Melatonin Side Effects: The Good And The Bad

If you do some research to find out  melatonin’s side effects, you do the right thing. You want to try this popular natural sleep aid or have started on it for a while that you want to know if you are experiencing some melatonin side effects. Melatonin is undoubtedly one of the most popular over the counter sleep aids. You would probably be familiar by now about its benefits especially in jet lag and getting your internal body clock back on track. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not strictly regulate herbs and supplements. Long-term studies on humans are also not available.

The good news is melatonin is generally regarded as safe in recommended doses for short-term use (three months or less) according to the National Institute of Health (NIH).  Looking at available studies and clinical use, melatonin’s overall side effects are not significantly more common than placebo, the control group that didn’t take melatonin. Commonly experienced melatonin side effects include fatigue, dizziness, headache, irritability, and sleepiness, although these effects may occur due to jet lag and not to melatonin itself.

In that context of its overall safety profile, you should still keep a watch out for out-of-the-norm melatonin side effects that have been reported and raised some concerns. These are:

•  Blood clotting abnormalities

 

• Seizures                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Melatonin may lower seizure threshold and increase the risk of seizure, particularly in children with severe neurologic disorders. However, multiple other studies actually report reduced incidence of seizure with regular melatonin use. Hence, this remains an area of controversy.

 

•  Disorientation                                                                                                                                                                                              This is accompanied by confusion, sleepwalking, vivid dreams, and nightmares. Fortunately, these melatonin side effects often resolve after you stop taking it.

 

•  Mood changes rapidly

 

• Psychotic symptoms                                                                                                                                                                               Hallucinations and paranoia are possibly due to an overdose. People with underlying major depression or psychotic disorders taking melatonin should be monitored closely by a healthcare professional.

 

•  Hormonal changes                                                                                                                                                                                           This affects both men and women. For men, increased breast size (gynecomastia), decreased sperm count and decreased sperm motility have been reported. Fortunately, these are resolved after stopping melatonin.  For women, decreases or increases in levels of reproductive, thyroid and growth hormones have been reported. High levels of melatonin during pregnancy may increase the risk of developmental disorders. In animal studies, melatonin is detected in breast milk.

 

• Elevated blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia)                                                                                                                                            This melatonin side effect is mainly reported in patients with type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes). Low doses of melatonin reduced glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in these cases.

Avoid Melatonin if:
1.    You are taking the blood-thinning medication like warfarin, aspirin or heparin.
2.    You have neurologic disorders and taking anti-epileptic drugs
3.    You are suffering from depression or other psychotic disorders
4.    You have diabetes especially Type 1 diabetes
5.    You are pregnant or are a nursing mother

Always weigh the benefits versus the risks of any natural sleep aid. Find not just any doctor but one who is familiar with your health profile to help you weigh the benefits and side effects of melatonin. Remember that with all natural sleep aids, not just melatonin, always use them for the short term to solve your sleep problems.

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Sleep Deprivation Effects On Your Brain

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

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:

1. total hours slept each night,
    
2. number of awakenings during the night,
    
3. 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

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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

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

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

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

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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How To Cope With Insomnia

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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What Is Terminal Insomnia?

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?

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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Easy Guide to Non-prescription Sleep Aids

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).

1. 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
2. Side effects that are common are daytime drowsiness headaches, dizziness, a "heavy-head" feeling, stomach discomfort
3. 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.

1. Available in many brands but hard to compare as the potencies of various ingredients vary from preparation to preparation.
2. Generally safe when taken in recommended dosages. However, high doses of valerian can cause nausea, headaches, dizziness, vivid dreams, weakened heartbeat and even paralysis.
3. Not to be used by pregnant or nursing women like any other non prescription sleep aid
4. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

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.

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

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

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.

Guide to 5 Popular Natural Sleep Aids for Children

You’ve done all that sleep habits stuff to make your child go to sleep or stay asleep. Nothing worked. Now you’re desperate enough to try some natural sleep aids for children but you don’t know where to begin. There are more natural sleep aids in the stores than there are prescription sleeping pills. Here’s a fast and easy guide to 5 popular natural sleep aids for children.

1. Melatonin

What is melatonin?

It’s a hormone secreted from the pineal gland in our brain. Thought to help our bodies’ sleep-wake cycle i.e when it's time to go to sleep and when it's time to wake up. Melatonin decreases the time it takes to fall asleep ("sleep latency"), and may increase the duration of sleep.

Melatonin Fast Facts

• The most popular natural sleep aid for helping adults with jet lag or effects of shift work
• Also popularly used as a sleep aid for children, more than 20 studies have shown that melatonin helps children with insomnia to fall asleep quickly
• Side effects: daytime drowsiness headaches, dizziness, a "heavy-head" feeling, stomach discomfort
• Safe with short-term use (three months or less) as concluded by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2005)
• Dosage should not exceed 3 milligrams and it’s not recommended by healthcare professionals to give to kids younger than 10.
• Being a popular OTC sleep aid, pharmaceutical grade synthetic form is available in many brands; AVOID natural forms that are basically melatonin derived from animal’s pineal glands due to possible contamination
• It must be noted however, nearly all studies of melatonin were on “special needs” children i.e. autism, other development disabilities, blind. Their bodies either don't produce melatonin or do so only erratically.
• 15% of pediatricians still recommend melatonin as a sleep aid for children with insomnia, according to the medical journal Pediatrics (2002)

Before Using Melatonin As A Children Sleep Aid: -discuss with your pediatrician to rule out medical reasons for insomnia, such as breathing difficulties or behavioral conditions such as attention-deficit disorder – parents should first try techniques to change the child's sleep behavior

2. Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)

What is chamomile? It’s one of nature’s oldest herbal sleep aid used for centuries. It is also one of the gentlest herbs making it so popular as a children sleep aid. 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.
• Safe for both adults and children. 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.
• Most often drunk as a tea, which has a mild, pleasant flavor. Also available for internal use in capsule or tincture form
• Known as a ‘plant doctor’ stimulating the health of other plants, you will find it popularly combined with other herbs to make standardized herbal remedies.However, this also means you have to use with caution if your child is on other drug therapies. It may increase the effects of other sleep aids.

3. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)

What is valerian?

• A herbal sleep aid that is also one of the top 3 popular OTC sleep aids for children. Its active ingredient is still unclear therefore how it works is unclear too.
• Generally thought to help reduce the time to get to sleep and possibly improve sleep quality.
• It also eases nervous tension, muscle tension and anxiety
• Generally safe when taken in recommended dosages. However, high doses of valerian can cause nausea, headaches, dizziness, vivid dreams, weakened heartbeat and even paralysis.
• It works well in combination with other sedative herbs. Valerian and lemon balm preparation is the most popular combo sleep aid for children since a study done in Germany showed fast and significant improvement for children under 12 with restlessness or dyssomnia (sleep disorder).

4. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

What is lemon balm?

It’s an aromatic mint plant recognized by European herbalists for its ability to help induce sleep and ease nervousness. In Germany, lemon balm preparations have been approved for treatment of nervous insomnia.

• It also protects the gastrointestinal tract against ulcers. Therefore, lemon balm is a popular remedy for insomnia accompanied by a nervous stomach.
• Taken as a tea, lemon balm is quite tasty.
• When used as a sleep aid for children, the dosage according to the German study are valerian and lemon balm tablets with 160 mg of valerian root dry extract and 80 mg of lemon balm leaf dry extract.
• It is not associated with any toxicity or side effects.

5. Passion flower (Passiflora incarnata)

What is passion flower?

This herb, used by the Aztecs as a sedative, helps relax the mind and body to induce restful sleep. The active ingredient, harmine, and related compounds help inhibit the breakdown of serotonin. It also contains chrysin, the same flavonoid found in chamomile. It is an especially helpful sleep aid for sleep disorders caused by chronic pain, muscle conditions and anxiety.

• Taken as a tea, tincture or as capsules.
• Safe for use as either a sleep aid for children or adults. However, because the most common side effect of passion flower is drowsiness, don't take it unless you plan to sleep for while.

Now that you know these 5 natural sleep aids for children, always consult a licensed healthcare provider first if you are thinking of using any of them for your child. Also, you should tell your healthcare provider about all of the supplements and medication your child may be taking so that he can evaluate any potential drug-supplement interactions.

It’s not easy to find appropriate supplement brands for these 5 popular natural sleep aids for children. The supplies are usually in adult dosage or in different combinations not according to the studies for children sleep aids.

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