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Sleep Deprivation Effects On Your Brain

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Having a good night sleep is very important for healthy brain. Sleep is a well, deep rest for your brain and for your entire body. Sleep provides an opportunity to restore brain cells and refreshes its working ability. An adult brain needs about seven/eight hours sleep each night to rest. But what happens when person is sleep deprived and can not get enough sleep for the brain? No sleep means no new brain cells and it means serious brain problems that can cause difficulties in a life.

Sleep was always mystery for scientists and even today it is not clear many benefits of sleep. Researchers worked on animals and made many experiments in order to find out mysteries of sleeping. Research, made by a team from Princeton University, showed that lack of sleep affects a major component of the brain, Hippocampus, which is involved forming our memories and controlling spatial navigation. Hippocampus is affected by a stress hormone Corticosterone.

Researchers deprived rats for 72 hours. After comparing deprived rats to other rested rats, they found that sleepless rats had higher level of Corticosterone and their brain cell production was decreased. This explains decreased brain cell production in human brain that is caused by sleep deprivation. However it can not be exact fact because deprived people do not stay awake for 72 hours, so results can be different.

Another sleep deprivation effect on brain is its malfunctionality and decreased alertness. In previous article I've talked about physical effects of sleeplessness – You can not do simple tasks when you have fatigue. It is same about the brain. When the brain is not well rested, it can not function well.

Sleep deprivation affects brain frontal lobe that is responsible to control our emotions, behavior, judgment and making decisions. Thinking and processing the information gets harder after long time wakefulness. Not getting enough sleep can cause other serious mental problems and finally it can be fatal.

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Finding The Best Insomnia Treatment For Light Sleepers

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For light sleepers, insomnia can be an annoying problem. The barking dog outside. The ticking of the alarm clock. Even the sound of your partner shifting in the bed can disturb your Zs. Although being a light sleeper is annoying, there's no reason you can't ease your insomnia with a few sleep-enhancing tricks.

Today a greater number of people suffer from insomnia than ever before. Did you know that before the invention of electricity, the average American slept around nine hours a night? Only a small fraction of the current population acquires this much sleep on a regular basis. In fact, our current society might view individuals who sleep nine hours as lazy or unproductive. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder in which the patient either has trouble falling asleep or cannot remain asleep for an extended period of time. Although most people have experienced a sleepless night or two during their lifetime, often it's connected to a specific stress-related event such as the loss of a loved one or a job related anxiety. Doctors refer to patients in this category as temporary insomniacs. The insomnia symptoms will usually disappear when the underlying stress is resolved.

Patients with chronic insomnia are those who have battled sleeplessness for a period of six months or longer. In these insomniacs, doctors may have a difficult time pinpointing the exact cause of the condition.Left untreated, chronic insomnia can lead to other serious problems such as depression. Due to fatigue, people with chronic insomnia may also experience a total lack of motivation or enthusiasm. As the body becomes worn down, insomnia sufferers have trouble concentrating. Performing daily routine tasks can be difficult. They may even undergo behavior changes.

In order to function properly, our bodies must be in tune with their internal clock or circadian rhythm. Most folks acknowledge they feel more productive after a restful night's sleep. But for patients with insomnia, getting enough sleep and feeling refreshed is a rare occurrence. In today's hectic workplace, an increasing number of employees are being forced to toil during hours that conflict with the body's natural sleep schedule. These light sleepers must deal with sunlight disturbances as well as noise issues. For them, falling asleep and staying asleep may seem next to impossible.

Although sleep aids can help patients achieve better rest, chronic insomniacs can become addicted to certain prescription sleep aids. While they may be sleeping longer hours than before, their bodies can experience a number of unpleasant side effects related to the long-term use of sleep aids. So, before attempting to treat insomnia with natural sleep aids or methods, you may wish to consult with your physician first. Neurologists who specialize in sleep disorders are highly qualified to assist you in determining the cause of your insomnia. Patients who can first identify the reasons for their insomnia are more likely to have a successful outcome.You can keep a sleep diary that includes the following:

total hours slept each night,
number of awakenings during the night,
approximate amount of time needed to fall asleep.

You can identify any specific patterns or events that may be contributing to your insomnia. Here are some of them:

Try to go to bed around the same time each night. This will help your body regulate its sleep schedule. If you simply cannot fall asleep, you may have to reduce your sleep time until your body becomes fatigued and sleep is inevitable.
Earplugs are an inexpensive way for light sleepers, especially travelers, to combat insomnia. If you're fed up sleeping with your head tucked under the pillow, this tip may be just the cure you need.
Although noise is the enemy, many light sleepers can tolerate a consistent noise such as a fan, air conditioner, etc. During the summertime, this is the perfect way for insomniacs to drown out disturbances such as automobiles, televisions, or loud neighbors.
Soothing classical background music is a great way to eliminate other noises while relaxing your mind and body. Try listening to some of your favorite music in order to beat insomnia.
Watch your diet. If you're an avid coffee drinker, set a specific cutoff time for your last cup of java. Caffeine aggravates insomnia and can increase your anxiety level.
Avoid eating a heavy meal before bedtime. Digesting all that food is hard work that can keep your system active and awake for hours.

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How To Get You in the Mood Before Sleep

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Essential oils work on the central nervous system. When they’re inhaled they effect the mood centers of your brain and when they’re massaged onto your skin, hey enter your bloodstream and cell tissues and are carried to every part of your body. They react with body chemistry in a way that’s similar to drugs but slower and with fewer side effects. A lot of research has shown how oils can have significant effect on our brain activity, alertness and moods. The right oils can relax the mind and body, control stress and relieve pain as well beat insomnia and particularly when combined with massage.

But for a quick and easy way to prepare your body for sleep, you can’t beat an aromatherapy bath just putting calming essential oils into a worm bath about 40 minutes before you go to bed. A fall in temperature is one of the triggers for sleep so you’ll feel all warm and relaxed after 40 minutes later you’ll be already to shut down. You bath should be warm enough to relax aching muscles and ease tension, but not too hot as this will make the oil evaporate more quickly. Opt for oils than have a relaxing rather than invigorating aroma.

Geranium – This oil strengthens the adrenal glands which work overtime when you’re stressed. Combine with rosemary for maximum impact. For the best effect, add a few drops to your bath or listen to some music and put some drops in an oil burner.
Lavender – It’s the oil most often used for sleep problems as it helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Sprinkle a couple of drops on a tissue and inhale or, after a long, hard day put a few drops on your pillow to aid sleep.
Frankincense – This oil is greater a aphrodisiac if you want to get in the mood for sex. Have a bath together and add a few drops with sandalwood and hint of jasmine to liven up your libido.
Ylang ylang – This is also an aphrodisiac, but a sedative too so if the sex doesn’t relax you the calming properties of this oil will. Add a couple of drops in a vaporizes for a soothing aroma.
Chamomile – This calms the central nervous system and induces sleep. It’s also a gentle antidepressant and stress reliever. Add a few drops of the oil to your bath.

As you sink into a warm candlelit aromatherapy bath all the stresses of the day become a distant memory. Essential oils have the power to change the way you feel physically and emotionally even some hospitals now use lavender oil to promote sleep.

Insomnia can be affected by many of factors like stress, depression, sickness, drug, and some bad lifestyle. One of the root cause is the partner who sleep beside you was the reason that make you insomnia.

About the Author

Dr.Samantha Hement from department of neurology. She is specialty concerned with nervous system function and disorders. She has created a blog and website to deal with insomnia. An informative blog deal with acne. Provided the information on how to deal with your insomnia without medications.

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Great Tips To Avoid Leg Cramps While Sleeping

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A leg cramp means an acute pain which usually originates from a muscle in the leg. It takes place when a muscle contracts too hard. Leg cramps usually occur in one of the calf muscles, below and behind the knee. The small muscles of the feet are sometimes affected.

A regular leg cramp pain can last from a few seconds to several minutes. Besides, the intensity of the pain varies according to each one’s case. But, the damage in the muscles provoked by the cramp may remain up to 24 hours. In most cases, leg cramps occur when you are resting especially while sleeping or when you wake up. If not given the necessary attention, it can become a distressing problem which can disturb your regular sleep.

The Causes

Leg cramps are mainly caused by a contraction of an already shortened muscle. So, contracting the leg further may cause the muscle to go into spasm. It happens frequently during sleep. The regular sleep position, we rest with the knees slightly flexed, and with feet pointing slightly downwards. So, the tension by shortening the calf muscle makes it susceptible to cramps. This theory explains why maintaining a correct posture could avoid this problem and stretching exercises may relieve the pain.

How To Relieve From It?

The first things you should do to relieve the pain is to:
• Walk on the wounded leg
• Massage the muscle gently
• Maintain your leg straight and flex it toward your knee until you feel the calf muscles stretching
• Put some ice on the affected muscle

How To Avoid It

The first step to take is to maintain a correct posture of the legs during sleep. You should try a pillow that keeps your leg correctly aligned depending on the way you prefer to sleep. If you sleep on your back, you should maintain your feet in a higher level than the bed. If you sleep on your side you should use a pillow to maintain your legs slightly apart, so the leg you’re lying on doesn’t receive all the pressure of the other one’s weight.

Many doctors recommend using orthopedic pillows because they are especially designed to maintain a correct position of the leg and feet. By doing so, you will be able to live free of pain when you wake up and you will get up with a much better mood for a new day.

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Stress Can Reflect In Your Dreams

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Sleep deprivation can be directly related to stress. We often come face to face with stress. Many of us might not even realize that stress is engulfing our relationships, our sanity and most of all our right to a good night's sleep. Stress may become a cause of depression, a cause of insomnia and it drags you towards an anti-social life.

Sleep deprivation causes stress, and stress causes sleep deprivation. When a person find herself deprived of sleep, she doesn't feel an urge to work. When a person will feel tired all the time, she will not be motivated to work at all. This will eventually lead to a lack of productivity at the work place. Feeling tired all the time will deprive a person from enjoying social or family life to her fullest.

How Bad Is It?

Research shows that 50% of car's accidents occur when the driver has been deprived of sleep. In some cases, even air crash investigators have blamed pilot's stress factor for the miscalculations during the flight, which has resulted in the death of so many passengers. Humans need their power napping. It is as basic as hunger itself.

Cars will crash, work will suffer, relationships will end and money will fly away when humans will not fulfill their need of sleeping during the night. Spouses suffer the most when one of them follows an irregular sleeping pattern. They rarely get time to communicate, they lose their financial strength and worst of all, and then fight and lose affection for each other. All this leads to living stressful lives. This is way so many people need help with stress.

So, How To Relax Yourself?

In order to get rid of stress, you need to make sure if you are getting your proper slumber or not. A human body works in line with the brain. Just like a man made machine, a human mind too needs to relax and regain energy and strength before it can start functioning again. Sleeping is basically about refueling your mind for an extended and a flawless performance. If not, then the mind may end up getting exhausted. A person must know how to relax. Perhaps, you can take refuge in mild melodies or a relaxing massage to enlighten your mood and for relaxing your senses.

In order to cope with physical or mental stress, you can meditate, do yoga or indulge in any sort of physical exercise. Physical exercises often help with blood flow, which means that contrary to your latent believe, exercise will give you an energy boost. You will perform better and it will increase your chances of getting a good night's sleep. These days, massages and alternative therapies like aromatherapy and acupuncture are available to de-stress a human mind.

Strong medication is probably not a safe treatment for stress. Many times, stress is self imposed and can easily be handled with leisure activities and a better lifestyle.

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9 Great Ways To Cure Sleep Apnea

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If you're having an irregular breathing during the night, and also having muscle tension down your throat , it is called sleep apnea. It is defined as an unsuccessful breathing pattern. If this happens frequently per hour (15 times for a healthy person or 5 times for a person with a condition of heart or liver problems, high blood pressure etc.), it counts as a medical condition.
The three different types of sleep apnea have to be treated differently:

1. Sleep apnea occurs, when the brain's signal to take a breath is correctly initiated, but the breath intake is unsuccessful because of a barrier. This form of sleep apnea is the most common and often connected to extensive snoring. In some cases that barrier can be taken out in surgery. If the obstruction is caused by soft tissue, low muscle tone and/or an enlarged tongue, there are alternative ways to cure sleep apnea to the more drastic way of surgery, breathing mask and so on.

2. When insufficient signal for breathing is send by the brain, central sleep apnea is diagnosed. Central sleep apnea is a rare condition that accounts for only 4-5% of all sleep apnea. It is more likely to be present in infants than in adults and has to be taken very seriously. It should not be treated without permanent oversight of a qualified doctor with access to a sleep lab.

3. Mixed or complex apnea is a combination of the first two. It is still not 100% clear how it evolves and if one of the two other forms can be indicated as the initiator. This rare condition occurs rather in adults than infants. It is at least as serious a central sleep apnea and should be treated immediately by a doctor.

So, below are the 9 tips how you can deal or even cure your sleep apnea:

1. Your pillow. Snoring and sleep apnea get worse when the head falls back. When the tongue falls back it narrows the way for the airflow. When now the muscles relax the airway is easily blocked by collapsing walls of soft tissue. I would not necessarily buy a special pillow yet, Try stuffing a larger cover with you pillow wrapped in a towel. You should still be comfortable sleeping on your chest or side but make your pillow substantially higher and firmer. Place the pillow right to the end of the bed, so that it is not so likely to sit too low on your neck, tilting back your head.

2. Sleep on the side or chest. This will make a huge difference. Sleeping on the back triggers snoring in almost all of us. The problem is, during the night you roll back into that position. I have seen shirts with a pillow attached to the back, to prevent that. We can mimic that by sewing a towel to the back of our sleeping shirt. You can also just stick it in, but it might fall off during the night. For some people it might work to make a long thin towel roll and stick it through the sleeves from left, behind your back to the right.

3. Quit smoking. As hard as it may be: Smoking worsens snoring and sleep apnea tremendously, as the tissue in the airway swells.

4. Drink only a little Alcohol. Drug abused lead to uncontrolled muscle relaxation and collapsing tissue in the airway as well as disturbances in the signals end from the brain. They worsen snoring and sleep apnea a lot. That does not mean you have to completely stop drinking – an occasional glass does not hurt. After consumption give some time before you go to bed to get the alcohol partly out of the system.

5. Go outside and take a walk at night before you go to sleep , or you can walk after dinner . It helps ventilating your lungs, frees the airways and increases muscle tension in your throat. Breathe in deeply and actively.

6. At a BMI of 25 or more, loose weight. Obesity is one major reason for otherwise healthy people to get sleep apnea. If you loose weight, the tissue in your airway will tighten and reduce the risk of obstruction.

7. Exercise at least twice a week. The right training for curing sleep apnea is endurance training. Try treadmill or cycling or even swimming at least for half an hour at moderate speed.

8. Maintain a regular sleeping schedule might sound a bit strange, but it actually helps to maintain a fairly consistent sleep schedule.

9. Exercise the muscles in your throat love this, as it involves learning to sing, or play a wind instrument. While training the control of you airflow you practice breathing and strengthen the muscles that hold the tissue in your airway. This will make the tissue firmer.

I am sure these 9 tips sound familiar and might seem obvious in parts. But if you actually follow through with it, I am sure you will soon master your snoring and sleep apnea.

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Everything You Need To Know About Sleep Deprivation

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Do you often get to hear the undying tic-tock of the clock after you turn the lights off in search of some sleep? Have you ever wondered who invented the stories of the boogie man that hunts during the night? Do you hear strange footsteps or wood creaking when midnight falls?

If your reply is positive to any of the preceding questions, then assure yourself that your place is not haunted. It's just that you are suffering from insomnia and are deprived of getting a sound sleep at night.

There Reason You Can't Sleep

There are so many causes of sleep deprivation. Obviously, being sleepless during night time is not an ideal state of being. It can disturb your life in many ways. So what exactly prevents a person from falling asleep naturally for a consecutive number of hours?

Medical Problems If a person feels unhealthy, he/she might not be able to attain proper sleep. One of the most eminent causes of sleep deprivation is sleep apnea, in which a person snores or chokes during sleep and keeps waking up on and off because of it. Insomnia is another form of a sleeping disorder that is recognized as a medical condition. Insomnia sufferers are not capable of falling asleep naturally. Many times, the intake of medicine for the treatment of any other disease also results in sleep deprivation, as medication often disturbs the natural functioning of your body.
Lifestyles Sufferers often fail to realize that their consumption of alcohol or caffeine can alter their sleeping behavior. It can be embarrassing to get caught sleeping at work, simply because you weren't able to sleep at night. Too much caffeine consumption can lead to sleep deprivation. Taking stress regarding your workload or family problems can also lead to a lack of sleep and health.

Sleep deprivation makes a person lethargic, tired and stressed. If you can't sleep at night, you have a chance of becoming psychologically cranky and irritable. Many times, people fail to realize that sleep deprivation results in relationship problems.

If you are married, you are more likely to make your spouse suffer with yourself. Your sleep deprivation might keep your spouse awake during night as well. You bad temper and laziness might irritate your partner during the day. Obviously, you won't be able to enjoy a good social life too. Your friends will complain about your bad or sluggish mood and will stop appreciating your presence in the crowd.

The work life will suffer the most, as no firm will reward a sleepy employee. Sleep deprivation might even cost you to lose your job.

Is There Any Solution?

Our sleeping process is mainly depend on a hormone called Melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone in any organism with different levels depending on the cycles of life and light exposure on the body. hese hormones help us to know when to sleep and wake up and play a role in maintaining heart rhythm. The light affects how much melatonin is produced by the body. Melatonin is normally released in the dark and instruct the body to sleep right away. So, you may wanna turn down the lights so that the room is dark, unless you need a night light due to consistent waking at night due to restroom visits. You can also try adjusting the room temperature, especially if you feel uncomfortable.

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Make Your Treadmill Workouts More Fun!

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There are so many people out there feeling guilty of purchasing an exercise machines from a store and put them at their homes but not even using it. They don't learn how to use it effectively and because of this they soon give up and forget about the machine altogether. With the tips below, you can learn how to get the most effective workout with your treadmill. You will feel as though you have a brand new machine in your home–after removing the dust of course.

Portable Entertainment Gadgets
One of the biggest mistakes people make when they begin a new workout regimen is they forget about entertainment. Walking on a treadmill can be boring and if you have created a home gym, most likely it is closed away from the rest of your home. Try installing a television in the room where you will be using the treadmill and make sure you have the treadmill facing the television. You can get a great workout while watching your favorite show. Before you know it, an hour will go by, whereas before 10 minutes seemed to last forever. If you can't use a television, try headphones and listening to music; just having some form of entertainment while working out will help you to workout longer and in turn get a better workout.
Walking Backwards
If you have hit a weight lose plateau, start walking backwards on your treadmill during warm up or cool down sessions to begin working new muscles in the legs and thighs.
Put On Some Hand Weights
Hand weights are a great way to increase your workout and get those arm muscles in shape. Be sure that you are comfortable enough on the treadmill to let go of the railing before using weights. You can start by using one hand and alternating at first; once you are comfortable enough, let go and use weights in both hands.
Workout Intervals
Don't level out too soon; use the speed in intervals to increase and decrease your heart rate during the workout to help burn more fat.
Inclines
Don't forget the settings on your treadmill that are there to improve your workout; inclines are a common feature that most treadmills have and can really get your heart pumping (as you have to put forth more effort to walk upwards or against the added resistance).
Be Consistent!
Stay consistent with your workout for at least two weeks before increasing the intensity or length. You want to be sure that your body builds up stamina and can handle the extra workout out before moving on. You will find that your weight lose will be more effective if you slowly increase the workout.

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How To Cope With Insomnia

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You don't need to worry about insomnia in today's world, as now you can get your hands on an effective insomnia treatment. There are a few very effective herbal remedies available in the market that works as sleeping aid for countering your sleep deprivation problems. Sleeplessness in the form of insomnia is estimated to affect 10% of American adults.

Insomnia is a condition characterized by difficulty falling asleep and remaining asleep. There are three main types of insomnia; transient insomnia, acute or short term insomnia and chronic insomnia. Transient insomnia occurs when symptoms last from a few days to a few weeks. Acute or short term insomnia is when symptoms last for several weeks. Chronic insomnia is characterized by insomnia that lasts for months and years. Effects of insomnia are found in people of all age groups and are more prevalent in adult men than in adult women.

What can cause Insomnia?

1) Emotional stress:-It includes everything from temporary anxieties to more serious forms of depression.
2) Physical health:-Chronic physical health conditions such as asthma, arthritis, diabetes, cardio-vascular disease, obesity and other long term problems can be the main cause of sleep problems.
3) Life Style Factors: your job, your age and other life style factors can all have an effect on body's circadian rhythms. This in turn affects our ability to go to sleep and remain asleep.
4) Sleeping environment: Whether one is traveling or asleep, having a comfortable sleeping area is necessary for a good night of sleep.

Informing you about the various aspects of insomnia was not meant to increase your level of tension further. You need to be well informed about your disease in order to fight it effectively. There are many forms of treatment available. This also includes changes to your day to day routine and sleep environment. Practicing relaxation techniques and taking a sleep aid can also serve to be highly beneficial for most individuals who deal with insomnia.

Now, when you sleep, your body is able to reduce its concentration of cortisol, a hormone that is always present in our blood in some amount. Keeping the level of cortisol constantly high can increase your stress levels, which leads to (among other things) increased facial tension causing deep wrinkles. Not only that, but cortisol is a diuretic, causing the loss of water from our bodies’ tissues. To add on cortisol lowers our bodies’ immune functions, reducing their ability to fight off infection, inflammation and free-radicals. Worse enough, cortisol inhibits the body’s ability to produce collagen, meaning the rate at which skin wrinkles and loses its elasticity will increase.

So, based on these facts, you may ask: 'How can I improve the quality of my sleep as I get older, so I can reduce wrinkles on my face?' Increasing the levels of Human Growth Hormone in your body is the answer. You can click the button below to learn more about how HGH works.

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Heavy Muscle Building Tips

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Gaining muscle and weight can be very difficult for a lot of men. However this does not mean that it cannot be done. It's a simple theory of taking the right steps on a continual basis. Sadly a lot of guys fail to gain muscle mass because they do not stick to the method that is required for gaining mass.

You don't have to worry, even if you think that you are a hard gainer or that you don't have the genetic material to put on muscle, you will be able to gain a lot of muscle if you follow the principles of a muscle building routine for men. Here are some tips:

Muscle Mass Building Exercises The exercises for gaining muscle that you use will determine whether you succeed or fail to gain muscle. In gyms up and down the country you will come across guys moaning about their lack of bicep development, or how good they may be on a multi-gym. These are the guys that will never gain muscle, because their focus is all wrong.
Nobody gets huge by training small. This means using exercises like the squat, dead lift, bench press, bent over row, shoulder press, pull ups, and dips. These exercises will ensure that you pack on a ton of muscle.
You also need to go heavy with all these exercises. You need to use a weight heavy enough, so that it just about allows you to complete 8 repetitions. Your body will only change if it is forced to change. To make it grow, you need to subject it to the stress of heavy weight training. Once you can complete 8 reps, then just add some more weight and start again.
Don't waste your time on the little exercises which only target one or two muscles at a time. All of the above exercises each hit a lot of different muscles in each rep. Your body needs to be shocked into growth, and the more muscles that it is forced to use, the more it will feel the need to change.

If you did no other exercises apart from the ones that I have stressed, you would look a different person a few months down the road. Anyone would clearly see that you have gained some muscle. You would have increased muscle in your back, your legs, your chest, your shoulders, and your arms.

Forget about the next big thing that you see in bodybuilding magazines, focus on what you are doing and stay with it, regardless of what others may be doing. I promise you that you will start to see a difference in your body, and strength in a matter of weeks. You are not going to find a muscle building routine for gaining mass, like the one here.

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What Is Terminal Insomnia?

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Have you been waking up way before your alarm clock buzzes, only to find that you can not get back to sleep? After it happens the first time you might have decided to just start the day early. You get up and actually get some things done before breakfast. Maybe getting up at 4am wasn’t too bad. But then your day gets terribly long and you find that you’re dragging by late afternoon. And what’s worse is that now this waking up at 4am is becoming a pattern. You are finding that you are waking up way too early and your mind is awake and ready to get up. As much as you try, you can not doze off. You have a problem.

According to a Natural Sleep Foundation survey, more than 50% of women aged 30 to 60 have trouble sleeping. When we think of insomnia it often conjures up getting into bed at night and than not being able to fall asleep. But, did you know that a pattern of waking up too early is also a form of insomnia? It is called terminal insomnia.

With terminal insomnia, sufferers wake too early in the morning. Many people with terminal insomnia have no trouble getting to sleep when they go to bed. They have little trouble staying asleep either. They just wake up too early. Many sufferers of terminal insomnia do not even realize they are suffering from a common form of insomnia. But when it becomes a recurring problem and your daily life suffers, you need to solve your insomnia issue.

About the Author

Bridgett Raffenberg is a former technology teacher who loves techno-gadgets and social media. Known as the 'Martha Stewart' of her neighborhood, she also enjoys internet marketing, real estate investing and volunteering.

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Are You Tired All The Time?

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Feeling tired is a common thing, it happens when you push your body too far to expend too much energy which will make you tired and run down. Sometimes this can be good after we exercise or par for the course when it gets late and we need sleep but if you are asking why am I so tired all the time, then there might be more too it.

People who feel tired all the time even when they have a good amount of rest and do not overly exert themselves face a problem with fatigue that is all too common in modern society. Compare how our ancestors used to live without electricity and media and with an entirely different work and lifestyle. We tended to work hard back then during the daylight hours giving us exercise and expending energy in certain ways then we ate and slept at night and did this over an again without too much variation. Now however we live in an age we often sit in offices all day glaring at computer screens that glare back expending too little energy having largish lunches then we can stay up late into the night being mentally stimulated by whatever media we choose to entertain us then get to sleep at odd hours; quite a change.

Sleep is an especially important part of the cycle and some of the least understood by the general public. You see everyone has a sleep cycle which is often around four hours long but can vary between three to five hours in some people. When we sleep, the middle of these cycles are the deepest sleep and if we wake up during this period we end up being sleepy and tired all day. This is why it is recommended you get eight hours sleep a night, enough for two cycles and then wake up refreshed. This is why you can also only have a few hours sleep sometimes and feel ok when you wake … but you will need to recover that time lost in sleep sometimes also.

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Knowing Exercise Addiction Symptoms

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Throughout my life I have managed to stay in great shape while living a healthy lifestyle, however what I am proud about is how I have managed to do this without ruining my life socially. However, over the past couple months, I've delved back into the realm of exercise addiction and food obsession. This is something I discovered once I caught myself centering my life around workouts and dieting, and pushing social engagements to the periphery.

Exercise addiction is when you feel like exercising 5-7 times per week is an absolute necessity. Someone who becomes incapable of indulging in a day of rest likely suffers from an exercise addiction. On the surface, you probably just want to be dedicated to your routine. The problem is, you need to give your body a rest after you workout. Additionally, you have to consider your underlying motivation for exercising. When you are never happy with the way you look and fear that having just a single day off will ruin all of your effort up to now, then you are probably suffering from exercise addiction.

Food obsession is very similar to exercise addiction in that it revolves around self image. This problem often begins with a sense that one's outward appearance is always lacking. When it gets really serious you may find it manifests itself in the form of an eating disorder. I can't really speak much on food disorders because I am no doctor. But, I can certainly explain the food obsession I am presently confronting and the ways in which it impacts my lifestyle.

My food obsession kicked in when I wanted to cut my body fat to single digits. But, the question remained as to the lengths to which I would go to achieve that goal. I'm not a fitness model. I am not a fitness competitor of any kind. Nobody except my partner will see me topless now that winter has set it. I've made the decision that physically, I'm just as healthy at 10% body fat as I'd be at 7% body fat. What I would have to do to get it down to 7% was just crazy.

Though ongoing battles with exercise addiction and food obsessions can be quite troubling, brief bursts of intense focus on these areas can provide some benefit. When trying to get in shape for a upcoming holiday or for the summer, it is perfectly reasonable to put in maximum effort into getting into the shape you want, and to do this you have to obsess slightly over your food and exercise routine. Also, anyone just beginning an uphill weight loss battle can benefit from an intense period of focus on what they eat and how often they exercise. The key is to make certain that you do not become entangled in exercise addition or food obsession that lasts for extended periods of time.

About the Author

Dave has been an avid fitness fanatic for the past 15 years. He aims to maintain a lean, athletic look through diet and exercise without spending hours in the gym. Many of the fitness tips he provides may seem unconventional, but you can't use a bodybuilding workout to look like an Abercrombie model.

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Easy Guide to Non-prescription Sleep Aids

Filed under Sleep

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Your insomnia comes and goes? You need at least 5 hours of sleep? You want something fast that you can get without a prescription. Besides, you really don’t want to mess with those presumably “heavy duty” prescription sleeping medications. So here are the fast facts about non prescription sleep aids to guide you.

Usually, non prescription sleep aids generally refer to 2 types of sleep aids. They are the antihistamines and the dietary supplements.

Antihistamines:

1. How do they work? The ones used as non prescription sleep aids have been around for awhile, probably since you were a kid. These are the very drugs you take when you have cough and cold or allergies. These antihistamines are very popular not just because they are effective for your cough and allergies. You recover faster because the “benefit” of their side effect of prolonged drowsiness “forces” your body to rest and recover. In the same way, you are basically using the drowsiness side effect to get you to sleep

2. What are they? Antihistamines used as non prescription sleep aids consist of 2 types of active ingredients i.e. diphenhydramine and doxylamine

3. Popular brands are:

Sominex, Nytol, Tylenol PM, Benadryl (Diphenhydramine compound)
Unisom, Equate (Doxylamine compound)

4. Side effects that are common:

Prolonged drowsiness or hangover effect that impairs driving, etc
Dizziness
Fatigue
Headaches
Reduced alertness
Vomiting

Racing heartbeat and constipation are also becoming frequent complaints in this group of non prescription sleep aids.

5. There are certain groups of people who cannot use the antihistamines as a non prescription sleep aid. As with any medication, they are not for pregnant or nursing women due to unknown risk of drug transfer to the fetus and young infant on mother’s milk.

You are advised against taking diphenhydramine (Sominex, Nytol) if you have:

Heart problems
Glaucoma
Enlarged prostate

Especially for Unisom, you can’t even take them if you’ve got asthma or bronchitis.

6. Other precautions when you take the antihistamines.

Avoid alcohol. It increases the sedative effects of the pills. Even a small amount of alcohol combined with sleep aids can make you feel dizzy, confused or faint. Never mix with a sleeping pill, sedative, tranquilizer, or another antihistamine. This could lead to dangerous drug-drug interaction outcomes.

Dietary Supplements:

Two of the most popular dietary supplements used as non prescription sleep aids are melatonin and valerian. This is followed by chamomile, a much milder non prescription sleep aid, that is frequently combined with other herbs as supplements in capsules.

Melatonin

It’s a hormone secreted from the pineal gland in our brain. It regulates our bodies’ internal clock or circadian rhythm i.e when it's time to go to sleep and when it's time to wake up. Melatonin has created much interest among researchers; you will find over 14,000 studies on this hormone compared to valerian with 556 studies, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH) database.

Melatonin is probably the most widely prescribed among herbal non prescription sleep aids. Even 15% of pediatricians who prescribe sleep aids for children with insomnia recommend melatonin, according to the medical journal Pediatrics (2002).

Its synthetic form is available in many brands; AVOID natural forms that are basically melatonin derived from animal’s pineal glands due to possible contamination
Side effects that are common are daytime drowsiness headaches, dizziness, a "heavy-head" feeling, stomach discomfort
It may interact with common drugs

Valerian

It’s a plant; its active ingredient is still unclear therefore how it works is unclear too. Valerian appears to increase the body's available supply of the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). It’s generally thought to help reduce the time to get to sleep.

Valerian is less effective than prescription sleep medication. One possible advantage of valerian, however, is that it does not seem to cause as much of a "hangover" effect the next day. Also, people taking sleeping pills sometimes have a temporary worsening of insomnia when they are discontinued (rebound insomnia), an effect that hasn't been reported with valerian.

Available in many brands but hard to compare as the potencies of various ingredients vary from preparation to preparation.
Generally safe when taken in recommended dosages. However, high doses of valerian can cause nausea, headaches, dizziness, vivid dreams, weakened heartbeat and even paralysis.
Not to be used by pregnant or nursing women like any other non prescription sleep aid
It may strongly react with other prescription on non prescription sleep aids, alcohol, and other medications

Chamomile

It’s one of nature’s oldest herbal sleep aid used for centuries. It is best known as one of the gentlest non prescription sleep aids around. The active ingredients are flavonoids namely, chrysin and apigenin, believed to reduce restlessness helping one feel more relaxed and more prepared to sleep.

It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. That’s why it’s also popularly used in cases of stomach irritation.

Known as a ‘plant doctor’ stimulating the health of other plants, you will find it in countless brands as it is popularly combined with other herbs to make standardized herbal remedies.
It does not lead to dependency and has not been shown to have any side effects. However, it may cause allergic reactions in people who have plant or pollen allergies.
Avoid using with other prescription on non prescription sleep aids, alcohol and medication as it may increase their effects

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How The Lack Of Testosterone Affects The Aging Process

Filed under Anti Aging Tips

You haven't looked forward to the signs of aging, but they're finally here. You can't deny that your energy has plummeted, that your having a harder time just maintaining your current shape. You find yourself in a depressed state of mind, and you're just not interested in sex like you used to be.

While it's true that as you get older your body slows down, you may be one of the millions of men suffering from andropause without even knowing it. Andropause is the male equivalent to women's menopause, hitting in middle age, usually between ages 40 and 50, but in some cases as early as 35 or as late as 65.

A decline in hormones at a steady rate is part of getting older. Men lose 10% of their testosterone every decade after 30. But still, some men lose much more than this. These are the men who are experiencing andropause.

The less testosterone your body is producing, the more you feel older than your age. We forget how much this invisible steroid hormone does. But you need to pay as much attention to your hormone balance as you do to your cardiovascular system, or your muscles. After all, it's testosterone that helps keep the rest of you in shape. Just consider all that testosterone does for you.

Physically, there are numerous parts of the body that are affected by a decrease in testosterone. Bone density is a big factor. Over 10% of men have osteoporosis, resulting from a lack in bone density. This increases the chance of hip, wrist, and spine fractures, as just a few examples of areas of your body that are affected. Sexual function is also affected, resulting in difficulty maintaining erection, and weak erections. Muscles lose their strength, and the immune system is weakened.

It's more than just physical, though. If you suffer from andropause you may have felt your moods change, either dramatically or gradually. Depression is often a common symptom of low testosterone. Along with physical sexual functions that we discussed above, your desire for sex may have decreased as well.

Andropause is detectable through blood tests, but in most cases not just an ordinary blood test will do. An ordinary blood test can tell your doctor how much testosterone is in your system, but that doesn't tell him how much of it is available for your body's use. Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) attaches itself to testosterone and other sex hormones, rendering them useless. Also, different men need different amounts of testosterone to function at their best.

You could request a more in-depth analysis from your doctor. But while some men choose to discuss with their doctor medical actions, such as hormone replacement therapy, the best course of action is to treat your body well so that it can reach its natural potential. This includes the healthy lifestyle we hope you're already following, like getting enough sleep, keeping your stress low, and making sure to fit exercise into your busy schedule, but we'd like to recommend something you probably hadn't thought of – supplements designed specifically for andropausal men.

So don't just sit back and let old age happen to you. By following a regimen, you can slow down and even reverse aging.

Best Way to Gain Muscle Mass

Filed under Fitness

There are many mass building programs that claim to be the best muscle building workout routine or best muscle building diet plan. But, many such systems offer little more than the suggestion that you eat great quantities of food and workout constantly to gain muscle mass, or are so complicated and precise that you have no margin of error. Therefore, what is the truth about the best way to gain muscle mass? Put simply, slow and steady wins the race.

Anyone who has studied the concept of gaining muscle mass is likely familiar with the bulk and cut theory. This is highly touted by bodybuilders as the best way to gain muscle mass. Essentially, you focus on gaining as much mass as possible for a period of time and then cutting as much fat as possible for another period of time. It appears to be a good technique because it is quite clean cut, you don't have to worry about too many things at once, you first work out to get big without worrying about fat, then you lose fat without worrying about bulking up.

There will always be debate regarding the question of whether bodybuilders exemplify a physical ideal (my opinion is that they do not), but the truth is that the above technique has proven successful in assisting them with their desire to shed fat and gain muscle mass. Let's just say that my experience with bulking and cutting has taught me that I'm certainly not a bodybuilder. Perhaps if I had truly been able to dedicate myself to this method, I would have found success. But, in the case of a typical person with a busy lifestyle, this type of system is likely to fail.

When I tried this method I obviously kicked off with bulking up. I put on plenty of weight however it was bot fat and muscle. My waistline suffered I can tell you that much. Plus, I felt lethargic from carrying around so much extra weight. Trying to eat the recommended calories proved challenging as well since I was constantly eating and worrying about protein. I was thankful to change pace and move on to cutting. Sadly this section was no more fun than the previous, I had to exercise a great deal and seriously cut how many calories I consumed. There is no doubt that I shed many pounds, though I did not lose fat alone. After multiple months, I had essentially reverted to my starting point, had not gained muscle and had not lost fat.

Rusty Moore's Visual Impact Muscle Building offers a much more practical way to gain muscle mass. There are still phases but they're not focused on rapidly trying to add 20lbs of muscle and then cut 10lbs of fat. Instead, the program intends for participants to spend six months gaining 5-10 pounds of lean muscle while preventing any gains in fat. When this type of structured program is utilized, it is entirely possible to appear more physically substantial. This program takes you through the best way to gain muscle mass by eating the right foods and exercising the right amount for each section. Rusty's program utilizes adaptable exercise regimens, permitting integration of all sorts of different movements as outlined in Visual Impact's accompanying exercise book of over 200 pages.

We started this article by asking 'what is the best way to gain muscle mass?' If you don't mind carrying around a lot of extra weight and cycling through times where you are continuously eating followed by times where you are barely eating, then maybe you can try bulking and cutting. Or, to do it in a better more manageable way you can follow the Rusty Moore program of 'Visual Impact'.

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Phil the Pill Says…get Plenty of Rest so you Can be your Best!

Filed under Sleep

Phil the Pill says…Get plenty of rest so you can be your best! What does he know anyway? Phil is a cartoon character who helps encourage young children and grownups to make positive choices. One of the choices is to get enough rest so you can function at your best each day.

When we don't get the rest that our body requires, we tend to be grumpy and have an “attitude”. People who get enough rest tend to function much more properly and don't have bad attitudes. I know for myself that if I don't get at least 4 or 5 hours of rest; I tend to not function well, and I will feel over tired. But if I get more than the 4 or 5 hours of sleep then I tend to also feel overly tired and not ready to do anything except be lazy all day. When I do that; half of the day is wasted and I did not get any of the things done that I was supposed to do for that day.

So what is the right amount of hours of rest one should get? You should check with your healthcare provider to help you determine this. I am not a healthcare person, but I do know that everyone is different and what is good for one may not be good for the other. I like only getting 4 to 5 hours of rest each night because I can function better with just that amount. As Phil the Pill says… Get plenty of rest so you can be your best! But what is plenty for you may not be enough for me, or vice versa.

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Don’t Let Worry Destroy Your Health

Filed under Anti Aging Tips

Worrying never gets good results. It is not good for our emotions, our health, our creative ability or for fulfilling our life. Still we worry that if we don't stress out and worry like everyone else, how will others judge us? Will we be perceived as crazy, not normal, not right or as having low morality?

Why does most of the world live life this way? It is almost inconceivable to think that you can stop worrying. But, we can!

Relaxation expert Sarah McCrum, of the Academy of Potential Education said recently that "we can learn the art of natural relaxation – relaxing our thoughts and our body and simply doing nothing other than breathing and smiling. We can then use our relaxation skills and choose not to worry when we don't want to, and honestly, you never really want to worry. It will take time because we can't shut worrying off after all those years of indulging in it. But we can become better at cutting it off and not spiraling into a black hole." Often, we worry because it is the norm and we don't realize that we have a choice.

We do have a choice if you are aware of it. It is your choice to make! Nobody can make you worry and nobody can stop you from not worrying.

Worry is actually pretty old fashioned. It belongs to our past and it is rapidly going out of style. It's not a creative lifestyle. It's not the lifestyle of the future. Just because most of the whole world worries, it doesn't mean that you have to! As human knowledge develops, human awareness and consciousness expands, and worrying will gradually disappear.

What is replacing worry now is relaxation – a deep trust in life itself. Your creative ability, your happiness, your health and your consciousness will grow the more you improve your ability to be relaxed. Your actions, your work, your responses to the world around you change when you know how to relax.

Often, when we are doing an activity we are either thinking about what we are doing or thinking about something completely different. We might even start to worry. We are too often in a state of unconscious tension, and are simply not physically and emotionally at peace. As a result, we block energy from entering and flowing through our body. And then our meridians aren't open and relaxed, so we get tired and find it difficult to experience joy.

When we learn how to relax and flow with life, we start to appreciate the world in a completely different way. When we are open, happy and experiencing natural relaxation, we can receive a higher source of life energy – quality energy that is light and vibrant, making us more positive and glowing.

Through proper relaxation training, we can learn how to not worry. We can learn how to breathe again like when we were a baby – relaxed and surrendered to life. We don't have to "do anything" but rather, just "be." Soon we learn that worry doesn't stem from external factors, but rather comes from inside ourselves. Then the more we become aware of it the more we can do to release that tension that we call worry.

To prevent worry from destroying your health and happiness, research a little and find a relaxation program with skilled experts to help you realize that there is a reason for everything, a cause and a remedy for everything. Every situation has a solution and we just have to find it. While we are searching we feel good and not so helpless, so we just keep on searching and we don't give up. The more knowledge we have, the more peace we have. We see possibilities, so we have a future. In this way, worry gradually and surely comes to its end.

About the Author

Founder and Director of the Inspirational Learning Academy in Sedona Arizona. Jimmy Allen is the director of the iRelaxNow relaxation programs. For over 25 years, he has helped thousands of children and adults improve the quality of their health, happiness and peace.