Sleep disorders have one thing in common, they cause interrupted sleep one way or another. Therefore, it's important that if you have a sleep disorder, you find out the problem because interrupted sleep can lead to chronic sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation is more than just being tired. It can negatively impact several organ systems, including your heart. Heart disease is the number one cause of death worldwide, so it's important to do everything possible to maintain its health - including getting enough sleep. Continue reading to find out how common sleeping disorders can lead to cardiovascular disease!

Rumination is the constant cycling of thoughts through your mind and the inability to let things go. These thoughts can cause a lot of wasted time during the day and can also make it hard to go to sleep. When your mind is churning, it's not able to turn off so you can get a good night's rest. This may lead to, or be caused by, anxiety, depression and insomnia. All three of these disorders can mix together can lead to sleep deprivation. Keep reading to find out more about rumination and how to turn it off. 

Eating before bed has been a controversial topic for a long time. There is so much speculation and misinformation about eating late at night and the effect it can have on your diet. However, eating late at night can have various effects on your sleep. Keep reading to find out how late night snacking can impact your sleep. 

Nocturia is a term for a condition in which you take multiple trips to the bathroom at night. These constant disruptions cause you to constantly wake up to take a trip to the bathroom, which interrupts your attempt at a good night's sleep. You make awaken in the morning and find yourself feeling drowsy or extremely tired throughout the day. If this happens more often than not, and you are not proceeding bedtime with a large intake of water, then there may be some underlying diseases or disorders that you need to address. Please continue reading to find out more about what may be causing your multiple bathroom stops. 

Do you find it difficult to sleep, but unsure why? It could have something to do with your prescription medications. If you take medication for high blood pressure, arrhythmias, mental health disorders, and other health problems, your medication could be causing your insomnia. 

How Does Insomnia Interfere With Life?

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that leaves you sleep deprived and frustrated, or worse. Insomnia is a condition when you either can’t fall asleep, can’t stay asleep, or always wake up far earlier than you need. The result of insomnia is mild to severe sleep deprivation, which can have mild to catastrophic consequences.

Insomnia side effects interfere with all aspects of life, including our emotional, cognitive, physical and social health. 

Understanding what insomnia is and what you can do to help treat it may dramatically improve your well being.

Insomnia Isn't So Simple

Insomnia is somewhat of a complex topic. It's not as simple as "I can't sleep." In fact, there are actually two types of insomnia, and two modes of insomnia. Here's a closer look at how to distinguish these types/modes of insomnia

Why Light Extremes Can Cause or Worsen Insomnia

Obviously, for those of us living in Alaska it’s no secret that we are operating under “unique” circumstances in summer and winter: mainly, lots of light, and lots of darkness. Though it might seem counter intuitive, the amount of excess darkness, which is significant in the Southeast and oppressive in the Far North, actually makes sleep more difficult for many people.

What Does Insomnia Look Like?

Insomnia is a sleeping disorder that prevents you from getting enough sleep because:

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is being unable to fall asleep, stay asleep for any restful of time, or sleep in until the morning (i.e., waking up wide awake at 3am). Insomnia is frustrating, because you want to sleep, you just can’t. As you get more sleep deprived over time from insomnia, this disconnect between wanting to sleep and actually sleeping can become extremely pronounced. Unfortunately, insomnia can have consequences far more severe than just frustration.