About Half Of Antidepressant Prescriptions Are For Insomnia, Anxiety, Pain

By R Siva Kumar

Antidepressants are being used for different kinds of reasons apart from depression. About 45 percent of prescriptions in a study were found to be for reasons such as insomnia, anxiety and pain.

Looking at prescription records of patients who visited doctors in Quebec between 2006 and 2015, the study focused on patients who were prescribed antidepressants.
The results showed that out of the 100,000 prescriptions, only 55 percent were to treat depression, with the remaining 45 percent used to treat anxiety disorders, pain, insomnia and other conditions. Moreover, 30 percent of the prescriptions appeared to be for "off-label use." Hence, the circumstances accompanying their prescriptions were not approved by agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
"I wasn't surprised by the indications themselves, but I was surprised by the extent," said Jenna Wong of McGill University and lead author of the study.

Hence, about six percent of the drugs prescribed were antidepressants and for "off-label" use, they ranged from 47 percent for anxiety disorders to 97 percent for insomnia.
Even though off-label prescribing isn't illegal, with the FDA giving doctors the freedom to judge their patients' needs, there is not enough evidence that shows the effectiveness of their use. Antidepressants are not dangerous or ineffective in treating insomnia, anxiety and pain. But there is not enough data to help understand whether they are effective enough or not.
"I think a lot of patients aren't aware that the antidepressants they're being prescribed for a particular problem sometimes have little sound scientific evidence behind them, and the same could be said for many doctors," she said.

http://www.newseveryday.com/articles/44173/20160528/antidepressant-prescriptions-insomnia-anxiety-pain.htm

Here are 6 ways to defeat Sunday night insomnia

From RawStory

unday nights are the worst. Sure, there’s a certain fantasy epic that airs and, in all likelihood, you indulged in some sort of fatty cheat day treat. But no matter how relaxing a day you had, sleep is hard to achieve. You lay in bed, eyes open, unable to wind down. Eventually your mind starts to wander and, after you’ve exhausted the finer points of the hour long dragon-saga you watched earlier, the Monday dreads scuttle in. Soon, it’s 3 o’clock and you’re still thinking about towering to-do lists and unmet appointments. Morning comes and your week begins in a groggy haze. Wheee!
It doesn’t have to be this way. We went to the experts and devised a few simple tweaks to your weekend schedule, you can enjoy that sweet Thursday-style sleep on Sunday nights and start your week as energized as possible. Excelsior!

1. Stabilize your sleep schedule.

Okay, so the biggest problem with the weekends is that they allow you to achieve more sleep than normal. It’s not uncommon to sleep 5-6 hours a night during the week and 10-11 hours on the weekend. Insomnia specialist Dr. Steve Orma says this type of sleeping develops at an early age, when parents set bedtimes on school nights but not on weekend (thanks mom). Over the years, we maintain this schedule. So, per Dr. Orma, you should wake up no more than two hours after your standard weekday wakeup time. Although you might be tired during the day, establishing a more regular sleep schedule will make you feel considerably better in the long term.’

 

2. Go easy on the drinks

Yeah, we know: it’s the freakin’ weekend. And that’s fine. But if you’re pounding vodka sodas on Friday night, don’t expect to be fine by Sunday. Drinking a lot is very, very bad for your sleep. Alcohol messes with deep sleep and REM, the two most important phases of sleep. Once the alcohol wears off, your sleep becomes lighter and you’re more easily awakened– thus the 7:00 a.m. hungover wakeup.

3. Cut back on the caffeine

If you drink coffee every day of the week, eliminating it completely on the weekend could make life rather difficult. At the same time, drinking your normal dose after waking up late on Sunday could make falling asleep that night even tougher. Dr. Orma prescribes only as much caffeine as you need to not feel like a complete zombie.

 

4. No napping.

Lazy Sundays and naps are as great a pair as Seth Rogan and his back trimmer. Unfortunately, when it comes to your sleep cycle, Sunday is the absolute worst day of the week to snooze during daylight. After going to bed late on Friday and Saturday nights, your sleep cycle has begun to shift to be more nocturnal. Cralle and Brown say sleeping during the day will only reinforce that pattern. If you do need to nap, then make it a brief one: short naps (30 minutes or under) are less likely to damage your cycle.

5. Make a list.

List making: Not a fun activity. Bu according to Terry Cralle and Dr. David Brown of the Better Sleep Council, it’s a great way to deal with impending work stress. So, jot downeverything that’s on your mind, which will helps take the issues out of your head, so you’re not endlessly going over them as you try to fall asleep. To compartmentalize your stress, it’s important to make the list a few hours before bedtime, and leave it outside of your bedroom. Interestingly, a very different type of list could also be a big help. Research indicates that grateful people sleep better, so Cralle and Brown recommend writing down everything in your life that makes you feel grateful.

 

6. Go to bed when you feel like it.

 

Listen to your body. If you're not sleepy by the time you usually turn in on weeknight, just stay up. "You may be a little tired the next day, but it's better than staring at the ceiling and getting frustrated," says Dr Brown. This will only build on any Sunday night anxiety you already have. If you go to bed at your normal time on Monday, you'll be right back on track.

 

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/here-are-6-ways-to-defeat-sunday-night-insomnia/

Parenting Guide: Every New Mom's Effective Solution To Cure Insomnia

By Beatrice Walters

If you're a new mom, we're betting you're reading this while running on zero sleep. Being a mom makes you an insomniac who can't sleep at night thinking about your baby or the things you're going to do for tomorrow. It's hard to deal with insomnia when you're trying to be the best mom in the world so we're here to guide you.
Insomnia occurs when an emotionally stressful occasion disturbs sleep. According to the Office on Women's Health, more women suffer from insomnia than men. Hormonal changes, depression and anxiety are more commonly experienced by women that affect their sleeping behavior.
Parents worry about their newborn baby at nighttime and would usually do things to stay awake. This becomes a habit that eventually develops into insomnia.

No To Medication First
Dr. Charles Samuels. medical director of Calgary's Center for Sleep and Human Performance, tells Today's Parent that medication should not be your first option to cure your insomnia. Over-the-counter pills are available but curing insomnia should start with meditative exercises.
One proven meditative exercise to help cure insomnia is mindfulness meditation, as per Harvard Health Blog. Basically, all you have to do is sit steadily or stand in an upright position while focusing on your breathing. You can make sounds as you inhale and exhale.
Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine Director Emeritus, Dr. Herbert Benson suggests doing this at least 20 minutes during the day to elicit the relaxation response and cure insomnia. If your troubling thoughts come back during mindfulness meditation, just let them enter and exit freely.
According to Mayo Clinic, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT-I is an effective solution to insomnia. Some CBT-I approaches include not lying in bed while awake, keeping away from television and other gadgets before sleeping, not smoking and drinking alcohol and reducing caffeine intake.

Consult Your Doctor
If you still have insomnia after meditation, the next solution is to consult your doctor. Benzodiazepines are drugs commonly prescribed for patients with insomnia or anxiety.
As per Today's Parent, the drugs are safe to take without affecting your baby's health. It cited a Motherisk study that found out using benzodiazepines during breastfeeding will not cause central nervous depression in your infant.

http://www.parentherald.com/articles/44245/20160518/parenting-guide-every-new-moms-effective-solution-to-cure-insomnia.htm

Beat Insomnia for a good night’s sleep

By Elizabeth Hancock

What is insomnia?
Insomnia is difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep. Insomnia is a common problem and is thought to affect one in three people, with the elderly being the most affected. Signs of insomnia may include: waking up several times in the night, waking and not able to get back to sleep, feeling tired, poor concentration and feeling irritable.
Insomnia can be associated with poor lifestyle, mental health conditions, physical conditions, stress, anxiety, medication, and poor sleep hygiene. It can last for a short period of time, but for some people it can last for months and even years.
Why is sleep so important?
Sleep is a critical part of our lives for our health and wellbeing. It helps the brain and body to rejuvenate and can regulate our mood, reduce stress, and improve memory.
It may become more difficult to take in new information, concentrate and focus if we are sleep deprived. Research shows that an ongoing lack of sleep has an increased link to heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and strokes.
A normal amount of sleep for an adult would be around seven to nine hours, although this is down to the individual and what they feel is enough sleep for them. If you are having trouble sleeping or staying asleep, you can seek professional help from your GP.
Tips to beat insomnia (sleep hygiene):

• Adopt a routine, going to bed and getting up at the same time every day
• Take a warm bath an hour before bed
• Avoid electronics and bright screens up to two hours before bedtime
• Try listening to audiobooks or music at bedtime
• Think about your sleep environment (heat, light, noise etc.)
• Exercise regularly
• Avoid drinking caffeine and alcohol before bedtime
• Relax, unwind and clear your head
• Reserve your bed for sleeping

What are nightmares?
Nightmares or night terrors can be triggered by psychological reasons, including mental health conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression – although you can also experience nightmares without any mental health problems.
Nightmares tend to only happen in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, which is the last third of the sleep cycle.
If you experience a nightmare you may wake up feeling anxious, nervous and scared. You may not be able to get back to sleep as a result. It is common to experience a nightmare now and then, but if you are worried about the amount of nightmares you are experiencing please seek support from your GP.
If you would like to assess how well you sleep and seek guidance and support, the NHS choices website has a sleep self-assessment tool that could be useful: http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Sleep-self-assessment.aspx
If you’re a Veteran or an Armed Forces family member, get in touch confidentially with our Hidden Wounds team here to find out more about how your mental health might be affecting your sleep.

http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/news/posts/2016/may/beat-insomnia-for-a-good-nights-sleep/

Drink This Smoothie for the Best Sleep Ever

By Maria Carter

If you're like the 83 million Americans who aren't getting enough sleep, a good night's rest is a moving target. 

Perhaps even more troubling, women—who need more sleep than men—are more likely to suffer from insomnia. There are sleeping pills, of course, but the best solution may be found in nature. 

Tart cherries, for example, are one of the few food sources of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep cycles. "Montmorency cherries contain the highest level of naturally occurring melatonin of any fruit, more than six times the amount found in similar Balaton cherries," says Michael Breus, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist with the American Board of Sleep Medicine and author of Good Night: The Sleep Doctors 4-week Program to Better Sleep. 

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"We're discovering that tart cherries help people fall and stay asleep, without the side effects or medication interaction caused by other super foods like grapefruit," Breus told WomansDay.com. 

In recent clinical studies, researchers found that tart cherry juice boosts the body's supply of melatonin, helps combat insomnia, and enhances overall sleep quality. Sadly, tart cherry juice isn't the tastiest thing in the world (it is a health food, after all), but Breus has concocted a yummy way to consume the nutritious stuff just before bed. 

 

Dr. Breus's Sleep Smoothie 

• 2 oz. tart cherry juice concentrate 
• 1 banana
• 1 kiwi fruit
• 1 cup coconut or almond milk
• 10 ice cubes

Place the ingredients in a blender, puree until smooth, and enjoy! Bananas and kiwis are also known to help with sleep and the nut milk makes this smoothie safe for anyone with lactose intolerance. 

Tart cherries also contain anti-inflammatory properties—the reason athletes consume them to recover from grueling workouts. You'll want to use Montmorency cherries specifically, as the health benefits touted above are specific to this U.S.-grown variety. Also of note: tart cherries aren't sold fresh: only frozen, dried, or in juice form. 

 

http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/a54895/tart-cherry-sleep-smoothie/

5 Facts About Insomnia

From Rush University Medical Centre

If you have trouble sleeping, you're not alone
It's time for bed, or it ought to be. You're weary and worn out, but sleep — once again — proves elusive.
If you're consistently having trouble falling or staying asleep, you may have insomnia. And while it's a passing problem for some people, it can impair quality of life for others and contribute to additional health issues, including high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.
We asked specialists from the Sleep Disorders Service and Research Center at Rush to provide some key facts about insomnia.

1. Sleeplessness is more common than you think.

An estimated 40 million Americans cope with insomnia each year, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers it a serious public health problem.
In a 2008 study, two in five people who slept less than seven hours during a 24-hour period said they unintentionally fell asleep during the day, while nearly 5 percent reported nodding off while driving.
"Sleep can be a big factor in terms of U.S. productivity,” says James Herdegen, MD, a sleep medicine specialist at Rush. "It's leading to billions of dollars of lost work productivity and increased risk of accidents.”

2. Not all insomnia is created equal.

Many people grapple with sleeplessness now and then, often due to stress from personal or economic issues. That's called acute insomnia.
It's when insomnia becomes chronic — lasting three months or longer and affecting family, work or other aspects of your overall health — that you should consider seeking help.
"The risk is if you let it go too long,” Herdegen says. "It now starts to become a part of your life in terms of poor sleep habits. We want to get people early so those types of things don't perpetuate.”

3. You can help yourself sleep better.

If you've been coping with sleep problems for a short period, there are steps you can take — before seeking help — that may help you get some rest.
"The most common recommendation I would make is to try to keep a regular sleep schedule seven nights a week, and really try to lock down the bedtime and wake-up times to be more consistent,” says James K. Wyatt, PhD, a behavioral sleep medicine specialist at Rush.
That helps align the 24-hour clock in our brains — called the circadian system — with our desired sleep schedule. "And it will enhance our ability to remain awake during the day and sleep at night," he says.
Other tips include the following:

• Stay active: Exercise can help people sleep better and feel more alert, experts say. In fact, one study found that 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each week led to a 65 percent improvement in sleep quality. Just make sure you're not working out too close to bedtime, which can actually be counterproductive, Wyatt says.
• Watch what you drink: Reduce your caffeine intake, and avoid it at least eight hours before bedtime. And go easy on the after-dinner drinks: While alcohol may help you fall asleep, it can interfere with a good night's sleep.
• Create a quiet, relaxing bedroom environment: That means no watching TV, playing video games, checking email on your smartphone, even reading.

4. Medications can help, up to a point.
Nonprescription sleep aids will help you sleep, and they're OK on occasion, Herdegen says. The problem is that people can quickly develop tolerance to the drugs and may need to increase dosage to maintain effectiveness.
Prescription sleep medications also may be helpful in the short term but tend to work best when complemented by behavioral therapy aimed at getting at the root of the problem. "The ones out there do work, but they don't work in isolation," he says.
Meanwhile, Herdegen cautions against putting too much faith in herbal supplements like teas or valerian root, noting that they haven't been rigorously studied so their effectiveness is unclear. Some who find them beneficial may actually be experiencing a placebo effect, he says.

5. Insomnia is treatable.

If your insomnia persists, don't try to go it alone, as there's a strong likelihood it can be effectively treated. And you can start by contacting your primary care physician.
"They can look at the most common conditions that could be causing or worsening a sleep problem," Wyatt says. Those conditions may include thyroid disorders, anxiety, depression, menopausal symptoms and nighttime asthma attacks.
Your doctor may refer you to sleep specialists like those at the Sleep Disorders Center and Research Center at Rush. The team at Rush includes experts in behavioral sleep medicine, neurology and pulmonary medicine, and it consults with other specialists at Rush, including sleep surgeons.
To help with diagnosis, doctors may have you maintain a log or wear a device to help better understand your routine and track when you're sleeping.
In some cases, experts may recommend a sleep study. It typically involves an overnight stay at a lab, where experts monitor a variety of biological functions during sleep, including brain activity, eye movement, heart rate and blood pressure, via electrodes attached to the patient's skin.
A sleep study isn't a necessity for patients whose main problem is trouble falling asleep, absent other symptoms, Wyatt says. "If somebody is having difficulty breathing at night, as evidenced by loud snoring, or witnessed pauses in breathing during sleep, or awakening with shortness of breath, these are all signs of obstructive sleep apnea. And that's when a sleep study is imperative," he says.

https://www.rush.edu/health-wellness/discover-health/5-facts-about-insomnia

It is time to let the secret out: insomnia is perfectly treatable. Here’s how

By Professor Colin Espie

recent Spectator Health headline made two claims about insomnia. First, that insomnia was hell. It is indeed an absolutely terrible experience, as the article itself explained. Some say it is like a form of torture.
But the second claim, that there are no good treatments for insomnia, was a shocking untruth. I want to say this as loudly and clearly as possible: insomnia is treatable.
I sense many people reading this may be surprised. It is time, then, to let the genie out of the bottle. Effective treatment for insomnia shouldn’t be a well-kept secret. First, though, the experience itself…
Why insomnia is hell
If you are a good sleeper, consider what it must be like to have a difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, on the majority of nights, for months and months, or more commonly in clinical practice, for year upon year. Insomnia can be absolutely relentless.
However, the problems don’t stop there. Four out of five long-term poor sleepers suffer from low mood. Indeed you are twice as likely to become clinically depressed if you have persistent insomnia than if you are a good sleeper. Poor sleep quality has also been linked to irritability, to greater conflict and to poorer relationships satisfaction; and, in the workplace, people with insomnia report concentration problems, fatigue, and difficulties performing at their best.
So let’s make no mistake: insomnia is really a 24-hour problem, and world medical authorities who publish diagnostic classifications now call it ‘insomnia disorder’.
Why effective treatment seems to be kept a secret
There are several reasons but let me focus on two main ones.
1) NHS England doesn’t take insomnia (or even sleep) very seriously — at least not yet. Imagine if they didn’t take nutrition or exercise seriously?
I hope this will change. A report by the Royal Society for Public Health, which I helped to produce, called for a Government minister to have sleep health on their agenda. I look forward to a response.
2) GPs and other health care staff don’t know what to do about insomnia, and they struggle to offer anything effective. We seem to have a ‘pills, potions or pamphlets’ culture when it comes to poor sleep — and none of these is very effective.
Some sleeping pills have an evidence base, but only for short-term use in insomnia that isn’t persistent. Unfortunately 12 million prescriptions annually means that they are given to many, many people, helping some for sure, but the majority don’t benefit, or don’t even want pills in the first place.
How about potions? Suffice to say there is zero research evidence for any sleep remedy you buy in the chemist. The fact that people resort to these is quite scandalous.
By pamphlets I mean the (well-intended) ‘sleep hygiene’ tips. There is nothing wrong with cutting down on caffeine if you drink too much coffee, or keeping your room dark at night, but these are not treatments for insomnia disorder. Likewise, advising people not to worry if they don’t sleep or encouraging them to get their sleep into a seven-days-a-week pattern is no more therapeutic than saying to someone who is depressed to try to think more positively. Sounds kind of trite, don’t you think?
So what does work for insomnia?
The most effective treatment for insomnia is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and its benefits are long-lasting. Research for the past 20 years has consistently demonstrated that CBT is as effective as medication, even in the short-term, and is considerably more effective than medication for people with persistent insomnia, who are the majority.
Indeed, UK clinical guidelines from as far back as 2004 concluded that CBT really should be the first thing that a GP offers, not medication. It is not a list of simplistic sleep dos and don’ts, but a proper psychological therapy that helps people sort out their problems with their sleep schedule and their racing mind. CBT for insomnia works in the same way as does CBT for any other problem (like anxiety disorder or depression) — it helps you to understand triggers and maintaining factors for poor sleep, to learn skills in managing your sleep, to test and implement changes to improve your sleep, and to sleep normally again without trying.
So why do many people not know about CBT?
Well, traditionally CBT requires face-to-face therapy time with a clinical psychologist or trained therapist, and few NHS services even provide this for insomnia. They should, because it works, and I’m delighted that the Royal Society of Public Health report calls for insomnia to be properly screened by GPs and treated with CBT in the NHS.
To be honest this should already be happening, but there is a challenge of scalability. Insomnia is a huge problem — millions of people every year, millions and millions of prescriptions. How can alternatives really become available?
There is hope on the horizon, however. It has arrived in the form of digital CBT, delivered via web or smartphone, using highly personalised help driven by algorithms. Sleepio, which I launched in 2010, is one such digital CBT programme, and has received positive results when subjected to a randomised control trial.

https://health.spectator.co.uk/it-is-time-to-let-the-secret-out-insomnia-is-perfectly-treatable-heres-how/

The simple tricks to stop your Sunday Night Insomnia revealed

By Sophie Haslett

Despite doing everything right - be it a healthy brunch or an afternoon run - some people find they simply cannot fall asleep on a Sunday evening.

But they are not alone, with close to 60 per cent of people suffering from 'Sunday Night Insomnia'.

Mindfulness specialist, Clarissa Hughes, from Sydney, spoke to Femail about to find out how to cure Sunday night sleeplessness.

According to Ms Hughes, as well as countless other sleep experts, there are a number of things at play when taking into account why we sleep so badly on a Sunday.  

As well as the biological rhythm your body is used to and your natural sleep and waking pattern being altered at the weekend, often people find themselves lying awake thinking about what they have to do and accomplish that week on a Sunday:

'Sunday night is to-do list night,' Ms Hughes said.

'Our brains automatically start mulling over the week ahead of us, which makes it hard to sleep while we have so much brain activity.'

Ms Hughes said that on a Sunday, 'good sleep hygiene' is more important than ever.

'Banning smartphones and devices from the bedroom might sound like a cliche, but it really works,' she said.

'Also, try to go to bed at your regular weeknight time and have a relaxing bath before you head into your room.

'Things like keeping the bedroom dark help, too. I recommend doing some gentle yoga poses like placing your legs up the wall, or listening to a restful meditation podcast to get your body and mind primed for sleep.

'If you have too many thoughts running around your head when you switch off the light, don't try too hard to sleep. In fact, do the opposite and it's amazing how quickly sleep will happen.' 

While there is no direct science as to why some people sleep badly on a Sunday, the experts all agree that the reason why every office worker is so bleary-eyed at 9am on a Monday morning is down to the shock of going back to the regular routine.

'Sleeping in and staying out late over the weekend definitely affects our bodies and the quality of sleep we get,' says MS Hughes.

'The human body likes routine and when we mess with the routine, our sleep pattern struggles.'

While she says we can usually overcome one bad night's sleep pretty quickly, if we have a few or even a couple in a row, we start to suffer from 'sleep deficit', which is hard to make up and leaves us cranky by mid Monday afternoon, as well as craving sugary foods.

Stress is also a factor, and fretful nights spent thinking about meetings and deadlines the next day, are not good for the body.

When it comes to tips for banishing your Sunday night sleeplessness, Ms Hughes advises:

'Prepare for sleep earlier in the evening by eating a light dinner at a reasonable time. Don't drink too much before bedtime, and turn off the TV at least an hour before bed, before having a bath or shower.'

Ms Hughes also says that changing into your pyjamas is useful, too, as it tricks the mind into thinking it's time to switch off. 

'Make your room a gadget-free zone without smartphones or TVs that emit blue light,' she says, and before you go in, listen to a little soothing music.

Finally, Ms Hughes says that people's bedrooms should always be kept at a 'good temperature 'around 20 degrees Celsius'.

That being said, the bed and duvet should be warm, to stop you from shivering underneath it. 

So why don't you give it a try this Sunday night? 

That way, by the time Monday morning rolls around, with any luck you won't be half as heavy-lidded and sluggish as the rest of your colleagues.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3576482/The-simple-tricks-master-stop-Sunday-Night-Insomnia.html

5 Ways Insomnia Affects You During The Day, Because Getting Enough Sleep Is No Joke

By Marissa Higgins

We often think of insomnia as being an issue that plagues us primarily at night, but for people who battle with the issue, the negative impact doesn't only occur when you've turned the lights out. There are many ways insomnia affects you during the day, largely because sleep is so integral to our bodies' and minds' ability to heal and rejuvinate. If we aren't getting the recommended amount of sleep — per the National Sleep Foundation, the average adult needs between seven and nine hours of sleep per night — we can face some serious health risks. For instance, if you chronically under-sleep, you're at a higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and even death at an early age. Insmonia is no joke.
Now, if you're someone who finds yourself cutting down on your sleeping hours so you can watch Netflix until the wee hours of the morning, that's a habit you can probably control if you work on it. If you suffer from insomnia, however, it's much easier said than done to just "go to sleep." Insomnia is a medical condition, not a choice, and it can have serious impacts on people's day-to-day functioning.
If you think you're suffering from insomnia, it's important to consult a medical professional and see what treatment options are available to you; even if you think you can just tough it out and push through your day on barely any sleep, in the long run, it can cause serious problems for your health. You might, for example, notice the following things happening to you during the daylight hours:

1. It Can Impact Your Mood

You know how grumpy you feel after not getting enough sleep one night? Imagine trying to socialize on minimal sleep for an extended period of time. (Spoiler: It's no fun). Studies from Harvard University show that sleep and mood are closely related. For example, people who experience poor or inadequate sleep are at a higher risk for being irritable and stressed, while people who achieve the recommended amount of sleep are more likely to have their good moods enhanced. The same studies show that people who chronically don't get enough sleep are at a higher risk for developing mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression.

2. It Can Make It Harder To Remember Things

You remember how your parents always told you not to stay up all night before an exam cramming, because your brain needs sleep to remember stuff? They were pretty much right: Not sleeping can have a huge impact on your memory. Sleep is your brain's opportunity to process information from your day, ranging from things you've studied to the experiences you've had. If you aren't getting an adequate amount of sleep, your brain is likely to feel foggy and your judgment is likely to go down the tubes.

3. It Can Slam Your Energy Levels

Personally, I feel drained when I don't get enough sleep for one night, much less multiple nights in a row. For people who suffer from insomnia, it can become the norm to experience low energy levels, even during their waking hours. Lack of energy can also impact motivation for people, in that it can be easy to feel like you aren't getting enough done, or are making too many mistakes, and then feel discouraged. After all, if you're already exhausted, isn't it so tempting to lie down and try to fall back asleep? Insomnia can be a slippery slope for a lot of people, particularly if you delay treatment.

4. It Can Damage Your Self-Esteem

Studies show that people who experience insomnia tend to have lower self-esteem and lower confidence levels than people who get an adequate amount of sleep on a regular basis. If you often experience insomnia and you realize it's beginning to impact your daily life, it's easy to see why it could have an adverse affect on the way you see yourself: What can be more frustrating than wanting to do your work, do well in school, and have fun with your loved ones, but a chronic lack of sleep is keeping you from being, well, you? Psychologists believe that counseling is an important route for many people who suffer from insomnia, in addition to other medical treatment.

5. It Can Make It More Difficult To Concentrate

It's no surprise that a lack of sleep impacts your concentration, but it's shocking how deeply the impact can hit. For example, a 2013 study published in Sleep journal found that people who suffered from insomnia not only completed tasks less efficiently, but also struggled to turn off "brain-wandering" during timed tasks, and struggled to access other "resources" in their brain and networking to complete tasks faster. This is another reason pulling an all-nighter the night before a big exam or presentation can be a recipe for disaster.

http://www.bustle.com/articles/159259-5-ways-insomnia-affects-you-during-the-day-because-getting-enough-sleep-is-no-joke

Insomnia and ageing: How to get good night's sleep as you age!

From Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: We have heard that lack of sleep double the signs of ageing. As we age, our sleep patterns tend to change. So, getting uninterrupted good sleep of about 7-8 hours seems impossible. This keeps many older adults, not all though, awake at night or spend more time in the lighter stages of sleep than in deep sleep.
Sleeping well is important for a person's physical health and emotional well-being no matter what a person's age is. Ageing, as we all know, is a natural process and nobody can stop it.
Following a few tricks can improve sleep. Here are a few tips to help you overcome age-related sleep problems and enjoy a good night's rest:

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Regular bedtime routine: Maintain a consistent schedule – go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Also, avoid staying up late as this can hamper the body's natural clock and prevent you from getting a good sleep.
Identify underlying problems: While emotional issues such as stress, anxiety and depression can lead to insomnia, poor sleep habits, including poor sleep environment and poor daytime habits can be the main culprits. Identifying all possible causes can help restore peaceful sleep.
Avoid taking afternoon naps: Daytime napping can cause you to wake up during the night. If napping is necessary, restrict your nap to 15 to 20 minutes in the early afternoon.
Healthy lifestyle: Practicing a healthy lifestyle such as eating the right foods, exercising and knowing how to manage stress can help prevent sleep problems.
Include plenty of vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats while cutting back on sugary and processed foods. Avoid caffeine late in the day as it stays in the body for up to 12 hours. Do not take alcohol after dinner as it can impair the quality of sleep.
Exercise regularly, but make sure that it's not too close to bedtime. During exercise, your body release endorphins that boosts your mood and reduces stress, depression, and anxiety.
Seek medical help: If you still have trouble sleeping after trying out the above tips, seek help from a doctor or sleep specialist. It is possible that you have other health issues that may disrupt your sleep cycle.

http://zeenews.india.com/news/health/tips/insomnia-and-ageing-how-to-get-good-nights-sleep-as-you-age_1882435.html

Study recommends therapy, not sleeping pills to treat insomnia

From Fox News

WASHINGTON –  Tossing and turning night after night? Don't automatically reach for the pill bottle. New guidelines say the first choice to treat chronic insomnia should be cognitive behavioral therapy — a way to condition your body to slumber again.
It takes more time and effort than popping a pill, but the American College of Physicians said Monday the method known as CBT can be effective and doesn't carry the side effects of medication, a recommendation intended to spur primary care doctors to prescribe the step. If it doesn't work, then doctors could consider adding a drug.
"Prescribing a sleeping pill is not the desirable first step," said the group's Dr. Thomas Tape, chief of general internal medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Yet for many primary care physicians, the behavioral approach "wasn't really on our radar screens," he said.
There are challenges, including finding health workers who are trained to deliver CBT for insomnia. Nor is it always covered by insurance, notes an editorial published along with the recommendation in Annals of Internal Medicine. Here are some things to know:
THE RIGHT SLEEP
Adults ages 18 to 60 are supposed to sleep at least seven hours a night for good health. Cheating sleep can increase the risk of health problems from high blood pressure to obesity to fatigue-caused car crashes.
WHEN INSOMNIA LASTS
People often get too little sleep because of lifestyle or job circumstances. That's different than trying to sleep and failing. Many bouts of insomnia that last several weeks to a month or two come about because of stress or an illness.
But between 6 percent and 10 percent of adults meet the criteria for an insomnia disorder: They suffer daytime problems because of difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at least three nights a week for three months or more, and it's not explained by some other disorder. It's more common among older adults and women.
WHAT IS COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY FOR INSOMNIA?
It's far more than sleep hygiene, those common-sense tips to keep the bedroom dark and cool and avoid too much caffeine. It's all about reconditioning a brain and body away from now-habitual tossing and turning and back to normal sleep patterns, said Duke University clinical psychologist Meg Lineberger. A certified behavioral sleep medicine specialist, she wasn't involved with the new guidelines but hopes they increase patients' access to care.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The hardest step is so-called sleep restriction. Say you average 5.5 hours of sleep a night — better some nights, worse others. Tack on an extra half-hour, and then count back the resulting six hours from the time you have to wake up. If the alarm goes off at 6 a.m., then midnight is the prescribed bedtime.
Staying up that long builds the body's natural drive for sleep so that once in bed, patients slumber right away, Lineberger explained. Gradually, patients move to an earlier bedtime.
They also undergo a variety of other steps. For example, just as dieters might be told to eat only at the table and never in front of the TV, it's important to strengthen the brain's expectation that bed is for sleep. If you can't fall asleep, don't read in bed — get up and go to another room to read until you're drowsy and ready to try again.
WHAT ABOUT MEDICATIONS?
A variety of prescription sleep medications are available but a scientific review published in Annals Monday concluded they're best used for shorter-term insomnia, as use beyond four to five weeks hasn't been well studied.
The new guidelines said when insomnia becomes chronic, there's not enough information to directly compare medications and CBT — but that starting with the behavioral approach avoids medication side effects, some of which can be serious.
Indeed, after reports of sleep-driving and other semi-awake activities, the Food and Drug Administration in recent years lowered recommended doses of Ambien, Lunesta and related drugs, saying they could linger in the bloodstream long enough to interfere with activities that require alertness after the person wakes up.
Still, the new guidelines say if CBT alone isn't working, doctors should discuss with patients the pros and cons of adding a medication to the continuing behavioral therapy.
IT'S NOT A QUICK FIX
Typically, CBT involves four to six appointments several weeks apart. There also are some online options.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/05/03/study-recommends-therapy-not-sleeping-pills-to-treat-insomnia.html

Three herbal remedies to beat insomnia

By Jane Wrigglesworth

HOP PILLOW
Most of us know that hops are a key component of beer - but in herbal medicine they're favoured for their calming effect on the nervous system.
That's good for those who suffer from insomnia (myself included), and it's especially good for those who cannot take valerian (which has the opposite effect on some people – like me), though frequently you see the two herbs combined.
Hop pillows were first made popular by King George III, who supposedly used one to relieve his insomnia.
You can make your own hop pillow easily enough – just fill a small bag with fresh hops and sew it closed, then sleep with the bag in such a way that you can smell it. Replace it every few months as the therapeutic properties will diminish over time.

VALERIAN TINCTURE
The active constituents in valerian depress the central nervous system in a similar way to GABA, a relaxing neurotransmitter in the brain. Clinical studies have shown that valerian is effective in the treatment of insomnia, mostly by reducing the time it takes to go from fully awake to asleep and improving sleep quality.
Valerian is easy to grow in rich, heavy loam with good moisture. It's a hardy perennial, with summer flowers reaching up to 1.5m high, but as it's the root that is used, you may want to snip off the flowers so that the plant puts more energy into the rhizomes.
You can make a tincture by soaking the chopped roots in three times their volume of vodka. Place both in a jar, screw the lid on tightly and store in a cool, dark room. Shake daily for 4-6 weeks, then strain. Alternatively, you can steep slices of fresh or dried root in freshly boiled water to make a tea.

SCULLCAP TEA
Scullcap is a relaxing nervine used to relieve stress and anxiety, and it can also be taken at night to quieten a busy mind. It is often used with passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) as a overall herbal mind-body sedative. Skullcap leaves can be used either fresh or recently dried, as they lose their potency as they age. For a good night's sleep, make a strong tea with a couple of tablespoons of leaves, taken perhaps an hour before retiring.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/home-property/79572376/three-herbal-remedies-to-beat-insomnia

Why Do We Sleep Badly On A Sunday Night?

From The Debrief

Sundays are for coffee, hangover cures and some kind of afternoon stroll in the (hopefully) sunshine. Sunday is the day that lets people exhale an ‘Ahh’ because it’s the day of the rest. The one day that is literally labelled as the day to do nothing. But there’s also one other thing that’s come to be characteristic of a Sunday: a really crap nights sleep.

Show me an office at 9am on a Monday morning and I’ll show you a group of sluggish workers still heavy with the remnants of (probably very broken) sleep. This ‘Sunday night insomnia’, as it’s been called, is a thing and many of us are experiencing it. One study found that a quarter of people in Britain suffer from it whilst a 2008 study put the figure at 60%. Whatever the figure, the proof is probably right in front of you in the form of your heavy-lidded work mate. As Dr Paul Kelley Research Associate in the Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute at University of Oxford, says, ‘It’s a miracle that people get to work on a Monday morning having slept and are cheerful.’
But what is it that’s messing with our Sunday night slumber? As usual, there’s a number of things at play. First, it comes down to the type of biological rhythm you naturally have: the wake/sleep pattern that you’d have if you were left to your own devices, free from the restrants of work or commitment. ‘If your normal wake/sleep pattern is very different from your working schedule then you’re more likely to find Monday a problem,’ Dr Paul Kelley explains. His study into the most sleep deprived section of society (14-24 year olds) argued the case for later school times in order to fit the natural rhythm of young people. ‘Very few people have a wake/sleep pattern that fits their employment, unless you’re self employed.’
You’ll probably have a reasonable idea of where you fall (night owl vs lark) but Dr Kelley tells me that the Munich Chronotype test is the best out there to help determine your own type. Once you’ve identified your chronotype, the way you sleep on a Sunday night, and how you feel when you wake up during the work week, will make a lot of sense. ‘It’s particularly useful to know your own chronotype, your own biological rhythm, not the one your employer gives you to see how far you are from your work or what you’re trying to make yourself do,’ Dr Kelley explained.
The problem here though, is the way the work day is typically set up – the classic 9-5 model, which Dr Kelley believes is unhelpful and out of date. ‘It’s a single fixed time but there’s huge differences between people so it can’t possibly be a good idea for people to start at 9 am. Some people yes, but most people will be later wakers or earlier wakers.’ A bad night's sleep on the Sunday can have a knock on effect for the rest of the week too: this loss of sleep is accumulative so we’re basically always working with a sleep deficit. It’s no wonder then, that a lot of us feel exhausted most of the time.
There is one thing you can do though and that’s request ‘flexi hours’. In 2014, the government brought in legislation that said every worker has the legal right to request flexi time. Sure, it might not be granted, but if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Dr Kelley can't stress enough the positive impact for the employer and the employee in adopting this kind of working. ‘What does the employer get out of it? A happier member of staff who will actually work better – your performance is better when you’re well rested. Crucially from an employer point of view, you’re less likely to be ill and less likely to have a mental health problem or be over-stressed. Any of those sort of emotional sides of things will be better.’ Which seems like a no-brainer really, doesn’t it?
Feeling unsatisfied with your job could be another thing harming your Sunday night's sleep. ‘If you get on well with people at work, you like them, and you like the job, that’s a huge help. The people who say that the working atmosphere in your job is important – they’re right,’ Dr Kelley explained. ‘I think that their sleep will be better the night before, because it’s all about how you feel.’ If your sleep is really starting to suffer, it’s worth assessing your attitude towards your job; it could be that it’s not the one for you or, at least, not in it’s current state.
And then there’s the stress. This could come as part of this job dissatisfaction, a particularly stressful period at work, or because you’re generally quite an anxious person. ‘If you’re stressed or if you’re the kind of person who begins to think of what’s going to happen on Monday morning or if you’re thinking about the problems you’ve been trying to avoid at the weekend are things that are on your mind, it’s no wonder you don’t get to sleep,’ says Dr Kelley. Which is why winding down is so crucial to optimal sleep.
Things like exercise during the day (not before bed – it heats the body up when body temperature should naturally fall when asleep), going outside will help, routines ensuring your sleep environment is a nice one without negative associations and that it’s dark. But relying on alcohol or sleeping pills to send you into a deep slumber is a dangerous game. ‘They knock you out for a bit, get you to sleep, but then you wake up again and that’s actually worse for you. Alcohol is a real sleep destroyer.’ Dr Kelley explained.
The technology-ban an hour or two before sleep is well known but an important point especially considering that 91% of 18-24 year olds admit to using a smartphone or computer in the two hours before sleep. ‘It really really is true. Our timing pattern is set in relation to sunlight, in sunlight that particular blue light [which comes from screens] doesn’t just go to your vision, it goes to your timing system first, so you don’t actually see or know that this is going on but it is.’ Dr Kelley explains. ‘Therefore your body thinks, “oh there’s a bit of sunlight!”’
So it’s a mixed bag: we're not necessarily doomed to suffer on a Sunday night, and if your chronotype suits your work schedule then congratulations: you have won at life. But for most of us, it doesn't. Identifying your chronotype is the first step and from that, you can adapt your schedule as best you can ensure the best lifestyle for you. It’s also important to notice when these issues are down to being unhappy at work. As Dr Kelley says, ‘ The good news is that Sunday nights can be better. The bad news is that this will be with us until we all have better jobs, flexible hours and good health- so, basically, never.’ But we live in hope.

http://www.thedebrief.co.uk/news/real-life/why-do-we-sleep-badly-on-a-sunday-night-20160563245

5 Natural Herbs Guaranteed to Help You Sleep

From Nigeria Today

Ugh, mornings.
Everyone around you is somehow always so chipper mere moments after waking up. Everyone, that is, except you.
You may have just resigned to the fact that you’re “not a morning person,” but there may be an underlying issue that causes your morning grumpiness that you haven’t really thought about.
You might not have even realized it, but maybe the problem is you’re having trouble falling asleep, and staying asleep throughout the night. You don’t actually hate mornings – you just don’t have enough energy to enjoy them!
Luckily, there are many ways to combat insomnia and the inability to sleep using herbal supplements that can be bought at health food stores, or even found in nature. These fragrant plants can help you get the rest and relaxation you deserve after a hard day’s work.

Passionflower

Though clinical testing has, as of yet, shown no true correlation between ingestion of passionflower and an increased ability to fall asleep, the herb has been proven to alleviate nerves and anxiety – two key causes of an inability to sleep well.
Along with calming mental “nerves,” passionflower also physically calms the body, as well. Passionflower extract has shown to help calm the nerves of those who suffer from restless leg syndrome, a condition which tends to be most prevalent at night.

California Poppy

The California poppy is a “gentle balancer to the emotions and a calming remedy for times of stress.” It helps reduce the anxious feelings that have built up over the course of a day, and allows its users to fall into a deep sleep without the unpleasant drowsiness that many over-the-counter medications lead to.
It’s also an antispasmodic, alleviating symptoms of physical stress and pain. In infants, California poppy can help reduce instances of colic. In school-age children, it can lead to a reduction in stress-related responses, such as bedwetting and asthma.
California poppy can be ingested in teas and tinctures, as well as lotions and oils.

Hops

Yes, the same herb that gives your favorite IPA its bitterness can also help you get to sleep at night. In fact, Germany’s Commission E (the German version of the FDA) approves of using hops to combat anxiety and restlessness. Also, once you have drifted off to sleep, the effects of hops allows you to stay asleep until fully rested.
As hops is quite bitter, you don’t want to overload your tea mixture with it. However, a small dose will do just fine in alleviating your insomnia.
Lastly, do not use hops if you’re currently taking prescription sleep aids, as doing so will increase the effectiveness of the sedative.

Chamomile

Chamomile is a mild sedative that is most often infused in tea at nighttime.
In addition to reducing anxiety and insomnia, chamomile reduces physical malaises as well. The herb has been proven to alleviate symptoms of heartburn, nausea, and colic. It also is thought to have a soothing effect on skin irritations and scratches.
When making chamomile tea, you want to make it strong. Use more of the herb than you normally would in a cup of tea, and steep it for about fifteen minutes. Make sure you cover it while steeping, or you’ll lose the essential oils that give the tea its calming powers.

Lavender

Of the herbs on this list so far, lavender is likely the most well-known, and perhaps the most-used.
The scent of lavender alone is enough to take the edge off after a long day. Clinical trials have proven that lavender decreases anxiety and insomnia, leading to a much better quality of sleep. In sleeping subjects, lavender increases instances of slow-wave sleep – the type of deep sleep necessary to awaken fully-refreshed.
Using essential oils either in a diffuser or sprinkled on your pillow, lavender will send you off to dreamland with ease, allowing you to wake up ready to face the day come morning.

http://www.nigeriatoday.ng/2016/05/5-natural-herbs-guaranteed-to-help-you-sleep/