Fun With Insomnia Blog

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Is the game already in the bag or has it just begun?

I’m rooting for both of them (even as a Libertarian Chicago fan) but I’m afraid the Steelers are a much safer bet, even in a game where anything can happen.

The Steelers at the AFC division championship game should become engaged in a defensive standoff with the Ravens. Obama has to deal with the offensive standoff between Israel and Palestine.
I don’t know about you but I’d rather be slide tackled Terrell Suggs than have Hamas lobbing rockets at me.

The Steelers, coming off a victory in the Tennessee, should have plenty of momentum to propel them through to the Superbowl. Obama is facing an economic downturn that may have plenty of momentum to drag us all into the worst recession, if not worldwide depression we have ever seen.
Not making it to the Superbowl vs. potential famine, calamity and poverty for millions… Eh, depends on if your in the game I suppose.

The Steelers have already won two hard fought victories over the Raven’s this season. Meanwhile the US is embroiled in two front’s in the Mideast that can’t exactly be called victory’s at this point. I’d take the latter option if I was Nixon in the middle of Watergate.

The horses I had in the race are already out of it, but it’s incumbent upon us as Americans to have faith and hold our leaders to a higher standard which I’m hoping Obama can measure up to. This one isn’t just a game, Obama gets sacked and we’re all in for a world of hurt.

Here’s to our new quarterback and hoping the blooper reel turns out in our favor. I’ll admit, I’m skeptical, because in the words of George Will “Football incorporates the two worst elements of American society: violence punctuated by committee meetings. “

The cause may seem self evident, but by in large I disagree with your premise. The appeal to this insomniac is a place to let you mind race in the hopes that it will idle down. Oddly enough I’ll also assert some of the crappiest diners also have some of the best coffee, burnt to perfection at times, genuinely quality stuff much less frequently but it does happen. It’s not the coffee keeping me up, it’s everything else I was thinking about before I even considered the destination. Meeting people and discussing ideas is not only good intra personal practice, on occasion you even meet that perfect stranger that just changes your perception of reality. scratch that, more frequently than not. Weather for the good, bad or indifferent at the very least it’s a good place to people watch and self evaluate. On occasion it’s actually relieved my insomnia, either by way of burning out my neurons by way of over stimulation (coffee and or conversation), or by allowing me to self actualize whatever the hell is bothering me. But don’t take my word for it, give it a go yourself next time you run into a bout. It’s either that or smack as far as I’m concerned… just kidding… maybe…

I suppose you could do that who clinical evaluation, “therapy”, head drugs, blah, blah, etc. but if you didn’t know I’m not the biggest fan. It has it’s place for those with genuine physiological problems, but for the mass majority of us I think it’s our own actions, reactions, attitudes and the like that may even cause some of those physiological issues. If it hasn’t got to that point … it is in fact all in your head. Think about it.

It’s amazing how many pills we as a nation ingest, my fellow insomniacs being part of the problem. I do so assert that it’s a problem because the quality of life enjoyed by Asian Monks seems, at least from a distance, to be much higher. The human race has survived for thousands of years without this wonderful cacophony of manufactured drugs and daily boosts of vitamins and the like. Why do we feel the need to pop pills? It’s the pillz effect I believe or the placebo effect. Countless studies have proven that people who think they are being treated for an illness indeed feel better, if not actually are better than when they began the study. What does this mean? I believe it may simply be a testament to the lack of care, TLC or sense of being important that is part of our culture today. Ego is well defined and is being found to be an essential part of our mental health, which appears to translate directly to our physical health.

In short, take a few pillz in your daily life and see how many fewer pills you think you need. It’s vital to feed you ego regularly, take pride in yourself, smell the roses, enjoy the small things as these directly translate to a longer and more enjoyable stay on this earth. The orient has had this little gem down for some time, isolated tribes still have it down, until we come along with all of our pills to screw it up. In my humble opinion.

The Possible Causes of Chronic Insomnia
By Sarah Walker with commentary by the site admin

Chronic insomnia is a complex medical condition, often resulting from a number of factors. Underlying mental or physical disorders can trigger chronic insomnia. <— I’m going to try and have some fun with you here Sarah but you may be too educated for me to poke too many wholes in your logic if the rest of this article follows this level of logic and writing…. Please don’t misunderstand, we know there are a few good medical professionals and researchers out there.

Depression most commonly causes chronic insomnia. <— yeah but being sad is not a disease let’s not forget.

Other mental disorders like chronic anxiety and bipolar (manic) depression also cause chronic insomnia. It has been found that about 70% of people diagnosed with depression experience insomnia. Depressed people tend to have abnormal levels of stress hormones. These abnormalities can impair sleep. It should be noted, though, that emotional/mental problems can be caused by insomnia, which is why it can be difficult to determine if the insomnia triggered the emotional/mental problem or the emotional/mental problem triggered the insomnia. <— At least she admits it, they still don’t know WTF they are talking about.

Arthritis, allergies, heart failure, hypertension, kidney disease, sleep apnea, asthma, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, hyperthyroidism, Alzheimer’s disease, ADHD and Parkinson’s disease have also been found to be the underlying causes of chronic insomnia. <— people who are in pain don’t sleep well, glad my taxes are being used to fund this genius research.

However, physical and mental disorders are not the only things that may cause chronic insomnia. Behavioral factors such as addiction to caffeine, alcohol and other substances, disrupted sleep/wake cycles and chronic stress can cause chronic insomnia. <— lol, eat a lot of speed and jack with your metabolism and you may not rest well either… sheesh why didn’t I think of that.

In women, hormone fluctuations can significantly impair sleep. It is known that progesterone aids in sleeping. During menstruation, progesterone levels go down, causing insomnia. During ovulation, progesterone levels go up, causing sleepiness. During the first and third trimester, pregnant women will experience abnormal drops and rises in progesterone levels, resulting to disrupted sleep patterns, which can eventually develop into chronic insomnia. <— women are nutz, always have been, check. (Sorry ladies, but even you have to admit those hormones are vicious.)

Women who are in the first phase of their menopause can also develop chronic insomnia because the the extreme fluctuations in hormone levels. The common symptoms of menopause are hot flashes, anxiety and sweating, and these frequently occur at night during sleep. Women who are in the menopausal stage may also be experiencing psychological distress, triggering insomnia.

As we age, surges of growth hormone (a substance associated with sleep) become blunted. Levels of major stress hormone, cortisol, have been observed to increase in older people in some studies, but results are not yet conclusive. Levels of melatonin, a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland and is linked with sleep, are found to not decrease as a person gets older.

Children whose bedtime schedules are not being regulated by parents tend to develop mild or occasional insomnia. However, a child’s temperament has been found to be directly linked to serious sleep disturbances and insomnia. For instance, children who were intense, high-strung and easily upset were found to have sleep problems than children who do not have such temperament. However, the study did not test if the traits could have been triggered by problems in the home (e.g., parental depression or marital discord).

Sarah Walker is a health and fitness enthusiast. She currently runs a website helping people with Insomnia. To find out more information and help, go to http://insomniasymptoms.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Walker

Chronic Insomnia Treatment – How Cognitive Behavior Techniques (CBT) Worked For Me
By Nick Robinson Platinum Quality Author and commentary by the site admin.

For over 10 years I suffered with chronic insomnia. And I do mean suffered. <--- Quick someone call the whaaaaambulance.

My persistent sleeplessness had a disastrous effect on virtually every aspect of my life. Life is hard enough as it is, but trying to make it through each day on little if any sleep is like dragging a 200-pound block of cement behind you all day. <--- yes it is, but its been part of that "hard" life for very long time. Generally there's usually a good reason for these things we tend to whine so much about.

Chronic insomnia (or long-term insomnia or hyper-insomnia as it is sometimes called) is nearly relentless sleeplessness that can last indefinitely, even for one's entire life, if no effectual treatment is received.

Chronic insomnia grows out of short-term insomnia and is mainly caused and perpetuated by unfounded, negative thoughts and self-defeating behaviors associated with sleep.

Road To Recovery

I started on the road to recover when I realized that the "secret" to beating insomnia is to be analytical in one's approach toward it. For many years, I was merely emotional about my sleeplessness, and this helped to cause the problem to spiral further out of control. <--- and this dude calls himself a man? Reason good, yes.......

Being analytical toward my sleeplessness prompted me, over many years and much trial and error, to develop a systematic solution that basically cured me of insomnia.

Cognitive-behavioral Solution

My solution is mostly based on cognitive and behavioral techniques.

By cognitive, I mean that I taught myself the proper, rational way to think about and evaluate sleep. For example, I worked to eliminate such negative thoughts as "I know I will sleep poorly tonight." These kinds of thoughts invariably result in a self-fulfilling prophecy.

By behavioral, I mean that I eventually stopped acting in ways that perpetuated and fed the insomnia. For instance, instead of avoiding being active because I was tired, I would act as if I were not too tired. Being active helped to wear me out which would result in better sleep. In addition, being active sent the message to my subconscious that I was not someone crippled with sleeplessness, but that I was normal. Such a message would help to reduce the anxiety I felt at bedtime. <--- (eyes rolling around in my head like spinners) does this stuff really need explanation?

Chronic insomnia can be very difficult to overcome. Don't give up hope, however, if you suffer with it. If you work hard and put forth plenty of thought, action, and perseverance, you can rid yourself of it. I'm living testimony to that. <--- golf clap, you pulled your head out of your ass.

For information on the techniques I used to overcome chronic insomnia, visit Chronic Insomnia Treatment or Sleep Better. The information is free.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Robinson

Some of the Effects of Insomnia
By Jeff Farley

The effect of insomnia really depends on the person who is afflicted with the condition, because different people need different amounts of sleep. So we should view the optimal amount of sleep not by the quantity of hours you get, but by the quality of the sleep.

When you are suffering from insomnia, you are suffering both when you are awake and when you are asleep. During the night hours, you wake up much earlier than you want to. You have all kinds of trouble getting to sleep at night, and when you do finally fall asleep, you can’t stay asleep. Because of all this, when you are actually awake, you are fatigued, drowsy, you suffer from irritability and you have all kinds of problems concentrating. The effect of insomnia can be great not only on you, but for your family, the people you work with, and your friends.

The biggest side effect of insomnia deals with your overall health, both physically and mentally. Not getting enough sleep can be especially bad for your heart. Side effects of insomnia can last for just a short time, or they can last for days, weeks or even months.

In order to fight insomnia, you need to find out what is causing your sleepless nights, and then develop some new sleep habits. Try to put any stressful thoughts out of your mind before your head hits the pillow. Also, consider a new mattress. You’d be surprised at what a difference that alone can make.

The effect of insomnia can make your life miserable, but it doesn’t have to. For a natural cure, read Jeff Farley’s ebook Stop Insomnia by clicking here

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Sleep During the Day and Work During The Night
By Lance Winslow Platinum Quality Author

Not everyone who works by night is indeed an insomniac. Some people just like to work at night, without the distractions of the day, hustle and bustle and urgency of the moment. Many night-time workers get quite a bit done on projects that without working thru the night they might never be able to accomplish you see?

Circadian Rhythm is an interesting topic in that regard. Circadian Rhythm being your bodies natural energy flows. Recently in our online think tank this subject came up. Knowing that often I will work through the night someone asked me if I personally was an insomniac.

No, I am not an insomniac, just often like to work opposite hours is all. Humans are somewhat of a nuisance at times; very distracting species in fact. I am sure if you thought about it much you might also agree. So do consider this

Sleeping for me comes naturally and is fine, but if you do not stay up all night thinking of this stuff, then how are you going to be able to come up with all the great creative innovations? I always mention that to folks who ask me;

“What do you do all night stay up and think of this stuff?”

I just say YES and ask them why they don’t. Not everyone works by day, in fact Alexander the Great often worked all night and slept until noon. Circadian Rhythm is an interesting thing really. You need it for your immune system, but at the same time, turning it off once in a while might allow for some cool things. Of course sound travels at night too right?

So if someone in your house is a light sleeper then indeed, there can be issues and as they say; “echoes in the night.” I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

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How Much Sleep Do I Need To Function?
By Phil Tsang Platinum Quality Author

A question that gets asked by most insomniacs: How much sleep do I need? The easiest way to determine how much sleep you need is by how you feel in the day. If you feel like a bag or rubble and ready to collapse on the floor, then obviously you’re not getting enough sleep. Feeling excessive tiredness in the day maybe a sign of sleep deprivation, however the amount of sleep needed from one person to the next really depends on several factors including your diet, age, the amount of exercise you get and what you do during the day.

Generally as we get older, we tend to need less sleep. The optimal amount of shut eye for the majority of adults is 7 to 8 hour. However as I mentioned it really does differ from one person to the next. Although uncommon, some people may be able to function perfectly with just 4 hours of sleep, others may require 10 hours.

Oddly, our biological clocks haven’t adjusted to the 24 hour cycle we have tuned our daily lives around, in fact our internal clocks run on a 25 hour cycle. This might explain why people find it easier to sleep late, but find it difficult to wake early in the mornings.

Surprisingly, some heavy sleepers who can sleep for more than 10 hours straight, still complain of excessive tiredness in the day . They ask, ‘How much sleep do I need?’ Because they assume that there’s always a link between the amount of sleep attained and the amount of energy they have. Often this is the case, as sleep will help restore muscular energy, alertness and concentration.

Quality and restorative sleep is far better than sleeping excessively. If you’re suffering from fragmented sleep, it could be due to a number of things such as stress, worrying thoughts or bad sleep habits such as excessive mental or physical exertion close to bed time.

Sleep enables you to restore and rejuvenate many functions of the mind and body. However, if you’re an insomniac you may find that you are not able to fall into the deeper stages of sleep, which are vital for restoration. Without sleep, your immune system may weaken leaving you prone to illnesses.

Insomnia can affect us all regardless of age, gender or race. The number of accidents a year due to loss of concentration or falling asleep, whilst driving or operating dangerous machinery go up into the thousands. Its total cost, in terms of illness, injuries, and decreased quality of life is overwhelming.

Next time you’re wondering ‘How much sleep do I need?’ take note that there are many factors that cause fatigue and insomnia such as a poor diet, lack of exercise, lack of sunlight and too much stress. If you are interested in more free tips and advice on sleep then visit my website at the bottom of this page.

Philip Tsang is a teacher and author of the book How to Beat Insomnia. For many years he has carried out extensive research in alternative medicines and practices such as acupuncture, reflexology, NLP and hypnosis. Using this knowledge he has helped thousands of people cure their insomnia. If you have trouble sleeping and want to know more on how you can cure your insomnia, please visit the How Much Sleep Do I Need article now.

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Menopause Insomnia, Argh! I Can’t Sleep!
By Randy Hough

Living with insomnia is one of the most challenging health conditions there is. The side effects are dramatic and touch nearly every aspect of life. The good news is that most conditions respond very well to a natural insomnia treatment.

My intention is certainly not to be a medical authority, serious conditions that have chronic symptoms and neurological causes need medical treatment. Yet even such cases are often helped by natural remedies.

Few things in this world can weaken us faster than insomnia. Besides the obvious fatigue, there is the lack of concentration, memory lapses, irritability, and weakened immune system, just to mention a few symptoms.

A lack of sleep has the effect of bringing out the worst in us. The ability to cope simply goes down the drain. Life becomes like an endless stream of event in which we are required to participate; hopefully without making too many mistakes.

Insomnia can take the zest out of everyday life and dull our senses. To top it off, you just can’t store up sleep, like food for the winter. Talk about something to bring on stress!

What is insomnia?

Everyone experiences the inability to sleep soundly once in a while. It is when it occurs often that the problems arise. Generally, it is defined as:

1. Trouble falling asleep

2. Waking up a lot during the night with trouble returning to sleep

3. Waking up too early in the morning

4. Having un-refreshing sleep, even after 7 or 8 hours of sleep

Losing sleep can cause problems during the day, such as fatigue, trouble thinking clearly or staying focused, or feeling depressed or irritable. It is not defined by the number of hours you sleep every night. Although the amount a person needs varies, most people need between 7 and 8 hours a night.

It is not necessary to lie awake at night, your mind marching through endless scenarios of sleep-depriving worry. There is a way to find the rest and peace you need!

Types of insomnia and their causes

1. Short Term- Lasting from a few nights to a few weeks.

2. Intermittent (on and off)- Short term , which happens from time to time.

3. Long Term or Chronic-Occurs at least 3 nights a week over a month or more.

4. Having un-refreshing sleep, even after 7 or 8 hours of sleep

Chronic insomnia is either primary or secondary. Primary means that it is not caused by any other health problem. Secondary means that it is caused by a medical condition, such as arthritis, cancer, depression. It can also be caused by a partner who snores loudly or poor sleeping conditions, such too much noise or light.

Women and men

Women are much more likely to suffer from insomnia than men. Some research suggests that certain social factors, such as being unemployed or divorced, are related to poor sleep and increase the risk of insomnia in women. Pregnancy and menopause may also disturb sleep. The well known symptom of hot flashes can cause sleeplessness as well. Menopause insomnia can make your days pretty long, fortunately there is a lot you can do to help yourself.

The inability to sleep well can also increases with age.

Are there any solutions that are safe and effective?

If your inability to sleep is primary, that is, not caused by another medical condition, then there are numerous ways to find some well needed rest.

Many old remedies are very effective and totally safe. For example, the warm milk drink before bed often works wonders.

Various herbal drinks such as chamomile are also very good, and there are many other herbal remedies that are non-addictive and have no harmful side effects.

One technique I have used many times is playing soothing sounds such as a rainstorm or even the purring of a cat. These products are designed specifically as sleep aids and have the added benefit of drowning out unwanted noise.

Randy Hough

Professional and father of eight lively children who have taught him more than he ever wanted to know!

http://www.SafeMenopauseRelief.com

“Life is too short to suffer needlessly. I’m amazed at how slow we can be to act!”

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