10 Tips to Fall Back Asleep After Waking Up at Night

From healthline.com

The inability to fall back asleep after waking up is medically known as sleep-maintenance insomnia. Studies have found that anywhere from 10 to 60 percent of people experience insomnia.

Other forms of insomnia can cause:

• difficulty falling asleep
• frequent awakenings
• spontaneous early morning awakenings

If you’re dealing with sleep-maintenance insomnia, it’s a good idea to look for potential reasons why you may be waking up in the first place. Needing to use the bathroom, a beam of early morning sunlight shining through your window, or loud sounds are a few of the potential causes.

Sometimes, waking up in the middle of the night is unavoidable. Having a strategy in place to help you get back to sleep can help you minimize the amount of time you spend staring at the ceiling.

Let’s go over 10 tips to fall back asleep after waking up at night. We’ll also look at what you can do if your insomnia is caused by stress or nightmares.

How to go back to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night

If you’re having trouble getting back to sleep after waking up, it’s a good idea to avoid anything mentally stimulating and to focus on relaxing. The following 10 tips may help you.

1. Get rid of bright lights or loud sounds

If you’re having trouble falling back asleep, look for any lights in your bedroom that may be disturbing you. LED lights from electronics and light coming through your window may it more difficult to fall back asleep.

If a disturbing sound is coming through your window from outside, try shutting your window to block it out. Using earplugs, turning on a fan, or listening to white noise can also help you drown out disturbing sounds.

2. Get out of bed and move

Many sleep experts recommend getting out of bed and going to a different room if you’re unable to fall back asleep within about 20 minutes.

Moving into a different room and doing something relaxing to distract your mind for a few minutes may make it easier to fall back asleep when you return.

3. Avoid staring at the clock

Staring at the clock may make you feel anxious about not sleeping, especially if you already deal with generalised anxiety disorder.

Research from 2019 found that the link between anxiety and sleep may work both ways. People who deal with anxiety often worry about falling asleep and people who have trouble falling asleep often feel anxious.

4. Avoid checking your phone or other screens

Screens from smartphones and other electronics emit blue light that may suppress your body’s melatonin production. Melatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland in your brain that helps regulate your circadian rhythm and sleep cycles.

While it’s best to avoid checking your phone at night because of the potential for mental stimulation, there are some ways to reduce your exposure to blue light.

Many devices offer a nightshift mode that changes your screen to a warmer tone. Glasses with amber lenses are also an inexpensive way to block out blue light.

5. Meditate or try breathing exercises

Performing breathing exercises or meditating may help calm your mind and induce sleep. These techniques may also distract you from worrying about falling asleep.

One exercise you can use is called the 4-7-8 breathing technique. With this technique, you inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale through your mouth.

6. Relax your muscles

One technique that many people find helps them relax and sleep is performing a full-body body scan.

Here’s one way you can perform a body scan:

1. Close your eyes and breathe slowly.
2. Focus on your face and think about relaxing each of the muscles.
3. Move to your neck and shoulders and think about relaxing them too.
4. Continue relaxing muscles in different parts of your body until you make it to your feet.

7. Keep your lights off

Even if you get out of bed, resist the temptation to turn on your lights. As with phone screens, the bright light can interfere with your body’s production of melatonin and stimulate wakefulness.

8. Focus on something boring

Any variation of the classic “counting sheep” technique, or a boring task that occupies your mind, may help distract you and make falling asleep easier. Reading a boring article or book may also work.

A part of your brain called the nucleus accumbens plays a role in motivation and pleasure. Research from 2017  suggests that this part of your brain might be the reason why you often feel sleepy when bored.

9. Listen to relaxing music

Relaxing music may help relax your mind and coax you to sleep. It can also block sounds that may be disrupting your sleep.

Research from 2018 has found that personal preference plays a large role in determining what type of music is best at stimulating sleep for each individual. You may want to experiment with several different types until you find one that works for you.

10. Try sleep apps

Many people find that sleep apps help them fall asleep faster by making them feel relaxed. There are many sleep apps on the market that offer relaxing stories, music, or sounds. Many of these apps offer free trials to give you time to find one that works for you.

How to go back to sleep after a nightmare

If you wake up in the middle of the night from a nightmare and have trouble getting back to sleep, you can use many of the same techniques mentioned above to clear your mind and relax:

• Use the 4-7-8 breathing technique or other mediation technique to slow your heart rate and breathing.
• Leave the room or try sleeping somewhere else.
• Listen to music that makes you feel calm.
• Focus your attention on something else for a few minutes.
• Turn on a fan or air conditioner if you feel hot.

How to go back to sleep when stressed

Stress and anxiety can make falling asleep difficult. Many people find that journaling about the things that stress them out helps relax and clear their minds.

You can also use some other techniques mentioned above, such as:

• mediation and breathing techniques
• focusing on something boring
• getting up and moving to a different room
• performing a body scan
• meditating

What to do if you’re waking up too early

If you’re waking up early in the morning, ask yourself if there’s an obvious cause. Do you wake up needing to use the bathroom? Are you particularly stressed right now?

If the cause isn’t obvious, you can try improving your overall sleep habits to improve your sleep quality. Here are some tips:

• Avoid liquids right before bed.
• Exercise regularly during the day.
• Keep screens out of your bedroom.
• Avoid screens 2 hours before bed, or use night mode.
• Avoid caffeine past mid-afternoon.
• Avoid nicotine and alcohol.
• Cover or turn off lights in your room.
• Avoid naps during the day, especially late in the day.
• Try to adopt a consistent sleep schedule.

When to see a doctor if you keep waking up at night

The occasional night of disrupted sleep isn’t a cause for concern, but if it’s becoming a pattern, you may want to talk with a doctor. They may be able to help you identify the cause of your poor sleep and help you find ways to adjust your sleep habits.

A doctor may recommend that you see a sleep specialist to look for an underlying cause or sleep disorder. A psychologist or psychiatrist may be able to help you deal with psychological issues disrupting your sleep, and a neurologist can help identify a physiological cause.

Takeaway

Waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to fall back asleep is called sleep-maintenance insomnia. Many people find that focusing on something relaxing or that lets them clear their mind helps them fall asleep faster.

If you can’t sleep after 20 minutes, you may want to move to another room for a few minutes before returning to bed.

But if you notice that your insomnia is becoming a pattern, you may want to talk with a doctor. They may be able to help you find the root of your insomnia or refer you to a sleep specialist.

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-go-back-to-sleep#summary

7 Essential Oils Useful For Inducing Sound Sleep

By Lopamudra Sinha

Sleep is a necessity of the body that brings rest to all the body organs, after a long day's activity. A person can rejuvenate his physical energy through a night's sleep, for at least 6 to 8 hours. But the crucial fact is that only a perfectly sound sleep can provide the desired result for the physical and mental stability of a person. On the contrary, disturbed sleep can lead the body to experience terrible fatigue throughout the day, as well as result in the lack of concentration and irritated mood.

But there are a few essential oils that are known to be effective in creating sound sleep, curing all the sleep disorders. These natural oils are all extracted from the flowers, fruits, and the wood of various kinds of trees and plants.

1. Lavender Oil - This sweet-scented oil is derived from the lavender flowers, which has an excellent effect to calm down anxious feelings. So it is best to apply this oil before going to bed at night, to ensure sound sleep without any disturbance. Only 1-2 drops of lavender oil should be added to the pillow or directly to the forehead, wrists, and feet of the user so that its soothing essence can help him/her fall asleep very quickly.

2. Roman Chamomile - Many people are used in the regular intake of chamomile tea for health reasons. However, this essential oil derived from the Roman chamomile plant is useful in relaxing the body and mind of a user. The soft herbal essence of this oil resembles the scent of apple to some extent. This sweet fragrance acts as a stress-reliever and reduces all negative emotions, like anger, bitterness, and irritation.

3. Cedarwood Oil - This oil is derived from the bark of the cedarwood tree. It is used for relaxing the agitated nerves, due to its natural sedative power. A few drops of this essential oil can be added to the pillow of a patient suffering from insomnia and watched the difference instantly. Apart from inducing a feeling of tranquillity, this oil helps in fighting common cold and different household pests.

4. Vetiver - This oil is obtained from vetiver grass, which is also called khus-khus in many Asian countries. It can be applied directly to the body skin for reducing mental stress, leading to sound sleep at night. It also works fast in soothing mental traumas and emotional shocks. It is used as a medicine for the relaxation of nerves and to stimulate the circulatory system of the body.

5. Valor - This essential oil is made by mixing rosewood oil, frankincense oil, black spruce oil, and blue tansy oil. Its woody scent helps in maintaining balance in the nervous system, resulting in increasing the physical and mental strength of the user. Moreover, it induces courage, self-confidence, and concentration. It also decreases the anxiety level, balances the emotional upheaval, and even reduces back pain. Hence, a few drops of this oil should be massaged on the wrists, feet, chest, and neck before going to bed or may be added to the massage oil for a full-body massage.

6. Orange - This oil is derived from the peels of fresh orange, for which it has a sweet, fruity fragrance that calms down a disturbed mind. While it uplifts the mood of the user and acts as an anti-depressant; this essential oil also known to have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It also contains d-limonene, which is an antioxidant and thus, helps in regenerating body cells.

7. Stress away - This essential oil is made by mixing lime essential oil and vanilla extract. Sometimes, other pure essential oils, like lavender oil and cedarwood oil are added to this useful oil to make it a more powerful sleep-inducing agent. The sweet citrus aroma of this oil calms down emotions and makes the user mentally peaceful, by driving out all tensions and hard feelings from his/her mind.

The best way of using these essential oils is to spray into the nostrils with the help of a small home diffuser. In the absence of such a tool, one can simply rub a few drops of any of these oils on the palms and inhale the essence, by cupping the hands in front of the nose. These oils can also be massaged gently on the neck, chest, hands, and feet, to induce faster and sounder sleep.

https://ezinearticles.com/?7-Essential-Oils-Useful-For-Inducing-Sound-Sleep&id=10339471

Is Your Sleep as Messed up as Ours These Days?

From phillymag.com

Two local sleep experts share why you’ve got insomnia or weird dreams, plus tips on how to get a better night’s sleep

For me, getting a good night’s sleep in the time of coronavirus has been challenging. Some nights I toss and turn until 3 a.m., other nights I go into hibernation mode and sleep for 14 hours straight. And then there are the super strange dreams — everything from giraffes flying down Broad Street to forgetting to wear my wedding dress on my big day. If I can find one consolation in all of this, it’s that I’m not the only one whose sleep is disrupted right now. A recent limited study conducted by SleepStandards revealed that the coronavirus outbreak has negatively impacted the sleep of nearly 77-percent of Americans. Whether you are experiencing disrupted sleep, prolonged sleep, or vivid dreams, it looks like many of us are in this — tiredly — together.

To help us figure out where our sleep issues are coming from, we turned two local sleep experts: Thanuja Hamilton, board-certified sleep medicine specialist with Advocare Pulmonary and Sleep Physicians of South Jersey, and Philip Gehrman, associate professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. Plus, they share tips on how to get more Z’s amidst coronavirus chaos.

These days, tossing and turning instead of getting a good night’s sleep has become the norm for many. | Photo by Getty Images.

If you’ve got insomnia…

…you’re likely stressed. Living through a global pandemic has brought on stress, fear, and even grief for many people. And typically, this emotional toll affects sleep first. Both of our experts agree that anxiety — over how to pay the bills, children’s schooling, getting infected, the health of loved ones, or being stuck inside and feeling isolated — is the main cause of your insomnia. It’s likely due to increased levels of cortisol, our natural stress hormone that’s released whenever we perceive danger and prepares the body for fight or flight. Since coronavirus anxiety doesn’t seem to be subsiding for most folks, we mentally remain on high alert, which can keep you up at night or wake you up with racing thoughts.

If you’re over-sleeping…

…it’s likely because your overall schedule has changed. Some people are working from home, and therefore, don’t have to wake up as early to get ready or deal with their daily commute. Others are unfortunately out of work and might not have familiar structure to their day. Our experts say that not maintaining a regular bedtime and wake-up time can turn the luxury of sleeping in on weekends into a daily occurrence.

If you’ve been having vivid dreams…

…it’s stress. Again. Gehrman says that stress and emotional distress can infiltrate our subconscious and impact the content of our dreams. In other words, “altered dream content may just reflect our overall emotional state,” he says. This is especially true if you’re watching or reading the news right before bed, or thinking or worrying about mainly one thing that day. But Gehrman also says that we may not actually be having weirder dreams, but remembering our dreams more than usual. “When we’re in a state of tension, stress, or anxiety, we often don’t sleep as deeply,” Gehrman says. “This can mean that our brain is still sufficiently alert to store the content of our dreams in memory, whereas normally we sleep too deeply for that to occur.”

Additionally, Hamilton points to eating habits as a possible cause. Foods that are acidic, greasy, and sugary, as well as caffeinated or alcoholic drinks, can not only cause indigestion, but can disrupt your sleep and even affect dreams.

Make simple changes to your daytime and bedtime routines

To help you get a better night’s sleep, our experts offer the following tips:

• Keep your daytime activities on a somewhat regular schedule. That includes setting an alarm for roughly the same time every morning, maintaining meal times, and keeping your bedtime consistent.
• Soak up the sun early in the day, if you can. Hamilton says doing so can help keep your circadian rhythm in check, while also boosting our immune system.
• Make time for exercise. Not only is moving your body good for your overall health, but it releases endorphins, improves your mood, and expends energy to help you sleep better at night. Activities as simple as talking a casual walk in the evening or doing a few yoga stretches can help you feel more in tune with your body.
• Shut down electronics, turn off the news, and avoid caffeine and alcohol at least one hour before bed. Doing so can help reduce pre-sleep anxiety and insomnia.
• In the evening (not right before bed), write down a list of the things on your mind. You might end up writing about things that are currently stressing you out, or things you are grateful for. Whatever it is, you end up taking the steam out of your thoughts and put them on paper, which can mitigate insomnia.
• Try an evening meditation. Local offerings from wellness practitioners like Luna Maye, Kiera Smalls, Danielle Mercurio, and Adriana Adelé are a good place to start if you don’t already have a meditation practice in place.

Or, try these at-home remedies

If you need some extra help, Hamilton says creating a bedtime routine can have a calming effect on your mental, emotional, and physical states. You should figure out what soothes you, and try to replicate that process nightly as much as possible. Possible remedies to include in your routine include drinking chamomile tea, lighting lavender- or bergamot-scented candles (that you remember to blow out before you fall asleep!), use of essential oil roll-ons or diffusers, a warm bath or shower, and curling up under a heavy comforter or a weighted blanket.

Some foods and drinks naturally contain sleep-assisting hormones. The Cleveland Clinic recommends trying to snack on unsaturated fats like peanut butter, walnuts, almonds, and pistachios. Johns Hopkins Medicine advises trying a glass of tart cherry juice before bed: “Tart cherries are a natural source of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin,” they say. They also recommend eating complex carbohydrates, such as whole-wheat toast or a bowl of oatmeal before bed, explaining that “these foods will trigger the release of the sleepy hormone serotonin, and they don’t take long to digest.”

If you feel you need to try a sleep aid, Hamilton recommends trying the lowest dose of melatonin, the body’s natural sleep hormone. Take it an hour or two before bedtime since that’s when our body secretes it, and use it two or three times per week, if needed. Even though it’s non-habit forming, you can develop dependence or tolerance with anything you take nightly.

https://www.phillymag.com/be-well-philly/2020/11/24/coronavirus-insomnia-dreams/

How to take a power nap, according to a sleep expert

From cnet.com

Power naps can save your energy and focus, if you do it right

One of the best perks of working from home is the flexibility to take a nap break . When you're working from an office, taking a nap on your lunch break -- or anytime during the day for that matter -- is next to impossible. Now that your bed is an easy commute from your desk, you can escape for a quick snooze on those days when you need an extra boost. 

But, taking a nap during the workday is not so straightforward. If you simply head to bed or the couch and hope for the best, you might sleep too long and miss a call or meeting. Sleeping too long during the day may also backfire later, when you can't fall asleep at night. If you're looking to take a nap that leaves you feeling refreshed and does not ruin your sleep later, the best type of nap to take is a power nap. 

Power naps can help you feel more energized -- if you do them right. Getty Images

What is a power nap?

"Power naps are typically considered a 20- or 30-minute nap. If you're having trouble powering through the second half of the day or if you feel sleepy sometimes, taking these naps can really help you maintain alertness and can be either in addition to, or instead of using coffee or other forms of caffeine," says Dr. Deirdre Ann Conroy, a behavioural sleep specialist at the University of Michigan. 

Conroy warns that power naps are not a great idea for everyone, in particular people who have difficulty sleeping at night or insomnia. "Taking naps during the day can really interfere with the quality of sleep that you get at night. And so we typically recommend people who have trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep to avoid napping during the day," says Dr. Conroy. 

How to take a power nap 

If you don't have sleep issues or insomnia and want to try power napping, follow the tips below from Dr. Conroy on how to take a power nap when you feel sleepy or want a quick energy boost. 

Set an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes max

It may not seem like much, but 20-minute naps are the sweet spot when it comes to helping you feel more awake and not groggy. Dr. Conroy advises setting an alarm to ensure you don't snooze for too long. "If we think about our sleep cycle, we tend to transition into very deep stages of sleep after about 20 to 30 minutes. And so you actually don't want to have a long sleep period in the middle of the day. You can feel better after about 20 to 30 minutes of lighter stages of sleep," Dr. Conroy says.

Staying in the lighter sleep stages during your nap is key to making sure you feel better, since waking up from a deep sleep suddenly during the day (or anytime) can feel jarring and make you feel less-than-rested. 

Take your nap earlier in the day

Timing when you take your nap is just as important as limiting how long you sleep for. If you take a power nap too late in the day, you risk messing up your sleep later that night. No matter how tired you are, you want to prioritize solid sleep at night over a shorter nap time during the day. 

In terms of an ideal time frame, Dr. Conroy says that can vary because "internal clocks are all different. I've heard people say not [to nap] after 5 p.m., but my 5 p.m. might be different than your 5 p.m. So I just like to keep it general, like early in the day or evening time, whatever that is for you," says Dr. Conroy.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

https://www.cnet.com/health/how-to-take-a-power-nap-according-to-a-sleep-expert/

New Study Shows Healthy Sleep Habits Help Lower Risk of Heart Failure by 42%

From goodnewsnetwork.org

Adults with the healthiest sleep patterns—those who are morning risers, sleeping 7-8 hours a day with no frequent insomnia—experienced a 42% reduction in the risk of heart failure compared to those with unhealthy sleep patterns.

Copyright American Heart Association

And this remains the case regardless of other risk factors, according to new research published by the American Heart Association in the journal Circulation.

Heart failure affects more than 26 million people, and emerging evidence indicates sleep problems may play a role in the development of heart failure.

This observational study described healthy sleep patterns as early rising in the morning, sleeping 7-8 hours a day, and having no frequent insomnia, snoring or excessive daytime sleepiness.

It included data on 408,802 UK participants, ages 37 to 73, who were recruited between 2006 and 2010. Incidence of heart failure was collected until 2019, with researchers recording 5,221 cases of heart failure during a median follow-up of 10 years.

After collecting data through touchscreen questionnaires, researchers analysed sleep quality and overall sleep patterns, including whether the participant was a night owl and if they were likely to unintentionally doze off or fall asleep during the daytime.

“The healthy sleep score we created was based on the scoring of these five sleep behaviours,” said Lu Qi, M.D., Ph.D., corresponding author and professor of epidemiology and director of the Obesity Research Centre at Tulane University in New Orleans. “Our findings highlight the importance of improving overall sleep patterns to help prevent heart failure.”

After adjusting for diabetes, hypertension, medication use, genetic variations, and other co-variates, participants with the healthiest sleep pattern had a 42% reduction in the risk of heart failure compared to people with an unhealthy sleep pattern.

They also found the risk of heart failure was independently associated and:

8% lower in early risers;
12% lower in those who slept 7 to 8 hours daily;
17% lower in those who did not have frequent insomnia; and
34% lower in those reporting no daytime sleepiness.

The researchers noted other unmeasured or unknown adjustments may have also influenced the findings, but the study’s strengths include its novelty, prospective study design, and large sample size.

Funding came from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, along with the Boston Obesity Nutrition Research Centre.

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/study-shows-healthy-sleep-habits-lower-heart-failure-risk/

Worn out and worn down? What to do about fatigue

From texarkanagazette.com

When The Beatles crooned "I'm So Tired," they aptly described a sleepless night fuelled by upset over a relationship gone wrong. And that certainly describes one form of weariness.

But fatigue is something quite different, medically. It's a recognized condition that's distinct from apathy, exercise intolerance, weakness or lack of strength, or tiredness. It can be acute, lasting less than a month — and can be related to everything from overtraining to insomnia and temporary stress.

Or it can be chronic, persisting for months. In such cases, it may be a symptom associated with sleep apnea; anemia; medications; neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's; cancer and cancer treatment; autoimmune diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis; mental health challenges such as depression; low thyroid function; or chronic stress and anxiety. In some cases, it's a symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome (characterized by persistent fatigue for six months or more and other symptoms). Whatever the cause, a nap or sound night's sleep doesn't relieve it.

How you experience and react to fatigue is influenced by everything from your psychological outlook, personality type and life experience to your overall health. That's why doctors have developed a new way to measure its impact, called fatigability. It assesses how fatigued you feel in the context of your everyday activities. They have discovered that while one person may struggle with an activity, another person who reports similar fatigue may not get so worn down by it. They have a lower fatigability score! That helps doctors tailor therapies and medical interventions to each individual.

How common is fatigue? Fatigue is estimated to account for 10 million doctor visits in the U.S. annually. A Centres for Disease Control and Prevention survey looking at fatigue for the years 2010-2011 found that among adults 18 to 44, women were nearly twice as likely as men (15.7% versus 8.7%) to often feel very tired or exhausted. A recent study published in BMJ Open found that fatigue had increased. In their sample, 20% of folks ages 45 to 86 reported fatigue.

Important fact: The researchers stressed that in older folks, fatigue shouldn't be viewed as expected or related to aging but should be seen as a possible signal of an underlying health condition that needs to be addressed.

What should you do about persistent fatigue?

When fatigue is persistent, upsetting and interferes with everyday living, you want to take effective action to alleviate it. Step numero uno is to upgrade your nutrition. You want to adopt an anti-inflammatory diet that excludes added sugars and syrups, highly processed foods, refined grains and red and processed meats.

A recent study in the journal Nutrients found that "a balanced diet with whole grains high in fibres [100% whole], polyphenol-rich vegetables [cruciferous veggies, legumes, dark leafy greens] and omega-3 fatty-acid-rich foods [salmon and sardines] might be able to improve disease-related fatigue symptoms." We bet it will also help people with chronic stress or anxiety-related fatigue.

Next, you want to walk or do other moderate exercise as much and as often as you comfortably can. (The exception may be if you have chronic fatigue syndrome. In which case, ask your doc before exercising.) If your fatigue is related to chronic stress, anxiety or depression, exercise will help manage those emotional challenges. And fatigue related to neurological conditions such as MS and various cancers is also greatly improved with exercise, including aerobics, resistance training, yoga and tai chi.

Equally important is working with your doctor to determine if you have an underlying medical condition (diagnosed already or not) that's triggering fatigue.

Ask for an evaluation to determine your fatigability score.

Also ask your doctor or pharmacist if fatigue could be the side effect of any medications or combination of medications you're taking. Make adjustments if needed.

Lastly, if you are diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, look for a specialist in your area to work with, or contact the National Chronic Fatigue Foundation at www.ncf-net.org and check out the CDC resources at www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/index.html.

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of "The Dr. Oz Show," and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer Emeritus at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into "The Dr. Oz Show" or visit www.sharecare.com.

(c)2020 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.

King Features Syndicate

https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/features/story/2020/nov/21/worn-out-and-worn-down-what-do-about-fatigue/849930/

New Research Reveals Link Between Healthy Sleep Habits and Lower Risk of Heart Failure

From sciencetimes.com

New research recently published by Circulation, the American Heart Association's flagship journal, showed that adults who have the healthiest sleep patterns had a 42-percent lower risk of heart failure regardless of other factors than adults who have unhealthy sleep patterns.

The study also specified that healthy sleep patterns typically arise in the morning, sleeping from seven to eight hours each day and having no frequent attacks of insomnia, frequent snoring, and excessive sleepiness during daytime.

Reports on this condition impact over 26 million people, and evolving evidence specifies that sleep problems may play a role in the development and occurrence of heart failure.

Link Between Sleep Pattern and Heart Failure Investigated

This observational research investigated the link between healthy sleep patterns and heart failure. It comprised data on more than 400,000 UK Biobank participants whose ages range from 37 to 73 years at the time of recruitment between 2006 and 2010.

The occurrence of heart failure was collected until April 2019. Study authors were able to record more than 5,200 cases of heart failure during the 10-year median follow-up.

Researchers assessed sleep quality, as well as general sleep patterns. The gauges of sleep quality comprised sleep duration, insomnia, and snoring, as well as features associated with sleep.

Among these features include whether the study participant was considered a "night owl" or an "early bird," and if they experienced any sleepiness at daytime, likely to doze off or fall asleep during the day unintentionally.

                                                                 (Photo : Pixabay)
New research shows the essentiality of improving overall sleep patterns to contribute to the prevention of heart failure.

Importance of Improving Overall Sleep Patterns Highlighted

According to the study's corresponding author and epidemiology professor and director of the Obesity Research Centre at New Orleans-based Tulane University, Lu Qi MD, PhD, the healthy sleep score "we created was based on the scoring of these five sleep behaviours."

Their findings, the professor added, underscore the essentiality of improving overall sleep patterns to contribute to the prevention of heart failure.

Reports on the study said, sleep behaviours were collected by means of "touchscreen questionnaires." Duration of sleep was specifically defined into three different groups, including short or less than seven hours of sleep each day; recommended or between seven and eight hours of sleep each day; and prolonged or nine hours or longer sleep every day.

Following their adjustments for certain conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, use of medicine, and genetic variations, as well as other covariates, participants who had the healthiest sleep patter were found to have a 42-percent reduction in the risk of heart failure than to those who had an unhealthy sleep pattern.

Other Findings

Researchers also found that the risk of heart failure was independently linked and, eight-percent lower among early riser; 12-percent lower in people who had seven to eight hours of sleep each day; 17-percent lower in people who did not experience frequent insomnia; and 34-percent lower in people who said they did not experience daytime sleepiness.

Furthermore, as indicated in the study, the sleep behaviours of participants were self-reported, and the information on sleep-behaviour changes during follow-up were unavailable.

The study authors noted other unmeasured or unidentified adjustments, which may have influenced the findings as well. Qi also noted that the strengths of their study comprise its originality, prospective study design, and enormous sample size.

https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/28335/20201120/new-research-reveals-link-between-healthy-sleep-habits-lower-risk.htm

How to Manage Insomnia During the Pandemic & Lockdowns

From thriveglobal.com

Since the pandemic commenced, the number of people battling insomnia has increased enormously on a global scale. So much so that it has now been coined “coranasomnia”. Research suggests that at least 50% of insomnia cases are related to stress, anxiety or emotion. And, a recent study with over 17,000 participants found that 60% of people are ‘moderately or extremely’ distressed during COVID-19 lockdowns. So if you’re battling insomnia or 3am wake-ups during the pandemic, follow these science-based strategies and you should see improvement in your sleep.

1. Implement an evening routine that promotes good sleep hygiene.

Each step in my routine activates your parasympathetic nervous system which counteracts cortisol (the stress hormone) – the underlying cause of insomnia and midnight wake-ups.

1. Wear blue light blocking glasses, especially if watching tv, reading or journalling.
2. Apply lavender oil to the insides of your wrists and soles of feet or use a lavender diffuser.
3. Take a lukewarm shower an hour before bed.
4. Eat a dinner or light bedtime snack that contains tryptophan and whole grain carbs.
5. Take supplements that assist in reducing anxiety and support sleep such as magnesium, fish oil, 5HTP, melatonin and herbal teas such as chamomile and passionflower.
6. Employ deep breathing, meditation exercises or activities that promote relaxation such as journalling, reading or yoga.
7. Prepare your bedroom environment for optimal sleep. Maintain a clean, cool and dark room that is ideally free of electronic devices (including no tv). Set bedroom temperature to 64-69 degrees Fahrenheit (18-21 degrees Celsius). Listen to white noise.

Head to Thrive with Ali for the extended version of my sleep routine.

2. Control your inputs.

Limit consumption of news, social media and tense conversations, especially in the evening. Ideally, limit exposure to pandemic, election and mainstream news to 30 minutes per day.

If you wake during the night, then:

1. Avoid Blue Light Exposure

Whatever you do, don’t check your phone. Your phone emits blue light which suppresses melatonin (the sleep hormone) & enhances cortisol (the stress hormone). Research shows that just 5 minutes of blue light exposure delays your circadian rhythm by 2.3 hours. What does this mean? If your circadian rhythm is delayed by 2.3 hours, it’ll take you an extra 2.3 hours to feel alert and energetic when you wake in the morning. So if you decide to read or watch tv, be sure to put on your night time blue light blocking glasses.

2. Practice Deep Breathing and/or Meditation

Meditation has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety by 60% as it induces a physiological state of deep rest. There are a number of apps available to assist with this. But if meditation isn’t your thing, don’t worry – deep breathing is just as effective. Try this exercise:-

1. Lay down and close your eyes.
2. Gently breathe in through your nose, with your mouth closed, for a count of six seconds. Don’t fill your lungs too full of air.
3. Exhale for six seconds, allowing your breath to leave your body slowly and gently.
4. Repeat for up to 10 minutes.

3. Repeat my Sleep Routine (omitting steps 4 & 5 if you did these before you went to bed).

4. Brain Dump!

Anxiety often = mind racing uncontrollably. So grab your journal and brain dump. It’s best to keep a journal specifically for this purpose and keep it beside your bed for easy access. Brain dumping is a tool often recommended by healthcare professionals to remedy anxiety because it slows your thoughts and gets everything off your mind which means you don’t become overwhelmed or consumed by your thoughts.

When journalling, ask yourself the following questions:-

1. Am I safe right now? Look around. Are you safe in this moment? If so, acknowledge it.
2. What is making me feel stressed/anxious? Identify the stressor and write it down. Once identified, ask yourself: Is it true? Most likely, it isn’t.
3. How can I learn from this experience?
4. How can it benefit me?
5. What is the positive in this situation?
6. What do I have in my life right now to be grateful for?

5. Sleep with a Weighted Blanket

In a recent study, 63% of people reported feeling less anxious when sleeping with a weighted blanket and 78% preferred using a weighted blanket to calm down. Weighted blankets are designed to provide a warm, gentle pressure on the user that mimics the feeling of being held (known as Deep Touch Pressure). This type of pressure has been shown to increase serotonin (happiness hormone) which is involved in the regulation of sleep. Similarly, the feeling of being held from a weighted blanket promotes the production of oxytocin (the love hormone), which can relieve pain and stress while boosting your immune system.

If after 20-30 minutes you still can’t fall asleep…

Then get out of bed and go to another room (just not your bedroom) and engage in activities that emphasize relaxation. It’s important to keep the bedroom for sleep and intimacy only and to not use it as a multi-purpose room. This ensures that your brain associates your bedroom with sleep and intimacy only, which makes falling asleep easier and distraction harder.

https://thriveglobal.com/stories/how-to-manage-insomnia-during-the-pandemic-lockdowns/

Stress and anxiety making you an insomniac? Acupressure can give you instant relief

From thehealthsite.com

Researchers have classified insomnia as relating to the brain; anxiety and extreme stress have been identified as the number one causes

Are you suffering from insomnia? Sleeping becoming a hard task for you? Well, insomnia is a fairly common sleep disorder that makes it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep for a longer time. Insomnia leads to several health diseases since the person suffering from it doesn’t give their body the minimum amount of sleep which is required. According to a recent report, there are some people who experience shorter period of sleeplessness and there are also a few who suffer for months. 

Are you a victim of short term or long term insomnia too? Don’t worry, we get it! Regardless of how often you have insomnia, acupressure may provide some relief. Acupressure involves using physical touch to stimulate pressure points that correspond to different aspects of physical and mental health.

         Not able to sleep? Try these acupressure to get instant relief

While you can have acupressure done by a professional, you can also try stimulating pressure points on your own. In this article, let’s understand these four effective pressure points that can help you sleep better at night. Also, find out more about the science behind using acupressure for sleep.

An Mian

When it comes to acupressure, An Mian are traditional points for treating insomnia. Some experts also suggest to use this pressure point to treat anxiety, vertigo and headaches.

How to find the pressure point: These points are on either side of your neck. To find them, place a finger behind each earlobe, and move the fingers just behind the bony protrusion. For these types of acupuncture, use light pressure.

LV3

Another very effective acupressure point to treat insomnia is LV3. This is also known as Tai Chong. According to the researchers, this acupressure point may help with unexplained insomnia, as well as stress and anxiety-related sleeplessness.

KD3

KD3 which is also known as Taixi, can help ease insomnia. This point is located just above the heel on the inside of the foot.

According to the studies, acupressure on these points improved sleep quality in middle-aged and older adult participants with hypertension. It also helped lower their blood pressure to healthy levels.

Yin Tang

One of the most effective pressure point for beating insomnia is the Yin Tang point. You will find this point in the centre of your eyebrows, just above the nose. According to the researchers, applying pressure to this point may help relieve insomnia and other issues, including – fear, agitation and restlessness.

Acupressure Has Deep Roots

Acupressure has historical roots that go back well over 5,000 years to both India and China. There’s some debate over which region originated it first, but there is significant historical evidence corroborating the use of both acupressure and acupuncture therapy to help relax, treat disease, and champion wellness.

“Acupressure points can target the specific ways your body needs balance, and when you’re balanced specific to your conditions, you will sleep better.” —Stefanie Dilibero, acupuncturist.

https://www.thehealthsite.com/body-mind-soul/stress-and-anxiety-making-you-an-insomniac-acupressure-can-give-you-instant-relief-781458/

Weighted blankets: Do they work?

From medicalnewstoday.com

Weighted blankets are heavy blankets that can weigh between 5 and 30 pounds. According to the manufacturers of weighted blankets, the pressure that the blanket places on a person’s body has a therapeutic, calming effect.

In this article, we look at weighted blankets in more detail, including how they work and their benefits and risks. We also discuss research on the use of weighted blankets for several specific health conditions.

How do weighted blankets work?

               Image credit: Cavan Images/Getty Images

A weighted blanket is a blanket that contains weighted balls or pellets.

Weighted blankets work similarly to a technique called deep pressure stimulation (DPS). This technique involves applying firm but gentle pressure equally across the body.

Some psychologists suggest that DPS allows the body to switch from the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The SNS governs the so-called fight-or-flight response, whereas the PNS controls the rest-and-digest response.

Some people may describe the sensation of using a weighted blanket as similar to that of a hug. A lot of people, therefore, find comfort in using a weighted blanket.

Benefits of weighted blankets

A lot of claims relating to the benefits of weighted blankets are anecdotal. Nonetheless, scientific research is starting to investigate the potential benefits of weighted blankets.

Some manufacturers claim that weighted blankets may be beneficial for specific conditions. This section lists these conditions along with any available scientific evidence to support or refute the claims.

Anxiety

A 2020 systematic review of eight scientific studies found that weighted blankets may be a useful therapeutic tool for alleviating anxiety. However, the authors note that further research is necessary to determine how weighted blankets may produce this effect and whether they are effective in clinical practice.

Depression

According to a 2013 review, there is a correlation between depression and low levels of the hormone oxytocin. This hormone is involved in providing the positive sensations associated with love and social bonding.

A 2014 review notes that light pressure on the skin may trigger the release of oxytocin. Therefore, it is possible that using a weighted blanket may help with some of the symptoms of depression. However, further research is necessary to explore this theory.

Autism

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can experience severe sleeping difficulties.

A 2014 study investigated the effectiveness of a weighted blanket in treating sleeping difficulties among children with ASD. Each participant used either a weighted blanket or an unweighted blanket for 2 weeks before switching to the alternative blanket for another 2 weeks.

The researchers concluded that the weighted blanket did not significantly improve sleep duration or quality compared with the unweighted blanket. However, children with ASD and their parents preferred the weighted blanket.

There is very little scientific research exploring the effects of weighted blankets on children with ASD. However, a 2018 review suggests that weighted vests, which work in a similar way, may improve attention in children with ASD.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Children with ADHD may experience difficulty falling asleep. Anecdotal claims suggest that weighted blankets provide sensory feedback that helps promote calm and improve sleep in children with ADHD.

A 2016 review investigated whether the use of a weighted blanket could improve sleep in children with ADHD. Due to the lack of research into this area, the review consisted of a single study from 2010. The results of this study suggested that children who used a weighted blanket fell asleep more quickly and showed a 10% improvement in attention and activity levels in the classroom.

The authors of the review note that further research is necessary to examine the potential benefits of weighted blankets for children with ADHD.

Insomnia

Insomnia is a condition in which a person has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. The condition typically results in daytime sleepiness, reduced energy levels, and negative changes in mood.

A 2015 study found that the use of a weighted blanket improved sleep duration in participants with insomnia. Participants also reported that the weighted blanket improved their ability to get to sleep and made them feel more refreshed the following morning.

However, a 2020 systematic review suggests that there is currently insufficient evidence to determine whether weighted blankets are useful for people with insomnia.

Restless leg syndrome

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a condition in which a person experiences an overwhelming urge to move their legs. The condition is typically worse at night, when it may interfere with a person’s sleep.

There is some anecdotal evidence that weighted blankets may help lessen the symptoms of RLS. However, there is currently no scientific evidence to support this claim.

Risks of a weighted blanket

The heaviness of a weighted blanket may cause difficulties for people with certain pre-existing conditions, such as:

• Asthma: A weighted blanket may worsen breathing difficulties in people with asthma.
• Sleep apnea: Sleepapnea is a condition in which a person stops breathing for short periods during sleep. A weighted blanket may cause further breathing difficulties in people with sleep apnea.
• Diabetes: Diabetes can cause problems with circulation. The heaviness of a weighted blanket may further restrict circulation in people with diabetes.
• Claustrophobia: A weighted blanket can feel tight and restrictive, and this may trigger a fear response in people with claustrophobia.

People with any of the above conditions should talk to a healthcare professional before considering using a weighted blanket.

When to see a doctor

A person should see a doctor if they are considering using a weighted blanket but have a pre-existing condition that may worsen as a result of using this item.

People should also see a doctor if using a weighted blanket does not result in the expected improvements in their symptoms. There is still very little research into the effectiveness of weighted blankets for specific conditions. A doctor will be able to recommend alternative treatments or therapies that have better scientific backing.

Summary

A weighted blanket is a blanket that contains weighted balls or pellets. These blankets exert a firm but gentle pressure equally across the body, which may promote rest and relaxation.

There is currently very little scientific research exploring the effectiveness of weighted blankets. However, the available research suggests that weighted blankets may be beneficial for children with ASD and people with ADHD or anxiety.

Weighted blankets may not be suitable for people with certain pre-existing health conditions. Anyone who has a health condition that affects their breathing or circulation should consult a healthcare provider before using a weighted blanket.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/do-weighted-blankets-work#seeing-a-doctor

Healthy sleep habits help lower risk of heart failure: Study

From thestatesman.com

Healthy sleep patterns are rising in the morning, sleeping 7-8 hours a day and having no frequent insomnia, snoring or excessive daytime sleepiness, the study published in the journal Circulation said

Researchers have revealed that adults with the healthiest sleep pattern have 42 per cent lower risk of heart failure regardless of other risk factors compared to adults with unhealthy sleep patterns.

Healthy sleep patterns are rising in the morning, sleeping 7-8 hours a day and having no frequent insomnia, snoring or excessive daytime sleepiness, the study published in the journal Circulation said.

“Our findings highlight the importance of improving the overall sleep patterns to help prevent heart failure,” said study author Lu Qi from the Tulane University in the US.

   Researchers analysed sleep quality as well as overall sleep patterns.

                          (Representational Image: iStock)          

This observational study examined the relationship between healthy sleep patterns and heart failure and included data on 408,802 UK Biobank participants, ages 37 to 73 at the time of recruitment (2006-2010).

Incidence of heart failure was collected until April 1, 2019. Researchers recorded 5,221 cases of heart failure during a median follow-up of 10 years.

Researchers analysed sleep quality as well as overall sleep patterns.

The measures of sleep quality included sleep duration, insomnia and snoring and other sleep-related features, such as whether the participant was an early bird or night owl and if they had any daytime sleepiness.

“The healthy sleep score we created was based on the scoring of these five sleep behaviours,” Qi said. Sleep behaviours were collected through touchscreen questionnaires.

Sleep duration was defined into three groups: short, or less than seven hours a day; recommended, or even to eight hours a day; and prolonged, or 9 hours or more a day.

The findings showed that participants with the healthiest sleep pattern had a 42 per cent reduction in the risk of heart failure compared to people with an unhealthy sleep pattern.

They also found the risk of heart failure was independently associated and: eight per cent lower in early risers, 12 per cent lower in those who slept 7 to 8 hours daily, 17 per cent lower in those who did not have frequent insomnia and 34 per cent lower in those reporting no daytime sleepiness.

The researchers noted other unmeasured or unknown adjustments may have also influenced the findings.

https://www.thestatesman.com/lifestyle/healthy-sleep-habits-help-lower-risk-heart-failure-study-1502935806.html                          

More women than men struggle to fall asleep in both Europe and the US, study finds

From ktvz.com

If tossing and turning in bed most nights was a contest on crummy sleep, women win.

A new study comparing poor sleep among more than a million adults and children in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the United States found women experience more insomnia problems than men in all three countries.

The trend emerges during puberty, “suggesting sex hormones, among other social factors such as stress or parenting,” might contribute to the development of insomnia in women, according to the study published Monday in the journal Nature Human Behavior.

Women also use more sleep medications than men, the study found. Yet despite the female struggle to fall asleep and use of sleep aids, women didn’t report more daytime sleepiness.

The results suggest that “recommendations for appropriate sleep duration and quality should be sex-specific,” the study said.

Americans win insomnia prize

Another “booby prize” went to Americans — they were 1.5 to 2.9 times more likely to have insomnia than their counterparts in the UK and the Netherlands.

Across all three nations, insomnia was more frequent in people spending more than nine hours a night in bed and adults 65 years and older. Adults between 26 years and 40 years of age were the least likely to toss and turn trying to fall asleep.

Besides women, smokers, people who are overweight and people of non-European origin were most likely to experiencing poor sleep, the study found.

Other worrisome findings: More than half of kids between the ages of 14 and 17 reported sleeping less than the doctor-recommended eight to 10 hours per night. Teenagers were also most likely to report sleepiness than other age groups. Symptoms of insomnia, such as difficulty falling and staying asleep, increased as children grew.

On the whole, poor sleep quality and insomnia problems were more prevalent than short sleep duration for all three nations.

The study compared sleep studies on 1.1 million people from the US, the UK and the Netherlands. The study was not able to compare sleep quality to health conditions that might affect sleep, such as sleep apnea, substance abuse and other chronic medical conditions.

While some of the research was done in sleep labs using objective measurements, most relied on what people said about their sleep habits and quality. Such research isn’t as robust, the authors said, but the size and scope of the research does give doctors insights into daily functioning.

What to do?

Fight back against insomnia and other sleep issues by adopting some tried-and-true healthy sleep habits.

• Go to bed and get up at roughly the same time every day, even on weekends
• Exercise regularly to reduce stress and improve sleep. Just walking on a daily basis will help
• Don’t eat fatty or spicy foods close to bedtime that might upset your stomach
• Avoid caffeine — in coffee, tea and sodas — after 3 p.m.
• Avoid excessive alcohol ingestion at least four hours before bedtime, and do not smoke
• Be careful not to nap more than 45 minutes during the day
• Keep your bedroom well-ventilated and pick a comfortable sleep temperature setting that’s between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 20 degrees Celsius)
• Block out all distracting noise and get rid of any light, even the blue light from your charging station for phones and laptops

https://ktvz.com/health/2020/11/16/more-women-than-men-struggle-to-fall-asleep-in-both-europe-and-the-us-study-finds/

Break the Cycle of Insomnia

From nytimes.com

If you are not sleeping well these days, you’re not alone

It’s 3 a.m. and you’ve been struggling for hours to fall asleep. Morning draws nearer and your anxiety about being exhausted the next day intensifies — yet again. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

Among the many disruptions of 2020, insomnia may rank high on the list. Data on how the pandemic has affected sleep is limited because biomedical research can take years to shake out and most studies to date have been small. But evidence from China and Europe suggests that prolonged confinement is altering sleep in adults as well as children.

Doctors in the United States are seeing it too.

“I think Covid and the election have affected sleep and could be considered a kind of trauma,” said Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer, director of the Cleveland Clinic Sleep Disorders Centre. “A lot of people that I talk to — patients and non-patients and colleagues and family — have more anxiety generally now probably because of these two stressors, and high anxiety is clearly associated with insomnia.”

Whether you’re suddenly tossing and turning at bedtime or waking up in the middle of the night, the first step toward better sleep is to figure out what’s triggering your insomnia. Once you do that, you can take action to prevent it from becoming chronic — a clinical sleep disorder that should be treated by a sleep-medicine specialist.

Don’t be afraid to get help.

Stressful and upsetting experiences like the death of a loved one or the loss of a job — two widespread realities of Covid-19 — are known psychological triggers for insomnia. If your insomnia is tied to such an event, the quickest way to get help is to call your doctor. One thing many doctors suggest is cognitive behavioural therapy, or C.B.T.

C.B.T., or C.B.T.-I. for insomnia, is a standard treatment for both acute and chronic insomnia and includes a variety of techniques. Meditation, mindfulness and muscle relaxation can help people whose sleep problems are tied to a stressful event. C.B.T. for insomnia typically lasts from six to eight weeks and “works in about two-thirds to three-quarters of patients,” said Jennifer Martin, a psychologist and professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine. “As a health care provider I love it because people get better fast and I think that, in and of itself, helps people feel good. It’s not drudgery.”

Dr. Martin also recommends an app called Insomnia Coach, which is free and offers evidence-based, self-guided help through tools like a sleep diary and trackers for sleep habits and hygiene.

Get out of bed.

Maybe your trigger is more subtle. Shifts in habits and routine — including many of the blurred lines between work and home that have resulted from the pandemic — can also lead to insomnia. Lack of exercise and structure, for example, can put both adults and children at risk. It may be comfortable and cosy to stay in your pyjamas all day while working or attending school remotely, but C.B.T. experts advise getting dressed every morning. And don’t stay in your bed all day.

“One of the most important things about promoting good sleep and avoiding insomnia is not to use your bed for anything other than sleep and sex,” Dr. Foldvary-Schaefer said. The goal here is to separate your sleep space and habits as much as possible from your waking space and habits.

This applies to children and teenagers too, said Dr. Craig Canapari, a paediatric sleep physician and director of the Yale Paediatric Sleep Centre. “Most situations with kids not sleeping are behavioural,” he said, though sleeplessness caused by leg discomfort, or what seem like growing pains, could be restless legs syndrome, a sleep disorder that may warrant further care.

Reset bedtime.

Parents of young children may notice a “forbidden zone” phenomenon when it comes to bedtime, Dr. Canapari said. “Their child either needs to be asleep by 7:30 or they’re not asleep until 9.” The trigger here may be a later bedtime for your children that’s crept in this year. If this sounds familiar, try reverting back to their — and your — pre-pandemic schedule.

But a bedtime that’s not late enough can also cause insomnia. “Getting to bed too early can light a fire under anxiety,” said Dr. Helen Emsellem, director of the Centre for Sleep & Wake Disorders in Chevy Chase, Md. It may seem counterintuitive, especially if you didn’t sleep well the night before, but getting in bed before you’re ready to fall asleep can set off the vicious cycle of wanting to fall asleep and then worrying that you’re not falling asleep.

“The bed becomes Pavlov’s bell,” Dr. Emsellem said. So instead of rushing under the covers, try taking a warm shower, or listening to music for a while, or stretching your neck and shoulders. Dr. Emsellem also recommends keeping a close eye on your mood for issues like depression and seeking professional help if things feel as if they’re worsening.

Kill the screens.

If you can’t identify a psychological trigger for your insomnia, it may be the result of something physical. An easy target is your favourite screen — including the television. “There is a very clear inverse relationship between screen time and sleep,” Dr. Canapari said. Screens are bad for sleep because they emit blue light, which can suppress the body’s natural secretion of melatonin, a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle.

“Light functions like a drug, promoting wakefulness, yet many adults go to bed cuddling their laptops,” Dr. Emsellem said.

Dr. Canapari stresses putting away all screens in the evening: “I really cannot emphasize enough how important it is that children do not have access to devices in their room.”

He encourages parents to create a room for their child that is quiet and dark. For adults who can’t resist their phones or other screens at night, adjust your display setting to night shift, which shifts the colours on your screen to the warmer spectrum. Experts also recommend exposing yourself to as much daylight as you can during the day and dimming the lights in your home in the evening as part of healthy sleep hygiene.

Screens, usually come hand-in-hand with being sedentary, Dr. Canapari said, and exercise promotes healthy sleep. He suggests parents help their children get at least 60 minutes of vigorous physical activity every day, though not just before bedtime. “It’s pretty clear that’s going to help the sleep,” he said.

Lay off the booze.

Maybe you have a cocktail in your hand instead of a screen. People drink in good times and bad, but evidence suggests that consumption has increased since the onset of the pandemic. Alcohol suppresses the central nervous system. It causes brain activity to slow down and produces a sleepy, sedative feeling. This can seem very relaxing for someone struggling with sleep, but as alcohol is metabolized through the night it actually creates trouble. It robs the body of crucial REM sleep and can trigger a “rebound effect,” waking you up in the wee hours after its sedative effects have worn off.

So should you never drink again if you want to sleep better? Not necessarily, said Dr. Martin. “Give it up for a week and see if you sleep better. For some people, one or two drinks doesn’t affect their sleep very much, but for other people — especially when we’re already experiencing a little more stress and maybe we’re a little more likely to wake up anyway — that’s enough to disrupt their sleep.”

If alcohol is affecting your sleep it may be causing you to consume another insomnia culprit the next day. Caffeine comes in many forms and, like alcohol, affects people differently. If you think it’s causing sleep problems, cut back. Parents whose children aren’t sleeping well should also read the labels on what they’re drinking. Sodas and chocolate contain caffeine, as do some sports drinks.

“Pretty much everybody should quit drinking or consuming any caffeine about five hours before they go to bed,” said Dr. Martin, though some people may be better off with 10 hours, she said.

In some insomnia cases, prescription drugs and supplements — particularly melatonin for children — may be helpful, but it’s important to talk to a doctor before going that route. The ultimate goal, Dr. Canapari said, “is to address the issue so you don’t need to use the medication long term.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/14/at-home/insomnia-advice.html

The Books Briefing: Read to Find Focus, Even During a Pandemic

From theatlantic.com

Hark, by the author Sam Lipsyte, is a satire of a world plagued by inattention. In it, hopelessly distracted characters who are desperate for focus turn to the ineffective self-help practice of “mental archery”—and fall further into chaos.

For many readers, this feeling may be painfully familiar. With anxiety about the news, a warped sense of time, and new social norms, the pandemic has made it hard to maintain focus for a while now. Reading (whether short poems or long epics) can offer a respite. Detail-rich works are particularly grounding, helping readers concentrate even after they put the book down. My colleague Oliver Munday found that his perception was sharpened by Marcel Proust’s beautifully descriptive novel cycle, In Search of Lost Time. Similarly, the critic Connor Goodwin experienced heightened sensory awareness when reading The Living Mountain, Nan Shepherd’s memoir about climbing in the Scottish Highlands.

In Lecture, the English professor Mary Cappello celebrates such deep rumination, even when it comes at the expense of sustained attention to the information a lecturer is imparting. Cappello describes the concentrated thought that comes from a meandering mind, and in doing so, she elides the distinction between distraction and attention. The writer Marina Benjamin encourages similar “mind wandering” in her memoir Insomnia. While Benjamin certainly doesn't offer a cure for sleeplessness, she opens up the possibilities of what “strange things … can be seen and felt in insomnia” when you allow your thoughts to roam.

https://www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2020/11/marcel-proust-nan-shepherd-sam-lipsyte-books-briefing/617068/

Study suggests insomnia is persistent more often than situational

From upi.com/Health_News

Tossing, turning and can't fall asleep? The answer isn't waiting it out -- it's getting help so your insomnia doesn't persist, a new Canadian study shows.

Among more than 3,000 adults followed for five years, researchers found that 37.5% of those who started the study with insomnia still had it five years later. The persistence of that insomnia was higher in those who had worse insomnia at the beginning.

They also discovered that nearly 14% of participants who had no insomnia to start developed insomnia by their five-year follow-up.

"We know that when insomnia persists all the time, that it may be associated with a number of negative health outcomes," said study author Charles Morin, a professor of psychology at Laval University in Quebec City.

Insomnia can include trouble falling asleep or staying asleep during the night, or waking up too early in the morning.

The researchers wanted to document the natural history of insomnia, Morin said, knowing it was a common condition, but not understanding how it evolved over time.

In addition to understanding that trajectory, the research might provide information on the likelihood insomnia would develop in a previously good sleeper.

"I think that we were quite amazed to see how persistent this condition is for so many people. We have long thought ... insomnia is mostly a situational problem and if you leave it alone, it will go away on its own. But what we find here is that the persistence rate is particularly high," Morin said. "It really goes against what many people thought, that this is a fairly situational problem."

It's important to identify and intervene early, the study suggests.

Morin's team categorized insomnia syndrome as those who had trouble sleeping at least three nights a week. A less severe category included those who took sleep medications at least once a week, but not more than three times a week or those who reported being dissatisfied with sleep without all the typical insomnia symptoms.

The findings were published this month in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Insomnia can lead to or go hand in hand with a range of other health problems, including depression, anxiety, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and even suicide, said Jennifer Martin, a board member on the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and a professor of medicine at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine.

"One of the things that, that I see clinically and in my own research is that by the time most people come in for treatment, they've been struggling for a very long time," Martin said. "I think studies like this help us to understand that as health care providers, we probably should be asking people as opposed to waiting until they come for help."

Fortunately, there is hope. Both Morin and Martin talked about cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, as a first-line treatment for insomnia.

CBT is a form of psychotherapy that can focus on changing poor sleep habits, sleep scheduling and the way people with insomnia think about sleep.

"Sometimes people develop almost an obsession with their sleep and with the fear of not sleeping and the daytime consequences of insomnia. And that just feeds into the sleep problem. And it perpetuates over time," Morin said. "This form of counselling really teaches people to change some of their behaviours and their thinking patterns."

With CBT, most people come in for four to eight sessions with a trained specialist, Martin said. About 70% of people experience significant response.

"That's pretty good if you think about how many people get better over, say, four to eight weeks," Martin said. "A good number of people, maybe as many as half, actually have their insomnia symptoms completely resolved by the end. It's a pretty powerful approach."

Unlike with medications, people tend to stay better after therapy ends, Martin said.

"Sleep medication can be very beneficial in the short term, but in the long run it's not the answer," Morin said, "because it's just like putting a Band-Aid on the problem and it does not address the underlying issues."

Still unknown is whether treating chronic insomnia effectively will reduce those other health risks. Also needed are resources to train more professionals to offer this treatment and more research on the best treatment for specific types of patients, Morin said.

"Not all individuals with insomnia are alike," Morin said. "There are different reasons why people are not sleeping and we need to find a way to do a better match of individual characteristics with specific treatment modalities."

https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2020/11/12/Study-suggests-insomnia-is-persistent-more-often-than-situational/5751605130919/

Are You Having Trouble Sleeping Lately? ‘Coronasomnia’ Might Be the Reason

From ecowatch.com

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, between 50 to 70 million Americans have sleep disorders, and 1 in 3 adults do not regularly get the recommended 7 to 8 hours per day of uninterrupted sleep. The pandemic has made this worse, causing disruptions to many sleep routines and exacerbating pre-existing challenges to getting a good night's rest, CNN reported.

---

Some experts have coined the trend "coronasomnia," highlighting the connection between the pandemic and increased sleeplessness, said clinical psychology and behavioural sleep medicine researcher Christina Perpaoli Parker, reported CNN. The changes range from more subtle, like increased restlessness or poorer quality of sleep, to a nightmarish "flat-out hell" of chronic lack of sufficient sleep or full-on insomnia, the news report said.

According to the Sleep Foundation, reasons for increased sleeplessness during the pandemic could include disruptions to daily routines, health and economic concerns, social isolation, increased family and work stress and too much screen time.

University of Maryland Medical System noted that lack of light may also contribute. Being inside for quarantine limits exposure to natural light, which signals to the body when to be awake and asleep.

Anxiety and biology may also bolster the connection.

Humans are wired to stay awake in the face of danger, so the fears surrounding the first widespread global pandemic in 100 years have pushed many into unhealthy sleep patterns, said professor of medicine Jennifer Martin, CNN reported.

"It would have been an unfortunate mistake of evolution if we were sleepy when there was a tiger outside of our cave and we went to sleep," Martin told the news report. "When we perceive a threat, we are awake. That's adaptive. That's good for us. Yet when there is a large threat in our environment like a global pandemic, one of our initial biological stress reactions is to not sleep so we can be prepared to deal with the threat."

 The pandemic has increased sleep disorders and insomnia for many.

                  University of Maryland Medical System

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America agreed that anxiety causes sleeping problems, and found new research that sleep deprivation might cause anxiety disorders. Amidst the public health and economic crises, fear and sleeplessness could be stuck in a positive feedback loop that is contributing to diminished health and wellness.

Data confirms that sleep difficulties have increased during the pandemic. A Kaiser Family Foundation study found that 36% of Americans reported difficulty sleeping due to pandemic stress. Sleep medication prescriptions rose 14.8% during the first month of shutdowns, CNN reported. Not surprisingly, anxiety medication prescriptions also rose 34% during the same time period. And, while many are sleeping more during the pandemic, a new study indicated the quality of rest is declining precipitously.

This is a problem because "good sleep undergirds every aspect of mental and physical health, which we need to support now more than ever," Pierpaoli Parker told CNN.

The Sleep Foundation reported that while quality sleep is always important, it takes on higher significance during a pandemic. Sleep boosts the immune system, heightens brain function, enhances mood and helps combat depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, the Foundation reported.

The Harvard Gazette reported that poor sleep also increases disease risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, Alzheimer's and dementia.

Experts suggested a few tips to boost quality sleep, even during the pandemic:

• Set a consistent sleep routine that might be different from your non-pandemic one which factors in commute times and omits virtual schooling, the Harvard Gazette suggested.
• Get regular exercise to tire out your body, CNN reported.
• Don't nap because it ruins your "appetite" for sleep, reported the Harvard Gazette.Reserve the bed for sleep and intimacy to train the mind to relax there. "Working-from-home shouldn't be working-from-bed. It also means avoiding bringing a laptop into bed to watch a movie or series," the Sleep Foundation advised.
• Use relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga and reading, the Sleep Foundation offered.
• Try new ways to boost your coping mechanisms with pandemic stress, such as baking bread, adopting a pet or plant, organizing your home or learning a new language.
• Limit screen time, which can be stimulating, for 1-2 hours before bed, CNN suggested.
• Avoid stressful news before bedtime. "Doomscrolling" and oversaturation of bad news right before sleep can lead to stressful and poor sleep, the Cleveland Clinic reported.
• Schedule in "worry time" so your mind gets accustomed to "worrying at the same time and same place every day" and so those worries interfere less with sleep, CNN suggested.

https://www.ecowatch.com/insomnia-coronavirus-anxiety-2648630607.html?rebelltitem=2#rebelltitem2

Q&A: ‘Insomnia is a persistent problem’ for kids

From healio.com

By some estimates, 52% of youths may experience insomnia symptoms at some point during their childhood. However, there are “notable limitations” in the current medical literature, experts wrote in Sleep.

To help fill in some of the research gaps, Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, PhD, CBSM, DBSM, an associate professor of psychiatry at the Sleep Research & Treatment Center at the Penn State University College of Medicine, and colleagues examined the natural history of insomnia symptoms in the transition from childhood to adolescence in a random, general population sample of 421 youths for an average of 7.8 years. The mean age of the youths was 8.8 years at baseline and 17 years at follow-up; 53.9% of the participants were male, and 21.9% were from underrepresented racial groups.

In an interview with Healio Primary Care, Fernandez-Mendoza discussed some of the study’s findings, how primary care physicians can screen for childhood insomnia, why socio-demographic factors are important to consider, treatment options and more.

Q: What are the most important unanswered questions regarding childhood insomnia?

A: As of today, and beyond our study, one of the most important unanswered questions is the relative contribution of behavioural vs. biological factors in the etiology and pathophysiology of childhood insomnia. In other words, although for many children insomnia is behavioural in nature, such as resisting going to bed or needing the presence of an adult to fall asleep, in some children insomnia does share the same underlying mechanisms with adult insomnia, and these have not been disentangled yet.

Q: What are the most effective ways that PCPs can screen for insomnia in children?

A: Asking very straightforward 1-minute questions to both the parent and the child on whether they have difficulty falling asleep and/or difficulty staying asleep. In addition, screening for other sleep symptoms, such as loud snoring, daytime sleepiness, difficulty waking up in the morning and restless sleep can also help determine whether the child will receive appropriate care or referral so their sleep issues do not go untreated.

Q: What evidence from your study suggests that insomnia is more than a “transient phenomenon” in most children? Why is it important to recognize this?

A: Only 30% of young children with insomnia are fully remitted by adolescence, which means that insomnia is a persistent problem during this developmental period associated with biological and psychosocial changes. In our study, we point toward specific social determinants and clinical conditions that contribute to such persistence, including childhood behavioural, mood and neurological disorders, childhood obesity and adolescence substance use.

Q: What are some effective integrative and behavioural therapies for childhood insomnia?

A: Most cases of childhood insomnia can be effectively treated with behavioural therapies, such as use of bedtime pass, bedtime fading or graduated extinction. Paediatric behavioural sleep medicine specialists are best equipped to provide these services; however, there are standard protocols that can be disseminated and implemented in primary care with adequate consultation.

Q: Why are socio-demographic factors important to the understanding childhood insomnia ?

A: Females, racial/ethnic minorities and those of low socioeconomic households had a greater risk of persisting or developing insomnia in the transition from childhood to adolescence. Specifically, in 75% of children who identified as a racial/ethnic minority, primarily Black, their insomnia continued to persist in the transition to adolescence. Socioeconomic status also played a role: children who identified as a racial/ethnic minority and children who identified as non-Hispanic white and lived in low socioeconomic households were 7 and 2.5 times more likely, respectively, to not fully remit from their insomnia in the transition to adolescence as compared to children who identified as non-Hispanic white and lived in higher socioeconomic households.

These findings are an indicator that social determinants of health, arising from racial, gender and economic inequalities, also play a role in the chronicity of insomnia as early as childhood and, thus, PCPs should play close attention to these at-risk children and not regard their insomnia as an unimportant health problem that will naturally improve with development.

Q: When do you recommend pharmaceutical treatments for children with insomnia? What treatments are safe and effective in this population?

A: Pharmaceutical treatment is not recommended as a first-line therapy for insomnia in children.

There are effective behavioural treatments for both young children as well as adolescents, including cognitive-behavioural therapy for insomnia, that should always be used first. These treatments are evidence-based and not simply sleep hygiene education. We need to better integrate these therapeutic options at the front-line in primary care and paediatrics.

Pharmacological approaches in treatment-resistant insomnia in youth and in specific populations, such as those with neurodevelopmental disorders, are similar to those used in adults, except the more common approach of relying on over-the-counter melatonin. However, the latter is overused by providers and parents alike and requires better knowledge from the clinician as it is a compound that, if correctly formulated, can be a good chronobiotic (a drug that regulates the circadian clock) but not so much a good hypnotic (a drug that increases sleep).

https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20201104/qa-insomnia-is-a-persistent-problem-for-kids