If you’re constantly having sleep problems, your Multiple Sclerosis (MS), could very well be causing them.

Many studies have shown that sleep disturbances, in folks with MS, are 3 times more common than in the general population. In fact, MSers are about two times more likely to have a reduced quality of sleep.

In order to understand the magnitude of the sleep problems that many of us (MSers) have to deal with, it would be helpful  to quickly review a few things about the regular sleep cycle of any person.

Keep in mind that the complete sleep cycle takes an average of 90 (1 hour and a half) to 110 minutes (almost 2 hours).

THE REGULAR SLEEP CYCLE

Stage 1 is light sleep. Here you drift in and out of sleep and can be awakened easily. In this stage there is very slow movement in the eyes and muscle activity slows. This is the stage where you might have experience sudden muscle contractions preceded by a sensation of falling.

Stage 2 eye movement stops and brain waves become slower with only an occasional burst of rapid brain waves.

Stage 3 the brain produces exceptionally slow brain waves better known as delta waves. These are mix together with smaller and faster brain waves.

Stage 4 the brain start producing delta waves almost exclusively.

Here is an interesting piece of trivia: What we normally refer to as deep sleep takes place right at stages 3 and 4. This is when some children experience bedwetting, sleepwalking or have nightmares.

Stage 5 REM or Rapid Eye Movement is where the brain waves increase to levels normally experienced when a person is completely awake.

At REM your breathing becomes more rapid, shallow and irregular. Your eyes jerk quickly – hence the REM initials – and muscles in the arms and/or legs become momentarily paralyzed.

Most people should experience between three and five periods of REM sleep every night.

I’m sure you have heard that a minimum of 8 hours of ZZZ’s every night are recommended. OK true but when it comes to MSers, many sleep problems are not caused so much by the number of hours but, as Gail Hartley, an MS-certified nurse with Neurology Consultants explained, going through all 5 stages of the sleep cycle at least two or three times a night is the main thing.

Nurse Hartley said: “People with sleep disorders wake up feeling tired because they haven’t gone through those sleep cycles; they’ve not gone through those restorative levels of sleep”.

At least in my case, as I’m sure probably in many of you too, when I don’t get enough sleep or have sleep problems the night before or even when I don’t take my afternoon nap, my cognitive symptoms worsen: I find it hard to think and concentrate in whatever I’m doing.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE  SLEEP PROBLEMS?

The answer to this question is not as simple as we would like to think. Even if you, like I, have to fight MS fatigue every day, having sleep problems every night or experiencing tiredness all the time, should be looked at more closely with your doctor.

There are several conditions that MSers might experience which interfere with getting enough sleep:

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA):  is very common amongst MSers with sleep problems. Usually OSA is accompanied by heavy snoring and the resulting bad oxygenation and interrupted sleep may in turn make other health conditions harder to treat.

Bladder problems: also known as nocturia are part of the sleep problems caused by getting out of bed several times every evening. If you think about it, all that interrupted sleep adds up sooner or later resulting in the tiredness experienced by must MSers.

RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME: the spasms, cramping and pain associated with this sporadic limb movement can easily prevent you from getting any good sleep.  They are often the cause for insomnia or non-refreshing sleep by partially arousing you.

DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY: is often the reason behind many sleep problems. Also many of the drugs currently used to treat ms depression, spasticity and ms fatigue can hamper with sleep. Something you can do when talking with you neurologist is regulate the dosage and the time during the day that the drug is taken.

As you can see, there are many obstacles to you getting a really good night of ZZZZ’s. There are also quite a few changes you can implement to improve your sleep odds:

Create a comfortable sleeping environment that promotes good sleep.

Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet and cool.

Make sure your bed, pillow and bed covers are comfortable.

The following suggestion, which I really love to pass on to you, I got it from an article written by Chris Blosse and Angela Maas for the publication “Momentum”. They suggest to:

“Use the bedroom for sleep and SEX  ONLY”.  Is this a pearl or what?

Other suggestions, like keeping cell phones, PDA’s, BlackBerries, IPhones, computers and TV’s out of the bedroom are out there for folks to decide.

Personally, I find it extremely difficult (if not impossible) to follow this one. Shutting off any and all of these modern comforts at a fix time every evening is something I think is easier to agree too.

An excellent tip to reduce sleep problems is to create what I like to call a pre-sleeping routine. By this I mean having a set of steps that are performed each and every night before finally getting in bed to go to sleep.

The purpose is to start “educating” your body. By following a routine  like putting your pajama, brushing your teeth, preparing what you’re going to wear the next morning, read a book for 20 to 30 minutes and finally shutting off the night table’s light every night, you’re communicating to your brain and rest of your body that you’re fixing to retire (go to sleep) for the day.

Another tip for you is to try to avoid eating a huge meal or having caffeine just before bed or very late in the day. You can also try one of the STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES presented for you and explained in my website.

I can tell you that amongst all the tips and strategies for dealing with sleep problems that I have try, the most useful one has been to learn to tune in to my body and understand my daily rhythm.

By learning to do that you’ll be able to program and choose your activities accordingly. I, for example, plan all my errands and meetings for the mornings and before lunch. Normally I would take a one hour nap after lunch and try not doing any strenuous activity the rest of the day.

SLEEPING MEDICATIONS AND OTHERS

You could try taking sleeping pills but most doctors and experts recommend them only as a last resource to deal with any sleep problems. You must remember that their use involve the risk of becoming dependant on them.

There are also various herbal supplements to help you sleep. The most important thing here that you should always remember is that they may interact with other medications or they may stimulate the immune system so the number one rule of always consulting your doctor before deciding applies here.

There are times when professional help is required. A visit to an urologist might be needed if constant waking during the night is provoking your being tired all the time.

It is a good idea that before you see your doctor you keep a sleep diary and track your habits. Here you simply keep track of things like:

What time did you go to bed?
What time do you think you fell asleep?
Do you remember waking up during the night?
How many times?
How many hours were you in bed before you got up?
Did you feel refreshed when you got up?

Simple practices like this one will allow your doctor to get a clearer picture of your sleeping habits which in turn will help him/her decipher what’s happening.

I am a 46 years old fellow that has been living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for the past 14 years.

Totally aware of how tough is for fellow MSers to convey to family members and others what they are going through, decided to try to help other MSers and created a website named MS-multiple-sclerosis-symptoms.com

I lived in the United States for almost 15 years and now lived in Managua, Nicaragua with my wife and daughter.

By applying many of the tips given on the website, I am living well despite of MS.

Be well,

Any ideas on how to stop sleep problems like teeth grinding and twitching?

My boyfriend breathes really loud, he snores, talks in his sleep, grinds his teeth, and incesantly twitches from the moment his head hits the pillow. I am a very light sleeper and I haven’t gotten a good nights sleep in 2 years! Please help me!!

Answer
To possibly solve all these problems, he could try an over-the-counter sleep aid / muscle relaxer called “Melatonin”. To possibly stop the snoring tell him to sleep on his side or stomach. If he has insurance, tell him to ask his dentist about the teeth grinding because that could cause damage. If he twitches in the first half hour that is just part of the sleep cycle. but if he twitches all night long he might have a different issue. Also, if the melatonin doesn’t work and if he has insurance he should see a doctor about all these problems. You can also take melatonin to help YOU sleep.

If you get 1Mg pills he should take 2,3,or 4 a night, depending on height and weight and if you get the 3 Mg pills he should only need one. Good luck, i hope this works for you, it has helped my sister.

A sleep lab patient, Pasadena resident William H. Chapman, was tested after his wife wrote his doctor to express concern about his restless sleep. Chapman, 61, has been a heavy snorer for decades.

“The descriptions of my snoring went from something like a growling bear to a machine that was going to knock down the house,” he said. When he and his son went camping in southern Utah last year, his son asked him to sleep in the truck.

He felt bone-tired during the day, what he describes as “30 years struggling against this weariness that you feel perpetually. No alertness. No get-up-and-go.”

Finally, Chapman spent a night at Torrance Memorial, plugged into the polysomnograph. The test results were startling: He was holding his breath as many as 57 times an hour, each time for 10 to 40 seconds. He would wake repeatedly as he held his breath, meaning that he unknowingly was sleeping only four or five hours a night.

A federal report concluded that while 60 million Americans suffer from apnea, narcolepsy and other chronic sleep problems, the majority are undiagnosed and untreated. Despite its pervasiveness and impact upon the society, sleep-related problems are not recognized as a public health issue.

The most common and severe form, called obstructive sleep apnea, features extremely loud snoring interrupted by pauses and gasps. Breathing stops for 10 seconds or longer, sometimes dozens or even hundreds of times each night.

Most frequently, the airway becomes blocked during sleep due to excessive relaxation of throat muscles. In children, sleep apnea is often the result of enlarged tonsils and adenoids.

People with sleep apnea may show signs of anxiety, depression, irritability, forgetfulness and fatigue during the day. Recent studies have found that sleep apnea sufferers have two to five times as many automobile accidents as people in the general population.

Treatment includes weight reduction (most people with severe sleep apnea are overweight); avoiding alcohol within two hours of bedtime and sleeping drugs; surgery to remove excess tissue at the back of the throat or enlarged tonsils and adenoids; use of a special mask that improves flow of air through nasal passages.

Undergoing surgery or sleeping with a mask clamped to your face may seem like extreme measures just to silence snoring. But if you have sleep apnea, those treatments could save your life.

As awareness of apnea mounts, suspected sufferers are spending their nights under an infrared camera’s watchful eye in hundreds of so-called “sleep labs” across America, sensors dotting their skin and scalp.

Eleven o’clock is “lights out.” At 11:02 sharp, Navarro yawns. A needle swings wildly on a monitor humming softly in the next room. At 11:10 p.m., Navarro turns onto his left side, and a half-dozen needles jerk in response.

This night will be like no other for Navarro, a 32-year-old computer programmer. For the next seven hours, his every breath, movement and heartbeat will be recorded as he spends the night in a sleep disorders laboratory.

He is here because doctors think he suffers from sleep apnea, a disorder marked by loud snoring and interrupted breathing. Once considered relatively obscure, sleep apnea is stirring increased concern among physicians because it can cause severe daytime fatigue, high blood pressure, stroke and heart problems; serious cases can be life-threatening.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that sleep apnea is more common than once believed. The study found that 9% of women and 24% of men had sleep-disordered breathing; 2% of women and 4% of men in the middle-aged work force met the criteria for sleep apnea. That would make undiagnosed sleep apnea a major public health burden.

Depending on the severity of the apnea, treatment can include use of a night time face mask or even surgery. There’s a less high-tech approach for those who snore or suffer apnea only while on their backs: sewing a tennis ball in the back of their pajamas tops so they will sleep on their sides instead.

Not surprisingly, roommates and spouses are often the first to spot potential apnea victims. Navarro is a longtime snorer; he can remember his college roommates waking him to request that he tone it down. His wife, Christine, grew worried when she noticed that he sometimes stopped breathing briefly during the night. She learned about sleep apnea from her doctor and urged her husband to get tested.

A video screen shows Navarro dozing peacefully. Pink computer paper moves steadily through the polysomnograph, a machine with 12 needles that records everything from his eye movements to heart contractions.

All night, monitors will record the needles’ black tracks, paying special attention to those measuring Navarro’s breathing. Sleep apnea victims have been known to stop breathing hundreds of times each night.

Can’t Sleep? Always Tired?
“Discover How to Wake Up Feeling Happy and Rested
With the Best Sleep Apnea Treatments Available!”

How do you get children to sleep in their own bed and to sleep without problems?

K.. I have this friend who has 2 kids, ages 3 and 1. They share a room, and they won’t go to bed at night. Sometimes they keep her up until after 1 in the morning. I told her to just put them in their room and don’t let them out, but her oldest will lay and bang on the door so much that he has almost broke it. He has other behavior problems, and doesn’t listen to anything she says. The youngest is just following his brother. But she also will wake up with them in her bed. She’s almost divorced, and she has full custody of the kids, so she is the only one that is taking care of them. She’s at her wits end with their sleeping habits. She is pretty much ready to give up and just let them sleep where they fall. I don’t know how to tell her that it’s all about her parenting style, but how do I say that without making her feel like I’m accusing her of being a “bad mother”? I don’t know what to tell her to help. Any suggestions?
k.. a little more background on this. They lived with us for almost 3 months. The kids bedtime routine is this: she puts them in the living room, puts on a movie, then she sits on the computer until the movie is over and then she tries to put them in bed. Of course they won’t stay with that kind of bedtime routine. I’ve tried to tell her this, but she doesn’t get it. My kids are so easy to put to bed, but we have a set bedtime, and we tell them that bedtime is coming so they are aware of it. Yes, there are nights when they cry and won’t go to sleep for a while, but even my oldest doesn’t get up anymore and try to come out of her room. Her oldest is very hard to deal with. He hits her, bites her, kicks her and laughs at her when she spanks him. He won’t listen and he screams this high pitched scream when ever he doesn’t get what he wants. I had a very hard time with him here, and the only person he would listen to was my hubby, only because he wasn’t that sweet when he talked to him.

Answer
Wow. It sounds like there’s a lot going on here, and the sleep issues are where it’s playing out. Suddenly dad’s gone, mom is [I assume] not having an exactly easy time either, and seems a bit overwhelmed (tuning out at bedtime, etc.). My approach would be:
- Skip the movie, and do something calming *together*: read some books, snuggle, talk about what you did that day. Or watch a *short* (20 min or less) bit of movie, together.
- Wash up, get into clean pajamas, have a glass of warm milk, and then put the 3 y.o. in bed.
- Separate the kids’ sleeping areas until the 3 y.o. has calmed down. For example, have the 1 y.o. sleep in her room (our 18month old is still in our room, sleeping through the night, in her own bed on the other side of the dresser).

I can’t help but feel that what the older child needs is a sense of security from mom, given all that’s happened/happening: and for small kids, that means parental presence, predictable routines (so they know what’s next), and clear, enforced limits. Maybe your friend could get some help for what she’s going though — let her know that she needs to be taken care of herself, so she can get stronger and be there for her kids. Good luck!

Hybrid Sleep is the best thing in Vista that I love most! The Hybrid sleep mode might not work well on older computer, you should check the support level of hybrid sleep mode on your computer with “powercfg -a” command. I will outline some of the common sleep problems in this article, and show you the proper way to diagnose and solve it.

Problem #1 – Sleep mode not supported.

Some older hardware will not support the sleep mode properly, the level of sleep mode supported varies between different hardware. Open command Windows and type “powercfg -a” to list the support level of each hardware.

There are 4 levels of sleep mode:

S1 – Light Sleep

S2 – Deeper Sleep

S3 – Deepest Sleep

S4 – Hibernation

Problem #2 – Unwanted wakes up call.

Many unwanted and unexpected wakes up reported by users. Some wakes up after 2 ~ 3 minutes, some take longer. One principle here: Vista will not automatic wakes itself unless activated the schedule task or hardware. On that basis, we must first determine how many hardware from the computer is supporting wake up function. Open command Windows and type “powercfg -devicequery wake_armed”, this command will list the hardware with wakes up support.

Then go to Device Manager and disable the wake up function on the “Power Options” tab, one by one, to determine the actual hardware that causes such problem. I use this method to discover and disable my mouse’s wakes up feature, from that day, my Vista never wakes up unpredictably.

Finally, you should update your Vista, your computer’s BIOS and firmware, then get the latest drivers for your hardware.

(C) Copyright 2008 Kok Choon – Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety as long as all links and author resources box in place.

Do you need extra tuning tips? How about a 58 step by step instruction with detail pictures ==> Unleash Vista Power Advance Guide
Restore Vista speed in 2 Hours without expensive hardware upgrades ==> Repair And Recover Vista Speed Strategy Guide

Any ideas on how to stop sleep problems like teeth grinding and twitching?

My boyfriend breathes really loud, he snores, talks in his sleep, grinds his teeth, and incesantly twitches from the moment his head hits the pillow. I am a very light sleeper and I haven’t gotten a good nights sleep in 2 years! Please help me!!

Answer
To possibly solve all these problems, he could try an over-the-counter sleep aid / muscle relaxer called “Melatonin”. To possibly stop the snoring tell him to sleep on his side or stomach. If he has insurance, tell him to ask his dentist about the teeth grinding because that could cause damage. If he twitches in the first half hour that is just part of the sleep cycle. but if he twitches all night long he might have a different issue. Also, if the melatonin doesn’t work and if he has insurance he should see a doctor about all these problems. You can also take melatonin to help YOU sleep.

If you get 1Mg pills he should take 2,3,or 4 a night, depending on height and weight and if you get the 3 Mg pills he should only need one. Good luck, i hope this works for you, it has helped my sister.

Do you know that over 50% of adult peoples are suffer from some kind of sleep problem? I used to be a part of them. How about you? They have difficulties for falling asleep or still wake up during sleep time and insomnia is a term to described them. Normally, we will falling sleep at 9-11 o’clock every night but not for peoples who have sleep problem. They still wake up until midnight or even more. Another symptom is, even if they can sleep like normal people 7 or 8 hours a day, they are not feeling refreshed. And you can imagine that a person who have not feeling refreshed in the morning will effects their days. Let’s say like they can not concentrated during work, feeling stressed, fatigue, and many more. Having sleep problem can significantly lower quality of life.

Someone who lack of sleep doesn’t mean that he/she have sleep problem, because some peoples do not sleep very much but awaken after a few hours of sleep full of energy and feeling well rested. If that is you, then you don’t have to worry that you have insomnia, you just don’t need as much sleep as you think you do. So the most important is the quality of your sleep not quantity.

There are many potential causes insomnia or sleep problem such as, the side effect of medication, bad lifestyle habit, diseases, stress, depression and, etc. And some research say that most of insomnia cases are linked to psychological causes like depression and stress.

The best treatment for insomnia depends on what kind of insomnia do you have. You must consult your physician for treatment. For people who are seeking advice on an effective insomnia treatment, it may be as simple as making some changes in lifestyle habit, such as following a regular sleep schedule to improve your sleep and the others it takes more research and more serious treatment. So, it’s depends of cause on your insomnia.

If you want to find more about insomnia, here a good resources for your references. You can find what kind and caused of insomnia and what is the best for treatment. But it’s only for references, you must consult your doctor for advices.

Copyrights and reprint rights @ www.insomnia-prevention-cure.com

Virtual Assistant

I’ve been having sleeping problems for a few months now. Why am i getting so paranoid and cant sleep?

I first noticed this when i would come home from boarding school freshman year. When I would come home, no matter how hard I tried, i could not fall asleep. I felt so paranoid about where I was, and would just walk around the house all night and watch TV. Why can’t I fall asleep, and what should I do so I can get the proper amount of sleep I need to function?

Answer
The strange surroundings, as crazy as it may seem because you are actually at home, can have an effect.
I suggest the following for exam prep, but it may well work here.
Sit in a chair where you can relax, are not going to be disturbed. Arms and legs uncrossed, and just relax. Think of somewhere peaceful you would like to be, the beach for example.
Count very slowly, from 1 to 10, as you take yourself on an imaginary journey. Let all the tensions and stress flow out as you relax and get closer, until finally, at number 10, you arrive.
Before you go to bed, a warm milky drink, (no caffeine) don’t read or watch TV, instead listen to relaxing music, (no vocals) , pan pipes are ideal, and just let yourself drift off into a peaceful sleep.
Hope this helps,
mike t.

Everyone wants a good night of sleep that is complete and uninterrupted. This is actually one of the more important necessities that our body needs in order to survive and keep pace with the ever-changing world. Sometimes, if we can’t get the sleep we need prescription sleep aids can help us to get back on track.

Sleep enables your body to gain its strength back and to rejuvenate itself. If you get too stressed out or enter into a restless stage of your life, a goodnight’s sleep may be hard to achieve. Prescription sleep aids are available today to help a person be ready to face the world with confidence and more energy. They aid in giving us back all the lost energy that our body has spent throughout the day. They also enable us to get the needed repairs in our body tissues for maximum rejuvenation and optimum health.

Remedies may come in different shapes, sizes and levels of efficacy. All of them carry a promise of making you feel more relaxed and ready to doze off into that wonderful world of sleep land! Because the difficulty in sleeping is often characterized by a number of different factors, we may sometimes be unfamiliar with the proper sleep aid for each situation. Trying to do something about these sleep problems may lead to an infinite number of options. There are musical pieces that aide in our sleep and which offer a wide range of nature-inspired sounds and schemes. There are also moisturizers and face masks which are good for people having skin irritations that prevent them from sleeping properly. Other options include medical treatment tests and procedures that can only be done by a specialist but which help to diagnose the kind of sleep disorder we are experiencing. This is often the final solution which helps us to know the real cause and the available solutions that can be taken to help cure the ailment.

One of the most common and inexpensive prescription sleep aid are sleep drugs. Sleep drugs are being used by many people who are experiencing difficulty in dozing off and who have developed a weird sleeping habit. Such drugs come in many shapes and sizes but the most serious are the class of Benzodiazepines which are prescribed to insomnia patients. They can cause drowsiness during the day and not just at night so they are especially dangerous if not taken according to the strict guidelines of a physician. They should not be taken on a daily basis because they will eventually pose a new risk. Another kind of prescription sleep aid is the Non-benzodiazepines which are the newest option in sleep medicine. They pose fewer risks to the patient’s health and only target specific receptors in the brain which need attention. They don’t cause much daytime sleepiness and dizziness so they are easier to manage. Yet another kind of sleep aid is the Barbiturates but these are rarely prescribed because they so commonly lead to dependence, addiction and sometimes even overdose. Oftentimes, anti-depressants are prescribed to patients who suffer from the blues and who are also having trouble staying on a normal sleep schedule. If none of these sleep drugs seem to work for you, ask your healthcare provider to assist you in finding the best possible remedy to suit you.

A complete and regular schedule of sleep makes a person ready to face the many troubles and activities that last throughout the day. Not everyone has the best time sleeping, especially those with rigid and rather intense lifestyles! Those people who tend to do more rigorous work are more prone to having sleep-related problems and should consult a doctor if the problem persists. By dealing with this sleep issue while it is still just a small problem, it will save you a lot of trouble in the future and help you to maintain that busy schedule that you really want to keep. It’s really just as simple as that and you will be on the road to a happier and healthier lifestyle from now on!

Are there any over the counter sleep aids?

And what do you think of them – safe?

What is the best over the counter sleeping aid medicine? I’m having sleep disorder maybe due to stress…

ALSO – any over the counter aids for ANXIETY?
DEPENDENCY risks??
Okay, thanks, I’m actually not really that interested in using medication. I like the all natural approach.

Answer
Go to a Whole Foods grocery store and get a little bottle of something called Rescue Remedy. It is a combination of a whole bunch of herbs. My sister showed it to me. The vet recommended it to her to use for her cat, when she had a cat that “talked” waay too much. The stuff is for humans, but the vet recommended it for the cat. Sure enough, it calmed the cat down some. (The cat was a rescue and my sis was only a temp. home).

Then I found out that the kennel where I board my dogs, also uses Rescue Remedy in the pet water, to keep all the dogs and cats calm.

SO, my sis tried it, since she also has sleep disorders and has trouble sleeping. She puts about 4 drops into a small glass of water and drinks it, and it just lets her relax and go to sleep.

Then I tried it (for me and my cats who fight to be the alpha). It didn’t work on my cats so much. They still bicker with each other. But it has helped me to relax and sleep deeply enough to feel rested in the morning.

1 bottle is about 16 dollars… but it lasts a long time. It is a bunch of herbs (and I am not against regular OTC meds, but I do like to steer clear of “sleeping pills”).

By the age of three a toddler requires eleven hours of consistent, quality sleep. Toddler sleep problems stand in the way of consistent quality sleep and this can lead to health issues such as a lower immunity, temper tantrums, a slower brain function, and a poor diet, to name a few.

For many toddlers just the mention that “It is bedtime” sends them into sheer disarray. (1)Crying and a defiant attitude usually accompany this disarray. This is the start of the bedtime nightmare for parents. (2)The continuance of their crying or temper tantrum once they are in bed. (3)Getting them to stay in bed without screaming after the parent leaves the room. (4)Not getting out of bed in the middle of the night, when they wake up.

With the above 4 areas under control toddler sleep problems will be solved and parents will have a pleasant, warm and cuddly bedtime, free from screaming, night waking, and health issues.

1. Shshsh…. Dont say the words “Its bedtime.” or anything even close to. Instead use atmosphere and quality time with your toddler to let him know it’s time to wind down. This manipulation should begin 20 minutes BEFORE the time you put in place for your toddler to be in bed.

Create a cozy, calm and quiet atmosphere. Dim the lights, watch a little Animal Planet and cuddle with your toddler. A baby massage is a wonderful relaxation technique for both parent and toddler and can be done as part of the winding down process.

2. Find and Remind. On the way to his room, think of something fun and exciting for your toddler to do the next day. It could be an afternoon of play dough fun, or perhaps he has a party to go to, or finger painting, or a play in the park. Remind him of it. A little secret: tell him you are looking forward to doing it with him (ensure that you are able to do this. Otherwise do not offer this statement.

3. The Bedroom: short and sweet. This is an area many parents get wrong. At bedtime your toddler’s bedroom should be within the same atmosphere as when you were winding him down. Prepare his bedroom before you start the winding down process. Bedroom atmosphere encompasses a night light and soft music.

The time you spend in your toddler’s room after he is in bed needs to be short and sweet. Sit on edge of the bed next to your toddler and read a story, softly. Stroke his hair or use his favorite toy. Quietly remind him of the fun that awaits him the next day if he gets a good night rest. Mention that you are also very tired and heading off to bed. Kiss him goodnight and off you go.

4. When he starts to cry, tell him you love him and you will check on him in a bit before you go to bed. Ignore his crying. While in his room do not appear stressed. Know in your mind that all will be well. Your toddler will feel this and it will help him adjust to his new bedtime routine.

In 9 out of 10 cases your toddler will fall asleep very shortly. However, if you prolong your time in his room and show your fear of his crying he will recognize this and use it as a tool to get you to stay until he falls asleep, which causes him to stay awake longer, lessening his sleep time and lessening your free time.

Quality and quantity sleep is a must for toddlers. Don’t allow toddler sleep problems to get in the way of his health and well being. Nip this problem in the bud before it does harm to you and your toddler.

FREE “Bedtime Delights” to help parent and child while working through a sleep routine and how to get baby to sleep through the night.

have you ever relieved insomnia (or any sleep problems in general) by taking a vitamin supplement alone?

I’ve read being deficient in some vitamins can sometimes lead to insomnia. If you personally experienced the benefits of taking vitamins on sleep could you tell me a bit about it? (any answers are welcome though) Thanks.

Answer
This is not a cure but it helps once in awhile. Make a cup of tea with 2 Sleepytime tea teabags ( you can get it at the store) and about a half cup of catnip. Let it sit for a few hours. Take that with 2 tylenol p.m.’s. you can get it without the tylenol too. It’s called ‘just sleep.’ It will knock you out for hours. Do it when you have time to sleep for about 10 or 12 hours. If you do this once in awhile, it helps.

At first mention of the phrase sleeping disorder, the thing that would probably pop out of your mind is insomnia, or a condition whereby a person is experiencing difficulty in maintaining or initiating sleep. However, the more common sleeping disorder, which affects the very young to the very old, is actually called parasomnia. All of us, at one time, have actually experienced at least one type of parasomnia in our lifetime.

Uncovering The Truth About Parasomnia

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, parasomnia is defined as any type of sleep disorder that commonly inhibits sleep. Parasomnia can either occur during non rapid-eye movement sleep, NREM for short; or rapid-eye movement sleep, more commonly known as REM. Therefore, a person who has parasomnia may experience sleep disruption or arousal when he or she is in a simultaneous stage of being partially asleep and awake. The sleep problems can be passive, such as talking while sleeping or bedwetting; or dangerous, such as sexually assaulting or harming other people.

What Causes Parasomnia?

Biological factors, depression, and stress are some of the most common causes of parasomnia. People who have problems and are plagued with guilt, tension and anxiety are believed to be at risk of experiencing various sleeping disorders, most of which can fall under the category of parasomnia. Some experts also believe that heredity plays a huge role in some of the types of parasomnia, including bedwetting, sleep talking and teeth grinding.

Although numerous studies have already been conducted to get a definitive answer to what really causes parasomnia, sleep experts were still unable to come up with a sufficient explanation as to the cause of some sleep disorders. One thing that experts agree on is that parasomnia sets off, in an inopportune moment, one or several physiological systems while a person is in the sleeping and waking cycle.

Common Types Of Parasomnia

Bedwetting

This type of parasomnia, which is also known as Sleep Enuresis, is more common in children. Usually, a person suffering from this problem is incapable of controlling his or her urinary functions during sleep. A lot of people who experience sleep enuresis claim that they thought they were dreaming about urinating or relieving themselves.

Bruxism During Sleep

Teeth grinding, or what is called sleep bruxism, is quite common. Usually, a person who exhibits this disorder involuntarily clenches or grinds his or her teeth at night. Soreness of the jaw and faster wear and tear of teeth are some of the effects of this nocturnal habit. One way to remedy the situation is by wearing a mouth guard during sleep.

Confusional Arousals

Basically, when you wake up in the middle of the night and feel temporary confusion and alienation, then you have just experienced confusional arousal. For some people, however, this sleep disorder may also affect their short-term memory and reaction time.

Nightmares or Night Terrors

Nightmares, although fairly common, are considered as a sleep disorder because a person who suddenly wakes up in the middle of his or her sleep because of vivid frightful events usually find it difficult to sleep again. This type of parasomnia is more common in children.

RBD

This type of parasomnia, which is called REM Sleep Behavior Disorder, is actually the acting out of dangerous and violent dreams. Thus, a person who has RBD may produce sounds or display bodily movements that demonstrate his or her dream. Some people who are suffering from RBD really beat their sleep partner or do violent acts against other people while they are asleep.

Somnabulism

This sleep disorder is more commonly known as sleep talking. Somnabulism frequently occurs during the middle of a sleep-wake stage. Most of those who talk in their sleep do not remember that they have uttered words, phrases or even sentences while they were asleep.

You really do not need to undergo treatment or medication in most cases of parasomnia. More often than not, these sleep problems disappear in time. However, if your problem is already getting worse, interfering with your sleep, and are hurting other people, then you immediately need to see a doctor.

If you are just having difficulty in finding sleep, you can take sleeping aids. One product that will help you with your sleep problems is Sedamine. For more information about this supplement, visit www.Sedamine.com.

Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.healthnfitnesszone.com.

What are the consequences of staying up for 24 hours? Sleep problems?

I’m currently working on a summer assignment, and I am halfway done with it (thank god!). I want to enjoy my summer while it lasts, as well as have “fun” with my project time by staying up really late. If i stay up late, then I’d probably be done with my project as well as kick my sleep habits back to normal. By that I mean, I’ve been staying up till 5AM lately (and of course wake up 8 hrs later, which would be a little past noon) and since school is starting really soon, I want to wake up and sleep at a “normal” time. I was thinking that maybe if I stay up long, I could tire myself out for the day so I would be forced by my body naturally to sleep. Do you think this would work for kicking my sleep habits back to normal? Also, what are the consequences of staying up for 24 hours?

Answer
Sleep deprevation can bring on many issues. The most serious is the effect it has on your immune system. When you internal battery gets run down, you are more susceptable to illness. You can catch a cold from someone more easliy.

Your body will take a few days to snap back fully. To pick yourself up again, eat healty and don’t skip meals, you have to refill your tank. Avoid gimmicks like caffiene and energy drinks, while you are run down, they can take you down further.

Go back to your normal sleep pattern. Black out your bedroom, make sure no light gets in while you sleep. This helps you get to sleep and remain asleep. Shower when you get up and go for a good meal with protein. Again, stay away from caffiene. Enjoy some fresh fruit, apples DO keep the doctor away.

Pushing yourself to become more tired leads to mental mistakes, lack of co-ordination, lower your frustration threshold and makes you less pleasant to be around.

I hope this works for you.

Trouble sleeping?

Afraid to start taking sleeping pills and other medication? You are correct there is a nautural cure.

However, your body produces a hormone called melatonin, and for a variety of reasons, you may not be getting enough. Your sleep problem may be due to this.

The answer to sleep problems, aging and many more questions may be found in this wonderful hormone called melatonin.

Melatonin is a natural hormone found in ALL living creature, from the plant to animal kingdoms. In higher animal species, it is produced in the pineal gland (in the brain), but also in the eye (retina) and the gastro-intestinal tract.

What is Melatonin?

A naturally occurring hormone (derived from serotonin) that is both endocrine (enters the bloodstream from a pineal gland) and paracrine (signaling cell phenomenon, as from the retina when light is low, when the signal is “time to sleep”).

Melatonin, besides being a sleep hormone, is a very powerful antioxidant, anti-aging agent, immunoregulator, anti-depressant and sexual dysfunction regulator.

Is it Safe to Take?

Actually, the 3mg standard dose has virtually no side effects, and does not also affect the body’s ability to produce its own melatonin.

Rather, in today’s world where we are exposed to great amounts of strong artificial light, our bodies will not produce the melatonin it generally needs.

Melatonin also plays a key role in memory and our ability to learn quickly.

Some very famous studies have been made on melatonin (one by the Nobel Prize laureate Julius Axelrod) where it was proven that melatonin plays a direct role in establishing our sleep cycle and more.

In some mammals with short mating periods (due to hibernation), melatonin also is related to the production of other hormones which control sexual activity.

There are no toxic dangers at all, but it will cause drowsiness, so one must not take it prior to driving or operating mechanical equipment.

It may also react with some medications, so if you are taking any monoamine oxidize inhibitors (MAOIs), you must consult your doctor before taking melatonin

Melatonin and Your Sleep

It seems the very best and easiest solution to restless and un-easy sleep is to take one 3mg melatonin tablet 15 minutes prior to going to bed.

Also for at least 1 hour before going to sleep, make sure the lighting in your environment is progressively less and less, so as to stimulate your body’s own melatonin secretions.

Remember, bright light can block melatonin production completely.

Along with the melatonin and dim lights, try to put on some restful and soothing music to keep your mind from focusing on your problems and not sleeping.

Sleep should come too effortlessly, without dangerous and habit forming drugs.

Some Interesting facts about Melatonin

People who work at night, and have their melatonin blocked by evening bright lights have a significant higher incidence of cancer than day workers.

Melatonin appears to prevent the hyperphosphorylation of the tau protein.

It has been proven that hyperphosphorylation of tau protein results in the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Neurofibrillary tangles are a pathological occurrence seen in Alzheimer’s, so melatonin may prove a very beneficial treatment as well as preventative for Alzheimer’s disease.

So, instead of getting hooked on sleeping medicines, try melatonin, and remember all the other benefits it may bring to you as well.

On all aspects of health and more info on nutrition visit our website for a huge resource of articles, features and downloads and at http://www.net-planet.org/index.html

I have been having more problems than usual in my sleep habits and it is affecting my wife now, any help?

I often awaken violently at night, typically confused about whether I am awake or dreaming. Sometimes I remember these episodes and sometimes I don’t. I have always had problems sleeping but am worried because these episodes have been happening with greater frequency. My wife says it is quite scary and is afraid I’m either going to give myself a heart attack or her. Besides the safety issue, I worry that I am causing her to have such disruptive sleep now as well. What is going on and is this something that can be treated without medication? I am a thin, active male, 34, almost 35 years old who has had various sleep problems since I was a child- insomnia and night terrors mostly.

Answer
If you have health insurance, get a complete sleep study done. These things are expensive, but well worth it because they can often pin-point the problem and provide solutions for it. I know this is kind of depressing, but perhaps if you have a spare bed in your home, you and your wife should sleep seperately for a while until it is resolved. Talk to her about it!

About 35% of adults claim that they have some form of insomnia occasionally and about 12% of these people claim to have severe insomnia. Insomnia complaints often increase with age and are more common in women.

Insomnia is not considered a disease but it is a condition of lack of correct, satisfying sleep. Someone with insomnia will generally have the sensation of daytime fatigue and impaired potential performance. Insomnia relates to the inability to sleep even though one is tired and can include waking up too early and having too fitful of a sleep leaving one tired upon waking. Insomnia can result in irritability, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating and tiredness.

There are two generally recognized types of insomnia, acute and chronic. Both acute and chronic insomnia have many shared characteristics and a combination of symptoms may blur the actual lines.

Acute insomnia is often caused by physical or emotional discomforts that can usually be corrected fairly easily. Acute insomnia may be caused by stress, illness or disturbing loud noise, temperatures too high or low, or unacceptable light levels. Additionally, acute insomnia may be caused by jet lag or disturbances of the daily biological rhythm, such as the night shift.

Chronic insomnia is the more difficult insomnia to deal with and often is associated with many different factors either acting alone or in combination and often includes medical problems.

Chronic insomnia is often associated with medical, neurological and or psychiatric disorders. Psychiatric disorders accounts for about 45% of the cases. Chronic insomnia can be associated with a variety of nonprescription drugs, prescription drugs and drugs of abuse.

There are many causes of insomnia and often an insomniac has more then one cause to blame for this condition. One of the main causes of insomnia are drugs. Some of the drugs associated with insomnia include stimulating antidepressants, steroids, decongestants, beta blockers, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and recreational drugs.

Anxiety and mood disorders can be the cause of insomnia, as well as medical problems such as pain, immobility, menopause, hormonal changes, and difficulty breathing.

Insomnia can be associated with specific sleep disorders such as restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, sleep apnea and circadian rhythm sleep problems. Additional causes of insomnia include poor sleep hygiene, poor sleep surfaces such as bad mattresses, hyper arousal, and behavioral conditioning.

Restless Leg Syndrome or RLS is a condition where the sufferer feels unpleasant sensations in the legs which are temporarily alleviated by moving around. Symptoms are increased during relaxed times and sleeping times. This makes it difficult to fall asleep.

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder describes jerking, rhythmic, repeated movements in the legs and lower extremities every 15 to 90 seconds. Sufferers who have this problem report having less refreshing sleep.

Sleep Apnea which is associated with snoring can cause sleeplessness and insomnia.

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders refer to a mis- match between when a person can sleep and when his body needs and wants to sleep.

Other causes of insomnia include poor sleep hygiene, stress, hyper arousal and negative behavioral conditioning.

Often acute insomnia (insomnia that lasts less than several weeks) may warrant some kind of medical intervention if you can not correct the problem yourself. This is important because good sleepers that suffer just a few hours of sleeplessness may become significantly sleepy during the day and be a danger to him self and others, especially during driving or operating equipment. There is also the danger that acute insomnia may develop into a learned chronic insomnia.

There are two basic approaches to the treatment of insomnia. Basically one approach is to use drugs and the other approach is behavioral.

Behavioral treatment includes correcting poor sleep habits and changing sleep beliefs and attitudes. Several of the therapies include relaxation therapy, sleep restriction therapy, stimulus control therapy, and cognitive therapy.

Pharmacological therapy includes hypnotic medications, antidepressants, antihistamines, melatonin, and other drugs like barbiturates.

In conclusion, there are effective solutions to insomnia and sleep deprivation. The patient can do much to help themselves in this matter and the physician has many tools to aid in this. Improved sleep will help in your quality of life, and health both mental and physical.

Babies are a joy to have in a family. But there are times that these little ones may show grumpiness and irritability. It is the role of the parents to see through all these mood changes and often it is very hard to tell why babies cry or are not in the mood. It is more difficult when a baby show these reactions at night. It is common for very young infants to stay awake even in the wee hours. But when there’s crying and grumpiness evident, a parent should look into the causes why his/her baby cannot sleep soundly night after night.

The following are top 5 factors that cause your baby to stop sleeping soundly:

1. Unbalanced diet and hunger

Some parents tend to over-feed their babies and it becomes a routine for their child to wake up even in the wee hours just to feed. If you are afraid to give larger amounts of baby food or milk to your baby, you should ask the pediatrician regarding this so that your baby and you can have longer, sounder sleeping time at night.

Over-feeding is not really the same as giving ample milk to your baby, it is giving milk or baby food often or each time the baby cries at night. Sometimes when the baby cries, it’s not always food that he/she asks for. There could be other issues such as diaper change, discomfort and others issues.

2. Discomfort

This can be caused by several factors such as diaper change after a few hours, temperature in the nursery, baby’s clothing or noise. Diaper change can be addressed when you change your baby’s night time feeding. Of course the more milk he/she takes, the more diaper change he/she needs nightly.

The other factors can be mandatory such as the temperature control in the nursery and the noise. As for baby’s clothing, make sure that he/she is well-clothed during the colder seasons and turning the heater on to ease the low temp can help.

3. Illness

When a baby is ill it’s truly difficult for him/her to sleep soundly. Make sure that you stay with your baby when he/she is ill. If the baby is prescribed with medications, make sure that he/she is taking it as per pediatrician’s advice. Sleep can be difficult for an ill infant, but mom’s warmth and care can alleviate most of the discomfort.

4.  Over-stimulation

Over-stimulation can be bad because it can become a routine for the baby and he/she will expect it every time. Diverting it to a quiet relaxation can help your baby unwind from the busy play time or interaction with family members. And in doing so, your baby can dwindle off to sleep without feeling anxious of any stimulation.

Make sure that your baby gets a quiet time to relax even he/she doesn’t sleep. Allow him/her to relax without stimulation from you or other family members for about 20 minutes before naptime or sleep time at night. This allows the baby to sleep soundly.

5.  Anxiety

Separation anxiety is the most common for infants 5 months and above because it is the period where they get separated from their mommies. It is difficult to see your baby crying and feeling uneasy with the separation but you should react on it positively by letting your baby become independent and confident.

Don’t reward your baby by giving him/her too much attention each and every time he/she wakes up at night. You can stay in your baby’s room of course to see if he/she is safe, but attending to his/her every waking moment can be mistaken as a reward for doing so. Just be patient and let your child know you’re there. Unless your baby cries for another reason, that’s the only time you should give your full attention.

Some mommies talk to their babies when they are anxious and asking for attention. They sing songs to them without taking their babies out of the crib or tell them soothing stories and such. Mommy’s voice can be a relaxing way to help her baby relax and sleep. Carrying your baby all the time won’t help him/her become independent and confident.

It can be heartbreaking to hear a baby cry at night especially when it’s sleep time. But there’s always a way to stop the sleepless nights for you and your baby. Make sure that you seek advice from a pediatrician regarding your baby’s health and other possible causes of sleep problems particularly if you are new to parenting.

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Is anyone taking Topamax for migraines experiencing sleepig problems, disturbed sleep etc?

I’ve been taking this medication for migraines since November 2005, increase dosage to 100mg and having real problems with sleep, and tired all day as a result/ anyone else had same affect?

Answer
Honestly, I really want to help but I don’t think I know the answer to your question. Sorry.

good luck

Love is omnipresence, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.