Sleep is one such time when people usually are expected to lie down still and get rest. However, we have all heard of sleepwalking, a condition where a person walks during the sleep. Though it may sound strange, there is a deeper explanation for it both from a causative point of view and from managing it.

Things you should know?

Sleepwalking happens when a person moves back from a deep sleep to a light sleep or awakening state.
The person who is sleepwalking is usually not aware of it.
Activities may range from simply getting up and sitting up in bed to walking around the room. They could also open the door and walk out to the neighbourhood. Moving furniture, changing dresses or driving a car, may also be some of the actions Most of these activities happens completely without their knowledge.
Mostly happens in children up to the age of 12, but can be seen in adults also, where it assumes a more severe form.
The person who is sleepwalking has a fixed stare with glassy eyes. They may appear dazed and lost when they are awakened.
They may not respond when they are actually sleepwalking, or respond very slowly
They can be brought back to bed and put back to sleep without being disturbed. Most children would go back to sleeping when this is done
Though the parents can be very worried when they see children sleepwalking, reassurance is required, as it usually disappears as they cross teenage.
There could be chances of small injury like tripping or fall during the sleepwalking episode
Sleepwalkers may be more restless compared to other children during their waking hours
Bedwetting is also quite common in children who sleepwalk
Causes

Inappropriate sleep pattern with lack of sleep for prolonged periods is one of the main reasons for sleepwalking
Stress
Excessive drinking
Medical conditions like heart rhythm problems, acidity, gastric reflux, and seizures
Psychiatric conditions like panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder can also lead to sleepwalking
Management

For a parent to see their child walking around in their sleep can be quite disturbing.
Reassurance is required stating that it is just a temporary phase and will not stay beyond the teenage years
Most people do not require any intervention unless accompanied by severe symptoms like going out of the house or driving
Once established, it is advisable to avoid by not drinking too much alcohol, avoiding stress and anxiety and taking precautions like extra-secure locks to prevent sleepwalking and/or other side effects.

Sleepwalking - 11 Things You Must Know!

Getting a good night s sleep is essential for a healthy lifestyle. When a person is asleep, the body rejuvenates itself. Some people can fall asleep as soon as their head touches the pillow but others can find it hard to sleep. Conditions that affect a person s ability to sleep properly over a long period of time are known as sleep disorders. There are many different types of sleep disorders.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a very common sleep disorder. This is marked by frequent interruptions in the person s breathing. It may cause the person s breath to become shallow or even stop briefly. In many cases, the person may not be aware of this happening while they sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway. This makes the chest muscles and diaphragm work harder to pull air into the lungs.

Insomnia
Insomnia can be described as an inability to fall asleep. Waking up frequently in the middle of the night and finding it difficult to go back to sleep or waking up earlier than planned in the morning are also characteristic signs of insomnia. There are two types of insomnia; primary and secondary insomnia. Primary insomnia refers to the inability to sleep that is not connected to any other disease. If the person s inability to sleep stems from another disease, it is known as secondary insomnia. There are a number of factors that could cause insomnia. This includes life changes such as shifting to a new home, death of a loved one or change of jobs, emotional discomfort, environmental factors such as light or noise, jet lag, stress, etc.

Restless Leg Syndrome
This sleep disorder is also classified as a neurological disorder. It is characterized by an overwhelming urge to move one s legs while sleeping. This may be felt as a scratchy itchy, burning, pulling or throbbing sensation. Massaging the legs or moving it only provides temporary relief. The exact cause of this condition is not known but suffering from an iron deficiency, kidney failure, diabetes, Parkinson s disease or peripheral neuropathy can increase the risk of this sleep disorder.

Narcolepsy
This can be described as the brain s inability to control its sleep cycle. This can make a person fall asleep unexpectedly during the day while falling asleep at night becomes more difficult. In most cases, this sleep disorder is caused by reduced levels of a neurotransmitter known as hypocretin.

So, if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms or have difficulty sleeping, it is advised not to self-medicate and delay the treatment. Seek help from a professional right away and enjoy peaceful sleep.

Sleep Disorder - Know Its Types And Causes!

Sleep apnea is a disorder which is characterized as interruptions in breathing when you are sleeping. These interruptions or pauses in breathing usually last for about 10 to 20 seconds and may be repeated over 100 times alongside the duration of your sleep. This condition leads to poor sleep resulting in drowsiness, fatigue and poor concentration throughout the day.

Sleep apnea can be classified as:
1. Central sleep apnea: Central sleep apnea impairs the central nervous system wherein the brain fails to control muscles which regulate breathing while you sleep.
2. Obstructive sleep apnea: This type of sleep apnea occurs when the soft tissues present in the back of the throat block the airway and thus resulting in loud snoring.

Signs and symptoms
The various signs and symptoms of sleep apnea are
1. Loud and chronic snoring during sleeping
2. Interruptions in breathing
3. Shortness of breath during sleep
4. Fatigue during the day
5. Choking and gasping during sleep
6. Extreme irritability and drowsiness
7. Experiencing headaches in the morning
8. impaired concentration and forgetfulness
9. Chronic sore throat and dry mouth
10. Depression

The various risk factors for sleep apnea are:
1. If you are overweight
2. If you are male
3. If you are over the age of 40
4. If you have a large tongue and tonsils
5. If someone in your family has sleep apnea
6. Nasal obstruction due to sinus problems

There are certain prevention measures to control sleep apnea, they are:
1. Limit smoking: Smoking may cause you to retain fluid in the throat which contributes to sleep apnea.
2. Exercise: You should exercise regularly to keep off weight as being overweight increases the chances of getting affected by sleep apnea.
3. Schedule your sleep: You should get enough sleep every day so that your body is refreshed and revitalized. Getting enough sleep, thus helps in preventing sleep apnea.

Risk Factors Associated with Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnoea is a kind of disease that can affect people of any age and is basically a kind of sleep disorder. The person suffering from sleep apnoea may feel extremely tired and fatigued even after having a full night s sleep and his snoring may become extremely loud which is again a serious problem.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnoea?

There can be many cases where the symptoms of central sleep apnoea and complex sleep apnoea may be overlapping which makes it a bit difficult to get diagnosed properly. But, there are certain very basic symptoms of sleep apnoea.
Very loud snoring is a basic characteristic of patients with sleep apnoea.
The patient may suffer from regular episodes of cessation when they are sleeping as might be pointed out by other people.
The patient may awaken from sleep regularly due to shortness of breath and problems in the sleeping order.
The patient suffering from sleep apnoea may wake up from sleep with a very dry mouth and or a sore throat.
The patient may suffer from a bad headache often and in many unfortunate cases, the patients may also suffer from insomnia which is the problem of sleeplessness.
Patients of sleep apnoea suffer from intense problems of irritability and bouts of morning sleepiness.
Shortness of breath may intensify in a patient so much so that the person may get awakened from sleep gasping for air as if choking.
Excessive bouts of daytime sleeping may cause a person to perform very poorly in his work as well.
It is at these times when a patient should immediately consult a doctor for a proper treatment and further solution to this problem.

Causes of sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnoea is caused when the muscle in our throat starts relaxing. It is this muscle that gives support to the triangular piece of tissue that hangs from the uvula which is the soft palate and the side walls of the tongue. Basically, when this muscle relaxes, the airways in the body gets narrowed as a result of which the blood does not get enough oxygen which is required for proper breathing. It is then that the brain starts sending signals to get up from sleep so that the nasal passage can be reopened for sufficient amount of oxygen.
There can also be cases where the brain is unable to send a proper signal to the muscles that help us to breath as a result of which a person does not breathe for a certain period of time. This, in turn, makes the patient awaken abruptly from sleep with shortness of breath and the patient finds it difficult to fall asleep.


Sleep Apnea - Know The Common Signs Of It!

Sleep apnea is a potentially dangerous sleep disorder in which you stop and start breathing frequently while you are sleeping. Symptoms of sleep apnea often include loud snoring and fatigue even if you sleep uninterrupted through the night. Obesity and age are the common risk factors of sleep apnea.

The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, in which the throat muscles contract and relax while you are asleep. The other type of sleep apnea, called central sleep apnea, usually occurs in people who have been diagnosed with brain tumors, infections or heart failure, or have had a stroke.

Treatment of sleep apnea includes:

CPAP: The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device is generally recommended in the treatment of sleep apnea. CPAP is a breathing machine that stops your airways from getting blocked when you are sleeping. The CPAP device is normally the size of a tissue box. It comes with a mask that you put over your mouth and nose. The machine attached to the mask pumps a continuous flow of air that keeps your airways clear as you sleep.
BPAP: The Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BPAP) device is used as an alternative to the CPAP device, if you find it hard to adjust to the CPAP. If you have a weak pattern of breathing, the BPAP can be helpful.
ASV: The Adaptive Servo-ventilation (ASV) device is used to treat both central and obstructive sleep apnea.
Treatment for other medical conditions: Sometimes sleep apnea can be caused by underlying health conditions. Problems such as rhinitis (nasal passage inflammation) and hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland) can cause sleep apnea. In such cases, your doctor needs to diagnose these conditions first before treating your sleep apnea.
Lifestyle changes: Excessive weight sometimes can cause sleep apnea; so losing excessive weight should be a priority. Also, alcohol and tobacco can contribute to your symptoms, so try avoiding those.
Medication: Usually, doctors do not prescribe any medicine, since sedatives and sleeping pills actually worsen sleep apnea. But, in case of sleep apnea in children, doctors typically suggest intra nasal corticosteroid medicine to treat the symptoms.
Surgery: Surgeries to increase the size of your airway or to remove your adenoids, tonsils or extra tissues in the rear of your throat or your nose can prove helpful.

Sleep Apnea - 7 Ways it Can Be Treated!

A good night's sleep is very essential for the body and mind to recharge and be ready to function to its full extent each day. Though, the constant change in lifestyle has altered the fixed sleep hours, it is still advisable that for a healthy lifestyle, 7 to 8 hours of sound sleep is essential.

Studies reveal that about 60% of the UK population is sleep deprived, getting 6 or less hours of sleep. Further, studies have shown that there is a good correlation between a person's food habits and the sleep pattern. While some foods are good at inducing sleep, there are others which help you reduce fatigue that sleeplessness brings in.

The following is a list of foods along with their most significant benefits:

Cherries: Cherries contain Melatonin which controls our biological clock and is often used to combat jetlag. Melatonin improves duration and quality of sleep.
Bananas: Bananas are loaded with Potassium and Magnesium, which are very good for cardiovascular health and cognitive functioning and are believed to induce peaceful sleep.
Mangoes: Mangoes help by boosting the immune system and provide a good night's sleep.
Blueberries: Blueberries are believed to reduce oxidative stress and muscle cell inflammation and are an excellent choice of snack for lack of sleep. Blueberries balance the level of blood sugar and stabilize the hormone of satiety, Leptin, thus, inducing better sleep.
Milk: A glass of warm milk induces sleep. Add a pinch of cinnamon and see yourself sleep even better. Scientists believe that Tryptophan and Serotonin do the magic. Not just milk, even other dairy products such as cheese can improve your sleep.
Fish: Salmon, Sardines, and Tuna are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and also contain vitamin B6. All these are believed to improve cognitive state and are believed to induce a restful sleep.
Nuts: Be it walnuts, pecans or cashews, all nuts have a soothing effect. They are a rich source of Tryptophan, which is an amino acid responsible for sleep. They release Melatonin and Serotonin which regulate the biological clock and manage sleep patterns.
Herbal tea: For instance, Chamomile tea and Valerian tea act as a mild sedative and encourage a healthy sleep. The whole act of brewing the tea with the aroma wafting through the air is believed to promote a soothing effect too. Green tea is also considered as a god sleep inducing agent.

8 Great Things To Eat For People Suffering From Poor Sleep

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