June 2006 Archives

I hope you enjoy your weekend, and sleep really well after the parties. Though sleep is no laughing matter, I think you will enjoy this joke!

After driving for about six hours, a trucker decides to pull over and sleep for a little while. As soon as he falls asleep, he is awoken by some knocks on the door of the cab.

"Can you tell me the time, please?" asks a jogger.

"Yeah, it's 4:30," answers the trucker. He falls asleep again, but he is awoken again by another jogger who wants to know the time. "It's 4:40!" yells the trucker.

Deciding to really try to sleep a little, he writes on a piece of paper: I DON'T KNOW THE TIME. He sticks the paper in his windshield.

But he is awoken again. 'It's 5:25," says another jogger.

The worldwidehealthcenter.net site offers a ‘Magnetic Snore Free’ device to prevent snoring. This device magnetically stimulates the sensory nerves of the nose which open the nasal passage and help prevent snoring. The Snore Free is a small plastic ring with two rare earth magnets that fit onto the bottom of the nose.

Caution: As this is a magnetic product, you should not use it if fitted with any implanted electro-medical devices, such as a heart pacemaker.

I did not see any reports on the effectiveness of this device shared by users, so if you use it, do let me know if it helped you.

Available online for $ 22.45.

Axon Sleep Research Laboratories is beginning the testing phase of a new type of alarm clock called Sleep Smart. The idea is based on minimizing morning grogginess by waking sleep-deprived people during the optimal time in their sleep cycle. The "clock" is designed to monitor brainwaves to pinpoint the best time for that individual to wake up. Clinical trials at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence are scheduled for later this summer.

'Sleep inertia' is defined as a decline in motor dexterity and a feeling of grogginess, immediately following an abrupt awakening from deep sleep.

A University of Colorado study is the first to assess this state and how we perform tasks while in it. The study revealed that people exhibited the most severe impairments from sleep inertia during the groggy period upon awakening. Test subjects had diminished short-term memory, counting skills and cognitive abilities. The most severe effects of sleep inertia generally dissipated within the first 10 minutes, although researchers say its effects are often detectable for up to two hours.

Anyone who performs critical tasks immediately after waking may be vulnerable, since researchers found the cognitive deficiencies that occur when people first wake up are comparable to the effects of alcohol intoxication.

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Cypress Bioscience Inc. (CYPB.O) on Tuesday announced that it was discontinuing development for a treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. This decision followed  results of a mid-stage trial that found the results of the drug unsatisfactory.

Cypress and Organon, a unit of Akzo Nobel (AKZO.AS), had each independently conducted Phase IIa trials evaluating combinations of mirtazapine with another approved drug.

The companies are exploring other opportunities for collaboration, Cypress added.

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Kleine-Levin syndrome is a rare disorder that causes recurring periods of excessive drowsiness and sleep (up to 20 hours per day). The symptoms may last for days to weeks and include excessive food intake, irritability, disorientation, lack of energy, and hypersensitivity to noise.

Some patients may also experience hallucinations and an abnormally uninhibited sex drive. Affected persons are normal between episodes, although depression and amnesia may be noted temporarily after an attack. It may be weeks or more before symptoms reappear.

The onset of Kleine-Levin syndrome is typically around adolescence to the late teens. The disorder is 4 times more common in males than in females. Symptoms may be related to malfunction of the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that governs appetite and sleep.

Is there any treatment?
There is no definitive treatment for Kleine-Levin syndrome. Stimulants, including amphetamines, methylphenidate and modafinil, administered orally, are used to treat sleepiness. Because of similarities between Kleine-Levin syndrome and certain mood disorders, lithium and carbamazepine may be prescribed. Responses to treatment have often been limited.

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From www.holisticonline.com, here is some excellent material that shows how aromatherapy, or the use of essential oils, can help to alleviate insomnia.

All stress-related conditions, including insomnia, respond well to aromatherapy.

How to use essential oils
For skin application the essential oil must be diluted in a vegetable carrier oil such as cold-pressed sunflower oil or sweet almond oil. Use 7 -10 drops of essential oil to 25 ml (five teaspoons) of carrier oil for adults, 3-5 drops for children under seven and 1-3 drops for children under the age of three. Do not use essential oils on newborn babies.
Any oil can be used in the bath. Add 5-10 drops for adults, 3-5 drops for children over two, and only one drop of a very gentle oil such as chamomile or lavender for younger children.
Inhalation is also effective. Put one or two drops of a relaxing oil onto a handkerchief and tuck it inside your pillow to help you sleep.
A combination of essential oils may be used.

Essential Oils for Sleep:
A relaxing bath with essential oils of Roman camomile and geranium will help a person to unwind before sleep. A glass of camomile tea will complete the process.

A relaxant effect may be provided by oils of camomile, lavender, neroli, rose, and marjoram. Add a few drops to your bathwater or sprinkle a few drops on a handkerchief and inhale.

The following essential oils may be useful for management of sleep.
Benzoin (Styrax benzoin): Benzoin is sedative, warming, and relaxing.
Useful for: Sleeplessness caused by worry, emotional exhaustion, tension, bronchitis, and coughs.
Caution: Some people may be sensitive to this oil.

German and Roman chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla and Chamaemele nobile): Chamomile calms nerves and stomach, induces sleep, and is especially good for children.
Useful for: Insomnia, anxiety.
Caution: Can cause dermatitis in some people.

Jasmine (Jasminum officinalis): Jasmine is relaxing and soothing, antidepressant, sedative, aphrodisiac, and expectorant. It is non-toxic, and non-irritant.
Useful for: Insomnia, depression, apathy, nervous exhaustion, stress, catarrh, breathing difficulties.

Lavender (Lavendula officinalis): Lavender is calming, soothing to nerves and digestion, anti-depressant, pain-relieving, and lowers blood pressure. It is non-toxic, and non-irritant.
Useful for: Insomnia, tension, depression, headache, catarrh, stomach cramps, shock, earache.

Melissa (Lemon balm, Melissa officinalis): Melissa is relaxing and uplifting, lowers blood pressure, and helps digestion, menstruation, and nervous system.
Melissa is useful for: Insomnia, nervous tension, depression, high blood pressure, indigestion, coughs, colds, shock, anxiety.
Caution: Use small amounts only as skin irritation is possible.

Neroli (Citrus aurantium amara): Neroli is very relaxing, non-toxic, and non-irritant.
Useful for: Insomnia caused by anxiety, depression, irritability, panic, shock.

Rose (Rosa damascena): Rose is relaxing and soothing. It is an aphrodisiac, nervous and digestive tonic, and helps menstruation. Rose is non-toxic, and non-irritant.
Useful for: Insomnia, nervous tension, depression, headaches, painful periods, nausea, asthma, Loss of sex drive.

Sandalwood (santalum album): Sandalwood is relaxing, aphrodisiac and antidepressant, expectorant, calms digestion. It is non-toxic, and non-irritant.
Useful for: Insomnia, depression, nervous tension, catarrh, colic.

Sweet marjoram (Origanum marjarana): Sweet marjoram is warming and comforting. It is sedative, aids digestion and nervous functions and is non-toxic and non-irritant.
Useful for: Insomnia, anxiety, colds, catarrh, intestinal spasms, muscular and joint pain, headaches.

Ylang ylang (Cananga odorata genuine): Ylang ylang is relaxing, aphrodisiac, antidepressant, tones the nervous system, and lowers blood pressure. It is non-toxic, and non-irritant.
Useful for:  Insomnia, depression, stress, nervous tension, excitability.

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The National Sleep Foundation’s “Sleeptionary” site provides the following information about Narcolepsy. (Sleeptionary content reviewed by Emmanuel Mignot, MD, PhD)

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder caused by the brain's inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally. The main features of narcolepsy are excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. The disease is also associated with sudden sleep attacks, insomnia, dream-like hallucinations, and a condition called sleep paralysis.

Normal sleep happens in cycles. When we fall asleep, we initially enter a light stage of sleep and then progress into increasingly deeper stages. After about 90 minutes, we enter the first stage of REM sleep, which is the dreaming portion of sleep, and throughout the night we alternate between stages of REM and non-REM sleep. For people with narcolepsy, sleep begins almost immediately with REM sleep and fragments of REM occur involuntarily throughout the waking hours. As during REM sleep our muscles are paralyzed and dreaming occurs, it is not surprising that narcolepsy is associated with paralysis and hallucinations.

Narcolepsy is considered a "state boundary" control abnormality. That is, narcolepsy patients sleep a normal amount but cannot control the timing of sleep. 

Narcolepsy affects both sexes equally and develops with age; symptoms usually first develop in adolescence or young adulthood. A combination of genetic and environmental factors may be at the root of this sleep disorder. 

Narcolepsy is often undiagnosed as  sleepiness is not thought to be indicative of disease. Yet the potential dangers of this disorder is reflected in studies showing that narcoleptic patients are more accident-prone and have difficulty with interpersonal relationships.

Researchers believe that narcolepsy may be caused by a deficiency in hypocretin production in the brain. The results of one recent study, in which hypocretin was directly administered to the brain, suggest that using hypocretin derivatives may be an effective way to prevent cataplexy and improve wakefulness.

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The term 'pillow talk' just got a whole new meaning, with Japanese researchers having developed a cushion that offers pointers on how to get a good night's sleep.

The pillow, called 'Sleep Doctor', analyzes slumber patterns and subsequently provides 40 kinds of advice and encouragement on a miniature screen. Made of soft urethane fabric, it has sensors measuring head and body movements to calculate how much "pleasant sleep" you've had on a scale of 30 to 95 per cent.

"If you've been sleeping badly for several days, the pillow will tell you, for example, 'why don't you take it easy tonight. Try taking a long bath,'" says Naomi Adachi, head of lofty, a company that sells the product designed by Japan's sleep research institute.

"Or else on good sleeping days, it will bombard you with things like, 'you've been sleeping great, keep it up.'"  The pillow can also record sleeping patterns over a two-week period, and is designed to make a person aware of sleep habits, and improve them.

"But this pillow is not designed for you to fall asleep easier or better," warns Adachi.

The company plans to sell the pillow in September in Japan and overseas, including parts of Asia and North America.

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When you have tried all the scientific techniques, and just cannot get the restful sleep you crave, it's time to try something different. This  poem by Keats, 'To Sleep', that brings out the soothing quality of sleep so beautifully,  the escape from turmoil, may lull your mind to slumber.

To Sleep

O soft embalmer of the still midnight,
    Shutting, with careful fingers and benign,
Our gloom-pleas'd eyes, embower'd from the light,
    Enshaded in forgetfulness divine:
O soothest Sleep! if so it please thee, close
    In midst of this thine hymn my willing eyes,
Or wait the "Amen," ere thy poppy throws
    Around my bed its lulling charities.
Then save me, or the passed day will shine
Upon my pillow, breeding many woes,--
    Save me from curious Conscience, that still lords
Its strength for darkness, burrowing like a mole;
    Turn the key deftly in the oiled wards,
And seal the hushed Casket of my Soul.

John Keats (1795-1821)

Here is an excellent slide show on the Mayo Clinic site that suggests good sleeping positions.

Following these suggestions for sleeping positions can prevent you from aggravating a backache or waking up stiff and sore in the morning.

Watch these slides to choose a position that feels most comfortable to you, and select a mattress and bed that supports you.

See this show (5 slides)

A recent study has found that antidepressant drugs may be linked to REM-sleep behavior disorder, also called RBD, that causes people to act out violent dreams. Experts say more tests are needed before the drugs should be stopped.

In a study led by Dr. R. Robert Auger from the Mayo Clinic, it was found that 80% of young people who have RBD took antidepressants, a higher percentage than people over 50, the typical age when RBD sets in.

Antidepressants have been found to affect the dream stage of sleep. Auger said it was possible that RBD is caused by the drugs or by the illness causing a person to take antidepressants. He said that he would not recommend ending antidepressants but possibly switching to a different kind. He also recommends that anyone with RBD symptoms see a sleep specialist and take safety precautions to make sure they don`t get hurt in bed.

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A sleep test, called polysomnography is usually done to diagnose sleep apnea. There are two kinds of polysomnograms. An overnight polysomnography test involves monitoring brain waves, muscle tension, eye movement, respiration, oxygen level in the blood and audio monitoring. (for snoring, gasping, etc.)

The second kind of polysomnography test is a home monitoring test. A Sleep Technologist hooks you up to all the electrodes and instructs you on how to record your sleep with a computerized polysomnograph that you take home and return in the morning. They are painless tests that are usually covered by insurance.

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Sleep apnea is a common disorder that can be very serious. If you have sleep apnea, your breathing stops or gets very shallow while you are sleeping. Each pause in breathing typically lasts 10 to 20 seconds or more. These pauses can occur 20 to 30 times or more an hour.

The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. During sleep, enough air cannot flow into your lungs through your mouth and nose even though you try to breathe. When this happens, the amount of oxygen in your blood may drop. Normal breaths then start again with a loud snort or choking sound.

When your sleep is upset throughout the night, you can be very sleepy during the day. With sleep apnea, your sleep is not restful because:

• These brief episodes of increased airway resistance (and breathing pauses) occur many times.
• You may have many brief drops in the oxygen levels in your blood.
• You move out of deep sleep and into light sleep several times during the night, resulting in poor sleep quality.

People with sleep apnea often have loud snoring. However, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. Some people with sleep apnea don’t know they snore.

• Sleep apnea happens more often in people who are overweight, but even thin people can have it.
• Most people don’t know they have sleep apnea. They don’t know that they are having problems breathing while they are sleeping.
• A family member and/or bed partner may notice the signs of sleep apnea first.

Untreated sleep apnea can increase the chance of having high blood pressure and even a heart attack or stroke. Untreated sleep apnea can also increase the risk of diabetes and the risk for work-related accidents and driving accidents.

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The WebMD site’s “'Sleep Hygiene' Solutions for Better Sleep” article by Michael Breus, PhD, D, ABSM has information about the effect of social or recreational drugs like caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol on sleep.

Caffeine stays in your system as long as 14 hours, increases the number of times you awaken at night and decreases the total amount of sleep time. This subsequently affects daytime anxiety and performance.

The effects of nicotine are similar to those of caffeine, with a difference being that at low doses, nicotine tends to act as a sedative, while at high doses it causes arousals during sleep.

Alcohol may initially sedate you, making it easier to fall asleep; however, as it is metabolized and cleared from your system during sleep, it causes arousals that can last as long as two to three hours after it has been eliminated. These arousals disturb sleep, often causing intense dreaming, sweating, and headache. Smoking while drinking caffeine and alcohol can interact to affect your sleep dramatically.

These sleep disturbances are usually the most apparent upon awakening, feeling unrefreshed, groggy, or hungover.

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Scientists have succeeded in pinpointing how the sugar in food turns off the brain cells that keep us awake and makes us crave a siesta after a big meal. Although it has been known for a while that people and animals become less active and sleepy after a meal, the brain signals that are responsible for this were not understood.

Dennis Burdakov, a researcher at the University of Manchester in England who led the study, and his team, worked with specially engineered mice to demonstrate exactly how glucose blocks or “inhibits” the brain cells that make orexins. Orexins are tiny proteins that regulate our state of consciousness and respond to the ever-changing body energy state with changes in arousal, food seeking, hormone release and metabolic rate to ensure that the brain always has adequate glucose.

By genetically manipulating the mice to produce a florescent protein that lights up only in the orexin cells, the researchers could study how glucose reacts in those neurons.

Specifically, they “identified the pore in the membrane of orexin-producing cells that is responsible for the inhibiting effect of glucose,” Burdakov said.

“This previously unknown mechanism is so sensitive, it can detect minute changes in glucose levels, the type that occurs between meals, for example. This may well provide an explanation for after-meal tiredness and why it is difficult to sleep when hungry.”

Malfunction of the orexin brain cells can cause narcolepsy, when a person can’t stay awake, and is tied to obesity. A knowledge of how glucose stops orexin neurons' 'firing' can help to understand what happens in people with sleep disorders or obesity.

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Feng Shui is ancient Chinese design philosophy. Feng Shui principles for the bedroom aim to create harmony in relationships, as well as better sleep.

Some Feng Shui design directives for improving sleep are:

• No mirrors facing the bed.
• If you have a metal bed, place cork mats under the metal that touches the floor.
• If your bed is under an exposed beam, you need to cover the beam.
• Never sleep with your head or feet facing a door.

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Insomnia is a lack of sleep that occurs on a regular or frequent basis, often for no apparent reason.

Insomnia affects your energy level and mood, and your health as well because sleep helps bolster your immune system. Fatigue caused by sleep deprivation leads to lowered mental alertness and concentration. The lack of sleep caused by insomnia is linked to accidents on the road and on the job.

www.mayoclinic.com enlists some of the causes of insomnia as follows:

• Stress: Stress related to work, health or family prevents the mind from relaxing. Excessive boredom, such as during a long illness also causes stress and can keep you awake.
• Anxiety: Everyday anxieties or severe anxiety disorders can prevent sleep.
• Depression: Depression can cause either too much sleep or lack of sleep, due to chemical imbalances in the brain, or excessive worries.
• Stimulants: A number of medications can interfere with sleep, including antidepressants, high blood pressure medications, decongestants and weight loss products.
• Change in environment or work schedule: Travel or working night shifts disrupts the body’s circadian rhythms, making it hard to sleep when you want to.
• Long term use of sleep medications, which often become less effective over time.
• Medical conditions that cause pain, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia and neuropathies.
• Behavioral insomnia: This occurs when you worry excessively about not being able to sleep well.
• Eating too much too late in the evening: A feeling of heaviness or heartburn may cause discomfort and prevent sleep.
• Inherited condition: If you have inherited poor sleep tendency, take care not to overexcite yourself in the evening.

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Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes chronic, widespread musculoskeletal pain and symptoms such as fatigue, joint stiffness and sleep disturbance. No cure is known and until now, available treatments were only partially effective.

A recent study conducted by Mayo Clinic has found that acupuncture reduces the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Patients who received acupuncture to counter their fibromyalgia symptoms reported improvement in fatigue and anxiety, among other symptoms. Acupuncture was well tolerated, with minimal side effects.

"The results of the study convince me there is something more than the placebo effect to acupuncture," says David Martin, M.D., Ph.D.  "It affirms a lot of clinical impressions that this complementary medical technique is helpful for patients."

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From www.askdrsears.com Family Nutrition section:

What you eat affects the quality of your sleep. Some foods contribute to restful sleep; other foods keep you awake. We call them sleepers and wakers. Sleepers are tryptophan-containing foods. Tryptophan, an amino acid, is the raw material that the body uses to make serotonin, the neurotransmitter that slows down nerve traffic so your brain isn't so busy. Wakers are foods that stimulate neurochemicals that perk up the brain.

Foods high in the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan are:

Dairy products: cottage cheese, cheese, milk
Soy products: soy milk, tofu, soybean nuts
Seafood
Meats
Poultry
Whole grains
Beans
Rice
Hummus
Lentils
Hazelnuts, peanuts
Eggs
Sesame seeds, sunflower seeds

Bedtime snacks: Foods that are high in carbohydrates and calcium, and medium-to-low in protein can also induce sleep. Some examples:

Best dinners for sleep: Meals that are high in carbohydrates and low-to-medium in protein will help you relax in the evening and get a good night's sleep. Try the following "dinners for sleep":

Lighter meals induce restful sleep while high-fat meals and large servings prolong the work your digestive system needs to do, and may keep you awake.

Going to bed with a full stomach does not, for most people, promote a restful night's sleep. While you may fall asleep faster, all the intestinal work required to digest a big meal is likely to cause frequent waking and a poorer quality of sleep. Eat your evening meal early.

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The ASAA is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing injury, disability, and death from sleep apnea and to enhancing the well-being of those affected by this common disorder.

The website provides information about sleep apnea and lists support groups by state in USA and Canada. A number of resources are available including books, publications, brochures, articles, videos, links to research, product comparison and links to other organizations.

Visit the ASAA website

The Mayo Clinic article ‘Sleeping pills: A prescription for better sleep’ provides valuable information to those considering or taking sleeping pills. The article describes the different types of sleeping pills available, their side effects, precautions and considerations. Information about over-the-counter medications, Nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic medications, benzodiazepines and sedating antidepressants is provided in detail.

Valuable information is provided on the safe usage of sleeping pills:

• Check with your doctor:  Even if you decide to take over-the-counter medication, check with your doctor to make sure the sleeping pills won’t interact with other medications or medical conditions. Your doctor will recommend the right dosage, advise on prescription medication or further evaluation if needed.
• Take it one day at a time: Sleeping pills are a temporary solution and most over-the-counter varieties should be taken for only 2-3 nights at a time.
• Avoid alcohol: Never mix alcohol and sleeping pills as this can cause you to feel dizzy, confused or faint.
• Quit carefully: Follow doctor’s instructions or the instructions on the label when you need to stop. Some medications need to be stopped gradually.
• Watch for side effects: If you feel sleepy or dizzy during the day, report to your doctor.

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Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a perennial plant native to Europe and Asia and naturalized in North America. It has a distinctive odor that many find unpleasant. Other names include setwall (English), Valerianae radix (Latin), Baldrianwurzel (German), and phu (Greek).

Valerian has been used as a medicinal herb since at least the time of ancient Greece and Rome. Hippocrates described its therapeutic uses and in the 2nd century, Galen prescribed it  for insomnia. In the 16th century, it was used to treat nervousness, trembling, headaches, and heart palpitations. In the mid-19th century, Valerian was considered a stimulant and not regarded highly as a medicinal herb. During World War II, it was used in England to relieve the stress of air raids.

In addition to sleep disorders, Valerian has been used for gastrointestinal spasms and distress, epileptic seizures, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However, scientific evidence is not sufficient to support the use of Valerian for these conditions.
Here are the key points that emerge from the “Office of Dietary Supplements” information website on Valerian.

• Valerian is an herb sold as a dietary supplement in the United States.
• Valerian is a common ingredient in products promoted as mild sedatives and sleep aids for nervous tension and insomnia.
• Evidence from clinical studies of the efficacy of Valerian in treating sleep disorders such as insomnia is inconclusive.
• Constituents of Valerian have been shown to have sedative effects in animals, but there is no scientific agreement on Valerian's mechanisms of action.
• Although few adverse events have been reported, long-term safety data are not available.

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The Japanese work long hours but a new study estimates that sleep deprivation costs their economy 3.5 trillion yen (30.7 billion dollars) a year, mainly in lost productivity.

The study covered 3,075 employees of a company in Osaka, noting their sleeping habits and alertness during work hours or while driving, while taking into account salary levels.  It concluded that spending more time on the job did not lead to increased productivity while a lack of sleep can cause more traffic accidents.

"Many people think that if you sleep less you will have more time to work (and be more productive) but that is a total misconception," said report author Makoto Uchiyama, professor of Psychology and Mental Health at Nihon University.

"This study is intended to raise awareness about the importance of sleep," he said, while adding: "It is up to each individual's moral and mental discipline to be able to sleep more or better."

A record number of Japanese became seriously ill or even died due to overwork last year. Japan's annual working hours per person are among the highest in the developed world.

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In a long-term study of middle-aged women, those who slept 5 hours or less each night were more likely to gain a significant amount of weight or become obese during 16 years of follow-up than women who slept 7 hours each night.

This level of weight gain -- 15 kg, or 33 pounds -- is "very clinically significant in terms of risk of diabetes and heart disease," said Dr. Sanjay Patel of Case Western Reserve University.

Women who slept 6 hours nightly were also more likely to experience major weight gain or to become obese compared with those who slept 7 hours each night.

The 68,183 women in the study provided information in 1986 on their typical night's sleep and reported their weight every 2 years for 16 years. The findings were presented at the American Thoracic Society's International Conference in San Diego on May 23 2006.

After accounting for the influence of age and weight at the beginning of the study, women who slept less than 7 hours gained more weight during the follow-up than those who slept 7 hours regularly. The researchers analyzed the diets and physical activity levels of the women, but failed to find any differences that could explain why women who slept less weighed more.

Read my post on "The Stress and Sleep Connection"

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The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) have published ‘Your Guide to Healthy Sleep’. This paper starts out by explaining the importance of adequate sleep and the dangers of drowsy driving. It also includes an excellent checklist to know if you could have a sleep disorder.

An estimated 40 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders, the most common ones being insomnia, sleep apnea (sleep-disordered breathing), restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy. These disorders can significantly affect your health, safety, and well-being, but they can be treated. Talk to your doctor if you have any of these signs of a sleep disorder:

• You consistently take more than 30 minutes each night to fall asleep.
• You consistently awaken several times each night and then have trouble falling back to sleep, or you awaken too early in the morning.
• You often feel sleepy during the day, you take frequent naps, or you fall asleep at inappropriate times during the day.
• Your bed partner says that when you sleep, you snore loudly, snort, gasp, make choking sounds, or stop breathing for short periods.
• You have creeping, tingling, or crawling feelings in your legs or arms that are relieved by moving or massaging them, especially in the evening and when trying to fall asleep.
• Your bed partner notices that your legs or arms jerk often during sleep.
• You have vivid, dreamlike experiences while falling asleep or dozing.
• You have episodes of sudden muscle weakness when you are angry or fearful, or when you laugh.
• You feel as though you cannot move when you first wake up.

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The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Interactive Sleep Quiz is a good way to test your awareness of sleep related facts. As you answer the ten questions, the correct answers and explanations are provided immediately.

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A paper published by the American Medical Association examines the connection between stress and sleep disorders. The lack of sleep causes the release of stress hormones that cause potentially serious health problems.

A chronic lack of sleep increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Prolonged sleeplessness causes the body to release cortisol, a stress hormone that regulates the blood sugar glucose, into the bloodstream. This leads to an increase in blood glucose, prompting more insulin release and leading to insulin resistance that can lead to type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Stress hormones released due to sleep deprivation also affect your immune system, making you more susceptible to infections, and to developing cancer.

Chronic lack of sleep also accelerates the aging process. The article goes on to list some habits to aid getting a good night’s sleep.

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From the Cleveland Clinic Health Information Center website:
Circadian rhythm disorders are disruptions in a person’s circadian rhythm, the "internal body clock" that regulates the 24-hour cycle of biological processes. The term circadian comes from Latin words that literally mean "around the day." There are patterns of brain wave activity, hormone production, cell regeneration, and other biological activities linked to this 24-hour cycle. Circadian rhythms determine a person’s sleeping patterns.

What causes circadian rhythm disorders?
Circadian rhythm disorders can be caused by many factors, including:

• Shift work
• Pregnancy
• Time zone changes
• Medicines
• Changes in routine

Common circadian rhythm disorders:

• Jet lag or rapid time zone change syndrome: Sleep disruptions of people who travel across time zones.
• Shift work sleep disorder: Affects people who frequently rotate shifts or work at night
• Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS): People with DSPS tend to fall asleep at very late times and have difficulty waking up in time for normal work, school, or social engagements.
• Advanced sleep phase syndrome: This syndrome results in symptoms of evening sleepiness, an early sleep onset, and waking up earlier than desired.
• Non 24-hour sleep wake disorder: A condition in which an individual has a normal sleep pattern but lives in a 25-hour day. Throughout time the person’s sleep cycle will drift in and out of normal societal norms, sometimes falling asleep at a later time and waking up later, and sometimes falling asleep at an earlier time and waking up earlier.

How are circadian rhythm disorders treated?
Therapy usually combines proper sleep hygiene techniques and external stimulus therapy such as bright light therapy or chronotherapy. Chronotherapy is a behavioral technique in which the bedtime is systematically adjusted. Bright-light therapy is designed to reset a person’s circadian rhythm to a desired pattern. When combined, these therapies might produce significant results in people with circadian rhythm disorders.

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The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has published a ‘Hypersomnia Information Page’. Persons with hypersomnia experience recurrent episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness or prolonged nighttime sleep, and are compelled to nap repeatedly during the day.
Patients often have difficulty waking from a long sleep, and may feel disoriented. Other symptoms may include anxiety, increased irritation, decreased energy, restlessness, slow thinking, slow speech, loss of appetite, hallucinations, and memory difficulty. Hypersomnia typically affects adolescents and young adults.

Possible causes:

• Another sleep disorder (such as narcolepsy or sleep apnea).
• Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, or drug or alcohol abuse.
• From a physical problem, such as a tumor, head trauma, or injury to the central nervous system.
• Certain medications, or medicine withdrawal, may also cause hypersomnia.
• Medical conditions including multiple sclerosis, depression, encephalitis, epilepsy, or obesity may contribute to the disorder.
• Some people appear to have a genetic predisposition to hypersomnia; in others, there is no known cause.

Is there any treatment?

Treatment is symptomatic in nature. Stimulants or other drugs may be prescribed. Changes in behavior (for example avoiding night work and social activities that delay bed time) and diet may offer some relief. Patients should avoid alcohol and caffeine.

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Rejuvenighted is your right to a restful night.