Pillows are not Just for Sleeping

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Cures For Sleep Apnea
Dated: 16 Dec 2009
Comments: 0

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor s book (Irish Proverb). However, getting to sleep is sometimes the problem. With all our pressures, problems and pains of everyday living, it is no wonder that millions suffer from sleep disorders. According to a national survey, 54% of adults said they have experienced insomnia at one time or another. Additionally, back pain, neck stiffness, muscle injuries and menopause can add to sleeplessness.

Today, pillows are not just something fluffy to place beneath our head at night. They are chiropractor approved, sleep doctor designed and specifically created to assist in pain relief, snoring cessation, spinal alignment, neck support, headache relief, joint strain pain, arthritis relief, sleep apnea and much more, while accommodating and stabilizing injuries and conditions. The basic sleeping pillow filled with foam or feathers is a thing of the past.

The fillings for pillows have also changed. Feathers and foam are still available, but new materials have been introduced such as buckwheat hulls, mustard seeds, memory foam and new types of fiber. Added to that are pillows filled with air and/or water and magnetic therapy pillows. These different surfaces provide different types and levels of support for the body and can, over time, heal and correct certain conditions such as degenerative discs, sleep apnea, snoring, insomnia, etc.

How often have you had to punch your pillow into a shape that supports your neck and is comfortable for sleeping? Most of us have had to do this at one time or another. Now, pillows are available in a variety of sizes and shapes. Listed below are a few specific pillows designed to aid sleep:

• Econo Wave Pillow: this pillow has a wavy surface to allow air to circulate while soothing and supporting the neck.

• Buckwheat Hull or Mustard Seed Pillows: these pillows can conform to any shape, come in a multitude of sizes, provide air circulation, help reduce stiff neck and insomnia and come in a variety of scents. Mustard seeds are also believed to relieve backache, joint pain, muscle aches, rheumatism or migraine headaches, while buckwheat hulls provide support and cooling of the head and neck and can help reduce stiff neck and insomnia.

• Air Core Adjustable Pillow: a cervical fiber pillow with a trapezoid shaped center that adjusts the level of support using an air pump and can reduce snoring by correcting blocked airways.

• AquaCore 3 in 1 Pillow: This pillow consists of fiber, resilient foam, plus and easy, fill to your level water cushion that addresses the cause of pain and restores proper neck curvature.

• Leg Spacer: This specialty pillow helps relieve pressure and strain on the lower back, knees and ankles and helps relax muscles while sleeping by placing the pillow between your knees.

• Headache Ice Pillo: This pillow uses medically recommended cold therapy in treating dull, moderate and severe tension or migraine headaches.

• Dreamzz Magnetic Sleeping Pillow: Get a great sleep and wake up refreshed while sleeping on this pillow that produces a calming therapeutic magnetic field that soothes away tension and stress while sleeping.

Pillows are also available for neck support, back support and headache relief:

• The Magnetic Lumbar Pillow is a half roll foam pillow that relieves pain due to muscle strains, sprains, sciatica and herniated discs by delivering a deep penetrating bio north magnetic field.

• The Jackson Roll is a versatile fiber filled support pillow that provides comfort and support for muscle and joint pain, as well as adding curvature to your spine. (I can personally attest that this works to help relieve the pain of degenerative discs.)

• The Soothe A Ciser foam pillow helps relieve headaches and neck pain.

These are just a few of the pillows offered on the market today, along with many others that address specific conditions or injuries. The response of the public to these specialty pillows has been tremendous and will grow in popularity as sleep conditions, sleep disorders and aches and pains multiply. Also, these pillows provide a noninvasive method of relieving and perhaps eliminating pain without medication or surgery.

http://www.spineshoppe.com

11 Cures for Insomnia by Changing your Sleeping Habits

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Cures For Sleep Apnea
Dated: 13 Dec 2009
Comments: 0

We spent one third of our life sleeping – an activity seemingly to be useless. But we need sleep as much as we need oxgen and food. Sleep is important to us : it increases one’s work efficiency, extends one’s lifespan, cures illnesses. One should not deprive him/herself of sleep.

But during our lives, we will experience some sleepless nights which are considered normal. But for some people, poor quality sleep is a recurring or even a lifelong problem.

When your sleep quality is affected, the end results could well be feelings of fatigue during the day, irritability, poor memory, loss of productivity and loss of interest in family and social life.

Thus, focusing on improving your sleep quality is very important to your health. The quality of sleep is associated with number of sleeping hours. Doctors normally recommend that adults should need 7 to 10 hours of sleep daily and children would require more hours. But it varies among individuals. What matters is, for the duration you sleep, are you achieving the right quality of sleep?

Insomnia, or the inability to sleep well, is a common problem which could affect anyone at one time or another. A person with insomnia may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, wake up frequently during the night, or wake up earlier than desired the next morning.

There are two kinds of insomnia, acute insomnia and chronic insomnia.

Acute insomnia, which can last from one night up to several weeks, may be caused by:

1. A single stressful event

2. A period of emotional stress

3. Illness

4. Temporary pain or discomfort

5. Disturbances in the sleeping environment such as noise, light or sleeping in a different bed

6. A change in the normal sleep pattern, caused by jet lag or working in a late shift

This kind of insomnia usually doesn’t last long once the root cause(s) is resolved. But be extra careful as insufficient sleep could cloud your judgement, leading to accidents while driving or at work.

Chronic insomnia is more serious as it can last for months or even years. The likely causes are:

1. Existing mental health situations eg. depression, anxiety or stress.

2. Poor sleep habits, such as watching television programmes in bed or going to bed at different times.

3. Excessive consumption of caffeine or nicotine laden items like coffee, tea or cigarettes.

4. Excessive drinking

5. Lack of regular exercise

6. Existing medical health problems such as breathing or heart problems, hormonal or digestive disorder, or chronic pain

7. Side effects of certain drugs

8. A different sleep disorder such as sleep apnea.

Before we go on, a little more explanation is required here for sleep apnea. It is a condition whereby a person regularly stops breathing, or has slowed breathing during sleep for 10 seconds or longer. Depending on the frequency the breathing stops (apnea) or slows (hypopnea), we classify the condition as mild, moderate or severe.

A person suffering from sleep apnea may snore loudly, and have restless sleep with difficulty breathing. As a result, he may wake up with a headache and tiredness which last the whole day. But, you can cure sleep apnea by adjusting your sleeping habits. Sometimes, doctors may suggest use of devices to help easier breathing during sleep or even surgery.

Insomnia can be cured as long as the victim develops a regular sleeping habit.

Here are some remedies to help you ease or eliminate your sleeping disorder:

1. Reserve your bedroom for sleeping and sex only i.e. avoid eating, working, computers, TV, video or loud music in the bedroom

2. Create a clean and comfy environment for sleeping

Sleep Apnea: A Silent Killer

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Sleep Apnea
Dated: 13 Nov 2009
Comments: 0

Getting a good night sleep is essential for your well-being. However, many people don’t realize that they are often sleep-deprived because of breathing problems. Over 90 percent of people who snore are at risk for sleep disordered breathing, or sleep apnea.
According to the National Sleep Foundation research, about 18 million of adults are not getting enough sleep because of sleep apnea. Suffering with sleep deprivation will make you feel tired and groggy, which leads to poor productivity at work and even result in bad driving habits. Your bedmate can eventually get tired of your constant moving and breathing irregularities which can cause stress and strain on your relationship and lead to separate bedrooms.
Pauses in breathing while asleep is called sleep apnea or sleep disordered breathing. Most often adults are diagnosed with obstructive apnea, or sleep disordered breathing which is caused by the blockage of the breathing passage by tonsils and adenoids.
Sleep apnea affects you in ways that you couldn’t dream of. The vicious circle of sleep apnea starts when a throat is blocked, blood oxygen level falls due to the lack of breath, and a person wakes up gasping for air.
People with sleep apnea often feel tired and sleepy during the day because their sleep quality is affected, as they move out of deep sleep and into light sleep several times during the night. These periods of not breathing, as short as they are, will inevitably wake you up from deep sleep. As a result, you are not getting enough rest from your sleep. Plus, sleep apnea causes a reduction of oxygen in the bloodstream which results in overall deprivation of cellular functions in your body.
If you snore, sleep restlessly, gasp and pause when breathing at sleep, especially during deep sleep, most likely you have sleep apnea. You can detect these symptoms yourself, or most likely you have been told about them by your partner. Sleep apnea is most common in people who are overweight. Men are also more at risk than women. Almost all people who have sleep apnea snore – at least once during the night. However, not all people who snore have sleep apnea. It’s important to check for other sleep apnea symptoms to see if you have this medical condition.
The most common symptoms of sleep apnea are snoring and sleepiness during the day. Other symptoms include:
Restless tossing and turning during sleep.
Nighttime choking
Nighttime sweating
Mild to severe chest pain
Waking tired after sleep
Having problems with memory and concentration
Feeling irritable and nervous
Experiencing personality changes
Morning headaches
Heartburn
Swelling of the legs
Undetected sleep apnea may increase your risk for hypertension, heart attack or stroke, as well as diabetes and work-related and driving accidents. Sleep apnea can also cause brain damage and result in shorter life span.
If sleep apnea is successfully treated and you start sleeping better, you will experience a huge boost of energy. Many people even report having less asthma, they are calmer, with more positive outlook; they have improved stamina and better functioning immune system. So if you suspect you or your partner is suffering with this condition you should speak to your doctor to discuss possible treatment plans.