Sleep problems can be divided into two basic categories, the first is insomnia and the second comprises of all the other sleep disorders. Few people are immune from sleep problems; only 5 percent said that they never have trouble sleeping. Difficulty falling asleep is the more common type of insomnia among people under forty or fifty. Difficulty staying asleep becomes more common after that age. Even if a person has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, the problem constitutes significant insomnia only if it interferes with daytime mood or functioning. The seriousness of insomnia is measured not by how little a person sleeps but by how well the person feels and functions the next day.

Despite our genuine distress during bad nights, it can be useful to consider the accuracy of our perception of how well we sleep. People with insomnia tend to overestimate how long it takes them to fall asleep and tend to underestimate how long they sleep. One study at Sanford University observed a group of self-reported insomniacs overnight in the sleep laboratory. The next morning, these subjects estimated on average that it had taken them about an hour to fall asleep and that they had slept only four and a half hours. However, recordings of their sleep showed that the subjects had slept much better than they reported. In fact, the subjects on average had taken about fifteen minutes to fall asleep and had slept for six and a half hours. Some people go to sleep disorders centers because they believe that they sleep poorly, only to find that objective physiological monitoring shows they sleep much better than they think. Sometimes this insight itself is sufficient to help them stop worrying about their sleep.

Typically, the length of time it takes an adult to fall asleep is about eight to fifteen minutes. If you can’t fall asleep after lying in bed for thirty minutes, you are experiencing sleep onset insomnia. There are four basic reasons for sleep onset insomnia. The first is when a person will wrestle with their problems until the very last minutes of their waking hours. This mental wrestling match robs them of sleep. Sleep onset insomnia is also a problem for people who have an extremely high energy level. These people are active until the very last minute of the day. When it is time to sleep, they are so wound up that the natural sedation necessary for sleep eludes them. The third cause of sleep onset insomnia is anxiety. The body’s physical response to anxiety is the opposite of how it reacts to sleep; it can chase away the calm of sleep. The fourth cause of sleep onset insomnia is stress-induced response to what is known as conditioned insomnia. Many people condition themselves to view their bed as a battleground. Not being able to fall asleep quickly causes such anxiety that their bodies are aroused to the point that sleep becomes impossible.

By: Linda A.

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expertvillage asked:

Learn how herbal medicine can be used to treat restless legs syndrome and its symptoms with expert medical advice in this free health care video clip. Expert: Dr. Susan Jewell Bio: Dr. Susan Jewell is a trained doctor and scientist in clinical research medicine, as well as a stem cell scientist in oncology and AIDS/HIV. Filmmaker: Nili Nathan

S123 asked:


Since 2 days.I have to *** at least 2-3 times in the night.If I have any thoughts they keep me up as well.I have constipation and gas which irritates me most at night and the bloated belly comes in the way.Did anyone start getting pregnancy insomnia this early.Will lack of sleep affect the baby?

I love traveling and as part of my birthday gift to myself, I decided to visit Europe once again. For people always on the go, the difficulty of jet lag can be a problem. One of the hassles and stresses of traveling is how to deal with jet lag. If you travel a lot, may it be for business or vacation purposes, then it’s important to know some jet lag remedies to ease your trip the next time you plan your trip.

* It’s helpful if you’re well-rested and get enough sleep prior to your flight to lessen jet lag.
* If you have a stopover in between flights, walk around the airport. Especially if it’s going to be a long flight, get up and keep those legs walking to get your blood flowing.
* Preferably, you can opt for loose clothing when you sit on a flight for it allows movement while sitting the whole time.
* If you’re suffering from head colds, then it’s nor advisable for you to fly, as pressurized cabins could worsen your condition to the point of migraines.
* When you travel, it’s important that you keep yourself hydrated. Drink lots of non-carbonated drinks (juice or water) if you can. That’s why if you don’t want to suffer from jet lag, avoid drinking alcoholic drinks prior to and during your flight. Pressurized cabins would only increase the influence of alcohol.
* Bear in mind that one flight is not similar to the other. Schedule your flight in such a way that you’ll arrive during the day. It will make you easier to adjust to a whole new time zone.
* Upon arrival for a new time zone, set up a new sleeping schedule. You can bring on sleep by eating food rich in tryptophan (milk and poultry).
* Have a cold shower to energize you–although you can interchange warm and cold. Start with cold shower and also end with cold shower.
* And don’t forget your sleep mask. This handy mask can help you sleep at night even while you’re still in the plane.

By: Amy Twain

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The Agonist
In This Moment
Iwrestledabearonce
Otep
Evanescence
Flyleaf
Fireflight
Within Temptation
social jet lag
that killed crimson
big black novel
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Hey Monday
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Kittie
She Screams Remedy
Crucified Barbara
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lunatica

Do you sit up at night not bothering to go to bed because you know you won’t sleep? Or, do you climb into bed and then toss and turn getting more and more frustrated because sleep won’t come? If so, don’t despair because help is at hand.

Whether you are suffering from short-term, transient insomnia or longer-term chronic severe insomnia, curing insomnia is simpler than you might think.

Here are 7 simple steps that provide a natural cure for insomnia and that will set you on the road to better sleep.

Step 1. Set yourself a bedtime routine.

Set a time for going to bed and for getting up in the morning and stick to them. Experts agree that most of us need about seven or eight hours sleep a night, but this varies from person to person. You’ll know yourself whether you can manage comfortably on six hours a night, or perhaps need as long as nine hours. Whatever the case, set your bedtime and wake up times accordingly and then keep strictly to them.

Step 2. Arrange your bedroom for sleep.

Your bedroom should only ever be used for sleeping (and for making love), so arrange it accordingly.

Set the temperature at a comfortable, cool level (ideally between 65 and 70 degrees), and make sure that your bedroom is well ventilated. If possible, sleep with a window open or, if this isn’t practical, ensure that air can circulate through the room, perhaps by using a fan. Also, make your bedroom as dark as possible when it’s time to sleep and avoid the common mistake of leaving a light on in case you need to get up during the night.

Step 3. Lower external stimulation.

Avoid doing anything that is likely to stimulate either your body or your mind in the hour or two before bedtime. Don’t do your daily workout during this time, or decorate the spare bedroom.

Also, try to cut out television in the run-up to bed. I know, this is not easy and you might even say “it’s impossible”. If this is the case, then don’t give this particular pleasure up but try to be selective in what you watch and choose programs that are relaxing.

Step 4. Lower internal stimulation.

If you’re a tea or coffee drinker then try to cut these out of your evening routine. This also applies to other drinks that contain caffeine, or high levels of sugar, such as many colas and hot chocolate.

Also, avoid drinking alcohol. Although a drink before bed might well help you to get to sleep, it will certainly not help the quality of the sleep that you get.

Step 5. Avoid overeating.

If, like many people, you enjoy a bedtime snack then keep your late night meal small and avoid high protein foods and foods that contain a lot of fat or sugar.

Try a small bowl or cereal or a low-fat yoghurt.

Step 6. Clear out your worries and concerns.

If you’re the type of person who goes to bed with your mind racing and runs over all of the worries and concerns of the day then here’s a tip for clearing the clutter from your head.

Shortly before you go to bed, take a notebook and write down all your worries and concerns. The simple act of committing these to paper will allow your mind to let them go and relax.

Step 7. Take positive steps to induce relaxation.

It’s easy to talk about the need to be relaxed when you settle to sleep, but how often do you actually take steps to relax yourself, rather than hope that relaxation will come.

Add relaxation, and perhaps meditation, exercises to your bedtime routine!

Climb into bed about 15 minutes before it’s time to turn out the light. Get comfortable, close your eyes and practice one of the many relaxation or meditation exercises available. With a little practice you’ll find yourself falling asleep before you’ve finished your exercise.

The natural remedy for insomnia.

The seven steps outlined here are just a small sample of the many things that you can do to cure insomnia.

The secret to curing insomnia doesn’t lie in the all too commonly used sleeping pills, but is to be found in a few simple changes to your lifestyle and in setting yourself a clear routine.

Make a few simple changes to your lifestyle today and start enjoying better sleep tomorrow.

Copyright 2005 Donald Saunders – http://help-me-to-sleep.com

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By: Donald Saunders


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The Squirrel Cage asked:


I actually bought one a long time ago. Tried to watch it twice. I could not get past the first 15 or so minutes and even that was a chore. It was bad, very bad. Critics said he was a grade B actor, I think they were being kind.

Tabs asked:


okay i have sensations and need for movement with my legs at the ankle bone point in one leg but directing both just like Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms are. Test drives me crazy i twist and turn my ankles and moves my legs the whole time driving passenger have to move legs to everything matches. just one thing doesn’t i\while it happens at night not as much as the day. and from my research ive noticed RLS is blamed mostly for sleep lack.i’d really like to know if its still possible to have RLS if it bothers me during day more than night?

bridget Jones asked:


If you don’t use a sleep apnea machine and you have had a open heart surgery 5 yrs ago, can it put you at a huge risk of heart attack or whatever……and could die too??

Can it also affect other parts of your organs in your body?

ittytrex asked:


My boyfriend has sleep apnea and we are looking for a sleep apnea forced air machine to buy. He does not have insurance and the doctor wants him to stay overnight at a sleep center to confirm that he actually has sleep apnea. The cost of the sleep clinic is $2300.00 for (1) night!! I know he has sleep apnea and the only treatment for it is a forced air machine. In the meantime he is not getting any quality sleep and is affecting his daily life!! Please Help Us!!