Category: Sleep Disorders

Interesting Article with some Great Tips on how to Fall Asleep Faster

The BBC has a great article online, “Are you getting enough?”

The article discusses the pervasiveness of sleep disorders in the U.K. (and modern society in general) as well as some interesting suggestions to help you fall asleep faster. Here are a few:

Systematically tense each muscle group in turn until it starts to hurt – about 20 seconds – and then let go. This creates a warm feeling of relaxation, and any tension should flow away. The theory is that with physical relaxation comes mental calmness. PMR is used as a stress buster, as well as helping sleep.

Just repeating “the” could be the solution. It’s known as a blocking strategy, another cognitive technique. The aim is to stop the mind racing. Repeating a simple word like “the” at irregular interval blocks other thoughts coming into your head.

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Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.

Insomnia. More Likely in Women?

Yes! According to a study on the sleeping habits of more than 2,000 women (age 18-64) by the National Sleep foundation, almost two-thirds of the subjects had 1-3 disrupted nights per week and almost 70% said they frequently experience a sleep problem. Only 52% of men suffer insomnia a few nights a week or more. Dr Meir Kryger, the founder of American Academy of Sleep Medicine, claims that sleep problems in women go undiagnosed:  “Unfortunately, too often it is women whose sleep disorders are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed because of a lack of education among doctors about these unique problems. This failure by doctors to correctly diagnose female sleeplessness is meaning sufferers are putting their health at risk while contributing to dramatic rises in obesity and diabetes.”

Full article

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Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.

Not enough sleep? You may be hurting your heart…

A study released today by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that a lack of sleep may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.  The researchers, who monitored a group of 39 subjects, found that after consecutive days of insufficient sleep, the subjects experienced higher than normal heart rates and appeared more likely to experience heart trouble. The AFP article about the study has been picked up by multiple international news outlets.

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Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.