3 Reasons Sleep Apnea Is The Most Dangerous Of All Sleep Disorders

Sleep Disorders are very common. Waking up tired and being tired all day is an epidemic of this age. Reducing sleep for school, job, family and life in general is bad. The inability to rest regularly may need medical treatment. Sleep is the universal building block for the body's ability to function.

Sleep disorders are more complex than lost hours counting sheep. Many medical disorders involve sleeplessness. Some of the main sleeping disorders are:
Obstructive Sleep ApneaBruxism or "teeth grinding"Somnambulism or "sleep-walking"Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) or "uncontrollable leg movement"Rapid Eye Movement Behavior Disorder (RBD) or "acting out dreams while asleep"

Of all sleeping disorders, sleep apnea affects around 20 to 30 million Americans. Even sheer numbers like these do not tell the full story of how bad sleep apnea has become.

Three top reasons for sleep apnea being the worst sleeping disorder is how it affects the brain, damages the heart and is dismissed as "no big deal".

1. Sleep Apnea Causes Temporary Brain Damage

Apnea affects the brain in many ways. When a person's normal breathing pattern is interrupted during sleep, that person never falls asleep. Rest is for the body but sleep is for the brain. The brain reboots during sleep.

Imagine your computer running and running and running, unable to shut down, unable to repair and unable to defrag. It is just a matter of time until your computer breaks. A good thing about sleep apnea treatment with therapy such as CPAP, after a few weeks of deep sleep, the brain will be able to reset.

2. Sleep Apnea Causes Permanent Heart Damage

When a person has shallow or multiple non-breathing episodes while asleep, blood oxygen levels drop. Blood carries oxygen to body tissues. During periods of low blood oxygen levels, the heart pumps extra blood to make up for the loss. This can cause high blood pressure and irreversible changes to heart muscle.

The heart is just like any muscle in the body. The more it works the bigger it gets. One of the main reasons for heart failure and heart transplant is the heart becomes enlarged to a point it no longer works as it should. An over worked heart is a ticking time bomb but it is not the worst condition sleep apnea can cause.

When a person spends hours without enough oxygen, blood oxygen levels drop lower and lower. See above, we know that. Sleep apnea can drop these levels so low it can trigger a heart attack. Even death.

Lack of oxygen to heart tissue causes chest pain. Heart muscle cut off from oxygen causes heart attack. A heart attack while your body is shutting down to sleep combined with a very low blood oxygen level will cause death. Not every time. Many times the paramedics arrive to save the day.

3. Snoring is no big deal. Right?

You snore. I snore. My uncle John snores. Everybody snores. No big deal...right? Snoring is common but abnormal. Snoring indicates parts of the mouth and throat are cutting off oxygen's path into the lungs. If you wake yourself up snoring or someone else cannot sleep near you because of your snoring, it is just a matter of time before you develop full-blown medical problems.

Worst of all, many medical conditions such as:
StressMood SwingsChronic Chest PainMental DeficienciesHigh Blood PressureWeight Gain (in spite of clean diet with regular exercise)

are treated without any thought given to the possibility that sleep apnea may be the cause of them all.

Imagine being diagnosed with multiple medical problems, spending huge sums of money on doctor visits, treatments and medications all because you have one simple, very treatable, medical condition. Sleep apnea truly is the worst of all sleep disorders.

If you are interested in learn more about sleep disorders check out SleepApneaCPAP.info today.

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Overcome Sleep Disorders With Herbs

Sleep is a blessing that provides rest and promotes physical as well as mental health. Sleep is essential for a healthy body and mind. Sleep disorders can be disgusting and can lead to complications like lack of concentration, fatigue and restlessness. Pain, anxiety, depression, trauma, nutritional deficiencies etc can upset your sleep-wake cycle.

Even though there are sleeping pills that may help you sleep in the initial stages, they are not reliable. Sleeping pills are addictive and have many side-effects that can be harmful to your overall well being. It is always better to turn towards the nature and find natural remedies to solve sleeping problems.

Valerian is a herb used for insomnia for years. It is not addictive and does not cause discomfort in the morning. Kava is an anti-anxiety herb that can help you relax leading you to sleep. California poppy is a herb with sedative and relaxant properties. This can even be used in children. It has anti-anxiety properties that help promoting better sleep. Chamomile is another herb that is widely used among insomnia patients. Chamomile tea taken before bed time can relieve the irritation and restlessness associated with bad sleep. Hops, a major ingredient in beer, is used in the treatment of insomnia, restlessness and nervousness. Lavender oil strengthens the nervous system. A few drops in the bath or on the pillow can promote good sleep. Passion flower is an excellent sedative with no side effects, which can be used both in adults and children. St.John's wort can be helpful in dealing with chronic insomnia and mild depression. Wild lettuce is another helpful herb in the treatment of insomnia and restlessness and is safe enough to be used in children also. Lemon balm, American skullcap, corydalis, and bitter orange are a few other herbs that are beneficial in treating sleep disorders.

While dealing with sleep disorders, try to avoid anything stimulating late in the evening. Even though sex is stimulating, the hormones released during orgasm are helpful for better sleep. Listening to meditation or relaxation audios or even melodious music can promote sleep. Having your feet higher than your head can help you get sleep. Sleep in a very dark room to adjust your body to sleeping pattern. Use comfortable room sprays and room temperature that can promote sleep. Using essential oils on your pillow can relax and calm your mind leading you to a peaceful sleep. Develop a positive attitude and a habit of praying that can be relaxing to your mind and relieve you from tensions, anxiety and worries.

Drinking a glass of warm milk before bed can promote sleep. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg or two strands of saffron for a better effect. Massaging under your feet with oil can also be relaxing and soothing. A small glass of wine taken before bed can also help you get sleep. Carbohydrate snacks such as whole grain crackers before bedtime can be helpful. Magnesium is a natural sedative. Include magnesium rich foods like legumes, seeds, dark leafy green vegetables, wheat bran, almonds, cashews, blackstrap molasses, brewer's yeast and whole grains in your diet because a deficiency in magnesium can lead to insomnia and sleep disturbances.

Cut down on caffeine and sweets. Alcohol can seem to be relaxing but it takes away sleep after a while. Do not eat heavy meals before bedtime. Chocolate can also keep you awake.

Sherlock Danielly is well know for his knowledge in herbal remedies. He used to travel and collect new herbal remedies for common health problems. He explains herbal remedies used in China, India, Arab and United States for most common ailments. He found many precious herbs and its magical herbal remedies.

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3 Secret Ways to Reduce Sleep Disorders During the GFC

We all know that stress and anxiety are factors in getting a good night's sleep; so it's no surprise that the recent Global Financial Crisis (GFC) could be affecting sleep disorders. As if the GFC wasn't problem enough!

We are worried about our debt levels, the security of our jobs, whether we could survive if our partner (or ourselves) lost our job, what if interest rates go up again, what if our superannuation savings take yet another hit, we're asking when (and if) we can afford to retire, and worried that our children might not be provided for properly.

And of course, all this seems to present itself just when we are going to sleep, or worse, it wakes us in the middle of the night - when everything seems ten times worse. We all know that physical pain is an indication that something isn't right. Somehow though, when it comes to mental pain, we aren't so motivated to find out what's causing the problem, talk to our friends about it, or "go and have it looked at." Statistics vary on how many people suffer from a diagnosed anxiety disorder - but we ALL suffer from stress, some more than others. On a daily basis everyone deals with some pretty big stressors, and we need effective tools to deal with them.

So what are some scientifically proven ways to reduce stress and anxiety?

1. Daily Exercise

Yes, you've probably heard the before, but are you DOING it? There is no point knowing how to solve a problem if you aren't prepared to take the action to get the great result. And 'exercise' doesn't have to mean pumping out at the gym for 2 hours a day, a good walk for 45 minutes, 4 times a week will do wonders for your stress levels, and your good sleep. At the end of a day we are often mentally exhausted, but our bodies haven't really done a thing - walked to the train, sat at a desk at work, eaten food - that's not really enough to tire our bodies and gain physical/mental equilibrium.

2. Take a Nap or Meditate

Now before you think that I've "hipped-out" on you, have a look at the latest research. It used to be that we were advised not to take a nap if we had sleep disorders, but the latest research would disagree. In the "Take a Nap, Change Your Life" book written by Dr Sara Mednick the evidence shows that a nap during the day can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep by 14%, increased the ability to stay asleep during the night by 12% as well as a raft of other benefits like increased learning and memory function, creative problem solving, stamina and alertness. Siesta cultures have a lower rate of coronary heart disease (CHD), in fact, if people napped three times a week, their CHD reduced by a whopping 37%. So forget the coffee, go have a little nap - and the benefits can start with as little as six minutes!

3. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Basically it's a way to train your brain to start thinking differently - by first observing exactly what it thinks. E.g. When you first start feeling stressed and anxious, do you find yourself thinking very negatively about the last time this happened to you, worrying that you will get a panic attack, thinking about the worst instances when you felt this way - or do you catch your mind doing this and decide to concentrate on something else instead? It is this mental discipline that can change our lives significantly, and even permanently. It can be learned, you can read books about it, there are online clinics, or you can visit a professional who can help you with cognitive behavioral therapy.

The greatest benefits from reduced stress and having a great night's sleep, of course, are that the decisions that we make during stressful times are going to be better decisions, because they are not going to be emotionally charged decisions.

There are many other ways to combat stress and reduce sleep disorders, but why don't you try these three simple steps today to change your mind into health, happiness and being more relaxed about the world economy and other issues in your life. There are many opportunities (even financial) that are hidden from us when we're tired, stressed and negative.
And for sure, some bad decisions are being made while we are tired and stressed.

Elizabeth Shannon has been researching sleep and sleep disorders for over 10 years. She interviews experts and reviews successful case studies to identify and report on natural solutions for insomnia. Totally without the use of drugs.

At Sleepless No More, http://www.sleeplessnomore.com/, find information and natural solutions on topics from grief to tinnitus.

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