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July 29th, 2010

Help for frequent nightmares

Most people experience a frightening dream or nightmare at some point in their lives. Any dream that leaves you with feelings of anxiety, dread, sadness, panic or uneasiness can be categorized as a nightmare. Nightmares can become a bigger problem when they occur on a frequent or nightly basis. Not only is this disruptive to your sleep, but it can be disruptive to your daily life and well-being. Nightmares can be exhausting, and can even contribute to a nervous breakdown or panic attack. Resolving frequent nightmares is crucial to your mental health, and can prevent further anxiety and nervous disorders.

The causes of nightly nightmares can vary, but tend to be linked to some form of trauma in a person’s life. This trauma doesn’t always have to be physical or severe, but can include any sort of upset, emotionally or mentally. Events such as divorce, breakups, problems at work, or fights with a loved one, can leave you feeling anxiety-ridden and can come through in your dreams. Nightmares usually result from unresolved pain or angst that is hiding out somewhere in your subconcious mind.

The most common reasons for frequent nightmares are:

- Bereavement and grief
- High fever due to illness
- Deep psychological or physical trauma
- Sleep disorders
- Withdrawal from alcohol or other drugs
- Side effects of medication
- Stress
- Clinical depression or anxiety disorders

If frequent nightmares are interrupting your nights and days, it is important that you reach out to your doctor or even a therapist. It also helps to keep a dream journal, to help identify the patterns and meanings in your dreams. By pin pointing the cause of your nigthmares, you can then take corrective measures to preventing them.

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July 29th, 2010

Sleep Disorders May Predict Dementia & Parkinson’s

The Mayo Clinic just released some significant news concerning sleep disorders and how they can predict or give clues to the onset of Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease 15-50 years beforehand! According to the published research in the medical journal, Neurology, the scientists found that people experienced rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder for at least 15 years before developing one of three conditions: Parkinson”s disease, dementia or multiple system atrophy.

Study author Bradley F. Boeve, comments: “More research is needed on this possible link so that scientists may be able to develop therapies that would slow down or stop the progression of these disorders years before the symptoms of Parkinson”s disease or dementia appear.”

Such a correlation is groundbreaking news in the world of preventative medicine. If sleep disorders can give light to the possiblity of other diseases, even decades before these diseases take effect, we could be more proactive in treating and preventing health problems before they happen. Imagine the possibilities!

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July 28th, 2010

Video: Drowsy Driving PSA

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July 26th, 2010

Top Three Reasons For Sleep Disruptions in Children

Parenting expert Shannon Eis recently appeared on CBS’ “The Early Show,” to offer insight to parents struggling with a child that has problems sleeping through the night. Eis explains that there are three main reasons why a child may continually wake up from sleep, and that identifying this reason may hold the key to getting back on track.

The first and most common reason is nightmares. She comments, “We all have nightmares. As adults, we’re able to shake it off and go back to sleep. It’s not that easy, obviously, for kids. Very young children often do not know what woke them and older children usually end up in the parent’s bed because naturally, they’re scared.” If your child is experiencing nightmares, it is important to talk through them. Explain to the child that their nightmares are not a real threat, and take measures to help them feel more safe.

The second reason for children to waken during the night, is restless sleep. This happens mostly due to a poor sleep routine. If the child is not going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, their internal clock may be affected – causing an interrupted night’s sleep. This can be helped by establishing a strict sleep schedule, while also limiting caffeine, sugar, and the amount of light in the bedroom.

The third reason for night time awakenings according to Eis, could be due to medical issues. If a child is continually waking up during the night, it might be a good idea to consult a pediatrician. Many health problems can contribute to an interrupted sleep pattern, and it is important to identify the sleep disruptions early on. A common misconception is that insomnia and sleep problems only affect adults, but this is not the case.

For more information on this CBS News Special: Click Here!

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July 23rd, 2010

Good News for Cancer Patients Suffering From Insomnia

As cancer patients undergo treatment, insomnia is a common and unpleasant side effect. The good news is that there may be relief from insomnia due to the new programs offered by The University of Calgary and the Department of Psychosocial Resources at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. The program, called I-CAN Sleep, offers cancer patients solutions to their sleep problems without the use of medication. Patients will first undergo a sleep assessment, and then will be assigned to a program which will address and resolve their sleep needs. The sleep program will take place once a week for 8 weeks and are offered in the Fall, Winter and Spring.

Cancer patients may be eligible to participate if:
- You having trouble falling or remaining asleep
- You are experiencing difficulty during the day because of poor sleep
- You are at least 1 month post-treatment

For more information on this great sleep treatment program, please visit the I-CAN Sleep website!

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July 22nd, 2010

Survey: New Parents Lose Six Months of Sleep

Babies (though cute, cuddly and sweet) are quite a handful, and require a lot of time and attention. They also ruin any sort of routine that may have been established in the pre-baby years – especially when it comes to sleep routine! A survey was just released that suggests parents of new borns accumulate a sleep debt of six months within the first two years of their baby’s life. This results from parents getting less than four hours of sleep each night. And what’s even worse is the fact that this sleep is low quality, meaning it is generally interrrupted and light. Considering the fact that humans require approximately 8 hours of sleep per night, it is no shocker to hear about this sleep debt!

What are some of the major consequences of this six month sleep debt? According to the survey, the top three negative effects of the sleep deprivation are:

1) Relationship problems
2) Health problems
3) Arguments between the parents

The survey’s sleep researcher, Iftikhar Mirza, states, “‘Lack of sleep and becoming parents goes hand in hand, but parents can help themselves by trying to get their babies into a routine as early as possible, eating healthily to boost their immune systems and taking regular, gentle exercise to release endorphins, which should lower the risk of mood swings.”

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July 22nd, 2010

Ohio Woman Gets Jail Time for Giving Kids Candy Spiked with Melatonin

Ohio woman and church daycare worker, Pamela Hartley, 56, is sentenced to 30 days in jail and three years of parole for giving kids candy spiked with melatonin in an effort to put them to sleep. According to the Judge, Hartley used the melatonin to help make her job easier. The charges filed against her included three counts of child endangerment and three counts of misrepresentation by a childcare provider. Her sentence also requires that she never work as a daycare provider again.

[Source: The Associated Press]

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July 21st, 2010

Gamers Win World Record: 50 hours of gaming, with no sleep!

The Guinness World Record for longest period of time playing a video game was 40 hours before July 2010. This record has since been shattered by the Dutch, who demonstrated a whopping 51 hours of continuous gaming! The six winners walked away with a championship and a nice cash prize of 1,000EUR each. The gamers were initially competing with one another to break the record, but decided to join up and pass the milestone together. Throughout the game play, the players were allowed to take a 10-minute break every hour — used mostly to use the restroom and eat. Considering these gamers did not sleep during these 50+ hours, it is not surprising to hear that they slept through the celebration parties!

This brings up the question of how were these gamers affected by lack of sleep? There are many sleep deprivation studies to prove that the brain and motor skills are adversely affected when a person skips out on sleep. As is shown in research performed by UCSD, the brain is extremely dynamic in its efforts to function when deprived of sleep, though the consequence is diminished ability to perform basic cognitive tasks. It would be interesting to study the performance level of these gamers as time went on to see if their gaming skills went down the tube once they hit overdrive!

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July 16th, 2010

Fast Food and Short Sleepers?

A new article was released on HuffingtonPost.com, by Dr. Michael J Breus, that speaks to the fact that people who eat fast food frequently are likely to be overweight and short sleepers. Dr. Breus offers a few quick facts on the correlation:

- People categorized as short sleepers tended to weigh more and exercise less.
- The same group was also more likely to prefer fatty food, snack more frequently and eat out more often.
- Those dietary habits were also associated with a high BMI, a characteristic of obesity.

Take a look at the article here, and learn more about how your diet can positively or negatively affect your sleep habits!

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July 16th, 2010

Tips for Sleeping When it’s Hot!

Summer-time is here, and with it comes the hot night air. Even if you have air conditioning to cool down your home at night, you may run into hiccups when your A/C is on the fritz or you’re on vacation in a more rural (and non-A/C friendly) environment. Studies show that you are better able to sleep in cooler temperatures, meaning the heat can put a serious cramp in your sleepy-time activities.

Don’t despair – there are ways to cool down in hot nights, so that you’re able to get some quality shuteye. See below some tips on sleeping when the temperatures are raging:

1) Fan + Ice = Cooler Room. If you have access to a fan, position it so that it blows in the direction of your bed. Instead of having it blowing directly at you, try positioning it at the door of the bedroom. Next, fill a large basin or shallow bowl with ice. The best option is to buy a bag of ice from the store. Place the container in front of the fan, just below it, to cool down the air as it circulates through the room. This will cool down the room considerably, at least until the ice melts. This should buy you enough time to fall asleep comfortably.

2) Towel or Socks + Cold Water = Cooler Body. Try rinsing a towel in cold water, and placing it on your forehead. You can also acheive the same effect by rinsing a pair of cotton socks in cool water, wringing them until they’re damp, and wearing them to bed. By lowering your body temperature, you will feel cooler and are more likely to fall asleep easier in hot temperatures.

3) Refrigerator + Pillow Cases = Cooler Bed. A few hours before going to bed, try putting your pillow case or sheets in the refrigerator or freezer. This will cool down your bedding, and make it more comfortable to sleep in a warm environment. You could also make an ice pack or use a bag of frozen peas to slip into your bed or pillow before going to sleep.

4) Adjust your sleep position. Sleeping in a spread eagle position can help your body stay cooler, as your limbs are not being heated further by your own body temperature. If you’re sleeping with someone else in the bed, be sure to move as far apart from one another as possible so that you don’t create a body-heat-sauna!

5) If you live in a multi-level home, try sleeping downstairs. Because heat rises, rooms in the top floors of the home will be warmer than the lower levels. Camping out in the living room may be your best bet!

6) Take a cool shower before going to bed and allow yourself to air dry. This will help cool down your skin. The evaporation of the water afterwards will also help as it will have the same cooling effect as sweating. You can also achieve the same effect by rinsing your face in cool water, or even rinsing your wrists under cool water. By applying cold water to places where your blood is closer to the skin surface, you will be able to cool down your blood – causing you to feel the effects of the heat a bit less.

7) Shed the bedding. This may be a no-brainer, but when you’re trying to sleep in warm temperatures – throw that comforter on the floor! Sleeping with the least amount of bedding and sheets as possible will help you stay cooler, which will of course help you get some zzzz’s!

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