Alaskans have enjoyed another Summer of the Midnight Sun, but winter is upon us, so here come those dark days. We now have our next challenge to face, Polar Nights. As the bears crawl into their dens for their long winter naps, we would be glad to join them. The sun-driven energy from the summer is gone, and we are up against the health challenges of trying to be awake while it is dark.
The holiday season has arrived! Not only should you be excited, but there is so much to look forward to. Time with family and friends, shopping, and traveling are all many things that we take part in during the holiday season. However, for patients with mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), going untreated while traveling can put them at risk for serious health consequences and, perhaps, ruin their trip as well. Sleep apnea doesn’t take a holiday, so it's important to continue treating it during yours. Here are a few quick tips to make traveling with sleep apnea a little less cumbersome.
An extra hour of sleep can welcome a short period of rest for many people. However, it can also disrupt normal sleep patterns, which puts strain on the body. The schedule change can throw off the body's internal clock, or circadian rhythm. It is great to have the extra hour of sleep, but a few days later that can lead to worse sleep. Continue reading to learn more about the negative effects of daylight savings.
There are two kinds of sleep, and the question you need to ask yourself is which kind are you getting? One kind of sleep involves falling asleep, sleeping deeply, and waking up feeling mostly or completely refreshed. Another kind of sleep involves closing your eyes at night, waking up in the morning, and feeling like you could have slept another 3 hours. Which kind of sleep are you getting, the first or the second one?
If you wake up feeling like you hardly slept, even if you slept all night, it’s going to inhibit your ability to enjoy life. When you are tired all the time:
Any of that sound familiar? It can also be especially frustrating if you are 'sleeping' for at least 7 hours and feel like you should be rested and happy. This phenomenon is generally a strong symptom of either of the following:
Let’s look at these in more detail.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly known as COPD, is a progressive lung condition that significantly impacts the quality of life for millions worldwide. Characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation, COPD is primarily caused by long-term exposure to harmful particles or gases, most notably from cigarette smoke. As a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, this disease poses a substantial public health challenge, often going undiagnosed until it has advanced due to its insidious onset and the commonality of its symptoms with other respiratory conditions. Understanding COPD is crucial for early detection and management, which can help improve patient outcomes and slow the progression of the disease.
Narcolepsy is a sleep condition characterized by the sudden urge to sleep at inappropriate times. Accompanying this may be odd occurrences like sudden loss of muscle tone in a specific part of the body or the entire body, and sleep paralysis. For those that have a diagnosis, managing narcolepsy can be challenging. In this article we will explore a natural technique - light therapy - for helping to regulate narcolepsy symptoms.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
It’s 5:30 am., and that pesky alarm is going off. If you wake up feeling like you didn’t get a wink of sleep, you are not alone. Nearly half of Americans struggle with getting a good night’s sleep. Although the cause of sleep deprivation may be medically complicated, some behavioral patterns also may be contributing. What if you could follow a simple formula that could help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead? Following this 5-step formula, you will set yourself up for a successful night’s sleep. Continue reading to learn more.
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by a frequent and sometimes uncontrollable desire for sleep. This can result into sudden lapses into sleep at any time, any place. The result is that normal patterns and rhythms of sleeping become abnormal. For example, someone suffering from narcolepsy may end up sleeping several times during the day and then having trouble sleeping at night. Continue reading to learn more about the 5 most common signs of narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by a frequent and sometimes uncontrollable desire for sleep. This can result into sudden lapses into sleep at any time, any place. The result is that normal patterns and rhythms of sleeping become abnormal. For example, someone suffering from narcolepsy may end up sleeping several times during the day and then having trouble sleeping at night.
Irregular sleeping patterns are not only inconvenient, they can have medical, emotional, and psychological consequences.
Are you lying awake at night, stressed out, mind racing in circles? For many American’s this is a nightly routine that prevents sleep and leads to habits that may help you fall asleep, but not sleep well. Either way, stress is a sleep killer.
Beyond the stress that actively keeps you up at night, the demands of modern life – parenting, work, school, health, finances, chores – can also make sleep feel like a secondary necessity, especially because we all like having “free time” and “self-time.” The only time that this can happen for most individuals is late at night, and leads to staying up late to watch television, cruising the web, or watching a movie which further inhibit sleep.
Also, all of us are different and can deal with different amounts of stress, be they short-term or long-term stressors. Understanding stress is about understanding stress for you – how you react, how it impacts your life, how it impacts your sleep. Continue reading to learn about how to overcome stress-related sleep problems.