Archive for 'Sleep (general)'
Book Review: Good Night
I was very excited when I learned that Michael Breus, Ph D. had published a book. Breus is the sleep expert on the popular site WebMD, an has other sleep sites Soundsleep Solutions and The Insomnia Blog.
The Sleep Doctor really deserves credit for giving us practical suggestions for better sleep in Good Night. Often when I read books about health improvement, I feel like the author is a doctor writing for the audience of another doctor. Those types of books have a lot of wonderful information - it is too bad you have to go to med school to understand it, and even then it may not have an application in your life. The Sleep Doctor’s book is not like that - it is gives doable advice, and quick hints on getting better sleep.
This is an excellent book if you are not familiar with sleep health because Breus discusses the most common sleep disorders, as well as the common things that disrupt your sleep. Even if you are well read in sleep health, Breus includes latest healthcare discoveries and makes hard concepts easy to understand.
The book starts off with discussing the most common causes of sleep problems, and gives us a solution to those problems. For example, the sleep problems caused by having young children, by smoking, using caffeine, stress, and business needs. What I really like about Breus is that he does not try to make us sacrifce the rest our lives in order to have perfect sleep. He is not going to tell you not to have your Starbucks fix, or convince you to quit smoking. He realizes that people do not have perfect conditions, and he encourages to break down a big problem (never feeling well rested) into smaller problems, and make small adjustments in order to get maximum results.
After these quick fixes, the Sleep Doctor goes into depth about why sleep is so important, and the pontential results of not getting enough sleep. This leads us into the best part of the book - your own 28 day program to getting better sleep (the full title of the book is Good Night: The Sleep Doctor’s 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health
The last part of the book recognizes there are times when good habits may not be enough, or are not right at a point in time. He briefly presents medications, and other sleep aids that may help us as a last resort.
Overall, and excellent book. I definately reccomend that you buy this book, or check it out at your local library. Breus also has information on his website Soundsleep Solutions.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Down Syndrome
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
When your child with Down Syndrome sleeps is his head bent back in an odd position? Is he waking frequently during the night, or is he a restless sleeper? Do you notice a lot of mouth breathing during the day, and at night? Read this for important information concerning Down Syndrome and Sleep Apnea.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs in over 50% of people with Down Syndrome. It has been recommended by U.S. researchers that all children with Down Syndrome be tested by the time they are three or four years of age.
In children with heart problems, a common condition in Down Syndrome, the decreased oxygen levels in the blood caused by OSA can cause some serious complications. Therefore it is important to get it checked out if you notice any of the signs of OSA.
In children with Down Syndrome OSA can be caused by a number of factors:
-low tone
-flat facial profile and typical facial structure -often seen in people with Down Syndrome
-enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids
-allergies and stuffy noses
-the small mouth and seemingly large tongue
The symptoms of OSA vary but here are listed some of the common ones:
-Snoring or noisy breathing ( okay, that’s the obvious one)
-strange sleeping positions (for example with the -neck hyper-extended)
-restless sleep, frequent waking at night
-mouth breathing
-behavioral problems
-weight loss or not gaining weight at the expected rate
How is Obstructive Sleep Apnea diagnosed?
Your ear, nose and throat doctor will likely recommend a test called a polysomnography.
A polysomnography is usually done on an overnight basis. Your child will be carefully monitored while he or she sleeps.
Treatments for OSA
Treatments for OSA include:
-removal of the tonsils and/or adenoids
-getting allergies under control
-the use of CPAP
In his article about OSA in children with Down Syndrome Dr. Len Leshin,MD,FAAP recommends that the removal of tonsils and adenoids should not be day surgery. A child with Down Syndrome will usually have a longer recovery period and he or she will also have longer periods of decreased oxygenation so this child should be watched for a bit longer than a child who does not have Down Syndrome.
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About the Author:
Caroline Brose is an RN and mother of eight children, the youngest of whom has Down Syndrome. Her experience with Down Syndrome is mostly personal. She writes articles about Down Syndrome as a result of the research she has done since her son was born. She currently maintains a website all about down syndrome and is adding new information weekly. go to about-down-syndrome.com to visit the site.
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Tags: []Jet Lag - 7 Steps To A Successful Trip
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Jet Lag - 7 Steps To A Successful Trip
- By Donald Saunders
(c) Donald Saunders All Rights Reserved
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Jet Lag – 7 Tips For A Successful Trip
Don’t let jet lag spoil that much needed holiday trip to
paradise or stop you from closing that career enhancing deal
you’ve been working on for months.
Arriving full of excitement and anticipation is great, but
finding that you can’t sleep at night, you’re tired during
the day and you’ve got an upset stomach and a headache can
do a lot more than just take the edge off your trip.
If you’re seeking ways of preventing jet lag, or looking for
the perfect jet lag remedy, then here are seven tips to
start you on your search.
Tip 1. Clear the decks before your departure.
A much overlooked aspect of jet lag is the part played by
stress. Running around trying to do a 1001 last minute jobs
in the week before you fly. Worrying about whether the
house will be safe. Sitting up until midnight the night
before your flight paying the household bills. Sound
familiar?
Plan well in advance and make sure that you’ve taken care of
everything at least three or four days before you go. Then
take it easy, get lots of rest and set aside time
specifically for relaxation.
Tip 2. Start adjusting your bedtime before you go.
In the two weeks before your trip start to gradually adjust
your bedtime. If you’re flying east, bring your bedtime
forward by ten or fifteen minutes each night so that, by the
time you leave, you’re going to bed about two hours earlier
than normal. This will ‘narrow the gap’ between the time at
which your body wants to go to bed and the time that the
clock says you should go to bed at your destination.
Similarly, if you’re traveling west, put your bedtime back
by ten or fifteen minutes each day.
Tip 3. Reduce you caffeine intake.
Coffee, as well as other caffeinated drinks, both speeds up
and slows down your internal body clock, depending upon the
time of day that you consume it. When you’re settled into a
regular pattern of sleep this doesn’t necessarily present
too much of a problem, as the effects can tend to ‘balance
out’. However, when your body clock finds itself at odds
with local time the effects of caffeine can be quite marked
and add considerably to the problems of jet lag.
Tip 4. Avoid Pills.
With the exception of any prescribed medication that you
normally take, you should avoid sleeping pills, so-called
‘jet lag’ pills and over the counter medication for jet lag.
Not only do these have little or no beneficial effect, many
of them can actually add to your problems.
In particular, avoid the common temptation to take sleeping
pills during your flight. They may well help you to get to
sleep on the aircraft, but they will add to your problems
when you arrive at your destination.
Tip 5. Dress comfortably for your flight.
Choose comfortable and loose fitting clothes to travel in
and tuck a pair of slippers into your carry-on luggage to
wear on board the aircraft. It’s nice to be able to get
dressed up and go out once you reach your destination but
nobody is going to expect you to get dressed up to the nines
while you’re traveling.
Tip 6. Get out in the sunshine.
Once you reach your destination get out into daylight as
much as possible during the first few days of your trip.
Daylight sends powerful signals to your body clock and
you’ll find that it adjusts far more quickly if it is
exposed to the normal cycle of daylight and darkness at your
destination. So take advantage of this and don’t hide
yourself away indoors.
Tip 7. Take something special with you.
It can often be difficult settling in strange surroundings
and, in particular, relaxing sufficiently to fall asleep.
So, take one or two items of special significance with you,
perhaps a family photograph or a favorite bedside ornament,
to help give a little bit of the feel of home.
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Donald Saunders is the author of a number of health related
e-books including “Help Me To Sleep - A Guide To Natural
Sleep Remedies”
Need to cure your insomnia and get a good night’s sleep?
Visit => http://neozigpig.thewmc.hop.clickbank.net
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Tags: []Overcoming Jet Lag
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Overcoming Jet Lag
- By Donald Saunders
(c) Donald Saunders All Rights Reserved
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Jet lag can be one of the worst, and certainly one of the
most frustrating, aspects of long distance travel. Also
called desynchronosis (meaning “out of time”), jet lag
occurs when travelers pass through multiple time zones,
arriving several hours ahead or behind their “home” time.
Traveling across several time zones upsets your body’s
internal clock, which relies on a variety of environmental
cues such as daylight and temperature. The degree of jet
lag suffered can be measured in terms of the time change you
undergo - the greater the difference in time between your
home and your new location, the more disoriented your body
clock becomes and the more jet lag you are likely to
experience.
One major feature of jet lag is seen in your body’s struggle
between emotional energy and physical lethargy. While your
mind is able to process the change in time and location
relatively quickly and can rationally appreciate
environmental cues such as daylight (or the lack of it) and
time of day, your body will be much slower to respond.
Although the time to recover will vary from person to
person, most people agree that overcoming jet lag, adjusting
to a new time zone and resuming a regular sleep cycle can
take two or three days or, in severe cases, an entire a
week.
Although not necessarily serious, insomnia caused by jet lag
can interfere with mental clarity and efficiency and may
have some bearing on your emotional state. Jet lag can also
make it difficult for business travelers and tourists alike
to maximize the opportunities afforded by their stay.
What’s more, if insomnia caused by jet lag does not pass, or
recurs frequently for more than a couple of weeks, it could
be indicative of a more persistent sleep problem.
Natural sleep remedies and approaches can be used to
effectively manage jet lag and, by taking a proactive
approach, you can significantly decrease or limit the
severity and number of symptoms – not to mention shortening
the duration of your jet lag.
Establishing a regular and consistent sleep schedule before
you even start to make travel plans is one important step
towards limiting the effects of jet lag. Simple dietary
changes like the reduction or elimination of caffeine and
alcohol have also proven effective, and travelers who are
accustomed to coping with jet lag often bring along natural
sleep remedies like herbal teas and infusions to help induce
the body’s natural sleep cycles upon arrival at their
destination.
You may have heard that sleeping pills and other sleep aids
are also effective tools for managing jet lag.
Because sleeping pills suppress the body’s immune system in order to generate artificial sleep, as opposed to naturally induced restorative sleep, sleeping pills are not always an effective remedy for jet lag. In fact, sleeping pills can potentially exacerbate the symptoms by delaying the adjustment of your internal body clock.
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Donald Saunders is the author of a number of health related
e-books including “Help Me To Sleep - A Guide To Natural
Sleep Remedies”
Need to cure your insomnia and get a good night’s sleep?
Visit => http://neozigpig.thewmc.hop.clickbank.net
======================================================
Tags: []Gain 100% Control Over Your Relaxation and Sleeping Time
By: dave
In today’s high stress, high anxiety world, rest is the single most important thing you can do for yourself. The time that you select to relax or sleep can rejuvenate your body and mind or, it can be a frustrating task of tossing and turning to seek comfort and relief from pain.
Sleep experts and the medical community constantly remind us that unless we rest well and comfortably, problems can result. These problems can be physical as well as mental.
Disorders related to sleep and rest have been linked to such medical maladies as back and breathing problems, irritability and depression, weight gain, and more. Finding a solution to each of these sleep-related problems can be long and disconcerting.
Pills may offer some relief, but this is usually temporary as the effectiveness of the medication lessens with constant use. Breathing machines have improved sleep for persons with sleep apnea and “white noise” has offered relief for those who have trouble falling asleep.
After years of study and experimentation, experts are rapidly coming to the conclusion that getting a good night’s sleep may actually depend on the type of bed you’re sleeping upon.
Beds have evolved through history from makeshift palettes made from leaves to the adjustable beds of today that conform to your body’s every want and need. These beds were originally designed to offer comfort and relaxation. Now, they’re being touted as the new age solution to sleep or rest dilemmas.
Sleep Deprivation Can Deprive You of Quality of Life
Sleep deprivation can deprive you in other ways that you’ve probably never thought of. For example, lack of a peaceful night’s sleep can affect your waking hours in ways that cause poor job performance or safety issues such as drowsiness while driving a car or operating machinery.
“Time” magazine recently published that “getting a good night’s sleep is an ordeal for 70 million Americans.” To better understand how sleep deprivation can affect your quality of life, sleep clinics have popped up all over the country in an effort to study sleep problems and find solutions.
The good news from these studies is that your sleep surface can be a major solution to most rest and relaxation problems that can lead to medical difficulties. It makes perfect sense that if you can adjust your bed to obtain the ultimate comfort and pain relief, you’ll have the ultimate good night’s sleep.
If you stay awake at night because of your partner’s tossing and turning, a dual adjustable bed can be a great solution to that problem. Back support and body alignment that adjustable beds offer can also help you in your quest for rest.
Adjustable beds bear no resemblance to the old, mechanical hospital beds of the past. Manufacturers now produce remote controlled, electronically operated beds and have made them longer, wider and more durable than ever before.
You can also find an adjustable bed that blends with your décor, uses ordinary sized linen and offers approximately a thousand different positions so that you can find the perfect comfort level.
Don’t let sleep deprivation ruin your quality of life. Research and consider an adjustable bed to see what it can do for you.
Why A Stationary Bed Isn’t Enough
In order to gain 100% control over your sleep and relaxation, the bed that you choose needs to conform to your body’s needs. If you’re suffering from sleep deprivation, don’t underplay the significance of how your bed can control the quality of your life.
Adjustable bed manufacturers such as Simmons, Craftmatic, Tempurpedic and Electropedic offer many options that cater to your comfort needs and will help you gain control of your sleep and relaxation problems.
These options range from heaters and massagers to the latest technology in positioning. If you suffer from allergies, you can find an adjustable bed that is resistant to bacteria, mold, mildew and mites. Adjustable beds offer everything that a top quality stationary bed has - and so much more.
The proper adjustable bed can be your ultimate sanctuary from stress and pain. Don’t skimp on your health and comfort needs when they might just be a comfortable night’s sleep away on an adjustable bed.
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Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com
By William Thomas - For more information on adjustable sleep systems visit the adjustable bed consumer buying guide located at www.adjustable-bed.biz
Tags: []How To Effectively Fall Asleep
By: Jason Rickard
Sometimes, it is hard enough to fall asleep. And it is even more frustrating to go back to sleep when you wake up in the middle of the night. Being sleepless and restless during bedtime is often related to stress and physical or even emotional conditions.
Sleeplessness can often lead to insomnia or sleep apnea. In most cases, sleeplessness is simply a matter of poor sleeping habits. To help you unleash those z’s at night, here are some tips that could help you sleep like a log.
• Do not involve yourself with exhausting activities, like exercising, right before going to bed.
• Steer clear of foods that are high in sugar like chocolate desserts and caffeinated drinks minutes before heading to sleep.
• After working or studying, allow a couple of minutes of relaxation before you jump into bed.
• Find suitable lighting for your room. Too much light can be distracting so you might want to turn it off for a restful sleep. On the other hand, some people can’t sleep without the lights on. If this is the case, it would a good idea to have a study lamp on or anything that can be a source of dim lights.
• Make sure that your room is noise-free by the time you hit the bed. Turn off all appliances, like TV or radio, which might keep you awake.
• The temperature of the room is also of prime importance. If you have an air-conditioning unit in your room, make sure that you set it in your preferred temperature so you wouldn’t have to wake up in the middle of the night to adjust the temperature because it’s too warm or too cold.
• Anxiety can also be a reason for sleeplessness. Try not to think of anything you should worry about before sleeping. If a soothing music can help you veer away from anxious thoughts, then you can turn the radio.
• Your physical condition could also dictate your sleeping habits. If you are not feeling well, you would obviously have a hard time getting some needed sleep too. Always consult your doctor if you notice any symptoms of any kind of ailment or disease.
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Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com
Jason Rickard is the owner of Your Favourite Shop - Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs - Visit Hapa Health Information for more articles.
Tags: []The Process of Sleep in Humans
By: Alex Rider
Many of us really enjoy falling into bed and drifting off to sleep, particularly after a hard days work. How many of us know what our body goes through during this seemingly simple period of inactivity?
Up to the 1950’s sleep was regarded as a time when a persons body and mind shut down for the night. What we now know is that various parts of our brain are in fact very active throughout the time we spend asleep. Time spent asleep is important with preparing us for the challenges of the next day. Slowly, we are unraveling these secrets to what exactly goes on.
Our brains contain very high quantities of nerves, better known as neurons, to which signaling chemicals termed neurotransmitters act to enable us to be asleep or awake. Neurotransmitters like norepinephrin and serotonin, released from the brain stem between the lower brain and top of the spinal column, act to make certain sections of our head fully functional whilst we are awake. When we begin to go to sleep there are other neurons at the base of our brains that become active, switching off the activity of the neurons that keep us awake. Throughout the day a chemical known as adenosine is believed to accumulate, it has the effect of making people more and more tired. Once asleep adenosine is known to be broken down.
When asleep people typically pass through five sleep stages:
1: Light sleep where we can be easily disturbed. Eye and muscle movements are slow. Sensations of falling are not uncommon in this stage.
2: Eye movements stop, brain activity slows, infrequent rapid bursts of brain activity exist.
3: Very slow brain activity, frequent small brain activity bursts. Difficult to disturb at this deep sleep level.
4: Only slow brain activity occurs now. No eye or muscle activity. Difficult to disturb at this deep sleep level. If awoken, takes a few minutes to orientate one’s self.
REM (rapid eye movement): Increased breathing, more irregular, shallow breathing, rapid random eye movement. Muscles in limbs become paralyzed temporarily. Hear beats increase per minute alongside increased blood pressure. Dreaming is frequent and sometimes vivid.
These sleep stages make up a sleep cycle that is completed roughly every 90-110 minutes. Moving through all the stages from 1 to REM is known to be in one single sleep cycle. Half of our sleep involves stage 2, 20% involves REM, the other stages taking up the remaining 30% of our sleeping time. As the length of time we have been asleep each night increases so does our time during each sleep cycle that we remain in REM, the deep sleep stages of 3 and 4 reducing.
To a certain extent whilst in REM our bodies are unable to regulate their temperatures, unusually hot or cold temperatures can disturb this sleep stage. Losses in REM time tend to involve the next sleep cycles REM being longer so as to regain what REM time was previously lost.
Our bodies have a biological 24-hour time clock known as a circadian rhythm, with peaks of sleepiness occurring every 12 hours i.e. usually at night and around mid-afternoon. Through neurological and hormonal processes light appears to trigger people to remain awake, although light is not always required to achieve this result, e.g. with night shift workers inverting their days work and sleep periods. Increased time spent awake leads to a build-up of time that person needs sleeping.
Whilst asleep it is believed that important restorative and adaptive bodily functions are in progress. Long-term memory is reorganized, tissue is renewed or repaired, the mind is rejuvenated. Younger people tend to have a greater degree of deep sleep than the older population. 6-8 hours of sleep per day is all that the average person requires.
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About the Author:
For more information on what is sleep have a look at www.sleepapneafacts.info/What-Is-Sleep.php
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
Tags: []How to Get a “Good-Night” Sleep
Sleep is something we tend to take for granted, but lack of good sleep is becoming a wide-spread problem in the United States. According to a recent poll by the National Science Foundation, only 50 percent of Americans get a “good night” sleep a few nights each week. So what is the big deal about that?
Side effects of poor sleep
Insufficient sleep or a lack of good sleep can degrade your health and affect your ability to function throughout the day. If untreated, sleep problems may lead to the following health issues:
(1) Decreased immune response
A study at Washington State University found that adequate sleep was a key factor in fighting illness. If you are not getting sufficient sleep and you become ill, you may suffer from more serious symptoms and have difficulty recovering.
(2) Reduced memory
According to researchers at the University of Liege in Belgium, a “good night” sleep helps the brain consolidate memories so that theyare readily available during waking hours.
(3) Daytime sleepiness and fatigue
Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine have found that even one night of disrupted or missed sleep in a healthy person can drastically alter chemical balance of the body. This may cause reduced productivity and an increased risk of accidents.
Sleep disorders
Everyone has trouble falling asleep or getting a “good night” sleep at some point in their lives. However, if it is an ongoing problem, you may have a sleep disorder. Common problems include:
(1) Insomnia - Stress, jet lag, diet, or other factors can result in short-term insomnia. Good sleeping habits can cure or prevent mild insomnia. If it continues, however, you may need help. Insomnia can be a symptom of an underlying medical issue, so consult your physician.
(2) Restless Legs Syndrome - This disorder most commonly affects older people. It causes unpleasant crawling, prickling, or tingling sensations in the legs and feet, producing the urge to move them to get relief. As a result, you may experience constant leg movement during the day and insomnia at night. This syndrome can often be relieved with medication.
(3) Narcolepsy - People with narcolepsy have frequent “sleep attacks” during the day even when they get plenty of sleep at night. A sleep attack can last anywhere from several seconds to half an hour or more. Narcoleptics may also experience other symptoms as well, but fortunately there are ways to treat it.
(4) Sleep apnea - Obstructive sleep apnea may seem to be just severe snoring, but it is actually a potentially dangerous blockage of the airway that repeatedly stops you from breathing at night. Apnea sufferers may experience as many as 30 episodes of halted breathing per hour.
Each episode of apnea cuts off your oxygen supply for as long as a minute or more. If untreated, it can cause high blood pressure, heartbeat irregularities, impotency, memory problems, learning difficulties, and depression. It can also cause you to fall asleep at work or, even worse, while driving. It is even been linked to heart attack, stroke, and sudden infant death syndrome.
In the U.S., sleep apnea occurs in approximately 15 to 25 percent of men and in 5 to 9 percent of women. Virtually everyone with sleep apnea snores, but not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. If you suspect you have sleep apnea, consult your physician. It can be treated. In some cases, we may be able to design an oral appliance that keeps your throat and airway open while you sleep.
Tips for getting a “good night” sleep
If you have or suspect you may have a sleep disorder, consult your physician for advice. Sometimes sleeplessness is a sign of an underlying condition.
If you do not have a sleep disorder, try the following tips to get a “good night” sleep:
(1) Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
(2) Get enough sleep. Most people need 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.
(3) Avoid taking naps during the day.
(4) Abstain from or limit caffeine in your diet.
(5) Avoid drinking alcohol in the evenings and do not use it to help you sleep.
(6) Eat your last heavy meal at least 5 hours before bedtime.
(7) Avoid vigorous physical or mental exercise at least 5 hours before bedtime; we all need a “wind down” time at the end of our day.
(8) Avoid using your bedroom for work, business, television, or exercise.
(9) Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and comfortable.
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About the Author:
For information, visit www.softdental.com/about_tech.html“>Cosmetic Dentistry.
SoftDental (www.softdental.com) is Houston’s Top General Dentistry.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
Tags: []Sleep Deprivation and Traffic Accidents
By: Mary Desaulniers
Ten years ago, a former colleague of mine, a fine teacher and person, was tragically killed in a car accident in British Columbia. He was on vacation with his daughter who miraculously survived the accident. What happened was a classic case of sleep deprivation: my friend was anxious to make his way to a chosen destination and despite his fatigue and the fact that he had been on the road for over 6 hours, he made the decision to drive through the night. He never made it there.
That there is a direct correlation between sleep deprivation and traffic accidents cannot be disputed. In 1998, 24,318 deaths were cited from accidents related to sleep deprivation in the US. There were as well 2, 474,430 disabling injuries resulting from accidents where decreased mental efficiency and attentiveness due to sleep loss was the major causative factor. In fact, a major review conducted in 1996 suggested that the oil spill of the Exxon Valdez, the destruction of the space shuttle Challenger, the nuclear accident at Chernobyl( costing over 50,000 lives) and the near nuclear accidents at the Three Mile Island and Peach Bottom reactors were all associated with sleep deprivation of the personnel involved.
Sleep deprivation is often caused by sleep disorders which are unknown to the subjects themselves. Sleep apnea, for example, is a common cause for sleep deficit. A study at the Sleep Disorders and Research Center of Stanford University Medical School showed that truck drivers identified with sleep disordered breathing had a two-fold higher accident rate than drivers without sleep-disordered breathing. Sleep disordered breathing, commonly known as sleep apnea, affects 15 million people in the United States. This condition, characterized by suffocation and oxygen deprivation which wake the subjects up several times in the course of the night, is responsible for daytime sleepiness and fatigue. Put these subjects on the highway and we have a recipe for disastrous traffic accidents.
Perhaps an examination of the influence sleep deprivation has on our mental acuity and performance level can shed light on how we can protect ourselves and others from the disastrous consequences of sleep fatigue.
What happens to you when you are sleep deprived? According to the Traffic Research Center, these are the influences of sleep deprivation on performance:
a) Slower reaction time: sleeplessness slows down your reflexes; reaction time slows down, preventing you from stopping in times of danger.
b) Decrease in concentration levels: When you are overly tired, your attention span decreases. Most people are subject to a decrease in attention every 90-120 minutes; however, sleepiness makes this decrease even worse and it can cause accidents when you fall asleep at the wheel.
c) Disorder in information processing: Sleepiness is very much like being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. When you are sleepy, your mental and psychomotor skills diminish. In one study, a group of subjects were kept awake for 28 hours; another group was given alcoholic drinks every half hour. When both groups were tested for hand-eye coordination, the ones who were sleep deprived performed equally bad as the ones with 0.5 blood alcohol level.
What are the factors that have a direct effect on a driver’s tiredness?
a) The amount of time the driver has been on the road. When a driver has been on the road for 8 or more hours, his driving performance is impaired. The risk of accidents increases.
b) The amount of sleep the driver had the night before. Not having any sleep for 16 hours has a serious impact on driving performance. Research shows that the sleeping period of drivers who are involved in road accidents are shorter than the ones of those who had sufficient sleep.
c) Sleep disorders and Obesity. Sleep disorders like sleep apnea or narcolepsy in truck drivers are a major risk factor. In the same Stanford University Study mentioned above, even weight can seriously affect the frequency of traffic accidents. Obese drivers with a body mass more than 30 kg also presented a two-fold higher accident rate than non-obese drivers.
d) Environmental factors. The lack of resting and parking facilities for drivers is another factor that contributes to the accident rate.
What can we do to ensure that we get adequate sleep?
a) Set up a bedtime ritual-the same time to bed, the same routines like reading in bed or listening to relaxing music.
b) See your doctor if you have snoring or breathing problems, daytime fatigue, morning headaches, night time choking episodes. You could have sleep apnea which can be treated with new devices and technology.
c) If you are overweight, take the steps to bring down your weight. Obesity is a common factor in sleeplessness.
d) Get into a routine of exercise during the day. Do not exercise after 7Pm as the activity could be over stimulating and prevent you from sleeping.
A simple thing like sleep is nothing to be dismissed. More and more studies are revealing a direct link between our nighttime and daytime experiences.
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About the Author:
A fitness and weight consultant, Mary is helping people reclaim their bodies through nutrition, exercise, positive vision and creative engagement. Visit her atGreatBodyat50 or at ProteinPower
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
Tags: []