#Restlessness or A sleeping disorder has turned into a significant issue for individuals who live in the city. That is brought about by pres
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Benefits Of Saffron Milk: In order to derive its benefits, saffron can be added to your regular food. Only a small amount of this medicinal spice is necessary to get its effect. One of the easiest ways to gets its benefits is drinking saffron with milk.
Let’s take a closer look at this fascinating spice to uncover the benefits of drinking saffron milk daily.
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Further develop rest
Restlessness or A sleeping disorder has turned into a significant issue for individuals who live in the city. That is brought about by pressure and absence of legitimate coordination in the workplace and home.
Most of individuals find it hard to nod off at the appropriate time. Drinking saffron milk is extremely gainful for those individuals confronting inconvenience in getting rest.
Saffron contains manganese which is known for its gentle narcotic properties which assist with instigating rest. Milk with saffron additionally assists with lessening the degree of despondency and stress and can make you rest soundly.
Saffron milk during pregnancy
Saffron milk: the daily habit that can improve your mood, sleep, and overall health
Source: Unsplash
It is likewise fitting to Drink saffron milk during pregnancy. Saffron with milk can assists with keeping up with the iron level in pregnant ladies. Likewise, it assists with overseeing circulatory strain, further develop the assimilation interaction, and fend off morning disorder.
The best chance to take saffron milk is later or during the fifth month. Kindly try not to consume it in the principal trimester when the pregnancy is as yet not steady.
The purpose for it, saffron can raise pregnant ladies’ internal heat level and can cause compressions.
Continuously counsel your primary care physician prior to beginning to drink saffron milk during pregnancy.
Further develop heart well-being.
Saffron milk: the daily habit that can improve your mood, sleep, and overall health
Source: Unsplash
To keep your heart sound you really want to have the right eating routine. You can add saffron to your ordinary eating regimen which can do ponders for your heart. According to the book ‘Mending Food varieties,’ it animates dissemination and forestalls the solidifying of conduits.
Saffron is a rich wellspring of Crocetin which assists in decreasing the cholesterol with evening out in the blood. This way drinking saffron with milk can work on your wellbeing and forestall heart-related sicknesses.
Saffron milk supports Memory
Saffron milk: the daily habit that can improve your mood, sleep, and overall health
Source: Unsplash
Saffron blended milk can fill in as a memory promoter for you. It is notable as a memory-improving spice. The review, it tracked down a characteristic solution for forestall Alzheimer’s infection as well as diminishes its related signs.
Further, saffron can help in forestalling oxidative pressure in the hippocampus, and further develop memory abilities. For more youthful youngsters and children, these blends become the best normal beverage.
Saffron for misery and tension
Saffron milk: the daily habit that can improve your mood, sleep, and overall health
Source: Unsplash
Misery and tension are extremely normal issues in the present age. Drinking a glass of saffron milk consistently helps successfully ease nervousness and despondency. Saffron is a decent wellspring of carotenoids and B nutrients.
#Saffron milk: the daily habit that can improve your mood#sleep#and overall health#Benefits Of Saffron Milk: In order to derive its benefits#saffron can be added to your regular food. Only a small amount of this medicinal spice is necessary to get its effect. One of the easiest w#Let’s take a closer look at this fascinating spice to uncover the benefits of drinking saffron milk daily.#Table of Contents#[Open]#1. Further develop rest#Restlessness or A sleeping disorder has turned into a significant issue for individuals who live in the city. That is brought about by pres#Most of individuals find it hard to nod off at the appropriate time. Drinking saffron milk is extremely gainful for those individuals confr#Saffron contains manganese which is known for its gentle narcotic properties which assist with instigating rest. Milk with saffron addition#2. Saffron milk during pregnancy#Source: Unsplash#It is likewise fitting to Drink saffron milk during pregnancy. Saffron with milk can assists with keeping up with the iron level in pregnan#it assists with overseeing circulatory strain#further develop the assimilation interaction#and fend off morning disorder.#The best chance to take saffron milk is later or during the fifth month. Kindly try not to consume it in the principal trimester when the p#The purpose for it#saffron can raise pregnant ladies’ internal heat level and can cause compressions.#Continuously counsel your primary care physician prior to beginning to drink saffron milk during pregnancy.#3. Further develop heart well-being.#To keep your heart sound you really want to have the right eating routine. You can add saffron to your ordinary eating regimen which can do#’ it animates dissemination and forestalls the solidifying of conduits.#Saffron is a rich wellspring of Crocetin which assists in decreasing the cholesterol with evening out in the blood. This way drinking saffr#4. Saffron milk supports Memory#Saffron blended milk can fill in as a memory promoter for you. It is notable as a memory-improving spice. The review#it tracked down a characteristic solution for forestall Alzheimer’s infection as well as diminishes its related signs.#Further
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ADHD and Addiction in Adults: Unveiling the Overlooked Connection
Navigating adulthood can be like charting a course through a minefield. For those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the challenges of everyday life are often compounded by internal battles, ones that aren’t always visible to the outside world. These battles can lead to a higher likelihood of grappling with addiction, an issue that is often compounded by the unique struggles individuals with ADHD face. In this in-depth exploration, we’ll dissect the relationship between ADHD and addiction in adults, unveiling the complex web of factors that contribute to dual diagnoses. We'll provide a clear path forward for those fighting these concurrent demons, offering practical guidance and resources to reassert control over their lives.
Understanding ADHD and its Relationship with Addiction
The ADHD Puzzle
ADHD is not just a childhood condition — it can persist into adulthood, affecting both personal and professional aspects of life. Characteristics like impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity can create substantial challenges when it comes to self-regulation and decision-making. These challenges, left untamed, lay fertile ground for addictive behaviors to take root.
Common Patterns and Challenges
Individuals with ADHD might turn to substances or behaviors that offer a momentary reprieve from their internal restlessness. Substance abuse can seem like a solution — a way to self-medicate and quiet the mind, if only briefly. Yet, this solution is a treacherous one, often leading to a dangerous cycle of use and dependence.
Addressing Dual Diagnosis: Treatment Approaches
Integrated Treatment Strategies
When ADHD and addiction coexist, a tailored and integrated treatment approach is crucial. This typically involves a team of specialists who understand the intricacies of each diagnosis and how they interplay. Addressing addiction without considering ADHD, or vice versa, is like fighting a multi-front war with just one army.
Therapeutic Interventions for Co-occurring ADHD and Addiction
Therapy plays a central role in treating these dual diagnoses. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy, which both focus on modifying behavior by changing patterns of thinking, can be particularly effective. These therapies help individuals rewire their coping mechanisms, learning healthier ways to address their symptoms and cravings.
Support and Resources for Adults with ADHD and Addiction
Support Groups
Community support is invaluable. Support groups, such as those leveraging the 12-step program, create an environment where individuals can share their journeys, find solidarity, and learn from one another's experiences.
Counseling Services
Professional counseling can provide the one-on-one guidance necessary for addressing the complexities of dual diagnoses. Therapists skilled in treating ADHD can offer insights and tools to manage symptoms without resorting to addictive behaviors.
Lifestyle Modifications
Small changes can yield significant results for individuals managing both ADHD and addiction. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and consistent sleep patterns can contribute to an overall sense of well-being and provide a natural outlet for hyperactivity and restlessness.
Prevention and Management Strategies
Early Intervention for ADHD
Identifying and treating ADHD as early as possible is a powerful preventive measure against addiction. The right combination of therapy, medication, and support can equip individuals with the skills to manage their symptoms without turning to substances.
Harm-Reduction Approaches for Addiction
In cases where addiction has already taken hold, harm-reduction strategies can help mitigate damage. These strategies focus on reducing the negative consequences of substance abuse rather than on quitting, with the ultimate goal often shifting to abstinence as the individual gains greater control.
Conclusion
Recognizing the link between ADHD and addiction is the first step in addressing the challenges that arise from dual diagnoses. By seeking out integrated treatments, a supportive community, and making lifestyle changes, those affected can carve a path toward recovery. It's a long and arduous journey, but one that is navigable with the right guidance and unwavering determination. Remember, you are not your ADHD, and you are not your addiction. You are a complex and resilient individual capable of rewriting your story, one chapter at a time.
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The Link Between Sleep Deprivation and Early Death May Run Through this Surprising Place: Your Gut
The Link Between Sleep Deprivation and Early Death May Run Through this Surprising Place: Your Gut Read more on: www.ellymackay.com
Not getting enough sleep can take real time off your life. The link between sleep deprivation and mortality has been shown in a wide body of rigorous scientific research. Sleep is essential for survival. Studies in animals have demonstrated that going without any sleep will eventually be, over a period of days or weeks, lethal.
And studies in people have established the association between short sleeping and an increased risk of death. For example, a review of research published in the journal Sleep found an average of a 12% higher risk of dying among short sleepers. Short sleepers were people sleeping less than 7 hours a night—in many studies sleeping less than 5.
(We’re talking about sleep deprivation today. But I can’t move on from mentioning this research review above without noting that it also found sleeping too much associated with higher risk of dying—a whopping 30% increase. I’ll come back to this topic of excessive sleeping again. It’s an important one. In the meantime, here’s an article I wrote about the risks of oversleeping.)
And a 12% average increase to risk means, of course, that some individual studies found the risk of early death associated with short sleep to be even higher—like this study, which analyzed the connection over a 22-year period in more than 21,000 twins, and found increases in mortality of 26% for men, and 21% for women.
The big question is: Why? Scientists have a well-established association between lack of sleep and risks of early death. But what is the cause underlying this association? That’s a powerfully important question with huge implications for treating sleep disorders and other health problems.
There’s not likely to be a simple answer, or a single route or mechanism that connects short sleep to mortality risk. That’s because sleep is connected to so much else that the body does—from metabolism to brain function to immunity. Poor sleep is a factor in the chronic, age-related diseases of our time, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s.
New research out of Harvard Medical School contains some potentially game-changing information about one particular pathway by which sleep deprivation causes death. It’s a path you’ve heard me talk about before in relation to sleep.
The GUT.
I’ve written a number of times about the sleep-gut connection and its widespread influence over health issues such as weight and metabolism, immunity, and stress. Recently, I talked about how prebiotic foods can help improve gut health,resulting in reduced stress and more time spent in deep and restorative stages of slow-wave and REM sleep.
You’re probably familiar at this point with how the health of your gut contributes to your overall health and well-being. Your intestines are home to the largest concentration of micro-organisms that make up what scientists call the “microbiome.”
How the gut microbiome relates to sleep
The human microbiome is made up of trillions of tiny microbes. Many are bacteria, but there are also viruses, fungi, and protozoa. These microbial organisms live all throughout the body, but the single largest microbial ecosystem is in the intestines.
The collection of organisms within the microbiome—both the types and amounts of different bacteria and other microbes—has broad effects on mental and physical health, influencing mood, metabolism, cardiovascular and circulatory health, as well as the immune system, and our risk for chronic disease.
The gut microbiome is frequently called our “second brain.” That’s because the gut is home to a nervous system and about 100 million neurons. The nervous system of the microbiome is in constant communication with the brain and our central nervous system, helping to regulate hormone production, immune system function, appetite, digestion and metabolism, mood and stress responses.
On the sleep front, the microbiome produces some of the body’s melatonin (which is also produced in the brain) as well as other hormones and neurotransmitters involved with sleep, including dopamine, serotonin, and GABA .
Our microbiome is regulated by circadian rhythms. Research has shown that when circadian rhythms are disrupted, the health and functioning of the microbiome suffers. At the same time, so is sleep. The health of the microbiome can also be disrupted by poor diet, stress, illness, and excessive use of some medications including antibiotics.
We know from recent research that:
Irregular sleep schedules can disrupt a healthy gut. This recent study in the journal Nature has reveals the connections between sleep, circadian bio rhythms, and the gut microbiome. It points to a regular sleep routine as one way to protect and promote optimal gut and immune system functioning. Sticking to a sleep routine, limiting nighttime light exposure, managing stress, and practicing healthy, sleep-friendly eating habits are all ways to keep your circadian clock—and your gut microbiome—functioning optimally.
A couple nights of poor sleep can harm your microbiome. The relationship between sleep and the microbiome is a two-way street. Our microbiota affects how we sleep. In turn, sleep and circadian rhythms affects the health and diversity of the influential microbial ecosystem that lives in our gut. Recent research shows not sleeping enough can quickly have a negative effect on microbiome health. After only two nights of partial sleep deprivation, European scientists who conducted this 2016 study found:
A signifiant drop in beneficial bacteria
Changes to the composition of micro-organisms in the microbiome that are linked specifically to obesity and type 2 diabetes
A significant reduction in insulin sensitivity
Restless, poor quality sleep affects the microbiome AND metabolic health. People who experience sleep disorders, particularly obstructive sleep apnea, often contend with this type of poor sleep quality, which keeps them from spending sufficient time in the most restorative stages of deep sleep and REM sleep.
We know fragmented sleep leads to changes in metabolism and eating patterns that increase risks for obesity and other metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes. In the past several years, we’ve also seen a growing body of evidence that dysfunction in the microbiome is a significant factor driving the metabolic changes that lead to obesity and other metabolic disorders. Recent research suggests that fragmented sleep may play an important role in the microbiome-driven effects on metabolic health, in part by triggering inflammation that leads to metabolic dysfunction.
What does the gut have to do with sleep deprivation and early death?
Clearly there’s a lot going on in the sleep-gut relationship. We’ve learned a lot already. This latest breakthrough is especially significant and interesting, because it suggests a cause-and-effect chain of activity between sleep deprivation and premature death.
The scientists studied the link between lack of sleep and early death in a population of fruit flies. Scientists deprived the flies of sleep, and during their prolonged wakefulness the scientists examined the flies for signs of physiological damage from their lack of rest.
Here’s a snapshot of what they learned:
Over a period of 10-20 days without sleep, all the flies eventually died. No big surprise here—as studies in animals have shown, sleep is essential for survival and prolonged lack of sleep leads to illness and death.
When sleep deprived, the fruit flies produced a lot of a particular type of molecule in their guts, known as reactive oxygen species, or ROS. ROS molecules are volatile and unstable, and sometimes known by another name you might know: free radicals. ROS molecules, aka free radicals, damage healthy cells and DNA, through a process that’s known as oxidative stress—essentially, when enough free radicals are produced that the body can’t limit the cellular damage they do. Research suggests that sleep is a time when the body works to suppress oxidative stress and neutralize the damage of free radicals. This study was showing the opposite to be also true: without sleep, damaging ROS molecules became abundant.
Production of these ROS molecules in the gut always took place before the fruit flies died. To confirm that sleep deprivation led to increased production of ROS molecules in other animals, scientists tested mice. They, too, experienced a boost in ROS molecules in the gut when without sleep.
Scientists treated the flies with antioxidants, to neutralize the ROS molecules. This changed the course for the flies. With their ROS molecules eliminated, the fruit flies didn’t die, despite being sleep deprived. Moreover, scientists discovered the flies were able to maintain normal activity and normal lifespans, without sleeping.
The takeaway? Our guts may be a place where sleep deprivation inflicts direct biological damage that puts us at greater risk for illness and death. We need to see more research, but this is a really fascinating and important development.
Another takeaway? This new insight may offer new avenues to treating the negative effects of poor quality and insufficient sleep. Targeting oxidative stress in the gut might be a method for neutralizing and minimizing the damage that comes from not getting enough sleep.
What to do with this information
Take care of both your sleep and your gut! The good news is, both respond to many of the same habits and practices.
Control your stress. Not easy these days, I know. But really important, for both sleep and gut health. Here’s a recent primer I wrote on how sleep and stress intersect.
Exercise and eat well. You knew I’d be going here, right? Along with sleep, physical activity and diet are the foundations of long-term health and vitality. Both sleep routines and the health of the microbiome benefit from regular exercise and a diet that’s unprocessed, built on whole foods, and avoids sugars. Here’s my rundown on how to get more prebiotics into your diet for a healthier gut, better sleep, and less stress.
Stick to your sleep routines. Both sleep and the activity within the gut microbiome are regulated by circadian clocks (the gut microbiome is full of peripheral clocks that communicate with the master circadian clock in the brain). Our circadian rhythms create biological routines for our bodies—and these rhythms become stronger when we lean into those routines. Sleep on a consistent schedule. And use your chronotype to determine the best schedules for sleeping, eating, exercise—and everything else!
Sweet Dreams,
Michael J. Breus, PhD, DABSM
The Sleep Doctor
www.thesleepdoctor.com
The post The Link Between Sleep Deprivation and Early Death May Run Through this Surprising Place: Your Gut appeared first on Your Guide to Better Sleep.
from Your Guide to Better Sleep https://thesleepdoctor.com/2020/07/13/the-link-between-sleep-deprivation-and-early-death-may-run-through-this-surprising-place-your-gut/
from Elly Mackay - Feed https://www.ellymackay.com/2020/07/13/the-link-between-sleep-deprivation-and-early-death-may-run-through-this-surprising-place-your-gut/
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Are You Troubled With Restless Legs Syndrome
A person with anxious legs disorder encounters twitchiness and distress in the legs, ordinarily in the wake of going to bed. As this can prompt insomnia, it is viewed as a rest issue.
Anxious legs disorder (RLS) may happen in view of mental or physical issues, or it might be an antagonistic impact of certain meds. It is otherwise called Willis-Ekbom ailment.
Fretful legs disorder might be classed as mellow or extreme, depending on the recurrence and seriousness of the manifestations, how well the indications can be diminished by moving around, and how much aggravation they cause.
It influences up to 1 in 10 individuals sooner or later during their lives.
By far most of the instances of RLS resolve alone after some time or once the basic way of life changes have been made.
Quick certainties on fretful legs disorder:
RLS can is classed as either essential or auxiliary.
Numerous individuals can treat the issues at home.
The condition is regularly brought about by a combination of mental and physical elements.
Ladies are bound to be influenced by RLS during pregnancy.
Side effects
RLS is named a rest issue.
Side effects can happen when an individual is wakeful in a confined space, for example, a plane seat or at the cinema.
As RLS prompts trouble falling snoozing and staying sleeping, the individual might be drained during the day. This can affect learning, work, fixation, and routine undertakings and exercises.
The absence of rest can, in the long run, lead to emotional episodes, touchiness, sorrow, an undermined invulnerable framework, and other physical and medical issues.
What does it feel like?
An individual with RLS has a peculiar and unsavory sensation in the legs, and once in a while the arms, and a compelling impulse to move them. Individuals have depicted these feelings as:
aching
burning
crawling
creeping
like electric stuns
itching
tugging
tingling
The best way to alleviate distress is by moving the legs. The sensations will, in general, happen when the individual is resting or inactive, and not just during the night. Side effects frequently intensify in the evening and around evening time and might be diminished for a brief span in the morning.
To what extent will anxious legs disorder last?
Manifestations of essential or idiopathic RLS commonly exacerbate after some time, in any case, for certain individuals, weeks or months may go with no side effects. On the off chance that the RLS comes from a condition, ailment, pregnancy, or prescription, it might leave when the trigger has gone.
Pregnancy
RLS can present issues for ladies during pregnancy.
Ladies who as of now have RLS can find that side effects deteriorate during pregnancy. Notwithstanding, becoming pregnant can prompt RLS in its own right. Side effects will, in general, deteriorate as the pregnancy advances and are particularly likely in the third trimester.
The reason for the increased incidence of RLS during pregnancy is obscure, yet the following elements are accepted to be involved:
low dimensions of minerals or vitamins, for example, iron and folate
lack of sleep because of changes in the body and inconvenience
changes in the hormones
increased affectability of the faculties
This condition has not been broadly looked into during pregnancy. Be that as it may, a portion of the medication medicines utilized outside of pregnancy, for example, rotigotine and gabapentin, have not been evaluated for safe use in ladies who are pregnant.
Conduct medicines, for example, gentle exercise and a solid sleeping example, are regularly prescribed as a first-line treatment for ladies during pregnancy.
On the off chance that iron dimensions are low and thought to be the reason for RLS, oral iron enhancements are sheltered to recommend during pregnancy. In extreme cases, higher focuses might be administered intravenously (IV) through a trickle.
On the off chance that another reason is suspected that may require a prescription, and the above medicines don't have the ideal impact, medications ought to be endorsed at the most reduced conceivable dose to lessen the chance.
Treatment
Hot showers are a straightforward home cure that can help ease side effects.
In the event that an individual can't oversee manifestations of RLS alone, they might be endorsed drugs.
Medicine
The medicine will rely upon the individual however may include:
Iron: Supplementation with iron may help individuals who have low iron dimensions. This, in turn, may help improve side effects. Iron enhancements are accessible for buy online.
Alpha 2 agonists: These may help in instances of essential RLS, however, they won't influence on occasional appendage development during rest.
Painkillers: Ibuprofen, a non-steroidal mitigating drug (NSAID), may help with gentle indications. Ibuprofen is accessible to buy online.
Anticonvulsants: These treat pain, muscle fits, neuropathy, and daytime side effects. Neurontin, or gabapentin, is a well-known anticonvulsant.
Benzodiazepines: These are calming drugs that help individuals with constant and gentle side effects to rest through the impacts of RLS. Restoril, or temazepam, Xanax, or alprazolam, and Klonopin, or clonazepam, are models.
Dopaminergic specialists: These prescriptions raise the dimensions of dopamine, a synapse, in the brain. They can treat the horrendous leg sensations related to RLS. Levodopa and carbidopa are regular dopaminergic operators.
Dopamine agonists: These additionally raise brain dopamine levels and treat disagreeable leg sensations. They may cause antagonistic impacts in more seasoned patients, albeit some report increasingly symptoms with levodopa.
Sedatives: Treat pain and can calm RLS side effects. Doctors may endorse these when different meds have fizzled. Codeine and propoxyphene are low portion sedatives, while oxycodone hydrochloride, methadone hydrochloride, and levorphanol tartrate are normal high-portion sedatives.
Parkinson's malady and epilepsy medications are some of the time utilized for RLS as they can lessen involuntary developments.
On the off chance that certain underlying conditions trigger the RLS, and those conditions are dealt with, the RLS may leave or improve. This is regularly the situation with iron insufficiency and fringe neuropathy.
Types
There are two main kinds of RLS:
Essential or idiopathic RLS
Idiopathic implies that the reason is obscure.
It is the most well-known sort and has the following attributes:
It generally begins before the age of 40.
It can begin as ahead of schedule as a youth.
It might have a hereditary reason.
When essential RLS begins, it will, in general, be.
Indications might be sporadic, or bit by bit exacerbate and become increasingly predominant after some time.
In mellow cases, the individual may have no manifestations for quite a while.
Auxiliary RLS
An auxiliary issue is brought about by another illness or condition.
Auxiliary RLS, as a rule, begins after the age of 45 years, and it doesn't will, in general, be innate. This kinds of RLS is distinctly unique:
The beginning is unexpected.
Side effects don't for the most part decline after some time.
Side effects might be progressively extreme.
Sicknesses and side effects that can trigger optional RLS include:
diabetes
iron insufficiency
kidney disappointment
Parkinson's sickness
neuropathy
pregnancy
rheumatoid joint pain
Precisely how RLS happens isn't surely known, yet it might be identified with how the body forms dopamine, a synapse that assumes a job in controlling muscle developments. A few meds, for example, specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and antidepressants may trigger RLS. These medications influence the action of dopamine.
It is likewise linked to pregnancy. Around 20 percent of ladies experience RLS during the last trimester of pregnancy, in spite of the fact that the reasons are hazy.
Intermittent appendage development issue (PLMD)
PLMD is a comparatively related rest issue, once in a while called intermittent appendage (leg) development during rest (PLMS). In individuals with PLMD, the appendages jerk or twitch wildly while sleeping. It is additionally viewed as a sort of sleeping issue. The development may make the individual wake up as often as possible during the night, and this can undermine the quality and length of rest. It can prompt RLS.
Home Cures
Way of life changes and regular meds that may help reduce RLS manifestations include:
Steaming showers and back rubs: These can loosen up the muscles and lessen the intensity of side effects.
Warm or cool packs: Some individuals incline toward warm, some cold, and others state that alternating hot and cold is useful.
Unwinding methods: Stress can exacerbate RLS, so activities, for example, yoga, reflection, and judo may help.
Exercise - using legs more can help mitigate indications. On the off chance that the patient has a stationary way of life, walking instead of driving, taking up a game, or exercising the legs in a rec center can help.
Rest cleanliness for eager legs disorder
Rest cleanliness is significant, as tiredness exacerbates side effects.
Tips include:
Sleeping in a cool, calm room.
Going to bed in the meantime consistently, and getting up in the meantime every morning.
Lessen the measure of light you are presented to for an hour prior to bed.
Abstain from stimulating drinks, for example, caffeine or sugar.
Avoiding or reducing liquor utilization and tobacco.
Exercise and physical movement can help RLS, yet it can likewise exasperate it. Most patients find moderate exercise supportive, however, an excessive amount of can aggravate indications. Working out late in the evening may likewise be unhelpful.
Different choices
In 1998, a little investigation of 10 individuals found that magnesium diminished the side effects of insomnia in individuals with RLS, and proposed that it might be a helpful treatment for individuals with PLMD. Notwithstanding, the examination considers magnesium investigational. Individuals with kidney sickness ought to be careful of the intake of magnesium.
Citing this work, the University of Maryland Medical Center proposes that low dimensions of magnesium may add to RLS. Magnesium is accessible in entire grains, nuts, and green verdant vegetables. A few people find that spraying magnesium oil onto the influenced part can help, yet this ought not to be utilized without first asking a doctor.
Concentrates into the impacts of vitamin D on RLS have created blended outcomes. Some link high Vitamin D with fewer indications, while others propose that extra vitamin D is linked to a higher incidence during the mid-year months.
Staying hydrated may likewise help. This can be accomplished by drinking a lot of water and avoiding caffeine and liquor.
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The Ultimate Guide to Healthy Sleep
Sleep is something that often falls far from our minds in the chaos and busyness of daily life. We focus on family time, work time, diets, exercise, and our favorite Netflix shows. But sleep often slips to the bottom of the list as we try to squeeze everything we can from a day.
Still, sleep is one of the most essential factors for health, and there are consequences to shorting ourselves in the sleep department. So how can you set proper sleep boundaries and establish a healthy routine? We’ll explore the various aspects here.
What Causes Sleep Problems?
Sleep is healthy for us, and there isn’t a lot of argument on that fact. Parents ensure that children get naps and proper bedtimes, and teenagers, while sometimes preferring late nights, will tend to make up for their sleep deficit by staying in bed as late as possible.
When we become adults, most of us have a shift in viewpoint on sleep, and suddenly it’s no longer a necessity, but a luxury, and one that frequently gets bumped when the busyness of life intervenes. We stay up later to get things done, and we wake up earlier to get a jump on the day. We don’t have time for naps because no one pays us to sleep.
While this isn’t true for all adults, an overwhelming majority aren’t getting enough sleep. We can prioritize healthy eating and exercise, but sleep is an equally essential component in the triad of basic wellness. The other two can’t undo a lack in this essential department.
The CDC estimates that 50 to 70 million adults have a sleep disorder of some kind. (1) Nearly 40 percent of all adults don’t get enough sleep, with the basic adult requirements falling between seven to nine hours per night. (2) Adults under age 50 tend to fall into the most sleep-deprived category. (3)
While some adults have circumstances that impact their ability to sleep, such as having an infant or small child, others may be under significant stress from high-demand jobs and be unable to fall asleep. Chronic health disorders can also influence sleep, along with a poor sleep environment, and many other factors. Sleep problems can be caused, influenced by, or worsened from any of the following: (4,5,6,7,8)
Anxiety
Bipolar disorder
Blue light exposure (i.e. to smartphones, computers, or other devices)
Chronic conditions
Depression
Ear infections
Excess caffeine intake
Fibromyalgia
Graves’ disease
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
Hypoglycemia
Insomnia
Obesity
Osteoarthritis
Pharmaceutical side effects
Poor sleep habits
PTSD
Restless leg syndrome
Rheumatoid arthritis
Stress
Sugar intake
Tension headaches
Thyroid disorders
While these aren’t the only factors that influence sleep, they can have a significant impact on a person’s health and wellness, including the ability to rest.
7 Things That Happen While You Sleep
People often think of sleep as something that we do when we are tired, mentally or physically, but in reality, our bodies are very metabolically active when we are asleep.
There are four stages to a complete sleep cycle, the first three being stages one, two, and three of non-rapid eye movement, culminating in REM sleep, or rapid eye movement. Dreams occur during REM sleep. The entire sleep cycle takes approximately two hours, with the cycle repeating three or four times during a single night’s sleep.
1. Processing
During REM sleep, the brain is highly active. This can be viewed as the brain’s chance to process and essentially clean up what’s going on in there. This can be why dreams are sometimes related to real-life stressors, fears, or people in our lives. (9)
2. Storage
The brain also imprints new memories and knowledge for long-term storage while you’re sleeping. (10) This is why it can be beneficial to get a good night of sleep before a big test, instead of spending the whole night cramming.
3. Rebuilding
The liver keeps busy during the day detoxing the body from the toxins and other harmful substances, but while you’re sleeping, it takes the time to repair and rebuild. (11) This is essential for a healthy liver, and strong organs overall. The heart rate slows, breathing deepens, and muscles and joints get a break. All of this is essential for repair and starting the next day off strong.
4. Blood Pressure Break
While you’re sleeping, your blood pressure also drops, giving your arteries a bit of a break. Blood pressure is highest during the mid-morning, and drops throughout the day, but for those with high blood pressure, this nighttime break is even more essential. (12)
5. Growth Hormone
Even after we reach adulthood, our muscles still need growth hormones to strengthen, our bones are always in various stages of remodeling and repairing, and our cells are always regenerating. These things happen while we sleep. This is one of the main reasons why sleep for growing children is so essential—without it, they will literally run short on enough growth hormone—but sleep isn’t actually less important for adults, even though a lack won’t literally stunt our growth. A lack of growth hormone in adults, however, can have other consequences. (13)
6. Hormone Balance
Beyond growth hormone, the body has many other hormones that count on you getting enough rest. Proper sleep helps to regulate leptin and ghrelin, the hormones that regulate appetite. When we run short on sleep, this can lead to food cravings, increased appetite, and weight gain. Well-rested individuals are more prone to having normal appetites. (14)
Reproductive and thyroid hormones also rely on a healthy sleep cycle to keep levels steady and balanced. When hormone levels don’t wildly fluctuate, overall health, mood, and weight will remain more balanced. (15)
7. Gut Health
While sleep itself doesn’t add or remove gut bacteria, it can influence ratios and balance in the microbiome. When sleep is reduced, bad bacteria can proliferate and the more beneficial bacteria may be harmed. (16)
While diet has a significant impact on what bacteria we specifically have, sleep can certainly strengthen or weaken the good guys in our gut. Since the gut has ties to numerous aspects of overall health, including chronic conditions and autoimmunity, sleep is an essential part of a wellness routine.
Should You Take Supplements or Sleep Aids?
Over-the-counter sleep aids are so popular because they are readily accessible, but even more significant is that more than nine million Americans regularly take prescription sleep aids. (17) Lack of sleep is a major cultural crisis. But as is frequently proven, just because something is available doesn’t make it safe. So should sleep aids really be as relied on as they are?
Even natural aids aimed at improving sleep are some of the top selling dietary supplements, most notably, melatonin. Again—just because they’re natural and readily available, should they really be taken so often?
The major problem with sleep aids of any kind is that they don’t really fix the underlying problem. In some cases, they manage symptoms or side effects associated with treatments or conditions where improving sleep may not be possible. In other cases, though, they mask the root problem and at the same time, create a dependence on them which further disrupts the ability to have a normal sleep routine.
If sleep issues are truly a problem, it’s better to consult a professional who will investigate the cause rather than dabble in experimenting with your own sleep concoctions.
8 Ways to Improve Your Sleep Tonight
It can be easy to assume that OTC or supplement sleep aids are harmless, but they can still come with side effects. Rather than self medicating with sleep aids, consider trying some of the following ways to naturally improve sleep mechanisms.
1. Quit Caffeine
Even if you don’t think you’re caffeine sensitive, when it is consumed within six hours of bedtime it can dramatically mess with the ability to fall or stay asleep. (18) If you are having sleep issues of any kind, it might be worth quitting all caffeine for 30 days or longer and seeing if your sleep quality improves. While caffeine is certainly not entirely bad, it is still a stimulant, and sleep-sensitive individuals should consider this as a primary option.
2. Set a Regular Bedtime
Even if you struggle to fall asleep, setting a routine can help to train the brain to ultimately settle into a sleepy state when you crawl into bed at your predictable time. (19) The same goes for waking at a consistent time, since sleeping in or taking naps can also interfere with the ability to fall or stay asleep.
3. Quit Alcohol
While many like to have a drink as part of their evening relaxation routine, it turns out that alcohol in the evening or before bed can actually mess up the brain’s ability to relax and fall asleep, as well as disrupting natural production of melatonin. (20) If healthy sleep is eluding you, take a break from alcohol for a few weeks or a month to determine if it might be a key factor in your sleep issues.
4. Bright Light During the Day
Your body contains an internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm. (21) Bright light exposure during the first part of the day can help to naturally regulate this and promote a desire to go to sleep at a normal time. This can be especially helpful for those who struggle to feel tired enough when it should be bedtime. It’s also helpful to avoid bright or blue lights in the evening hours because for sensitive individuals, this can lead to a confused body clock.
5. Keep It Cool
Sleep can be disrupted if the environment isn’t optimal, and an overly warm room can interfere with the ability to fall into a deep, restorative sleep. (22) While the ideal temperature might differ based on personal preferences and time of year, opting for a slight chill in the air, which requires blankets, will lead toward more comfortable sleep than a room which is too warm to want blankets.
6. Eat Sleep-Friendly Foods for Dinner
Certain foods can increase the desire to sleep, and these foods are best consumed for dinner when sleep quality is on your mind. Foods rich in tryptophan—the famed ingredient that causes Thanksgiving “turkey comas”—can actually lead to satisfying sleep. Tryptophan is naturally found in foods like eggs, turkey, chicken, salmon, nuts, and seeds.
7. Skip the Sugar Bowl
While you’re focusing on foods that help to promote sleep, you’ll also want to avoid foods that disrupt sleep, and sugar is a major culprit. Not only can it make you hyper and cause the mind to race, but it can also mess with blood sugar and insulin levels. Insulin resistance and higher levels of insulin can contribute to certain sleep disruptions, so avoiding sugar before bed, and strictly limiting it for the rest of the day, can be essential for a normalized sleep pattern. (23)
8. Magnesium
While over-the-counter or supplement sleep aids may be problematic, there’s another nutrient that can have a profound impact on sleep quality and won’t cause you to become dependent: magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral that the body needs for numerous processes, including calming the nervous system and relaxing muscles. (24) Magnesium doesn’t have side effects when taken appropriately, although if you’re taking other medications, you should always ensure that there are no interactions and you should always get supplements approved by your practitioner.
For adults, the recommended limit of supplemental magnesium is 350 milligrams. (25) If you’re boosting magnesium to support healthier sleep, it can be taken before bed with water. Be sure to get supplement recommendations from your practitioner, as supplement quality varies dramatically by brand. There are various forms of magnesium, but magnesium citrate is superior for absorption. (26)
Bottom Line
Sleep problems are common, whether they’re a seasonal part of life or a constant part of chronic health issues or other problems. Since our health depends on the ability to get restorative sleep, it’s essential to be able to find solutions that allow our bodies to rest. While this can sometimes be accomplished with simple lifestyle and dietary changes, other times it might require professional help. Ultimately, sleep is a priceless commodity, and it needs to be equally as valued as diet and exercise.
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Can Dogs Have ADHD – TheDogTrainingSecret.com
If you might have ever thought, “Can dogs have ADHD,” you wouldn’t be alone. It is fully potential for canines to have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as a result of canines and other people have an identical mind composition. ADHD is marked by distractibility and hyperactivity. Some individuals might imagine these traits are regular for the breed of their pet and companion. It isn’t at all times the case.
Dog homeowners can enhance the standard of time they spend with their dog by understanding what’s a standard quantity of power and what’s thought of excessive. An incredible dog coach will assist consider the breed, decide regular behaviors, and assist develop a path to beat all undesirable habits. Veterinarians {and professional} dog behaviorists (aka canine psychological well being professionals) may also step in to help within the analysis and remedy plan serving to canines overcome ADHD.
Defining Normal Behavior in Dogs
Dogs are a enjoyable-loving companion for households of all sizes. They are each protector and companion, however like their human counterparts, there are not any two canines alike. Some canines naturally have a number of power whereas different canines will lounge round all day with out a care on the planet. This relies on the dog breed, character, and potential psychological well being points.
Before evaluating your dog to the neighbor’s dog, be certain that to know the variations and similarities between breeds. All canines have a basic want for companionship whether or not they search that from a human or one other pet. As descendants of wolves, canines are pack animals and want different canines (or people) to be emotionally and mentally wholesome.
Because of a need for consideration typically blended with a excessive metabolic price, it isn’t unusual for a dog to get hyperactive after being residence alone for lengthy intervals of time. Dogs have an identical sense of pleasure that people do in anticipation of seeing a beloved one. When canines are left alone for prolonged intervals of time, they are going to search psychological stimulation to alleviate boredom resulting in undesirable habits.
Normal, non-ADHD unwanted behavior from a bored dog contains:
Digging
Chewing
Anxiety
Barking
Hyperactivity
These are just some of the methods a dog might search psychological stimulation and power releases. But, they don’t essentially point out a significant underlying situation. With slightly consideration, coaching, and a few toys, these behaviors are sometimes remedied.
What Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
The time period Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is mostly heard when discussing a situation 1000’s of kids are identified with yearly. Though uncommon, some animals together with canine species develop ADHD signs.
Definition of ADHD
ADHD is a neurological dysfunction within the mind that causes hyperactivity, restlessness, and an incapability to cease transferring. People and animals with ADHD are sometimes described because the Energizer Bunny that simply retains going and going. Those with ADHD lack the power to focus ideas into actions and always bounce from one factor to a different typically by no means finishing anybody given process.
Symptoms of ADHD in Dogs
ADHD in canines manifests lots of the similar traits as ADHD in human counterparts. Dogs with ADHD are extraordinarily stressed, hyperactive, simply startled by noises, or simply appear uncontrolled. Even with enough train, consideration, and psychological stimulation, ADHD canines can’t relax or chill out. Some canines have bother sleeping or solely sleep for temporary intervals of time.
Behavioral Issues Associated with ADHD
If your pet has ADHD, his hyperactivity and power ranges won’t at all times be exhausted with train. Essentially, he might not really feel drained or mentally glad with regular actions. Most puppies and canines will play after which nap. Dogs with ADHD won’t nap however as a substitute search extra stimulation and grow to be harmful. For pet homeowners coping with ADHD canines, all of the train and love on the planet might not cease the chewing, digging, barking, and nagging.
Interacting with People and Other Dogs
Dogs with excessive-power, ADHD, or hyperactive habits pose a problem for dog homeowners, particularly in the event that they aren’t properly educated at being dog trainers. Let’s put it this manner, even nice skilled trainers can have bother with some canines which are sensible and coping with ADHD. It typically turns into a take a look at of wills to see who will cave; the inexperienced dog proprietor typically will get annoyed and caves first with inconsistent coaching.
Canines with this situation often called hyperkinesis, a dysfunction inflicting hyperactivity can truly pose a hazard to younger youngsters or susceptible relations equivalent to senior residents. Hyperkinesis canines don’t imply hurt or damage however merely can’t management their urge to leap, dash, and frenzie round the home and other people.
When an ADHD pet will get round different canines, their need to play and expend power may end up in habits that places different animals right into a defensive posture. Dogs with consideration issues and hyperactivity are typically extra skittish round loud noises and new environments. Introducing new animals with out a good plan isn’t at all times the very best concept to maintain undesirable behaviors down.
High Energy Dog Breeds
Specific dog breeds are identified to have a number of power as their pure tempo however aren’t essentially labeled as hyperactive. With the correct coaching, train, and a spotlight these canines grow to be nice work canines, companions, and guardians for households elevating youngsters.
Some of the commonest breeds thought of excessive-power embrace:
Dalmatian
Labrador
Golden Retriever
Belgian Malinois
Siberian Husky
Border Collie
Russell Terrier
Poodle
Australian Shepherd
Bull Terrier Breeds
Consider a few examples. Border Collie’s are herding canines with naturally excessive-power ranges which are additionally vulnerable to ADHD. Basset Hounds, alternatively, are often extra more likely to be a giant lump on a log ready for his or her subsequent meal.
When trying to get a brand new pet, remember how a lot train and a spotlight you may give them. If you reside in a small residence and don’t have a lot house for a pet to run, contemplate getting a decrease power breed that matches your house and life-style.
On the opposite hand, a better power pet may give you a lifelong train companion. Their exercise stage will assist maintain you lively and so they supply a excessive stage of companionship relying on the breed chosen. Knowing the surroundings they’re coming residence to is essential to retaining everybody within the household joyful.
Causes of ADHD or Hyperactivity in Dogs
Dog ADHD is brought on by genetics, publicity to steer, or malnutrition. Dog homeowners ought to at all times be certain that to work with veterinarians to seek out the underlying reason for ADHD to assist discover the very best resolution.
Genetics: ADHD is a genetic situation inherited from a canine’s mother and father. So some canines are extra vulnerable to having the dysfunction relying on their breed in comparison with different canines. When getting a brand new dog, it helps to go to with the dog mother and father if potential to see their temperament, speak the dog breeder, and get as a lot details about the brand new pet as potential. This isn’t at all times potential, particularly when adopting so researching the breed is the subsequent finest issues.
Exposure to Lead / Lead Poisoning: High lead publicity is one other supply of ADHD in canines. Exposure to a pet will increase later behavioral points. Lead sources will be present in chipped paint or objects canines chew on. Be certain to scrub up any paint straight away and don’t enable your dog to chew on issues until it’s his designated dog toys.
Malnutrition: Poor diet additionally performs a job in hyperactivity and worsens ADHD signs. Some preservatives, gluten, and synthetic flavors can exacerbate hyperactive habits in animals. Maintaining a nutritious diet and shopping for excessive-high quality dog meals will maintain your pet more healthy.
Diagnosing ADHD in Dogs
If you assume your dog may need ADHD, the subsequent step it’s good to take is contacting your veterinarian. Make an appointment together with your vet to debate any considerations and have the dog examined. Keep a log about your pet’s habits for the days or perhaps weeks main as much as the appointment. This helps the vet decide what’s regular habits and what might fall on the ADHD spectrum.
Things it is best to have at your go to are:
List of regarding behaviors
Things the pet likes to chew on
Medications or dietary supplements the dog takes
Activity schedule
Feeding schedule
Diet of the pet
Anything else related to your concern of ADHD
Blood panels and behavioral checks can verify any suspicions of ADHD or might decide there’s a completely different difficulty at hand. The particular testing process for ADHD in dogs consists of administering a small dose of stimulants to the dog adopted by remark for reactions. This ought to solely be performed underneath the supervision of your vet.
After the stimulant has been administered, the dog’s habits will likely be monitored. His respiration, coronary heart price, and power stage will likely be noticed. If medicine drops these ranges, the dog probably has ADHD and can develop a plan to assist tackle it.
My Pet Has ADHD, What Now?
If a veterinarian confirms that your pet has ADHD, it’s time to make an motion plan to assist your dog grow to be the family pet you’ve at all times wished him to be. Dogs with ADHD will be troublesome to coach however dog coaching will be an integral a part of coping with undesirable habits. Helping your dog study primary obedience abilities equivalent to sit, keep, come, and even the phrase no will give him course as to what’s okay habits within the residence. It will probably take longer for easy obedience instructions to be remembered however give your dog time.
Behavioral coaching additionally offers a basis for different actions you are able to do together with your dog to put on him out and burn that power off and assist him study to focus. Most canines begin coaching for primary instructions after which transfer on to agility work, doggy good samaritan lessons, herding lessons, and sniff faculty for scent canines. Some of those superior lessons can result in work coaching in your dog, giving him a way of achievement and optimistic reinforcement from you.
Work Training
Almost each dog breed has work traits whether or not they’re to help with looking, herding, or guarding. Find what your dog is of course inclined to like to simplify the coaching course of.
Hunting canines embrace retrievers and spaniels that like to fetch issues and convey them to you. Hound canines and beagles are looking canines that discover the animal and do properly with sniff faculty. Some terriers had been even bred to go down into rabbit holes giving them an edge within the chutes of an agility course.
Herding canines equivalent to Border Collies and Australian Shepherds like to run. If you don’t have them in herding faculty or agility class the place their pace and fast turns are awe-inspiring, allow them to run alongside you whereas biking.
While it’s potential to coach an ADHD dog to be a service dog, will probably be very troublesome. Most service canines are picked from the litter due to their naturally relaxed nature. This can go in opposition to the grain of what a hyperactive dog naturally needs to do.
Sport Training
Training your hyperactive dog for sports activities or enjoyable, is one of the best ways to assist them get bodily exercise and psychological stimulation. Agility coaching is the commonest sort of sports activities coaching for canines. An agility course consists of jumps, tunnels, weaving poles, and different obstacles the dog should traverse.
Agility dog coaching is finished in child steps by first main the dog across the course and doing small jumps whereas they’re on a leash. As the dog continues to study the obstacles and routes to take, they are often taken off the leash and led by instructions. The quick paced nature of agility programs presents a large amount of train for the pet.
Exercise and Playmates
Dog homeowners might confine an ADHD or excessive power dog simply to maintain it from being obnoxious round different canines and probably instigating fights, however social isolation solely compounds the issue. When ADHD canines are lastly allowed to be out round different individuals and pets, they grow to be an excessive amount of to deal with.
Dog homeowners that try to resolve the issue by isolating the pet are simply making a vicious circle of isolation and undesirable habits. In order to resolve the issues created by hyperactivity, the dog must socialize with different individuals and canines as early as potential.
Take him to a dog park the place everyone seems to be on impartial territory. Allow him to roam, run, and play with different canines. If there’s a concern about security when it’s launched to different canines, maintain it on a leash. Once you might have gauged how your dog handles others, take it off the leash or depart it on relying on the state of affairs.
Social interactions additionally create a possibility for extra pet train alternatives and simply getting out to smell the world does lots for psychological stimulation wants. As you might be engaged on primary obedience coaching and instructions, the occasions he’s allowed to only be out working round and reducing unfastened is helpful. It will burn off steam and permit for pleasant play. While bodily and psychological stimulation helps calm his thoughts, an excessive amount of construction will be dangerous.
Medications
Just like youngsters who’re identified with ADHD, canines can obtain medicine equivalent to dog Ritalin. Ritalin is a stimulant. It might sound counterintuitive, however giving a dog with ADHD a stimulant can have a relaxing impact.
Dogs and other people with ADHD are searching for a approach to get their mind activated. Drugs like Ritalin goal stimulation and activate areas of the thoughts to assist a dog higher focus. As a dog calms his thoughts, he is ready to calm down together with his demeanor changing into calmer consequently.
Supplements
If you might be against the concept of stimulants however desire a method to assist calm your dog, there are a number of dietary supplements many dog homeowners swear by. Valerian, GABA, CBD oil, and L-Theanine can all present a relaxing impact. Discuss which one is true in your dog together with your veterinarian. You might contemplate consulting with a holistic veterinarian should you actually wish to discover non-pharmaceuticals.
Using Therapy Dogs in Treating People with ADHD and Other Disorders
Raising a baby with psychological well being points equivalent to ADHD, autism, Asperger Syndrome, oppositional defiant dysfunction, or obsessive-compulsive dysfunction comes with a number of challenges. Finding coping methods and methods to assist your youngster overcome the dysfunction is important. Trained service canines are identified to be extremely helpful for youngsters with these situations.
A service dog for a kid with any of those issues helps maintain blood strain down, serves to redirect unfavorable power into optimistic actions, and builds confidence {that a} youngster can do issues on his personal. Dogs are educated to acknowledge anxiousness assaults and distracting behaviors and reply in methods to treatment the state of affairs. Service canines additionally assist with socialization as different youngsters grow to be naturally drawn to the dog and proprietor.
In youngsters with extreme anxiousness or Aspergers, the dog will probably reply to an assault by laying with or on the kid. The weight, rhythmic respiration, and closeness of the animal soothe the kid. Whether it’s autism, ADHD, epilepsy, diabetes or a number of different well being points, service canines are educated to reply to regardless of the dysfunction is and assist.
The Hyperactive Canine: Dogs with ADHD Aren’t a Lost Cause
Hyperactivity in canines is comparatively frequent, ADHD just isn’t. If the dog remains to be a pet it probably simply wants a number of extra years to hit maturity and relax. But within the instances the place canines are clearly previous the pet years and are uncontrolled regardless of loads of train, consideration, and psychological stimulation, additional analysis by a vet must be performed.
The sooner canines go into behavioral coaching, the higher they’re as pets and family members. A dog is identified with hyperactivity can at all times profit from studying or relearning his command and dealing on particular duties resulting in psychological satisfaction and exhaustion. Your vet and dog coach are your finest assets to develop the proper stability of medicine, coaching, and dietary supplements to assist your dog develop all the fitting coping abilities.
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10 Undeniable Reasons People Hate Can CBD Curb Anxiety
Everyone feels anxious in some unspecified time in the future of their lives. Whether it's a completely new occupation, the primary working day of higher education or proposing on the one you love, anxiety is a very usual human response. Even so, when this nervousness exceeds leaps and bounds and commences interfering with your ordinary daily pursuits then it is a issue of good issue. GAD or generalized anxiety ailment is a standard stress and anxiety ailment wherever one feels Persistent stressing, pressure, and nervousness. GAD is more subtle and an uncommon sensation of uneasiness and concern Generalized stress disorder may be mentally and bodily tormenting, which could drain your energy, interfere along with your starvation and sleep and make you emotionally vulnerable. Let us have a look at signs, triggers as well as the opportunity treatment options for generalized anxiousness problem.
Symptoms of generalized panic problem
Continuous stressing about situations or things which never even exist
Overthinking and serious about worst-scenario results
Problems in struggling with uncertainty
Indecisiveness
Not able to Enable go of the get worried
The continual experience of restlessness
Trouble in concentrating and going blank in specified conditions
Bodily signals and indicators may possibly involve:
Nervousness or agitation
Sweating
Tiredness
Hassle to slide asleep
Muscle aches and muscle mass stress
Nausea
diarrhea
irritable bowel syndrome
Irritability
Will cause of nervousness
Tension due to your romantic relationship, career, or finances tremendously has an effect on your stress and anxiety.
People who have shut family and relatives suffering from an anxiousness problem usually tend to have problems with nervousness.
Certain professional medical conditions bring about an anxiousness disorder. These may very well be Unwanted side effects from specified medication or worry due to a certain healthcare situation that might indirectly induce the panic.
Traumatic encounters, annoying situations and genetic aspects can change the composition of the brain and its purpose it has been discovered that stress and temper Problems are due to the disturbances inside the hormones in addition to the electrical indicators while in the brain.
Withdrawing from any illicit substance like Alcoholic beverages, nicotine when combined with any of the above things can add to an stress and anxiety dysfunction.
Treatment for stress
Therapy relies upon upon the extent of the generalized anxiety disorder and just how it is actually influencing your functioning means as part of your lifestyle. The 2 primary sorts of procedure techniques for generalized anxiety dysfunction are psychotherapy and medicines. It is possible to be benefitted from a combination of these both equally.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy also is referred to as psychological counseling, cognitive therapy or chat periods. This therapy will help in lowering the signs or symptoms of one's anxiety by consulting with a therapist. Cognitive behavioral therapy is amongst the most well-liked type of psychotherapy for generalized anxiousness disorder.
This therapy teaches you certain capabilities for managing your anxieties and therefore aids you in getting back again for the things to do you are missing thanks to anxiousness.
Prescription drugs
Numerous varieties of drugs are broadly accustomed to managing generalized nervousness dysfunction, that's talked about underneath
Antidepressant medicines for example selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) are sometimes the very first option of medication treatment plans. Examples of these kinds of antidepressants employed for managing generalized anxiousness disorder involve escitalopram, duloxetine, and paroxetine. Your doctor also may possibly suggest other antidepressants.
In extreme conditions, you could be prescribed benzodiazepine for your reduction of stress signs or symptoms. These are typically the sedatives that happen to be Commonly employed for relieving acute panic. Even so, these have to be taken with medical doctor's session only as these are typically habit-forming.
If you way too are struggling from anxiety troubles and are seeking a psychiatrist in Gurgaon then Dr. Anil Yadav is the ideal name in your case. E book an appointment with Dr. Anil Yadav today.
Anxiousness would be the primary mental wellness problem amongst American adults. Even though the National Institute of Psychological Health and fitness experiences that about eighteen% of Grown ups during the US have an stress disorder, it is actually broadly believed that the actual share is nearer to 30%. This is because of the fact that lots of stress sufferers tend not to seek Qualified assistance or report their stress to a physician. Successfully taking care of panic is an ongoing challenge. Adding a weighted blanket towards your panic battling arsenal is an option any individual with stress and anxiety need to take a look at.
What is a weighted blanket?
Weighted blankets are made of soft blanket product and quilted sections filled with plastic pellets and polyfill. These pellets increase evenly dispersed body weight for the person harnessing the therapeutic ability of Deep Stress Touch (DPT). DPT operates to serene the nervous system by administering a business touch equally over the physique.
Once your anxious technique is above fired up you happen to be operating as part of your sympathetic nervous technique. This technique is chargeable for the "combat or flight" reaction to strain. DPT activates Your whole body's parasympathetic anxious process, that's liable for "rest and digest" next a demanding working experience. Cortisol degrees lower and serotonin amounts raise. The result is a far more comfortable and relaxed condition of intellect.
The main advantages of DPT are driving the time honored custom of swaddling infants to soothe them to rest and also the wildly profitable Thundershirt that eases Pet stress by wrapping them up tight. A weighted blanket is a snug, straightforward solution to self administer DPT throughout occasions of heightened anxiety.
Anxiousness Indicators Relieved by a Weighted Blanket
Stress signs and symptoms vary by unique but there are many widespread types that the majority of people with nervousness come to feel to a point or another. Anxiety might take the shape of fret. With excellent explanation, every one of us be worried about issues once in a while. People of us with nervousness experience worried about items for no excellent reason. Things that most people would contemplate "no significant offer" are a very major offer to All those with stress.
This continuous fear makes it hard to concentrate and attain daily jobs. This incapacity to concentrate is yet another popular symptom. Nervousness frequently goes hand in hand with insomnia, also. You cannot rest since you are apprehensive and overstimulated. You are concerned and turn out to be overstimulated since you can't sleep. It is a vicious cycle.
An additional close companion of nervousness is muscle rigidity. This is an additional illustration of a cycle and professionals are certainly not obvious on which comes 1st, the nervousness or The stress. Muscle mass stress contributes to discomfort. The ongoing ache of tense muscles can feed irritability and ensure it is harder to have by way of a successful day.
Tiredness is popular in those with stress and anxiety. With insomnia, muscle mass tension, and continual fret around the shoulders of These with panic, it really is no wonder fatigue shortly follows. For any person who activities any combination of these indications, a weighted blanket can offer A great deal required relief.
Weighted blankets tranquil the body as well as head. A pilot study tested the efficacy of utilizing a comfort space Outfitted having a weighted blanket on minimizing anxiety on psychiatric people. They located the weighted blankets have been "significantly helpful" at lowering clinician rated anxiety. One more review showed that using a weighted blanket helped sleeplessness sufferers slumber much better. Objectively, the contributors had significantly less actions and fewer frequent wakings. Subjectively, they felt like they slept extra securely and comfortably. Weighted blankets are a superb addition to any anti-nervousness toolbox.
How does a weighted blanket Look at to other treatment possibilities?
Stress and anxiety Diseases in many cases are handled with a mix of medication and cognitive behavior therapy. There are several disadvantages to prescription anti-stress and anxiety prescription drugs that Many of us simply cannot swallow. Headache, sexual dysfunction, nausea, dizziness, and insomnia are documented Uncomfortable side effects. For many who simply cannot tolerate these Unwanted effects or perhaps choose to try out natural therapies, a weighted blanket is a wonderful option. Naturally, both you and your well being care Specialist will think of a remedy approach that is best for your needs that could contain prescription drugs. A weighted blanket can enhance that tactic too.
Picking out the Greatest Weighted Blanket in your case
The key final decision When picking a weighted blanket is the load itself. Weighted blankets for Older people vary from seven-25 pounds. Talking with Laura Lemond, operator of Mosaic Weighted Blankets, "It is typically proposed that Older people use a weighted blanket that weighs ten% of their best entire body body weight." As an example, an adult weighing 200 kilos would make use of a 20 pound weighted blanket. This formulation performs for Lots of individuals but In case you are looking at a specialist for support with all your stress, talk to with them about what weight is usually recommended prior to placing an purchase. Some weighted blankets are custom designed to get cbd curb so you will need to ensure you've asked for the right pounds.
You will want to take into consideration how you'll be using the weighted blanket. If you propose to snooze underneath it most evenings you will need to get a person sufficiently big to include your entire human body or maybe your complete bed. Lots of people only use their blanket around their legs or close to their shoulders whilst even now far more discover it comforting to simply lay one particular across their lap. In these instances, a smaller sized blanket will go well with your needs flawlessly.
Reduction of prevalent stress signs is prepared and waiting around to wrap itself about you. If you put up with anxiousness, give a weighted blanket a try to see how deep tension touch can serene and soothe a stimulated intellect.
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Eating Disorder Treatment Centers Temecula
Eating Disorder Treatment Centers Temecula California
Temecula, California Seeks Screening for Eating Disorders
As ground zero for the entertainment industry, Hollywood acts a beacon to up and coming actors and models from surrounding California communities like Temecula. The obsessive focus by those seeking a show business career on body image however has led to eating disorders. The severity has reached a point at which California has proposed a state bill 2539 to regulate the modeling industry by requiring regular health screenings for eating disorders. With an emphasis on awareness, the goal is to identify anyone suffering from an eating disorder before they become a statistic. For a list of the best eating disorder treatment centers in Temecula California please contact our helpline and speak with a representative.
Understanding Eating Disorders
Because food is a part of life, it is difficult to understand how anyone could develop an unhealthy relationship with eating. Yet, as young girls especially seek to match fashion magazine cover model physiques, they turn to drastic diet and exercise routines that rapidly become health issues. Currently thirty million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder in the U.S., and every sixty-two minutes at least one person dies as a direct result from an eating disorder. Knowing how to identify eating disorders is the first step toward getting someone help.
Battling Bulimia
Bulimia nervosa is a psychological disorder that involves eating large amounts of food in a short period of time and then attempting to purge the food by vomiting, the use of laxatives, or prolonged periods of intense exercise. Someone suffering from bulimia may experience:
Dramatic changes in weight, both gaining and losing weight
The breaking of blood vessels around the eyes resulting in black eyes
The esophagus becoming inflamed due to frequent vomiting
Heartbeat irregularities caused by electrolyte imbalance-this is what most often kills someone with bulimia, as they experience sudden cardiac arrest
Identifying Anorexia
Others with poor body image may turn to extreme fasting to lose weight. Someone suffering from this condition may also be purging as well. But with an intense focus on minimal calorie intake, symptoms of severe weight loss become evident.
Extremely thin underweight appearance that an anorexic may insist is their “body type”
An unhealthy obsession with calories and fat in food
Strange, often obsessive ritualistic eating patterns such as cutting food into very small pieces, hiding food or choosing to always eat alone
Hair loss or thinning hair
Depression and frequent lethargy
Personal isolation and withdrawal
Binge Eating Drives Weight Gain Disorders
While many bulimics will binge eat and then take extreme measures to compensate for food consumption, other binge eating sufferers may swing in the opposite direction. Often a distorted body image will lead to giving up completely when it comes to healthy diet and exercise. For many binge eating may lead to excessive overeating and obesity. The most common characteristics of binge eating include:
Eating well past the point of fullness
Rapidly eating large amounts of food in one sitting
Gorging alone, while eating normally in the company of others
Stockpiling and hiding food
Eating continuously throughout the day, disregarding specific mealtimes
Exercise Addiction: When Fitness Becomes Unhealthy
Though exercise is considered an important part of a healthy lifestyle, obsession with fitness can lead to both physical and emotional disorders. As a behavioral disorder, exercise addiction turns a daily exercise routine into a dependency that removes someone suffering from the disorder from normal social and personal engagement. Research studies determine that approximately three percent of people who exercise regularly are addicted to it. The condition is much more common in people in their late teens or early twenties. Other estimates have found that upward of forty-two percent of regular attendees at the gym meet the criteria for exercise addiction. When exercise becomes an addiction some of the symptoms may include:
An inability to stop exercising after a period to the point that injury or complete exhaustion is experienced
Most of the time is spent at the gym, disregarding social occasions and sometimes even work
Intention effects-when set fitness goals are exceeded unknowingly and on a regular basis
Continuing to exercise even with injuries or other physical problems that are a direct result from excessive exercising
The Complexity of Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are complex and many suffering from them may be experiencing a compound of many disorders. For example, an individual may present some of the symptoms of bulimia with occasional purging, but not enough to be identified as a bulimic. Fasting may occur, but not enough for that person to be identified as suffering from anorexia. This configuration of symptoms allows many with eating disorders to slip through the cracks of treatment. That is why those researching the field have established Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified or EDNOS. In fact, forty to sixty percent of people who seek treatment for an eating disorder have EDNOS. Because eating disorders can become very personalized, an aggregate of symptoms indicating one disorder or the other may never appear. In other words, treatment must focus on the individual person.
Signs that a friend or loved one is experiencing this more complex eating disorder may show symptoms that are physical, psychological or emotional.
A constant expression of poor body image
Feeling out of control around food
Using food as a source of comfort, especially eating heavily during periods of depression or anxiety
Using food as personal punishment, refusing to eat for emotional reasons
Rigid perceptions of food as being either good or bad
Getting to the Psychological Roots of Eating Disorders
Just like so many other addictions or obsessions, an underlying psychological issue is usually the root cause of eating disorders. Before an eating disorder begins, there may be emotional red flags that can be identified. If a loved one is suffering from depression, stress or anxiety, they may be on the path to not only eating disorders, but other addictions including drugs, gambling or sex addiction. Helping someone when they first exhibit these issues, means getting them treatment more quickly.
Identifying Depression
Though being blue is common for everyone, when sadness extends into days and weeks, then it may be an indication of clinical depression. True depression can impact work, school and relationships, as well as normal, every day activities such as eating and sleeping. It is estimated that there three-hundred and fifty million people worldwide suffering from depression. There are two specific types of depression that are commonly diagnosed.
Major depression occurs when feelings of chronic sadness persist nearly every day for up to two weeks. An episode may only occur once in a person’s lifetime or there may be several episodes.
Persistent depressive disorder is diagnosed when depression lasts for up to two years or more. This type of depression is defined when a person experiences numerous depressive episodes, off and on, throughout the days and weeks. Unlike major depression, which may be linked to a personal experience such as a death in the family or a divorce, persistent depressive disorder clings to a person on a regular basis. To know depression is to see the signs.
A constant sadness, anxiousness or feeling of emptiness
Pessimistic feelings and hopelessness
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness
Loss of interest in work, hobbies, relationships
A loss of energy
Difficulty thinking clearly
Difficulty sleeping, which may appear as insomnia or oversleeping
Changes in appetite or weight
Thoughts of suicide
Restlessness and irritability
Aches and pains that do not seem to have a physical cause
When Stress Becomes a Problem
Stress is a normal part of life, which makes it difficult to define as a problem. There is a breaking point for many when stress, especially from work, becomes the threshold to behavioral disorders. More than sixty percent of Americans identify money and work as the most stressful issues in their lives. When a normal degree of stress leads to problems is when some of the following indicators occur.
Work and family life become more difficult to handle
There is an increased likelihood of fighting with people close to them
Isolation from others, especially family and friends
There are also physical symptoms of stress that are often misdiagnosed as medical disorders
Constant fatigue
Stomach and digestive problems
Headaches
Changes in sex drive
Naturally, stress occurs in three distinct stages. The alarm stage, the stage of resistance and the exhaustion stage. Short periods of stress are normal and can contribute to positive results at work and in home life. However, when these short periods extend over longer durations, stress becomes a significant problem that can lead to other disorders. Identifying when these stress stages are recurring constantly can lead to getting help sooner.
The Alarm Stage-When hormones trigger the fight tor flight response, increasing heart rate and blood pressure. When a challenge is presented to an individual, the alarm stage kicks in.
The Stage of Resistance- When the individual digs in to contend with the challenge. Stored energy is used as the individual engages to overcome obstacles.
The Exhaustion Stage- When the challenge is overcome, the body sinks into fatigue seeking an extended period of rest from the ordeal.
During an occasional stressful event, an individual will experience these stages normally and recover. If these stressful events are continuous, then the body begins to break down and the mind grows weary. At some point, behavioral disorders became the self-medicating antidote to a stressful life.
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Anxiety and Emotional Disorders
Anxiety disorders may include feelings of panic, nervousness and irrational dread. Anxiety may also be linked with depression and is one of the most common emotional problems that lead to behavioral disorders, including eating disorders and substance abuse.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting forty million adults in the United States age eighteen and older, which is about eighteen percent of the population every year. Anxiety disorders are one of the easiest emotional disorders to treat, yet only thirty-six percent of those suffering receive treatment.
Because everyone gets anxious from time to time, it is difficult to personally diagnose a true disorder. However, patterns of anxiety, especially irrational fears that disable daily life, can be diagnosed by a physician and treated. Here are symptoms to look for.
Excessive worry
Though there many legitimate concerns in life, when worry becomes obsessive to the point of derailing normal activities, it may be a problem. Many behavioral disorders start to develop to cope with everyday worry. By changing the focus of the worry into a controllable problem like eating is not uncommon.
Difficulty Sleeping
Not being able to fall asleep or staying asleep is often a result of the excessive worrying. Often turning to drugs and alcohol or overuse of sleeping medications is a common response.
Irrational fears
When fears over something that is harmless haunt a person to the point of avoidance, then it may be a symptom of anxiety disorder.
Constant muscle tension
Tense muscles due to stress may linger long after a day at the office. When physical pain is persistent even in a state of rest then anxiety may be causing the tension.
Chronic stomach problems
If digestive disorders cannot be diagnosed by a medical doctor, anxiety may be the cause for a constant upset stomach or cramps.
Flashbacks
When a past traumatic event continually intrudes into the present, it may be causing anxiety. Trying to avoid the past event through drugs an alcohol or obsessing over other aspects of the present such as weight loss are common.
Obsessive self-consciousness
Focusing on self to the point of obsession can lead to moments of panic. Feeling that everyone is looking at you or watching you and concerns about appearance or behavior can be stunting. Under these circumstances, many suffering from severe anxiety may choose isolation rather than risking engaging with others.
Whether eating disorders appear to be an issue or emotional disorders are interrupting normal life, therapy, medication and specialized treatment is available. Getting treatment sooner rather than later is critical to solving personal issues that can rapidly become physical or medical concerns. Overcoming the obstacles of behavioral and emotional disorders leads to a more positive and more meaningful life.
source https://helpingdisorders.com/eating-disorder-treatment-centers-temecula/
source https://helpingdisorders.blogspot.com/2018/03/eating-disorder-treatment-centers.html
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ADHD and Addiction in Adults: Unveiling the Overlooked Connection
Navigating adulthood can be like charting a course through a minefield. For those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the challenges of everyday life are often compounded by internal battles, ones that aren’t always visible to the outside world. These battles can lead to a higher likelihood of grappling with addiction, an issue that is often compounded by the unique struggles individuals with ADHD face. In this in-depth exploration, we’ll dissect the relationship between ADHD and addiction in adults, unveiling the complex web of factors that contribute to dual diagnoses. We'll provide a clear path forward for those fighting these concurrent demons, offering practical guidance and resources to reassert control over their lives.
Understanding ADHD and its Relationship with Addiction
The ADHD Puzzle
ADHD is not just a childhood condition — it can persist into adulthood, affecting both personal and professional aspects of life. Characteristics like impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity can create substantial challenges when it comes to self-regulation and decision-making. These challenges, left untamed, lay fertile ground for addictive behaviors to take root.
Common Patterns and Challenges
Individuals with ADHD might turn to substances or behaviors that offer a momentary reprieve from their internal restlessness. Substance abuse can seem like a solution — a way to self-medicate and quiet the mind, if only briefly. Yet, this solution is a treacherous one, often leading to a dangerous cycle of use and dependence.
Addressing Dual Diagnosis: Treatment Approaches
Integrated Treatment Strategies
When ADHD and addiction coexist, a tailored and integrated treatment approach is crucial. This typically involves a team of specialists who understand the intricacies of each diagnosis and how they interplay. Addressing addiction without considering ADHD, or vice versa, is like fighting a multi-front war with just one army.
Therapeutic Interventions for Co-occurring ADHD and Addiction
Therapy plays a central role in treating these dual diagnoses. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy, which both focus on modifying behavior by changing patterns of thinking, can be particularly effective. These therapies help individuals rewire their coping mechanisms, learning healthier ways to address their symptoms and cravings.
Support and Resources for Adults with ADHD and Addiction
Support Groups
Community support is invaluable. Support groups, such as those leveraging the 12-step program, create an environment where individuals can share their journeys, find solidarity, and learn from one another's experiences.
Counseling Services
Professional counseling can provide the one-on-one guidance necessary for addressing the complexities of dual diagnoses. Therapists skilled in treating ADHD can offer insights and tools to manage symptoms without resorting to addictive behaviors.
Lifestyle Modifications
Small changes can yield significant results for individuals managing both ADHD and addiction. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and consistent sleep patterns can contribute to an overall sense of well-being and provide a natural outlet for hyperactivity and restlessness.
Prevention and Management Strategies
Early Intervention for ADHD
Identifying and treating ADHD as early as possible is a powerful preventive measure against addiction. The right combination of therapy, medication, and support can equip individuals with the skills to manage their symptoms without turning to substances.
Harm-Reduction Approaches for Addiction
In cases where addiction has already taken hold, harm-reduction strategies can help mitigate damage. These strategies focus on reducing the negative consequences of substance abuse rather than on quitting, with the ultimate goal often shifting to abstinence as the individual gains greater control.
Conclusion
Recognizing the link between ADHD and addiction is the first step in addressing the challenges that arise from dual diagnoses. By seeking out integrated treatments, a supportive community, and making lifestyle changes, those affected can carve a path toward recovery. It's a long and arduous journey, but one that is navigable with the right guidance and unwavering determination. Remember, you are not your ADHD, and you are not your addiction. You are a complex and resilient individual capable of rewriting your story, one chapter at a time.
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How Anxiety Can Trigger Your Inflammation (Plus: What Foods to Avoid)
Aimee McNew
Anxiety is the most common mental disorder in the United States, impacting more than 40 million adults. (1) While some cases can be mild and short-lived, others can be debilitating, lasting for years, or transitioning into a chronic problem.
Anxiety is connected to a number of lifestyle, health, and dietary factors, but understanding the triggers and root causes can lead to more effective treatment.
What Is Anxiety?
Many people refer to situational stress or momentary tenseness as anxiety, and often the term “panic attack” can be loosely thrown around. But for people living with generalized anxiety disorder or one of the other recognized anxiety diagnoses – like social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, or separation anxiety disorder – these terms have meaning that delves into a feeling that can be all-consuming, debilitating, and hard to comprehend by someone on the outside. (2)
Anxiety can refer to numerous symptoms that can include: (3, 4, 5)
Nervousness
Fear
Apprehension
Worrying
Paranoia
Feelings of being unsettled
Trembling
Upset stomach or nausea
Diarrhea
Headache
Heart palpitations (which can increase anxiety over worries of heart attack)
Numbness or pins and needle sensations in extremities
Sweating or hot flashes
Restlessness or restless legs
Fatigue
Poor concentration
Irritability or mood swings
Muscular aches and pains from tension
inor trouble falling/staying asleep
Being easily startled
While almost anyone can experience temporary feelings of anxiety before impactful events, important moments, tests, or the like, anxiety is considered to be problematic when it presents for numerous events within a person’s life, and when it begins to interfere in some way with normal function, including sleep disturbances, social anxiety, or self-care.
Bottom line: Anxiety is a legitimate disorder that can range from short-term to chronic, and can have wide-ranging symptoms that can be attributed to a number of other conditions.
What Causes Anxiety?
Anxiety can be caused by a number of different factors. Some of the more common triggers include:
Chronic stress, including depression from stress (6)
Excessive serotonin production or activity (7)
Early life stress or pressure (8)
24/7 connectivity online (9)
Genetic mutations (10)
Traumatic life events (11)
Financial problems (12)
Chronic pain (13)
While the specific triggers for anxiety may differ from case to case, there seem to be some common groupings of anxiety triggers. But what actually takes these triggers and turns them into anxiety for some people and not others?
Beyond the potential causes for anxiety, there has to be a triggering event that is significant enough to spark a chronic problem. Even in cases of genetic tendency, something still has to cause the initial episode.
Anxiety and inflammation feed into each other, making anxiety triggers worsen.
What many of the causative factors listed above have in common is inflammation. Stress can increase inflammation within the body, and one of the common factors linking each condition together is stress. (14) Stress can also take its toll on the body in other ways that don’t lead to anxiety, and certainly people can experience stress regularly without having chronic problems as a result. (15)
Bottom line: Anxiety is caused by numerous factors, and many of the causes have underlying issues in common with chronic inflammation and stress. Anxiety is, however, an issue in and of itself and not simply a side effect of other problems.
Inflammation and Anxiety
The link between inflammation, anxiety, and even depression is well-documented. (16) Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, and it’s becoming increasingly understood that this injury doesn’t have to be purely physical. Mental and emotional stress or injury can spark inflammatory responses, too. (17)
When inflammatory processes happen within the body, one of the first things to be affected is the gut and the microbiome. (18) Stress produces inflammatory cytokines that can actually alter the way that the gut, brain, and nervous system respond. This can include the development of depression, anxiety, and leaky gut.
Once leaky gut is present, it can perpetuate cycles of anxiety due to disrupted microbial balances in the gut, toxins in the bloodstream, and poor absorption of nutrients. Nutrient deficiency can have a significant role in the health of the nervous system, and deficiencies in nutrients like B vitamins or vitamin D can worsen anxiety issues. (19, 20)
Leaky gut can perpetuate the cycles of anxiety.
While anxiety isn’t necessarily best addressed in only one specific way, a thorough healing approach will take gut health and inflammatory levels into account. Following an anti-inflammatory diet protocol and reversing leaky gut could, at the very least, prevent anxiety conditions from continuing to worsen. In some cases, gut health could be the primary trigger of anxiety, and a gut healing protocol could actually resolve anxiety in its own right.
While testing specifically for anxiety is difficult, if anxiety is present, there are a number of tests that can be done to determine the state of gut health. Specifically, tests that look at zonulin and lactulose levels, like the ELISA test, can help to determine the severity of leaky gut by looking at factors that actually control the level of gut permeability.
Inflammatory markers can also shed some light on the state of gut health that might be contributing to anxiety. Tests such as hs-CRP, or C-reactive protein, measure cytokines in the blood that are released by damaged or inflamed tissues, presenting a decent snapshot of the body’s inflammation levels. Homocysteine is another test that measures the levels of this amino acid in the blood. When it’s elevated, it can indicate nutrient deficiencies that can be associated with chronic inflammation (like B12) as well as general inflammation.
Bottom line: Anxiety isn’t likely caused by inflammation alone, but measuring inflammatory levels can certainly help to spell out a more direct path to resolving the issue, especially when inflammatory and gut health issues are present.
Foods and Inflammation
An anti-inflammatory diet can look different in many cases, and there isn’t necessarily a one-size-fits all approach. While some common themes will emerge, like eating plenty of leafy greens and healthy fats, others will need to take an individualized approach to get to the root of their problem.
A basic anti-inflammatory diet will include plenty of:
Bone broth
Leafy greens
Cruciferous vegetables
Berries
Salmon
Chicken, especially thigh meat
Beef
Avocado
Sweet potatoes
Squash
Foods to avoid on an anti-inflammatory plan will include:
Gluten and grains
Dairy
Beans and legumes
Processed or refined foods
Sugar, even in Paleo form
Artificial sweeteners
Preservatives
Caffeine
Alcohol
Food sensitivity and allergy play a huge role in inflammation and gut health. When foods that produce an immune response are consumed, they further perpetuate leaky gut, inflammation, and digestive upset or malabsorption.
In addition to foods that are specifically aggravating to an individual’s gut, there are also certain groups of foods that can be difficult to digest or which can exacerbate issues with leaky gut. These include grains, beans, legumes, and dairy products – food groups which are already excluded on a Paleo diet.
The Paleo diet has become a popular remedy for gut health woes, but even within the confines of a Paleo diet lies plenty of room for individualization.
Some individuals do best following an AIP diet, or the autoimmune Paleo protocol. This further eliminates known inflammatory foods like eggs, nuts, seeds, and nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and eggplants).
Paleo is enough to fix gut health for some; others need a more strict AIP diet.
Others may do better eating super low carb Paleo, or ketogenic Paleo, while still others may thrive on a high vegetable Paleo diet that limits meat intake and promotes large quantities of the full rainbow of vegetables.
Addressing anxiety and gut health issues with diet is best done with the help of a qualified professional who understands both gut health and the underlying causes of anxiety and other mood disorders. In some cases, nutrient replacement with a supplement program can further decrease symptoms and speed gut health.
Please note that while diet can be very effective, if medical prescription therapy is needed, it’s important not to quit medication protocols that are managing anxiety or depression without the assistance of someone who is qualified to do so.
Bottom line: Nutrition can play a key role in reducing inflammation and combating anxiety, especially when you increase high-nutrient foods like leafy greens, berries, and salmon and reduce highly processed and sweetened foods.
3 Alternative Therapies to Address Anxiety
Many who suffer from anxiety turn to medication and diet to deal with their unpleasant symptoms, but there is also another category of support than can work together with other protocols or on its own: alternative therapy.
Acupuncture
Anxiety responds well to acupuncture and other Traditional Chinese Medicine protocols. (21) Acupuncture works to remove energy blockages, or “chi,” within the body. There are specific anxiety points in the ear, wrist, and feet that acupuncturists will work with. While acupuncture may seem off-putting to anyone who has never tried it or who has a fear of needles, it is well worth the effort to give it a try. Acupuncture needles are so tiny that they are barely felt, and if they are, it feels more like a tickle than a pricking of the skin. Sessions tend to last anywhere from 30-60 minutes, and I personally find them so relaxing that I often fall asleep and wake to find I am in a much calmer state of mind.
Yoga
Yoga, too, can be effective for the management of anxiety, either on its own or in addition to other methodologies. (22) Even if you’re not a yoga pro, or you’re not flexible at all, working with an online program, a class, or even an app can start to produce positive results. Yoga doesn’t have to look perfect. You just need to approach it with the mindset of doing the best that you can, and focusing on breathing well and achieving the positions as correctly as possible.
Exercise
Exercise other than yoga, such as aerobic or cardio exercise, can be beneficial as well, since it reduces overall inflammation within the body. (23, 24) Whatever the form of exercise you begin, regularity is what will produce positive results. Walking a few miles after work, joining a fitness class three times per week, swimming in the mornings before work, or any other possible combination can all bring you closer to your health goals, and that can definitely include reducing anxiety and inflammation.
Summary
Ultimately, the protocol that is going to address anxiety best for someone is going to be specifically targeted at their individual needs. The original trigger or reason for developing chronic anxiety needs to be considered along with other existing health conditions, lifestyle factors, and genetic health. Exploring different healing modalities like diet, lifestyle, exercise, and alternative therapies will often have a much more significant impact on anxiety than simply waiting for it to dissipate on its own.
(Read This Next: Anxiety: Symptoms, Causes & Natural Remedies)
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5 Ways We Can Begin Taking Preventative Measures Today To Improve Brain Fitness
When we talk about cures for brain illness, we tend to think in terms of the distant future. Diseases like Alzheimer's pose challenges to society at large, and the search for solutions is often measured in decades—not days. The biggest societal challenge is, of course, disease burden, with mental health costs being the largest category, even above cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, cancer or diabetes. Furthermore, mental illness will account for more than 50% of the projected economic burden over the next twenty years. With that impact in mind, now more than ever we should be asking ourselves, “What can we do today?”
In a separate but parallel silo is the evolving field of “brain fitness.” Interest in brain training grew in the early 2000s, after scans on London cab drivers showed enlarged hippocampi, the part of the brain that processes memory. As it turns out, remembering the winding roads and side streets in London significantly impacted not just a London cab driver’s ability to remember, but the actual structure of the physical brain itself.
This study was one of the catalysts for other researchers to begin exploring just how malleable the brain truly is, and how brain performance can be improved through deliberate practice.
Combine these two categories of brain health—diagnosable diseases and “brain fitness”—and suddenly a new conversation has risen: can neuroplasticity-based brain training and related research-to-practice innovation actually impact mental health, help improve people’s lives, and finally, have a significant impact on the associated economic issues.
BrainFutures thinks so.
BrainFutures 2017, a conference set for September 6-7, in Washington, DC, is devoted to spreading awareness of the latest evidence-based advancements in brain fitness and treatment technologies that can, and are, making an impact today. BrainFutures’ lens will be focused on three key areas of interest to most people:
· How is our understanding of brain plasticity transforming learning outcomes, and what are the innovative programs in schools that are helping kids succeed?
· What should we know about steps we can take to maintain brain capacity and performance as we age?
· How are advances in the use of technology (such as games and magnetic brain stimulation) and knowledge about the positive impact of diet, meditation and exercise impacting treatment outcomes for mental illness and addiction?
BrainFutures 2017 will bring together industry pioneers, experts and brain health leaders to discuss innovation that can make a difference here and now, as well as emerging practices on the horizon. The event is a meeting ground and opportunity for thought leaders and audience members alike to tackle this pressing but poignant topic, to both impact people’s lives for the better and have a profound impact on the health care economy.
So, what are some everyday preventative changes that can be done today to improve brain fitness?
1. Physical exercise can improve memory and thinking skills.
Harvard Medical School recently wrote about a University of British Columbia study that found that aerobic exercise can actually increase the size of the brain area responsible for verbal memory and learning—the hippocampus.
“Think of exercise as medication,” says John Ratey, M.D., an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “For a very small handful of people with ADHD, it may actually be a replacement for stimulant medication, but, for most, it’s complementary — something they should absolutely do, along with taking meds, to help increase attention and improve mood.” “Exercise turns on the attention system, the so-called executive functions — sequencing, working memory, prioritizing, inhibiting, and sustaining attention,” says Ratey, author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. “On a practical level, it causes kids to be less impulsive, which makes them more primed to learn.”
In his contributions to ADDitude Magazine, he shares that exercise is an effective complementary strategy that can help to increase attention and improve mood, and for a small number of people can actually be a viable replacement for stimulant medications.
According to another study, regular physical exercise makes changes in the brain that may be able to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. If physical exercise can reduce the onset of this disease even the slightest, it’s worth spending a bit of time each and every day getting the heart pumping.
2. Fuel for function.
When someone suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, inflammation leads to a loss of connection between nerve cells (neurons) and the brain, as explained by the National Institute on Aging. Research has shown that metabolic disorders can also affect the brain, and that by adjusting your eating habits, you can reduce the inflammation that occurs.
According to April N. Winslow, a certified nutritionist, expectations drive action. Our body is driven by the brain. This predominantly fatty acid mass of bioelectrical potential requires quality fuel if peak performance is expected. Any mental health condition (e.g., depression, anxiety, chronic worry, restlessness, fatigue, hopelessness) can be positively impacted by directing a little more attention to the fuel that is offered to the brain each day. This does not mean rigidity, rather, reflecting on the desires you have for your day, afternoon, morning, or next hour with confidence you
know how to fuel your brain."
There are three key nutrition concepts that will keep your brain running smoothly:
· Fat needs fat – The brain is 60% fat. We must lay aside our fear of consuming a food that has been labeled a word we do not want to become Omega-3 fatty acids (i.e., DHA/EPA) have repeatedly been shown to reverse the negative symptoms of most mental health conditions. Additionally, a brain bathing in plant fats, including seeds and oils, can enhance capacity for memory, integration of complex ideas, and abstract concepts.
· More color please – Color is more than just visual detail. The pigments (i.e., beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, chlorophyll, lutein) in fruit, vegetables, and fungus offer inflammatory reversing gifts along with their well-known disease preventing properties. Aim for variety and preferably, seasonable produce. Experiment. Play with cooking each of the foods in different ways (e.g., grilled, coconut oil-coated peach halves with pink sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg).
· Drink frequently - Directing the metabolic activities of the body leaves a trail of waste that needs to be removed. Proper hydration promotes improved circulation, filtration by the kidneys, temperature regulation, and removal of waste by the digestive system. Water is an essential nutrient. Needs will vary throughout the lifespan and only you will know what is ideal. However, a perception of consistent calm energy is one option that can result with a properly hydrated brain.
3. Use it or lose it—your cognitive functioning.
With the proliferation of computer brain training programs, has come controversy about their effectiveness. However, a January 2017 Study published in Neuropsychiatry Review recently shed light on this important topic. These researchers reviewed the number and quality of studies demonstrating the effectiveness of commercially available computer cognitive training programs, and rated the evidence for seven. Study authors report that at least some of these products have good scientific evidence supporting claims that they play a role in maintaining healthy brain functioning as we age. One such study, the NIH Active Study found that older adults who received 10 sessions or more of brain training improved their cognitive functioning not just in the short-term (within months) but also over the long-term (as distant as 10 years later).
4. Prioritize quality sleep.
Those who suffer from mental diseases tend to also suffer from insomnia. However, research also shows that issues with getting a full night’s sleep aren’t just a symptom but also a potential risk factor. Studies now link poor sleep to higher levels of protein clumps forming in the brain (called beta-amyloids,) which makes it more difficult for an individual to fall into deep sleep, which is absolutely necessary for cognitive functioning and memory.
An NPR report added that “the brain appears to clear out toxins linked to Alzheimer’s during sleep, and in animals that don’t get enough solid shut-eye, those toxins can build up and damage the brain.”
The good news is that exercise, among other treatments, can help enhance quality sleep.
5. Meditation.
The practice of meditation has been found to not only reduce stress levels and improve mental clarity, but actually reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.
According to a study done by a UCLA-led team of neuroscientists funded by the Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation, yoga and meditation showed improvements in the verbal memory skills of participants, such as remembering names and lists of words. Participants also saw improvements in visual-spatial memory skills, such as recalling locations and navigating while walking or driving. The study was comprised of people aged 55 or older.
Helen Lavretsky, the study’s senior author and professor in residence in UCLA’s department of psychiatry, shared in this UCLA column, “Memory training was comparable to yoga with meditation in terms of improving memory, but yoga provided a broader benefit than memory training because it also helped with mood, anxiety and coping skills.”
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5 Ways We Can Begin Taking Preventative Measures Today To Improve Brain Fitness
When we talk about cures for brain illness, we tend to think in terms of the distant future. Diseases like Alzheimer's pose challenges to society at large, and the search for solutions is often measured in decades—not days. The biggest societal challenge is, of course, disease burden, with mental health costs being the largest category, even above cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, cancer or diabetes. Furthermore, mental illness will account for more than 50% of the projected economic burden over the next twenty years. With that impact in mind, now more than ever we should be asking ourselves, “What can we do today?”
In a separate but parallel silo is the evolving field of “brain fitness.” Interest in brain training grew in the early 2000s, after scans on London cab drivers showed enlarged hippocampi, the part of the brain that processes memory. As it turns out, remembering the winding roads and side streets in London significantly impacted not just a London cab driver’s ability to remember, but the actual structure of the physical brain itself.
This study was one of the catalysts for other researchers to begin exploring just how malleable the brain truly is, and how brain performance can be improved through deliberate practice.
Combine these two categories of brain health—diagnosable diseases and “brain fitness”—and suddenly a new conversation has risen: can neuroplasticity-based brain training and related research-to-practice innovation actually impact mental health, help improve people’s lives, and finally, have a significant impact on the associated economic issues.
BrainFutures thinks so.
BrainFutures 2017, a conference set for September 6-7, in Washington, DC, is devoted to spreading awareness of the latest evidence-based advancements in brain fitness and treatment technologies that can, and are, making an impact today. BrainFutures’ lens will be focused on three key areas of interest to most people:
· How is our understanding of brain plasticity transforming learning outcomes, and what are the innovative programs in schools that are helping kids succeed?
· What should we know about steps we can take to maintain brain capacity and performance as we age?
· How are advances in the use of technology (such as games and magnetic brain stimulation) and knowledge about the positive impact of diet, meditation and exercise impacting treatment outcomes for mental illness and addiction?
BrainFutures 2017 will bring together industry pioneers, experts and brain health leaders to discuss innovation that can make a difference here and now, as well as emerging practices on the horizon. The event is a meeting ground and opportunity for thought leaders and audience members alike to tackle this pressing but poignant topic, to both impact people’s lives for the better and have a profound impact on the health care economy.
So, what are some everyday preventative changes that can be done today to improve brain fitness?
1. Physical exercise can improve memory and thinking skills.
Harvard Medical School recently wrote about a University of British Columbia study that found that aerobic exercise can actually increase the size of the brain area responsible for verbal memory and learning—the hippocampus.
“Think of exercise as medication,” says John Ratey, M.D., an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “For a very small handful of people with ADHD, it may actually be a replacement for stimulant medication, but, for most, it’s complementary — something they should absolutely do, along with taking meds, to help increase attention and improve mood.” “Exercise turns on the attention system, the so-called executive functions — sequencing, working memory, prioritizing, inhibiting, and sustaining attention,” says Ratey, author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. “On a practical level, it causes kids to be less impulsive, which makes them more primed to learn.”
In his contributions to ADDitude Magazine, he shares that exercise is an effective complementary strategy that can help to increase attention and improve mood, and for a small number of people can actually be a viable replacement for stimulant medications.
According to another study, regular physical exercise makes changes in the brain that may be able to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. If physical exercise can reduce the onset of this disease even the slightest, it’s worth spending a bit of time each and every day getting the heart pumping.
2. Fuel for function.
When someone suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, inflammation leads to a loss of connection between nerve cells (neurons) and the brain, as explained by the National Institute on Aging. Research has shown that metabolic disorders can also affect the brain, and that by adjusting your eating habits, you can reduce the inflammation that occurs.
According to April N. Winslow, a certified nutritionist, expectations drive action. Our body is driven by the brain. This predominantly fatty acid mass of bioelectrical potential requires quality fuel if peak performance is expected. Any mental health condition (e.g., depression, anxiety, chronic worry, restlessness, fatigue, hopelessness) can be positively impacted by directing a little more attention to the fuel that is offered to the brain each day. This does not mean rigidity, rather, reflecting on the desires you have for your day, afternoon, morning, or next hour with confidence you
know how to fuel your brain."
There are three key nutrition concepts that will keep your brain running smoothly:
· Fat needs fat – The brain is 60% fat. We must lay aside our fear of consuming a food that has been labeled a word we do not want to become Omega-3 fatty acids (i.e., DHA/EPA) have repeatedly been shown to reverse the negative symptoms of most mental health conditions. Additionally, a brain bathing in plant fats, including seeds and oils, can enhance capacity for memory, integration of complex ideas, and abstract concepts.
· More color please – Color is more than just visual detail. The pigments (i.e., beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, chlorophyll, lutein) in fruit, vegetables, and fungus offer inflammatory reversing gifts along with their well-known disease preventing properties. Aim for variety and preferably, seasonable produce. Experiment. Play with cooking each of the foods in different ways (e.g., grilled, coconut oil-coated peach halves with pink sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg).
· Drink frequently - Directing the metabolic activities of the body leaves a trail of waste that needs to be removed. Proper hydration promotes improved circulation, filtration by the kidneys, temperature regulation, and removal of waste by the digestive system. Water is an essential nutrient. Needs will vary throughout the lifespan and only you will know what is ideal. However, a perception of consistent calm energy is one option that can result with a properly hydrated brain.
3. Use it or lose it—your cognitive functioning.
With the proliferation of computer brain training programs, has come controversy about their effectiveness. However, a January 2017 Study published in Neuropsychiatry Review recently shed light on this important topic. These researchers reviewed the number and quality of studies demonstrating the effectiveness of commercially available computer cognitive training programs, and rated the evidence for seven. Study authors report that at least some of these products have good scientific evidence supporting claims that they play a role in maintaining healthy brain functioning as we age. One such study, the NIH Active Study found that older adults who received 10 sessions or more of brain training improved their cognitive functioning not just in the short-term (within months) but also over the long-term (as distant as 10 years later).
4. Prioritize quality sleep.
Those who suffer from mental diseases tend to also suffer from insomnia. However, research also shows that issues with getting a full night’s sleep aren’t just a symptom but also a potential risk factor. Studies now link poor sleep to higher levels of protein clumps forming in the brain (called beta-amyloids,) which makes it more difficult for an individual to fall into deep sleep, which is absolutely necessary for cognitive functioning and memory.
An NPR report added that “the brain appears to clear out toxins linked to Alzheimer’s during sleep, and in animals that don’t get enough solid shut-eye, those toxins can build up and damage the brain.”
The good news is that exercise, among other treatments, can help enhance quality sleep.
5. Meditation.
The practice of meditation has been found to not only reduce stress levels and improve mental clarity, but actually reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.
According to a study done by a UCLA-led team of neuroscientists funded by the Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation, yoga and meditation showed improvements in the verbal memory skills of participants, such as remembering names and lists of words. Participants also saw improvements in visual-spatial memory skills, such as recalling locations and navigating while walking or driving. The study was comprised of people aged 55 or older.
Helen Lavretsky, the study’s senior author and professor in residence in UCLA’s department of psychiatry, shared in this UCLA column, “Memory training was comparable to yoga with meditation in terms of improving memory, but yoga provided a broader benefit than memory training because it also helped with mood, anxiety and coping skills.”
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5 More Flexible, Achievable, Totally Worth-it Sleep Goals for the New Year
The blog post 5 More Flexible, Achievable, Totally Worth-it Sleep Goals for the New Year is courtesy of EllyMackay.com
Love them or hate them, it’s that time of year: resolution time or what I like to call it REST-O-LUTION time. I like the spirit of renewal, reflection, and progress that comes with the new year, and gets embodied in resolutions. I always make a few, and I encourage my patients to think about the turn of a calendar year as a time to renew and improve their commitment to healthy sleep.
Here are my suggestions for how to make worthwhile REST-O-LUTIONS that will stick. Each of these goals is manageable, realistic, and will deliver a big return for your sleep and your waking life.
Address the sleep issue you’ve been ignoring
Everyone has one. That part of your sleep routine that isn’t working, but hasn’t yet gotten the attention it deserves. (Even sleep doctors have them! Mine continues to be getting enough high-quality rest on a plane with my crazy travel schedule.) Maybe you haven’t dealt with your sleep issue because you’re busy and distracted, or maybe you think it’s not a serious enough problem to warrant your attention.
For millions of adults in the US and around the world, those un-addressed sleep issues involve undiagnosed sleep disorders. Common sleep disorders, including chronic insomnia and restless leg syndrome, go undiagnosed, robbing people of the rest they need. As many as 80% of moderate and severe cases of obstructive sleep apnea don’t get diagnosed, leading to a whole range of health complications, reduced quality of life, and compromised performance.
Not every unaddressed sleep issue traces back to one of these major sleep disorders—but all sleep problems warrant attention. Neglected sleep environments—including ancient mattresses that lead to uncomfortable sleep, light and other stimuli in the bedroom—are common ones. I just recently wrote about how eye problems can impact sleep, specifically about how surprisingly common it is for people to have trouble sleeping with their eyes closed. Excessive sweating at night is another issue that often gets overlooked, despite how disruptive it is for nightly rest. Dehydration, stress, and chronic pain are all root causes of sleep problems that tend to go unattended.
Make a commitment at the start of this year to follow up on the sleep problem that is stopping you from getting the rest you need and deserve. Here are some of the symptoms I see go un-addressed all the time:
Restless sleeping with lots of awakenings throughout the night
Snoring or other breathing troubles
Disruptive dreams
A wired brain at night
Needing to get up to go the bathroom often
Feeling fatigued throughout the day
Waking in the middle of the night and not being able to fall back asleep
Whatever your issue is—whether it’s on this list or not—talk with your doctor and seek out a sleep specialist to get it resolved. Your whole year will be changed for the better. If you a looking for a sleep doc or center check out www.sleepcenters.org
Don’t just know your chronotype. Do something with it.
I’m guessing a lot of regular readers have taken my bio time quiz, and you know whether you’re a Lion, a Bear, a Wolf or a Dolphin. If you haven’t, go do it now! www.chronoquiz.com.)
But I’ll bet many of you haven’t yet taken the next step: to look closely at the timing of activities in your daily life and make some adjustments to life more in sync with your bio clock, based on your individual chronobiology.
The knowledge of chronotype itself is valuable, and can trigger subtle changes on its own. But it’s when you put that knowledge into deliberate action that you’ll see the most powerful impact on your health, performance and well-being. There’s almost nothing you undertake in your waking life that isn’t affected by your chronotype, from your sex life to your diet to your ability to be a top performer in your career. Living in better alignment with your chronotype can help you do everything better AND enjoy everything more. The research keeps accumulating, delivering more scientific detail and insight about how bio time affects health, mood and behavior.
Some of the recent research that’s particularly interesting?
This review of scientific studies found that athletic performance is strongly linked to chronotype—meaning the time of day you choose to work out matters, in terms of how hard you can push yourself and how quickly and well you can recover. Another recent study found that different chronotypes prefer different sports, as evidenced in elite athletes. This makes complete sense, given how different chronotypes respond to physical challenges and training schedules, as well as to the social dynamics of team versus individual sports.
A brand-new research review confirms that chronotype exerts significant influence over eating habits (that’s both what we eat and when we eat), with a big link to weight loss.
And there’s more recent research showing how chronotype can affect psychological health, and our vulnerability to mental health issues including depression.
Pick one part of your life you want to improve, and look at how bio time can help you.
Want to liven up your sex life and deepen intimacy? Planning for sex at bedtime is the worst time for every chronotype. The daily desire rhythm actually peaks in the morning, and each chronotype has optimal times for sex in the morning and evening that don’t involve waiting until bedtime.
Interested in bringing more creativity to your life? Start using the times of day when your chronotype is not at peak alertness. These are the “moments of groggy greatness” you can start to capture when you’re paying attention to bio time.
Thinking about adding strength training to your workout routine? There’s a best time to train for every chronotype (afternoons and evenings), based on rhythms of muscle strength, muscle growth, and tolerance for pain.
There’s so much to know about bio time and how to harness it to improve your life, I wrote a whole book about it: The Power of When.
Pick ONE way to optimize your sleep
So, you feel like you’re sleeping pretty well, getting the level of rest that leaves you feeling energized and refreshed throughout the day. You can’t pinpoint a specific problem with your sleep. Great! That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement, to deepen the quality of your sleep and strengthen your sleep routine, with the goal of living longer, healthier and happier. Addressing even very modest deficits in sleep can have a big impact on physiological and psychological health. One example? New research from 2019 showed that even mild sleep deprivation may negatively affect gut health, which in turn has a major impact on immunity, metabolic health, mood and cognition. There’s also recent research showing a complex relationship between sleep, gut health, and cognitive health in older adults.
These are some of the “sleep hacks” that my patients are most interested in these days:
Floatation therapy, a practice that is growing in popularity and showing terrific promise for sleep enhancement, by reducing stress and lowering physiological arousal.
ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response. It may not work for everyone, but for some people ASMR triggers deep physical and psychological relaxation through sound and imagery. Scientific studies are just emerging about the effects of ASMR on sleep and mental health, but early research shows it can have measurable reductions to stress, increasing calm and lowering heart rate. Studies have shown that bedtime is the single most popular time for people to use ASMR. Some really interesting research from 2019 shows that the combination of ASMR and binaural beats (another auditory tool I’ve talked about before) can improve sleep quality.
Intermittent fasting. Wow, you guys are really interested in IF for weight control and sleep! I get a lot of questions about fasting these days. A promising strategy for managing weight and cardiometabolic health, intermittent fasting has been shown to strengthen circadian rhythms and help keep bio clocks more in sync. I am now an intermittent faster myself and it is AMAZING for energy!
And keep in mind the simple, “old fashioned” sleep hacks that stand the test of time: a warm shower or bath 90 minutes before bed, relaxing aromatherapy in the bedroom, using nature sounds or white noise at night are all simple strategies that can make good sleep even better.
Make at least ONE new connection between your diet and your sleep
A lot of us are thinking about diet upgrades at this time of year. Why not pay particular attention to new eating habits that specifically benefit sleep. If weight loss is your goal, sleeping better is one huge component in making that successful. If your sleep is poor quality, irregular, or in too short supply, losing weight will be very difficult.
Maybe you’ll opt to better align your eating routine with your chronotype. Maybe you’ll add more sleep-boosting omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. Perhaps you’ll reduce your sugar consumption, which can seriously interfere with your sleep. And don’t overlook salt as a dietary issue for sleep. A 2019 study found that a high-salt diet may lead to more restless sleep.
Perhaps you’ll explore a move toward a more plant-centric diet. Brand new research shows that people who follow animal-based diets are more likely to experience poor sleep and anxiety, stress and depression, compared to people who adhere to plant-based diets. (Another new study shows that plant-based diets are associated with lower risk for depression and obesity.)
No one single diet is going to be right for everyone, and there are a number of individual factors that determine the dietary choices that are right for you. Broadly speaking, Mediterranean-style diets, which emphasize plants, healthy fats, and unprocessed food are strongly linked to better sleep quality and longer sleep times. I wrote not long ago about the impact of vegetarian and vegan diets on sleep.)
Maybe you’ll decide to explore how natural botanical compounds and supplements can help you achieve better rest, and more clarity, calm and focus while you’re awake. Terpenes are biochemical compounds found in hundreds of plants (and plant-based supplements), as well as in essential oils. Terpenes have been shown to benefit sleep, often by activating the brain’s GABA system, which relaxes the mind and body and plays an important role in facilitating sleep on a daily basis. Another supplement that’s gaining a lot of interest for sleep and longevity? NAD, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a coenzyme produced by the body that regulates circadian rhythms and sleep-wake cycles. I talked about NAD (and my own experience using it), not long ago.
Commit your attention to sleep
You’ve heard me talk about how mindfulness and meditation practices can help you sleep better. This resolution involves being more mindful about sleep itself. This year, commit to paying closer attention to your sleep, on a daily basis. Use the same non-judgmental approach that comes with mindfulness to be more curious and interested in the details of your sleep habits. You’ll learn a lot about your daily rest and about yourself, and you’ll likely discover new ways to tweak and improve your sleep routine, for the benefit of your short and long-term health and happiness.
Happy new year! I hope yours is abundant with healthy sleep.
Sweet Dreams,
Michael J. Breus, PhD, DABSM
The Sleep Doctor
www.thesleepdoctor.com
References
Aidy, Sehar el, et al. (2019). A Brief Period of Sleep Deprivation Leads to Subtle Changes in Mouse Gut Microbiota. Journal of Sleep Research, e12920. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31515894-a-brief-period-of-sleep-deprivation-leads-to-subtle-changes-in-mouse-gut-microbiota/
Anderson, Jason R et al. (2017) A Preliminary Examination of Gut Microbiota, Sleep, and Cognitive Flexibility in Healthy Older Adults. Sleep Medicine, 38, 104-107. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29031742-a-preliminary-examination-of-gut-microbiota-sleep-and-cognitive-flexibility-in-healthy-older-adults/
Bhaskhar, Swapna et al. (2016). Prevalence of chronic insomnia in adult patients and its correlation with medical comorbidities. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 5(4): 780-784. Retreived from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5353813/
Breus, Michael J. (2019, December 21). 11 reasons you can’t sleep and are struggling to stay asleep. Retrieved from: https://thesleepdoctor.com/2019/12/21/11-reasons-you-cant-sleep/
Breus, Michael J. (2019, December 9). Why is my insomnia worse in winter? Your cold weather sleep questions answered. Retrieved from: https://thesleepdoctor.com/2019/12/09/why-is-my-insomnia-worse-in-winter-your-cold-weather-sleep-questions-answered/
Breus, Michael J. (2019, Dec. 7). Weird But True: 1 in 5 of us sleep with our eyes open. Retrieved from: https://thesleepdoctor.com/2019/12/17/weird-but-true-about-1-in-5-of-us-sleep-with-our-eyes-open/
Breus, Michael J. (2019, December 3). Terpenes: they are not just in marijuana and they help with sleep. Retrieved from: https://thesleepdoctor.com/2019/12/03/terpenes-they-are-not-just-in-marijuana-and-they-can-help-with-sleep/
Breus, Michael J. (2019, November 11). Hyperhidrosis, a common—and uncomfortable-problem for sleep. Retrieved from: https://thesleepdoctor.com/2019/12/17/weird-but-true-about-1-in-5-of-us-sleep-with-our-eyes-open/
Breus, Michael J. (2019, September 25). Is NAD the sleep and circadian rhythms supplement you’ve been searching for? Retrieved from: https://thesleepdoctor.com/2019/09/25/nad-youthful-curcadian-rhythm-supplement/
Breus, Michael J. (2019, September 21). How to go back to sleep when you wake up at night. Retrieved from: https://thesleepdoctor.com/2019/09/21/how-to-go-back-to-sleep-when-you-wake-up-at-night/
Breus, Michael J. (2019, June 18). How floating’s pain relieving powers can help sleep. Retrieved from: https://thesleepdoctor.com/?s=floatation+
Breus, Michael J. (2018, October 30). 5 scary things to know about dreams and nightmares. Retrieved from: https://thesleepdoctor.com/2018/10/30/5-scary-things-to-know-about-dreams-and-nightmares/
Breus, Michael J. (2017, July 5). How to fix a snoring problem. Retrieved from: https://thesleepdoctor.com/2017/07/05/fix-snoring-problem/
Campanini, Marcela Z. et al. (2017). Mediterranean Diet and Changes in Sleep Duration and Indicators of Sleep Quality in Older Adults. Sleep, 40(3). Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28364422-mediterranean-diet-and-changes-in-sleep-duration-and-indicators-of-sleep-quality-in-older-adults/
Daneshzad, Elnaz et al. (2019). Association of Dietary Acid Load and Plant-based Diet Index With Sleep, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Diabetic Women. The British Journal of Nutrition, 1-32. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31806069-association-of-dietary-acid-load-and-plant-based-diet-index-with-sleep-stress-anxiety-and-depression-in-diabetic-women/
Dunham, C. Michael. (2017). Comparison of Bispectral Index
values during the flotation restricted environmental stimulation technique and results for stage I sleep: a prospective pilot investigation. BMC Research Notes, 10: 640. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5707909/
Lastella, Michael et al. (2016). The chronotype of elite athletes. Journal of Human Kinetics, 54, 219-225. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28031772-the-chronotype-of-elite-athletes/
Lee, Minji et al. (2019). Possible Effect of Binaural Beat Combined With Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response for Inducing Sleep. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 13: 425. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6900908/
Mazri, Fatin Hanani et al. (2020). The association between chronotype and dietary patterns among adults: a scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(1): 68. Retrieved from: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/1/68/htm
Nichols, Deborah A et al. (2003). Restless Legs Syndrome Symptoms in Primary Care: A Prevalence Study. Arch Internal Med, 163(19): 2323-2329. Retrieved from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/216221
Sleep Apnea Information for Clinicians, Retrieved from: https://www.sleepapnea.org/learn/sleep-apnea-information-clinicians/
Taylor, Briana J and Brant P Hasler. (2018). Chronotype and mental health: recent advances. Current psychiatry reports,20(8): 59. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30039327-chronotype-and-mental-health-recent-advances/
Xie, Jiaya, et al. (2019). High-Salt Diet Causes Sleep Fragmentation in Young Drosophila Through Circadian Rhythm and Dopaminergic Systems. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 13, 1271. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31849585-high-salt-diet-causes-sleep-fragmentation-in-young-drosophila-through-circadian-rhythm-and-dopaminergic-systems/
Vitale, Jacopo Antonio and Andi Weydahl (2017). Chronotype, physical activity and sport performance: a systematic review. Sports Medicine, 47(9): 1859-1868. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28493061-chronotype-physical-activity-and-sport-performance-a-systematic-review/
The post 5 More Flexible, Achievable, Totally Worth-it Sleep Goals for the New Year appeared first on Your Guide to Better Sleep.
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Primary Research - Anxiety and Insomnia
why do people need a life coach course?
Because of that anxiety, insomnia, and depression will lead to a unhealth mind, then might cause a mental problem, and finally might cause people end their lives by suicide.
Anxiety is a type of fear usually associated with the thought of a threat or something going wrong in the future, but can also arise from something happening right now.
In 2013, there were 8.2 million cases of anxiety in the UK.1
In England women are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders as men.2
The one-week prevalence of generalised anxiety in England is 6.6%3
Be Mindful Online is an online mindfulness course offered by the Mental Health Foundation. Research on the online course in 2013 found that for the 273 people that completed the course, there was, on average, a 58% reduction in anxiety levels.
A comprehensive summary of mental health research, providing a unique handbook of key facts and figures, covering all key areas of mental health. Updated for World Mental Health Day in 2015.
For all the facts, download the full publication. Below are the top-line statistics.
The extent of mental health problems
One in four people in the UK will experience a mental health problem in any given year.
Mental health problems are one of the main causes of the burden of disease worldwide. In the UK, they are responsible for the largest burden of disease - 28% of the burden, compared to 16% each for cancer and heart disease.
The cost of mental health problems
Mental health services in the UK are overstretched, have long waiting times and, in some regions, lack specialist services. Despite this, public spending is focused almost entirely on coping with crisis, with only a significant investment in prevention. Mental health research receives only 5.5% (£115 million) of total UK health research spending.
Mental health problems constitute the largest single source of world economic burden, with an estimated global cost of £1.6 trillion - greater than cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, cancer and diabetes on their own.
In the UK, the estimated costs of mental health problems are £70-100 billion each year and account for 4.5% of GDP.
Physical health and mental health
There are strong links between physical and mental health problems. Research has found that 30% of people with a long-term physical health problem also have a mental health problem and 46% of people with a mental health problem also had a long-term physical health problem.
What Causes Insomnia?
Insomnia can be caused by psychiatric and medical conditions, unhealthy sleep habits, specific substances, and/or certain biological factors. Recently, researchers have begun to think about insomnia as a problem of your brain being unable to stop being awake (your brain has a sleep cycle and a wake cycle—when one is turned on the other is turned off—insomnia can be a problem with either part of this cycle: too much wake drive or too little sleep drive). It’s important to first understand what could be causing your sleep difficulties.
Medical Causes of Insomnia
There are many medical conditions (some mild and others more serious) that can lead to insomnia. In some cases, a medical condition itself causes insomnia, while in other cases, symptoms of the condition cause discomfort that can make it difficult for a person to sleep.
Examples of medical conditions that can cause insomnia are:
Nasal/sinus allergies
Gastrointestinal problems such as reflux
Endocrine problems such as hyperthyroidism
Arthritis
Asthma
Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease
Chronic pain
Low back pain
Medications such as those taken for the common cold and nasal allergies, high blood pressure, heart disease, thyroid disease, birth control, asthma, and depression can also cause insomnia.
In addition, insomnia may be a symptom of underlying sleep disorders. For example, restless legs syndrome—a neurological condition in which a person has an uncomfortable sensation of needing to move his or her legs—can lead to insomnia. Patients with restless legs syndrome typically experience worse symptoms in the later part of the day, during periods of inactivity, and in the transition from wake to sleep, which means that falling asleep and staying asleep can be difficult. An estimated 10 percent of the population has restless legs syndrome.
Sleep apnea is another sleep disorder linked to insomnia. With sleep apnea, a person’s airway becomes partially or completely obstructed during sleep, leading to pauses in breathing and a drop in oxygen levels. This causes a person to wake up briefly but repeatedly throughout the night. People with sleep apnea sometimes report experiencing insomnia.
If you have trouble sleeping on a regular basis, it’s a good idea to review your health and think about whether any underlying medical issues or sleep disorders could be contributing to your sleep problems. In some cases, there are simple steps that can be taken to improve sleep (such as avoiding bright lighting while winding down and trying to limit possible distractions, such as a TV, computer, or pets). While in other cases, it’s important to talk to your doctor to figure out a course of action. You should not simply accept poor sleep as a way of life—talk to your doctor or a sleep specialist for help.
Insomnia & Depression
Insomnia can be caused by psychiatric conditions such as depression. Psychological struggles can make it hard to sleep, insomnia itself can bring on changes in mood, and shifts in hormones and physiology can lead to both psychiatric issues and insomnia at the same time.
Sleep problems may represent a symptom of depression, and the risk of severe insomnia is much higher in patients with major depressive disorders. Studies show that insomnia can also trigger or worsen depression.
It’s important to know that symptoms of depression (such as low energy, loss of interest or motivation, feelings of sadness or hopelessness) and insomnia can be linked, and one can make the other worse. The good news is that both are treatable regardless of which came first.
Insomnia & Anxiety
Most adults have had some trouble sleeping because they feel worried or nervous, but for some it’s a pattern that interferes with sleep on a regular basis. Anxiety symptoms that can lead to insomnia include:
Tension
Getting caught up in thoughts about past events
Excessive worrying about future events
Feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities
A general feeling of being revved up or overstimulated
It’s not hard to see why these symptoms of general anxiety can make it difficult to sleep. Anxiety may be associated with onset insomnia (trouble falling asleep), or maintenance insomnia (waking up during the night and not being able to return to sleep). In either case, the quiet and inactivity of night often brings on stressful thoughts or even fears that keep a person awake.
When this happens for many nights (or many months), you might start to feel anxiousness, dread, or panic at just the prospect of not sleeping. This is how anxiety and insomnia can feed each other and become a cycle that should be interrupted through treatment. There are cognitive and mind-body techniques that help people with anxiety settle into sleep, and overall healthy sleep practices that can improve sleep for many people with anxiety and insomnia.
Depression may also be accompanied by anxiety, low self-esteem, and physical symptoms such as back pain, headaches and gastrointestinal problems. Sleep problems such as insomnia and daytime sleepiness are often among the most debilitating features of depression.
Depressive illness may take different forms, including major depressive disorder (MDD), dysthymia, and bipolar disorder. MDD refers to an impaired ability to eat, sleep, work, think, enjoy activities and feel pleasure. Dysthymia is a mild yet more persistent form of depression. Another form of depressive illness is bipolar disorder (manic depressive illness), which is characterized by extreme highs and lows. During high phases, bipolar patients may be energetic, talkative, and joyful. During lows, they experience symptoms of depression.
impact;
According to several earlier prospective studies, the presence of insomnia is associated with an increased risk of depression, anxiety and suicide, with increased odds ratios (ORs), ranging from 2 to 5, compared with those without insomnia.
DEPRESSION AND SLEEP
Feeling sad every now and then is a fundamental part of the human experience, especially during difficult or trying times. In contrast, persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, hopelessness and disinterest in things that were once enjoyed are symptoms of depression, an illness that affects at least 20 million Americans. Depression is not something that a person can ignore or simply will away. Rather, it is a serious disorder that affects the way a person eats, sleeps, feels and thinks. The cause of depression is not known, but it can be effectively controlled with treatment.
The relationship between sleep and depressive illness is complex – depression may cause sleep problems and sleep problems may cause or contribute to depressive disorders. For some people, symptoms of depression occur before the onset of sleep problems. For others, sleep problems appear first. Sleep problems and depression may also share risk factors and biological features and the two conditions may respond to some of the same treatment strategies. Sleep problems are also associated with more severe depressive illness.
Insomnia is very common among depressed patients. Evidence suggests that people with insomnia have a ten-fold risk of developing depression compared with those who sleep well. Depressed individuals may suffer from a range of insomnia symptoms, including difficulty falling asleep (sleep onset insomnia), difficulty staying asleep (sleep maintenance insomnia), unrefreshing sleep, and daytime sleepiness. However, research suggests that the risk of developing depression is highest among people with both sleep onset and sleep maintenance insomnia.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is also linked with depression. In a study of 18,980 people in Europe conducted by Stanford researcher Maurice Ohayon, MD, PhD, people with depression were found to be five times more likely to suffer from sleep-disordered breathing (OSA is the most common form of sleep disordered breathing). The good news is that treating OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may improve depression; a 2007 study of OSA patients who used CPAP for one year showed that improvements in symptoms of depression were significant and lasting.
In many cases, because symptoms of depression overlap with symptoms of sleep disorders, there is a risk of misdiagnosis. For example, depressed mood can be a sign of insomnia, OSA or narcolepsy. Restless legs syndrome (RLS), a neurological condition that causes discomfort in the legs and sleep problems, is also associated with depression. According to the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation, approximately 40% of people with RLS complain of symptoms that would indicate depression if assessed without consideration of a sleep disorder.
Many children and adolescents with depression suffer from sleep problems such as insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness) or both. According to recent research, children with depression who suffer from both insomnia and hypersomnia are more likely to have severe and longer-lasting depression. They are also more likely to suffer from weight loss, impaired movement, and anhedonia (an inability to feel pleasure). Additionally, NSF’s 2006 Sleep in America poll, which focused on children aged 11 to 17, found a strong association between negative mood and sleep problems. Among adolescents who reported being unhappy, 73% reported not sleeping enough at night.
Depression affects all types of people from all over the world, but certain people are more likely than others to develop depression, including women and older adults. Among older adults, higher rates of depression and sleep problems may be explained in part by higher rates of physical illness. Among women, motherhood and hormonal changes throughout the life cycle (menstruation, menopause) may contribute to higher rates of depression. Among women and older adults, higher rates of depression may also be explained by higher rates of insomnia in these groups.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as “winter depression,” is one type of depression. SAD is believed to be influenced by the changing patterns of light and darkness that occur with the approach of winter. Circadian rhythms are regulated by the body’s internal clock and by exposure to sunshine. When the days get shorter in autumn, circadian rhythms may become desynchronized and trigger depression. For most people with SAD, depressive symptoms resolve in springtime with increasing hours of daylight. when the days lengthen out.
Living with depression can be extremely difficult. Depression not only affects the way a person feels and thinks but research suggests that it is also associated with serious chronic health problems such as heart disease. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, it is very important to seek treatment as soon as possible.
Symptoms of depression vary from person to person. The following is a list of the most common symptoms. Some depression patients have only one of these, while others may have some, most or all:
Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and sadness
Thoughts of death or suicide
Loss of interest in things that were once pleasurable
Concentration problems
Forgetfulness
Loss of libido
Changes in weight and appetite
Daytime sleepiness
Loss of energy
Insomnia
Insomnia & Lifestyle
Insomnia can be triggered or perpetuated by your behaviors and sleep patterns. Unhealthy lifestyles and sleep habits can create insomnia on their own (without any underlying psychiatric or medical problem), or they can make insomnia caused by another problem worse.
Examples of how specific lifestyles and sleep habits can lead to insomnia are:
You work at home in the evenings. This can make it hard to unwind, and it can also make you feel preoccupied when it comes time to sleep. The light from your computer could also make your brain more alert.
You take naps (even if they are short) in the afternoon. Short naps can be helpful for some people, but for others they make it difficult to fall asleep at night.
You sometimes sleep in later to make up for lost sleep. This can confuse your body’s clock and make it difficult to fall asleep again the following night.
You are a shift worker (meaning that you work irregular hours). Non-traditional hours can confuse your body’s clock, especially if you are trying to sleep during the day, or if your schedule changes periodically.
Some cases of insomnia start out with an acute episode but turn into a longer-term problem. For example, let’s say a person can’t sleep for a night or two after receiving bad news. In this case, if the person starts to adopt unhealthy sleep habits such as getting up in the middle of the night to work, or drinking alcohol before bed to compensate, the insomnia can continue and potentially turn into a more serious problem. Instead of passing, it can become chronic.
Once this happens, worry and thoughts such as, “I’ll never sleep,” become associated with bedtime, and every time the person can’t sleep, it reinforces the pattern.
This is why it’s important to address insomnia instead of letting it become the norm. If lifestyle and unhealthy sleep habits are the cause of insomnia, there are cognitive behavioral techniques and sleep hygiene tips that can help. If you have tried to change your sleep behaviors and it hasn’t worked, it’s important to take this seriously and talk to your doctor.
Insomnia & Food
Certain substances and activities, including eating patterns, can contribute to insomnia. If you can’t sleep, review the following lifestyle factors to see if one or more could be affecting you:
Alcohol is a sedative. It can make you fall asleep initially, but may disrupt your sleep later in the night.
Caffeine is a stimulant. Most people understand the alerting power of caffeine and use it in the morning to help them start the day and feel productive. Caffeine in moderation is fine for most people, but excessive caffeine can cause insomnia. A 2005 National Sleep Foundation poll found that people who drank four or more cups/cans of caffeinated drinks a day were more likely than those who drank zero to one cups/cans daily to experience at least one symptom of insomnia at least a few nights each week.
Caffeine can stay in your system for as long as eight hours, so the effects are long lasting. If you have insomnia, do not consume food or drinks with caffeine too close to bedtime.
Nicotine is also a stimulant and can cause insomnia. Smoking cigarettes or tobacco products close to bedtime can make it hard to fall asleep and to sleep well through the night. Smoking is damaging to your health. If you smoke, you should stop.
Heavy meals close to bedtime can disrupt your sleep. The best practice is to eat lightly before bedtime. When you eat too much in the evening, it can cause discomfort and make it hard for your body to settle and relax. Spicy foods can also cause heartburn and interfere with your sleep.
Insomnia & The Brain
In some cases, insomnia may be caused by certain neurotransmitters in the brain that are known to be involved with sleep and wakefulness.
There are many possible chemical interactions in the brain that could interfere with sleep and may explain why some people are biologically prone to insomnia and seem to struggle with sleep for many years without any identifiable cause—even when they follow healthy sleep advice.
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