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!

If there is anything other than food and a healthy living that sustains us, it is sleep. Sleep is the basic necessity of our lives. It is the battery that keeps our body clock working. Nowadays our lives are fast-paced with competitions to meet and targets to reach where stress takes a toll on our body. A good night s sleep would be enough to feel rejuvenated, you think? Well, you think it right but what if it is the sleep that causes the problem? What if your sleep is imbalanced?

According to Ayurveda, there are 3 different types of sleep imbalance, arising from Vata, pitta and Kapha dosha.
Vata: Sleep becomes imbalanced when your mind stays awake despite you being tired. Your mind is occupied with thoughts and worries which do not let you fall asleep.
Pitta: It is the dosha which is one of the most common disorder found in the elderly people where you have a perfect sleep but wake up in the dawn or wee hours and are unable to go back to sleep resulting in the tossing and turning in the bed and ultimately giving up.
Kapha: When you sleep well for a long time but yet you wake up feeling tired and fatigued instead of being fresh, is when Kapha dosha occurs.

Ayurvedic tips for a good sleep
There are many people around us who go through at least one of these three imbalances in sleep. Ayurveda has come up with several easy and natural tips to have a good sleep. There 4 great tips among many, following which you will get a quick result.

Oil Massage: Oil is said to soothe our nerves if massaged properly. Warm oil works best on the scalp and on the soles of our feet. Any oil, from jojoba to jasmine, almond to coconut with a few drops of lavender oil could be used for massage. Applying this daily will soothe one's nerves and induce a good sleep.
Warm milk: Drinking a glassful of warm milk 10 minutes before going to sleep will help in having an uninterrupted sleep.
Routine bedtime: Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise . Note the use of the word  healthy  in this nursery rhyme. We have been taught this since our childhood days, only if we could follow. Sleeping on time plays an important role here because inadequate sleep due to long working hours often cause sleeping disorders.
Morning Exercise: After waking up early in the morning, Ayurveda suggests exercising as early morning exercise will help you fall asleep at night easily. You must not indulge in an exercise later in the day because it would make you more active instead of inducing sleep.
Leading a healthy lifestyle is what we all look forward to and that is why sleeping on time and doing the right things like following these simple tips from Ayurveda will lead us to a healthier living.

4 Great Ayurvedic Tips That Promote Good Sleep!

Sleep apnea is a disorder that affects nighttime breathing and is caused by either a malfunction in the brain that temporarily stops sending signals to the muscles that control breathing, or by an obstruction in the airway. 

Causes of Sleep Apnea-
It occurs when muscles in the back of your throat relax, tonsillitis, adenoids, obesity, middle-aged, heart disease, stroke, sedative medicines, large neck circumference, large tongue etc.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea-

Feeling of excessively sleepy during a day
Lack concentration and low memory status
Depression
Short temperament
Irritability
Hyperactive children
Leg swelling
Impotency in males
Insomnia
Frequent waking up for urination in night
Tiresome feeling in morning
Homeopathic  Treatment of Sleep Apnea-
Homeopathy is one of the most popular holistic systems of medicine. The selection of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms similarity by using holistic approach. This is the only way through which a state of complete health can be regained by removing all the sign and symptoms from which the patient is suffering. 

The aim of homeopathy is not only to treat sleep apnoea but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility. As far as therapeutic medication is concerned, several well-proved medicines are available for sleep apnoea treatment that can be selected on the basis of cause, sensation and modalities of the complaints. For individualized remedy selection and treatment, the patient should consult a qualified homeopathic doctor in person. Some of the most common homeopathic medicines for Sleep Apnea are-

Arsenicum Album: Arsenicum album is often prescribed for individuals who have breathing difficulties at night and is considered for people with a fearful, tense and agitated response to illness. 
Lachesis: Lachesis is a remedy prescribed for conditions that worsen at night. This medicine is designed for people who are typically fearful and anxious, but also prone to jealousy and excessive talking. 
Sulphur: By reputation, sulphur is a commonly prescribed homeopathic remedy, especially for nighttime congestion and sweating. Homeopathic sulphur combats a wheezy cough and congested head, both of which are suffered in sleep apnea. 
Spongia Tosta: This remedy for croup may help congestive sleep apnea sufferers as it treats respiratory symptoms that worsen when lying down. 
Before taking these medications, it is important to visit the doctor who will take a detailed case history of your problem and prescribe the right dosage and combination of medication.


Homeopathic Treatment For Sleep Apnea Problem

Sleep Apnea refers to sleep disorder which is characterized by irregular pauses or interruption in breathing during sleep. Every pause usually lasts for a few minutes or seconds and occurs several times at night. This may indicate that your brain as well as rest of your body is not getting sufficient supply of oxygen. Sleep apnea is of two types - Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

Obstructive Sleep Apnea- This occurs when the air passage gets blocked, generally when the throat muscles periodically relax and obstruct your air passage during sleep. It is the most common type of sleep apnea and is characterized by snoring.
Central Sleep Apnea- In this case, the airway does not get blocked, but the brain stops passing signals to the muscles that control your breathing.
Mostly people who are diagnosed with a number of underlying medical conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, chronic nasal congestion etc. are prone to Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Although Central Sleep Apnea is a less common type of sleep disorder, and does not lead to serious complications, various research studies show that Obstructive Sleep Apnea can pose adverse consequences if not treated at the right time.

One such fatal consequence is cardiovascular problems. Sudden drops in the levels of oxygen in blood that happens during Obstructive Sleep Apnea results can lead to increased blood pressure and damage of the cardiovascular system, which in turn increases the chance of a heart attack. Since men are more prone to heart ailments than women, men with sleep apnea are at a greater risk of heart ailments like stroke or heart failure, coronary artery disease and others.

Since Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs due to interruption in the breathing procedure, it can lead to abnormal irregular heartbeats, known as arrhythmia. Arrhythmia can decrease the level of oxygen in blood and if there s an underlying heart condition, these repetitive encounters of low blood oxygen can even lead to a sudden cardiac arrest.

Most research studies have established a positive correlation between sleep apnea and heart ailment. According to researchers, the risk of untimely death increases as the acuteness of sleep apnea increases. However, there are ways of seeking treatment for this particular sleep disorder. You should consult a doctor immediately and get yourself proper medical assistance to prevent the condition from aggravating.

Can Sleep Apnea Be Fatal?

Sleep-Wake Disorder is a very uncommon syndrome which causes irregular sleeping patterns without any real schedule.

Causes
Persons with brain malfunctioning and those who do not have a regular routine during the day experience such disorders. People with changing work shifts often experience such disorder. Also, travellers who often move from one country to another with different time zones may also have these symptoms.
There's no cure for this disorder, but treatments, including hormones, medicine, and light therapy, can help get you closer to a normal sleeping pattern.

Symptoms

Symptoms may include any of the following:

Sleeping or napping more than usual during the day
Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep at night
Waking up often during the night
Exams and Tests
A person must have at least three abnormal sleep-wake episodes during a 24-hour period to be diagnosed with this problem. The time between each such episode varies from 1 to 4 hours. The doctor may advise you to go ahead with a device called actigraph in case the diagnosis is unclear. The device looks like a wristwatch, and it can tell when a person is sleeping or awake.

Treatment
Though there is no simple cure for irregular sleep-wake syndrome, however, several therapies and lifestyle changes may help a person return to a normal sleep-wake cycle. These include:

A regular daytime schedule of activities and mealtimes need to be fixed.
You should not stay in bed during the day for long.
Use bright light therapy in the morning like those from computer screens and television. The period of exposure should also be increased. Exposure to blue light should be minimized at night.
You should take melatonin at bedtime. This is a hormone that controls the sleep-wake cycle. By taking doses at the right times, you might be able to shift your body clock earlier or later.
Make sure to make the room dark, quiet, and as comfortable as possible at night.
Also one should try to minimize the amount of noise in the sleep environment.
Add more structure to the patient s day by scheduling social interaction, exercise, and other activities.
Your doctor may prescribe drug to control the timing of the sleep-wake cycle.
Finally, you should take proper care of yourself. Make positive changes in your lifestyle. You can even ask your boss to make your work schedule a bit flexible.

The ultimate goal of these lifestyle changes is to help the person sleep longer at night and make him feel active and awake during the day. Most people have sleep disturbances on occasion. But you need to see your doctor if such sleep disorders occur regularly.


Sleep Wake Disorder - Irregular Sleeping Patterns

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

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