Coping with insomnia

How much sleep an individual gets and needs varies greatly from person to person. Sleep patterns change as we get older and can be affected by a number of factors such as exercise, diet, environment and how comfortable the bed we are sleeping in is. Nearly everyone at some stage in their life will experience difficulties sleeping , however for some people this becomes a recurrent or chronic problem which impacts on the individual’s wellbeing. Insomnia describes an ongoing pattern of difficulty either getting to sleep or sleeping for long enough to feel rested and can affect a person’s life greatly and is extremely frustrating. Insomnia can last for several weeks, months or even years despite having plenty of opportunity to rest each evening.

Onset insomnia is the most commonly known type of insomnia and affects a person’s ability to fall asleep in the first place. Other kinds of the disorder involve difficulties falling asleep after being woken up during the night (often due to noise or physical pain), or waking up unusual early in the morning. All of these types of insomnia lead the sufferer to wake up not feeling refreshed or rested and can cause performance and concentration problems which in the long term this can affect relationships and work.

Common causes of sleep disorder are stress and anxiety. When you are very worried about something it is hard for the mind to shut down and relax making it very difficult to fall asleep and stay sleeping. Insomnia can also be a symptom of an underlying medical cause which means it is important to rule out any possible medical and psychological causes before deciding on what treatment to use. If you are worried about any medical issues which may be causing your sleep disorder you should visit your GP or another health practitioner for advice on what to do. Tell your doctor if you are taking any medicines, as some prescription medications can cause insomnia. Your GP may refer you to a sleep disorder specialist. (more...)

What do you do When Your Sex Life Keeps You Awake at Night?

According to a recent report, more than two million men in the UK suffer from bouts of impotence. For most of these men the problem is physical, which often means that they will need to take medication to treat the condition. However, for about twenty per cent of these blokes the problem is all in their heads.

Yes, psychological issues can cause perfectly healthy and sexually able young men to have difficulties in the bedroom. In today’s article we are going to discuss one of the most common sexual problems, performance anxiety. We know, it sounds like something an actor might get, but doctors and sex therapists estimate that at least a quarter of men will experience it sometime in their lives.

Why does it happen? Well, there are a myriad of reasons, but the problem is most common when a man is not completely comfortable with his sexual partner. For example, if you are truly interested in a woman (or man) and it is your first time together, the stress and pressure associated with the encounter may cause you to go limp… down there. So, what do you do when your sex life keeps you awake at night ? (more...)

Prescriptions for chronic insomnia

Insomnia can last for a prolonged period and can have huge effects on the sufferer’s life. Addressing the cause of insomnia is the preferred course of treatment, however in some cases it is necessary to medicate the patient. Prescriptions for chronic weightloss treatments Xenical Orlistat can be expensive if the problem persists in the long term. Some chronic illnesses are treated on the NHS budget meaning the cost of medications does not need to be met by the patient. Life threatening illnesses treated through subsidised care include diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The patient can obtain a special exemption certificate which can be presented to a pharmacist alongside any prescriptions issued by your GP.

Insomnia sufferers are not eligible for prescription payment exemption despite having to take medications on a regular basis for a longer term illness which greatly impacts on their quality of life. It is hoped that the scheme which currently covers diabetes, heart disease and cancer will also be extended to people with other long term conditions. In the meantime certain groups such as the elderly, those on income support or those on benefits are also already entitled to free treatments, so if you fall into one of these categories you can have subsidised care.

Many people believe that the NHS should provide free treatment to all sufferers of a chronic illness where medications are needed for the rest of their lives. The current system which excludes certain groups The underlying principle of the NHS is that treatment should be free at the point of use. The fact is that many chronic illnesses are treated by the lifelong use of medications. This effectively means that patients suffering from these diseases only get free diagnosis - and not free treatment. Unfortunately people with Chronic Illnesses face this type of bill as not just a one off cost - but as a life long drain on their finances. Many end up skipping vital medication or "Stretching" their medication to make ends meet. Often this adds an extra burden to the NHS when the same patients end up requiring acute treatment in hospital. (more...)

The physical and psychological effects of insomnia

Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep, or to stay asleep long enough to feel rested. A lack of sleep can make you feel tired and will visibly show even after just one night’s restlessness. Sleep is important allowing the body to not only rest itself but also carry out any repair work. We all need to sleep a little every day how much we need to sleep changes from person to person. Insomnia can be a körperliche und seelische Ursachen der Dysfunktion in day to day functioning of a long term sufferer.

Sleep is made up of different stages and cycles. Stages being with sleepiness and progress to light sleep, deep sleep 1 and deep sleep 2 and REM (rapid eye movement sleep). During REM you are most likely to dream. These stages repeat in cycles of about 1 hour and a half five times every night. You will feel more rested if you wake up at the end of a cycle rather than in the middle of it. For example you may find you feel better after just six hours’ sleep compared to ten hours’ sleep. The recommended number of hours per night for an adult is between 7 and 8. Though as we get older we need less sleep, may find it harder to stay asleep right the way through the night. Insomniacs typically find it hard to fall asleep, and stay asleep. Many wake up early and are left feeling tired and unable to function to their best ability.

Causes of insomnia can be both psychological and physical, and sometimes the condition can be attributed to prescription medication, environmental and lifestyle factors. It is important to identify the cause for insomnia and seek treatment because it sleeplessness has been linked to an increased risk of developing serious health conditions. (more...)

Natural Remedies For Sleeplessness

Insomnia is not something to be treated casually. Those who actually suffer from it know the gravity of the problem and fully understand the intensity of the impact it has on life at large. Sleep disorders are more common than most of us think.

While the nature and seriousness of the problem may vary, most people suffer from some sleeping disorder at some stage in their life. There are medications to combat sleep related problems. But there are also herbal remedies for insomnia that aim to cure the problem holistically, rather than providing a quick fix.

As the long term risks associated with our post industrial life style become exposed, more and more people are opting for a life that is closer to nature and more organic. Insomnia often turns into a chronic problem if not treated effectively and quickly. (more...)

Sleep apnoea

Sleep apnoea describes a sleep disorder which affects a person's breathing during sleep. Breathing is interrupted during sleep and this can occur tens or hundreds of times a night. 90% of people who suffer from the disorder do not even know they have it, and cannot remember struggling to breathe. Though many people do not notice the problem, if left untreated, due to its very nature, sleep apnoea can be very dangerous. There are two types of sleep apnoea: obstructive sleep apnoea and central sleep apnoea. Obstructive sleep apnoea is the more common of the two and is caused by a breathing obstruction which stops air from flowing into the nose and mouth. In Central sleep apnoea, the brain’s respiratory control does not work as it should during sleep. The part of the brain that monitors the level of carbon dioxide in the blood does not react as normal so the correct level of respiration is not maintained and the body will make no effort to breathe for a short period of time. Central sleep must be treated clinically. In both cases it is normally the sufferer’s partner who becomes aware of breathing problems, rather than the sufferer himself.

The muscles in the body normally relax when we sleep and this includes muscles in the throat, though these normally stay open enough to allow air to enter and exit the lungs. Sleep apnoea occurs when the tissue in the throat obstructs breathing. Sleep apnoea is characterized by choking or gasping during sleep, loud snoring (although not everyone who snores suffers from sleep apnoea), sudden awakenings and sleepiness during the day due to lack of sleep. Serious complications can arise due to deprivation of oxygen, so treatment must be sought to prevent the condition from becoming life-threatening.

The primary causes and risk factors of obstructive sleep apnoea include being overweight or obese, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, nasal congestion or blockage (due to illness or poor respiration due to smoking), over relaxation of the throat muscles (due to medications, alcohol or even age) and other physical abnormalities to the breathing apparatus and involved areas. Studies suggest that obstructive sleep apnoea runs in families. (more...)

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