Saturday, May 26, 2012

Why Do We Sleep

Why do we sleep? Scientists have developed many theories why we need sleep. Our bodies seem to regulate sleep the same why it regulates our eating habits and breathing. Sleep is good for the body and plays an important part in our health. We feel better after a good night’s sleep because sleep makes us more alert and energized to get through the day. Sleep like eating and breathing is another life sustaining activity and without enough sleep we function poorly. Looking at sleep patterns in other animals to see if there are similarities or differences that might tell us something about sleep’s role researchers have suggested the possible theories.

One of the initial theories called the adaptive or evolutionary theory proposes that lack of activity at night served as a survival function by keep the body safe in times when it was for the most part exposed to dangerous elements; like being killed by a predator. This behavioral approach could have evolved to become what we now identify as sleep. Some argue saying it would have been safer to stay awake in times of trouble to react (fight or flight). They see no advantage to being asleep if safety is vital. You could counter with the fact that instead of running or fighting off your enemy you could hide and stay very still and sleep just might be the result.

Another theory suggests that the primary function of sleep was to conserve energy when food supplies were least abundant. Although this is less apparent today when there are plenty of food sources, at one time we needed to reserve our energy when we had to hunt for our next meal. Energy metabolism is reduced during sleep because a person’s body temperature and need for food decreases during sleep. Some scientists believe sleep is a primary function to help us conserve energy and considers this concept part of the inactive theory. While other scientists argue that the purpose of sleep may not be restorative. In fact, they argue that the very question “why do we sleep?” is mistaken, and that the real question should be “why are we awake?” If you are safe and warm and fed, it is a waste of energy to be awake and moving around (and possibly getting into trouble). Far better, this argument goes, is to be awake only when you have to and sleep when it suits you.

[caption id="attachment_1803" align="alignright" width="260" caption="Brain Plasticity"][/caption]

We have known for a while that sleep restores what is lost in our mind and body while we are awake. Sleep repairs and rejuvenates our muscle growth, tissues, protein synthesis and releases our growth hormone. Without sleep we lose all immune function and in a matter of weeks, we die. Sleep also is important to cognitive function. When we are conscious neurons in our brain produce adenosine, a by-product of the cells’ activities. This build-up is thought to be one factor that leads to the awareness of feeling tired. As long as we are awake, adenosine accumulates and while we sleep it is dispelled from our brain, therefore when we wake up we feel more alert.

Recently the most compelling theory why we need sleep is based on the changes in structure and organization of the brain. This theory known as brain plasticity or neuroplasticity refers to the susceptibility to physiological changes of the nervous system, due to changes in behavior, environment, neural processes, or parts of the body other than the nervous system. Sleep plays a critical role in brain development for infants and young children. Infants spend as much as 13 -14 hours per day asleep. Half of that time is spent in REM sleep, the sleep cycle where dreams occur. Sleep and brain plasticity is associated with adults as well and is seen when sleep deprivations causes low performance levels.

Although these theories are unproven scientist continue to make efforts in finding out what happens while we sleep and what controls our sleep/wake cycles that help us live a long healthy life.

The information in this site is for informational purposes only and not meant as a substitute for advice from your healthcare professional. This information should not be used to diagnosis or treat any health problem. Information and statements provided by asleepeasy.com about supplements that have not been evaluated by the FDA are not intended to diagnosis, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical condition. Reliance on any information in this article or on this site is solely at your own risk.

 

 
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Saturday, May 19, 2012

Reasons Why You Can't Sleep

If you’re pregnant or having menopausal symptoms you know how hard it is to fall asleep easy at night. But there are other reasons that you should consider if you’re having trouble getting the sleep you need. No matter how old you are you could be suffering from one of these sleep stealers.

If you are in your 20’s or 30’s women usually blame their lack of sleep on parenthood and the demands of raising a family and working at a job day after day. Did you know that 5-10% of women develop postpartum thyroiditis following delivery? An overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism can make too much thyroid hormone that controls your metabolism that can make a lot of things in your body speed up. You lose weight, have a fast heartbeat, sweat easily and/or feel nervous or moody. After a few months the condition changes to hypothyroidism where the body produces less thyroid hormone leaving you feeling constantly fatigued. Most women with postpartum thyroiditis will regain their normal thyroid function.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism may be unclear and can often mimic symptoms of other conditions. What to look for: changes in your menstrual cycle, constipation, dry hair or hair loss, dry skin, fatigue, sensitivity to cold, slow heart rate, swelling of the thyroid gland, weight gain, carpal tunnel syndrome and even depression. As you know depression alone can cause insomnia and many antidepressant medications have sleep-related side effects.

Having hypothyroidism can become serious and you should seek treatment from your primary healthcare professional.

According to WebMD.com thyroid problems in a pregnant woman can affect their developing baby. During the first three months of pregnancy, the baby receives all thyroid hormone from its mother. If the mother has hypothyroidism, the baby does not get enough thyroid hormone. This can lead to problems with mental development.

Extremely low levels of thyroid hormone can cause a life-threatening condition called myxedema. Myxedema is the most severe form of hypothyroidism. A person with myxedema can lose consciousness or go into a coma. The condition can also cause the body temperature to drop very low, which can cause death.

Treating your hypothyroidism may put your thyroid hormone back to healthy levels but in the meantime may not ease your depression or insomnia. Side effects from medications or sleep aids can be addictive. Many specialists recommend using cognitive behavioral therapy methods, developing good sleep habits and going to therapeutic group sessions can help with both your insomnia and depression.

Once you’re in your 40’s you might wake up during the night to go to the bathroom. Don’t be alarmed, you may only be having a urinary tract infection (UTI). In your mid-forties decreased estrogen levels thin the lining of the vagina and bladder which makes perimenopausal woman more prone to infection. Talk to your doctor if you notice a change in your bathroom habits especially if you have other symptoms like: increased thirst, increased hunger, dry mouth, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, feeling weak, headaches and blurred vision as these are signs of type 2 diabetes a condition that is more prevalent in people that suffer from sleep disturbances like; insomnia, snoring or sleep apnea.

Deep sleep decreases in your late forties making waking up during the night more frequent. Exercise may help. Giving your body more repair work during the night means more deep sleep. Experts feel that 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise will do the trick.

For those 50 and over watch the prescription drugs you may be taking for other health conditions such as high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol. Hypertension sufferers usually take a diuretic which increases your chances of getting up during the night to use the bathroom. Ask your doctor if you can take your pills in the morning instead. A side effect from taking a statin for cholesterol control is muscle aches which can make falling asleep harder due to a depletion of the co-enzyme Q10. Co-Q10 is a natural protein required for normal functioning of the muscle cells. Ask your doctor if it is OK to try a co-Q10 supplement to replenish this diminished enzyme.

If you are a heavy snorer it could be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) a disorder in which breathing briefly stops periodically while you sleep. As I stated before OSA is linked to developing type 2 diabetes, but also is known to cause hypertension and heart related conditions. Your chance of getting OSA increases after menopause when your progesterone levels drop. Weight gain is also associated with OSA after menopause and worsens this disorder. In some cases losing 10% of your body fat can actually cure OSA. Your doctor may recommend staying at a sleep clinic so they can monitor you while sleeping to properly diagnosis this condition.

The information in this site is for informational purposes only and not meant as a substitute for advice from your healthcare professional. This information should not be used to diagnosis or treat any health problem. Information and statements provided by asleepeasy.com about supplements that have not been evaluated by the FDA are not intended to diagnosis, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical condition. Reliance on any information in this article or on this site is solely at your own risk.

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Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Good Morning America this is your Wakeup Call

How do you sleep at night? Do you wake up too early or have a hard time waking up at all? If you wake up too early and can’t get back to sleep what can you do? You need to keep your room as dark as possible. Getting up to use the bathroom and trying to go back to sleep after you’ve turned on the light interrupts your sleep/wake cycle. Keep a night light on so you can find your way there. The best solutions for this problem is too eliminate or reduce the amount of liquids you consume at night. If this issue is persistent you might talk to your doctor. You could be suffering from overactive bladder. He may recommend physical therapy to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Watch out for other liquids like soup or fruit and vegetables that are mostly water; celery, watermelon or cucumbers to name a few.

When you try to go back to sleep do you think of all the things you have to do tomorrow? Worry and anxiety are the number one reason why people can’t fall to sleep easy. To get your to-do-list off your mind write down what needs to be done before your go to bed then you don’t have to wonder if you’ve remembered everything you have to do the next day.

Around 60% of the people that wake up early wake up due to aches and pains. Even mild pain is enough to wake you up. My father used to suffer from back pain and had a hard time falling asleep. If this is the case, take an over-the-counter pain medication before going to bed and keep some on your night stand with a glass of water for easy access if you wake up. This avoids a trip to the kitchen. If can’t get your mind off your pain you might use a distraction. Listen to music, white noise or try self-hypnotic relaxation techniques.

Listening to white noise, sleep music or even a fan can reduce or eliminate external stimuli that can cause us to have microarousals. Noisy neighbors, dogs barking and traffic can put our body on alert and disrupt our sleep, especially those that are light sleepers. Other external stimuli that cause us to wake up too early are light and temperature. As I mentioned before exposure to light triggers our serotonin levels to rise making our mind and body think it is time to get up. Keeping our room as dark as possible both in our room and outside can keep our serotonin levels down so we can fall back to sleep. Good blinds or black out curtains can block streetlights or oncoming traffic. Shutting down computers, TV’s, phone and even covering your alarm clock will help. Keeping your room cool during the night is essential for sleeping well all night. I find it difficult to sleep if the room is too hot. I am always waking to kick off the covers. The best temperature is between 65-68 degrees.

Do you wake up too early due to heartburn or acid reflux? Gastroesphageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause you to wake up. If you wake up occasionally to GERDs you might want to eat your larger meal at lunch and a smaller meal for dinner or eat smaller more frequent meals during the day and try to eat at least 3 hours before retiring so your food will be digested. Like hot spicy foods? Reserve these for lunchtime along with fatty foods that put pressure on the valve at the end of your esophagus. Taking calcium after meals can strengthen the valve and stomach. Keep an antacid next to your bed for middle of the night heartburn attacks.

If you feel you suffer from chronic acid reflux please contact your primary care taker. Reflux may cause symptoms of heartburn. It may also damage the lining of the esophagus. The esophagus lining then changes in appearance and looks like the stomach lining (Barrett's esophagus). Barrett's esophagus occurs more often in men than women. You are more likely to have this condition if you have had GERD for a long time. Patients with Barrett's esophagus may develop more changes in the esophagus called dysplasia. When dysplasia is present, the risk of getting cancer of the esophagus increases.

Laying on your back increases the chances for acid reflux if your stomach is upset. Try sleeping on your left side to ease the pressure on you esophagus.

For those that can’t seem to wake up in the morning other than having cold water thrown in your face or your mothers screaming your name (this is what I remember) and no way you’d wake up without an alarm…. there is a secret to waking up in the morning without having to hit the snooze button 10 times! It can be done and you have recognized the people that do it, they are annoying happy morning people. Why do you think they are happy? They think they have something to wake up for. Just like a little kid on Christmas morning. So why do most of us sleep in? We associate waking up with things we don’t want to do. The easiest and most important part to waking up in the morning is put your attention on something you want to do the next day like going for a run/walk in the morning, going out to dinner, buying a new coffee maker or coffee or even just relaxing and talking about a long term goal or working on a hobby. If you make time for yourself doing something you love it’s the adult comparison to Christmas morning.



Also doing something for yourself every day, even if it’s just a ½ hour, helps to ease your worry and anxiety. This will allow you to relax at night, so you can fall asleep and possibly to stay asleep without waking up. Even just looking forward to a little thing like reading a good book, going on a date or playing a video game will turn negative feeling towards waking up into a positive one.

Make your sleep schedule a habit so you will find it easier to get up in the morning. Do you wake up naturally with 6, 7 or 9 hours of sleep? Finding how much sleep you need to feel refreshed in the morning without an alarm is key and then go to bed accordingly. Making bed time a habit and thinking about positive things you can do for yourself you will find that you will become one of those annoying happy morning people!

The information in this site is for informational purposes only and not meant as a substitute for advice from your healthcare professional. This information should not be used to diagnosis or treat any health problem. Information and statements provided by asleepeasy.com about supplements that have not been evaluated by the FDA are not intended to diagnosis, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical condition. Reliance on any information in this article or on this site is solely at your own risk.

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