Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common problem in women characterized by mood or physical symptoms that appear regularly in the luteal phase and remit during or shortly after menses. Severe, predominantly affective symptoms can markedly impact a woman’s ability to function at home or the workplace or in her relationships.

Women with PMS tend to report more sleep-related complaints, including insomnia, hypersomnia, tiredness or fatigue, disturbing dreams or nightmares, lethargy, and inability to concentrate.

Women with severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) perceive their sleep quality to be poorer in association with their symptoms in the late luteal (premenstrual) phase, despite there being no specific alterations in sleep structure associated with premenstrual symptoms, according to a study published in the October 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.

The study, authored by Fiona C. Baker, PhD, of the Human Sleep Research Program at SRI International in Menlo Park, Calif., and the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, focused on nine women with PMS or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and 12 controls. The subjects, all 18-40 years of age, had laboratory-based polysomnographic recordings at two phases of the menstrual cycle: follicular phase and late luteal phase. Read The Full Story…

Originally posted 2009-07-22 05:58:28. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Manny people waste hours and hours in bed for no good reason. The purpose of this post is to help you, not only to fall asleep faster, but also to improve your sleep system – the idea is that you will ultimately waste less time in bed because you will require less sleep and fall asleep faster. If you don’t have enough sleep, it can lead to depression, high blood pressure and lower productivity at work.

Here are 10 bad sleep habits:

1. Limit time spent in bed. Regardless of how long you slept, don’t spend more than 8 hours in bed. Get out of that bed! Unless of course you and your better half have morning activities of some sort planned.

2. Having pets sleep in your bed: Animal hair can trigger off asthma and other allergy attacks, so it is advisable to keep your furry friends out of your bed. Even children’s stuffed toys can be carriers of dust mites. And that is something you need to watch out for.

3. Slow Bed Movements. Instead of tossing and turning in bed, move around slowly if you absolutely have to move around. Frustration feeds on fast movements. Gentle, slow movements will make you yawn and feel more tired.

4. Cleaning your bedroom: Many disinfectants have chemicals that can irritate your skin, nose, throat and lungs when you sleep. So avoid cleaning your room in the evening, but clean it & give it a make-over in the morning. Read The Full Story…

Originally posted 2009-10-13 03:01:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

A good rest has always been called beauty sleep, but what a dream lean body? New research shows that individuals who are sleep deprived have a greater ability to lose weight and keep it off.

Here are 10 Tips to Improve Your Beauty Sleep:

1. Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars. This will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.
2. No TV right before bedtime. Better yet, get the TV from the bedroom or even outside the house, completely. It is very stimulating to the brain and it will take longer to fall asleep. Also disruptive of pineal gland function for the same reason as above.
3. Go to bed early. Our systems, particularly the adrenals, do a majority of recharging or recovering during the hours of 11 pm and 1 am In addition, the toxins from the gallbladder dumps during this same period. If awake, backup of toxins in the liver which then secondarily back up your entire system and cause further disruption of their health. Before the widespread use of electricity, people went to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and that nature intended for humans. Read The Full Story…

Originally posted 2010-06-09 05:34:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Exercise promotes improved sleep quality by allowing smoother and more regular transition between the cycles and phases of sleep.

Moderate exercises lasting 15 to 30 minutes three or four times a week will help you sleep better and give extra energy. Exercise in the morning or afternoon, not close to bedtime.

Try to boost your physical daily activity during the day. The goal here is to give your body sufficient stimulation during the day so that you are not restless at night.

The following activities are relaxing and can induce sleep:

• Aerobic exercises are the greatest to combat sleeplessness. Aerobic means “with oxygen.” Aerobic exercises boost the amount of oxygen in the blood. Examples of aerobic exercises are: jogging, walking, swimming, bicycling, jumping rope, dancing, riding a stationary bicycle, and using a treadmill.

• Anaerobic, or nonaerobic, means “without oxygen.” Anaerobic exercises, such as slow walking, bowling, or strength training with weights, are important to your overall fitness level.

• Yoga has a stimulatory effect on your nervous system, particularly the brain. Yoga uses breathing techniques and yoga postures to increase blood circulation to the brain centre, promoting regular and restful sleeping patterns. Regular practice of yoga will relax you as well as relieve stress and tension.

• Tai Chi is a form of breathing and movement that was developed by ancient Chinese monks. The movements involved in Tai Chi are precise and slow, which is ideal if you have joint pain or are unable to participate in high impact aerobic exercises. Studies have shown that Tai Chi may help people with insomnia by promoting relaxation. Read The Full Story…

Originally posted 2008-10-14 00:57:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

At various points in our lives, all of us suffer from a lack of sleep that can be remedied by making sure we have the opportunity to get enough sleep. But, if you are spending enough time in bed and still wake up tired or feel very sleepy during the day, you may have a sleep disorder.
One of the best ways you can tell if you are getting enough good quality sleep, and whether you have signs of a sleep disorder, is by  keeping a sleep diary.  After a week or so, look over this information to see how many hours of sleep or nighttime awakenings the night before are linked to your being tired the next day. This information will give you a sense of how much uninterrupted
sleep you need to avoid daytime sleepiness. You can also use the diary to see some of the patterns or practices that may keep you from getting a good night’s sleep. Read The Full Story…

Originally posted 2009-01-12 06:11:51. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Nightly tooth grinding is a taxing problem that can result in chronic headaches, earaches, jaw pain, worn tooth enamel and sometimes flattened, shortened or even broken teeth and fillings. Also known as sleep bruxism, nightly grinding plagues as much as 10 percent of the adult population and as many as one-third of children. And yet, it is still unclear what causes it.

Some studies have connected sleep bruxism to sleep apnea. In fact, research shows that treating sleep apnea may help alleviate sleep bruxism. Alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, caffeine intake, snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness and certain medications also have been linked to sleep bruxism, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Meanwhile, one recent Sleep study indicates that the “daily grind” also may contribute to nightly tooth grinding. In other words, people who are under high levels of stress or experience troubles at work may be more likely to grind their teeth at night. According to a report in Head & Face Medicine, gnashing teeth was especially common in those dealing with stressful work situations and it was particularly evident in people who cope with difficult situations by escaping. It is suggested then that tooth grinding is a way for the body to release pent up stress and anxiety.

If your sleep bruxism is related to stress, experts suggest trying to relax in the hours before bedtime to reduce stress levels and to maintain a regular soothing bedtime routine. Creating a sleep environment that is cool, dark, and quiet may also be helpful.

Originally posted 2011-09-29 03:29:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Is a lot of people who want to travel cross country without hotels, want to save on rent, or just don’t feel like driving home after a long day. Sleeping in your car may be illegal in certain places, especially if the individual sleeping has been drinking alcohol. The laws about drinking and driving differ from country to country, and can sometimes rely on a policeman’s judgment regarding whether they think you’re intending on driving before fully sobering up. The best way to keep away from potential problems is not to drink at all – however, if it is unavoidable, do not put the keys in the ignition, and certainly do not start the car, not even to run the heater. Instead, put the keys in the glove box – and be sure not to sleep in the driver’s seat. Be aware that if the car is parked on public roads, the police or other emergency services may need to ask you to move it, which can make life interesting.

Furthermore, in some places sleeping in a car may be a dangerous practice, as there could be a possibility of being mugged or even killed. If you can find a safe place, however, sleeping in your car can be an extremely useful option when making road trips. On a weekend excursion it can allow you to save money that would otherwise be used to pay for a hotel room, and it can also remove the possibility of driving unsafely after a good night on the town. It may also be necessary to sleep in one’s car for a variety of unforeseen reasons – when broken down and awaiting rescue during daylight hours perhaps, when you’re so completely lost you can’t even find a town (let alone a B&B), or when you’ve locked yourself out of the house (or someone else has locked you out), or when very bad weather has forced you to stop, or, in extreme circumstances, when you don’t have anywhere else to sleep.

Select a Spacious Car to Sleep In. If you attempt to sleep in a vehicle such a Ford Ka, you are unlikely to get a good night’s sleep. Such a vehicle is small and has thin doors that do not keep the heat in very well. A larger vehicle with a more spacious interior, such as the Ford Cortina, will offer superior comfort. Read The Full Story…

Originally posted 2008-06-11 04:26:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

How do your sleep habits stack up?  Take this simple pictures to discover your sleep position and find out how you can rest easier and healthy. There are a number of sleeping positions that you might find comfortable and at the same time promotes proper blood flow. Having a correct sleeping position would prevent that stiffness and soreness you might experience during mornings.

Originally posted 2011-01-24 01:43:21. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

“Smoking is dangerous to your health.” This warning found in cigarette boxes is not for naught and a recent study published in the February issue of Chest suggests yet another ill effect of smoking. According to Dr. Naresh M. Punjabi and his research colleagues, smoking can cause poor sleep quality.

Punjabi, one of the authors of the study, points out that those who smoke are more likely to feel tired when awake and they spend less time in deep sleep than those who do not smoke. This can be attributed to the fact that smokers go through nicotine withdrawal each night, therefore causing sleep disturbances. Read The Full Story…

Originally posted 2009-05-27 03:50:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

To deal with any trouble caused by bad neighbors you can solve the problem on your own, talk to your neighbor, ask for help from your landlord, ask for help from the police, or file a lawsuit.

When you are renting an apartment or have many neighbors, you are probably aware of the advantages and disadvantages of having many people living around you. You might be happy to have neighbors you can talk to or that can watch your home for you when you are away. But you might also have bothersome experiences with bad neighbors like hearing disruptive noises from their home. Bad neighbors can cause minor inconveniences which you can easily solve, for example, by buying a White noise machine, or major problems which might require you to seek help from authorities. Knowing the following practical tips on how to deal with bad neighbors may help solve whatever problems you are experiencing.

1. Solve the problem on your own

There are certain problems caused by bad neighbors that you can solve on your own. Noise and bad odors, for instance, can be easily remedied by buying white noise machines and air purifiers. Minor inconveniences like these don’t have to involve drastic solutions or intervention from anyone else. If possible, try to look for a solution to the problem first before presenting the issue Read The Full Story…

Originally posted 2010-10-13 00:19:13. Republished by Blog Post Promoter