Sleep Disorder Tips - How to Fall Asleep Faster and Stay Asleep Longer

There could be many things that cause sleep disorders. Believe it or not anxiety and stress could be the causes. In fact, losing sleep will cause more anxiety and stress as your productivity is reduced during the day. Also don’t rule out seeing the doctor if your sleep disorder is causing you many sleepless nights. Here are some tips to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

 

Since most of us are into habits and routines, your bedtime routine should be no different. Keep on schedule and go to bed at the same time every night, that goes a long way. If you keep an inconsistent sleep schedule, your body will not be able to adapt to it. Your schedule should include your bedtime and evening activities. Keep the rules simple like no video games an hour before bed time. Once you get acclimated to creating your schedule regularly, you’ll eventually be able to plan for everything for you entire week ahead. You reduce stress because you are prepared for the oncoming days.

 

What you should avoid before going to sleep and through the night is television. Television can hinder your sleep and sleep disorder in various ways. First of all, if you tend to watch a lot of TV, it's possible that you may wind up staying up late. So the later you stay up at night, the less window of opportunity you have for sleeping. Television can also be a source of stress, especially if you watch the news. A good way to stay asleep at night is making sure the television is off. It’s simple, you’ll be less inclined to wake up in the middle of the night when there’s less noise. You'll process less information.

 

Finally, you want to make sure that your bedroom used for sleeping. You'll be surprised how easy it is to turn your bedroom into an office. All you need to do is know the basics to set up your bedroom as a good environment for sleeping. First, you want to remove the temptation to work by getting of laptops and cell phones from the bed room. Also, you should research buying a new mattress. Finally, try to turn around the clock at night so you don't check the time during the middle of the night.

 

When it comes to your sleep disorder, you can help yourself with a few simple things described above. Basically you want to reduce the noise in your life and the information you take in at night, and try to keep your work out of your bedroom. That’s how to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Hopefully you'll be on your way to a good night sleep very soon.

 

For more information on how to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer go to http://www.aboutsleepdisorder.com.

How to Deal with Shift Work Sleep Disorders

If you are one of the millions of people who regularly rotate their work shifts and are effectively working when their body needs to rest, you may notice that you feel increasingly drowsy during your night work shifts and unable to sleep during the day even though you might feel really tired. These symptoms of sleepiness and insomnia are a complaint called shift work sleep disorder, that can in addition, bring on several other health related problems such as regular headaches, having trouble concentrating and no energy. Read on for several tips on what you can do to alleviate the symptoms of SWSD.

The most obvious cure is to try to change your work schedule to hours that are more sociable. By working at night, you are upsetting your body’s inner clock, termed the circadian rhythm, which regulates itself with the rising and setting of the sun to recognize when it is time to wake and sleep respectively. Shift work pushes your body into an unnatural state of working when it should be asleep and sleeping when it would ordinarily be awake. This is the reason that you feel sleepy during the night and then cannot fall asleep during the day even though you are very tired. Consequently, if possible, it is in your best interests to have a chat with your work supervisor to see if shift changes can be made.

Here are some sleep strategies for shift workers that you may like to try. If you must work your shift, it is advisable to stay away from caffeinated drinks while you are working, and particularly right before you go to sleep. Caffeine dries the respiratory tracts, and may work as a stimulant for a while, but will make you feel even more tired and groggy after the buzz wears off. This could cause sleep apnea syndrome in many individuals, let alone excessive snoring. So, try to drink fruit juices, or ask your doctor about natural supplements you can take while you work.

Shift work sleep disorder may also mean that you are drowsy during the day, even if you use this time for relaxation before your work shift. If you have narcolepsy, which is believed to be caused by the brains inability to adjust to normal sleep wake cycles, you may notice that you are doing things without remembering, or having vivid dreams while you are not in sleep mode. Your body may also be in a slight state of paralysis when you are trying to wake up, which is an indication that shift work sleep disorder might be your problem.

Keeping a record of your work schedules and rest patterns is normally sufficient information for your physician to make a correct diagnosis. Nevertheless, for ongoing sleep issues or if an underlying sleep disorder is suspected, you may be asked to maintain a sleep diary in which you keep a record of your sleeping habits. You should also try to maintain a regular sleep schedule, even on your days off or at weekends. If you believe they may be helpful, ask your doctor about medications like Ritalin or Melotonin. It is essential that you do not try and self diagnose your problem as it might be something more than a shift work sleep disorder.

4 Cheap And Easy Ways To Stop Snoring

A sleeping partner is likely to be the first person to tell you that you are a snorer, the problem arises when you do not believe them or get offended.

Making your spouse or partner suffer through snoring does not have to continue however.

Here are four inexpensive methods to help you stop snoring. Take a look below and you might well find a remedy that suits you and cures you of your snoring for good.

Try Sleeping Supine

A lot of people snore simply because they sleep with their mouths open. The familiar sound of snoring is caused by the tissues in the nose and throat vibrating as the person breathes.

The thing is that when a snoring person sleeps on their stomach it forces them to close their mouth, simple but true. The throat and nasal passages still vibrate, but the noise has nowhere to go, thus no snoring and peaceful sleep for all.

Lubricate The Nasal Passages

A more severe form of vibration and in turn snoring, is caused when the nasal passages are dry. Sleeping with an open mouth or feeling bunged up from a cold can often cause this.

Try using a lubricating throat spray, this can help moisturize the throat and nasal passages thus relieving the vibration. This method is a great alternative for people who do not want to deal with uncomfortable or expensive stop snoring devices.

Use A Nasal Separator

A nasal separator is a small stop snoring device that fits into both the nostrils and lifts them outwards.

A wider nostril prevents better air movement thus reducing the flapping, snoring noise. Getting more air to flow through is one way to lessen the amount of vibration. Similar in looks to a nose plug but working in reverse explains this device.

Use Pillows

This method is really simple, place a pillow in between your legs and sleep on your side.

Although this may be uncomfortable at first, sleeping on your side helps you to keep your mouth closed. It helps to stop waking your partner, which is half the battle really.

A snoring remedy on the cheap. It avoids having to purchase an expensive stop snoring device and utilizes something that you already have around your house, a pillow.

These four tips on how to stop snoring are all simple and inexpensive. You should certainly try these before you look for more expensive remedies such as those available at you local pharmacy or physician.

Finding Helpful Ways to Fall Asleep

Sleep disorders can affect people in many ways. There's no denying that misery and total chaos prevails when a sleep disorder keeps you from getting to sleep at night. It affects you in all aspects of your life from being an effective parent and at work. So if you're having trouble going to sleep at night, here are a couple helpful ways to help you fall asleep.

 

When it comes to finding a natural way to fall asleep, it is best to deal with the source of the sleep disorder. If you have consistently stressful days filled with a long work schedule, bills rising and wondering why the government doesn't bail you out, then you definitely need to take a step back and regroup. Remember, the idea is to get your body to shift its thoughts to something that's more pleasurable and relaxing.

 

One thing that's really easy to start doing just take up reading. Reading has many benefits that can last a lifetime. You should plan to read a book (preferably in print, not from the computer monitor) that interests you roughly 15 minutes to half an hour before you go to bed. Reading a book will help you take your mind off of your daily stresses temporarily and can eventually help you go to sleep. Make sure when you read, you do not have the television on and you're reading in a quiet place.

 

If you're one of those people that have thoughts racing every second, you want to make sure you make a conscious effort to read the words of the book. Make sure you are telling yourself to take in and focus on every word you are seeing. Because while you're reading are actually focusing on the words and enjoying it.

 

Another helpful hint help to you fall asleep, is to clear your mind. Sometimes the best way to stop thinking about your problems is to think about nothing. One of the easiest ways to clear your mind is to focus on your breathing. Think about the good air going in and the bad stuff that irks you leaving your body, and only concentrate on that. Concentrating on your breathing will hopefully help you steer clear thinking about the stresses of the day, and hopefully help you to relax. The goal is to relax enough to the point where you want to back to sleep. When

 

While not being able to fall asleep at night can be devastating to your body and mind. Just remember that the source of it is the daily challenges you have to deal with. The best way to help yourself is to remove yourself from the daily stresses for a while so you can relax and finally go to sleep at night. Hopefully it to helpful ways to fall asleep discussed above will be effective for you. Once you find yourself sleeping more at night, you may be able to deal with your daily routine more effectively.

 

To find out how to get a good nights' sleep again, read our review of the sleeptracks sleep optimization program. For more information on helpful ways to fall asleep, go to http://www.aboutsleepdisorder.com.

 

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects an opinion. This article is not a substitute for medical advice. You should consult a physician for medical advisement.

Child Sleep Apnea Can Lead To Significantly Lower IQ Scores

Although it has been known for a long time now that children who have sleep apnea generally produce poor scores on IQ tests (typically getting an average of 85 as opposed to a score of 101 for children who do not have sleep apnea) one thing which has not been known until very recently is that this is produced by chemical changes within the brain. In other words an otherwise clever child might well turn in a second-rate performance because of nothing more than a sleeping problem which, in most cases, can be fairly simply treated.

In a study undertaken at the Hopkin’s Children’s Centre in Baltimore, 31 kids aged between 6 and 16 (19 of whom had been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea) were examined using a special type or magnetic resonance imager (MRI) and it was noted that the children with sleep apnea showed considerable changes in the right frontal cortex and hippocampus which are areas of the brain which are connected with higher mental function and learning.

The study also discovered that these kids were suffering from altered levels of three brain chemicals which were indicative of brain damage. This alteration of the brain chemistry brought about by the presence of sleep apnea might or might not be permanent and, at this stage, additional studies will be necessary to see if this effect is reversible.

However, even if reversal is possible and the brain chemistry and cognitive function can be returned to normal, kids with sleep apnea are going to suffer learning problems as long as they have untreated sleep apnea and will certainly not be able to rewind time and recapture this period of learning.

Naturally, parents should already be looking out for the signs of sleep apnea in their children and this study clearly demonstrates that early diagnosis and treatment of this sleeping disorder may have a considerable affect on a child’s success in life.

There are several signs of sleep apnea including frequent pauses in breathing during sleep that often lead to an arousal from sleep and to tossing and turning in bed. Children could also display labored or loud breathing, snoring, gasping, coughing and, at times, bedwetting at an age when this phase should generally have passed.

Parents may also see a child sleeping in an odd position, perhaps with their bottom sticking up in the air and their head tilted back in an unconscious effort to force their airway open.

In very many cases sleep apnea in children can be treated by taking out the adenoids or tonsils, or excess tissue from the nose or the back of the throat. Additionally, a CPAP machine (or pediatric CPAP) may also be employed to give the child an airflow delivered using a mask worn while sleeping to keep the airway open.

In itself sleep apnea is incapacitating for any child and the effect of night after night of poor sleep are going to take their toll on your child. However, when this is combined with an impairment of your child’s IQ, it is imperative that you do something at the earliest possible opportunity to have the condition diagnosed and treated.

10 Tips Which Will Prevent Sleep Problems From Causing A Fall In School Grades

It has been believed for some time now that inadequate or low quality sleep in teenagers leads to poor grades at school, but it was not until quite recently that a study confirmed that teenagers with poor sleeping habits do in fact suffer from lower grades.

Here are 10 tips to make sure that a healthy child does not suffer from sleeping problems and can get the quality of sleep needed to perform well in school.

1. Set a regular time to go to bed and do not vary this time by more than a few minutes from one day to the next.

2. Ensure that you get up at the same time each morning, whether or not it is a school day. Teenagers generally have a lie-in on weekends and during school holidays and, rather than making you feel better, this simply disrupts your pattern of sleep.

3. If you find that you cannot fall asleep within say 20 minutes of getting into bed then do not just lie in bed trying to get to sleep, as the more you try the harder it will become. As an alternative, climb back out of bed and do something like listening to some relaxing music or reading a book. Once you start to feel tired, get back into bed and you should fall asleep in no time at all.

4. Avoid the temptation to stay up late finishing homework or getting ready for a test. Although this may appear to be the solution to a particular problem in the short term, and may keep you out of trouble for handing in your homework late or get you through a test, in the longer term your overall performance will drop and any shorter term gain will soon disappear.

5. Do not be tempted to take a nap after school. If you do find that you are so tired you are unable to keep your eyes open then take a nap but for no more than an hour.

6. Do not consume any form of drink that contains caffeine after about 3 o’clock in the afternoon. This naturally means tea and coffee, but also extends to colas and chocolate drinks.

7. Avoid eating a heavy meal too close to going to bed. You clearly should not go to bed hungry and taking a light snack prior to bedtime is fine, however going to bed on a full stomach will make it difficult for you to fall asleep and affect your quality of sleep.

8. Although teenagers will frequently spend a great deal of time in their bedroom turning it into more of a 'living' than a 'sleeping' room, avoid the temptation to use the bed for anything other than sleeping. Do not sit in bed reading, writing, playing games, watching TV or anything else but reserve it only for sleeping so that your body learns to associate climbing into bed with going to sleep.

9. Avoid strenuous exercise within several hours of going to bed. If you wish to play football or engage in other sports or vigorous activities then do these shortly after finishing school and not an two or three hours before you go to bed.

10. At bedtime see that the bedroom is dark, quiet and cool. Do not close your bedroom up, turn up the heat and climb into bed to watch TV. Instead, lower the heat, open the window a bit if possible to let in some fresh air and have the room as dark as you can get it.

If you follow these 10 tips you will find that within no time at all the quality of your sleep will improve, you will feel more awake and active throughout the day and your grades will be on the up.

The Symptoms Of Sleep Apnea Can Be Hard To Recognize

Sleep apnea symptoms are most commonly observed in men overweight men above the age of forty although they can appear at any age in both women and men and are now being seen increasingly in children.

The most obvious symptom of sleep apnea (which is only one of many common sleep disorders) is snoring which is hard to spot by yourself and often needs to be brought to your attention by a sleeping partner. There are many reasons for snoring and the fact that you snore does not by itself mean that you have sleep apnea. However, the majority of sleep apnea sufferers do snore.

The next most obvious symptom of sleep apnea is excessive daytime tiredness. People who suffer from sleep apnea stop breathing frequently while sleeping and the body's natural reaction is to wake you enough for you to start breathing again, but not sufficiently for you to be conscious of the fact that you are being aroused. This of course means that your sleep is continually interrupted and therefore very light so that you are not enjoying the deep sleep which you need. As a consequence you grow more and more tired during the day.

If left untreated the effects of sleep apnea start to emerge and you will start to experience additional symptoms which might include headaches (particularly first thing in the morning), irritability and even depression. You might also find that you are starting to gain weight.

Yet another not quite so obvious symptom of sleep apnea is a rise in blood pressure that can give rise to several cardiovascular difficulties. If you are one of the growing number of people who are now monitoring their blood pressure at home you should pick this up quite easily but, otherwise, it will not be discovered until you attend the doctor for a routine physical examination.

A further symptom is that of learning difficulties and increasing difficulties with memory retention. Once again this is not something that it is easy for you to notice yourself but other people might well notice that you are no longer as quick on the uptake as you used to be.

Finally, a number of sleep apnea sufferers will notice a decline in sexual function that can lead to impotency.

Any of these symptoms by themselves could be indicative of almost any problem you can think of. When you begin to see these symptoms appearing alongside one another however then there is a better than even chance that you are suffering from sleep apnea and you ought to talk to your physician and think about having a sleep apnea test.