Promoting Sleep Through Exercise

Getting enough sleep and enough exercise are both vital to a healthy mind and body.  However, there is a strong link between one and the other.  Better exercise often can equal better sleep.  Let's find out more!

You're more likely to get a good night's sleep if you perform moderate exercise for at least 150 minutes a week - that's only 30 minutes a day for five days. This finding from Oregon State University comes after reviewing data on more than 3,000 adults between ages 18 and 85 who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. 

For a week after they were examined, the study participants wore an accelerometer on their right hip for a week. Results showed that those who did moderate exercise for

What is Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis can be a pretty scary experience, especially when it occurs for the first time.  Here is some great information that may help alleviate some anxiety if it does occur.

What is Sleep Paralysis?

According to Wikipedia , Sleep Paralysis is paralysis associated with sleep that may occur in normal subjects or be associated with narcolepsy, cataplexy, and hypnagogic hallucinations. The pathsophysiology of this condition is closely related to the normal hypotonia that occur during REM sleep. When considered to be a disease, isolated sleep paralysis is classified as MeSH D020188.[2] Some evidence suggests that it can also, in some cases, be a symptom of migraine.

What are the possible causes?

Many people who commonly enter sleep paralysis also suffer from narcolepsy. In African Americans, panic disorder occurs with sleep paralysis more frequently

Sleep Violence

When you think of risky activities sleep is probably is pretty low on the list.  That might not always be the case.  Here is an interesting article on sleep violence. 

Lady Macbeth sleepwalking, a painting by Henry Fuseli. Credit: commons.wikimedia.org

Last month, psychiatrists at Stanford University announced that sleepwalking is on the rise. More than 8.4 million adult Americans—3.6 percent of the population over 18—are prone to sleepwalking. That’s up from a 2 percent prevalence the same authors found a decade ago.

And as the latest issue of Scientific American Mind notes, a subset of these nighttime wanderers may be at risk for a disturbing and dangerous phenomenon: sleep violence. Aggressive somnambulance in the general population hovers at or below 2 percent in surveys conducted in North America and Europe. But not all sleepwalkers exhibit violent behavior and what causes the violence remains a puzzle to researchers.

In fact, three separate disorders are associated with sleep violence. In arousal disorders—discussed in-depth in this month’s feature—an individual operates in a mental state between wakefulness and sleep, carrying out complex behaviors with no evident conscious awareness. In comparison, people with

Sleeping with the enemy, well kind of...

It's no secret that learning how to actually sleep with someone next to you can be difficult especially if that person has some unique sleep characteristics.  Let's take a look...

Hearing loud booms. Walking. Binge eating. Temporary paralysis. Teeth grinding. These are just a few of the bizarre things some experience when in a subconscious state.

Then there’s “sexsomnia.” As detailed in a recent Star story, sexsomniacs engage in sex while they are asleep. (While more research is needed, the joint presence of “sex” and “sleep” suggests new parents are not at risk.)

But there are other, less exotic sleep disorders. And for whatever reason, these tend to affect married or cohabitating women.

Gentlemen, here are five to watch for and suggestions on how to cope:

Disorder No. 1: Feathery Kleptomania

That’s weird. When you fell asleep, your head was on a pillow. But now it’s 2 a.m. and your head is on the sheet and your pillow is trapped between your spouse’s legs as if she’s on a plane and the pilot just said, “Prepare for an emergency landing.” Trying to free your pillow with gentle tugging is useless. Her thighs have turned into the jaws of a pit bull. Tickling her is also not advised, since this will only spark an angry, “Stop waking me up!” Sleep on your forearm. Your pillow is gone.

Disorder No. 2: Sleeping Smartphone Syndrome

It’s 3 a.m. Your partner is snoring. Her eyes are closed. But, incredibly, she is now fumbling for her BlackBerry or iPhone perched in the nightstand charger. She cradles the phone and brings it closer. The screen is now glowing, as is her face. Although you’re terrified, when your partner suffers from Sleeping Smartphone Syndrome, just make soothing Internet sounds until she eventually drops the gadget on your forehead and mumbles something about Facebook.

Disorder No. 3: Heat Seeking Cold Flailing

When your partner is sleeping, control of her body can shift from the brain directly to her hands and feet. For many women, sleep also coincides with an inexplicable drop in core temperature, from 37 degrees to roughly minus 162. Thus, your partner’s extremities, now icy and operating with a mind of their own, are drawn like heat-seeking missiles to your exposed skin. Have you ever had the nightmare in which an

The Belly Fat and Sleep Connection

All too often the side effects of sleeplessness can be associated with weight gain.  Sometimes turning into a vicious cycle of lack of sleep leading to weight gain, or weight gain leading to sleeplessness.  So what is the connection?

Not many of us have ever connected sleep with our belly fat. But if the current researches are anything to go by, there is a huge link between fatigue, insomnia and irregular hours of sleep that contribute to an increase in fat around our stomach and the thoracic cavity. In fact, it is not just sleep that does this, other factors such as fatigue and lethargy; irregular hours of sleep and sleep after an extremely heavy, fatty meal can also cause this to happen.

This phenomenon can occur more commonly in people, who have an increased level of cortisol in the blood along with elevated sugar and insulin release. A combination of all this can lower the basal metabolic rate of the person and also lead to increased storage of fats. It can make people feel more tired, push them into a sedentary life style and add a few inches to their waist.

Cortisol is related to sleep

Cortisol is a stress hormone that is only released when the body is suffering from anxiety and tension. Cortisol can affect the quality of sleep that a person is suffering from. In fact, the quality of hormones released, basal metabolic rate and appetite is affected. In fact, some people may suffer from

Americans and Sleep Apnea

It is clear that the diagnosis of sleep apnea is on the rise within the American population.  With so many people dealing with this particular sleep disorder, educating yourself on the risks and treatments early can make all the difference.

Affecting over 12 million Americans, sleep apnea is a debilitating health condition. Due to a lack of public awareness and the fact that apnea events occur during sleep, millions suffer from it without even knowing. It can severely disturb a person’s life and due to a lack of public awareness millions suffer from it without even knowing. Sleep apnea occurs during sleep so many have no idea that they are literally waking up hundreds of times throughout the night. The inability to completely fall asleep for any substantial amount of time due to constant sleep disturbances can lead to weight gain, cognitive problems, impotency, headaches and a lack of productivity at work.

Types of Sleep Apnea

There are three major types of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. The second, central sleep apnea is when the brain fails to send signals to the muscles to breathe during sleep. The third is mixed apnea in which both obstructive and central sleep apnea are present. Regardless of the cause, with each apnea event in which the sleeper stops breathing, the brain arouses them to wake up just enough to catch their breath. This can happen hundreds of times a night without the person having any idea.

Causes

Obstructive sleep apnea is most often caused by being overweight. The extra soft fat tissue thickens the wall of the windpipe causing the inside opening to narrow, making it harder to keep open. Obstructive sleep apnea can also occur in people whose

Sleep Texting: Funny or A Real Problem?

I have fallen to sleep reading a book, surfing the net, and even on the phone.  Now, a new concern arises, sleep texting!  Here's a look at what it could mean for you.

Everyone’s heard of sleepwalking. But have you heard of sleep texting? According to sleep specialists in the U.S., it’s a very real phenomenon — and one that’s only going to become more and more commonplace.

According to doctors at the American Academy of Sleep medicine, it’s all to do with the ever-increasing role of technology in our lives. Dr. Ron Kramer says that texting — especially for those who have grown up communicating via SMS — has become “as ingrained as driving for some people.” Other experts say that smartphones spend so much time in some users’ hands that they have essentially become extensions of the fingers, as far as the mind is concerned.

Some scientists (and plenty of regular folks, no doubt) question whether sleep texting is even possible. On some phones, sending a message requires several steps before a message can even be created — including successfully launching the SMS app and selecting a contact. On others, it’s much easier. If I’ve got a conversation open on my BlackBerry, for example, I can simply bump the left

Sleep Myths Exposed

It seems like everyone has a their own opinions when it comes to sleep.  Some of which have come from experiences, and some are just the opinions of others.  Here is a look at some sleep myths you may be familiar with.

There are many who claim that despite not sleeping for the required 6 hours, they can lead a good and healthy life. However, less sleep is harmful for the body and nobody is spared. Some people are able to keep awake in the night due to some myths. Here are a few facts that burst these myths-

• I am a short sleeper- studies show that genetically, only 1 % of people may sleepless and still remain healthy. It is not necessary that you come in that 1 %.
• Short naps keep you tired- some people believe that the idea of a power nap or short nap never works as they keep you drowsy and make you feel lethargic. However, studies show that power naps can help sooth your senses, help to control the rate of breathing and also relax your brains. They are also recommended by doctors for people who are extremely busy and need some relaxation.
• Working out before bed keeps you sleepless- the fact is that it’s the other way round. Working out before bed can tire your systems and you end up having a very sound sleep. In fact, some doctors recommend vigorous exercising

Health and Sleep Habits

Making sure that we get enough sleep is vital to staying healthy, both physically and mentally.  The toll of having a sleep disorder or even a few nights of sleeplessness can really affect our daily life.


by Robert Goldman MD, Iron Man Magazine

Research has historically linked prolonged sleep deprivation and disrupted sleep patterns to increased risk for developing or dying from stroke, heart attack and cardiovascular disorders. Completing a large-scale study involving 474,684 subjects from eight countries—including Japan, the United States, Sweden and the U.K.—who were followed for up to 25 years, a team from the University of Warwick in the U.K. found that sleeping fewer than six hours per night and having disturbed sleep puts a person at a 48 percent greater chance of developing or dying from heart disease and a 15 percent greater chance of developing or dying of a stroke. The team warns that

How to avoid Sleep Texting Accidents

Sleep texting is quickly become a real issue in today's society, at first it's just seems pretty funny to think of but it could end up causing some real problems... lets take a look

Julija Sapic / Shutterstock.com

According to a Daily Mail article, “sleep texting” is a thing. People have reportedly sent incoherent texts while sleeping, and had no recollection of doing it. Frank Thorne spoke with Dr. David Cunnington of the Melbourne Sleep Disorder Centre, who attributed the problem to the stress of daily life.

“People are doing so much during a normal day that it can mean that they feel like they’re ‘on call’ even at night,” he said. “Because it’s so easy to receive emails constantly, and get notifications from smartphones, it becomes more difficult for us to separate our waking and sleeping lives.”

His advice? Keep

How to Avoid Sleep Deprivation

Losing sleep is one thing, having sleep deprivation is another.  Here is a great article to help you avoid falling into sleep deprivation.  Enjoy!

One of the most common complaints in many parts of the world today is sleep deprivation, which prompted this article on Simple Sleep Strategies. Without rejuvenating and restful sleep, it is hard to maintain peak performance and sustain your long-term health. Therefore, it is imperative you understand the behaviors and habits that impair the quality and quantity of your sleep and adjust your patterns to maximize and optimize your deep restful sleep.

Our busy lifestyle with high expectations from our family and friends, stressful business demands and high technology gadgets, extracts a huge toll on our mental health and physical well-being. Without proper alignment and balance, it is easy to overload our body, mind and spirit with more data and stimulation than we are designed to process.

Warning Signs of Sleep Deprivation

Once the gages and lights on your dashboard begin to send you warning signals, it is important to pay close attention and focus your mind on regular maintenance and damage prevention. While we may be able to handle the excess overload for a while, it is only a matter of time before our nervous system and physical health start to show signs of excessive wear and premature malfunctions.

Ignore the warnings long enough and you may do irreparable damage to your body and brain. Proper maintenance and repair must be a high priority in order to prevent unnecessary stress and strain from accelerating the aging process and breaking down your body.

Some Simple Sleep Strategies and Suggestions

• Enjoy meditation, yoga or a nice walk before supper to relax and reduce stress accumulated during the day.
• Watch the sunset and give thanks for another amazing day and the blessings you enjoy.
• Avoid eating a big meal for supper, especially a large heavy meal with fish, meat, poultry or pork. These are very hard to digest in the evening, and it is better to eat them at the noon meal when the digestion is strongest. Enjoy a nice light meal in the evening that is easy to digest.
• Avoid eating after sunset or 7:00 PM, whichever is later.
• Avoid alcohol, coffee, sodas and strong tea with supper and afterward, as caffeine and sugar tend to disrupt normal sleep patterns.
• Stop working on your computer at 9:00 PM and reduce use of bright lights which tend to stimulate the brain and prevent restful sleep.
• Avoid watching TV in bed. It is especially important to avoid any movies, news or shows which may be depressing,

Sleep vs. Stress

Without a doubt in my own life, I have lost many a good nights sleep due to too much stress.  Its no secret that stress can kill, and it's affects on your sleep patterns are most likely a symptom.

Sleep – RepairLack of sleep is linked to increased risk for weight gain, depression, colon cancer, breast cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. With that said, the very thing you may deprive yourself of, may be the very thing that is adding pounds and ultimately MORE stress. When you don’t get adequate sleep, you’re body goes into a state of stress. Why promote stress? Don’t let stress rob you of sleep. Your body needs sleep to repair. Melatonin is a natural supplement you can take at night that helps to promote sleep.

Your health is all you really have. Each one of these suggestions can be expanded… Surely, this will be a topic again in the near

Reconsidering 8 Hours of Sleep

After all the years of hearing that the average adult needs to have at least 8 hours of sleep....  here is an interesting article that might reveal a little different perspective.

For your entire life, I’m sure, doctors and parents and everybody else who has an opinion has shoved the whole “get 8 hours” of sleep idea down your throat. Well, it turns out that eight hours of solid sleep is not actually optimal, and historically, not even normal. For a while now a small minority has voiced the idea that civilizations for thousands of years would sleep for four hours, wake up for an hour or two, then sleep for another four. During the break in between people would often chat with neighbors, read, write, pray, have sex, smoke tobacco, and just reflect. The evidence of this is almost irrefutable and makes me want to try it out. I think I might.

In 2001, historian Roger Ekirch of Virginia Tech published a seminal paper, drawn from 16 years of research, revealing a wealth of historical evidence that humans used to sleep in two distinct chunks.
His book At Day’s Close: Night in Times Past, published four years later, unearths more than 500 references to a segmented sleeping pattern – in diaries, court records, medical books and literature, from Homer’s Odyssey to an anthropological account of modern tribes in Nigeria.
Roger Ekirch says this 1595 engraving by Jan Saenredam is evidence of activity at night Much like the experience of Wehr’s subjects, these references describe a first sleep which began about two hours after dusk, followed by waking period of one or two hours and then a second sleep.
“It’s not just the number of references – it is the way they refer to it, as if it was common knowledge,” Ekirch says.
During this waking period people were quite active. They often got up, went to the toilet or smoked tobacco and some even visited neighbours. Most people stayed in bed, read, wrote and often prayed. Countless prayer manuals from the late 15th Century offered special prayers for the hours in between sleeps.
And these hours weren’t entirely solitary – people often chatted to bed-fellows or had sex.
A doctor’s manual from 16th Century France even advised couples that the best time to conceive was not at the end of a long day’s labour but “after the first sleep”, when “they have more enjoyment” and “do it better”.
Ekirch found that references to the first and second sleep started to disappear during the late 17th Century. This started among the urban upper classes in

The Sleep Texting Phenomenon

OK, we have all done stupid things when we are tired, whether it's saying the wrong thing, bumping into walls, or furniture... Sleep texting takes it to a whole new level.



The stress of daily life has sparked a new phenomenon - sleep texting.

People with the rare condition send incoherent text messages while asleep to their friends and family - completely unaware that they are doing it.

Sleep specialist Dr David Cunnington, of Melbourne Sleep Disorder Centre in Australia, said patients had reported incidents of sleep texting - and he has advised people to leave their mobile phones outside the bedroom.

I did what? Dr David Cunnington claims 'sleep texting' sufferers send incoherent messages to friends and family members - and have no recollection of doing so

He said: 'We have had patients who have reported sending text messages to their friends and family while asleep.

'It is one of those things that happens, but it is very

Junior Seau and the Deadly Effects of Insomnia

The effects of long term insomnia can be devastating on both the body and mind.  Junior Seau suffered from insomnia for years and it clearly took it's toll on his well being... 

When retired NFL star Junior Seau died in an apparent suicide at his Oceanside, California home in early May, the news stunned everyone -- including his family and friends. Its unclear why the 43-year-old would take his own life, though there's much speculation, but a new report reveals that he suffered from insomnia and regularly took the prescription drug Ambien.

According to a USA Today report, at least four of Seau's friends said he regularly took Ambien, a drug usually prescribed for sleep disorders. The FDA-approved drug includes warnings that suicidal thoughts or actions have been reported by depressed patients using that class of drugs.

Nancy Emsley, who frequented the same gym as Seau, told USA Today that she repeatedly stressed to Seau the importance of getting eight hours of sleep after taking an Ambien pill.

"He told me he usually woke up around 1 or 2 (a.m.) and couldn't go back to sleep," Emsley said.

Instructions also say that tell users not to

Sleep Apnea and Driving

Sleep Apnea can truly affects all aspects of life, from work, to family, to even driving.  Here is an interesting article on the affects of sleep apnea on driving and what people are doing about it.

As an important part of a designed research project the University of Granada researchers are going to analyse how sleep disorders like sleep apnea disorder affect risk perception in driving. To such purpose, three last-generation simulators provided by the Faculty of Psychology will be employed.

The purpose of the first study will be to analyse how a specific sleep disorder obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects risk perception in driving, as well as the efficacy of the therapies in development to treat it. Concretely, University of Granada researchers will study how different treatments for OSA improve risk perception in simulated driving. To such purpose, they employed the motorcycle simulator Honda Riding Trainer (HRT) using a multidimensional methodology (psychological, physical, behavioural and subjective measurements).

At present, the University of Granada counts on the only research centre in Europe devoted to study the mental mechanisms leading individuals to risky behaviours when riding a motorcycle. This study could be useful in the future to modify and avoid such behaviours. The Faculty of Psychology was provided with three last-generation simulators in 2009 usually