Workers should be allowed to nap after lunch, says French think tank: ‘The politics of insomnia must end!’

By Henry Samuel

PARIS — Even as Spain moves to kill the siesta, a leading Gallic think-tank says French businesses should encourage staff to take a post-lunch snooze of 15 to 20 minutes, insisting that it boosts productivity.
A fifth of the nation’s workers nod off in front of their computer anyway, usually after the midday meal, a study for the think-tank, Terra Nova, found.
One of the authors of the report, called “Catching up on sleep, a public affair,” told the Europe1 radio station that employers should provide napping rooms.
“All that’s needed is a calm room where you can turn off the strip lighting and come out refreshed,” said Jean-Pierre Giordanella. “We realized that this simple practice improves work efficiency and reduces absenteeism.”
If sleep was not possible, the lack of noise and lighting would still do staff a power of good, he said.
For bosses concerned that it might shorten their employees’ working day, the study suggested that staff “leave work 15 minutes later” to make up the lost time.
The study urged employers to train human resources managers on the benefits of a quick nap so they do not see it as a “laziness perk” or a “reward for idlers” but as a “way of better dividing up the day into phases of activity and rest.”
It is not just staff who should visit the land of nod, the report added.
Bosses of small and medium-sized businesses sleep considerably less than average, at around six and a half hours per night. The resulting “sleep debt” makes them less creative, more irritable and has a “negative effect on their ability to anticipate,” the study noted.
The French are notoriously bad sleepers, with 11 million regularly taking sleeping pills. “This is artificial sleep that is costing society dear and doesn’t resolve the sleep issue,” said Giordanella.
Meanwhile, the prime minister of Spain is leading a campaign to end the siesta. Mariano Rajoy is lobbying for support for new legislation that would switch the country back to Greenwich Mean Time and eliminate the sleep breaks some Spaniards take.
A typical Spanish work day begins at 10 a.m. and is split in half by a two- to three-hour lunch break known as the siesta. Spaniards typically take the break at 2 p.m. and return to work around 4 or 5. The work day typically ends at 8 p.m.
“I will find a consensus to make sure the working day ends at 6 p.m.,” Rajoy said earlier this month.
According to the French report, good sleeping habits, including afternoon naps, should be instilled at a young age and the practice extended from elementary school to older students and adults.
“In many countries or big cities, the cost associated with sleep troubles can be counted in the billions of euros,” the study notes.
Drowsiness is among the prime causes of accidents in the workplace and on the road, but lack of sleep to accommodate work demands also compounds social inequalities and sanitary risks, the study found.
“Everyone is explicitly or tacitly invited to turn sleep into a variable,” it warned. “The politics of insomnia must end!”

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/workers-should-all-get-afternoon-nap-says-french-think-tank

The Link Between Diet and Sleep

By Beth Greenwood

Catching adequate ZZZs makes a big difference to your overall health, and it may be tied to what you do and do not eat.

A review of multiple studies on the connection between dietary changes and sleep patterns showed mixed results. However, some of the studies showed that dietary changes could have positive effects on sleep quality and duration.
Research is increasingly showing links between chronic diseases and sleep, according to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Sleep deprivation is also associated with an increased risk of mood disorders and decreased immune function.
Adam P. Knowlden, PhD, led the review team. Dr. Knowlden is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Science at the University of Alabama.
Dr. Knowlden and his colleagues evaluated 21 studies of people ranging in age from 18 to 50.
Most of the studies were small, with 10 to 12 participants. Most were conducted in a laboratory under controlled conditions.
The studies looked at such variables as how long it took people to go to sleep, how long they stayed asleep and whether they woke refreshed. Study participants were generally healthy, although some had insomnia.
Eight of the 17 laboratory-controlled studies showed an improvement in at least one aspect of sleep.
Dr. Knowlden and his team found that manipulating the composition of the meals had some effects. Some studies increased the total amount of protein while others increased carbohydrates.
According to Dr. Knowlden and the team, proteins containing tryptophan (an amino acid) combined with carbohydrates improved sleep in people with insomnia. Meals rich in tryptophan eaten before bedtime also increased morning alertness.
The researchers noted the studies were small and generally short. This limited the ability to draw conclusions.
The study was published in the April issue of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
The study did not receive outside funding and none of the authors reported a conflict of interest.

http://www.dailyrxnews.com/review-data-shows-some-dietary-changes-may-have-effects-sleep

Aerobic Exercise Could Help Obese Men With Chronic Insomnia, Study Finds

By Brenna Diaz

A study from Finland has found that overweight and obese men fall asleep more easily and more quickly after engaging in a 6-month aerobic exercise program. The findings were published recently in the journal Sleep Medicine.
 
Aerobic exercise increases the need for sleep in order for muscles, tendons, and organs related respiration and blood flow to recover, according to Christopher E. Kline, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh Sleep and Chronobiology Center, who spoke with the US Psychiatric Congress Network.

Exercise may help dampen the mental and physical “hyperarousal” that seems to be a common feature in insomnia, with feelings of a persistently elevated heart rate, racing thoughts, and a sense that one cannot “turn off” the brain, Kline said.

According to the abstract, the study sample included 45 men, most of who were overweight or obese, aged 30-65 and with a minimum of 3 months experiencing symptoms of insomnia. Half of the study participants were randomly selected to participate in 6 months of aerobic exercise sessions, from 1 to 5 sessions per week for a duration of 30-60 minutes with a trainer. The number and intensity of the sessions depended on the fitness level of the participants. The control group maintained their regular behaviors.

Researchers monitored the study participants’ progress with bed sensors, personal diaries, questionnaires, and body measurements. They discovered that the men who participated in the exercise sessions fell asleep quicker, had less difficulty falling asleep, woke up in the middle of the night less, and experienced a better quality of sleep.

The most important benefit of exercise, the study found, was the improved ability of the men to fall asleep. But Kline told the Psych Congress Network that the best option for insomnia still appears to be behavioral sleep therapy.

http://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/aerobic-exercise-could-help-obese-men-with-chronic-insomnia-study-finds

How One Woman Copes With Insomnia

By Janice Eidus

Sometimes on those nights when I lie awake at 2 a.m., tossing and turning in my bed, I wander into the kitchen and make myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I smear on so much peanut butter that it oozes from the bread onto the plate, and then I dip my finger into the excess and take great pleasure in licking it off. There’s some medicinal quality in peanut butter, I’ve come to believe, that helps me sleep. By the last bite, I’m ready for bed.
But, oh my, the calories! This is not something I can do every night if I want to continue to fit into my clothes. Besides, if I did it every night, I’m pretty certain it would stop working.

Conventional Wisdom About Insominia

Roughly 60 million Americans are affected by insomnia each year and yet scientists know relatively little about it, including why it disproportionately affects women. According to the Mayo Clinic, among the most common causes of insomnia are stress and anxiety (guilty), depression (not at the moment, but I have a history), and the need to get up frequently to pee (um … I can’t deny it).
The worst for me may still be to come, since insomnia is a huge problem in the elderly — so there’s that to look forward to. I keep reading articles telling me that our last years can be among our happiest. But how can that be if we’re depleted and exhausted from lack of sleep?

I keep reading articles telling me that our last years can be among our happiest. But how can that be if we’re depleted and exhausted from lack of sleep?

Why do we need sleep and what happens when we don’t get enough of it? Among other things, sleep specialists say we become irritable, depressed, and anxious; can’t complete tasks and, have headaches and accidents.
Gayle Greene, the author of the book, Insomniac, speaks for me when she says, “I don’t manage the beast. I live with it. I live around it. I bed down with it every night, gingerly, cautiously, careful not to provoke it.”
These days, the current wisdom about curing insomnia is to avoid looking at “screens” before bed, which supposedly overstimulate you. But I find it reassuring in the middle of the night to commiserate via Facebook with fellow insomniacs.
We post tips to help one another:

• “Take Melatonin and drink a whole glass of warm milk.”
• “Do child’s pose and corpse pose.”
• “Look at photos of kittens and puppies.”

Not that any of these ever work for me.

Lifelong Sleep Troubles

I’ve been an insomniac since I was a little kid. Back then, I would be awakened in the middle of the night by nightmares about gorillas, monsters and “bad men” climbing through my bedroom window with the intent to harm me. And then, I couldn’t fall back to sleep.
As a teenager, I stopped even being able to fall asleep easily, so I just lay awake, alternately rigid and restless beneath my covers, finding some solace in listening to gentle English folk ballads like John Riley, about a woman awaiting the return of her lover gone at sea. The soothing lyrics and the image of the ocean’s lapping waves … eventually, these things helped me to sleep for a few hours (although never enough).
Where does my lifelong insomnia come from? I believe it’s from growing up under the rule of a violent, tyrannical father and a depressed, suicidal mother. From feeling that my family — with its sorrows and rages — was “different” from others, and that I would never belong or fit in anywhere.
As I grew up and read newspapers and watched TV news, my insomnia was made worse, and still is, by stories of terrorism abroad and at home, and cruelty manifested in more ways than I can bear.
So I resort to peanut butter and jelly at 2 a.m. and swear to myself that I’ll eat only lettuce and celery for the rest of the day. While I devour my sandwich and put on soothing music — sometimes those same English ballads that calmed me during my teenage years — I remind myself about the 60 million others out there like me, and I imagine that one day someone will find a cure for us.
And then, for better or worse, I log onto Facebook.   

http://www.nextavenue.org/insomnia-one-womans-struggle-and-solutions/
                     

Slip into sleep with these tips

By Caroline Brindle

Let’s talk about insomnia. No, this isn’t a plug for the latest cookie company in town. I’m talking about those frequent nights spent tossing and turning, just staring at the ceiling fan. The nights when you couldn’t fall asleep or stay asleep even if someone paid you to. As night turns into morning, the worst part about insomnia is dealing with being tired the rest of the day. If you can relate to this and are completely tired of being tired, below I’ve listed a couple of different remedies, including natural sleeping aids and lifestyle changes. Try a few out — I’ll keep you from counting sheep and get you back to sleep.

Sleeping aids:

Melatonin: Like the hormone in your body, a melatonin supplement is used to help better regulate sleep. Even in low dosages, this supplement will help offset insomnia and jetlag by making you tired. This sleeping aid can be purchased over-the-counter. Regardless, be sure to consult your doctor before taking daily. 

Lavender spray: The smell of lavender has been found to create a better sleeping experience, fighting off insomnia. The scent is said to decrease the body’s heart rate and blood pressure, putting the body in a more relaxed state. Spray a lavender mist on your pillow at night and breathe in some sweet dreams.

Sleepy Time: If you haven’t heard of Sleepy Time tea, get ready — it might be your new BFF. This tea, as well as other herbal teas containing valerian, chamomile or passionflower, is known for its light sleep-inducing capabilities. These ingredients act on brain receptors producing “mild sedative effects.”  

Background noise: Sometimes a little background noise is all you need to offset those loud thoughts and get you straight to bed. If you have a smartphone, there are many different noise apps you can download. From the rainforest to the beach, these apps offer soothing sounds helping you drift off in no time. Looking for an app? Try Nature Sounds Relax and Sleep, Sleepmake Rain or Sleep Pillow.   

Lifestyle changes:

Turn it off: Put down the phone. This is easier said than done, I know. Research shows that turning off or putting away electronic devices one hour before bedtime can help you get to sleep quicker. If having the phone by your nightstand remains a distraction, consider moving it completely out of the room and into the living room or kitchen area. Instead of grabbing your phone, drift off while reading a book.  

Regular exercise: Like many other health concerns, exercise also wins when it comes to insomnia. In a study, participants were asked to engage in 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a week (20 to 30 minutes a day). The outcome? Individuals improved their quality of sleep by 65 percent. If you still can’t get yourself to hit the gym or go for a run, let sleep be your motivation.  

Booze & caffeine: If you love something, you must set it free — the same is true for alcohol and caffeine-containing drinks. If getting a good night of sleep is your goal, be sure to plan your last sip of coffee accordingly. Caffeine can stay in the body for much longer than you may realize. It can take anywhere around six hours for just one half of the caffeine in your beverage to be removed from the body. As for alcohol, what may seem like a sleep-inducer is actually a sleep-reducer. Once the alcohol is fully metabolized, your brain works to cancel out any sedative effects.  

Carbs & protein: Tryptophan is an amino acid that makes you feel tired. While proteins are the building blocks of amino acids, carbohydrates make tryptophan readily accessible to the brain. Together, protein and carbohydrates are a dynamic duo or drowsy duo. Pick a bedtime snack that contains both substances — toast with peanut butter or cheese and crackers.   

 

http://www.breezejmu.org/offthebeat/slip-into-sleep-with-these-tips/article_22d7a8b2-04aa-11e6-9746-4b17575f0653.html

This smartphone app is the first good solution I've found for my chronic insomnia

By Rafi Letzter

I have chronic insomnia, which means the most painful part of my day is climbing into bed.
On a bad night, I can close my eyes at 10 p.m. and lay staring at the red floaters on the backs of my lids until six in the morning. With every hour that passes it grows harder, not easier, to drift off. I never feel more vulnerable than when I'm locked into my own consciousness. It's claustrophobic, panic-inducing, and physically exhausting. There are nights where I'll have lain immobile for five hours but my heartbeat will pound in my ears like I just ran a marathon or the world is ending.
It sucks.
There are dozens of recommended strategies for dealing with this: establish a nighttime routine, work out before bed, don't work out before bed, take melatonin, read in bed, don't use your bed for anything but sleep, don't use electronics before bed, sleep alone, sleep with your partner, buy a better mattress, buy a better pillow, listen to music, don't listen to music, listen to NPR, don't listen to NPR, give up drinking, see a therapist, take prescription pharmaceuticals, just relax.
I collect these tips religiously and I've tried them all — with the big honking exception of prescription pharmaceuticals, which frankly scare me. Melatonin helps me on a temporary basis when I need to get my rhythms back under control after a bad lapse. But the only two things that have actually made a tangible, long-term difference in my life are giving up my already very light drinking habit and the $2.99 smartphone app Buddhify.
The former makes sense: Alcohol is bad for your mind and body, full stop. But Buddhify's success was unexpected. It's not even a sleep app, instead focused on providing newcomers a gateway to mindful meditation. And it has that kitschy, vaguely appropriate name. (Imagine calling an app that gives you pork-free recipes Mosefy, or an app for writing Arabic poetry Muhammafy.) But a close friend of mine, a neuroscience researcher who manages his mood with mindful meditation, had been talking up the virtues of mindfulness and I was looking for a way in.
So I downloaded Buddhify to my phone, used it a few times during the day, then forgot about it.
Back in November there was a night where nothing was working. I felt trapped in a labyrinth of sheets, then uncomfortable and exposed when I threw the covers off. Squirrels scampered in the ceiling. A red LED blinked away on the other side of the room. My girlfriend woke up twice, frustrated, to my tossing and turning. The night seemed to stretch out impossibly long ahead of me. At some point I remembered the app, popped in my Bluetooth earbuds, and must have fallen asleep almost instantly because I can't remember anything that happened after I pressed play. It was a small secular miracle.
Buddhify's meditations are deceptively short and simple. Sleep and anxiety audio exercises, they help you order and examine your swirling thoughts and sensations, play games with them, and learn to manage them. None take longer than fifteen minutes. But after months with this app I can tell you I have yet to hear all the sleeping ones all the way to their end. They knock me out too fast. It's far from a perfect solution. There will always be nights where nothing seems to help, but having Buddhify on my phone has made them a lot rarer.
I've also noticed that Buddhify seems to improve my overall mood and mental wellbeing. I don't listen to the other meditation categories on the app as much as I'd like, but even falling asleep in the middle of a sleep meditation most nights has seemed to make me a calmer and more joyful person. I haven't done enough shopping around to tell you if this is the absolute best mindfulness app around; once you find something that works, you don't mess with it (though I did just download Headspace.) However, it carries my strong recommendation.
A few things to remember: I'm not a doctor or a neuroscientist, and what works for me may not work for you. You should absolutely seek a medical professional's advice if you struggle with sleep. But I've had incredible luck with this app. If you're an insomniac looking for a new weapon in your arsenal, this is an option I think is worth your $3. Let me know how it works for you.

http://www.techinsider.io/the-best-app-for-falling-alseep-2016-4

Insomnia is hell. So why aren’t there any good treatments for it?

From Spectator Health

Margaret Thatcher famously said that sleep is for wimps. But there are no two ways around it: not sleeping is hell. I regularly find myself lying awake at night, often for hours on end, applying intense concentration on not sleeping.
I am a wimp. But I am not alone. It is estimated that up to one third of the British population suffers from insomnia, described by the NHS as ‘difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep for long enough’. If you are all too familiar with counting sheep, or know well the cadence of the dawn chorus, you may be a sufferer too. (The NHS advises that a ‘normal’ night’s sleep for an adult is considered to be ‘around seven to nine hours a night’.)
Many of history’s greats are said to have suffered from chronic sleep disorders. Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens, Vincent Van Gogh and Marilyn Monroe were all sufferers. Interestingly, Van Gogh attempted to combat his insomnia by dousing his bedclothes in camphor, which may have slowly poisoned him and affected his mental health.
It was ever thus. Societies have been desperately attempting to find cures for insomnia since the ancients, who are said to have used opium to induce sleep.
More entertaining old wives’ tales include eating a raw onion before bed (American), sea slug entrails (Japan) or fried lettuce (France). Herbal remedies have always been a popular choice, and 3,000 years ago the roots of Rauvolfia shrubs were used in India. More recently, plants such as mandrake, henbane and mandragora have been employed to combat the agony of eternal consciousness.
The causes are widely debated, from the medical to the physical to the emotional. It is generally agreed that insomnia is indicative of stress and anxiety.
Earlier this month the Royal Society for Public Health said that the average Brit under-sleeps for one hour a night, which adds up to one night a week. The society’s chief executive, Shirley Cramer, claimed sleep is an ‘often overlooked and undervalued component in the public’s health’, calling for the government to ‘develop a national sleep strategy.’
It sounds bonkers, but what can be done? Counting sheep is infuriating, and slug entrails acutely unappealing. Let’s first consider the hard drugs. GPs are not wont to readily dish out sedatives but in spite of this, more than 10 million prescriptions for sleeping pills are issued per year in England. I have, in times past, contributed to this figure. Twice I have been prescribed Zopiclone, a nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic agent that works by tranquillising the central nervous system — and very successfully. GPs warn that it is highly addictive and, despite being extremely effective, Zopiclone should be used only as a last resort. But, reader, how I slept.
The NHS also offers cognitive behavioural therapy, which aims to alter thoughts or behaviours that contribute to insomnia. Methods include stimulus-control therapy (helps you to associate the bedroom with sleep), relaxation training (to reduce tension) and biofeedback (connects you to a machine that monitors your heart rate). However, it can be tricky to secure appointments and the success rate is debated.
The technological age has provoked the rise of sleep-inducing bedroom paraphernalia. One such example is the Withings Aura Sleep Sensor, which is placed under your mattress. It tracks your sleep through your breathing cycles, body movement and heart rate and comes with a lamp that emits different wavelengths of light depending on the state of your slumber. At £190, it doesn’t come cheap, and sadly it isn’t as swanky as it sounds: it needs a strong Wi-Fi connection and isn’t always accurate — I found that it sometimes confused me reading in bed for sleeping.
There is a vast choice of apps too. One such example is the White Noise app, which offers a truly inspired list of sounds to nod off to — from the obvious (ocean waves, shower, crickets chirping) to the obscure (Tibetan singing bowls, air conditioner and cats purring). It’s clever, and helps you gently slip into the land of nod, but certainly doesn’t cure the problem of waking up before the birds and staring furiously at the ceiling — praying, praying for sleep.
The grave problem with insomnia, aside from the lack of sleep itself, is that while it’s accepted as a serious health concern by medical professionals, there is no conclusive answer on how to solve it. Drugs, although helpful, are short-term solutions, and therapies and apps can be complicated and difficult to access. Sleep is essential for good health, happiness and day-to-day achievement, yet so many of us are unable to successfully get 40 winks. What would Mrs Thatcher say?

http://health.spectator.co.uk/insomnia-is-hell-so-why-arent-there-any-good-treatments-for-it/

How to Make It Through the Day After an All-Nighter

By Jon Levine

Unfortunately humans still need to sleep. Though some — perhaps more evolved — humans like former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher have managed to lead entire nations on four hours a night, some downtime still remains essential.
For those nights however, where either insomnia, exams or a grueling work schedule have denied you this essential human need, there are a few ways to game the system. While it's probably not advisable to go for Randy Gardner's 11 days with no sleep world record set in 1964, there are some tips to burns the candle at both ends (relatively) safely — and no it doesnt look anything like Wall Street in the '80s.

Caffeine

The old standby, often taking the form of tea or coffee, often goes hand in hand with the rejuvenating properties of a hot shower. The science on high caffeine drinks has been in for some time. The world's most ubiquitous drug works by binding itself to the brain's nerve cell receptors, preventing them from slowing down as a result of normal processes. The slowdown of nerve cells, caused by the naturally occurring chemical adenosine, is what makes you tired.

Drinking too much caffeine, however, could put you on the road to jitters, irritability and more than one trip to the bathroom. To truly stay awake like a pro, science actually created a synthetic answer that is just as legal and — scientists say — safe.

Modafinil

Few things are better for surviving an all nighter as modafinil, also known as Provigil. The drug has long been marketed as a treatment for narcolepsy, ADHD and shift work sleep disorder. And while those disorders, might sound frightening, modafinil is actually anything but.
The drug is listed as a Schedule IV narcotic by the federal government, (Adderall and Ritalin are both listed in the more dangerous Schedule II category.) Science too has increasingly come on board. A 2015 study in the scientific journal European Neuropsychopharmacology declared: 

When simple psychometric assessments are considered, modafinil intake appears to enhance executive function, variably benefit attention and learning and memory, and have little effect on creativity and motor excitability. When more complex tasks are considered, modafinil appears to enhance attention, higher executive functions, and learning and memory.

Move that ass

As little a thing as keeping your body in motion could be the simplest way of staying awake. The method requires no drugs or fancy tricks but can be surprisingly effective. In one study by California State University professor Robert Thayer, a group of participants who were given a candy bar while another was sent on a brisk walk. An hour later those who had the sugar rush were crashing but those who had the exercise were going strong.

Cheat! 

Indeed, there is no method better than an old fashioned nap. While it may seem obvious, science has shown shutting your eyes for even 10 minutes could give you a jolt, according to WebMD.

http://mic.com/articles/140863/how-to-make-it-through-the-day-after-an-all-nighter#.oG98mbUMI

Insomnia: How To Tackle Sleepless Nights

By Grazia Contributor

I've lost count the number of times I've woken up to see my clock read 2:05am. And I don't why it happens.
I'm asleep, I wake up and then I'm awake - for the best part of the rest of the night.

Things you think about during that time include: things you did today, how tired you'll be tomorrow, and every single worry you've ever had.
It's a solitary time, an unsettling time, and even if there's someone sleeping next to you, you can't help but feel very alone.
Insomnia affects 3 in 10 Britons – which is to say, nearly a third. And whilst there are a number of different causes for it, common triggers include: stress or anxiety, lifestyle choices (alcohol or caffeine consumption), mental health conditions – such as depression – and physical health problems, like an overactive thyroid or asthma.

Because of these associated health problems, people often find it difficult to talk about insomnia. As a result, many end up suffering in silence - literal long dark nights of it...
But there's no need for any of that! Because there are a number of things you can do to help. I am not a fan of sleeping pills or medication, and so wherever possible, I try to avoid them. Instead I do these things – many of which have actually helped bring on the zzzZZZZZs, at times when I least thought it possible.
Clenching Body Routine
Starting with your toes, clench every single muscle you can, going right up to your head. So, your toes, ankles, calves, knees, thighs, tum, arms, wrists, hands, shoulders neck, brow... and hold it for a few seconds. Then relax. You'll feel exhausted... I've fallen asleep a couple of times doing this.
Don't check your phone
It's SOOOOO tempting. But flooding your eyes with light is not a good idea.

Read an actual book
Turn on your side light and read a book. Yes, a real book. Reading tires out your eyes, but it won't work if you're reading something off your phone, laptop or iPad – the bright light acts as a stimulus and is far more likely to keep you awake.
Get up and do a simple task
If nothing's working, get up and do a simple task – like go to the lavatory or listen to soft music (Faithless' Insomnia is not advisable). Then get back into bed and try to sleep again. If you're still awake 30 minutes later, do it over.

Concentrate on your breathing
Count sheep? You're having a laugh. What does that even mean? Nothing, it means nothing.
Many insomniacs struggle to keep worrying thoughts at bay in the middle of the night. It's very hard (some say 'impossible') to 'not think' certain things. However, the best way around it, we have found, is to distract yourself.
Do so by concentrating on the breaths you are taking – as in, really thinking about them.
'Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.' Say it to yourself in your head as you do it. It really does block out the worrying thoughts.
This technique is often used in meditation – and it's the very best entree to relaxation.
Make sure your bedroom is conducive to sleep
Don't have a telly in there, make sure it's a good temperature, that your bed and pillows are comfortable, that light is blocked out and noise is minimal.

Last but not least, the blinking obvious...
Avoid tea, coffee and alcohol, especially in the hours before bedtime. Don't eat a heavy meal just before either. Drink lots of water during the day and exercise. And don't go to bed until you're actually tired.
Good luck (and sweet dreams).

http://lifestyle.one/grazia/news-real-life/real-life/insomnia-cures/

Lack of Sleep May Affect Brain, According to Studies

By Victoria Bale

People who lacking sleep most likely have insomnia. Those who are having a hard time falling asleep also suffer from the same condition. Studies show that having a good night's sleep can help people improve their mental and physical health.
According to Fox News, a research comparing people who have primary insomnia and people who have a healthy condition discovered that those people who have insomnia show that they have weakened their neural connection in their thalamus. The thalamus is a part of the brain that regulates the alertness, sleep, and consciousness in people's body.
The weaker connection was not determined if it comes from people who have insomnia or if it is the result of a chronic lack of sleep, according to researchers. Experts say that the study may give important information to discover the origin and the treatment of the sleeping disorder.
According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention, one-quarter of the U.S residents is occasionally having the inability to have a proper sleep. Some of the factors that interfere with sleeping are stress, pain, allergies, drugs, depression and Parkinson's disease.
A study from Stanford University says that three to five percent of adult have primary insomnia. It is based on the ruling out known causes for insomnia. Relaxation techniques are one of the treatments to this type of insomnia.A research from China tested 23 people who have primary insomnia and 30 healthy volunteers. All of the participants are requires to complete the standardized questionnaires about their sleeping patterns and mental health, they are also underwent brain MRI with a diffusion Tensor that can probe deeper that the basic brain structure. It revealed how well the neurons are connecting
According to Shumei Li, a researcher at Guangdong No.2 Provincial People's Hospital in Guangzhou, China "bundles of axons, or long fibers of nerve cells, that connect one part of the brain to another."
Recent news from WKRN says that having trouble sleeping can damage the brain, specifically the "white matter" in the brain. Study connects the abnormalities in the brain's white matter with insomnia.
Tissues that create the connection inside the brain and carries information between the other parts of the brain. The study could help discover how well the brain regulates sleep. It can also affect cognitive function in the brain.
Doctors at Cleveland Clinic commented at the study saying that the brain constantly changes to create new connections and overcome challenges. The study shows unclear information if treating insomnia can restore lost connections.

http://www.counselheal.com/articles/22919/20160408/lack-sleep-affect-brain-according-studies.htm

Insomniacs’ Brains Are Wired Differently, Science Says

By Ana-Marija Dolaskie

The importance of sleep for the body’s overall well-being has not been lost on those who suffer from insomnia, but unlike many of us, insomniacs simply can’t shut off their brains and dive into REM sleep. The sleep disorder has kept many researchers up at night, too, perhaps until now.
According to a recent study, insomniacs’ brains may be wired differently than those of people who don’t suffer from insomnia, which may lend credence to the the long-suspected theory that anxiety and depression may not be the sole contributors to the disorder.
The study, published in the journal Radiology, compared normal sleepers’ brains to those of people suffering from the disorder. They found that insomniacs’ brains have fewer amounts of white matter, which weakens neural communications, particularly to and from the thalamus, which regulates consciousness, alertness, and — you guessed it — sleep.
Past studies had not been able to observe the significance of white matter in the brain, though in 2014, researchers discovered troubling evidence that the reduced amount could be a precursor of stroke and dementia. Now, using sophisticated techniques, Chinese researchers were able to determine that it serves as a connector between parts of the brain, a crucial functional role. In insomniacs’ brains, there is less white matter in the pathways which are associated with regulating sleep and alertness.
Researchers, though, are still baffled by the chicken-or-the-egg scenario: whether the weakened connections are the root of the problem, or the result of lack of sleep.
Still, the study answers significant questions about a disorder which occasionally affects more than a quarter of the U.S. population, with 3-to-5 percent of Americans suffering from primary insomnia, the chronic inability to fall asleep that’s not attributed to psychiatric, medical, or environmental causes. Chronic insomnia can cause mood swings, irritability and memory loss.
“The mechanism underlying insomnia [and] sleep is quite complicated,” Shumei Li, a researcher at Guangdong No. 2 Provincial People’s Hospital in Guangzhou, China, and the lead author of the study told Live Science. “The exact neural circuit of sleep control still needs to be further investigated by other techniques in terms of function and neurophysiology.”

http://acsh.org/news/2016/04/08/insomniacs-brains-are-wired-differently-science-says/

Exercise may ease sleep for overweight men with insomnia

From: Fox News Health

Overweight men with chronic insomnia fall asleep more easily and quickly after a six-month aerobic exercise program, according to a new study in Finland.
Insomnia affects between 40 and 80 percent of overweight and obese men, said Serge Brand of the Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders at the Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel in Switzerland, who was not part of the new study.
Regular aerobic exercise training reduces sedentary time, reduces appetite, improves cardiovascular performance and increases self-esteem and self-efficacy, Brand told Reuters Health by email. It also increases sleep need for recovering and improving body tissues such as muscles, tendons, and organs related to respiration and blood flow, and it improves mood, he added.
Senior author Sulin Cheng of Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China and the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland and coauthors recruited 45 men ages 30 to 65. Almost all were overweight or obese, with at least three months of insomnia symptoms like difficulty falling asleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, early-morning awakenings or nonrestorative sleep.
Cheng did not respond to a request for comment.
Half of the men were randomly selected to attend aerobic exercise sessions for six months, including one to five sessions per week of 30 to 60 minutes with a trainer. The number of sessions and intensity of exercise depended on fitness level as assessed by a test before the study began. The remaining men maintained their usual behaviors.
The researchers used bed sensors, sleep diaries, questionnaires, activity and diet diaries and body measurements to track participants' progress.
After six months, the exercise group took less time to fall asleep and less often had difficulty falling asleep than the comparison group. Men in the exercise group also reported fewer occasions of waking up in the night, more efficient sleep and better sleep quality based on how they felt in the mornings, as reported in Sleep Medicine.
Exercise may help dampen the mental and physical "hyperarousal" that seems to be a common feature in insomnia, with feelings of persistently elevated heart rate, mind racing and being unable to turn off your brain, said Christopher E. Kline, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh Sleep and Chronobiology Center.
"Such regular aerobic exercise training is also suitable for women and also for those who are not overweight," Brand said. "People exercising regularly improve their self-control and self-discipline, which in turn has benefits for a general healthier lifestyle," said Kline, who was not involved in the study.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/04/07/exercise-may-ease-sleep-for-overweight-men-with-insomnia.html

Column: A few fun facts about insomnia

By Neel Bapatla

Personal health: the news topic that makes readers go, “Oh, I should start paying attention to that soon,” before moving on to read whatever Ann Coulter recently said about Hispanic people. But unlike Ms. Coulter, disregarding uncomfortable health conditions does not make them go away.
Take sleep: According to the National Sleep Foundation, 45 percent of Americans reported that poor or insufficient sleep had affected their daily activities at least once in the past week. However, the foundation also reports that, as a whole, American adults are actually getting the amount of sleep they need based on the national guidelines being an average of seven hours a night. What most afflicts American adults is quality of sleep.
Obligatorily scary health column fact: In a given year, one-third of Americans will experience insomnia. But don’t worry, only a quarter of those one third are afflicted by what is called chronic insomnia. That’s one-twelfth of Americans — not a number to balk at.
In medicine, misconceptions and lack of information make up the fuel of health problems. Chronic insomnia is perhaps what we think of when insomnia is discussed: a disease that keeps a person lying awake in bed for long hours, night after night for several months. In fact, the word insomnia refers to the complaint of being unable to fall asleep. In other words, insomnia is a symptom — like an ache in your joints or a runny nose — not a disease itself.
This might seem like an esoteric medical point, but it’s important to recognize that, in the same way there isn’t only one reason why a person might have a runny nose, there isn’t only one reason why a person may have insomnia. This also means insomnia could point to much deeper medical or psychiatric problems.
But here it is important to describe the two types of insomnia: acute, or short-term — sleeplessness lasting for a few days or few weeks at most — and chronic, or long-term insomnia — sleeplessness lasting for several months. The first can be resolved fairly easily with a simple treatment plan. For example, in the TV show “The Newsroom,” Jeff Daniels’ character is told his insomnia is caused by the naturally-occurring sleep-inhibitors found in his favorite midnight snack, bacon-and-egg sandwiches, and he should stop eating them at night. This doesn’t mean acute insomnia shouldn’t be looked at seriously — the 45 percent of Americans who reported bad sleep could not all have had chronic insomnia — only that it does not underlay deeper medical conditions. Individuals with chronic insomnia, however, need to speak with a professional — whether a doctor, a physiatrist, a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner — for at least twenty minutes to access the causes of the condition. Chronic insomnia, ironically enough, is chronically underevaluated; too many patients don’t receive a diagnosis from a professional, so it is important to press if needed.
This is all nice and upsetting, but what can you do as a reader? Well, you may believe you suffer from acute or chronic insomnia, in which case, seek out a professional opinion. And if a loved one does, urge them to. Americans are individualistic to a fault; the idea of speaking openly with a stranger, even a health professional, feels almost immoral. Yet the only way to receive adequate treatment is through a frank discussion of your health with an expert. And in the case that you simply cannot feel comfortable with a certain health professional, seek out another if this is available to you. Within UF there are resources from the Student Health Care Center to the Counseling and Wellness Center to UF Health Shands Hospital, for example.
But most importantly, you are your foremost healthcare professional. If you sense something is wrong, investigate.

http://www.alligator.org/opinion/columns/article_a93db4ec-fd33-11e5-99cf-4bdc752378fa.html

Sleep Problems in Kids: Is Insomnia Hereditary?

By Abbie Kraft

Sleeping problems may be common among adults, but research reveals that it can also affect children. Though parents tend to worry that their kids might inherit their sleeping problems, studies suggest that it is only "moderately" heritable.
Most mothers would worry about their child's sleeping patterns up to a point that they would consult their pediatricians. Though it may seem normal to discuss  the child's sleep problems, the doctor would usually ask if the mother is getting enough sleep as well. 
A Finnish research team reported that most parents with sleep problems would tend to discuss their child's sleep-related problems compared to parents that get a good night sleep, the New York Times cited
"The only thing that was associated with sleeping problems, as reported by the parents, was their own reported sleeping problems," Professor Marko Elovainio said, one of the authors of the study. "Sleep is a good measure of stress, we can't rely on reports of parents. We need to use more objective measures."
The study which was published in the Pediatrics journal suggests that most sleep problems reported by the parents would actually reflect on their own lack of sleep. The study came into conclusion that "parental sleep quality" is being patterned to the way they would report about their child's sleep problems. Most of the factors which affect their behavior are through their anxious thoughts, various stress and mental health-related dilemmas.
Though the research implied that reported sleep problems are usually a reflection of the parent's sleep issues, it does suggest that there's a huge possibility that insomnia can be hereditary. Despite the fact that insomnia is hereditary, it is not, however, applicable to the majority. Clinical Advisor stressed out that insomnia can be "moderately hereditary" wherein the chances of acquiring it from one's parents is a bit low.

http://www.parentherald.com/articles/35407/20160407/sleep-problems-in-kids-is-insomnia-hereditary.htm

6 Lessons From an Insomniac

By Hannah Cutts

We’ve all had those nights — the ones where we lie awake, looking at the clock, watching the shadows shift on the wall, flipping over and over, feeling like sleep will never come.
Perhaps we are anxious or excited for an upcoming event, or still reeling from some occurrence earlier in the day, and unable to quiet our mind. Maybe we ate or drank something that is keeping our body up — caffeine or sugar, or something else completely.
Or it’s possible that our regular sleep schedule has been disrupted — travel and time change, a long nap in the middle of the day, a lack of exercise.

                                  

Whatever the reason, HOPEFULLY these sleepless nights don’t strike you too often.
But what about when they do?
According to the Mayo Clinic, “insomnia is a persistent disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep or both, despite the opportunity for adequate sleep.”

The Sleep Foundation explains that insomnia is characterized by duration — acute insomnia is brief and attributed to life circumstance (like those listed above) whereas chronic insomnia is “disrupted sleep that occurs over at least three nights per week and lasts at least three months.”
I never imagined that my propensity for waking up at 2:45 a.m. every night and being unable to return to sleep for an hour would be categorized as insomnia. But there you go. Apparently, I am one of the 30 percent of Americans that struggle with the condition.
So, what lessons have I learned as an insomniac?
1) Get up! Move and stretch!
Sometimes, lying in bed and attempting to sleep before my mind or body is ready only makes me more restless or antsy. When I get the jitters in bed, sometimes a little physical activity is enough to jog me out of whatever mode is keeping me awake.
I like to get up and do a couple active but calming movements. I choose stretches or exercises that activate my muscles and require some mind-body connectivity, but that won't increase my heart rate greatly.
2) Find your own kind of sheep to count.
Everyone has heard that if you can’t sleep, you should count sheep.                      

As it turns out, a small study in 2002 actually suggests that insomniacs who count sheep stay awake LONGER than those who think about something else. Instead of woolly mammals, consider a different mundane, uninspiring and simple topic that doesn’t necessarily interest or apply to your everyday life.

For example, my mother thinks about the colors she would paint each room in the house (a task she would never actually undertake).

3) The DAY matters, too.
For most of us, lack of sleep can be attributed to certain lifestyle practices or behaviors that affect our daily cycles. If you are struggling with falling asleep, be aware of the kinds of foods or drinks you consume throughout the day.
Limit caffeine and sugar, and try not to have anything within two hours of going to bed.
Furthermore, if your body has been resting all day, it may be ready to move at night! Make sure you schedule time for regular exercise that will get your heart pumping — ideally early in the day, so that you have time to come down from your endorphin high.
Finally, avoid napping or sleeping late in the day. This may seem like common sense, but if you are already sleep deprived, making it to nightfall with no additional rest can be difficult. Set up your schedule so that you aren’t tempted to lie down and rest your eyes until bedtime.
4) Put your screens to bed first.
Many of us are in the habit of sleeping with our phones under our pillows, watching TV or checking emails before climbing into bed.
There have been a slew of studies in the past few years that link screen time before bed with disrupted sleep.
The Atlantic published a review of some of these studies, explaining that our screens’ “blue light suppresses melatonin, a hormone that helps with sleep timing and circadian rhythms. At night, our melatonin levels are supposed to rise in anticipation of sleep.”
Furthermore, when we are on alert, waiting for communication from our phones or thinking about a message in our email, our brain is active and less capable of relaxing.
So as HARD as it is to tear yourself away from reading EmpowHER articles at night, turn off the screens at least an hour before bedtime. Remember books? They’re cool.
5) Medication is an option.
For chronic insomniacs or people whose sleep is impacted by medical conditions and/or prescription drugs, sometimes the best and most effective way to combat sleeplessness is truly a sleep-aid medication.
Discuss your options with a health care provider. Remember that there is no need to suffer, and there are many solutions available to you.
6) All things are temporary.
Even though sleepless nights feel never-ending, time ticks on and daylight will come. Moreover, you will not be trapped in a perpetual purgatory of exhausted wakefulness. Your body WILL rest.
So don’t let yourself become more stressed worrying about your disrupted sleep patterns. Keep breathing, and try some of the strategies listed above. Or just accept that you are awake and will have to make more time to sleep the following evening.

http://www.empowher.com/insomnia/content/6-lessons-insomniac?page=0,2

How a calcium-rich diet can cure insomnia

By Nidhi Tayal

Quite interestingly for some of us, the most dreadful part of our daily routine is getting a good night's sleep. Don't believe? But it is true. A number of my patients complain that despite being exhausted (mentally and physically) beyond imagination, they find it hard to get a sound sleep. Having tried every trick in the book from lighting aroma lamps to chanting mantras to investing in comfy beddings, they toss and turn throughout night but sleep evades them.

Yes, they suffer from chronic insomnia.

Like always, I recommended looking for reasons in their diets, following the thumb rule, "Diet is your therapy".

A month's diet log enlightened us all on the missing link. Their diets were grossly deficient in the mineral calcium. Strange? No!

We have scientific evidence, the latest research published in the journal Neurons states that inflow of calcium ions into the nerve cells (neurons) is required to make one sleep. Taking it further, the study says that if calcium ions are pumped out of neurons, you will stay awake.

Remember those childhood days at your granny's house where it was almost a ritual to end your day with a glass of warm milk flavoured with haldi (turmeric), honey or elaichi (cardamom)? I am sure many would. Gradually the habit got lost with the influx of concepts like dairy-free, a perennial weight loss obsession, night outs at office, a perpetual time crunch, pubbing and clubbing.

Indian diets have always been rich in addressing every nuance of holistic health which the West is now exploring. But we have let go of our heritage in pursuit of pseudo health.

Coming back to calcium. The RDA (recommended dietary allowance), on an average, is 1,000 mg daily. Include this compulsorily in your diet now for strong teeth, bones, a flawless nervous system and to combat insomnia.

What to do? Simple. Choose your dietary options well.

1. Dairy is the easiest and richest source of calcium.

If you do not have lactose intolerance or allergy, do reap the benefits of including at least three servings of dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, paneer) daily in your diet. It is the easiest to procure and offers a spectrum of recipes.

The inclusion becomes more lucrative because of synergetic relationship between protein and calcium that works wonders for weight loss. This benefit is missing with other sources of calcium.

However, if you are high on clean, non-genetically modified, no-hormones dairy, invest in getting Grade A2 milk (details in future write ups). The interchange of amino acid number 67 makes A2 milk more gut-friendly and healthier.

2. If you want to go dairy-free, lean meats like chicken, fish and also eggs are what you should eat for your calcium needs.

3. Vegans too need not worry about getting a good night's sleep stemming from calcium deficiency.

The following options can easily fulfil their calcium needs:

1. Lentils like chickpea (kaabli chana), black-eyed beans (lobia), rajma (kidney beans), whole moong beans and the king - soybeans.

2. Nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios and sesame (til).

3. Dark green leafy wonders spanning from amaranth, spinach, broccoli, bathua (chenopodium), methi (fenugreek), kale (karam saag), collard greens to turnip (shalgam leaves).

4. Last but not the least, fortified foods like whole grain cereals, brans, juices, nut milks and so on.

What not to do

While it is important to know what to include in the diet to get calcium, it's even more important to remember what not to do to procure, absorb and maximally use the mineral for achieving overall good health. Engrave these pointers deep in your memory.

Diets which are high in protein, meaning protein more than 1gm/kg of body weight, makes one loose calcium. So before you jump on the bandwagon of bodybuilding hogging n number of protein shakes and protein bars, use caution.

Caffeine, too much of coffee and chocolates, deprive the body of the capability to optimally absorb calcium, leading to calcium insufficiency, graduating to deficiency.

Your affinity towards salt-loaded junk foods (chips, pickles, sauces, papads) and table salt throws the sodium-calcium-potassium-phosphorous equilibrium off gear, again making you loose precious calcium through urine.

The dilemma doesn't end here. Check your smoking habit and alcohol intake as both these monsters inhibit calcium absorption despite you being cautious of your calcium intake.

Therefore, choose your day's menu well. Insomnia might be stemming from lacunae in the daily diet. Stop worrying. Eat your calcium right to sleep tight.

http://www.dailyo.in/lifestyle/healthy-diet-fitness-insomnia-calcium-food-caffeine-protein/story/1/9866.html

Coming up lavender: 10 benefits of lavender essential oil

From Free Malaysia Today

1. Lavender essential oil helps alleviate restlessness, insomnia, nervousness and depression.
2. It is used to treat a variety of digestive complaints, including meteorism (abdominal swelling from gas in the intestinal or peritoneal cavity), loss of appetite, vomiting, nausea, intestinal gas (flatulence), and upset stomach.
3. Some people use lavender oil for painful conditions including migraine headaches, toothaches, sprains, nerve pain, sores, and joint pain.
4. Lavender helps kill hair lice, lice eggs, and nits. The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (NMCB) says that lavender is possibly effective for treating alopecia areata (hair loss), and boosting hair growth by up to 44 per cent after just seven months of treatment.
5. Lavender essential oil restores skin complexion and reduces acne. According to dermatologists and aromatherapists, lavender is one of the most beneficial oils in the treatment of acne.
6. Some people add lavender to bathwater to treat circulation disorders and improve mental well being.
7. By inhalation, lavender is used as aromatherapy for insomnia, pain, and agitation related to dementia.
8. It is well-known that lavender has antibacterial and antiviral qualities that make it perfect for defending the body against rare diseases like TB, typhoid, and diphtheria, according to early research in the 20th century.
9. It stimulates urine production, which helps restore hormonal balance, prevents cystitis (inflammation of the urinary bladder), and relieve cramps and other urinary disorders.
10. Lavender oil can also be used to repel mosquitoes and moths, which is why you will find many mosquito repellents that contain lavender oil as one of the primary ingredients.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2016/04/04/coming-up-lavender-10-benefits-of-lavender-essential-oil/

Editorial: How to end the reign of insomnia

From Concord Monitor

Like about a quarter of the adult population in the United States, novelist Douglas Kennedy has never had an easy time falling asleep and staying asleep for the seven to eight recommended hours.

“Sleep is difficult, and I’ve always had to take medication for that,” he told the New York Times last week. “I said to my doctor recently, Should I get off it? He said, Why? Writers have very active minds, and insomnia with writers is manifest everywhere.”

There are plenty of sleep studies, however, that suggest Kennedy and his doctor may have it all wrong (even for writers). While drugs such as Lunesta, Restoril and Ambien may quiet the mind enough for slumber to come, they do nothing to address the underlying causes of sleeplessness. What people suffering from chronic insomnia really need is cognitive behavioral therapy.

CBT may sound like clinical mumbo-jumbo, but it’s really an extension of well-known best practices. Good “sleep hygiene,” as those best practices are known, includes avoiding caffeine, alcohol and large meals before bedtime; staying away from nicotine at all times; and going to bed and waking up at the same times every day, even on weekends. (Good luck with that, new parents.)

CBT also incorporates relaxation techniques and, importantly, the development of a positive attitude about sleep and sleeplessness. If you assume that a night of restlessness will translate into a bad day at work or with the kids, for example, odds are that’s exactly what will happen – and you’ll pay the price again the next night. The negativity fuels a vicious cycle, where anxiety over the inability to sleep strengthens insomnia’s grip.

For those who wear their lack of sleep as a badge of honor, consider the consequences of sleeplessness. According to the Mayo Clinic, insomnia has been linked to health problems such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, depression, substance abuse and obesity. It gets worse when tired people get behind the wheel: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports an average of 83,000 crashes and 850 fatalities caused each year by drowsy drivers.

Insomnia is indeed a public health problem.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that up to 70 million adults suffer from some form of sleeplessness. Of the 74,571 people who took part in a 2009 CDC study, more than 35 percent reported getting less than seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. Just under 38 percent reported falling asleep unintentionally during the day at least once in a one-month period, and 4.7 percent reported nodding off or falling asleep while driving in the previous month.

Here in New Hampshire, where a statewide discussion about drug abuse has been ongoing for many months, a psychological rather than pharmacological solution to sleepless nights is in order.

The best path to a good night’s sleep is to avoid alcohol, caffeine and food before bed, and to develop a consistent routine for hitting the sack and waking up. As you establish those habits, you can start getting your mind right: The more you worry about insomnia, the greater its power.

Learning to quiet the mind at night without a last-minute nightcap or a little pill may take a lot of work, but just think of how much time you’ll have to rest.
http://www.concordmonitor.com/Articles/2016/03/From-Archives-2/editinsomnia-cmforum-032916

Science can help explain why too little sleep makes us so emotional

By Princess Ojiaku

If you’ve ever tossed and turned at 3am, you can probably attest to the fact that sleepless nights lead to bad mornings. Every minor mishap seems to set you off. You might snap at your spouse for forgetting to buy coffee filters, respond brusquely to a well-meaning co-worker, or blink back hot tears after an awkward encounter. The next night, you’re awake in bed again, reviewing the day’s missteps and falling even further behind on the rest you badly need.

The rocky emotional territory of insomniacs is familiar to many. But it often seems like a chicken-and-egg problem: Do restless nights make us more emotional, or do emotional states disrupt our sleep? Recent research may be able to shed some light on the subject.

 

A 2015 study of some 2,000 Swedish adults, published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, examined the relationship between a person’s ability to regulate their emotions and the development of insomnia over time. At the beginning of the study, participants’ ability to regulate their emotions seemed to have no effect on their sleeping patterns. But six months and 18 months after the initial survey, the study found that people who were less able to manage their emotions were also more likely to experience persistent insomnia. This happened even for people who began the study without sleeping problems.

The study suggests that emotional turmoil may be at least partially responsible for insomnia. That said, “it’s way more complex than just a simple cause—it’s probably different for different people,” says Markus Jansson Fröjmark, the lead author of the study. He notes that the study only shows a slight relationship between dysfunctional emotional regulation and insomnia. And some studies have even suggested that sleep deprivation can make people feel happier, although this is probably a temporary effect.

 

However, it does appear that the longer the sleep deprivation continues, the more negative emotions people experience, according to Fröjmark.

 

Fröjmark hypothesizes that how you feel after too little sleep may depend in part on whether you had a choice in the matter. People who stay up late to work on pet projects or binge-watch the latest season of House of Cards have made a voluntarily decision to forego some sleep. Insomniacs, on the other hand, have a clinical condition: They want to sleep but can’t. This may contribute to their bad moods.

Other studies have also taken a look at possible links between sleep deprivation and emotional disruption. Researchers from Tel Aviv Medical Center in Israel observed 18 people to see how the parts of their brains that process emotion would respond to negative and neutral pictures. The neutral images showed objects like a spoon on a table, while negative pictures included things like mutilated bodies and snakes.

 

The researchers found that the emotional networks in the brains of people who were well-rested reacted normally when viewing negative and neutral images. But after the same people underwent 24 hours of sleep deprivation, their brains lost the ability to discriminate between negative and neutral images. Instead, they reacted in an emotional way to both kinds of pictures.

“We were actually surprised,” says Eti Ben Simon, the lead author of the study. “We thought that neutral would remain neutral—that people [after being sleep deprived] would be much more sensitive to negative stimuli.” Instead, sleep deprivation made people more emotionally reactive to things that should have been regarded as neutral. While the study used a small sample size, its findings could help explain life outside the brain scanner. People stumbling around on a few hours’ sleep may be more prone to view everyday occurrences in their lives emotionally.

In essence, just as the body’s internal clock that determines our sleep-wake cycle regulates so many bodily functions, it probably also allows us to keep our emotions in check during our daily lives. A good night of sleep helps us to remember that a spoon is just an object, not something to cry about.

 

“The reason we are able to consider something as neutral is because we have a good regulatory mechanism that always regulates our behavior and our emotional responses,” says Simon. “Without sleep, this part of the brain gets tired… so everything could trigger an emotional response.”

 

Taken together, these studies seem to suggest that sleeplessness and increased emotionality are part of a self-perpetuating cycle. Simon suggests that attempting to improve the quality of people’s sleep could enhance their emotional regulation and help researchers better understand the interplay between sleep and emotions. Many people have already turned to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for help getting a good night’s sleep, using practices such as keeping a sleep diary, maintaining a set bedtime, or getting out of bed after 20 minutes of lying awake. These techniques aim to help people get more rest by establishing good routines.

 

So while science doesn’t have a clear answer to the chicken-and-egg problem of sleep just yet, one thing is clear. “I cannot stress enough how sleep is really important for emotional health,” says Simon. “I think that we take it too lightly; it seems to kind of be the last priority. I think that we should give it higher priority if we want to live a healthy life, emotionally and psychologically in general.”

 

http://qz.com/652191/science-can-help-explain-why-too-little-sleep-makes-us-so-emotional/

Sleeping Disorders That May Affect College Students

By Cayle Suntken

While it is unknown why we sleep, it is essential that a person should get between six and eight hours of sleep at night. However, some individuals may have trouble sleeping at night due to these various sleeping disorders.
Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis is a sleeping disorder in which a person is fully conscious but is unable to move or speak. This lasts anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. It usually occurs when the afflicted person transitions between wakefulness and sleeping. There are two types of sleep paralysis: hypnagogic and hypnopompic. Hypnagogic sleep paralysis occurs while you’re falling asleep while hypnopompic occurs while you’re trying to wake up. Although most sleep researchers agree that sleep paralysis is simply a disruption of the stages of sleep that one goes through each night, it rarely leads to much bigger psychiatric problems.

Insomnia
Insomnia is a sleeping disorder that either consists of having trouble falling asleep or trouble staying asleep. Although it can exist alongside other pre-existing mental conditions such as depression, anxiety and stress, it also can occur in individuals who have no prior history of mental health problems. Severe insomnia, also known as chronic insomnia, can lead to serious side effects such as fatigue, mood impairments, and a decrease in performance at either school or work.
There are many ways to combat insomnia. The first step is to set up a strict sleep schedule. Second, try to create a calming environment in the area that you sleep in and use your bed only for sleeping only. Third, try to avoid drinking either caffeinated beverages or alcohol before going to sleep. Eating heavy meals before bed time is also discouraged. Even though exercise helps one sleep, doing it before bedtime is highly discouraged. If insomnia continues to persist, calling a physician is highly encouraged.
Exploding Head Syndrome
A person with this particular sleeping disorder might hear a loud noise similar to a gunshot, a pair of cymbals clashing, or a bomb explosion while they’re trying to either fall asleep or wake up. Although it doesn’t cause, it may cause the individual to be fearful or anxious.
Although the condition was first described 150 years ago, the term “exploding head syndrome” was coined by a Welsh psychiatrist named Robert Armstrong-Jones back in 1920. According to a Washington State University study that was conducted by Brian Sharpless, it is estimated that the sleeping disorder affects about one out of five college students. Although the average age of the EHS sufferer is 58, it can occur as early at the age of 10. It occurs more frequently in women. It is unknown what causes EHS. One theory that EHS is caused by minor temporal lobe seizures while another theory says it’s caused by sudden shifts of middle ear components. Other causes may include stress, impairments in calcium signaling and brainstem neuronal dysfunction amongst others.
EHS does not normally require medical treatment and can be treated by simple remedies such as relaxation and counselling. However, treatments in extreme cases of EHS may include tricyclic antidepressants such as clomipramine and calcium channel blockers.

http://www.iowastatedaily.com/app_content/article_de7642ce-f5ee-11e5-8ddc-f7e65b00e426.html

4 essential oils that help you fight insomnia

By Anuradha Varanasi

Late nights have become a norm for many of us, and we go about feeling groggy and tired the next day. If you've been struggling to fall asleep on time, these essential oils might help in acting as a natural sedative and the best part is, they have absolutely no side-effects!

Sandalwood oil: This oil is commonly used in aromatherapy for different symptoms. Japanese researchers discovered that inhaling sandalwood oil can have sedating effects on sleep disturbed rats due to a compound known as santalol.

Lavender oil: Several studies have reported how lavender oil has soothing effects on the mind and body, and is highly effective as a mild sedative. You can either inhale the oil after adding a few drops to a tissue paper or use in a diffuser. Another relaxing idea would be to add a few drops to a bucket of warm water and use it for bathing, if you don't have a tub.

Chamomile Oil: Just like lavender oil, even chamomile oil acts as a mild sedative and is commonly used to fight against insomnia. Other than that, it is also an effective natural remedy to ease depression and anxiety.

Jasmine Oil: German researchers discovered that jasmine oil is extremely useful in acting as a natural sedative. In fact, believe it or not, but their study concluded that jasmine oil is as calming as valium. The best part is, inhaling jasmine oil has absolutely no side-effects, unlike valium!

 

http://www.thehealthsite.com/photo-gallery/diseases-conditions/essential-oils-that-could-help-you-in-fighting-against-insomnia-v0316/