Why Science Says 6 Hours of Sleep Isn't Enough for Entrepreneurs

From thehour.com/business

Studies show that sleeping may be more important to achieving success than anyone realized.

As an entrepreneur, you may “burn the midnight oil” or brag about catching just a few hours of sleep because your work is so impressive and all-consuming. That isn’t sustainable, of course. Deep down you know it’s best to get more than just a few hours of sleep. Maybe you’d be surprised to discover just how much more shut-eye you truly need.

It turns out that even those who get six hours each night aren’t doing much to further their cause. It may take a bit more to get the real restorative benefits that a truly restful slumber provides.

Although anywhere from six to eight hours has long-been considered a magic bullet range for rest, scientific research suggests something else. For better physical health, mental clarity and emotional well-being, entrepreneurs simply need more sleep each night, no matter how great they feel.

Why sleep matters

The American Thoracic Society has some of the more recent relevant research on this topic. It notes that sleep is necessary to help our bodies take care of a lot of vital, fundamental work. This includes forming memories, repairing muscles, and releasing important hormones that control appetite and growth. Sleep is a restorative process, helping with everything from recovering from a cold to bouncing back from injury.

The effect of too little sleep

Meanwhile, take sleep away — even as little as an hour — and risk of physical, mental and emotional issues climb, says the International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology. Insufficient sleep results in increased risk of obesity, injuries, accidents, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, depression and many chronic illnesses. And especially important for entrepreneurs, lack of sleep can also negatively affect productivity, alertness and reaction time.

These findings are similar to those found in a study of Chinese adults published in 2019. It showed those who slept six hours or less reported being unhappy more often. In contrast, those that averaged more than seven hours of sleep most often stated they were happy. Overall findings illustrated how sleep can influence emotions, perspective and state of mind.

A study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing in 2017 showed links between sleep and job performance. Researchers found nurses who slept six hours or less on their shift days experienced a higher rate of job burnout. Nurses with poor job performance also experienced a greater lack of sleep.

How much sleep do we really need?

So, many studies show six hours isn’t enough. How much do we actually need? The National Sleep Foundation oversaw a two-year study to better assess this. It included 18 scientists and researchers with six sleep specialists. It included representatives from groups like the American Physiological Society and the American Psychiatric Association.
They figured out how much sleep adults in different age ranges need:

• Younger adults (18-25): 7-9 hours

• Adults (26-64): 7-9 hours

• Older adults (65+): 7-8 hours

Research from Rand Health Quarterly backed it up. That study found those who sleep less than six hours per night have a 13-percent higher mortality risk than those that get seven and nine hours of sleep.

Is it sleep quantity, quality or both?

The aforementioned numbers are targets. This is because, as individual small business owners, we each have our own optimal sleep needs. This is when we should talk about the quality of sleep.

Sleep quality centres around how well you sleep. This includes the ability to fall asleep in 30 minutes or less, sleep soundly, and if you can quickly drift back to sleep. Bad sleep quality centres around insomnia: restlessness and the inability to fall or stay asleep.

The short sleeper syndrome

SleepEducation.org found that not everyone requires the same amount of sleep due to genetic differences. There are short sleepers who get less than six hours each night and don’t suffer from insomnia. However, this just isn't true for most people. Few are able to sleep less than six hours each night while remaining healthy long-term.

Getting better sleep  

Here’s what you can do to improve the quantity and quality of sleep, an essential component of succeeding as an entrepreneur:

• Turn off all electronics at least an hour before bedtime. This includes mobile devices, computers and television.

• Change your diet so you minimize caffeine and alcohol intake. These both disrupt your body’s circadian rhythms and inhibit its ability to prepare for sleep.

• Invest in a mattress and pillows that provide a comfortable environment, including firmness and coolness that induce sleep.

• Sleep in a dark, cool room.

• Take the time to exercise every day. Physically wearing out the body encourages restorative sleep necessary to repair muscles and fill depleted energy levels.

• Keep to a schedule so that you go to bed and get up around the same time each day. As an entrepreneur, this can be challenging with a hectic schedule. However, try to schedule your time on the road or during stressful times to adhere to a similar schedule.

• Keep a sleep diary to track your sleep quality. You can also use a wearable device that calculates your sleep time and quality.
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Invest in your sleep

To succeed as an entrepreneur it’s important to take care of your body and brain. That’s where you will need to invest in quality sleep, exercise, a healthy diet and balanced lifestyle.

https://www.thehour.com/business/article/Why-Science-Says-6-Hours-of-Sleep-Isn-t-Enough-14933951.php

What is melatonin and does it help with jet lag and insomnia?

From brisbanetimes.com.au

Some jetsetters, shift workers and insomniacs use melatonin to help them nod off or stay asleep. What is it? How does it work? Is it safe and what don't we know about it yet?

Melatonin has various nicknames: the "hormone of darkness", the "sleep hormone" or the slightly spooky "Dracula of hormones". Melatonin is released when the sun goes down, telling us when it’s time to sleep. The term itself comes from the Greek word "melas", for dark, and "tonin" from seratonin, a related hormone.

Melatonin supplements are popular with shift workers, insomniacs and long-haul travellers trying to avoid jet lag and, increasingly, bleary-eyed parents are asking doctors to prescribe it for their sleep-deprived – and sleep-depriving – offspring.

What is melatonin, and what is it for?

Melatonin is a hormone made in the pineal gland, located deep inside the human brain, that works closely with our internal circadian clock.

When darkness falls, the pineal gland releases a surge of melatonin. This prompts our core temperature to drop a little and readies our body for sleep. Those melatonin levels remain high throughout the night, until a sudden drop in the morning tells our bodies it's time to wake up and face the day.
In short, melatonin is what makes us sleepy.

Derived from an amino acid called tryptophan – which is also present in milk and is likely the reason we are told warm milk before bed will help us sleep – melatonin also occurs naturally in some foods including cherries, rice and peanuts.

It can be bought in pill, liquid and chewable forms and is a popular dietary supplement in some parts of the world.
It was first discovered in 1958 by an American dermatologist who found it could lighten a frog's skin. A synthetic version was approved in Australia in 1987 for use in female sheep but it took another decade for Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to approve it for human use and, even then, only by prescription.

Experts say taking melatonin an hour or two before bed can help to shift the body's internal body clock forward. This is especially useful for those suffering from jet lag and can help shift workers to reset their clocks so they fall asleep at more social hours.

I work night shifts. Will melatonin help me?

It might. About one in six Australian workers (16 per cent) are shift workers, according to the Sleep Health Foundation. And it's commonly accepted that shift workers are getting less sleep than the rest of us.
A recent federal government report into the sleep health of Australians also found that shift work and, in particular, night shifts can disrupt sleep patterns and lead to serious health problems. "Shift work has been linked to the increased risk of obesity, sleep disorders, mental health conditions and cancer," the report found.

Enter better sleep routines, smarter exposure to light and melatonin supplements.

"It's the exposure to light for shift workers late at night that was considered a possible carcinogen by the World Health Organisation," says Associate Professor Sean W. Cain, a circadian biologist at Monash University. "It's likely that if you are suppressing your melatonin a lot over many years, you are slightly increasing your chance of developing or growing tumours."

Experts suggest that a shift worker who is finishing late and taking hours to fall asleep may benefit from taking a melatonin pill as soon as it is safe to do so after finishing work (it makes you drowsy). Coupled with a sensible wind-down routine, it may help to bring the body clock forward and ensure beauty sleep comes a little quicker.

But it is not enough in itself. "If you have a naturally delayed body-clock you do need to take some care and attention with your routines, otherwise you will lapse back," says Associate Professor Darren Mansfield, deputy director of Monash Lung and Sleep and head of the Monash Health sleep service. "If your [body's] natural preference is to be delayed, dim the lights, take some melatonin [and get] lots of outside light the next day."

I can't sleep. Will melatonin help with insomnia?

Insomnia is a common problem, with a 2013 study published in the Medical Journal of Australia finding up to one-third of Australians struggled to fall asleep or to stay asleep. Melatonin is just one option to help combat sleeplessness – but a popular one.

There are two forms of melatonin supplements: a rapid release form that is taken an hour or two before you want to nod off; and a slow release form that, essentially, tops up your melatonin levels all night and which is useful for helping you stay asleep.

The slow-release form is the standard prescription available at pharmacies. "Think of that as drip-feeding into the system over the course of the night, which will supplement the existing melatonin levels overnight in a relatively modest way," says Associate Professor Mansfield. "It will increase the levels but not to a massive degree."

But, like many other medical conditions, there is no easy fix for insomnia. "The only good in all that is a lot of people grow out of it," Associate Professor Mansfield says.

Is melatonin safe for children?

Yes – with some caveats.
Paediatrician Dr Anthea Rhodes, director of the Royal Children's Hospital national child health poll, has been prescribing melatonin to children for more than a decade. She says melatonin is not addictive – so children are unlikely to become dependent on it – and side effects are rare. "Having prescribed melatonin for many years to many children, I have not experienced significant issues with side effects," she says.

Unlike sleeping pills or aids like phenergan, melatonin is not a sedative. "I often say to parents, 'If you have a child who is really wired or wide awake, a dose of melatonin is not going to knock them out'," she says.

Typically used to help children with problems falling asleep, or staying asleep, melatonin is also a popular treatment for children with ADHD, autism and other developmental disabilities.  

Paediatric doctors say the medication is safe enough to be dispensed over the counter but a 2017 application to allow over-the-counter sales was rejected, in part due to fears it could be misused when treating children with behavioural or disciplinary issues.

But Dr Rhodes says that isn't a bad thing, as it gives doctors a chance to work with families to rule out other sleep-related problems first. This could include a child suffering from anxiety; how, when or where they are being settled to sleep; and the use of blue-lit screens or devices before bed.

Dr Rhodes says a good bedtime routine is the key to a good sleep. It's only when that fails that melatonin should be considered. "Used with a good bedtime routine, melatonin can be a game-changer for families," she says.

What are its side effects?

The most common side effect of melatonin is drowsiness. But that's also the point of it! Some users get headaches, nausea or even abnormal dreams but experts working with it on a regular basis agree that there are few documented side effects. "Having prescribed melatonin for many years to many children, I have not experienced significant issues with side effects," says Dr Rhodes.

Associate Professor Mansfield agrees. "It is a relatively harmless medication," he says. "It has been pretty much out in the open market now for decades, and dispensed in huge quantities. And we are not out there in the real world seeing real problems. We would probably regard it as a safe medication with no known serious side effects. There are people who pipe up and say, 'but we don't have safety data'. Well that is sort of true but it seems pretty safe."

Once flagged as a potential contraceptive because it was found that extremely high doses (more than 50mg) could cause infertility, early studies found it simply wasn't effective enough in preventing conception. "It can interfere in other hormonal systems, at very high doses, [and] it can affect [menstrual] cycles," Associate Professor Mansfield says. There is some evidence that the side effects of melatonin could be heightened in women taking the contraceptive pill or anyone on diabetes medication but more research is needed.

Speculation also remains rife that it can affect your mood. Associate Professor Cain spends a lot of his time researching, writing and talking about light and darkness. He says one of the actions of melatonin is to block responsiveness to light.

"Light can elevate your mood, that's why people use light-therapy devices for depression," he says. "So if your system is less sensitive to lights, it might be giving your brain fewer alerting and mood-elevating signals. So if melatonin reduces your responsiveness to light, I could imagine that it could increase mood vulnerability to depression. But that's all speculation."

What is not speculative are the number of studies that have found melatonin is safe when used for up to six months. There is also some evidence that it can be used safely for up to two years. However, experts generally agree that long-term use of melatonin needs more investigation.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/what-is-melatonin-and-does-it-help-with-jet-lag-and-insomnia-20191204-p53gyz.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed

Sugar and white bread tied to older women's insomnia

From reuters.com

(Reuters Health) - Older women who eat lots of sweets and processed grains may be more likely to suffer from insomnia than their counterparts whose don’t consume much of these foods, a U.S. study suggests.

Researchers examined data from food diaries for more than 50,000 women in their mid-60s who had already gone through menopause, a transition that is also associated with an increased risk of sleep problems and insomnia. They focused on the “dietary glycaemic index,” a measure of how many foods people consume that can contribute to spikes in blood sugar levels.

Women with the highest dietary glycaemic index scores - meaning they consumed more refined carbohydrates like white bread, sweets and sugary soda - were 11% more likely than women with the lowest scores to report insomnia at the start of the study period.

They were also 16% more likely to develop new insomnia during the three-year follow-up period.

“Our results point to the importance of diet for those who suffer from insomnia,” said lead study author James Gangwisch of the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City.

“Avoiding insomnia is therefore another good reason to avoid sweets besides weight control,” Gangwisch said by email.

While the study wasn’t designed to prove whether or how eating too many sweets and refined carbs might cause insomnia, it’s possible that hormonal changes may play a role.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-women-insomnia-diet/sugar-and-white-bread-tied-to-older-womens-insomnia-idUSKBN1YN2OQ

Refined Carbs Linked to Insomnia

From sleepreviewmag.com

A study found that postmenopausal women who consumed a diet high in refined carbohydrates—particularly added sugars—were more likely to develop insomnia.
Women whose diet included higher amounts of vegetables, fibre, and whole fruit (not juice) were less likely to develop problems with insomnia.

“Insomnia is often treated with cognitive behavioural therapy or medications, but these can be expensive or carry side effects,” says the study’s senior author James Gangwisch, PhD, assistant professor at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, in a release. “By identifying other factors that lead to insomnia, we may find straightforward and low-cost interventions with fewer potential side effects.”
The findings were published Dec 11 online in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Link Between Diet and Sleep Is an Emerging Research Area

Previous studies have explored a possible link between refined carbohydrates and insomnia, but results have been inconsistent. And because the studies didn’t follow individuals over time, it’s not clear if a diet that’s high in refined carbs triggered the onset of insomnia, or if insomnia caused individuals to eat more sweets.
One way to determine if carb intake is causing sleep problems is to look for the emergence of insomnia in people with different diets.
In the current study, Gangwisch and his team gathered data from more than 50,000 participants in the Women’s Health Initiative who had completed food diaries. The researchers looked at whether women with higher dietary glycaemic index were more likely to develop insomnia.

All Carbs Aren’t Created Equally

Different kinds and amounts of carbohydrates increase blood sugar levels to varying degrees. Highly refined carbohydrates—such as added sugars, white bread, white rice, and soda—have a higher glycaemic index, and cause a more rapid increase in blood sugar.

“When blood sugar is raised quickly, your body reacts by releasing insulin, and the resulting drop in blood sugar can lead to the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which can interfere with sleep,” Gangwisch says.
The researchers hypothesized that the rapid spikes and troughs in blood sugar after eating refined carbs may trigger insomnia.

Refined Carbs Triggered Insomnia

They found that the higher the dietary glycaemic index—particularly when fuelled by the consumption of added sugars and processed grains—the greater the risk of developing insomnia. They also discovered that women who consumed more vegetables and whole fruits (not juices) were less likely to develop insomnia.

“Whole fruits contain sugar, but the fibre in them slow the rate of absorption to help prevent spikes in blood sugar,” says Gangwisch. “This suggests that the dietary culprit triggering the women’s insomnia was the highly processed foods that contain larger amounts of refined sugars that aren’t found naturally in food.”

Since most people, not just postmenopausal women, experience a rapid rise in blood sugar after eating refined carbohydrates, the authors suspect that these findings may also hold true in a broader population.

“Based on our findings, we would need randomized clinical trials to determine if a dietary intervention, focused on increasing the consumption of whole foods and complex carbohydrates, could be used to prevent and treat insomnia,” says Gangwisch.

http://www.sleepreviewmag.com/2019/12/refined-carbs-insomnia/

SLEEPY BREAD: Is your diet to blame for your insomnia? Scientists find worrying link

From thesun.co.uk

WE'VE all experienced them - those restless nights where we spend hours tossing and turning relentlessly trying to get some sleep.

In fact, as many as 16 million adults in the UK are plagued by insomnia.

However, new research may finally give an insight into why so many people are struggling to get those much-needed zzzs.
Top scientists, from the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, have found that your diet may be party to blame for insomnia.

    Scientists believe your diet makes all the difference between a good night’s sleep and a bad one                                                                  Credit: Getty - Contributor

Postmenopausal women who consume a diet high in refined carbohydrates, particularly added sugars, are more likely to develop insomnia, they found.
This is because refined carbs such as white bread, white rice, added sugars and fizzy drinks have a higher glycaemic index, the rating system for foods containing carbs, and cause a more rapid increase in blood sugar.

Increase in blood sugar

On the other hand, those who eat high amounts of vegetables, fibre, and whole fruit were less likely to develop problems with the condition.
The study's lead author Professor James Gangwisch said: "When blood sugar is raised quickly, your body reacts by releasing insulin, and the resulting drop in blood sugar can lead to the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which can interfere with sleep.
"Whole fruits contain sugar, but the fibre in them slow the rate of absorption to help prevent spikes in blood sugar.
"This suggests that the dietary culprit triggering the women's insomnia was the highly processed foods that contain larger amounts of refined sugars that aren't found naturally in food."

The results came after the researchers gathered data from more than 50,000 participants in the Women's Health Initiative who had completed food diaries.

Refined carbohydrates

Since most people, not just postmenopausal women, experience a rapid rise in blood sugar after eating refined carbohydrates, the authors suspect that these findings may also hold true in a broader population.
Prof Gangwisch now says that by identifying the foods that trigger insomnia - people might be able to find a more straightforward way of curing the condition.

Writing in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, he said: "Insomnia is often treated with cognitive behavioural therapy or medications, but these can be expensive or carry side effects.
"By identifying other factors that lead to insomnia, we may find straightforward and low-cost interventions with fewer potential side effects."

Previous studies have explored a possible link between refined carbohydrates and insomnia, but results have been inconsistent.
And because the studies didn't follow individuals over time, it's not clear if a diet that's high in refined carbs triggered the onset of insomnia, or if insomnia caused individuals to eat more sweets.
Prof Gangswich is now calling on further studies to be taken out to determine if increasing the amount of whole foods would prevent insomnia.

He concluded: "Based on our findings, we would need randomised clinical trials to determine if a dietary intervention, focused on increasing the consumption of whole foods and complex carbohydrates, could be used to prevent and treat insomnia."

What is insomnia?

Insomnia means you regularly have problems sleeping.
You have insomnia if you regularly:

• Find it hard to go to sleep
• Wake up several times during the night
• Lie awake at night
• Wake up early and cannot go back to sleep
• Still feel tired after waking up
• Find it hard to nap during the day even though you're tired
• Feel tired and irritable during the day
• Find it difficult to concentrate during the day because you're tired

You can have these symptoms for months, sometimes years.
The most common causes are:

• Stress, anxiety or depression
• Noise
• A room that's too hot or cold
• Uncomfortable beds
• Alcohol, caffeine or nicotine
• Recreational drugs like cocaine or ecstasy
• Jet lag
• Shift work

You probably do not get enough sleep if you're constantly tired during the day.
Insomnia usually gets better by changing your sleeping habits.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/10538861/diet-blame-insomnia-scientists-worrying-link/

Christmas insomnia: 5 things that are keeping us up, according to a sleep expert

From stylist.co.uk

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, apparently. So why do we already feel so damn tired?

Christmas is great – we reconnect with friends and family, let our hair down after a stressful year and enjoy never-ending indulgent feasts and party food. But it can also be incredibly overwhelming and stressful. Financial worries, tiredness from partying and feeling a bit sluggish all add to the mix. So it’s perhaps unsurprising that this can all have a huge impact on our sleep. And for the 16 million insomniacs out there in the UK, this probably isn’t the season to be too jolly.

Just last month, one of the biggest sleep studies to date found just how dangerous sleep deprivation can be. It reported that sleep deprivation doubles the chances of making placekeeping errors and triples the number of lapses in attention. So with that in mind, what can we do to tackle insomnia  – especially during the stressful festive season?

Kathryn Pinkham, NHS insomnia specialist and founder of The Insomnia Clinic, has shared some of the biggest reasons for insomnia around Christmas time, along with tips on how to combat sleepless nights.

1. Increased alcohol intake

We all like to enjoy a few more drinks over Christmas time, and people often start to rely on a night cap as it can act as a sedative. However, too much alcohol will affect the quality of the sleep you get. My advice is to try and stop drinking an hour or so (more if you can) before bedtime so that you are not going to bed under the influence. Try and drink some water during this time too, as this will make you less likely to wake from dehydration as the affects of the alcohol wear off.

 2. Disruption to regular sleep patterns

Festive meals, parties and drinks can massively disrupt regular sleep patterns. But where possible, try sticking to a regular sleep schedule. The more consistent you are with your sleep and wake times, the better the quality of your sleep will be. If you have a late night then still get up at your normal time. This will ensure that you continue to build up a strong drive to sleep well the next night. It can be tempting to have lots of lie ins, but this can result in your body clock getting out of sync, leaving you more susceptible to poor sleep.

3. Back-to-back social plans

Being busy all the time is not only physically exhausting but if our minds are constantly full then this leaves us mentally exhausted too. We then start to feel we need more sleep to combat the tiredness, but actually we can also get an energy boost in other ways. Regularly stop and breathe, clear your mind, get some fresh air and exercise as this will help you to sleep better at night but also feel more refreshed during the day.

4. Relying on sleeping pills

Don’t take sleeping pills as a reaction to not sleeping as this can leave you feeling groggy when you wake up. If you have been prescribed them, only take them one hour before bed rather than in the middle of the night. Ultimately, sleeping pills are only a short term solution so instead follow a CBT for insomnia programme to fix your sleep problem for good.

5. Stressing over end-of-year work deadlines

Try not to go to bed with unfinished business on your mind. Your thoughts will race and your sleep is likely to suffer so get into the habit of writing down your worries before you go to bed.

Of course, anyone who has trouble sleeping should stick to this advice throughout the year. But it’s important to remind yourself that, despite all the Christmas madness, your health and happiness is still the greatest gift you can give yourself.

https://www.stylist.co.uk/life/insomnia-sleep-tips-at-christmas-alcohol-parties-stress/334399

Can't Sleep At Night? Find Out If You Have Insomnia

From doctor.ndtv.com

Insomnia: This condition, which makes it difficult for you to fall asleep at night, causes mood swings, lack of motivation, negatively affect your attention span and concentration, cause memory problems, affect your performance at work and school, and much more.

Insomnia is referred to a sleep disorder which makes it difficult for a person to sleep at night or stay asleep. Insomnia can make you wake up too early and keep you from getting quality sleep. People suffering from insomnia do not get quality sleep and tend to feel tired and fatigued all day. It can affect your day-to-day functioning and that's why it is important to understand insomnia and the risks associated with it. Insomnia can be short-term and long-lasting or chronic. Chronic insomnia is when you are unable to sleep for at least 3 nights in a week for more than 3 months.

Primary insomnia is the one which occurs because of major stress, being upset, constant travelling and irregular work schedules to name a few. Taking naps or worrying about sleep can also make you prone to primary insomnia.

Secondary insomnia occurs because of a sleep disorder like sleep apnea or other health conditions like arthritis, headaches, excessive alcohol intake, caffeine, etc.

Insomnia can be caused because of the following reasons:

1. Heavy dose medications or not using medications as per prescription
2. Exposure to noise, light and extreme temperatures
3. Suffering from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, thyroid problems, asthma, anxiety, etc
4. Experiencing pain or discomfort
5. Disruption in regular sleep schedule because of travelling or switching work shifts

Apart from the aforementioned symptoms of insomnia, the condition can also cause mood swings, lack of motivation, negatively affect your attention span and concentration, cause memory problems, affect your performance at work and school, and much more.

How to find out if you have insomnia

To know if you are suffering from insomnia, it is important to find out about how stressed you are, your level of physical activity, use of medications, alcohol intake, tobacco consumption, etc. Obesity, being overweight and sleep apnea diagnosis may also be done to know if you have insomnia.

How to treat insomnia?

Short-term sleep disturbances and insomnia can be dealt with at home. You can practice good sleep hygiene, improve your lifestyle, keep a gap of 2 hours between your dinner and bed time, exercise regularly and create a cosy environment at home. Practicing a good sleep hygiene can help in improving your sleep quality. Here are a few ways to practice good sleep hygiene.

If these remedies don't help, then you can resort to sleeping pills, tranquilisers, anti-anxiety medications, anti-depressants, etc. However, the use of these medicines must be done only when they are prescribed to you by a doctor. Using these products without the prescription of a doctor can cause to side effects like agitation, confusion, daytime sleepiness, urinary difficulties and nervousness.

Chronic insomnia needs to be dealt with a proper treatment. Behavioural therapy can help you calm down and relax. It can treat insomnia by altering behaviours which worsen the condition.

So if you are experiencing trouble in sleeping for quite a while, then try ways to improve your sleep and lifestyle. If this doesn't work, then you must seek treatment for insomnia as getting a good night's sleep is one of the most important aspects of a healthy weight and good overall health.

https://doctor.ndtv.com/living-healthy/cant-sleep-at-night-find-out-if-you-have-insomnia-2143247

Your 3 golden rules for fighting burn-out-fuelled insomnia

From msn.com

Theoretically, the era of Peak Burnout should've coincided seamlessly with the era of Soundly Snoozing by 11 p.m. every night. Between seeing endless social media updates from people we barely care about, long hours and endless tasks to complete at work, and about 14 million RSVP-worthy 'celecations' that require plane tickets, we should be so exhausted every night, able to conk out, no problem. But alas, restless minds beget restless bodies. So if you have trouble falling asleep after busy days, you may be experiencing burnout-fuelled insomnia.

                                                 © Photo: Getty Images/Boy Anupong

                                                          Trouble falling asleep

On a clinical level, burnout is characterized by a sense of exhaustion from work, and that kind of stress is certainly liable to keep you up at night.

“Current research suggests that the relationship between burnout—a real syndrome, according to the World Health Organization—and insomnia is a two-way street, with burnout seeming to encourage insomnia, and insomnia increasing burnout," says integrative medicine specialist Sally Fisher, MD. "Both [are] associated with the flight-or-fight stress hormone, cortisol. So theoretically, anything that decreases burnout should improve insomnia, and anything that decreases insomnia should improve burnout." And, to that end, Dr. Fisher has some tips to share.

Have trouble falling asleep? Here are 3 tips to make sure burnout's not to blame.

1. Try an herbal remedy for stress relief

Many of us love and live by melatonin. But if your sky-high cortisol levels are overpowering your nightly gummy supplement, shifting gears could be a worthy consideration. And while there's no shortage of herbal-supplement options available Dr. Fisher has a very specific recommendation in mind.

"In a 12-week study, the herb Rhodiola was shown to reduce burnout symptoms, in some subjects at as early as the first week," Dr. Fisher says. Totally worth giving a shot, or if you're looking for another supplemental switch for stress, experts tend to recommend Relora, NuSera, Serenagen, cordyceps, ashwagandha, and magnesium. Of course, before adding any supplement to your regimen, consult with a medical professional.

2. Commit to a bedtime mindfulness ritual

"Training in mindfulness-awareness practices has been shown to improve both sleep and burnout," Dr. Fisher says. "I absolutely advise it if insomnia is an ongoing problem."

This option is really a choose-your-own adventure in terms of how to implement it. If you find that something classically mindful like meditation centres you, take a few minutes to practice before bed. Or pick up a pen to jot down thoughts in your worry journal to organize and expel your anxieties. I personally enjoy mindful worksheets and colouring books, but that's me. Figure out what works for you.

3. Regulate your breathing

"Slow, deep breathing calms down the flight-or-fight system and increases the production of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone,” Dr. Fisher says.

Bringing your breathing to an even pace is always a sharp idea, but there's even certain breathing patterns that'll help tranquilize you for the night. I swear by the 4-7-8 breathing technique, and the Wim Hof Method is also great for providing a sense of calm. But there's plenty of breathing exercises you can test out on your way to dreamland. Inhale. Exhale. And know that your to-do list can wait until tomorrow.

Or slip into something comfortable: one editor swears by this compression eye pillow to block out a busy day's many stressors. Don't think burnout's to blame? Learn about all the different types of insomnia to figure out what's up.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/your-3-golden-rules-for-fighting-burn-out-fueled-insomnia/ar-BBXzJvp?li=BBnba9O

How to get rid of insomnia without any medicines

From timesofindia.indiatimes.com

There is nothing more relaxing than drifting away to the dreamland as soon as you hit the sheets. A goodnight’s sleep ensures that you wake up fully-rested to brave the day. Sadly, in today’s increasingly hectic world, sleep has become a luxury which not everyone can afford. From work-place pressure to a demanding and stressful urban lifestyle, for a lot of people sleeplessness is a common occurrence.

What is insomnia?
If you spend majority of the night tossing and turning in your bed, you might be suffering from insomnia. While there is a common misconception that insomnia is the complete lack of sleep, it is actually a condition which prevents you from having a sound sleep. There are plenty of reasons which may cause a disturbed sleep including poor lifestyle habits, poor diet, stress, depression and anxiety.

Excessive usage of gadgets including smartphones can create a barrier in getting the desired amount of sleep. The array of technology makes it difficult for the human mind to switch off and catch some shut-eye.
Did you know not getting the adequate amount of sleep or having undisturbed and poor quality sleep, can have serious long and short term consequences? Yes, you read that right. We present you four simple ways you can battle insomnia naturally.

1.The magic of essential oils
It is common knowledge that essentials oils can be used for a variety of purposes. The lavender essential oil can help in calming your mind and body, preparing you for sleep. You can spray some of the oil on your pillow and bedsheets before hitting the bed. You can also breathe in its fragrance to sleep better.

2. Wash your sheets There is a reason why the hotel beds look so inviting and cosy--the sheets are clean and the beds are well made. So, if the sleep has been evading you, clean your sheets and make sure they smell fresh. You can also make your bed properly and fluff your pillows. Cool down your bedroom. Reducing your body temperature signals your brain to release the sleep hormone, melatonin.

3. Get the sunshine vitamin

Go for a walk outdoors to catch the sun, within an hour of waking up. The chemical secretions in our brains are in tandem with exposure to light.

4. Watch what you are eating

If you eat a lot of sugar-laden food items before hitting the sheets, you are bound to stay up all night. Instead, consider drinking a glass of warm milk and a slice of toasted bread. Certain herbal teas like chamomile, lemongrass and lavender can relax your body and mind, and promote better sleep.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/three-things-to-do-to-break-a-fever-and-three-things-you-shouldnt/articleshow/72294447.cms

What Relaxation Strategy Can Help With My Insomnia?

From psychologytoday.com/ca/blog

Insomnia is defined as difficulty getting to sleep and/or staying asleep, and there is distress or daytime impairment as a result of sleep disruption. Approximately 10-15 percent of the U.S. population is suffering from insomnia disorder, which means the above sleep disruption occurs at least three nights a week and has been occurring for at least three months or longer.

Relaxation therapy for insomnia is considered a standard behavioural treatment approach by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. It is a standard treatment because there is ample evidence from research to support the efficacy of relaxation techniques helping to reduce the occurrence of insomnia.

One such technique, called Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), was developed in the 1920s by an American Physician, Dr. Edmund Jacobson. The intent of PMR is to reduce muscular tension caused by stress and to quiet the mind, as it requires one to focus on the procedure and disrupts the flow of racing thoughts.

PMR can be completed in a variety of ways. First, find a quiet environment to practice in, and then sit comfortably or lie down. You can start with the muscle groups in the feet and work up the body, or start with the muscle groups in the head and move down the body. The goal is to feel the difference in a tensed state and relaxed state for different muscle regions. When a muscle group is tensed, hold the tension for 5-15 seconds, and then focus on releasing and relaxing the muscle group for 20-40 seconds.

The idea is that someone who is physiologically activated has muscular tension they may not even be aware of, as the muscles can be chronically tight. An example is tensing the shoulder muscles by shrugging the shoulders upwards (as if using body language to say, "I don't know") and holding it for 5-15 seconds, and then releasing the muscles and focusing on the relaxed state for 20-40 seconds. If you have an area of pain or physical trauma, you would want to avoid tensing that muscle group or do so gently.

PMR is beneficial for improving insomnia because research has shown that compared to those without insomnia, those with insomnia are more physiologically activated during sleep as well as during waking hours. This physiological arousal can include higher muscle tension and an increase in racing thoughts. PMR aims to help the system towards a more relaxed state by directly addressing the muscle tension.

By focusing on the procedure, there is a distraction for the mind, and this runs interference with the mind’s racing thoughts. A relaxed physiological state is important for sleep onset and for quality of sleep. 

One benefit to relaxation therapy includes no serious side effects as one would be concerned with in sleep medication by comparison. There are many resources available to help you with PMR, such as starting with an audio version to walk you through the technique. Through practice, over time, you will become proficient and be able to complete the technique from memory.

As with any activity that you are unfamiliar with, you would want to practice during the daytime to start with, and as you feel more comfortable with completing the PMR, you can use it prior to bedtime to help reduce physiological activation.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/sleep-health-and-wellness/201911/what-relaxation-strategy-can-help-my-insomnia

How meditating in the morning can break your sleep anxiety cycle

From cosmopolitan.com/uk

You might think meditating to help insomnia is best done at night, but you're actually better off doing it in the morning.

If you're struggling to sleep, the advice you'll see crop up time and time again is to establish a sense of calm to help you drop off. Ditching your phone, reading, or meditating are all commonly recommended methods to break the insomnia cycle.

Just like reading, it might seem safe to assume that meditating is best done before bed, in order to become zen enough to banish your anxieties just long enough to allow you to fall asleep. But according to Headspace founder Andy Puddicombe, you might actually be better off doing your meditation in the morning.

Meditating in the morning? To help you get to sleep at night? It doesn't sound like the obvious solution. But hear him out...

Achieving sleep when it's something you struggle with, Andy tells Cosmopolitan, requires "feeling less anxious about going to sleep, and being able to create the conditions where the mind can let go and drift off to sleep more easily." And it's exactly this line of thinking that supports his suggestion to meditate in the AM.

"I think doing [meditation] first thing in the morning, one, ensures that you do it. Two, you start the day fresh, and three, you lay down a foundation of mindfulness that means that you are more likely to make mindful decisions throughout the day, and are more likely to experience that quality of life throughout the day," the meditation and mindfulness expert explains.

By laying down that foundation of mindfulness, Andy believes your mind becomes all-round calmer throughout the day - and that can spill over into your ability to drop off.

Part of the issue with insomnia is the cycle you get yourself tangled in; you can't fall asleep, so you feel anxious about not falling asleep... which prevents you from falling asleep. And so it continues. By meditating first thing in the morning, the Headspace founder believes we become better equipped to tackle situations like that better.

"It doesn’t mean that you won’t come across difficult situations, you will. But I think it means that you are less likely to react to them," he tells Cosmopolitan. If you're less likely to wind yourself up about your difficulty sleeping, then you've got a chance to break the cycle. Makes sense, huh?

Meditating, Andy explains, gives you "the ability to experience everything but to then let go of it. It’s not about shutting ourselves away from the world; it's still experiencing everything but not necessarily being so overwhelmed by it."

If you could do with becoming a little less overwhelmed by your sleep/anxiety pattern, then maybe some morning meditation is just what you need.

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/health/a29888191/sleep-meditation-mindfulness-anxiety/

How to Overcome Insomnia

From happiful.com

As many as one in seven people live with long-term insomnia – whether that be disturbed nights, or hours spent lying in bed wide awake. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With help from expert clinical hypnotherapist Andrew Major, we explore the causes of insomnia, and get the low-down on putting sleep problems to bed once and for all

Almost all of us will experience sleep problems at some point in our lives. Whether it’s tossing and turning throughout the night, or waking up every couple of hours, losing out on those precious hours of shut-eye can set us back for the day and can easily spiral into mental health problems.

The point at which sleeping problems turn into insomnia is when they become regular – over months or years. This could show itself in a number of ways, from finding it hard to fall asleep at night, to waking up regularly through the night, or not being able to fall back to sleep again.

When considering what may be causing insomnia, Andrew Major, a clinical hypnotherapist, points to the close link with mental health.

“Some of the most common causes of insomnia are: ongoing stress, pressure, anxiety, and depression, which can creep up on us gradually, leading to excess worry and overthinking – especially when it’s time to sleep,” Andrew explains. “But there may be other psychological reasons causing insomnia, including anger, grief, or trauma.”

According to the Sleep Council, of those who get less than five hours of sleep per night, 21% live with depression and 17% with anxiety. But when it comes to insomnia, it’s a vicious cycle. While mental health problems may be causing sleep problems, lack of sleep can then lead to poor mental health, including low mood, irritability, and problems concentrating – not to mention the added anxiety about not being able to sleep.

“When we don’t get enough sleep, it can reduce problem-solving skills and our ability to cope with stressful situations – leaving us feeling overwhelmed by things we’d previously been able to deal with,” says Andrew. “Getting enough sleep helps us build mental and emotional resilience so that we’re able to deal with the demands, challenges, and sometimes adversity, of modern life.”

Clearly, there’s a lot at stake. And yet, only four in 10 people with insomnia go on to ask for help – something that is particularly common in older people, where 47% believe that nothing can be done to improve their sleep quality.
“Whatever the issue – by taking action to address the underlying causes, and with some simple changes to our daily habits and routines – you can break the cycle of sleepless nights, and learn how to sleep well,” says Andrew.

So how’s it done? Andrew advises that the first step is to take a good look at your daytime habits. For example, consider:

• How much caffeine do you drink during the day?
• When do you switch off your mobile devices and laptops?
• Do you have time to relax properly before going to bed?
• Do you have a regular and consistent sleeping and waking routine?
• Is your bedroom comfortable, and free from noise and light?

Addressing these areas first can often help us narrow down what may be the root cause of our sleep problems. The next point of call is assessing the amount of physical activity we do each day. Regular aerobic activity calms our bodies and minds, releasing feel-good hormones that help us regulate our moods. Although this doesn’t mean that you need to hit the gym for an intensive workout – gentle activity, such as walking, yoga, or gardening has the same effect.

As a solution-focused hypnotherapist, Andrew’s approach to treating insomnia in sessions includes a type of talking therapy that combines psychotherapy and hypnosis. During hypnosis, the subject goes into a ‘trance’, or a natural relaxed state, using guided relaxation. Once in this relaxed state, it’s then possible to focus on mantras, thoughts, and suggestions that can help them to cope with the stress and anxiety that may be causing insomnia.

Beyond that, Andrew suggests four key ways to take back the night:

Practise positivity

Talk about the positive aspects of the day, and celebrate successes. Your brain triggers thousands of neurons with every thought. Repeating the thought process triggers the same neurons so, when we make a conscious effort to recognise the positive things in life, we build new, helpful thought patterns.

Visualise change and find solutions

What would life be like tomorrow if you slept well? What would you be doing differently? What would friends and colleagues notice about you? Creating a positive expectation, and visualising it happening, will strengthen the likelihood of a positive outcome.

Create good sleep hygiene

Create a plan, identify the things that are easy to change – such as a regular bedtime and waking time, avoiding stimulants before going to bed (e.g. cigarettes and caffeine), get enough exercise during the day, create a quiet, dark, and comfortable bedroom, and remove all electronic screens.

Seek professional support

Seeking out professional support can be a big step, but has many lasting benefits – it’s often the start of real focus and change. Solution-focused hypnotherapy can help you to relieve the symptoms of insomnia in a positive and uplifting way.

With so much of our mental wellness dependent on ensuring that we get good quality sleep, it’s time to start taking shut-eye seriously. And the truth is, it is possible for all of us to get the sleep we need and deserve. Whether it’s making a few small tweaks to your routine, or embarking on a long-term lifestyle change, it’s time to stop counting sheep, and start drifting away to dreamland.

https://happiful.com/how-to-overcome-insomnia/

Why It’s So Hard To Sleep After A Breakup

From refinery29.com

After a breakup, you might find yourself crying on the subway and checking your ex’s social media five times a day. Breakups absolutely affect us emotionally. So when you spend a few nights tossing and turning, you can blame your ex (or, more specifically, the breakup itself) for your your inability to fall sleep. But sometimes, post-breakup insomnia can be a little more complicated than just post-split stress.

Yes — various studies have found that stress is connected to insomnia, and breakups can be very stressful. A 2011 review of studies found similarities between mourning a relationship and grieving the death of a loved one: Both can lead to insomnia, intrusive thoughts, immune dysfunction, and even physical pain.

                                                        Photographed by Michael Beckert

Although you might wish you could cure your insomnia with some chamomile tea, unfortunately, the best medicine here is time. “There’s nothing to do other than wait it out, though I wish I could tell you to do something like drink a gallon of water,” sex & relationships therapist and TENGA brand ambassador Shan Boodram tells Refinery29. “The best thing you can do is try to feed your dopamine [the 'feel-good chemical'] receptors in other ways: Go out, meet new people, and try to distract yourself as much as possible. But ultimately, the withdrawal process sucks for everyone.”

Post-breakup insomnia is usually a type of acute insomnia — a brief period of sleeplessness that happens because of life circumstances. According to the National Sleep Foundation, this type of insomnia usually resolves itself on its own within a few days or weeks. During this period, you can make some simple lifestyle changes to fall asleep easier — try to go to bed at the same time every day, cut down on your caffeine intake, and develop a routine to relax before bed, such as taking a bath or reading a book. You can also try practice calming your thoughts, for example by doing guided meditation or breathing exercises.

But although most of us are sad after a breakup, for some, breakups can trigger depressive episodes. And changes in your sleeping habits are one sign that your post-breakup blues may have tipped from "just sadness" into something more serious. (Other signs are changes in appetite, hygiene, and concentration, as well as feelings of helplessness, worthlessness, or hopelessness.)

After a breakup, "the first 30 days or so is just part of the natural grieving process," Chloe Carmichael, PhD, a psychologist in New York City, previously told Refinery29. But if you’re still experiencing these symptoms after that, she added, it’s a time to seek professional support. And hey, going to therapy after a breakup is almost always a good idea, anyway.

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/cant-sleep-after-breakup

Insomnia While Travelling

From advrider.com

Not being able to sleep can feel horrible – but insomnia while traveling is even worse. Sleep deprivation, according to research, can impair your cognitive function, which means riding your bike after a sleepless night might be dangerous. More than that, however, insomnia will leave you feeling tired, irritable, and anxious, and the less you sleep, the worse it gets.
When on the road, a myriad things can cause insomnia. Jet lag if you’re flying and riding, noisy hostel roommies, or simply being in a strange country on your own can induce insomnia thanks to stress and excitement.
So if you’re experiencing insomnia while traveling, here’s what you can do to combat it.

Peace and Quiet

If you know you’re sensitive when it comes to a good night’s sleep, don’t stay at backpacker hostels. They may be fun and much more economical than hotels, but they’re also noisy – and you never know what your roommates will be like. They might come back after a pub crawl at 4am and wake everybody up, they may snore, decide to get up at 2am to catch their next bus, or just have a party right there in the room. Get a private room, a hotel room, or an AirBnB place for some privacy and restful sleep.

Blacking It Out

In many countries around the world, noise is perceived differently. Loud music, traffic noise, and loud conversations are the norm in many parts of the world, so even if you’ve got your own room, there might be music blaring loudly until midnight or later, and asking people to turn the volume down might not work. Invest in some good quality ear plugs and a sleep mask to black out the noise and lights for some peace and quiet.

Meditation

Sometimes, you may get insomnia simply because you’re stressed or anxious. To prevent your mind from racing, listen to a guided sleep meditation – there is a variety of them available on Youtube for free, and they can work wonders in helping you calm down and drift off to sleep.

https://advrider.com/insomnia-while-traveling/

EARLY WARNING Insomnia and 7 other signs of a heart attack that start one month before deadly event

From thesun.co.uk/news

SOMEONE clutching their chest tends to be the stereotypical image when we think of someone having a heart attack.

But in reality it's rarely that dramatic.

                                                        Credit: Getty - Contributor

Many people don't realise that you can have a heart attack without feeling any chest pain at all.
In fact, there are some early warning signs that can present themselves up to a month before the life-threatening event.
Most of which can easily be confused with other conditions - or simply overlooked.
It's especially the case for women who experts say are less likely to seek medical attention and treatment quickly.

Prevention is always better than cure so it's valuable to know what to look out for.
Here are some of the warning signs...

1. Fatigue

We can also experience feeling tired from time to time, but experts say that extreme fatigue can be a sign that something is wrong.
It's much more likely to affect women - around 70 per cent - who also may also put their symptoms down to flu, according to Healthline.

Feel exhausted for no reason could begin months before a heart attack, which is why it's vital to see a doctor as early as possible.

2. Abdominal pain

Pain in the abdomen, empty or full stomach nausea, feeling bloated and an upset stomach are some of the most common symptoms.
Some 50 per cent of cases of a heart attack involved some sort of abdominal pain, according to Bright Side.
They have an episodic nature - easing and then returning for short periods of time.

As heart attacks tend to affect older people, these signs are often dismissed as heartburn or other food-related complications.
If you normally have a tough stomach, then this could be a signal from your body that something is up.

3. Insomnia

Insomnia is also linked with an increased risk of heart attack or stroke - and is more common among women.
Symptoms include difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, and early-morning awakening.
Experts have previously found significant associations between insomnia and heart attack risk.
Researchers in China, reporting in the journal Neurology, found that people who had three types of insomnia symptoms were 18 per cent more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.

4. Shortness of breath

The heart pumps blood so it can circulate to your tissues and get oxygen to your lungs.
If your heart can't pump blood effectively - as is the case with a heart attack - then it can cause breathlessness.
This symptom is diagnosed in 40 per cent of cases and is a strong feeling of being unable to draw a deep breath.
It can be an accompanying symptom to unusual fatigue in women, but can occur for both genders up to six months prior to a heart attack.

5. Hair loss

Losing hair is considered to be another visible indicator of the risk of heart disease.
It tends to most commonly affect men over 50, but some women may also be affected.
Pay close attention to losing hair from the crown of your head especially, says Bright Side.

6. Irregular heartbeat

Heart rhythm problems, known as arrhythmias, occur when the electrical impulses that coordinate your heartbeats don't work properly, causing your heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly, according to Mayo Clinic.
It may feel like a fluttering or racing heart and can be accompanied by a panic attack, especially among women.
Some people report that the irregular heartbeat lasts for one to two minutes. If it doesn't fade you may feel dizziness or extreme fatigue.
If you are suffering this symptom it's important to speak to a GP immediately or call 111.

7. Excessive sweating

Sweating more than usual - especially if you've not been active - could be an early warning sign.
Pumping blood around clogged arteries takes more effort from your heart, so your body sweats more to try to keep the body temperature down.
Women often mistake this symptom as a hot flush or a night sweat more typical of menopause.
But if you wake up and the sheets are damp or experience cold sweats and clammy skin then it's worth consulting your doctor.

8. Chest pain

Chest pain, or discomfort, is one of the most common early sign of a heart attack.
People have described it as feeling like an elephant standing on their chest.
Others say it's more of a chest tightness or squeezing sensation.
It may seem bad for a few minutes and then go away, and come back hours or even a day later.

Chest pain tends to affect just 30 per cent of women - which is why it's vital to know the other signs.
If you are suffering this symptom, speak to your GP immediately or call 111 for advice.
A heart attack is a medical emergency and can be life threatening.
If you think you or someone else is having a heart attack, call 999 for an ambulance immediately.
If you’re not sure, it’s still important to seek medical attention as soon as possible to be on the safe side.

WHAT IS A HEART ATTACK?

• A heart attack happens when the heart muscle is starved of oxygen-rich blood, often as a result of a blockage
• The lack of oxygen causes the muscle to be damaged
• Most heart attacks are triggered by coronary heart disease, the British Heart Foundation notes
• This is when the coronary arteries – the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with oxygen-rich blood, become narrowed by a gradual build-up of fat inside the walls
• If a piece of this fatty material breaks away, it can cause a blood clot or blockage to form. If it then blocks the coronary artery it can cut off the blood supply to the heart

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10378320/insomnia-signs-heart-attack-month-before/

How to Sleep Better for More Productive Days

From thefutureofthings.com

When you work in a home office as a telecommuter, it’s important to sleep well. However, sleeping is sometimes difficult.  There are several steps you can take to sleep better. Many of these tips are home remedies that you can easily manage before bedtime, but other sleep issues need the attention of a professional. Knowing how to sleep better will help you be more alert during the day.

Potential Causes of Poor Sleep 

Insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. It is divided into acute, short-term insomnia and chronic insomnia. Short-term insomnia occurs under stressful life conditions, while chronic insomnia is likely due to changes in the environment, shift work, clinical disorders, unhealthy sleep habits and certain medications. Side effects of insomnia include fatigue, difficulty concentrating, mood disturbances, and low energy. Both can be helped with the removal of stressful situations. 
For better sleep, it’s important to examine the likely causes of insomnia. Several potential causes include caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, sleeping pills, and bright lights. 

Caffeine in drinks such as coffee and tea can keep you awake. You should avoid products with caffeine even four to six hours before bedtime. Alcohol too, like caffeine, can disturb sleep rhythms. While drinking alcohol acts as a sedative, it can then act as a stimulant, keeping you from a deep sleep.  Refrain from drinking alcohol before bed for better sleep. Nicotine from tobacco is another stimulant.  While not smoking is ideal, avoiding tobacco before bed should improve sleep. 

While seemingly helpful, sleeping pills can have the exact opposite of their intended effect. They do so by causing dependency, at which point the efficacy wears off. They can also be extremely dangerous when combined with alcohol. Finally, natural sunlight determines our body’s rhythms. By using artificial light sources such as smartphones, computers, and tablets before bedtime, we negatively affect our body’s natural sleep cycle. Turn off devices at least an hour before bed to improve your sleep. 

Other Good Habits for Better Sleep 

In addition to tackling bad habits that cause insomnia, there are several good habits you can pick up to encourage better sleep. 
Try light exercise three hours before bedtime to prime your body for sleep. Going to bed and waking at the same time each day also helps set your body’s internal clock. Clean your air filter to help you breathe easy, promoting better sleep. Dirty air filters in your air conditioner or furnace create dirty air, making it hard for you to breathe and therefore affecting your sleep. Clean or change your air filters.

Sleep Apnea and Better Sleep 

Sometimes, professional help is required for better sleep. 
Sleep apnea is a medical problem that limits better sleep. People with sleep apnea often do not get the oxygen they need, preventing them from getting a good night’s rest. There are two forms of sleep apnea, obstructive and central. Obstructive apnea is airway blockage when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses. Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain fails to signal the body to breathe properly. Snoring and fatigue are common symptoms. Speak with your healthcare provider if you suspect sleep apnea is a problem interfering with better sleep. 
If you have trouble sleeping, consider using one of the above tips to improve your body’s ability to get a good night’s rest. 

https://thefutureofthings.com/13736-how-to-sleep-better-for-more-productive-days/

Let it go, get to sleep

From toledoblade.com

Tired of sleepless nights? If you’ve already tried warm milk, counting sheep, and any number of other remedies for insomnia without success, you might consider becoming more forgiving.
It turns out, according to a new study published this fall in the journal Psychology & Health, that being more forgiving — to others and to yourself — is associated with getting a better night’s sleep.

The study, conducted with more than 1,400 American adults, asked participants to score themselves regarding how likely they were to forgive themselves and others. Then researchers also asked study participants to take a survey on their sleep habits and general satisfaction with life over the previous month.

It turns out that the people who described themselves as forgiving also were the most likely study participants to say they slept well and were happy with their lives.

Experts suspect that the connection is rooted in the idea that people who can let go of resentment, regrets, and other hurt feelings are more likely to be able to relax their minds sufficiently to achieve quality sleep. Likewise, people who let anger, bitterness, and other negative emotions linger on their minds find that those feelings interrupt their capacity to fall into a restful sleep.
Researchers were quick to point out their work doesn’t prove that forgiveness cures sleep problems. But the findings do reinforce other similar studies.

And isn’t it reassuring when science can substantiate generations-old advice of spiritual leaders, parents, and other wise people, that forgiveness is good for you?
Good, quality sleep is also good for you, as most of us know. Chronic sleep problems can be linked to heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.

So if lack of sleep is frustrating you, consider cutting yourself and everyone else in your life a little slack.
Letting go of negative emotions can probably help you drift off to dreamland in peace.

https://www.toledoblade.com/opinion/editorials/2019/11/09/let-it-go-scientists-link-forgiveness-to-getting-sleep/stories/20191025181

Drinks That Will Help You Get Better Sleep

From medicaldaily.com

Adults aging from 18 to 60 should get seven to nine hours of sleep the least every night, according to experts. But it is just hard to fall asleep sometimes. Good thing there are several beverages that can help improve nightly rest.

Here are some of the beverages that can help you get a good night sleep.

Ashwagandha Tea
Commonly considered as a powerful medicinal plant, ashwagandha (particularly its roots) contain compounds that induce sleep especially when taken in large amounts. A study conducted on mice revealed an active ingredient in the plant’s leaves called triethylene glycol that promotes a phase in sleep when the body renews its bones and tissues.
Drinking ashwagandha tea helps people relax, consequently improving the quality of sleep. Even though the plant extract is regarded safe for human consumption, people with autoimmune disorders, are taking maintenance drugs, or are pregnant or lactating are advised to remain cautious when drinking the beverage.

Chamomile Tea
Not only can this plant from the Asteraceae family help relieve cold symptoms, enhance skin health and alleviate inflammation, but it can also enhance the quality of sleep.
According to studies, a 400 mg intake of the chamomile extract for 28 days straight has shown better sleep quality among 60-year-olds without any side effects. Moreover, physical manifestations of insufficient sleep dramatically improved in 80 female subjects after two weeks of drinking the beverage every day.

Peppermint Tea
Drinking peppermint tea helps ease gastrointestinal discomfort at night, consequently inducing sleep. However, more research about the tea's sedative effect is still needed.
Peppermint tea is safe to drink, but consuming it with certain maintenance drugs might just cause some drug interactions. So before drinking the peppermint extract, consult with your healthcare provider for a much healthier result.

Valerian Tea
Valerian tea is found to benefit menopausal women having difficulties in sleeping. Taking 530 mg of valerian capsule twice daily for four weeks have shown sleep quality improvement among 30 percent of postmenopausal women, according to one study.
However, experts concluded that further research is still necessary before giving specific dosage recommendations and treatment modes despite a wide range of findings suggesting that the tea can alleviate insomnia. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that pregnant or nursing women and children below three years of age avoid valerian tea.
Moreover, the plant's roots can induce sedation, therefore it should never be taken with alcohol or depressants like benzodiazepines and barbiturates.

Cherry Juice
Drinking two cups (480 ml) of cherry juice per day may enhance sleeping hours since cherries contain tryptophan that is thought to induce sleep. Tryptophan is a type of amino acid that forms melatonin - the hormone responsible for sleep-wake cycle.
One study conducted has shown 84 minutes increased sleep time from drinking the beverage daily for a matter of two weeks. The same study revealed that cherry juice has helped relieved insomnia among 50-year-olds and above.
Additionally, there are also studies that found higher melatonin levels in people consuming tart cherry drink, and improved sleep in individuals drinking cherry-based products two times daily.

Milk

A glass of warm milk at night can help improve sleep quality because of milk's tryptophan content. Just like cherry juice, tryptophan found in milk produces the sleep-regulating hormone called melatonin, which promotes sleep.
Other tryptophan containing beverages that can better sleep are golden milk, almond milk and banana-almond smoothies.

https://www.medicaldaily.com/drinks-will-help-get-better-sleep-445278

When your teenager can’t sleep through the night

From todayonline.com

NEW YORK — Sleeping through the night is a hot topic in paediatrics, so it was no surprise that there was a standing-room-only crowd for a lecture on it at the national conference of the American Academy of Paediatrics in New Orleans in October.

The speaker, Dr Adiaha Spinks-Franklin, a developmental behavioural paediatrician, did her training at Children’s Hospital, Boston, where her teachers included the paediatric sleep expert, Dr Richard Ferber, whose name has become a verb: “we Ferberized our baby.”

But Dr Spinks-Franklin, an associate professor of paediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, wasn’t talking about the burning question of whether to let babies cry. In her presentation, “Strategies to Help Sleepless Teens,” she started by reviewing the factors that can contribute to inadequate sleep in adolescents: social media and electronic devices in the bedroom. Intensely caffeinated drinks. The pressures of heavily overloaded schedules, including academic demands, extracurricular activities, travel sports teams, jobs and social lives.

                                                                      Unsplash/twinsfisch

                   Paediatricians often see adolescents with insomnia, who have trouble falling                                       asleep or staying asleep, waking up too early or finding sleep not restful or refreshing

The biology of adolescent sleep reflects a natural and normal delay in melatonin secretion that leads to a later sleep onset time, which unfortunately coincides with early high school start times, creating a high-stress set up. Paediatricians often see adolescents with insomnia, who have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, waking up too early or finding sleep not restful or refreshing.   

                  

Evaluating insomnia in an adolescents means looking at the predisposing factors, she said, including how that adolescent responds to stress, and possible genetic influences, and the precipitating factors — the specific triggers for insomnia — and finally, the perpetuating factors, which can keep the pattern going.

All these adolescents should be screened for depression and anxiety, Dr Spinks-Franklin said; both can affect sleep onset or sleep maintenance. And both are alarmingly common in adolescents.

Chronic sleep deprivation can be caused by depression or anxiety, but it can also put kids at risk for depression and anxiety, as well as for obesity and diabetes.

And more immediately, it can mean that teenagers are not performing at their best, whether academically, in sports or behind the wheel of a car.

“I talk about sleep as being every bit as important as making sure they stay hydrated,” Dr Spinks-Franklin said. “I say, something has to give, your academic performance and your athletic performance are being damaged, your brain can’t even store what it has learned if you’re not getting enough sleep.”

Her presentation was crowded because so many paediatricians are seeing these kids. In a study presented as an abstract at this meeting, researchers looked at national survey data about the sleep habits of 49,050 children from 6 to 17, to see how many were getting enough sleep. They used the AAP guidelines for sufficient sleep: a minimum of nine hours a night for younger children and eight for adolescents.

Dr Hoi See Tsao, a paediatric emergency medicine fellow at Hasbro Children’s Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, who was the lead author on the study, got interested in the subject when she worked as a teacher and noticed that many of her students were tired in class. The researchers found that 31.9 per cent of the 13- to 17-year-olds did not get sufficient sleep.

The study looked at the association between how much sleep kids were getting and whether they appeared to be “flourishing” according to several measures. When parents and caretakers were asked about how their children were doing, the adolescents who were not getting eight hours of sleep a night had a 34 per cent increase in the odds of not showing interest or curiosity about learning new things, a 34 per cent increase in the odds of not staying calm when faced with a challenge, and a 36 per cent increase in the odds of not doing all their required homework.

Younger children who were not getting sufficient sleep (that is, an average of nine hours on weeknights for those 6 to 12) also had higher chances of not showing these flourishing markers — in fact, their parents were 61 per cent more likely to report that they did not show interest in learning new things.

This is a cross-sectional study, which shows association, not causation, but “it reinforces the importance of having children get enough sleep, the importance of setting good bedtime routines, a good sleep environment,” Dr Tsao said. This may mean changes in the home, she said, but also advocacy on a community level, changes in the school system — school start times, homework loads — and a rethinking of how fully scheduled the days of children and adolescents ought to be.

The consequences of sleep deprivation in adolescence include daytime fatigue, which can look like low energy and be marked by falling asleep in school, or like poor concentration and inattention. “The parent may be thinking the teen has ADHD,” Dr Spinks-Franklin said, but in fact, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is not something that develops suddenly in adolescence. And in addition to poor concentration, sleep deprivation may contribute to poor executive function, and an increased tendency toward bad judgment.

For some adolescents, this results in a more extreme picture, delayed sleep phase syndrome, in which they stay up later and later, trying to catch up by sleeping in on weekends, but shifting their circadian rhythms further away from being asleep at night and awake during the day. Treatment involves behavioural interventions, consistent wake-ups, scheduling changes and melatonin, but there is a high recurrence rate.

The strategies for helping adolescents sleep in healthy patterns are similar to the resolutions we make for ourselves as adults. Stay away from caffeine for at least four hours before bedtime, and practice consistent bedtimes and wake-up times.

Avoid all screens for an hour before bedtime, Dr Spinks-Franklin said, since light suppresses the secretion of melatonin by the pineal gland, and it takes an hour to recover.

When there is conflict between parents and teenagers over sleep issues, often connected to phones and screens, she asks about other areas where power and control may be contested — curfews, mealtimes, homework — and sometimes recommends family therapy.

She suggested a cellphone jail to lock up devices at night, and urged parents to exercise their authority around getting screens — including phones — out of adolescent bedrooms. “Parents are in charge,” she said. “Parents are responsible for limits and boundaries and guidance around media use and the balance between media use and appropriate sleep.”

But Dr Spinks-Franklin knows how hard it can be for her patients to change their sleep habits: She has done it.

“When I graduated from fellowship and I moved to Texas, I called Dr Ferber and I said, ‘I need you to Ferberize me,’ and he did,” she said.

They discussed her evening schedule, the lighting in her apartment, the temperature, doing calming things before sleep, moving the TV out of the bedroom, turning off devices. She started reading paper books again, rather than reading on a device.

“If something is important to us, we figure out a way to do it — if sleep is a priority, you’ll figure it out.” THE NEW YORK TIMES

https://www.todayonline.com/world/when-your-teenager-cant-sleep-through-night