Insomnia: Your 3 Worst Ways and 3 Best Ways to Fall Asleep

From health.clevelandclinic.org

Have trouble falling asleep? Wake up at 3 a.m. for no reason? Insomnia can rob you of energy the next day, fog your thinking and put you in harm’s way on the road.
If you’re relying on common crutches for sleeplessness, they won’t help your cause. Here, our sleep experts share their favourite and least favourite remedies for insomnia:

1. Have a  ‘nightcap’ before bed

Do you unwind with a glass of wine or a scotch and soda before bed?
“The literature shows that alcohol is the most abused drug for insomniacs,” says Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer, DO, MS “It’s the single worst remedy you can use.”
Adds Michelle Drerup, MD, “Drinking alcohol may make you feel drowsy. But as it wears off, it fragments the natural stages of sleep.”
Despite alcohol’s quickly sedating effect, when it’s metabolized a few hours later, it causes recurrent awakenings. Your deepest stage of sleep — REM (rapid eye movement) — is suppressed.
Drinking alcohol near bedtime may also worsen snoring and sleep apnea.

2. Bring electronics to bed with you

Your bed is not the right place for smartphones, tablets or laptops.

“Lying in bed and ‘trying to sleep’ by playing games, checking your email, reviewing bank statements or paying bills online will backfire on you,” says Tina Waters, MD.The “blue” light from electronic devices prevents the release of melatonin from the brain’s pineal gland, preventing sleepiness. “Adolescents may be even more vulnerable to this effect than adults,” notes Dr. Foldvary-Schaefer

3. Rely on antihistamines

Antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl®) sure make you drowsy. But they’re not a long-term solution for insomnia.
“Antihistamines may help you get to sleep. But they accumulate in the brain over time, causing grogginess and even cognitive impairment the next day,” cautions Harneet Walia, MD.

The 3 best ways to get to sleep

1. Get out of bed

Can’t sleep? Get up, go to another room, and read a little, take a bath or try some other relaxing activity. That way, you won’t reinforce the unhappy habit of lying awake all night.
“Lying awake in bed is one of the least productive thing people with insomnia can do,” explains Dr. Foldvary-Schaefer. “It leads to a self-perpetuating cycle of chronic insomnia.”

2. Reset your body clock

Start getting to bed and waking up about the same time every day — even on the weekend and your days off.
“A consistent schedule can help prevent ‘social jet lag’ from following a different sleep schedule on weekends,” says Dr. Drerup. “Just as a cross-country flight can disrupt circadian rhythms as you abruptly cross time zones, social jet lag will upset your body’s biological clock.”
Adds Dr. Walia, “Patients often don’t realize that maintaining a consistent sleep-wake schedule really works.”

3. Write your ‘to do’ list early

To keep “shoulds” off your mind when you’re trying to sleep, write your to-do list early in the evening.
“Later, when the house is quiet, unwind on the couch with a calming book under light from a low-wattage bulb. Sip on some soothing peppermint tea,” says Dr .Waters.
Try these suggestions from our experts to free yourself from the insomnia trap. A new sleep routine may make all the difference for you at night and the next day.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2016/11/insomnia-your-3-worst-ways-and-3-best-ways-to-fall-asleep/

Smartphones cause insomnia, study finds

From networkworld.com

Put that smartphone away or limit your use of it if you want to get a decent night’s sleep and stay healthy.
Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco say they have confirmed that sleep deprivation is magnified by exposure to a kind of blue light emitted by the devices. And missing sleep can instigate deadly diseases, such as obesity and depression.
“Longer average screen-time was associated with shorter sleep duration and worse sleep-efficiency,” the journal PLOS ONE says of the research on its website.
Sleep took longer to come on and quality was generally poor, according to the researchers.

Over 600 participants were studied over 30-day periods, and researchers overwhelmingly found that the more people used their smartphones, particularly just before bed, the worse sleep was for them.

“Screen-time is associated with poor sleep,” the journal article says. 

The problem is that blue light spectrum—as is produced by smartphones—can suppress the body’s creation of melatonin. That leads to “decreased drowsiness, difficulty initiating sleep and non-restorative sleep,” the researchers say.

Smartphones disrupt melatonin production

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the brain’s pineal gland; it triggers the body’s natural rhythms. Light is part of what regulates melatonin in the body. As the body produces melatonin, the body’s sleep rhythm kicks in. That’s interrupted by the phones.

Excess light means less melatonin is created, which is why the body gets used to being awake during the day. In this case, roughly, that artificial burst of blue light from the phone, suppressing melatonin, fools the body into thinking it should be awake— that it’s daytime, not night.

Those sleep issues might not be a major problem if it weren't for the fact that sleep deprivation has been linked as a risk factor for morbid diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression and overall mortality.
In other words, messing around with your smartphone, particularly when your body is preparing to be asleep, might contribute to tiredness, if not kill you. It might not be your partner’s snoring or inconsiderate neighbours slamming doors that’s really affecting your sleep, but your use of the phone.

Younger people suffered more than older people, the study found. They spend more time on phones, however.

“Longer average screen-time was associated with shorter duration of sleep and reduced sleep efficiency,” the researchers say.

Sometimes smartphones and blue light are good

Some people say smartphones and blue light aren't all bad. The Daily Mail, in its coverage of the blue-light study, points out that researchers at Mid Sweden University have discovered that mixing blue light with caffeine intake makes the brain more alert.
“It has the potential to positively influence a range of settings where cognitive function and alertness are important,” the researchers say in the Daily Mail article.

http://www.networkworld.com/article/3141938/mobile-wireless/smartphones-cause-insomnia-study-finds.html

Stressed and Sleepless? 6 Ways to Get a Better Night’s Rest

By Elizabeth Varnell

Sleep is elusive in the smartphone age. And stress compounds the problem, making it nearly impossible to relax as screens light up. Quick glimpses of incessant notifications trigger agitated nervous systems to release floods of hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline, causing blood pressure to spike and muscles to tighten. Whatever the cause of anxiety-induced sleeplessness—this past week has offered many—National Sleep Foundation guidelines say adults still need seven to nine hours of sleep per night just to stay healthy. Without rest, we’re more susceptible to heart disease, obesity, impaired immune function, insomnia, and even depression. Here, two experts sort out restorative solutions to calm the mind and body.
Rise and ShineGetting out of bed at the same time each day is one key to fighting sleeplessness, says UCLA psychology clinic director Danielle Keenan-Miller, Ph.D. Napping or sleeping later than normal can actually throw the body’s natural rhythm off and “set people up for a protracted course of insomnia,” she says.
This rule applies even if you’ve experienced a few days of anxiety-related tossing and turning, Keenan-Miller notes. “The body naturally compensates for lost sleep; it knows how to bounce back,” she says. Seeing sunlight also helps. The earlier you open your eyes each day, the easier it will be to fall asleep that night. Exposure to late-afternoon sun also helps you stay asleep. “The angle at which sun comes into our eyes matters,” Keenan-Miller says, adding, “Our bodies have evolved to be responsive to natural patterns of sunlight on earth.”
Seek Sleep-Promoting FoodsNutritionist Frances Largeman-Roth, R.D.N., author of Eating in Color, says that boosting levels of melatonin throughout the day can also help regulate sleep patterns. Tart cherries are packed with it; she suggests eating some with breakfast and at night. “Almonds are a rich source of magnesium, a mineral that’s necessary for good sleep,” she adds. Black rice, sesame, and pumpkin seeds are also good sources. Then there’s turkey, full of tryptophan that makes us drowsy when eaten with carbs, another sleep-inducing food.
Foods high in caffeine obviously won’t bring on a peaceful slumber. Surprisingly, alcohol doesn’t help either. Keenan-Miller says it can aid sleep initially, but those glasses of Sancerre “disrupt sleep architecture” by waking you up in the middle of the night.
Develop a Relaxing RoutineStudies have shown that light exercise like evening power walks can function as an antidepressant, clear the mind, and help bring on a restorative night of sleep. Continue a relaxed routine as bedtime nears: Avoid stressors like paying bills or checking email. Read a book or pet the cat; Largeman-Roth also recommends settling nerves with chamomile tea.
Winding DownFor a good night’s rest, you need a cool room that’s free of ambient light. “Starting each evening, avoid electronics that emit a blue light,” says Keenan-Miller. This is because the body responds to sunlight to set sleep patterns, but blue light disrupts these environmental cues. Once you’re lying in bed, try deep-breathing techniques borrowed from yoga class, or body-focused contemplative practices. Keenan-Miller says grounding exercises like body scan mediation (being aware of each body part, sequentially) and progressive muscle relaxation (tensing and relaxing muscles) are both good options because they’re “physiologically relaxing and boring.”
Get Out of BedIf you find yourself tossing and turning, get up. Keenan-Miller recommends going to a different part of the house to do something boring in dim light. Read a catalogue or recipe book or do something else low-key, she says: “Don’t stay in bed. A bed is for sleep, sex, and nothing else.” She even discourages aimless lounging on lazy mornings because it detracts from the mental association between the mattress and sleep.
Calming TechniquesAs the clock ticks toward morning, don’t let catastrophic thoughts take over. Accept that you can’t sleep. Keenan-Miller says a couple of nights in a row of insomnia won’t have a huge impact on subsequent days. After all, marathoners can run without great sleep the night before, she points out, and surgeons on call perform well, too. “Try to get the anxiety out of your head and onto a piece of paper,” she suggests. Keenan-Miller recommends making two columns: concerns and potential solutions. Fill them out, then put away the paper so there’s no temptation to dwell on it. And, she points out, a solution can simply be the acknowledgment that there is no easy fix.

http://www.vogue.com/13503767/how-to-sleep-when-youre-stressed-out-anxiety-insomnia-tips/

How will tonight's moon affect human behaviour?

By Sam Dean

Do not be alarmed if you find yourself struggling to fall asleep tonight, for there could be a perfectly scientific reason for your insomnia.
Hovering outside your window will be the biggest and brightest moon the planet has seen since January 1948 - a scientific phenomenon that takes place only when a full moon coincides with the moon being the closest it gets to us on its orbit.
Clouds permitting, the “supermoon” will look around 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than the average full moon. It will be the closest the moon has been to Earth for more than 60 years, and the closest it will come until November 2034.

So what does it mean? According to astrologers a supermoon is simply an intensified new moon or full moon -  a time to focus on new beginnings. But when a supermoon is involved these new starts can take on an even more dramatic tone. Some even see them as omens of impending disaster, or a warning of something momentous coming towards us.
Aside from mythical meanings and unfounded alarmist proclamations, any full moon - never mind a supermoon as big as this  - has long been seen as having the ability to trigger emotional reactions and extreme behaviour.
And while it may be easy to scoff, these theories have been given added credence in recent years by claims that there is a spike in admissions to hospitals when the moon is full, and by police forces reporting a rise in crime.
Just last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that nearly all the staff in a hospital in Connecticut were convinced that a full moon ensured they had a busy night ahead of them.
Meanwhile, a study published in the World Journal of Surgery in 2011 found that more than 40 per cent of medical staff believed lunar phases had an impact on human behaviour and, in 2007, Sussex Police announced that they would put extra officers on patrol on nights when the moon was full, following research that showed “a correlation between violent incidents and full moons”.
One theory is that the water in our bodies is affected by the movement of the moon in much the same way as its gravitational pull controls the tides. As the fluid in our body shifts, it tips the balance in our minds, which can trigger extreme emotions.
The “lunar effect”, though, has been rubbished by a series of studies which have found no statistical correlation between lunar phases and events such as births, deaths, suicides, violence and psychiatric hospital admissions. However, says Dr Niall McCrae, a lecturer in mental health at King’s College London and the author of 'The Moon and Madness’, we should not dismiss the moon’s effect so swiftly.
Although he agrees the idea that our internal waters have some sort of tidal motion is “unfounded”, Dr McCrae points to studies that have shown the impact of moonlight on sleep as a feasible demonstration of the moon’s effect on the brain. Swiss researchers found in 2013 that, on average, people slept for 20 minutes less when there was a full moon. It may not sound like much, but such differences might well be the reason for the centuries-old association of lunacy with lunar cycles.

“A brief loss of sleep might mean very little to you or I,” Dr McCrae says. “But for somebody of a condition like bipolar affective disorder [formerly known as manic depression] who may be on the cusp of going into a manic phase, that could be a significant trigger.
“For someone with mental health problems, it can be something that sets off a more significant episode of psychological distress.”
As part of his research into his second book, a history of mental health nursing, Dr McCrae spoke to former nurses who worked at old mental asylums more than half a century ago. “Anyone who worked in those institutions, old nurses and guards, they will tell you with utter conviction that there was a lunar effect on wards at night,” he says. “But because they weren’t observing in a scientific way, their observations have been dismissed as anecdotal.”
In many ways, it is not too hard imagine. Often, these asylums were built up on hills away from the lights and pollution of towns, had dozens of a patients in a single dormitory and nothiong covering the windows. “If there was a full moon, a mental hospital was the best place to see a change in the light,” Dr McCrae says.
Picture, then, a “supermoon” shining outside their window. If the light kept just one or two patients awake, it could easily lead to others being disturbed. In turn, that could cause irritability, fighting, or trigger a mental episode. As Dr McCrae says, “it’s not quite so unbelievable, is it?”
So as tonight’s phenomenon shines bright, head outside to marvel at its majesty. After you have had your fill, though, once you are back indoors and in your bed - don’t forget to pull those curtains extra tight.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/how-will-tonights-moon-affect-human-behaviour/

Five Ways To Alleviate Insomnia

From goldenmonkeyhealing.com

Insomnia is a phenomenon almost everybody experiences at some point in their life. And most of us don’t know how or why it happens.  Insomnia is defined as difficulty falling asleep, despite being tired. Combatting insomnia may be easier than you think. Here are five simple ways to fall asleep faster and stay asleep all night.

Turn off your phone

In today’s society, we are almost surgically attached to our phones, iPads, laptops, etc. And while the devices keep us informed and connected, they are also harm us when it comes to our sleep.  Smartphones and other gadgets emit blue wavelengths. These wavelengths suppress the production of melatonin in our bodies. Melatonin is a natural hormone that makes you feel sleepy. Also, the light given off by your devices can actually stimulate the mind, thus causing poor sleep. So as hard as it may be, buy a regular alarm clock and turn off the phone.

Keep a sleep schedule

Sleep is just as important to proper health as eating healthy-wholesome foods. In other words, make sleep a priority. You don’t have to give up dinner with friends or that periodic concert, but staying out late every single night will eventually take its toll. Make a sleep schedule and do your best to stick to it.  Lack of sleep has been proven to increase blood pressure, depression, weight gain and stress. Why do this to yourself when you don’t have to? Once you set your sleep schedule, your body will react favourably.

Meditation

How many of us groan when we hear the word “meditation”? Meditation really isn’t difficult but people constantly tell themselves it can’t be done because they can’t shut off their minds. But what most people don’t realize is the goal of meditation is not turning off your mind or your thoughts. Meditation helps you cope better while telling your sympathetic nervous system to relax. When the thoughts come in, you should acknowledge them but do not dwell on them. That’s what meditation helps you do. And there are many different types of meditation. For beginners, guided meditation tends to work best because you are listening to somebody guide you through the journey. Why not give it a try?

Bedtime Yoga

Yoga is an ancient Indian practice that combines physical exercise, mental clarity and spiritual beliefs all rolled into one discipline. Bedtime yoga poses are very low-key and quite simple. Utilizing yoga just before going to bed can signal to your brain that slumber time is approaching. Poses such as forward bends, happy baby pose, cross-legged bends and corpse pose all have been shown to help the body prepare for restful sleep. Also for those who are a little more skilled, inversion poses like shoulder stands can help alleviate stress and calm the mind.

Acupuncture

Really? Getting poked with needles will help me sleep better? The simple answer is YES!  Acupuncture works with your own body to help bring it back into balance. If you have stress, you have an imbalance.  Acupuncture needles are strategically placed on points that will calm the mind, balance hormones and settle the nervous system. Most people will notice some change after just one treatment, but to get the full effect and truly eliminate insomnia, you should commit to several treatments. And always seek out a properly trained and fully licensed acupuncturist to get the best results.
There are many other ways to fight insomnia too, but these are some of the best. Give these five methods a try and then focus on the ones that resonate with you. Over time, your body and mind will thank you and there won’t be any harsh side effects…just good sound sleep. Sweet dreams!

http://goldenmonkeyhealing.com/five-ways-to-alleviate-insomnia/

Battle Insomnia With The Right Diet

From hungryforever.com

Insomnia is a problem that has plagued all of us at least a couple of times. It’s defined as the “inability to fall asleep and stay asleep” and can be caused by a variety of problems including stress, sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome.
Because of the lack of sleep, insomniacs tend to suffer from daytime drowsiness, fatigue, irritability and have difficulty coping with everyday situations.
While everyone suffers from insomnia every once in a while, frequent (every night or second night) bouts of insomnia may be signs of a larger problem like depression, gastrointestinal problems and endocrine problems. If you’re a regular sufferer, it’s advisable to consult your doctor who can run necessary tests.
An individual who regularly suffers from insomnia can also control the problem with an appropriate diet. Here are some tips:

Eat Melatonin Boosting Foods

Melatonin is a hormone which the body associates with sleep; more melatonin in your system will therefore make you feel drowsier.
Some foods contain components which boost the production of melatonin. These include cherries (eat handful an hour before bed time), oats, sweet corn, rice, ginger, tomatoes, bananas and barley. Melatonin is also an antioxidant which can help fight heart disease and cancer making the benefits of eating these foods threefold.

Additionally, experts recommend eating magnesium rich foods such as beans, nuts, seeds, avocados, yogurt, bananas and fish – as magnesium also boosts the body’s production of melatonin.

Herb It Up

You probably already know that chamomile tea is an excellent remedy for insomnia as it brings on a light drowsiness. Other herbed and flavoured teas you can sip on are lavender, orange and lemon; each of which work towards relaxing your system.
Try incorporating a good amount of these herbs in your dinner as well; try a lemon chicken or herb roasted root vegetables recipe.

Battle Fatigue With Food

One of the worst side effects of insomnia is that it prevents you from going about your day to day routine because you feel overwhelmingly tired. You may even be tempted to take naps through the day which will further mess with your sleep patterns at night.
Keep yourself alert through the day with the right diet. Start your day with a bowl of cereal; research has found that beginning the day with large amounts of fibre gives you a wonderful boost of energy.
Chicken broth has also been found to keep your brain alert as have lentils, almonds and eggs.
Why not give these measures a try and see if they help you fight insomnia?

https://www.hungryforever.com/battle-insomnia-right-diet/

Your Insomnia Could Be Leading to Unhealthy Eating Habits

From sports.yahoo.com

Couldn’t get any rest last night? You’ll make up for it with more calories during the day.

New research published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition confirmed that partial sleep deprivation causes people to eat an average of 385 calories more than usual the next day. The body tries to make up for the lack of energy from minimal rest by consuming more energy (calories) to use throughout the day

This research pooled results from 11 different studies that observed the sleeping and eating habits of 172 people ages 18 to 50. The conclusion, scientists said, was that lack of sleep was linked to weight gain, and habitual insomnia was linked to obesity. Participants who were sleep-deprived also consumed more fat and less protein the next day.

“The main cause of obesity is an imbalance between calorie intake and expenditure and this study adds to accumulating evidence that sleep deprivation could contribute to this imbalance," said Gerda Pot, from King's College London. "So there may be some truth in the saying 'early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy and wise.’”

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/insomnia-could-leading-unhealthy-eating-192227964.html