jump to navigation

Sleep Apnea - What it is November 18, 2008

Posted by Sleep Enough in : Sleep apnea , add a comment

Sleep apnea. It is a Greek word, meaning “without breath”. You might have heard of it, or if you’re one of the almost 20 million Americans suffering from this, you would have most certainly wished to be free from it at some point. Sleep apnea is defined as a condition in which a person’s breathing is regularly interrupted during sleep. The interruptions usually last from 10-60 seconds, during which at least a few breaths are missed.

Sleep apnea can be both mild or severe in its impact on the quality of a person’s life. In rare cases, it can be life threatening. During the period where breathing is halted, the brain doesn’t work as it should in detecting rising levels of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream due to the pause in breathing. In order for breathing to resume, the brain has to awaken the person each time the breathing stops. This cycle can repeat itself hundreds of times per night. The person suffering from sleep apnea is usually not aware of his/her condition aside from the fatigue felt each day due to disrupted sleep. (more…)

The Practical Benefits of Jujube October 7, 2008

Posted by Sleep Enough in : Herbs for sleep , add a comment

Jujube (Ziziphus zizyphus) is one of the most widely used herbs in Chinese traditional medicine, and not without good reason. It is one of the best herbs for treating stress, and encouraging sleep. Jujube has been cultivated and used by Indians, Chinese, Korean, and Eurasian communities for thousands of years, and crossbred into hundreds of cultivars. (more…)

The ultimate drug to stay awake? September 3, 2008

Posted by Sleep Enough in : General , add a comment

In present day society, sleep has taken a backseat because there really is “too much to do, and too little time to do it.” So what we humans have done is cut down into our sleep time, often with negative, even disastrous results. But, times are changing, and we now have drugs that can in fact keep us awake for days, without needing to go to sleep. If you haven’t heard about Modafinil or equivalent drugs, perhaps now is the time.

Well, ever since it debuted during the 1990s, Modafinil has been surging in popularity, with most of the demand arising from people who wanted to have higher productivity at the expense of sleep. Modafinil is also known as Provigil. It has since been found to have some offshoot effects, including some mood elevating effects, use in ADHD, and even weight loss. But all these effects are not pronounced, nor as well known as its main purpose, namely to help the body override sleep without seemingly any major complications. (more…)

Exercising before sleeping August 12, 2008

Posted by Sleep Enough in : General , add a comment

Is it true that exercising vigorously a few hours before sleeping will affect your sleep? This post is just drawn from my past experiences, and I believe that it does affect sleep, at least my sleep. In fact, nowadays, I don’t even exercise within 4 hours of sleeping, and the reasons I will state below.

I think exercising before sleeping isn’t conducive for a good night’s sleep. I used to exercise around 8-9 pm, and then have a late dinner, and in hindsight it wasn’t good for my metabolism, and now that I recall, I usually had difficulty falling asleep.

Back then, I did not realize that this practice was one of the reasons for my sleeping problems. Even though I wasn’t working back then (just studying), had relatively less stress, and less worries; sleep never really came easy for me, now that I recall. Was it because of my bad exercise timing? (more…)

Creating a Better Sleeping Environment July 13, 2008

Posted by Sleep Enough in : Useful tips , add a comment

How to Create a Better Sleeping Environment?

Creating a better sleep environment is essential for good sleep. Your sleep environment can actually make or break a good night’s sleep. I gradually learned this from experience; even things like your sleeping orientation and positioning may affect your sleep. What are the aspects of a good sleeping environment?

Noise pollution

Obviously, the first thing to bear in mind is the noise pollution level in the vicinity of the sleeping location. Some people can sleep through a lot of noise, but for sleep’s sake, try and get a quiet place to sleep. Common culprits of noise like snoring, dogs/cats, firecrackers, speeding bikes, loud music, and even the TV left on, can all affect sleeping. If you must, sleep separately from your partner. Research has shown that we humans actually sleep better ALONE.

Heavy curtains or drapes over the window can help keep out the noise, as is adding a carpet of rug to the floor and plugging up the space underneath the door. You can also use earplugs, but I personally find them a little discomforting. (more…)