One thing scientists know for sure is that the light from screens increases our alertness and delays sleep time. They also know exactly why this happens. A question that has recently been asked is – what is the relationship between social media and our sleep? Many studies have shown that… Read More »Does Social Media Affect Your Sleep?
Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder belongs to the group of Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders. When a person has this disorder, his or her sleep times are not in alignment with what we consider to be normal sleep times. A person with this disorder sleeps a bit later every day. He also wakes… Read More »Non-24 Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder
Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD or PLMS), formerly known as myoclonus, is a condition where a person suffers repetitive limb movements while sleeping. There is a sudden and uncontrollable twitching of a muscle or a group of muscles that occurs about every 20-50 seconds. These movements also operate at a… Read More »Myoclonus – Periodic Limb Movements
Rhythmic Movement Disorder (RMD) is a sleep-related disorder characterized by the involuntary and repetitive movements of large muscle groups during sleep. These movements often involve the head and neck. It was first independently described by Zappert in 1905 as jactatio capitis nocturna and by Cruchet as rhythmie du sommeil. Majority… Read More »Rhythmic Movement Disorder (RMD)
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) is a sleep disorder characterized by the involuntary movement of the limbs while sleeping. It is previously known as nocturnal myoclonus. PLMD is different from Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). RLS occurs when a person is awake or trying to sleep while PLMD happens when a… Read More »Periodic Limb Movement Disorder
Sleep Bruxism is a sleep-related movement disorder. It is a disorder where the patient grinds or clench his or her teeth. Although this is more pronounced when a person is sleeping, a person who suffers from Bruxism may unconsciously clench or grind his or her teeth while awake. This is… Read More »Sleep Bruxism
Restless Legs Syndrome is a type of sleep-related movement disorder. It is also called Willis-Ekbom Disease. The symptoms of this disorder often present itself in the early hours of the evening or even as early as during the late afternoon. These symptoms are often at its most severe during the… Read More »Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
Safe sleep for babies means putting the baby to sleep in a safe position and in a safe environment away from things which could pose danger; like rolling over and falling down, or soft mattress, toys or other objects that might cause suffocation in sleep. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)… Read More »Safe Sleep For Babies – Do’s And Don’ts
There are lots of differences between the sleeping needs of a newborn and a one-year-old; but what they have in common is that they both require a dark and quiet room to sleep, a good bed and a safe environment. A general rule is to make a bedtime routine and… Read More »How To Get A Baby To Sleep Safely And Successfully
After their return from deployment veterans often suffer from a number of problems. PTSD, pain and sleep problems are only a few of them and often come interconnected. In war they had to face challenges like prolonged stress, repeated injuries, constant sleep deprivation, and more. Unfortunately, only recently has there… Read More »Sleep Problems Among US Veterans
It is widely known that chronic poor sleep can lead to serious problems with your immune system as well as your mental and physical health. It also increases your risk of developing various diseases – including sleep disorders. Epigenetics, a new, sometimes called ‘revolutionary’ discipline, helps us describe how our… Read More »Epigenetics and Sleep
A hypnogram is simply a graph representation of one’s sleep cycle, as well as of nightly awakenings. It is useful when a rough image is needed so that researchers can easily visualize what someone’s sleep looks like and compare it to that of other people. Hypnograms can be used in… Read More »Hypnograms – Graphs Representing Your Sleep
People have been searching for a way to solve sleep disorders for a long time now. The medications that allow us to sleep properly were not developed yesterday. These incredibly useful products are the result of research that started centuries ago. As civilization progresses, so does our knowledge of science… Read More »History of Sleep Medication
What is Pharmacokinetics? Pharmacokinetics is a word that describes the movement of a drug into, through, and out of the body. It defines the time course of a drugs’ absorption, bioavailability, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Pharmacokinetics is sometimes used to describe what the body does to a drug. Are they… Read More »Pharmacokinetics of Insomnia Medicines
Adults are naturally competitive. And in an attempt to thrive and face our daily challenges as adults, we oftentimes forget about our health. We get so caught up with our ambitions that we forget the risks that ignoring our well-being can do to our body. A stressful job and poor… Read More »Do Sleeping Pills Work?
What is the difference between arousal and wakefulness? Arousal and wakefulness are two terms that we often incorrectly interchange. These two terms are often used in connection with sleep. Sleep and wakefulness are easy to define and quantify. When we say sleep, we envision a person who is immobile, with… Read More »Arousal and Wakefulness
The use of sleeping pills or any sleep medication has been contentious for decades. A lot of people prefer the convenience of being able to get to sleep with the help of a pill. Just pop a pill and you’ll be sleeping soundly after just a few minutes. With the… Read More »Skepticism About Sleep Drugs
We live in a time when we can have everything at the snap of a finger. Need a ride? Call Uber. Hungry but don’t want to cook or go out? Have food delivered at your doorsteps. We even have mobile phone apps that dial and make appointments for us. We… Read More »Is Sleep Medication Overused?
One of the things that people really hate is lying in bed in the middle of the night, feeling awake and energized when they should be sound asleep. If you’ve ever had the same experience, then you may be able to blame it all on stimulants. Stimulants can keep you… Read More »Stimulants and Sleep
Although sleep disorders like insomnia or Restless Leg Syndrome are common, not everyone can easily cope with them. They’ve become disruptive in some cases. They might end up affecting the productivity of a person. During these instances, a doctor might prescribe medications that can treat sleep disorder. What are the… Read More »Prescription Sleep Medication
With sleep disorders getting more and more attention, we also see more sleep aids getting released in the market. Aside from memory foam pillows and white noise machines, medications are also taking the spotlight in our search for that elusive perfect sleep. Orexin receptor antagonists belong to this growing list… Read More »Orexin Antagonists for Insomnia
There are a wide variety of sleeping disorders present in today’s world and insomnia is the most prevalent one. In fact, up to 50% of adults in the US have reported symptoms of insomnia every week. This could be a cause of overloading stress, caffeine intake, or a sign of… Read More »New and Emerging Sleep Drugs
Sleep disorders are extremely common and affect up to 40 percent of the general population. Sleep disorders can range from simple snoring issues to potentially life-threatening ones like sleep apnea. This is why we also have a wide range of treatments available. Some use non-pharmaceutical preparations while others rely on… Read More »Gaboxadol
What are barbiturates? Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system depressants. They are effective as anxiolytics, hypnotics, and anticonvulsants. They were widely used as a treatment for anxiety and insomnia. However, Benzodiazepines are now the preferred treatment for these sleep disorders because benzos have significantly lower risks of… Read More »Barbiturates – Uses, Side Effects, and Health Risks
Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs that are sometimes called benzos. The primary use of these drugs is as a treatment for anxiety. However, they are also effective as a treatment for several other conditions. Doctors can prescribe benzodiazepines for medical conditions such as seizures or alcohol withdrawal. How do… Read More »Benzodiazepines – Types, Side Effects, Addiction and Withdrawal
Insomnia is a condition where a person is unable to go to sleep or stay asleep. There are many factors that can cause insomnia. Some people cannot sleep because of their sleeping environment. They live in a noisy neighborhood, or they work the graveyard shift and have to sleep during… Read More »Antipsychotics for Insomnia
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that affects millions of people around the world. In the US alone, the National Sleep Foundation has reported that about 30 to 40 percent of American adults have had symptoms of insomnia. If you have insomnia, you will find it difficult to fall asleep or… Read More »Tasimelteon for Insomnia
Sleep disorders affect millions of people in the United States. These disorders can result in low productivity and may impact a person’s well-being. Medication can help you if you suffer a sleep disorder. Chloral Hydrate is a popular sedative-hypnotic used as a sleeping aid. It can work wonders for you… Read More »Chloral Hydrate – Side Effects, Dosage, Interactions
What is a Narcotic? Narcotic comes from the ancient Greek word, narkō, which means “to make numb”. It is medically described as any compound that distributes hallucinatory hormones which have sleep-inducing effects. Narcotic, in its main nature, is an opioid. Narcotics play a large, vital role in the medicine world.… Read More »Definition of Narcotic
Sleep disorders have been the subject of countless studies and other research. It is thanks to these studies that researchers discovered medications for sleep disorders. There are some medications that work well in treating sleep disorders even though that is not their intended use. One of these medications is Tiagabine.… Read More »Tiagabine
In today’s society, people are so busy that they usually cut back on sleep for their studies or work. Staying up all night to meet a deadline has almost become a norm. A norm with a cost. Sleep loss isn’t the only thing that causes various consequences, but also poor… Read More »What Are The Consequences Of Poor Sleep?
A huge number of people have difficulty sleeping and it’s not just due to insomnia. Sleep-wake cycle disrupted, pain or chronic pain, anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder to name a few. We haven’t even started with sleep disorders, and that is definitely a long list. People resort to medications… Read More »Rating Process for CBD
Zeitgeber is German for ‘time giver’. It refers to time cues that your body receives and which it uses for certain processes, like controlling your energy levels and alertness, hunger or sleepiness. Light is the strongest zeitgeber, as it tells the body when it’s morning (wake time) and night (sleep… Read More »How Light, Temperature and Other Zeitgebers Influence Your Sleep Time
Lunesta is one of the most popular sleep-inducing sedatives available today. It helps users get the sleep that they need. Its effectiveness made this drug a popular sleeping pill. However, before you consider taking Lunesta as a sleep aid, you need to equip yourself with information that can help you… Read More »Lunesta (Eszopiclone)
Restless Leg Syndrome is a condition where the muscles on the legs of a person twitch or move uncontrollably. This often happens while someone is relaxing or lying down. This is why it is considered a sleeping disorder. It prevents a person from sleeping properly. And if you cannot sleep… Read More »Gabapentin for RLS Patients
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) or Willis Ekbom Disease, is a disorder that causes an undesirable tension in the legs with an uncontrollable urge to move them. This occurs when someone has been sitting for a long period of time with no leg movement or when there is prolonged inactivity. People… Read More »Pramipexole and Restless Leg Syndrome
We always think about amnesia, sleep apnea, or snoring when we talk about sleep disorders. However, there are a lot of other sleeping disorders. Some are just not as common as snoring or amnesia. One of these is narcolepsy. Sodium Oxybate is a medication used as a treatment of narcolepsy. Aside… Read More »Sodium Oxybate
As much as we want to, not all of us can fall asleep quickly each night. Some of us suffer from sleeping disorders that can prevent us from getting to sleep and getting much-needed rest. Insomnia is one such sleeping disorder. Luckily, advancements in medicine have given us medications that… Read More »Ramelteon for Insomnia
What is Restless Leg Syndrome? Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is also called Willis-Ekbom Disease. It is a disease that causes unpleasant or uncomfortable sensations in the legs. This is accompanied by an irresistible urge to move them. The symptoms of RLS usually occur late in the afternoon or in the… Read More »Ropinirole for Restless Leg Syndrome
Every one of us can see some of the obvious sleep benefits; such as good mood, attention, easy learning, and freshness. We can also notice how all of these benefits disappear after only one night of sleep deprivation. Research shows that sleep has even more benefits, like boosting our immune… Read More »The Many Benefits Of Sleep
Insomnia is one of the three major classifications of sleeping disorders. It is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, both of which have effects that can affect a person’s daily life. It is a common sleeping problem in which a person regularly feels tired with the worry of… Read More »Suvorexant for Insomnia
Z-drugs are a group of drugs that have effects similar to those of benzodiazepines. If your doctor has prescribed sleeping pills to you, your doctor gave you one of the Z-drugs. These drugs are called Z-drugs because their names usually begin with the letter “Z’. These drugs came out in… Read More »Z-Drugs – Non-Benzodiazepines
Doctors prescribe medications to cure insomnia when people have trouble sleeping. Chances are, these drugs belong to the group known as Z-Drugs. Some people thought that the Z is for a snooze, as in getting some “zzz’s.” Truth is, they are called Z-drugs because they contain Zaleplon, Zolpidem, or Zopiclone.… Read More »Z-Drug Side Effects
We all feel great – happy, energetic and optimistic after a good night’s sleep. Having enough deep and REM sleep surely improves mood and attention. But how does sleep make us feel and perform better? Recent studies have found the key process for understanding how the brain clears out from… Read More »How Sleep “Reboots” Your Brain
Many of us get to a point in our lives where we have trouble sleeping. This can be triggered by many factors such as stress, caffeine intake, or sometimes a more serious problem. You might think that sleeping is the most human thing to do in this world until you… Read More »Zolpidem
What is Zaleplon? Sleep is considered the fuel of life. It is through sleep that we recharge and heal our bodies. However, not all of us can fall asleep at will. It is estimated that in the US alone, 60 million people suffer from sleeping disorders. These are ordinary people… Read More »Zaleplon for Insomnia
If you’re prone to allergies then you already know what an antihistamine is. Antihistamines are medicines used to treat allergies and their symptoms. We sometimes dismiss allergies and think of them as something that only overly sensitive people have. The truth is that allergies can be fatal. That’s why it… Read More »Antihistamines
The brain is one of the vital organs of the body. Human brain consumes about a fifth of total energy, although not large in size. Brain activity and energy expenditure fluctuate throughout wakefulness and sleep. The brain’s energy consumption during sleep is smaller, although not equal through sleep stages –… Read More »Sleep And The Brain: Energy Consumption And Distribution
Do you feel increasingly tired over the working week and then sleep in on weekends? This is one of the surest signs that you’re sleep deprived most of the time. Many people fill their daily schedules so much that they simply have no time to sleep enough. And how much… Read More »Make-up Sleep: Is It Reasonable To Try To Catch Up On Your Sleep?
Light sleep makes up most of an adult’s sleep cycle. We spend about 50% of our sleep in light sleep. Although not as restorative as deep sleep (also called slow-wave sleep) and not as vivid in dreams and emotions as REM sleep, it is an important part of our night’s… Read More »Stages Of Light Sleep
We have light receptors in rods and cones of our eyes – they play a role in our vision. However, there is another light receptor called melanopsin, and it doesn’t help us see better. It just helps our brain understand whether it is sleep time or wake time. You may… Read More »What Is Melanopsin And How Does It Affect Our Sleep Cycle?