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A Couple Of Factors That Can Cause Insomnia

  • Posted on July 2, 2009 at 7:15 am

While there is no one cut and dried reason why some people can’t sleep, most experts agree that insomnia is brought on by stress, anxiety, medications, and/or caffeine – among other things. Transient and short-term insomnia has many causes.
A reaction to change or stress is one of the most common causes of short-term and transient insomnia. This condition is sometimes referred to as adjustment sleep disorder.

The precipitating factor could be a major or traumatic event such as the following:

• An acute illness.

• Injury or surgery.

• The loss of a loved one.

• Job loss.

Temporary insomnia could also develop after a relatively minor event, including the following:

• Extremes in weather.

• An exam at school.

• Traveling.

• Trouble at work.

In such cases, normal sleep almost always returns when the condition resolves, the individual recovers from the event, or the person becomes acclimated to the new situation. Treatment is needed if sleepiness interferes with functioning or if it continues for more than a few weeks.

Fluctuations in female hormones play a major role in insomnia in women over their lifetimes. Such insomnia is most often temporary.

The hormone progesterone promotes sleep. Levels of this hormone plunge during menstruation, causing insomnia. When they rise during ovulation, women may become sleepier than usual.

During Pregnancy, the effects of changes in progesterone levels in the first and last trimester can disrupt normal sleep patterns.

Insomnia can be a major problem in the first phases of menopause, when hormones are fluctuating intensely. Insomnia during this period may be due to different factors that occur.

In some women, hot flashes, sweating, and a sense of anxiety can awaken women suddenly and frequently at night during the first months of menopause. In such women, hormone replacement therapy may be beneficial.

Insomnia may also be perpetuated by psychological distress provoked by this life passage. In most cases, insomnia is temporary. Cases of chronic insomnia in women after 50 are more likely to be due to other causes

In one study, 20% of adults reported that light, noise, and uncomfortable temperatures caused their sleeplessness. Depending on the time of day too much or too little light can disrupt sleep. It is well known that a person’s biologic circadian clock is triggered by sunlight and very bright artificial light to maintain wakefulness. One study indicated that even dim artificial light may disrupt sleep.

Insufficient exposure to light during the day, as occurs in some disabled elderly patients who rarely venture outside, may also be linked with sleep disturbances. One study suggests that when a person is exposed to bright daylight, melatonin levels increases in response to darkness at night, which aids sleep.

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Article Source: A Couple Of Factors That Can Cause Insomnia

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The Best Ways To Reduce Stress And Anxiety

  • Posted on July 1, 2009 at 10:12 pm

Dad, is it OK if we have a quick chat? I always have time for you son, you know that. Thanks Dad, well as you know and can no doubt hear I have this stuttering problem and it is causing me all kinds of problems. I am often stressed out and anxious as I constantly fear the fact that I am going to stutter when speaking to people. I just want to be able to relax, smile and be happy – in the same way that other people do. Son, I realise it is tough for you and I will do everything that I can to help. Thanks Dad, it is much appreciated.

The above is a conversation that I had with my father when I was aged fifteen. My whole family had been a massive support for me since the age of four which is the age when I developed the stutter.

My dad did manage to help me to reduce the amount that I stressed. He did this by taking me to specialists and by bringing home books about the subjects of stress, anxiety, depression, confidence and self-esteem from the library.

This helped to understand that I should appreciate the things that I have in life rather than always focusing on the things that I haven’t.

I should approach life with a positive, I can do, attitude and that the words “I can’t” do not exist.

Where I am not happy with a particular aspect of my life I need to work hard to try to improve the situation.

I should not accept second best in life as to do so would be to accept failure.

I have been doing these things for a long time now and I have to say that the difference it has made to my life has been incredible. It also helped me to overcome the stutter when I was aged twenty-two.

Steve Hill is a webmaster from Birmingham, he has interests in a number of websites including:
stuttering information
lower call charges
DVD replication

Article Source: The Best Ways To Reduce Stress And Anxiety

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How Much Do You Know About Alternative Treatments For Depression ?

  • Posted on July 1, 2009 at 7:36 pm

Let us take an easy one of the depression alternatives to start with. Exercise. Now before you groan inwardly, look at this shocking statistic. According to a report from the Mental Health Foundation, exercise may be just as effective in treating depression as antidepressants! One study showed that regular exercise about three times a week was just as effective as being on antidepressants. Often, a lack of exercise can actually be one the contributing factors to the onset of depression in the first instance. This must be the top of the alternative treatments for depression.

Almost everyone can do exercise. The benefits are enormous for general health but for depression, experts note that after exercise, patients feel and look happier because of the release of endorphins which have a positive impact on our mood. Then there are all the other benefits as well such as looking better so that your self confidence receives a boost. Stress, anxiety and sleep problems improve as well. There is the social element too which should not be underestimated as we know that socialising on any level can be a help to a depressed patient. Those people lucky enough to have close affectionate relationships with partner, family and or friends have a much lower possibility of getting depressed. You may wonder why this has got so little attention as one of the best alternative treatments for depression.

Fish oil might sound smelly but it can do wonders for the depressed state of mind. We are talking here about diet because let’s face it the food we eat has an immediate and lasting effect on our state of mind and our general mental well being. Look at the results of a study done where depressed patients were given 1 gram of fish oil a day and the symptoms of sadness, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, insomnia and loss of libido all dropped by 50%. If you are suffering from depression, get some fish oil into your diet. That can be in the form of pharmaceutical grade capsules or by eating salmon, tuna, flaxseed oil and olive oil and nuts. Add complex carbohydrates, protein such as lean meat and a supply of Vitamin B and D foods and you will be well on the way to recovery. Diet, like exercise has been overshadowed in looking at the alternative treatments for depression.

The big pharm have been keeping very quiet about the poor results that antidepressants actually have in curing depression and obviously will not be rushing to put up websites on depression alternatives. The scandalous statistic is that anti depressant medications will actually only cure about one third of all cases! In about 5% of cases, depression symptoms will actually get worse. Given the side effects of antidepressants, isn’t it about time that more attention was given to herbal remedies as one of the best alternative treatments for depression? Other treatments consist of light therapy for SAD (seasonal affective disorder), meditation,yoga, counselling and cognitive behavior therapy.

Want to learn about alternative treatments for depression ? Robert Locke has written extensively on Mental Health for many years.

Article Source: How Much Do You Know About Alternative Treatments For Depression ?

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