ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: SleepyHeadCENTRAL's top 25 most popular posts

As determined by Google Analytics, including posts timestamped between September 19, 2014 and September 19, 2015

1. APR 15. 2015 || JUST BREATHE: Upper airway resistance. It's a thing. And it matters.
   
2. NOV 29, 2014 || SHED SOME LIGHT: Misconceptions about Circadian Rhythm Disorders
   
3. NOV 21, 2014 || SHED SOME LIGHT: Terra Ziporyn Snider, PhD, on later school start times
   
4. JUN 12, 2015 || GUEST POST: Insights into the recent ASV device recall
   
5. FEB 13, 2015 || ALTERNATIVES: Therapies for Sleep Apnea that don't involve a mask
   
6. APR 30, 2015 || JUST BREATHE: "Heard About Sleep?" APNEA... If not, listen in here.
   
7. APR 30, 2015 || JUST BREATHE: What happens if I don't treat my sleep apnea?
   
8. NOV 7, 2014 || SHED SOME LIGHT: ...on circadian disorders
   
9. OCT 24, 2014 || MONSTERS OF SLEEP: Ken Scholes on sleeping and PTSD
   
10. NOV 17, 2014 || SLEEP HYGIENE TIP OF THE WEEK: Melatonin is tricky
    
11. NOV 11, 2014 || SHED SOME LIGHT: ...on non-24 disorder
    
12. OCT 18, 2014 || CPAP CENTRAL: A Season for Masks: Smaller Might Be Better
    
13. JAN 2, 2015 || DEFINITIONS: What is normal sleep?
    
14. NOV 4, 2014 || SHED SOME LIGHT: Are insomnia and winter depression linked?
    
15. MAR 24, 2015 || INSOMNIA: Why is it linked to depression?
    
16. JUL 24, 2015 || SLEEP STUFF: Smartphone apps for sleep
    
17. SEP 20, 2014 || GUEST POST:  Edward Grandi on Sleep Apnea: What is it and what can I do about it?
    
18. JAN 17, 2015 || ALTERNATIVES: Sleep better when you have the flu with these tips
    
19. DEC 18 , 2014 || VISIONS OF SUGARPLUMS: Alcohol is NOT the sweet dream fairy
    
20. FEB 17, 2015 || ALTERNATIVES: Valerian, aka "Nature's Valium" -- safe to use, effective? You be the judge
    
21. MAR 11, 2015 || INSOMNIA: On Sleep State Misperception, with Dr. Robert Rosenberg, DO
    
22. DEC 17 , 2014 || VISIONS OF SUGARPLUMS: Sleep Disorders 101: NS-RED and NES, Sleep Eating Disorders
    
23. FEB 17, 2015 || ALTERNATIVES: Aromatherapy
    
24. MAR 17, 2015 || INSOMNIA: The problem with insomnia forums
    
25. APR 23, 2015 || JUST BREATHE: Hope2Sleep's "Dangers of Untreated Sleep Apnoea" infographic 

MONSTERS OF SLEEP || Don't read these books before bedtime... unless you WANT to be scared!

Here are some lists of super scary books that might be better off read during the light of day. Or, since it's Halloween, you can sit in a dark room with friends and read out loud to get your spook on. ...Your choice.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

LIST 25's 25 Scary Books That Will Keep You Up at Night

Amazon UK's Horror Books That Will Keep You Awake All Night

Mandatory's 20 Terrifying Two-Sentence Horror Stories

Thought Catalog's 13 Short, Creepy Stories That Will Scare the Crap Out of You

The SleepyHeadCENTRAL Monthly giveaway happens tonight!!! Are you eligible? It's free! Don't miss out!

Subscribe to the SHC free opt-in monthly newsletter to become eligible to win monthly giveaways!

The monthly newsletter offers subscribers free sleep product giveaways; the very latest in sleep news; links to monthly sleep health polls; connections to public sleep health opportunities; and access to sleep health awareness campaigns.

Also, this is an easy way to engage with the curator directly!

SHC is proud to offer this adorable helper for parents struggling to help their children banish their fear of the dark:

The Monster Cuff (pictured right) is a soft, washable wristband that children can wear to empower themselves against the things that go bump in the night. From the maker, BabyHoot--Handmade Things for Baby:

"Does your child have trouble sleeping with monsters under the bed? Or maybe they live in the closet...

These super comfy, monster cuff bracelets are designed to make bedtime a breeze. Wear them on your wrist while you sleep to keep those monsters under your bed away so your little one can sleep through the night! (and so can you!)

Cuffs are double snap closure, made from the softest cotton blends to make them extra snuggly to sleep in. We make them to fit most kids, ages 2-100! (**Most Monster Cuff's fit ages 1-10, we have two snaps on each bracelet to adjust to a comfy fit.)"

Need more tips for helping junior to overcome his or her fear of the closet monster or the demon under the bed? Check out this recent post at SHC.

---

HOW THE MONTHLY GIVEAWAY WORKS

The winner will be selected randomly from the full subscription list as it exists as of 11:59pm on the last day of every month. One winner picked monthly. Each monthly winner will be contacted through email; winner must reply to email and provide mailing address in order to win. Each winner announced in the next month's newsletter.

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND WIN THE MONSTER CUFF!

MONSTERS OF SLEEP: Christa Zielke on the challenges of living with narcolepsy

I've Never Fallen Asleep In My Soup

by Christa Zielke

I had always been tired. 

Now before you think, “Well everyone does! Ever hear of the 2pm slump?” 

I don’t mean that kind of tired. I mean the kind of tired where I would sit down on a bench outside of classes in college, ready to head into class on time, and I’d wake up an hour after class ended. The kind of tired that meant that I made a terrible passenger in a car – I’d always fall asleep ten minutes after the car started. The kind of tired that meant, no matter what time I’d go to bed, waking up was a painful experience – even with 8, 10, 12 hours of sleep. Sometimes, without an alarm, I’d sleep for 14 hours straight. My record was 16. Even once I was upright and in the shower, I’d fall asleep standing up. That kind of tired. 

I thought it was my sleep schedule, which I made as regular as possible. I thought it was my diet, so I cut processed sugars, red meats, starches, every culprit I could think of, out. I tried vitamin regimens. I exercised regularly (cycling, weightlifting, yoga, hockey, just to name a few). I was still tired. I always chalked it up to being someone who really, really needed a lot of sleep. And hated waking up.

Luckily, as I got older, I developed strategies to ensure that I could keep my job, keep morning appointments, and keep commitments to meet up with friends on a Saturday morning. It didn’t always work, but many times it helped. It involved multiple alarm clocks and a support system of trusted, close friends who would call me in the morning on days where I had a big morning meeting, checking in or taking turns calling at intervals to ensure that I was up and getting where I needed to be. Friends whom I’d made weekend morning plans with knew the passcode to my security system, and I would leave my door unlocked so they could come in and head to my bedroom in case I wasn’t awake. They’d help me up, walk me around sometimes. I had a boyfriend who would pull me out of bed each morning, lifting me up when needed to help me get up. I have some seriously understanding and kind friends, I know. 

By the time I was 29, other strange sleep issues arose. The first time I had a hypnogogic hallucination, I saw a man walking into the room. I was wide awake. I sat up, stared – the man was standing there, at the foot of the bed. I could see what he was wearing (white tank top, jeans) and the color of his hair (blonde, straggly). I did what anyone would do when they saw a stranger in their room – I screamed my head off and woke up my boyfriend, who of course screamed in response to my screaming. I thought he was screaming because he saw it too. But then, the figure just vaporized – disintegrated into nothing. I had no explanation. 

This continued off and on for years. I ran out of my room a few times a month, seeing something completely terrifying, thinking it was real. A burglar, a cat (I had no pets), spiders, rats, even remote control cars zooming around on the floor at one point. 

After a few years, I was quicker to realize that they were hallucinations, but they never stopped terrifying me. Once they vanished, or a few minutes after running out of the room, I’d figure out that they were not real. Eventually, this would turn into a 2-3 night a week thing. My love life became challenged… as in, “I’d love for you to spend the night, but…” 

Then, in my thirties, I started seeing a new doctor for unrelated issues. After missing every morning appointment with this doctor, he asked what had never seemed like an obvious question up until then:  “Why are you always having trouble waking up? You’re athletic, you eat healthy, you don’t drink alcohol, and you’re young. This doesn’t make sense. Maybe you have a sleep disorder.” 

I had never really considered this. But after his comment, I conceded that perhaps I was dealing with sleep apnea or some other common sleep ailment. So I agreed to go to a local sleep clinic and meet with a neurologist to discuss my symptoms.

When I talked to the neurologist about being tired so much, he immediately asked about hallucinations. 

“How’d you know?” I asked, and he just said, “I’m fairly certain you have narcolepsy.” 

I was blown away. “Not possible,” I said. The only thing I knew about narcolepsy was what I had seen in a movie in the 90’s where a character with the disorder was constantly collapsing and going into deep sleeps (I’d learn to really hate these representations of narcolepsy, as most people based their understanding of the disorder on these films).  

He laughed and said I should just do the two days of testing, including the MSLT (Multiple Sleep Latency test). These tests weren’t really that bad, although they glue about a million wires to your head, face and body. By the time I had shampooed all the weird glue out of my hair a few days later, the results were definitive. And so my treatment began. 

Being that there is no cure for narcolepsy, the best option is medication to reduce symptoms. The main drug that is prescribed is Xyrem – a terrible-tasting liquid that you mix with water and take twice nightly (I recommend adding a few drops of the new water-flavor enhancers). Xyrem is intended to help achieve the “deep sleep” that a narcoleptic cannot typically get on their own. 

The disorder itself is your brain’s inability to manage the sleep-wake cycle. Hence, you get very little “restorative” sleep when you go to bed at night, and you are prone to hallucinations either right before you sleep or right after you wake. 

Other related symptoms include sleep paralysis (the inability to move when you wake up), EDS (extreme daytime sleepiness – your body is trying desperately to “catch up”) and the co-diagnosis that many narcoleptics have, cataplexy (sudden loss of muscle tone in response to strong emotions). 

Xyrem helps with most of these for many narcoleptics, but not all. I’m one of the lucky ones, it works really well for me. During the daytime, I also take a mild dose of Ritalin (previously I took Nuvigil, but had difficulty with it) to keep me “awake” during the day. Granted, these medications don’t work well for everyone, and adjustments have to be made before you find the right levels/doses/combinations. But for me, this current medication combination has worked wonders. 

The difference has been amazing for me. People who work with me say I’m more awake, more cheerful, a “whole new person.” It wasn’t easy getting there, though. In the beginning, getting used to the medications, dealing with nausea (it went away eventually) and even getting used to being AWAKE – really, really awake (I often felt anxiety when I’d wake up so suddenly and fully) – was a huge adjustment. 

I’ve been fortunate to have great doctors who have helped me along the way. While my narcolepsy isn’t gone (I still fall asleep in cars, all the time), and the ongoing medication regimen is not always my favorite thing in the world, my life has improved greatly as a result of the treatment. I actually get up on my own, no alarm, at 6 or 7 a.m. most days (sometimes I take days off, just to take a break and “sleep in”, which also keeps the medication working well when I go back to it). 

Honestly, the most difficult thing has been dealing with others when they find out I have narcolepsy. Back to the “Hey, everyone gets tired!” comment. 

Yes, I’ve heard that one – a lot. Well-meaning friends have also asked me “Have you been tested for a thyroid thing? It might be that.” Or said, “I’ve never seen you fall asleep in our soup!! You can’t have narcolepsy!” 

While others want to share their thoughts on how I should use herbal remedies, teas, and other options (not that I’m opposed to alternative medicines), I’m fairly happy with the results I’m getting with my current medications. I know these people are just trying to relate to something that they don’t fully understand. That doesn’t make it any easier when I’m feeling like I have to defend my diagnosis or the means for treating it. 

As a result, I don’t really share my diagnosis with many people. But luckily, I have a few close friends and coworkers who are very understanding and supportive, and to this day will occasionally ask, “How’s the sleep thing going?” 

Much better, thanks. 

---

Christa Zielke resides in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was diagnosed with narcolepsy in 2012.

MONSTERS OF SLEEP || Insomnia? Find your vampire friends online

Insomnia can turn the best of us into vampires!

Here are some good places to start if you are struggling with insomnia and need to talk to someone who shares your challenges.

While it's NOT the greatest sleep hygiene to be staring at a backlit screen in the middle of the night, the reality is that there are hundreds of thousands of people out there who are suffering from chronic, disabling insomnia. SHC always suggests you pay a visit to your doctor to figure out what you can do to treat your insomnia. It could be caused by medications, an underlying health condition you aren't aware of, a poor sleep environment, anxiety disorders, and/or less-than-stellar sleep hygiene. You won't know the root of your problem until you see a doctor, who will look at a multitude of factors which can lead to chronic insomnia.

But you might be reading this post now and thinking, WHAT ABOUT TONIGHT? So here are some suggestions for places to go to learn more about insomnia and to talk directly to others who suffer. Misery loves company and can often help point you in the right direction for finding treatment.

Please use common sense while visiting any online forum or discussion group.

PSYCH FORUMS Psychology and Mental Health Forums Insomnia Forum

Facebook INSOMNIA SUPPORT GROUP -- this is a closed group; you will need approval to join

EXPERIENCE PROJECT: I Have Insomnia Support Forum

AMERICAN SLEEP ASSOCIATION Insomnia Forum

MONSTERS OF SLEEP || Research shows that women have the scariest nightmares... Why?

A British study found that women suffered through more nightmares, on the order of 30% versus 19% of men, and that their nightmares are far more terrifying.

Researcher Dr Jennie Parker explains one theory: that "nightmares help the brain 'rehearse' distressing and disturbing events that one is likely to encounter in the future."

In addition, the study acknowledges that there could be a correlation between changes in body temperature and dreams. Women experience body temperature changes as a result of their menstrual cycles which may be a factor in the quality and frequency of their dreams.

Also, Dr Chris Idikowski, director of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, contends that women tend to verbalize more of their interior life than men do, which may explain the fact that they remember their dreams more often, and which might better explain why they have more nightmares which are more scary.

What do you think? Is it the way women and men are wired, or do you think it's something else?

Check out the original article at the Daily Mail: Why women have the scariest nightmares

MONSTERS OF SLEEP || Sleepwalking in the News

This is a realistic statue of a sleepwalker found on the Wellesley College campus.

Sept 3, 2014
Sleepwalking camper recovering after falling from cliff in central Kentucky
Video on the scene here.

Sept 23, 2014
Four-Year-Old Girl Sleepwalks to Nearby Town
She walked 3 miles in her underwear and boots and thought her house was on fire.

Sept 29, 2014
Sleepwalking man attacks girlfriend in front of police...then goes back to bed
British man suffering from profound sleepwalking and night terrors could be sleep deprived.

Oct 2, 2014
Insomniac reader sleepwalks, drives, cooks and cleans on Ambien
New zolpidem (Ambien) dosages may help, and so might other nonpharmaceutical options.

Oct 14, 2014
George Campbell, sleepwalker not criminally responsible of attempted murder, attacks again
Alleged second attack, against separate girlfriend, elicits skepticism about details of first crime in 2000.

Oct 18, 2014
Defense Argues Suspect Likely Was Sleepwalking
Alleged rape case involving possible sleepwalker, Benjamin Tyler Gray.

Oct 21, 2014
Enfield man sues police for sleepwalking
Christopher Demski alleges he was walking in his sleep and entered his neighbor's house, instead of his parent's house, by mistake.
Oct 23, 2014
VA doctor arrested for sex crime
Emergency room doctor investigated for allegedly uses sleepwalking as an alibi in case involving grooming for child pornography.

MONSTERS OF SLEEP || Sleep Hygiene Tips for helping junior overcome fear of the dark

"There's a Monster Under The Bed" by Cody Hom.

Being afraid of the dark is no laughing matter to a child. And as a parent, you will see the deficits that come from the residual sleep deprivation that occurs night after night, all day long. Grumpy, groggy children with low energy are not fun to live with, and if they are school aged, this can result in behavioral and learning problems down the line. 

Here are some tips for helping your youngster address and conquer their fears of the things that go bump in the night.

• Figure out what your child is afraid of. Listen and acknowledge that the fear is real... to your child. It doesn't matter if it's not real to you.
• If you can, make the dark a friendly space. Give them a flashlight to shine under the sheets. Sing soft lullabies in the dark. Read books to them about kids who overcome their own fears of the dark. 
• Whether you put stock in the creatures your child imagines is controversial. Some say you should not acknowledge the monster under the bed or in the closet. Others say that giving your children tools to make them feel safe (like the adorable Monster Cuff, this month's subscriber giveaway) is more useful that ignoring their fears. These may be as simple as their usual security objects or installing a friendly nightlight. Use your judgment.
• Whatever you choose, make sure your child knows they are safe, but be vigilant about keeping them tucked into their own bed. This may be the only way to break them of the anxiety they get while sleeping in their own room.
• Identify any problems your child may have with self-confidence. Do they have any anxiety that needs to be addressed during the day? 
• Make sure your bedtime rituals are positive, calming and built around reducing light and noise so that they can ratchet down their own behavior enough to relax and fall asleep. 
• It seems obvious, but avoid scary stories, movies and games an hour before bedtime. Limit the fear factor that creeps into their psyches right before bed. Even the content of commercials can be suggestive of things that go bump in the night, however tongue in cheek they may be. Pre-school aged children don't often know how to discern the real from "the pretend."
• TV in general may be something to avoid for the time being. Not only are scary movies and shows a problem, but so are more realistic shows depicting criminals breaking into houses or movies showing other kids who have fears at night.
• It's always good to reward positive behavior positively. Favorite breakfast served the morning after a night all by themselves could be enough motivation for some kids to overcome their fears of the dark. Tell them you're proud of them for staying in bed. Make sure you listen any time they bring up their fears during the day.
• Identify any stressors during the day, or any traumatic experiences, which may be at the root cause for their fears. You may need to speak with a counselor or doctor to help smooth over these worries, but ultimately, some anxieties do require therapy.

MONSTERS OF SLEEP || October's Subscriber Giveaway THIS FRIDAY! Monster Cuff banishes the things that go bump in the night

The Snuggly Monster Cuff by BabyHoot, an adorable way to help kids feel safe so they can fall asleep.

SHC is proud to offer this fantastic solution for helping kids to fall asleep at night: 

THE SNUGGLY MONSTER CUFF! It scares away the monsters while you sleep! The cuff offered here is made from limited edition, blue and orange monster fabric!

From the maker, BabyHoot--Handmade Things for Baby: "Does your child have trouble sleeping with monsters under the bed? Or maybe they live in the closet...

These super comfy, monster cuff bracelets are designed to make bedtime a breeze. Wear them on your wrist while you sleep to keep those monsters under your bed away so your little one can sleep through the night! (and so can you!)

Cuffs are double snap closure, made from the softest cotton blends to make them extra snuggly to sleep in. We make them to fit most kids, ages 2-100! (**Most Monster Cuff's fit ages 1-10, we have two snaps on each bracelet to adjust to a comfy fit.)

To see more sleep-promoting products from BabyHoot, click here.

SUBSCRIBE NOW TO QUALIFY TO WIN THIS ADORABLE SLEEP AID!

HOW TO WIN: Subscribe to the SHC free opt-in monthly newsletter to become eligible to win monthly giveaways! The monthly newsletter offers subscribers free sleep product giveaways; the very latest in sleep news; links to monthly sleep health polls; connections to public sleep health opportunities; and access to sleep health awareness campaigns. Also, this is an easy way to engage with the curator directly!

HOW THE MONTHLY GIVEAWAY WORKS: The winner will be selected randomly from the full subscription list as it exists as of 11:59pm on the last day of every month. One winner picked monthly. Each monthly winner will be contacted through email; winner must reply to email and provide mailing address in order to win. Each winner announced in the next month's newsletter.

MONSTERS OF SLEEP || Guest post: Ken Scholes on sleeping and PTSD

All the Little Monsters:  PTSD, Sleep and Me

by Ken Scholes 

“I've always envied people who sleep easily. Their brains must be cleaner, the floorboards of the skull well swept, all the little monsters closed up in a steamer trunk at the foot of the bed.”  ― David Benioff, City of Thieves

These words from David Benioff ring true for me and, if they’re tipped over on their side, I think they become self-fulfilling prophecy. Getting a good night’s sleep gives us what we need to scrub our brains, sweep clean the skull and deal with all the little monsters. Whether it’s a stressful day or a pesky bug, a solid night of sleep is the Great Restorer.

Of course, as it goes in life, those very things that sleep could help us with can also get in the way. I had my first significant brush with insomnia back in my mid-twenties. It showed up with my first significant brush with depression. At the time, I didn’t realize that what I was really dealing with was a complex form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder–and that sleep disruption and depression were common symptoms.

Now, over twenty years later, I’ve experienced quite a bit of those sleep disruptions off and on.  Racing thoughts that keep me from falling asleep. Waking up too early from anxiety playing out in my sleep. Going through the day sluggish and fatigued despite what seemed a full night’s rest.

My first indicator that my PTSD symptoms are resurging is my sleep. Once I start waking up around 2am with a wet pillow or wet sheets, I know my fight or flight is kicking into gear probably from night terrors or unremembered nightmares. All the little monsters coming out of the trunk kept back there in my amygdala. At its worst, I’d wake up with a strong sense of agitation and foreboding, still exhausted despite the sleep I had, ready to run away or kick ass and take names.

Some of the ways I’ve learned to cope are no brainers. Avoid caffeine at night and avoid over-caffeinating in general. Get regular exercise. Get medical help not just for the PTSD but also the sleep. And pay attention to the rest of your body, not just your PTSD symptoms. Because sometimes, more than one thing is costing you sleep. Combine PTSD with untreated sleep apnea, for instance, and you’re really set up to fail. And possibly cut your life short by twenty years.

But there are other tricks that I’ve picked up along the way. Crazy home remedies that have worked more than once. For example, if I can’t get back to sleep a really cold glass of water–or a spoonful of orange sherbet–can sometimes get me back to sleep. Or if I’m struggling to fall asleep, doing some easy mindfulness exercises like picking out every sound I hear and recounting it to myself–the car on the highway, the creak of the floorboard, the hum of my CPAP machine. Or picking out each physical sensation that I feel–the coldness of the sheet on my left foot, the feeling of the pillow against my ear. All while breathing deep and slow. It’s worked much better for me than counting sheep. And sometimes, there’s nothing like a cup of warm milk and a Hart to Hart rerun to knock me out. 

Probably my best trick–which really only works at home–is to have a fresh bed ready elsewhere that I can crawl into. I read somewhere that Winston Churchill kept several beds nearby and moved to a new bed as needed to combat his insomnia. I tried it back in the days of my first brush with insomnia and sure enough, it worked for me, too. Sometimes you just have to start over, especially if your sheets and pillow are soaked through.

Whatever it is that keeps you from sleep, steer into it and solve it. Learn to take naps when you need to. Pay attention to how rested you feel. If you know your sleep is being disrupted but don’t know why, talk to a doctor. You may need to go in for a sleep study. Trust me, you won’t regret it. Especially if it leads to you getting the rest that you need.  Good, regular sleep is an amazing ally 

when it comes to our well-being.

Hey...I think it’s nap time now.

Sleep well and sweet dreams to you all. 

Author and PTSD sufferer
Ken Scholes

   --------

   Ken Scholes is the critically acclaimed author of four novels and 
   over forty short stories.  His fantasy series, The Psalms of Isaak, is
   published in the US by Tor Books.  Ken is also an outspoken patient
   advocate for people with PTSD as a result of early childhood trauma.  

   You can read more about Ken, his writing and his PTSD at
   www.kenscholes.com.     

    

      

MONSTERS OF SLEEP || October's Subscriber Giveaway banishes the things that go bump in the night

The Snuggly Monster Cuff by BabyHoot, an adorable way to help kids feel safe so they can fall asleep.

SHC is proud to offer this fantastic solution for helping kids to fall asleep at night: 

THE SNUGGLY MONSTER CUFF! It scares away the monsters while you sleep! The cuff offered here is made from limited edition, blue and orange monster fabric!

From the maker, BabyHoot--Handmade Things for Baby: "Does your child have trouble sleeping with monsters under the bed? Or maybe they live in the closet...

These super comfy, monster cuff bracelets are designed to make bedtime a breeze. Wear them on your wrist while you sleep to keep those monsters under your bed away so your little one can sleep through the night! (and so can you!)

Cuffs are double snap closure, made from the softest cotton blends to make them extra snuggly to sleep in. We make them to fit most kids, ages 2-100! (**Most Monster Cuff's fit ages 1-10, we have two snaps on each bracelet to adjust to a comfy fit.)

To see more sleep-promoting products from BabyHoot, click here.

SUBSCRIBE NOW TO QUALIFY TO WIN THIS ADORABLE SLEEP AID!

HOW TO WIN: Subscribe to the SHC free opt-in monthly newsletter to become eligible to win monthly giveaways! The monthly newsletter offers subscribers free sleep product giveaways; the very latest in sleep news; links to monthly sleep health polls; connections to public sleep health opportunities; and access to sleep health awareness campaigns. Also, this is an easy way to engage with the curator directly!

HOW THE MONTHLY GIVEAWAY WORKS: The winner will be selected randomly from the full subscription list as it exists as of 11:59pm on the last day of every month. One winner picked monthly. Each monthly winner will be contacted through email; winner must reply to email and provide mailing address in order to win. Each winner announced in the next month's newsletter.

SLEEP HYGIENE TIP OF THE WEEK || MONSTERS OF SLEEP || Safe sleeping with PTSD

People with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can experience continued psychological mayhem even while asleep. It can lead to anxiety, confusion, terror, even unintended violence to or by the sufferer.

Often forgotten in this are the loved ones who are the sleep partners of PTSD patients. They have additional challenges because they have to deal with safety issues, for both their loved one and themselves, every night.

The main thing that loved ones can do to help make nighttime sleep safer and sounder for everyone is to support the following sleep hygiene basics, which can really help the PTSD sufferer achieve more peaceful sleep. They include:

• Using the bedroom only for sleeping and sex. This means removing media from the room so as not to bring in stimulus-producing sources.
• Soundproofing your bedroom, or if you can't soundproof it, use white noise machines to help keep out external noise. If nothing else, encourage the use of earplugs.
• Keeping your bedroom dark in order to facilitate smooth transitions between sleep. Even nightlights and the tiny lights on electronics devices can interrupt sleep. Eye masks make good options.
• Turning down your thermostat. It is much better to have a cool room with multiple blankets that can be added and removed. Having too warm a room can mess with circadian rhythms.
• Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and make sure everyone in the household can honor it. 
• Avoiding stressful, energizing or stimulating activities before bed so that the body can properly relax when it needs to.
• Encouraging relaxing bedtime activities like warm baths, soft music, herbal tea or light reading to aid the brain in calming down for the night.
• Practicing meditation and/or yogic breathing to help induce relaxation. 
• Writing down worries and anxieties in a diary before bed so that your brain can "let them go" until the morning.
• Avoiding stimulating foods containing caffeine before bedtime (chocolate, cocoa, tea, coffee, soda)
• Avoiding alcohol at bedtime; despite its ability to relax the body, alcohol alters sleep architecture and can compromise quality deep sleep.
• Avoiding nicotine at bedtime as it can both stimulate and relax the brain.
• Asking your doctor and pharmacist to review your prescriptions to determine if any of them, by themselves or in interaction with others, may have a negative impact on sleep. 

Following these instructions may be difficult for some PTSD sufferers, so support for them from their loved ones and sleep mates really makes a difference. Any or all of these suggestions may not only improve the sleeping experience for the PTSD sufferer but for their sleep partners as well.

---

Information for this post was compiled from the Sleep and PTSD page at the National Center for PSTD, US Department of Veterans Affairs website.

MONSTERS OF SLEEP || October's Subscriber Giveaway banishes the things that go bump in the night

The Snuggly Monster Cuff by BabyHoot, an adorable way to help kids feel safe so they can fall asleep.

SHC is proud to offer this fantastic solution for helping kids to fall asleep at night: 

THE SNUGGLY MONSTER CUFF! It scares away the monsters while you sleep! The cuff offered here is made from limited edition, blue and orange monster fabric!

From the maker, BabyHoot--Handmade Things for Baby: "Does your child have trouble sleeping with monsters under the bed? Or maybe they live in the closet...

These super comfy, monster cuff bracelets are designed to make bedtime a breeze. Wear them on your wrist while you sleep to keep those monsters under your bed away so your little one can sleep through the night! (and so can you!)

Cuffs are double snap closure, made from the softest cotton blends to make them extra snuggly to sleep in. We make them to fit most kids, ages 2-100! (**Most Monster Cuff's fit ages 1-10, we have two snaps on each bracelet to adjust to a comfy fit.)

To see more sleep-promoting products from BabyHoot, click here.

SUBSCRIBE NOW TO QUALIFY TO WIN THIS ADORABLE SLEEP AID!

HOW TO WIN: Subscribe to the SHC free opt-in monthly newsletter to become eligible to win monthly giveaways! The monthly newsletter offers subscribers free sleep product giveaways; the very latest in sleep news; links to monthly sleep health polls; connections to public sleep health opportunities; and access to sleep health awareness campaigns. Also, this is an easy way to engage with the curator directly!

HOW THE MONTHLY GIVEAWAY WORKS: The winner will be selected randomly from the full subscription list as it exists as of 11:59pm on the last day of every month. One winner picked monthly. Each monthly winner will be contacted through email; winner must reply to email and provide mailing address in order to win. Each winner announced in the next month's newsletter.

Sleep Hygiene Tip of the Week || MONSTERS OF SLEEP: When naps set you up for a visit with the Insomnia Vampire

Sometimes a poorly timed nap can turn you into an insomnia vampire...

Napping is not usually a bad thing. A cat nap here or there can be wonderfully restorative. However, if you take naps later in the afternoon, you could be setting yourself up for an unnecessary visit with the insomnia vampire.

Your body has two cycles during the 24-hour period we call a day: Wake and Sleep. Generally speaking (and science confirms this), most human beings function best when they are awake during the day and get their sleep at night. This is due, in part, to the way we relate to circadian rhythms. We tend to rise because our body is stimulated by morning light and that turns our pineal gland's production of melatonin down so we can wake up and go about the day doing the things humans do.

There's another process in play, however, that most people aren't aware of. Just like with hunger, thirst and sex, our brains have a built-in sleep drive. How it works is pretty simple: our drive depends on how sleepy we are. If you sleep a solid 8 hours on Monday night and then go to bed at the same time on Tuesday night, you will be sleepy to more or less the same extent. However, if you have really fragmented sleep on Monday night and then go to bed at the same time on Tuesday night, you will probably be more sleepy than you were on Monday night because your body did not get enough sleep to fulfill all the physiological demands that the process of sleep takes care of. With any luck, Monday night's crummy night of sleep will be replaced by a solid night of hard sleep on Tuesday.

Unless you decide to take a nap late in the day...

How do naps enter into this equation?

Naps are a good thing for people who are young or old, as their bodies require a little extra sleep to keep up with various physiological processes at play. Also, people who work night or overnight shifts can benefit from naps prior to their shifts because they can, in essence, make a deposit in their own personal sleep bank account so as not to accrue any sleep debt while at work.

However, if you are a normal, healthy adult with lifestyle that suits daytime work and nighttime rest, you are cautioned against sleeping in the late afternoon because, in doing so, you might rob yourself of some of the sleep drive that will help you get a full night's rest that night. Taking a short nap after 4pm can mean that at 1am the following morning, you might be finding yourself staring at the ghoulish circles growing under your eyes as you struggle to fall back to sleep. This can lead to more daytime sleepiness and potentially more naps at later times in the day on the days that follow, all of which messes with both your circadian rhythms AND your sleep drive.

So if you had a bad night of sleep the night before, put off the nap if you are able to, and just go to bed early the following night. This is the easiest way to put you back on trap and keep your sleep drive from falling out of rhythm.

MONSTERS OF SLEEP || SLEEP Rx || Having nightmares? Maybe it's your prescriptions

Public domain image: "Pferdefleisch ist gesund und bekömmlich" by Honore Daumier, 1856.

If you are experiencing repeated nightmares and are taking any of these classes of pharmaceuticals, you might want to pass this observation on to your doctor to make sure you aren't experiencing nightmares as either a side effect or as a result of drug interactions.

Whatever you do, DON'T stop taking a prescription without first discussing your concerns with your prescribing doctor. It can be dangerous to stop taking something without at first understanding the risks, and some drugs cannot be stopped suddenly, as they require a slow withdrawal in order to fend off other undesirable, even dangerous consequences.

Editor's note: Please don't automatically assume these drugs will give you nightmares. I take (or have taken) a handful of these myself and I do not have nightmares. Remember that every person will respond differently to any given medication based on their own personal chemistry, their preexisting health conditions and what other medications they might also be taking. 

• ADHD drugs: Ritalin, Vyvanse, Adderall
• AIDS drugs: Sustiva
• Anxiolytics: Cymbalta, Effexor
• Antibiotics: Cipro
• Antidepressants: Tricyclics (Elavil, Tofranil, Remeron); SSRIs (Prozac, Paxil, Lexapro, Celexa); Non-tricyclics (Wellbutrin); MAOI inhibitors (Nardil)
• Antihistamines
• Antiseizure drugs: Phenobarbital, Klonopin, Valpax
• Dementia drugs: Aricept, Risperdal, Exelon
• Heart medications: Beta blockers (Tenormin, Nadolol); also Digoxin, Coumadin
• Hypertension drugs: ACE-inhibitors (Vasotec); calciumchannel blockers (Plendil, Sular, Covera); also: Kapvay, Nexiclon, Cozaar
• Pain relievers: Naproxen, Ketamine, morphine
• Parkinsonism drugs: Symadine, Symmetrel, Requip
• Schizophrenia drugs: Clozapine, Risperdal, Zyprexa
• Sleep Aids: Restoril, Halcion, Ambien, Lunesta
• Smoking-cessation drugs: Chantix, nicotine patches, Zyban
• Statins: Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor

Hat tip to WKYC for the lede and The Consultant Pharmacist/June 2011 for providing source materials.

MONSTERS OF SLEEP || Sleep Disorders 101: Night Terrors

If you are the parent of a child who experiences night terrors, you know these are no ordinary nightmares. It will seem as if your child has suddenly become possessed! Your child, in the throes of a night terror, might suddenly bolt upright, shout and scream in defense and be utterly inconsolable regardless your efforts to calm them. Their breathing may be rapid, their heart pounding out of their chest, and they may be sweating, thrashing around for several minutes until they finally calm down and return to sleep. 

Night terrors can often leave parents nearly as traumatized as it seems their child is during an episode. Usually the child going through a night terror isn't even aware that you are trying to calm them down, and when you ask them the next day about their nightmares, you discover they have absolutely no memory of them.

That's because night terrors are not nightmares at all, but a disruption to sleep that occurs during transitional sleep between deep Stage 3 sleep and lighter REM or non-REM stages. 

Night terrors occur during the first three hours of the night. These passages between sleep stages are smooth, but they can lead to stress responses in the child. Children's bodies and brains are still developing, and changes in growth hormones and other brain chemistry might be at work at this time. Thus, this physical (not emotional) expression of fear, caused by the sudden release of stress hormones into the bloodstream, can panic the child, leading to a full-blown, dramatic episode of terror. 

Anyone who has witnessed a child in the middle of a night terror knows to put the emphasis on the word Terror, as this is an extremely accurate representation of what happens. 

Dreams and nightmares, on the other hand, are the fodder of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and never happen in deep Stage 3 sleep. Consider this: during REM sleep, the body is more or less paralyzed from the neck down as part of the brain's effort to keep one from acting out the compelling content of dreams. If your child is terrified in the night but does not move about, and the episode occurs later in the night, they might be having a nightmare. You also might have better luck consoling them, and they stand a good chance of remember the content of their bad dream in the morning because in REM sleep, visual imagery is processed and remembered. In stage 3 sleep there is no imagery for the brain to process.

The good news? Night terrors are actually normal and do not suggest any underlying medical condition. Kids grow out of them, thankfully, so parents can hope for more peaceful nights as their children age.

MONSTERS OF SLEEP: The very real fear factor of PTSD-troubled sleep following heart attacks

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can occur if you go through a traumatic event that seems to keep haunting you later. Soldiers in combat can experience PTSD, so do victims of abuse and terrorism and those who have suffered through serious accidents or disasters. What’s more, you can develop PTSD after having a serious medical event like a heart attack.

PTSD can leave you feeling afraid for your life or fearing for others’ lives. You may feel like you have lost control of your life. One of the ways that PTSD shows up is through the process of sleep. Sudden problems with getting to sleep or staying asleep can take root, and often, people with PTSD often have terrible nightmares that replay the episodes of their trauma repeatedly. Without quality sleep, both physical health and mental health problems like PTSD can only get worse. 

Doctors have long wondered about the relationship between sleep health, heart health and PTSD. The National Sleep Foundation recently reported on studies from Columbia University Medical Center. They examined how common it was for heart attack victims to suffer from symptoms of PTSD afterward. They found that 1 in 8 survivors of heart attacks do indeed suffer from PTSD; their risk for having another cardiac event, or even dying within 3 years after the vent, doubled when compared to survivors of heart attacks who did not develop PTSD.

A separate study at Columbia’s Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health supports this finding and even suggests that poor sleep may be to blame for those who suffer from PTSD after a heart attack. 

It’s fairly simple: the worse symptoms the PTSD sufferers had, the worse their own reports of sleep quality following the heart attack. Sleep quality, in this case, means shorter sleep time, more disturbances while asleep, the need for sleep aids to achieve sleep, and poor daytime work performance due to poor overall sleep quality the night before.

Interestingly, the study showed that the most likely people to suffer from poor sleep following a heart attack are women, obese patients and those with depression.

Doctors are now theorizing that it is not enough to say that PTSD causes poor sleep, or that poor sleep worsens PTSD. Both disrupted sleep and PTSD have nervous system problems in common which need to be addressed. They believe, instead, that these are two underlying conditions, following major cardiac events, must be treated simultaneously.

Further research is needed, but here’s the bottom line: If you or a loved one have had a heart attack and develop PTSD afterward, a mindful approach to reclaiming quality sleep could be a real lifesaver in the long term.

Sources

What is PTSD? (also available in Spanish: ¿Qué es el TEPT? | Ver todos)
National Center for PTSD || http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/PTSD-overview/basics/what-is-ptsd.asp

Poor Sleep Linked to PTSD After Heart Attack
National Sleep Foundation || http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/poor-sleep-linked-ptsd-after-heart-attack

The Monsters of Sleep haunt October at SleepyHead CENTRAL

Think about it... many major sleep problems across the whole of humanity consist of some pretty monstrous symptoms...

People who are excessively sleepy during the day, even after a full night of sleep, may feel a bit like zombies as they sleepwalk from one task to the next... Insomniacs may eventually entertain the notion they are related to Count Dracula at around 2am every night, for nights on end... Children may fear the dark spaces under their bed or in the closet; meanwhile adults may have their own dark brand of haunted nightmares due to RBD or PTSD...

These are all serious sleep issues that need to be addressed, identified, diagnosed and treated.

To honor these sleep challenges, the emphasis of the posts at SHC in October will be on the following sleep problems:

• Hypersomnia
• Sleepwalking and REM Behavior Disorder
• Insomnia
• Nightmares and Night Terrors (including those caused by PTSD)

If you have problems with one or more of these disorders and have questions, please contact SHC here.

If you have a personal story you want to share regarding one or more of these disorders, please contact SHC here.

This month's giveaway will also cleave to this theme and will be announced later this week... stay tuned!

In the meantime, look for posts tagged "The Monsters of Sleep," including the graphic you see above, to navigate the posts which best address these serious, but treatable sleep challenges.