All Sleep is Not Created Equal

In my last blog we were reviewing the fundamental question of why we sleep.  We left off trying to sort out the level of activity of the brain and body during different stages of sleep (i.e. Non-REM and REM).    During non-REM the body and brain are at their most relaxed state.  Ironically, most people think of REM as deep sleep, but actually during REM the level of brain activity resembles the awake state.  Our most... Read more ...

It has long been believed that ADHD and sleep disorders were somehow connected.   WHAT IS ADHD? ADHD (Attention-Deficit hyperactivity Disorder) Eileen Bailey, Health Central's ADHD expert, tells us: "ADHD is a medical diagnosis. There is, however, no definitive medical test to prove or disprove whether ADHD is present." Eileen also says that there are several other medical conditions that share symptoms with ADHD, among them sleep... Read more ...

In my last blog we began a discussion of seasonal affective disorder or SAD.  We will pick up where we left off.   There is actually some debate in the psychiatric community whether or not SAD is actually a separate diagnosis, apart from general depression.  Those who claim it is not suggest that it is no more than a seasonal coincidence that occurs in someone with recurring episodes of depression.  As support to this idea... Read more ...

We started our discussion about restless legs syndrome (RLS) in my recent blog, so let’s continue where we left off.   Mild symptoms of RLS occur in 5-15% of the general population, which makes it the second or third most common sleep disorder.  Of these cases, only about 2-3% are considered clinically severe enough to require treatment.  It appears to occur more commonly in females and can even affect children.  Due... Read more ...

I'm not saying that the right bed and mattress bed will cure your insomnia or sleep apnea or sleep paralysis, but a bed or mattress that's uncomfortable or unsuited to your needs will add to sleep problems.   What's your bed like? Is it starting to look a bit the worse for wear? Does it sag in the middle? Can you feel the shape of the springs when you lie down? I've even heard of people who were trying to sleep on a mattress so old that... Read more ...

You’ve all seen the ads.  You might have even heard about the charges of “disease mongering” that have been bandied about, specifically about this disorder.  We are going to start covering the topic of restless legs syndrome (RLS).  (By the way, disease mongering is when someone with a financial interest in a disease, like a pharmaceutical company with an effective medicine, publicizes a disorder with the sole... Read more ...

You are what you eat I can hear you saying, "Okay... now I have to watch what I eat and when I eat it... but now you are going to limit my fluids?"   No! However, there are certain factors that should be kept in mind when drinking any type of fluids. One troublesome item is caffeine. Caffeine interferes with sleep with most people. Caffeine can also become an addiction... so watching our intake should be... Read more ...