Insomnia Archives - MyMedicPlus https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/tag/insomnia/ One Blog Daily For Health And Fitness Sat, 12 Mar 2022 09:27:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Is Your Kid Just Refusing Bedtime, Or Is It Insomnia? https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/is-your-kid-just-refusing-bedtime-or-is-it-insomnia/ Fri, 13 Nov 2020 04:58:55 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=6284 The post Is Your Kid Just Refusing Bedtime, Or Is It Insomnia? appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> Source – https://www.romper.com/

I mean, sometimes they just want to delay bedtime, but sometimes it’s really a health concern.

I have never been a good sleeper. If you ask my mother, this started the day I was born. I didn’t sleep through the night for the early years of my life, and as a child, I was routinely up very late. This all sounds par for the course — “My kids never sleep!” is a frequent parenting snafu — but are some kids just bad sleepers, or can children have insomnia?

As it turns out, children can and do get insomnia, just like adults, says Yale pediatric sleep specialist and author of It’s Never Too Late To Sleep Train Dr. Craig Canapari. He tells Romper that infants, children, and teens can have insomnia, and according to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, there are two parts to insomnia, regardless of age. “The first is difficulty with sleep, whether with difficulty with falling asleep, staying asleep, getting up too early in the morning, resistance to bedtime, or needing a parent to fall asleep,” Canapari says. “The latter two are quite common in young children.”

The second part of “oh yes, this is insomnia” is that the trouble your child is having at bedtime is causing problems with themselves or their family. And that gets to be quite a lot.

But Canapari says that parents might also be setting expectations too high when it comes to the amount of sleep children need. “Your 2-year-old may sleep 12 hours a night and take a two-hour nap every day. But if you expect your 5-year-old to sleep 24 hours a day in a 24-hour period, you will be disappointed.”

My son would take two two-hour naps each day, but at night would only sleep 10 hours. My daughter would take a single two-hour nap during the day, but she’d sleep a solid 13 hours at night. I didn’t think anything of it until I realized that my daughter was never going to sleep past 5 a.m. (And is still, at age 9, a very early riser.)

But it wasn’t insomnia for either of them. For me as a child, it definitely was. Canapari says that the first sign of insomnia is fighting at bedtime, and holy crap we’ve all been there, but amp that up for a kid with insomnia. “Prolonged periods between lights out and falling asleep,” can also be a sign, but night time awakenings after 6 to 9 months of age are not uncommon.

Thankfully, there are resources available and steps parents can take to help their children when they’re suffering. “The first step is checking with your pediatrician to see if your child’s sleep patterns are normal for ages, and making sure there is no medical problem causing these issues,” Canapari says. After that, he says to parents, “You owe it to yourself to try some behavioral techniques to help her — and you — sleep better.” It’s a rough time, so strategizing is critical. “Remember, your child may be able to make up lost sleep in the car seat, at day care, etc. But you can’t be the parent you want to be if you are exhausted.”

Boston Children’s Hospital also noted that your child’s insomnia can stem from other sleep disorders (like obstructive sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome); anxiety or stress; a mental health or developmental condition like autism, depression, ADHD, or asthma; certain medications (like antidepressants or steroids); and even caffeine. If you can find something here that resonates with you and your child, it’s worth seeing if removing that factor will help. Less caffeine during the day, finding out what causes your child stress, etc.

Above all, give yourself some grace. You’re tired, too, and while you can classify some children as “night owls,” it’s best if they get adequate sleep. Talk to your child’s providers, and make a plan. It might take a while, but there is hope.

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]]> Christine McGuinness gets candid about insomnia and says being naked helps her sleep https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/christine-mcguinness-gets-candid-about-insomnia-and-says-being-naked-helps-her-sleep/ Sat, 07 Nov 2020 06:31:23 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=6156 The post Christine McGuinness gets candid about insomnia and says being naked helps her sleep appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> Source – https://www.mirror.co.uk/

Christine McGuinness spoke candidly about how she has struggled with sleep since her teenage years, admitting that sometimes she gets as little as two hours rest a night

Christine McGuinness has opened up about her battle with insomnia as she revealed what helps her drift off.

 

The Real Housewives of Cheshire star, 32, spoke candidly about how she has struggled with sleep since her teenage years, admitting that sometimes she gets as little as two hours rest a night.

She took to her Instragram account on Wednesday night to share a picture of herself completely naked as she sat on her bed with her back to the camera.

In the post she explained that she has to be completely naked when she goes to bed to help her sleep, and also uses CBD oil to make her sleepy.

Christine wrote: ” Let’s talk insomnia… I’ve struggled with sleep since my teenage years, it’s totally normal for me to have between 2-5 hrs sleep.

“I’m not trying to ‘fix’ this as it’s just a part of my life now and there are times that I love being awake through the night… it’s the only time I get to myself, but I am looking for tips on how to switch off for those nights that I really need sleep!

 

“For me, there are so many reasons that I don’t sleep, reasons that I can’t do anything about so that’s why I’m not trying to fix it I just want to help reduce it if that makes sense!. I would like to relax if/when I can.”

Christine, who is married to Paddy McGuinness, said she has tried several things to help cure her insomnia, including CBD gummy sweets.

She doesn’t like lavender and doesn’t want to use sleeping tablets in case her children need her in the night and she doesn’t wake up.

The TV star continued: “I just can’t wear pjs, or anything at all to sleep but I need a quilt whatever the weather.

“I don’t watch TV, I’m a televerian! (I totally just made that word up but basically I very rarely watch TV).

“I struggle to read books because I can’t stay focused any more than one sentence and I try to stay off my phone in the evening.

“I’m also Ttotal, have been for 13 years so a cheeky vodka is a no no! But my mind just loves to party all night!”

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]]> From stress to insomnia: 6 Amazing health benefits of Epsom salt you should know https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/from-stress-to-insomnia-6-amazing-health-benefits-of-epsom-salt-you-should-know/ Wed, 04 Nov 2020 05:02:49 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=6067 The post From stress to insomnia: 6 Amazing health benefits of Epsom salt you should know appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> Source – https://www.thehealthsite.com/

Epsom salt is an effective home remedy for many ailments, and it is good for the skin as well. Read on the benefits of Epsom salt.

Epsom salt or magnesium sulfate is made up of magnesium, oxygen and sulfur. It may look like regular salt, but it is more like a bath salt. It is a chemical structure which is often dissolved in the bath. Epsom salts have numerous benefits and are known to be a remedy for an array of problems. It contains several minerals and is very good for your health.

Combats Stress

Stress is one of the most prominent problems in the world right now. Keeping up with the daily hustle and bustle of life can increase your cortisol levels and lead to stress. Lack of magnesium can harm your ability to cope with stress. It is believed that taking Epsom salt bath could help to reduce stress and promote relaxation.

Induces Sleep

Inadequate stress levels can also disturb your sleeping patterns. Epsom salt baths help fight these issues by allowing your body to absorb enough magnesium through the skin. The relaxing effect of an Epsom salt bath might improve sleep quality. It may even help with problems such as insomnia. 

Provides Muscle Relief

People who do not have enough magnesium in the body may also experience pain, muscle cramps and inflammation. Epsom salt bath may help someone with muscle pain. You might want to soak your feet in warm water mixed with Epsom salt if you experience leg pain.

Soothes The Skin

Do you have rough, dry skin? If yes, this remedy may help. It acts as an exfoliant which helps soften the skin and feet. All you have to do is rub a handful of Epsom salt into your skin and massage. However, it is better to consult a dermatologist to check for allergies before you include it in your skincare routine.

Treats Constipation

Epsom salt acts like a laxative that improves bowel movements and provides relief from constipation. The salt clears the body of the toxins and water out of your system. You should consult a professional doctor first for the amount you should consume to get relief from constipation.

Better Hair

Do you have frizzy and damaged hair? Epsom salt may help strengthen your hair and cleanse the scalp. You can mix it with your hair conditioner and apply it directly in your hair. Leave it for a few minutes and rinse. Don’t forget to do a patch test before you do it.

Side Effects

There are no side effects of taking Epsom salt bath. However, it can cause rashes or lead to other skin problems for people with sensitive skin. Avoid consuming it without the advice of a doctor. In case you experience any of the following symptoms after consuming it, seek medical help.

  • Dizziness
  • Stomachache
  • Blurry vision
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Sore muscles
  • Lethargy
  • Breathing difficulties
  • Diarrhoea
  • Changes in bladder habits

Takeaway

Epsom salt can help soothe muscle pain, help with constipation and provide you with many other health benefits. However, there is limited evidence of the benefits of magnesium sulfate. So, make sure to avoid it in case you experience any unwanted symptoms.

 

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]]> Yoga for stress-related insomnia https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/yoga-for-stress-related-insomnia-2/ Wed, 04 Nov 2020 04:58:02 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=6064 The post Yoga for stress-related insomnia appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> Source – https://kvia.com/

Are you finding yourself tossing and turning in the middle of the night, unable to stay asleep? Or maybe you’ve always struggled with falling asleep, but now it’s taking hours instead of 30 minutes for shut-eye to kick in.

With a high-stress environment caused by the pandemic, the US presidential election and a world constantly evolving with debates and quarantine rules, it’s no wonder why many people are suffering from insomnia.

The definition of insomnia is “persistent difficulty with sleep initiation, duration, consolidation or quality,” according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. I know this battle all too well. Prior to becoming a certified yoga instructor and health coach, I had my own struggles with insomnia and was on sleep medication.

Determined to change my habits and improve my sleep, I took up a yoga class on a whim after a recommendation from a friend. It was a weekly class that focused on slow, deep breathing; self-acceptance; and connecting breath with movement.

After two months of doing the class, I no longer needed my sleeping medication to fall asleep. It was as if my insomnia was cured, so to speak. It has been almost 20 years since I started my yoga practice. Insomnia, however, has crept its way back at different points in my life. This reminds me to recommit to my yoga practice and deep breathing, as I had experienced its transformative results firsthand.

In fact, a regular yoga routine helps with not only insomnia but also improved total sleep time and sleep efficiency, according to research.

Perhaps you’re a skeptic on yoga, or you don’t know where to begin. I designed this insomnia yoga routine just for you to focus on poses that bring inward calm to your nervous system and allow your body to relax. Whether you do this routine right before bed, during the day or in the morning, a regular practice is what’s most important in order to help with insomnia.

Breathwork and mindfulness is also a major part of this yoga routine. Breathing in through the nose and out through the nose helps calm the nervous system. As you hold each yoga pose, think of breathing in and filling your body up with air, and breathing out to release deeper into the pose. This mindful attention to your body and to your breath, studies have shown, helps improve sleep, too.

Mountain pose

This pose allows you to start by feeling grounded and centered with the breath. It connects you to the Earth, aligns your spine and allows your body to ease into the start of the yoga practice.

Standing with your feet as wide as your hips, press down evenly through all 10 toes and squeeze your quadriceps (the large muscle at the front of each thigh) to engage your legs. Pull your naval in toward your spine. Roll your shoulders back, and allow the arms to dangle down by your sides with the shoulders externally rotated. Open the palms to face forward.

Bring the chin back so that the upper back is straight. Relax the shoulders. Take five slow, deep breaths breathing in through the nose and out through the nose. Fill up the belly and then the chest as you inhale, and release the chest then the belly as you exhale.

Forward fold clasping opposite elbows

This pose has a calming effect on the nervous system because it places your body in a position that is inward-focused. Holding on to opposite elbows also provides traction for your shoulders and neck to help relieve tension in the upper body.

Stand with your feet as wide as your hips, place your hands on your hips and slowly hinge forward at your waist. Allow your arms to dangle down, and then hold on to opposite elbows with your head in the center.

Slowly shake your head yes and no, and press the weight evenly down through both feet. Hold for five deep breaths, and then release the arms down and slowly roll up to standing.

Triangle pose

This pose opens up the inner thighs and groin which can become tight and stiff after working from home in awkward positions. This pose also opens up the side waist and low back. A tight low back and inner thighs contribute to hip and back pain that can cause you to stay up at night.

Step the feet out wider than the shoulders, and turn the left foot in at a 45 degree angle so that the toes are facing toward the front corner of the mat. Turn the right foot so that it points straight to the right edge of the mat with the right heel lined up with the arch of the left foot. Open the arms out to the sides, and turn to look over the right fingertips.

Hinge forward with the right hand, and then lower the right hand down toward the right shin. Feel a stretch on the left side waist. Press down evenly through both feet and open the shoulders so that they are stacked on top of each other. Hold for three breaths, and then come up to the starting position.

Turn the feet to repeat on the left side.

Crescent lunge

Tight hip flexors also contribute to low back pain which can keep you awake at night. By opening up the hips in a low lunge position, your body will feel more relaxed without feeling overly energized. This is a great pose if you’re sedentary or sitting all day as the hip flexors get tight from being in a cramped position throughout the day.

Step your right foot forward and your left food back. Lower the left knee onto the ground underneath the left hip. Bend the right knee over the right ankle. Reach the arms up towards the sky, relax the shoulders, pull the naval in toward the spine, and breathe for five slow breaths.

Release the arms down, and turn around to face the opposite side of the mat and repeat with the left foot forward.

Wide-leg forward fold

This is another inward-facing pose, with your head positioned below your waist and the back of the legs being stretched. This has a soothing effect on the nervous system. Stretching the back of the body also helps relieve tension from the neck all the way down the spine and down the back of the legs.

Open your arms out wide and then step your feet out as wide as your wrists. Be sure to point the toes forward. Hinge forward at your waist and allow your arms to dangle down in front of you and then place the palms of your hands down flat on the mat. Release the chin toward the chest.

Hold this for five deep breaths, and then slowly come up to standing by pressing down through your feet.

Standing pigeon pose

Another forward fold, this pose aids in winding down the mind, body and nervous system and also stretches one of the largest muscles in the body: the glutes.

Standing with your feet as wide as your hips and balance on your left leg as you lift your right leg up and cross your right ankle over your left knee. Bend the left knee and place your hands together at the center of your chest. Relax the shoulders. Flex the right foot and slowly lean forward over the legs only as far as is comfortable for you.

Hold for three deep breaths, and then slowly stand up and release. Repeat on the other side.

Flow through this sequence at any point in the day. While doing yoga before bed can help wind down the nervous system, performing this sequence at any point throughout the day will have a calming effect on the body and aid in your body’s ability to wind down when it’s time for bed.

If you have days when you’re not in the mood to unroll your yoga mat, switch things up with our five-minute yoga routine that can be done in bed! Both of these routines will go a long way toward helping you wind down for more peaceful slumber.

 

The post Yoga for stress-related insomnia appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> Yoga for stress-related insomnia https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/yoga-for-stress-related-insomnia/ Tue, 03 Nov 2020 05:46:26 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=6031 The post Yoga for stress-related insomnia appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> https://edition.cnn.com/

(CNN)Are you finding yourself tossing and turning in the middle of the night, unable to stay asleep? Or maybe you’ve always struggled with falling asleep, but now it’s taking hours instead of 30 minutes for shut-eye to kick in.

With a high-stress environment caused by the pandemic, the US presidential election and a world constantly evolving with debates and quarantine rules, it’s no wonder why many people are suffering from insomnia.
The definition of insomnia is “persistent difficulty with sleep initiation, duration, consolidation or quality,” according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. I know this battle all too well. Prior to becoming a certified yoga instructor and health coach, I had my own struggles with insomnia and was on sleep medication.
Determined to change my habits and improve my sleep, I took up a yoga class on a whim after a recommendation from a friend. It was a weekly class that focused on slow, deep breathing; self-acceptance; and connecting breath with movement.
After two months of doing the class, I no longer needed my sleeping medication to fall asleep. It was as if my insomnia was cured, so to speak. It has been almost 20 years since I started my yoga practice. Insomnia, however, has crept its way back at different points in my life. This reminds me to recommit to my yoga practice and deep breathing, as I had experienced its transformative results firsthand.
In fact, a regular yoga routine helps with not only insomnia but also improved total sleep time and sleep efficiency, according to research.
 
Perhaps you’re a skeptic on yoga, or you don’t know where to begin. I designed this insomnia yoga routine just for you to focus on poses that bring inward calm to your nervous system and allow your body to relax. Whether you do this routine right before bed, during the day or in the morning, a regular practice is what’s most important in order to help with insomnia.
Breathwork and mindfulness is also a major part of this yoga routine. Breathing in through the nose and out through the nose helps calm the nervous system. As you hold each yoga pose, think of breathing in and filling your body up with air, and breathing out to release deeper into the pose. This mindful attention to your body and to your breath, studies have shown, helps improve sleep, too.
 

Mountain pose

This pose allows you to start by feeling grounded and centered with the breath. It connects you to the Earth, aligns your spine and allows your body to ease into the start of the yoga practice.
Standing with your feet as wide as your hips, press down evenly through all 10 toes and squeeze your quadriceps (the large muscle at the front of each thigh) to engage your legs. Pull your naval in toward your spine. Roll your shoulders back, and allow the arms to dangle down by your sides with the shoulders externally rotated. Open the palms to face forward.
 
Bring the chin back so that the upper back is straight. Relax the shoulders. Take five slow, deep breaths breathing in through the nose and out through the nose. Fill up the belly and then the chest as you inhale, and release the chest then the belly as you exhale.
 

Forward fold clasping opposite elbows

This pose has a calming effect on the nervous system because it places your body in a position that is inward-focused. Holding on to opposite elbows also provides traction for your shoulders and neck to help relieve tension in the upper body.
Stand with your feet as wide as your hips, place your hands on your hips and slowly hinge forward at your waist. Allow your arms to dangle down, and then hold on to opposite elbows with your head in the center.
 
Slowly shake your head yes and no, and press the weight evenly down through both feet. Hold for five deep breaths, and then release the arms down and slowly roll up to standing.
 

Triangle pose

This pose opens up the inner thighs and groin which can become tight and stiff after working from home in awkward positions. This pose also opens up the side waist and low back. A tight low back and inner thighs contribute to hip and back pain that can cause you to stay up at night.
 
Step the feet out wider than the shoulders, and turn the left foot in at a 45 degree angle so that the toes are facing toward the front corner of the mat. Turn the right foot so that it points straight to the right edge of the mat with the right heel lined up with the arch of the left foot. Open the arms out to the sides, and turn to look over the right fingertips.
Hinge forward with the right hand, and then lower the right hand down toward the right shin. Feel a stretch on the left side waist. Press down evenly through both feet and open the shoulders so that they are stacked on top of each other. Hold for three breaths, and then come up to the starting position.
Turn the feet to repeat on the left side.

Crescent lunge

Tight hip flexors also contribute to low back pain which can keep you awake at night. By opening up the hips in a low lunge position, your body will feel more relaxed without feeling overly energized. This is a great pose if you’re sedentary or sitting all day as the hip flexors get tight from being in a cramped position throughout the day.
Step your right foot forward and your left food back. Lower the left knee onto the ground underneath the left hip. Bend the right knee over the right ankle. Reach the arms up towards the sky, relax the shoulders, pull the naval in toward the spine, and breathe for five slow breaths.
 
Release the arms down, and turn around to face the opposite side of the mat and repeat with the left foot forward.
 

Wide-leg forward fold

This is another inward-facing pose, with your head positioned below your waist and the back of the legs being stretched. This has a soothing effect on the nervous system. Stretching the back of the body also helps relieve tension from the neck all the way down the spine and down the back of the legs.
Open your arms out wide and then step your feet out as wide as your wrists. Be sure to point the toes forward. Hinge forward at your waist and allow your arms to dangle down in front of you and then place the palms of your hands down flat on the mat. Release the chin toward the chest.
 
Hold this for five deep breaths, and then slowly come up to standing by pressing down through your feet.

Standing pigeon pose

Another forward fold, this pose aids in winding down the mind, body and nervous system and also stretches one of the largest muscles in the body: the glutes.
Standing with your feet as wide as your hips and balance on your left leg as you lift your right leg up and cross your right ankle over your left knee. Bend the left knee and place your hands together at the center of your chest. Relax the shoulders. Flex the right foot and slowly lean forward over the legs only as far as is comfortable for you.
 
Hold for three deep breaths, and then slowly stand up and release. Repeat on the other side.
Flow through this sequence at any point in the day. While doing yoga before bed can help wind down the nervous system, performing this sequence at any point throughout the day will have a calming effect on the body and aid in your body’s ability to wind down when it’s time for bed.
 
 
If you have days when you’re not in the mood to unroll your yoga mat, switch things up with our five-minute yoga routine that can be done in bed! Both of these routines will go a long way toward helping you wind down for more peaceful slumber.
 

The post Yoga for stress-related insomnia appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> Faithless: how we made Insomnia https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/faithless-how-we-made-insomnia/ Tue, 20 Oct 2020 06:32:03 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=5843 The post Faithless: how we made Insomnia appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> Sister Bliss, keyboards, songwriter

We wrote Insomnia in a garden shed, since that was where our producer Rollo Armstrong had his studio. Being in there all day and then DJ-ing all night was like having permanent jetlag. So I came up with the title Insomnia because I couldn’t get to sleep. Rollo didn’t really play an instrument. He has a condition called synaesthesia where you see music as colours, so he’d just describe how he wanted something to sound. We were very stoned a lot of the time.

Justin Robertson’s Lionrock influenced the slightly reggae bassline. Holding my big keyboard riff back until late in the song was an idea we got from Underworld’s way of building tension: just waiting, waiting, waiting then – bang! When Rollo said “Do big strings” I remembered Donna Summer’s I Feel Love and how it goes from a major chord to a minor one, and did the same. The bells in the intro came from a BBC sound archive disc.

The original album version of Insomnia was nine minutes long. Radio 1 told us there was no hook and no chorus, so we did a ridiculous gig at the Jazz Cafe in London to let people know we existed, with 10 or 11 musicians on a tiny stage. The DJs Sasha and Paul Oakenfold were stuck outside and we had to throw their tickets out of the dressing room window so they could get in. Then a guy called Bill Padley did a 7-inch edit and Radio 1 started playing it.

 

We were very excited when it got to No 27, but it later proved so popular across Europe that Pete Tong campaigned for us to re-release it. Our record label Cheeky/Champion was run on a shoestring, but cannily they held the single back so it came out the same day as the Spice Girls’ Say You’ll Be There, which meant we were racked next to them in shops. That was a massive day for record shopping. We went in at No 3 – and the next thing we knew we were doing our first Top of the Pops with the Spices.

Maxi Jazz, rapper, songwriter

I got a call from Rollo asking if I could write some words for a new dance track called Insomnia. I spent 20 minutes with a pad jotting down my thoughts, finished the lyrics in the studio the following evening, then spent about 25 minutes putting the vocals down. That was that.

The lyrics are from personal experience. I didn’t suffer from insomnia, but I’d just had an abscess on my tooth. It was so painful it would keep me awake. The lines about having no electricity and reaching for the pen in the darkness were also from real life. I had an electricity meter and when the money ran out you’d get six or seven pounds of credit and then – “Boom!” – the lights would go out. So I used to write by candlelight.

That first line – “Deep in the bosom of the gentle night” – is not me channelling Dylan Thomas. That was forced on us by MTV because they felt the original first line – “I only smoke weed when I need to” – was too graphic. There were eyebrows raised about the lines “Making mad love to my girl on the heath / Tearing off tights with my teeth” but they managed to stay in.

None of us realised how the line “I can’t get no sleep” would resonate with generations of clubland audiences. Suddenly the song was being played to crowds who had arguably taken 50 quid’s worth of high-powered drugs and weren’t thinking of getting much sleep for days. If we’d tried to write about that deliberately, it would have turned out cheesy and corny, but afterwards you think: “Of course!”

It was a big shock for the song to be such a huge hit, but an even bigger shock that it’s still such a favourite. If I had a quid for every time someone’s come up going, “I can’t get no sleep”, I’d be living on the space station.

  • Champion Records’ 35th anniversary box set is out now. Faithless’s new album All Blessed is released on 23 October.

 

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]]> Digital CBT Improves Insomnia, Anxiety, and Depression in Pregnant Women https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/digital-cbt-improves-insomnia-anxiety-and-depression-in-pregnant-women/ Mon, 25 May 2020 09:53:51 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=5411 The post Digital CBT Improves Insomnia, Anxiety, and Depression in Pregnant Women appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> source:- psychiatryadvisor

Digital cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective, scalable, safe, and acceptable intervention for improving insomnia symptoms in pregnant women at less than 28 weeks’ gestation, according to findings published in JAMA Psychiatry. The findings may be promising since anxiety and depressive symptoms improved alongside insomnia for the digital CBT intervention, which is highly scalable, low risk, and effective

Jennifer N. Felder, PhD, from the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues conducted a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of digital CBT in 208 adult women (mean age, 33.6±3.7 years) who were pregnant for up to 28 weeks’ gestation and either reported elevated insomnia symptom severity or met the criteria for an insomnia disorder. Participants were randomized to receive either digital CBT (n=105) or standard treatment (n=103) for insomnia.

Digital CBT involved 6 weekly remote sessions (available via website or iOS app), each lasting approximately 20 minutes. This approach comprised sleep restriction, stimulus control, relaxation techniques, cognitive therapy, and sleep hygiene and education. Participants completed the Insomnia Severity Index at 10 weeks (postintervention) and 18 weeks (follow-up) after randomization; they used diaries to log their own sleep efficiency, duration, quality, and caseness. Women receiving standard treatment had no limits placed on the receipt of nonstudy treatments, including medication and psychotherapy.

A total of 68 women (64.8%) completed all 6 sessions. The mean gestational age was 17.6±6.3 weeks at baseline, and the majority of participants were white (66.3%) and married or cohabiting (94.2%). The sample also largely represented a high socioeconomic status, with 86.5% having a college degree and 67.8% earning $100,000 or more per year. Both groups experienced 3 adverse events each, mainly miscarriages.

Compared to women who received standard treatment, those who received digital CBT experienced greater improvements in insomnia symptom severity from baseline to postintervention (time-by-group interaction, difference = −0.36; 95% CI, −0.48 to −0.23; χ2 = 29.8; P <.001; d = −1.03). The digital CBT group had significantly higher remission rates as well (44.0% vs 22.3%; P =.002). Furthermore, alongside greater reductions in secondary sleep outcomes in the digital CBT group, participants in the experimental condition also experienced significantly reduced depressive (difference, -0.21; 95% CI, -0.30 to -0.11; P <.001) and anxiety (difference, -0.188; 95% CI, -0.26 to -0.10; P <.001) symptoms. Improvements from baseline to follow-up were similar to those from baseline to postintervention.

The study may be limited by the fact that participants were mostly wealthy, white, and highly educated; results may differ for patients from other backgrounds.

“Although more women randomized to receive digital CBT-I experienced remission in insomnia symptoms compared with those randomized to receive standard treatment, most women continued to experience at least subthreshold symptoms,” the investigators noted. The findings may be promising since anxiety and depressive symptoms improved alongside insomnia for the digital CBT intervention, which is highly scalable, low risk, and effective.

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]]> Is anxiety over coronavirus leading you to insomnia? Here’s what two local behavioral health consultants recommend https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/is-anxiety-over-coronavirus-leading-you-to-insomnia-heres-what-two-local-behavioral-health-consultants-recommend/ Sat, 23 May 2020 17:11:37 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=5397 The post Is anxiety over coronavirus leading you to insomnia? Here’s what two local behavioral health consultants recommend appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> source:- lancasteronline

From social distancing and school closures to quarantines and working from home, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes to daily routines for people of all ages. To make matters worse, you are having problems falling asleep or staying asleep at night.

You’re not alone, say Leslie Book and Alex Pineda, behavioral health consultants with the Lancaster Health Center.

“Experiencing an event of this magnitude has raised the levels of anxiety in people who are worried about different issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and even some that pre-dated this pandemic,” Pineda says.

Book agrees. “Even people who aren’t typically anxious are now saying that their minds are so busy that they can’t turn them off to go to sleep,” she says. “They wake up two hours later and are instantly thinking about the news or about their situation, and they just can’t shut it down.”

Physical and mental health

People with insomnia have greater levels of depression and anxiety than those who sleep normally. They are 10 times as likely to have clinical depression and 17 times as likely to have clinical anxiety.

“The more a person experiences insomnia and the more frequently they wake at night as a result, the higher the chances are of developing depression,” Book says. “However, it is not only mental health that suffers but also our physical health. Medical conditions may also be negatively affected.”

Sleep is a natural immune booster, so getting a good night’s sleep is one of the best ways we can improve our immunity and defend against viruses and disease.

How can someone manage insomnia when they can’t take their mind off COVID-19?

If you’re spending more time on your screens looking at news updates, reading COVID-19 advice, and staying connected to family and friends, it might become even more difficult to fall asleep because the blue light from screens tells your brain to stop producing the sleep hormone melatonin.

Try to get into a rhythm where it’s light during the day and dark at night, to help set your nighttime circadian rhythm.

“What a person can do is try to stop watching the news all together at least once a week, and not be on social media at least an hour before bedtime. Be very thoughtful about what you’re checking and why you’re checking it. At night, find a way to wind down,” Book says.

Too many sleepless nights can aggravate both physical and mental health problems. However, there are steps you can take to improve your sleep during this time. Book and Pineda suggest the following:

  • Stop watching the news and do not watch action or horror movies. Instead, stick with comedy, gardening or house shows at night.
  • Do not watch TV or use your phone in bed. A bed is for sleeping.
  • Light control: When you’re working during the day make sure that you have bright light. Open your shades, even if it’s cloudy out — especially when you first wake up in the morning. Then, an hour or two before bed start dimming the light as a way to tell your mind that it’s bedtime.
  • Temperature control: Most people sleep better in a cooler, well-ventilated room.
  • Drink warm milk or chamomile tea
  • Exercise during the day, but stay away from heavy exercise in the evening. Sleep can be improved by exercising moderately for 10 minutes twice a day.
  • Having a set routine before bedtime prepares the mind and body for sleep.
  • Practicing meditation, gratitude and yoga can help destress and prepare for sleep.
  • Turn off electronics at least one hour before going to bed.
  • Read. But, again, not news or exciting themes.
  • Add some white noise such as a fan to distract your mind or use a sleep app.
  • Avoid heavy meals and alcohol before sleep and limit caffeine intake, especially in the late afternoon and evening.
  • Stop checking the clock when waking up throughout the night.

While everyone has different sleep requirements, it is important to keep a regular sleep-wake schedule.

However, Book says, forcing sleep rarely works and can backfire.

“If you find yourself tossing and turning in bed for more than 20 minutes, it may be helpful to get up and do something relaxing in low light like reading, listening to music (not screen time), or drinking warm milk or chamomile tea. Giving yourself extra wind down time before bed may also help you get back into the rhythm,” she says.

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]]> Samantha Harvey’s ‘The Shapeless Unease’ delves into the quotidian torture of insomnia https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/samantha-harveys-the-shapeless-unease-delves-into-the-quotidian-torture-of-insomnia/ Sat, 23 May 2020 15:07:34 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=5388 The post Samantha Harvey’s ‘The Shapeless Unease’ delves into the quotidian torture of insomnia appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> source:- washingtonpostcom

Insomnia is about chasing the impossible, about lying awake and trying not to focus on the only thing you can think about, occasionally drifting down the slope toward sleep and then — sensing this! — jolting awake once more. Like money, sleep functions on a delicate web of trust, and Samantha Harvey’s often brilliant and sometimes frustrating new book anatomizes what happens when we stop believing.

Harvey is a British novelist who has published four novels to critical acclaim but muted sales, and was well on her way to the uncoveted status of writer’s writer when in mid-2016, disaster struck. Moving to a new home on a noisy road, and with her equilibrium unbalanced by anger at the United Kingdom’s vote to leave the European Union, she stopped sleeping.

“The Shapeless Unease” is subtitled “A Year of Not Sleeping,” but this is doubly misleading: First, Harvey suffered for more than a year (it was still happening late in 2018, when she published an essay about it); and second, it wasn’t quite not sleeping. Most nights Harvey did sleep, but fitfully, unsatisfactorily, which she deliciously details. The outline will be familiar to anyone who has ever struggled to get to sleep or to get back to sleep: the quantity-surveying (it’s still only two o’clock; I can get four hours’ sleep if I go now), the going-to-bed routine recommended by sleep experts that only serves to emphasize the problem.

Harvey conveys the hell of insomnia with the precision and passion of one who has come to know it too well. “There’s terror when a basic animal need isn’t met. At first you fear death, then a worse thing happens — you fear life. You no longer want your life, not on these terms.” For her, the body’s last job each night has become the thing she dreads all day, right from the moment she wakes up, or more often doesn’t wake up. “I go up to bed at night, I get beaten up, I come downstairs in the morning.”

The cause of Harvey’s sleeplessness was plainly anxiety, an inability of the mind to sit still, initiated by Brexit and the upheaval of a new home but then efficiently self-sustaining. She discussed it with her doctor and therapist and reproduces extracts from these circular, combative conversations, where, if you look hard enough, there’s black humor in a champion insomniac being told that it might help if she could learn to relax before bed.

When “The Shapeless Unease” remains focused on its subject, it engages and grips. Harvey complains about the futility of describing the feeling of insomnia, but she does as good a job as you would expect a gifted novelist to at relaying the brain fog, the mind turning in on itself. Her relationship with writing becomes ambiguous: On the one hand, it is impossible (“I sit there and start a sentence and have no idea what word will come next or how I’ll find my way to the end of it” — wait, that’s not normal?). On the other hand, “writing has saved my life,” she writes. “I am sane when I write, my nerves settle.”

This may explain why so much of the book contains writing that seems to be there purely for its own pleasure. Harvey fills pages with rants about British jingoism, presumably representative of the flailings of the nocturnal mind, but sounding like an op-ed columnist making bricks without straw. She includes a story she wrote during her period of insomnia, about a man who steals vast sums of money from ATMs, which takes up around one-sixth of the book but seems untethered to the subject.

And she includes numerous digressions of tangential relevance: Buddhism, William James on reason, the limitations of language used by the Amazonian Pirahã people. There’s no question that these are all beautifully done — particularly a half-page portrait of Harvey’s deceased cousin — but the creaks are audible as she tries to link them back to her topic.

More frustrating still is when she gives us tantalizing glimpses of other material which surely must be relevant to the state of mind feeding her insomnia: her ambivalent relationship to being without children; her childhood with a semiliterate father (“first book he ever read was the first book [I] wrote”). And there is nothing on the science of insomnia, nor its cultural history. Harvey does gesture outward a few pages before the end, with discussion of Shakespeare’s references to sleep. But, like finally falling into peaceable slumber at 6 a.m., it’s just too late.

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]]> Insomnia may forecast depression, thinking problems in older people https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/insomnia-may-forecast-depression-thinking-problems-in-older-people/ Fri, 22 May 2020 15:08:03 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=5350 The post Insomnia may forecast depression, thinking problems in older people appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> source:- medicalxpress

(HealthDay)—Insomnia may significantly increase the risk that older adults will be unable to shake off depression, researchers say.

For the study, the investigators analyzed data on nearly 600 people over age 60 who visited primary care centers in New York City, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. All had some level of depression.

Compared to patients whose sleep improved, those with worsening sleep problems were about 28 times more likely to be diagnosed with major depression at the end of the 12-month study.

Patients whose sleep worsened also had nearly 12 times the odds of minor depression and were 10% more likely to report having suicidal thoughts, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study.

The report was recently published online in the journal Sleep.

Compared to patients whose sleep improved, those with persistent, but not worsening, insomnia were more likely to have lasting depression. But their risk was not as high as patients whose sleep got worse.

“These results suggest that, among older adults with depression, insomnia symptoms offer an important clue to their risks for persistent depression and suicidal ideation,” said study senior author Adam Spira, a professor of mental health at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.

“We can’t say that the sleep disturbances we’re seeing are necessarily causing the poor depression outcomes,” he said in a Hopkins news release. “But the results suggest that older adults who are being treated for depression and whose sleep problems are persistent or worsening need further clinical attention.”

Spira said the findings also suggest that treatment of sleep problems should be explored as a way to improve depression symptoms in older adults, as well as poor mental and health outcomes related to disturbed sleep.

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]]> 18 Effective and Quick Sleep Tips for Insomnia https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/18-effective-and-quick-sleep-tips-for-insomnia/ Fri, 22 May 2020 11:14:23 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=5344 The post 18 Effective and Quick Sleep Tips for Insomnia appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> source:- ventsmagazine

Sleep is a process to restore the body’s energy lost after a day of activities. Many people assume that sleep is easy. However, for those who suffer from insomnia, sleep is not as easy as it seems. They often try various ways to fall asleep, but it also does not make them sleep faster. I

In fact, there are many factors that cause a person to experience sleep disorders, ranging from irregular sleep habits, the influence of drugs, to symptoms of chronic illness.

Hence, we will share some quick sleep tips for insomnia. Let’s read the following carefully.

1.      Bathing with Warm Water

Are you one of the people with insomnia? Don’t worry, you can overcome this by taking a shower using warm water when going to sleep. This trick is believed to be very effective.

Bathing warm water naturally helps to slow down and relax the nervous system and encourage drowsiness. The body will relax and get sleepy quickly.

2.      Set Sleep Hours

The next effective sleep tips for insomnia is to set a regular bedtime. Maybe this seems imposing, especially for you who are not accustomed to sleep with a time schedule.

If ​​you’re one of those who suffer insomnia, you might only able to sleep when the drowsiness comes which is certainly a waste of time.

At first, you might feel burdened and have difficulty sleeping with a set time. However, in this way, the body will signal the hormones serotonin and melatonin separately to make you feel relaxed and automatically preparing for sleep.

By doing this, it will also affect your psychology. You will feel the need to get enough sleep and put aside the egos including the ‘sleepy’ habit. If you can be patient, we guaranteed that you will have positive new habits.

3.      Get rid of Gadgets and Other Electronic Devices

We often check the gadget before going to sleep, but don’t be surprised that this habit is make it difficult for you to sleep quickly.

The main factor is because the emitted blue light that can disturb the brain. Blue light removes the body’s circadian rhythm or biological clock.

Not only that, the blue light emitted by the gadget can prevent the brain from releasing melatonin which is very important in sleep. So, it is better to keep all kinds of electronic devices away before going to sleep.

Note: It is recommended to get rid of gadget approximately 2 hours before bedtime.

4.      Perform 4-7-8 Breathing Exercises

What is 4-7-8 breathing exercise? This exercise begins with techniques to calm the mind and relax the body by regulating breathing in several stages.

Here are the step-by-step how to do it:

  • Take a deep breath through your mouth
  • Dep breathing through the nose for 4 seconds
  • Hold your breath for 7 seconds
  • Exhale through your mouth with the sound ‘whoosh’ do the count to 8
  • Repeat the above steps 4 times

Try to focus on breathing in and breathing out properly. The goal is to get the maximum results. Try to do this breathing exercise for 2 times a day, both in the morning or when you want to sleep.

5.      Turn off the lights

Another quick tips to sleep for insomnia is to turn off the lights when you want to sleep. This method is the easiest and most effective, but there are still many people who are reluctant to do it. Make sure there are no light sources in the bed area. The right time to turn off the room lights is one hour before you sleep.

6.      Eat sweet foods

Based on new research from Japan found that the active compound in sugar cane can reduce stress and trigger sleepiness. Sleep research conducted on rodents found that the active compound named Octacosanol. Researchers reveal that stress is a major factor that inhibits sleep and octacosanol supplementation has been proven safe in humans.

Octacosanol can be used as an effective therapy for people suffering from insomnia due to stress. But do not worry, these compounds can also be found in other foods, such as rice bran, wheat seeds, and beeswax. So do not hesitate so eat food for fast sleep, so you are free from insomnia.

7.      Open the Air Vent

In order to maintain security and reduce mosquitoes to enter the room, usually we will close all windows and doors tightly. Yet according to a study, carbon dioxide trapped in the room can reduce a person to relax while sleeping.

That is one of the factors why sometimes people can wake up in the middle of the night. To work around this, you can open your room door so that air circulation can enter. This can be one way to make your sleep better.

8.      Sports

Exercise regularly is proven as one of the tips to sleep faster for insomnia. Sports that you can do are yoga, and a leisurely walk every morning.

It is a natural way and has a good impact on the body. With a duration of exercise 30 minutes 3 to 4 times a week can help you fight insomnia and improve sleep quality.

9.      Bask in the Morning

Take time to sunbathe in the morning, at least 30 minutes. Because, sunbathing in the morning has the same effect with exercise. The sun forces a person to wake up and makes the body aware of metabolic processes. Exposure to sunlight in the morning can trigger the production of melatonin which is needed when we sleep.

10. Reducing Caffeine

The effects of caffeine can last up to 5 to 6 hours. So, if you consume coffee at 4-5 pm, it is certain that the body will be awaken and you will have trouble sleeping.

Well, you should reduce drinking coffee or other drinks that contain caffeine in the afternoon until evening, so it is not difficult to sleep.

11. Meditation

Meditation is another sleep tip you can do when you want to sleep to relieve stress and rest the brain after undergoing activities during the day. Meditation begins with trying breathing exercises that can make the body relaxed and focused.

12. Eat Early

Another great thing to remember is that it is not recommended to eat too close to bedtime. It is better to eat before 8 pm, so that means the body has time to process food.

If you eat right before going to sleep, the digestive system will keep you awake longer. Make sure you don’t eat at midnight.

13. Immerse the Face in Cold Water

According to Life Hack Solution, one way that can make you sleep faster is to bury your face in cold water for a few moments. Drowning your face in cold water will trigger a forced phenomenon called dive reflex. This method will reduce your heart rate and blood pressure, which means your nervous system is being reset to calm the body. This trick is very well done if you are feeling anxious or depressed before going to sleep.

14. Drink milk

Drinking warm milk before going to sleep is believed to make you sleep better. Milk contains a-lactalbumin protein. This protein contains high amounts of tryptophan amino acids, which produce melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep.

Foods that contain tryptophan are like egg whites and pumpkin seeds which you should consume often if you have insomnia problems.

15. Massaging the Sleep Trigger Points

Our body has certain points which if it pressed or massaged will cause certain effects.

Dr. Idzikowski suggests massaging the point area between the eyebrows, the point between the thumb and index finger of the right foot, or the point under the index finger of the right foot.

Here are the Step-by-Step:

  • First, place the thumb on the point between the eyebrows at the top of the nose, where there are slight curves. Gently massage and hold for 20 seconds, then release briefly and do it repeatedly.
  • Sit down and place your right leg on your left knee. Massage the point between the big toe and forefinger for 20 seconds, release briefly and repeat the massage.
  • Find the point just below the nail on the top of the right index finger. Use the thumb and forefinger of the right hand to gently massage for 20 seconds, take it off briefly and then do it again.

16. Reduce Naps

Although napping is one of the right ways to replace your lack of sleep, this method is not very appropriate. It’s important to establish and maintain regular sleep patterns and train yourself to associate sleep with cues such as darkness and consistent sleep time. Naps can affect the quality of sleep at night.

17. Putting a Pillow on the Feet

By placing a pillow under the feet, it will balance the position of your hips when sleeping. So that it will reduce pain in your body and will provide calm during sleep. You can sleep on your back and slip a pillow under your knee to relieve pain.

18. Resolve All Concerns Before Sleep

If you feel worried while you sleep and think about tomorrow, you should set aside time after dinner to review or make plans for the next day. The goal is to be calmer and maintain the quality of sleep.

To Conclude

We hope that staying up is no longer become your habit. The methods above are the quick sleep tips to get a better quality of sleep for insomnia like you. Not only will your body become healthier, but your mind and mood will improve each day.

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]]> 4 simple tricks for fighting insomnia without medication https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/4-simple-tricks-for-fighting-insomnia-without-medication/ Thu, 05 Mar 2020 05:51:26 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=5065 The post 4 simple tricks for fighting insomnia without medication appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> Source:theladders.com

Roughly three million Americans develop insomnia each year.   Just about 30% of this demographic experience persistent symptoms as a direct result of the condition and roughly 10% exhibit symptoms debilitating enough to disrupt their daily functions.
 
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the most common symptoms of insomnia include fatigue, moodiness, irritability, anger, hypersomnolence, lack of concentration, poor memory, and headaches.
 
More often than not poor sleep is authored by psychological factors, with anxiety being chief among them. Clinical care might certainly help attenuate these scenarios but developing sustainable life habits optimizes every conceivable measure.
 
In the past, Ladders has focused on the dietary elements of non-pharmaceutical sleep care but there’s a lot to be said for the effectiveness of physical practices.
 
Larry Piller, Certified Massage Practitioner and author of Stretching Your Way: A Unique & Leisurely Muscle Stretching System, recently imparted Ladders with several physical remedies for “bleary-eyed people” suffering from chronic insomnia.
 
“Stretching has many benefits, and one of those is that it can help you wind down and ease the tension at the end of the day,” Piller explained.
 
Below are four-techniques shown to promote quality sleep without the need for medication or a dramatic lifestyle change:
 
“Just by knowing that these stretches are waiting for you anytime you want them, day or night, it will give you a feeling of tranquility as opposed to a night of anxiousness. It’s like having your favorite ice cream waiting in the freezer, Piller continued.
 
Stretch 1. While lying on your back, extend your right shoulder and elbow out to the side as far as is comfortable. At the same time, bring your thumb and hand downward. “You can also perform this stretch while standing, Piller says.
 
Stretch 2. As you lie on your back, bring your toes downward and the sides of your foot inward. These stretches for the tops and sides of your feet can be done lying on your side as well, as long as you have room to bring your foot or feet down or inward. You also can use a pillow between your legs to raise your foot so you can bring your foot or feet down, or hang your feet over the edge. “This by itself, or in combination with other stretches, has a high chance to put you to sleep like a little baby,” Piller adds. 
 
Stretch 3. Lying on your back, stretch both arms out. Make a light fist or let your hand dangle over the edge of the bed, extending your shoulder and arms out as much as is comfortable. “For any stretch with your arm over the edge of the bed, if you would rather, you can prop it up with a pillow. In any position that feels good, put your arm over the pillow and let its leverage pamper you.”
 
Stretch 4. While lying on your back, just extend your shoulder and arm out as is comfortable
 
Insomnia may be ubiquitous but it’s also one of the most treatable impairments in the world.
 

According to a recent study conducted by the Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 75% of insomnia sufferers recover from their condition without medical intervention.  If the underlying cause is one related to psychosis seek medical attention, though yoga and medication have been studied to optimize the effect of psychiatric treatment.

 
“Whether caused by stress, illness, medications, or other factors, poor sleep is very common,” said senior author Michael Perlis, PhD, an associate professor of Psychiatry and director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine program. “These findings reveal new insights about the paths that acute insomnia takes and can inform interventions that target poor sleep and help people recover sustained sufficient sleep.”
 
 
 
 

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]]> Perinatal Insomnia May Induce Concurrent and Postpartum Anxiety https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/perinatal-insomnia-may-induce-concurrent-and-postpartum-anxiety/ Sat, 15 Feb 2020 09:30:08 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=4624 The post Perinatal Insomnia May Induce Concurrent and Postpartum Anxiety appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> Source: psychiatrictimes.com

NEWS BRIEF

 

What is the relationship between insomnia and anxiety during pregnancy? In the first prospective study of its kind, researchers found that mid-pregnancy insomnia may be a marker not only for concurrent anxiety but also may act as a predictor of postpartum anxiety.1

In the study, which was part of the Norwegian Depression and Anxiety in the Perinatal Period (DAPP) study, 530 women received questionnaires during pregnancy week 17 (considered mid-pregnancy) and 8 weeks postpartum; the Bergen Insomnia Scale, Hopkins Symptom Checklist, and Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview were used to measure insomnia, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms, respectively. Most (97%) of the women were married; average age was 30.5. This was the first pregnancy for 38% of the women. A small percentage reported smoking (1.5%) and dipping tobacco use (1.4%) during pregnancy. At mid-pregnancy, 59.8% of the respondents reported insomnia.

About 12% of the women with insomnia reported a previous anxiety or related disorder, compared with 7% of their counterparts who had normal sleep during pregnancy. Similarly, 43% of the women with insomnia had previous depression, while 26% of the women with normal sleep reported previous depression.

After adjusting for potential confounders, Rannveig S Osnes, MD, and colleagues found a significant positive association (b = 0.01, p = 0.001) between mid-pregnancy insomnia and both concurrent and postpartum anxiety. However, mid-pregnancy insomnia was not more strongly associated with concurrent anxiety than postpartum anxiety, indicating it may be a predictor of postpartum anxiety. Women who reported insomnia also had higher levels of postpartum OCD symptoms than those participants who did not report sleeping difficulties.

Insomnia is a fairly common problem during pregnancy, with incidence increasing as pregnancy progresses. While incidence rates are close to 13% at the beginning of pregnancy, about 16% and 4% of women report moderate and severe insomnia, respectively, at a median of 39 weeks.2 Similarly, research shows anxiety to be fairly common, with 1 in 5 women meeting criteria for at least one anxiety disorder and 1 in 20 meeting criteria for at least two anxiety disorders.3

Since overactive arousal systems are believed to be common in both insomnia and anxiety, the researchers noted negatively toned cognitive activity of insomnia might trigger arousal and distress, which in turn may lead to anxiety symptoms. They further hypothesized that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia might improve or prevent perinatal anxiety. A recent study of digital CBT for pregnant women with insomnia confirms this hypothesis.4 In that study, researchers found digital CBT improved insomnia severity, sleep efficiency, global sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms.

Although further research is warranted, Osnes and colleagues1 believe these results have great clinical implications. “Antenatal insomnia could be an important intervention target, and screening for insomnia during mid-pregnancy could be an efficient strategy for detecting women who are struggling with or at risk of developing anxiety, not least of all because reporting insomnia symptoms may feel less stigmatizing,” they concluded.

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]]> Suvorexant may improve insomnia with Alzheimer disease https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/suvorexant-may-improve-insomnia-with-alzheimer-disease/ Thu, 30 Jan 2020 05:25:17 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=4358 The post Suvorexant may improve insomnia with Alzheimer disease appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> Source: medicalxpress.com

(HealthDay)—Suvorexant improves total sleep time (TST) in patients with probable Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia and insomnia, according to a study published online Jan. 15 in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.

W. Joseph Herring, M.D., Ph.D., from Merck & Co., in Kenilworth, New Jersey, and colleagues randomly assigned patients with both probable AD dementia and insomnia to four weeks of suvorexant 10 mg (136 patients; could be increased to 20 mg based on clinical response) or placebo (141 patients). Overnight polysomnography in a sleep laboratory was used to assess TST.

The researchers found that at week 4, the mean improvement from baseline in TST was 73 minutes for the suvorexant group and 45 minutes for the placebo group. Patients taking suvorexant were twice as likely to show an improvement of ≥60 minutes in TST compared with those taking placebo. In suvorexant-treated patients, somnolence was reported by 4.2 percent of participants versus 1.4 percent of placebo-treated patients.

“Suvorexant did not appear to impair next-day cognitive or psychomotor performance as assessed by objective tests, although these assessments do not constitute a comprehensive assessment of cognition,” the authors write.

Several authors disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical companies, including Merck, which manufactures suvorexant and funded the study.

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]]> Tolerance Complicates Sleep Benefit From Medical Cannabis Among Patients With Chronic Pain, Insomnia https://www.mymedicplus.com/blog/tolerance-complicates-sleep-benefit-from-medical-cannabis-among-patients-with-chronic-pain-insomnia/ Wed, 29 Jan 2020 05:38:51 +0000 http://www.mymedicplus.com/news/?p=4330 The post Tolerance Complicates Sleep Benefit From Medical Cannabis Among Patients With Chronic Pain, Insomnia appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

]]> Source: 2minutemedicine.com

Medical cannabis was found to exhibit an overall positive effect on maintaining nightime sleep in patients with chronic pain, but frequent use was associated with problems of both waking up at night and falling asleep, according to study findings published in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care.

Chronic pain is a debilitating condition affecting approximately 19% to 37% of adults in developed countries. Among those affected, there are high rates of comorbid insomnia, which causes symptoms such as difficulty initiating sleep, disrupted sleep, and early morning awakenings. Research on MC has exhibited positive, yet small effect sizes as a pain reliever, with further efficacy being reported on managing sleep.

“Research has demonstrated that the endocannabinoid system has a role in the regulation of sleep, including the maintenance and promotion of sleep,” said the study authors.

They note that many of the studies reporting a significant and positive impact of MC use on sleep are of poor quality due their small size and because the legal status of MC varies, warranting further examination on the growing popularity of MC to manage sleep problems and chronic pain.

The study authors examined the association between the use of whole plant cannabis and sleep problems among 128 patients with chronic pain (mean age, 61 ± 6 years; 49%, males), distinguished as MC users (n = 66) and nonusers (n = 62). Regression models tested the differences in sleep problems between the 2 study cohorts, with Pearson correlations between MC use measures (dose, length and frequency of use, number of strains used, tetrahydrocannabinol/cannabidiol levels) and sleep problems assessed among MC users. The results were adjusted for age, sex, pain level, and use of sleep and antidepressant medications.

Among the entire study cohort, 24.1% reported always waking up early and not falling back asleep, 20.2% reported always having difficulties falling asleep, and 27.2% reported always waking up during the night. Of the comparative study results, MC users were shown to be less likely to wake up at night than nonusers (mean: 4.59 vs 5.54; P = 0.018), with no further differences found in sleep measures between the groups.

In a final analysis of the MC users, Pearson correlations showed that frequency of MC use was the sole association with sleep issues, indicating the potential significance of tolerance among MC users. “Specifically, more frequent use was associated with more problems related to waking up at night and problems falling asleep,” said the study authors.

The researchers highlighted that limitations to the study, including MC administration and specific strain usage, may signal differential effects on sleep, warranting the need for future studies to examine this variability in more detail.

“These findings may have large public health impacts considering the ageing of the population, the relatively high prevalence of sleep problems in this population, along with increasing use of MC,” said the study authors.

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