementary medicine practice in New York City.

Sleep-deprived people have suppressed immune systems, she says. That means they’re more likely to get bacterial and viral infections, and be depressed.

What’s the answer? Figuring out what’s robbing your sleep at different ages, and facing each one pillow first.

MY THOUGHTS

men seem to fall asleep much faster than us women.  now that we've confirmed that, we should look at different sleep patterns, depending on our age.

my next posts will deal with sleep for women in the following ages:

In Your 30s

In Your 40s

In Your 50s and Beyond (beyond?  how did this sound to you?)

Yoga For Insomnia

Yoga For Insomnia
Written by Andrea Manitsas 

It happens to all of us... well, except for the anomaly or two among us. We are utterly exhausted. We've got a ton on our minds. All we want to do is sleep so we'll be rearing for the day ahead... but it just won't happen. We lay in bed, the same thoughts rolling over and over again incessantly, preventing us from getting any shut eye. When taking a look at the root of your insomnia, you may find anxiety, stress and fatigue resulting from the demands that life seems to place upon us. Your body may be asking you to slow down, your nervous system rebelling. Slowing down can be difficult, but yoga positions and meditation can help.

The next time you wake up at 2:00 in the morning, frustrated with sleeplessness, give yourself this 15-minute practice, so your body gets what it needs to sink back into sleep.

1. Five-minute Meditation: We recently brought you Is Meditation A Transformation Fodder for Stress? It's time to put it to the test. Find a comfortable seated position on the edge of a blanket, pillow or cushion. Let the spine be long, resting your hands on your thighs. Close your eyes and begin to tune into your breath. As thoughts come up, try not to give them any power. Just simply let them float by, and bring your attention back to your breath. Focus on deepening, lengthening and smoothing out your breath. You may even put a count to each inhale and exhale.

2. High Lunge Variations: Begin in a high lunge with the right leg in front, knee stacked over ankle and the left thigh strong and lifted. Reach your arms up alongside your ears. Rock your weight into your right leg, and as slowly as you can you're going to drag your right knee all the way into your chest, so that you are balancing on your right leg on an inhale, and then just as slowly step back into your lunge. Do this 5-10 times, and then switch sides.

3. Forward Fold: Feet hip distance apart, fold over your legs, letting your head hang. Take hold of opposite elbows and sway from side to side, imagining all your thoughts dripping out of the crown of your head. Stay for 10-20 breaths.

4. Plow Pose: Lay on your back, arms alongside your body. Swing your legs up over head. Your toes may or may not touch the ground. You can stay her for 10-20 breaths. But if you have some excess energy you need to expend, you can roll from plow to stand, trying to use your core. Then bend your knees, coming all the way to the ground and roll back into plow. You can repeat 5-10 times.

5. Legs up the Wall: Bring a blanket or pillow under your hips right at the wall and swing your legs up. The key is to get your hips above your heart, your shoulders and head resting on the ground. Let your palms face up away from your body, close your eyes, and come back to focusing on your breath.

When you feel the stillness, the peace, the spaciousness - crawl back into bed and give sleep another go.

Looking for another way to cure insmonia? How about some Sexual Healing!

MY THOUGHTS

i doubt i'll ever try these sleep-inducing exercises.  they all seem so very hard.  to do or understand.  whatever!

Get Some Sleep

The Endless Quest To Finally Get Some Sleep

By Lisa Kogan
O, The Oprah Magazine
December 21, 2009

What do Jon Stewart, kava kava, and Siberian goose down have in common? None of them cure a bad case of insomnia. Our sleepless columnist takes a hard look at what's keeping her up at night.

When sleep won't come, the nights are lonely, long, and way too quiet. I have brewed my chamomile tea, taken my rightful place on the sofa (experts insist it's a bad idea to get into bed until you're really ready to doze off), and had three whispered phone chats with three fellow insomniacs. But Margaret's melatonin has finally kicked in, Michael must clean his entire apartment because his housekeeper is coming first thing in the morning to clean his entire apartment (been there), and Anna has to finish reading Jude the Obscure so she can begin writing her son's English report.… I love the woman, but she's a Dr. Phil column just waiting to happen, which means I am left to simmer away in my own particular bouillabaisse of angst.

So I watch Jon Stewart; I fidget and I fuss and I down a pint of blueberries. I stare at the clock and double check that the door is locked and tomorrow's clothes are good to go. I'm too tired for sex, too wired for rest, and too busy kicking myself for all those little things I did not manage to accomplish during the day, like mailing that thank-you note I wrote a week and a half ago, or buying Cascade, or giving birth to two more children and moving to the suburbs. I just can't seem to locate the switch that turns off my brain and closes my eyes.

I have tried blackout curtains and lavender sachets. I have forced myself to lie down at 10 o'clock sharp and rise at the crack of 6:45 for three straight weeks. I have invested in an orthopedically correct, hypoallergenic, dust-mite resistant, Siberian white goose down pillow, and Egyptian cotton sheets. I have subjected myself to a sleep study in which a bazillion tiny electrodes were pasted to my scalp, arms, legs, and face, as well as strapped across my chest and stomach, while a tiny camera recorded my every toss and turn and a not-so-tiny Russian woman monitored my every breath and eye movement. That evening taught me four things:

1. Claustrophobia and a head wrapped in wires do not mix.

2. It takes five shampoos to remove paste from one's scalp

3. I suffer from sleep apnea (the condition in which one can repeatedly stop breathing for a few seconds throughout the night).

4. Knowing that sleeping will cause me to cease breathing does not make the whole falling-asleep process any easier.

I have tried warm milk and cool jazz; I have tried kava kava, valerian, licorice root, and blackstrap molasses. I have restricted my caffeine intake and increased my yogurt consumption —it did wonders for my cousin's roommate. I have tried medication and meditation. The former worked like a charm —until my daughter was born and it occurred to me that with her father often on the other side of the world, it might be nice if I could be semi-coherent in case of fire. The latter made me more tense than ever (and that, my friend, is definitely saying something).

I tend to stress out. Not during the day, mind you. During the day I'm cucumber cool. The problems come when the sun goes down —and, apparently, I'm not alone (though at 3:09 in the morning, it sure feels that way). According to the National Sleep Foundation, 27 percent of us say our sleep was disturbed at least a few nights a week in the past month, due to money woes, the economy, the cost of healthcare, and job worries.

Here, in no particular order, is a partial list of what's keeping me wide awake:

•I worry that I will contract the Ebola virus. I have raised this concern at my annual checkup every year since Outbreak hit the movie theaters in 1995. The conversation is always the same: "Let me ask you this, Miss Kogan; is your apartment brimming with disease-riddled monkeys?" I think for a moment. "No, no, it is not," I answer proudly. "Okay," my doctor asks, making a small note in my file, "did somebody rent Outbreak again?"

•I worry that I have lost my God-given right to go a full month without hearing about Jon and Kate Gosselin. I worry that I'm running out of space in my brain and soon this stuff will start crowding out everything I ever learned about Hamlet. "To be or…" You see? I can only remember the cast of Dancing with the Stars.

•Having been raised in Detroit, I worry that I will lose my job. I also worry that I will lose my health insurance, my TV remote, my teeth, my parents, my home, and my mind. I worry that the only thing I can do is pray my mind goes first so I don't notice that I'm a homeless, unemployed orphan with no ability to pay for prescription drugs, change channels, or chew.

•I worry that acid-washed jeans are making a comeback. And far be it from me to dispense fashion advice, but here's a mantra worth committing to memory: Bon Jovi has moved on, and I can, too.

•I worry that last fall, 30 members of the United States Senate voted no to a measure that would prevent our government from funding military contractors (think Halliburton) who prohibit rape victims from seeking justice against the coworkers who attack them. I literally lie awake at night trying to understand how the people who are supposed to protect us can justify voting no on something so clearly nonnegotiable. And I worry that those guys are sleeping just fine.

•I worry that my boyfriend and I are growing a bit too comfortable with each other. We used to eat dinner by candlelight. He'd read Rilke for me and I'd draw a bath for him. But 16 years is a lot of togetherness. The other night I didn't think twice about asking if he could see Audrey from where he was standing. Warning: If you are faint of heart or weak of stomach, or anyone I've ever dated, read no further because…Audrey is the name I've given my lone, black chin hair —that's right, I've named my chin hair —and, believe me, I'm plenty worried about that, too.

•I worry about every single aspect of my child's life, including but not limited to everything from whether she's getting enough sleep, milk, and attention to whether she's getting too much TV, juice, and pollution. I worry that she will get the H1N1 flu. I worry that all her friends will get it and she'll feel left out. I worry my boyfriend will die before me and I will have to rely on our sleepy, milk-deprived daughter to pluck little Audrey.

•I worry that according to a piece in the October 2008 issue of this magazine, worrying about not getting enough sleep is actually keeping me from getting enough sleep. And I guess, more than anything, I worry that I'll never figure out what it takes to finally get some rest.

But who knows? I keep hoping that not really having the answer to that question is somehow making me and my sleepless friends into better people, forcing us to reach out for a touch of warmth in the existential darkness, and in so doing, drawing all of us closer together. Maybe not. Still, that's the idea I plan to cling to, as soon as I check the lock one last time and decide to call it a night.

MY THOUGHTS

that's right. stop being a worry wart. when something big is happening the next day,i toss and turn all night. call it excitement. call it worry. still, it's hard to get some sleep when you cannot calm down.