Insomnia
Will Mindfulness Meditation Solve Seniors’…
Trouble sleeping is a common problem for senior citizens, but as we have written, sleep medications have serious drawbacks for older adults. A study of nearly 50 older Californians found that a non-dr…
Sleep Deprivation Damages the Body: Napping Can …
Poor sleep is a major problem in today's world, with nearly 30 percent of adults sleeping less than six hours a night on average. Inadequate sleep can contribute to insulin resistance, a precursor to …
Magical Pillow Helps Create a Good Nights Sleep
Q. A self-confessed mail order addict, I recently ordered a pillow. It is supposedly "used by people all over Europe to prevent nasal discomfort at night." When the package arrived, it included a smal…
Print Is Better for Reading in Bed
People used to read a book before bedtime to calm down after a stressful day. Now, many people use a tablet, smartphone, Kindle, iPad or similar device to do their bedtime reading. A study from Harvar…
Banana as Bedtime Snack
Q. Some time ago, I read that a mother solved her child's sleeping problem by giving him a banana to eat. I did not pay attention to this until one day I decided to try it for myself. Lo and behold, i…
The Dangerous Dilemma of Sleeping Pills
Insomniacs are caught in a classic double bind. On the one hand, they are told that the consequences of chronic sleep deprivation include hypertension, heart failure, obesity, depression, cognitive dy…
Dried Kidney Bean Acupressure Cures Insomnia
Q. I would like to share an acupressure tip that helps me sleep. Tape a dried kidney bean to the inside of your right wrist. I locate this point between the two tendons by measuring the width of three…
Sleeping Pill Problems Prompt Reader to Quit
People are caught in a terrible double bind. On the one hand they are told that chronic sleep deprivation can have negative health consequences including an increased risk of weight gain, type 2 diabe…
Screentime Before Bedtime Means Less Sleep for T…
Youngsters who use their computers or cellphones to chat with friends, play video games, study or listen to music before bed get less sleep. A British study has found that 11 to 13 year-olds who use t…
How Can She Break the Ambien Habit and Still Get…
Q. I am 30 years old and have a terrible time getting to sleep. I've been taking Ambien for more than a year and if I don't take it I toss and turn all night. I want to get off it because my husband a…
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Helps …
Insomnia and depression often go hand in hand. Researchers have wondered whether it's a chicken or egg phenomenon. In other words, does depression trigger insomnia or do sleeping problems contribute t…
Poor Sleep Is Linked to a Higher Level of Alzhei…
How important is sleep in the process of developing Alzheimer disease? A new study in PLOS Biology reveals that brain activity during deep sleep can help clear away toxic proteins in the brain (PLOS B…
Sleep Is Essential for Clearing Toxic By-Product…
The study of human sleep patterns dovetails with recent research in mice. Scientists used advanced imaging to determine that the brains of adult mice clear away beta-amyloid protein during sleep. This…
Correcting Sleep Problem Results in More Youthfu…
People who suffer from sleep apnea often awake feeling exhausted. That's because their sleep is frequently disturbed by breathing interruptions. They may snore and often complain of chronic drowsiness…
Easy Acupressure Trick Helps Fibromyalgia Suffer…
Q. My fibromyalgia causes me chronic pain, which makes it very hard to sleep. If I can get to sleep at all, I'll wake every hour, go to the bathroom and just maybe drop off to sleep before I have to g…
Sleep and Health Habits Have Synergy
Getting a good night's sleep should rank high on the list of heart-healthy behaviors. A new study from Europe followed more than 17,000 adults for ten to fourteen years. None of them had any signs of …
Daughter Traumatized by Driving Zombie
People who have trouble sleeping face a cruel dilemma. If they don't get any sleep, they won't function well the following day. For example, driving while sleep deprived can be nearly as dangerous as …
FDA Lowers Dose of Popular Sleeping Pill
Zolpidem is one of the most popular sleeping pills in the pharmacy. According to IMS Health, an organization that tracks such things, nearly 40 million zolpidem prescriptions were dispensed last year.…
How Good Are Flu Shots?
Health experts are warning that this year's influenza outbreak could be the worst in a decade. That's why public health officials are urging almost everyone to get a flu shot. Older people (those over…
Is Hubby’s Nightcap Ruining Her Sleep?
Q. My husband frequently has a nightcap before going to bed. He says Scotch relaxes him and helps him fall asleep. The only trouble is that he frequently wakes up in the middle of the night and then h…
Insomnia: Vitamin D Solved Sleep Problem
Q. A few years ago I was plagued with insomnia. I was exhausted, anxious and barely functional but never sleepy. Only sleeping pills knocked me out, but I hated the side effects. I read about vitamin …
Does a Low Salt Diet Trigger Insomnia?
We have been told for decades that salt is sinful. Cut back on salt to lower blood pressure and reduce your likelihood of having a heart attack or suffering premature death. It has been a foundation o…
How to Handle Chronic Insomnia
Q. Every time I read that sleep is essential for good health I want to scream. I would love a good night's sleep because I know it would boost my immune system and help me control my weight as well as…
Sleeping Pills, Anti-Anxiety Drugs & Dement…
Can medications you take to get a good night's sleep or ease anxiety increase your risk for Alzheimer's disease or dementia? That was the scary question raised in a study published on September 27th, …
Allergies & Medicine Equal INSOMNIA!
During allergy season when your hay fever gets bad, you may find it difficult to sleep. Having trouble breathing through your nose can keep you awake. But be careful about the allergy medicine you tak…
Hospital Noises Disturb Sleep
Sleep is essential for healing, but hospitals are noisy places. A new study suggests that hospitals should be more thoughtful about disruptive sounds. The investigators went to a hospital and recorded…
Sleeping Pill Worsens Reflux
Q. I have been on Ambien or zolpidem for five years for insomnia. My reflux has gotten worse and worse until it became debilitating last year. I've had every test imaginable and have seen a GI doctor…
Will Ginkgo Help Short Term Memory Problems?
Most people worry about their memory, especially when they forget things they shouldn't, like an important birthday or a PIN number or a password. There's nothing much scarier than the fear of dementi…
Shift Work Disrupts Sleep
Q. I have a question about natural herbal supplements to help me sleep. I am in law enforcement and work shifts, so I don't have a regular pattern of sleep. Is there anything that can help me get bett…
Noisy Hospitals Disrupt Sleep
Sleep is essential for good health and yet the worst place to get a good night's sleep is in a hospital bed. The World Health Organization recommends that hospital rooms should keep the noise level be…
OTC Allergy Medicines Cause Insomnia
Is the medicine you take for sniffles and congestion keeping you awake? Most of us have a hard time sleeping if we can't breathe easily, yet few suspect that their allergy medicines cause insomnia. Th…
Desperate for Sleep
Q. I am desperate for a good night's sleep, but I hate sleeping pills. They make me too groggy the next day. Benadryl makes me absolutely stupid if I take it in the daytime. If I took it at night, wou…
Minerals for Sweet Dreams
Q. I've struggled with insomnia for more than 20 years. I broke my Ambien habit by taking Citracal and magnesium plus valerian about 45 minutes before bedtime. This has been great for the past six mon…
Non-Drug Approach Can Help with Insomnia
People who suffer from insomnia are often given a sleeping pill to help them fall asleep. Such medications can help, but they do have side effects. A new study suggests that brief behavioral treatment…
Non-Drug Approaches Can Help with Insomnia
Q. I keep reading how important it is to get a good night's sleep. I seldom get four hours at night and feel tired during the day. Sleeping pills leave me too groggy to function. Please send me some i…
Boosting Ambien with Melatonin?
Q. I am in good health but have trouble both getting to sleep and staying asleep. This may run in the family, since my dad also had trouble with insomnia. I have tried everything under the sun and moo…
Sleep Seven Hours
Grandma always said to get a good night's sleep. But how many hours should you snooze? Researchers at the West Virginia University School of Medicine tracked over 30,000 adults who had no heart proble…
Sleepless: How to Treat Insomnia
Learn how to treat insomnia in this video with Joe Graedon.…
Overcoming Insomnia Naturally
Q. I have suffered from insomnia for many years. My doctor prescribed Ambien, but it doesn't seem to be working very well any more. I also suspect that it affected my memory. Now the doctor is suggest…
Natural Sleep Treatment Helps Depression Too
Nobody feels good after a sleepless night. Persistent insomnia can affect blood pressure, blood sugar regulation and, of course, mood. Sometimes insomnia sets off a vicious circle in which sleep depr…