Conscious Relaxation vs Sleep Part 2

by Nina

Reflections of Trees by Brad Gibson

Oops! When I was doing research for my post on Savasana on Monday, I found some information I’d forgotten about regarding conscious relaxation vs. sleep (see original post here). I wrote the about how Dr. Herbert Bensen said that conscious relaxation differed than sleep for several reasons including:

4. Alpha waves (slow brain waves) increase in intensity and frequency during conscious relaxation, but are not commonly found during sleep. While scientists are not yet sure what these brain waves mean, this is yet another indication that sleep and conscious relaxation are very different states.

Actually science has progressed a bit since the book was published from which I got that information (The Relaxation Response). And what scientists have discovered about the alpha waves is pretty interesting. Dr. Roger Cole, a sleep researcher and long-time yoga teacher, says that during rest or meditation our brain waves may slow to the alpha rhythm (8-12 cycles per second), during which we remain quietly aware of ourselves and our surroundings, without a lot of self-directed mental processing. Sometimes they may slow even further to the theta rhythm (4-7 cycles per second), during which we may get a “floating” feeling, dreamlike mental imagery, and withdrawal from the outside world. Does either of these feelings sound familiar to you? I’ve been saying for a long time that I can feel the relaxation response kick in after about seven to eight minutes of practice. The best way I can describe it is to say things start to go darker, as if a dimmer switch deep inside me was gradually turning down toward off. Recently a friend of mine (who I didn’t even know had been practice yogic breathing for many, many years) overheard me say this, and interjected, “It’s the same for me. I feel the change after about seven or eight minutes.” Do any of you have similar observations? (And now you know why we recommend that you practice at least 10 minutes.)

To be sure, there is still much that is unknown about these unique states, but what it is known is that regular practice of conscious relaxation helps foster ongoing feelings of serenity, contentment, and even happiness. Do tell me about your own experiences.

(Whew! I feel better. Now I’m going to go fix the original post.)

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Learn why People are Now Using the Didgeridoo for Sleep Apnea

By Sam Kappel

What Didgeridoo for sleep apnea? Well first, the didgeridoo is an ancient Australian instrument that has been around for some people say nearly 20,000 years. Over the years the didgeridoo has become a world wide instrument for music, but over recent years it has gained popularity in curing sleep apnea.

So how does this ancient Australian instrument actually work with treating sleep apnea? First, to successfully treat sleep apnea the tissues and muscles of the throat need to be strengthened. Sleep apnea is caused when these tissues actually collapse and block the airway. Playing this instrument can actually help.

So how do you really exercise and strengthen these tissues? This is the where the didgeridoo comes into play. Playing the didgeridoo in a correct manner actually strengthens these tissues. This has become a great natural alternative and treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. It is also been shown to help the respiratory system as well.

There are many benefits to playing the didgeridoo correctly and another one is stress relief. Stress has been shown to be a big cause of sleep apnea and its symptoms. Relieving it can be a big help for helping the symptoms.

Just playing the instrument is not the end all to treating sleep apnea though. There is a unique and simple technique that is key to really strengthening the muscles and tissues correctly. The technique you want to learn is what they call the circular breathing technique.

So are didgeridoos expensive? They can be commonly found from any from 10 to 30 dollars. Being an ancient musical instrument there are more older and expensive forms, but they can be found for very cheap. There are more expensive alternatives to treating sleep apnea like CPAP machines and surgery.

One of the best ways to really treat sleep apnea is to strengthen and playing the didgeridoo helps that. By finding the right exercises and learning to play correctly will increase the success of using the didgeridoo for sleep apnea.

About the Author:

Learn more about how to play the didgeridoo for sleep apnea by clicking here. You can also check out this great site on treating sleep apnea and all the options that are best for you.

Sleep Well

With Michael Breus, PhD, ABSM

Sleep disorders include a range of problems -- from insomnia to narcolepsy -- and affect millions of Americans. Dr. Michael Breus shares information and advice on sleep disorder and insomnia treatments and causes.

Important:

The opinions expressed in Web MD User-generated content areas like communities, review, ratings, or blogs are solely those of the User, who may or may not have... expand

 

Vitamin D Deficiency and Daytime Sleepiness 

 

Vitamin D has received a great deal of attention recently. Vitamin D has long been recognized as primarily a regulator of calcium and phosphorus, helping to protect bone density. In recent years, however, our understanding of the functions of Vitamin D in the body has expanded. Vitamin D is now understood to play an important role in metabolic and immune system functions. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a number of illnesses and chronic conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, pulmonary disease, and chronic pain.

We’ve seen evidence that Vitamin D deficiency is associated with sleep problems, particularly with daytime sleepiness. A new study examined the link between daytime sleepiness and Vitamin D, and also considered one of the major risk factors of Vitamin D deficiency: skin pigmentation.

Researchers at Louisiana State University investigated the relationship between Vitamin D and daytime sleepiness with two specific goals in mind. First, they wanted to determine whether a correlation exists between Vitamin D levels in the body and excessive daytime sleepiness. Second, they sought to evaluate the role that race might play in the relationship between daytime sleepiness and Vitamin D.

In earlier work, researchers at LSU had observed that more than half of the patients who came to their sleep clinic with sleep problems and with chronic pain were also deficient in Vitamin D. They noticed this cluster of symptoms appeared to occur more often in patients who were African American.

Vitamin D is actually a fat-soluble hormone, which the body can receive in food and also through supplements. But the primary—and most effective—way the body accumulates Vitamin D is during exposure to sunlight. Exposure to sunlight prompts our skin to self-manufacture Vitamin D.  Increased skin pigmentation lowers the rate of manufacture of Vitamin D. Therefore, greater levels of skin pigmentation are considered a risk factor for Vitamin D deficiency.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that nearly one-third of African Americans are deficient in Vitamin D. Other groups at risk of Vitamin D deficiency include the elderly, the obese, pregnant and lactating women, and people who receive limited exposure to the sun.

The LSU study involved 81 patients, all of whom had either sleep problems or musculoskeletal pain either in the day or the evening, or both. Sixty five percent of the patients in the study were white, and 35% were African-American. All of the patients in the study group were diagnosed with a sleep disorder. Nearly three-quarters had obstructive sleep apnea, while others suffered from insomnia, or restless leg syndrome. All patients were evaluated for excessive daytime sleepiness using the Epworth Sleep Scale, a standard measurement. Their levels of Vitamin D were measured using blood tests.

The results of the study support a strong correlation between excessive daytime sleepiness and Vitamin D. They also indicate that race is a factor in the relationship between Vitamin D and daytime sleepiness. But the results were in some ways surprising and indicate a complicated relationship, particularly where race is concerned.
Here’s an overview of the most important findings:

• 65% of the study population was found to have a Vitamin D deficiency
• The patients with greater skin pigmentation had higher average levels of daytime sleepiness and lower average levels of Vitamin D, compared to those with less skin pigmentation
• African American patients made up 35% of the study population, but 55% of the group that were deficient in Vitamin D
• Only 6% of the group without a Vitamin D deficiency were African-American
• Among those with deficiencies of Vitamin D—under 20 mg/mL as measured by a blood test—there was no correlation between Vitamin D levels and daytime sleepiness. This is the opposite of what was expected based on prior research.
• An exception to this was found among African-American patients in the study group. Among those African-American patients with Vitamin D deficiency, there was a direct correlation between levels of Vitamin D and daytime sleepiness. Among these patients, higher Vitamin D levels were associated with higher levels of daytime sleepiness-the exact opposite of what was expected.

It is this last finding that is unexpected, and surprised researchers themselves, who expected to see lower levels of Vitamin D associated with higher levels of daytime sleepiness.
Why might this have been the case? Additional research clearly is needed to further explore the role that skin pigmentation may play in Vitamin D deficiency and its effect on sleep, and daytime sleepiness in particular. This was a small study, and larger-scale research may provide a clearer picture of this complicated relationship.

There are other important questions that arise. We can see an association between Vitamin D deficiency and daytime sleepiness, but we don’t have an understanding of cause and effect. Is Vitamin D deficiency directly responsible for excessive daytime sleepiness and other sleep problems? Or is poor sleep a consequence of other medical conditions associated with Vitamin D deficiency, such as chronic pain? What are the biological mechanisms by which Vitamin D—and a lack thereof—affect sleep functions in the body? There’s a lot we don’t yet know about the relationship between Vitamin D and sleep.

If you’re at risk for Vitamin D deficiency, talk to your doctor.Supplements, dietary changes, and safe and controlled exposure to sun can all help boost levels in the body. Making sure your body has sufficient levels of Vitamin D offers important health protections and, perhaps, a welcome boost of energy in place of daytime sleepiness.

Sweet Dreams,

Important Knowledge On The Essential Oils For Sleep

By Joshua Burns

Insomnia has been one of the worst diseases that can even lead death. It commonly results from the various stressors that lead to depression among other factors. Every person needs a good slumber or nap during the night. To help reduce the dangerous effects of the disease there is the great need for the knowledge on the essential oils for sleep.

In the first place is the lavender oil. The oil has been one of the best-known oils to induce siesta. This particular oil is characterized by its sweet smelling aroma that always have a great effect on the induction of rest or siesta. More to this, the lavender lubricant, gives your body a relaxation feeling. The best feeling of such lubricants is the good sensation of wellbeing that the emollient leaves you in, therefore, promoting your sleep.

In the next place is the lavender oil. Unlike the other oil, lavender works to sooth the mind. It has a sensation that works to calm the body. In the recent days, this particular oil has been known to be among one of the best to induce good nap. The lubricant always leaves your body with a relaxation feeling, therefore, making the tiresome nights out of insomnia enjoyable. More to this, despite its essentiality in inducing sleep it has been one of the major medicines used in health centers to treat stress-related diseases amongst insomnia.

The oil has been in use as a herb even before the idea of manufacturing it from its plant product was put into place. In its working, it acts to sooth, calm as well as relax your mind, therefore, inducing sleep more easily. The oil can always be mixed with lavender if at all you do not like its earthy aroma.

Orange sweet oil is as well very essential in the stimulation of slumber. This has been known as one of the best choices to help fight stress. It is made from citrus and therefore the oil works just as citrus to bring a brighter day, therefore, giving you a relaxed mind, hence inducing sleep. More to this, the orange sweet lubricant helps to calm your mind as well as aiding to blend all your thoughts together.

The water should as well not be so hot since the effectiveness of the oil may be reduced by the hot water. The next commonly used method is by the use of aromatherapy diffuser. Just as in any other case, this should be done only before you go to bed.

If your cause for the sleepless night is the lack of emotional balance, Bergamot oil can work best for you. It is always fitted with a citrus fragrance which has been known to actually be among the best to help stimulate a good night slumber. Alongside its citrus fragrance, the oil is known for its calming sensation therefore always leaving your mind relaxed. More to this, bergamot can as well be added to other oils to help gain a sleepful experience. It is very sensitive to sunlight and therefore, you should always avoid going directly into the sun with it on your body.

To sum up, the information mentioned above, the oils induce good rest or nap through their sensation and aroma. But in a case where you need a soothing fragrance, you can always opt to use the sandalwood oil. The oil is essential for its therapeutic benefits and therefore, it can as well be a good choice for you.

About the Author:

When you are looking for the facts about essential oils for sleep, come to our web pages online here today. More details are available at http://www.soseo.ca now.