Reasons for Insomnia and How to Find Relief

The inability to sleep is one of the most vexing conditions in the human experience. It is written about in the Bible and in literature from around the world. Leonardo Da Vinci said, “A well-spent day brings happy sleep.” But does it really? For most people, not being able to fall asleep sets their world on edge, at least temporarily during some point in their lives.

What, exactly, is the reason so many people struggle to sleep well? An investigation into the reasons for insomnia begins with an explanation of the common types of sleeplessness. Some people struggle to fall asleep. They may lay awake well into the night, or if they are shift workers, during the daytime when they should be sleeping. Others will fall asleep quickly, but then will wake up several times during the night. Still others may be awakened by noises or other environmental factors and then be unable to go back to sleep, or they may wake up too early.

Whatever form insomnia takes, it has an impact on health, emotions, and productivity unless a remedy is found. What are the reasons for sleeplessness? The most common reasons for insomnia are:

·         Poor sleep habits

·         Overuse of caffeine and other stimulants

·         Chronic pain

·         Drug or alcohol addiction

·         Emotional disturbance, like anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder

·         Side effects of medication

·         Physical conditions such as apnea, COPD, or acid reflux

These are not all the reasons a person might have trouble sleeping. Chronic, long-term insomnia can be the result of a serious medical condition that requires consulting a physician; however, for most people there are changes that can be made that will allow them to sleep well. For example, they can change habits like watching television in bed (overstimulation) or not keeping a regular sleep schedule. The body’s circadian rhythms may be trying to move them to a sleepy state, but if they stay up late one night, go to bed immediately following dinner the next, and so forth without a regular bedtime that rhythm may be out of sync.

Another important change that can be made to promote sleep is avoiding caffeine in coffee or energy drinks in the evening. Illicit stimulant drugs like methamphetamines will disrupt the sleep cycle for days at a time. Some prescription medications also have the unfortunate side effect of insomnia. A doctor can recommend an alternate medication if necessary.

Two more reasons for insomnia are physical or emotional illness. It is well documented that conditions like anxiety and depression cause sleep disruption. If one of these is suspected, a doctor or therapist can provide help with therapy, alternate treatments like biofeedback training or, if necessary, medication. Some physical conditions like asthma and apnea cause the sufferer to wake suddenly when the body isn’t getting enough oxygen. This is a serious symptom that needs medical attention.

And, finally, the chronic pain of such illnesses as cancer or rheumatoid arthritis can disrupt the sleep cycle. If that is the case, the patient can ask their health care provider for a remedy with the least side effects.

Thomas Dekker said, “Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.” This is wisdom, indeed, as no one can function well without adequate sleep. By first making environmental changes and then consulting their health care provider if the insomnia persists, the balance of sleep and wakefulness can be restored.

NEUROFEEDBACK FOR INSOMNIA AND SLEEP DISORDERS

What Are Memory Loss Tests

A memory loss test examines numerous areas connected to memory loss, including physical and cognitive damage. This test might reveal the reasons for loss of memory, and it may aid doctors in developing a suitable and efficient treatment plan.

Generally a memory loss test begins with an evaluation from the patient’s health background. This generally addresses the type of memory loss and how it has advanced. It will also look at triggering factors, such as injuries or a distressing event, and if there is a family history of this type. There are several reasons for memory loss:

• Growths or infections
• Mind trauma or injuries
• Surgical complications
• Dietary problems
• Depression, bipolar-disorder, or panic disorders
• Alcohol or substance abuse

The next phase is generally a physical examination to check on physical function, reflexes, central nervous system, and brain health. Various tests, such as an MRI or CT scan, may be scheduled to look for brain damage or irregularities. Cognitive exams are frequently conducted, which enables a physician to determine the patient’s judgment, thought designs, and short and long-term memory. A memory loss test can help to understand the extent and possibly the reason for loss of memory. They additionally help your physician to develop the appropriate treatment needed.

Treatment

Following a thorough memory loss test, a physician will frequently be able to determine an appropriate treatment plan, which could include:

• Cognitive therapy - This treatment is generally completed with a therapist and studies have proven that psychotherapy can be quite useful as loss of memory therapy.
  
• Work therapy - This therapy trains patients to learn new information to replace what was lost.
  
• Neurofeedback therapy - This therapy utilizes a computer to retrain dysregulated brainwaves to a more structured pattern. Research has proven that neurofeedback works well in helping with loss of memory.

If you are suffering from loss of memory and you need to get help, a memory loss test is a step in the right direction. Talk to your physician regarding your treatment, and see if a memory loss test is right for you.

NEUROFEEDBACK THERAPY FOR MEMORY LOSS

Are Biofeedback Devices Safe?

When a doctor or therapist suggests that biofeedback therapy might help in alleviating persistent symptoms, there are a number of questions the patient might have. They may be wondering what type of equipment will be used, and they may have questions about what the devices actually do to relieve symptoms. But the question on the minds of most patients is this – are biofeedback devices safe?

To answer these questions, let’s begin with an explanation of the equipment used. Biofeedback devices commonly include an electroencephalogram (EEG) machine and electrodes that are attached to the scalp and other parts of the body. The equipment also includes a computer monitor through which feedback on brainwave activity and body functions, such as heart rate and skin temperature, is visible.

The process by which relief of symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure occurs, involves walking the patient through relaxation exercises while he is attached to the biofeedback device. Because he is given audible or visual cues when the troubling symptom stabilizes, he is able to quickly see the results of his own efforts.

While biofeedback training is not a cure for these conditions, it can bring relief from symptoms and reduce or eliminate the need for more aggressive therapies. The number of sessions needed to fully train the patient in these techniques varies based on the patient’s own level of motivation and ability to learn, as well as the severity of the symptoms.

And now to the question of whether or not biofeedback devices are safe. The simple answer is, “Yes.” None of the equipment used is invasive; therefore, there is no risk of infection or injury. The electrodes used to provide feedback on bodily functions do not deliver any kind of current back to the patient. The relaxation techniques being taught during the sessions are no more dangerous than the practice of meditation.

Undertaking biofeedback training is safe, non-invasive, and effective in alleviating the symptoms of a number of medical conditions. The person for whom biofeedback training is prescribed can approach this type of therapy with confidence. 

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The Effects of PTSD on the Brain

How PTSD Changes the Brain

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is primarily considered a psychological disorder and that leads many to the unfortunate misconception that for sufferers, it's "all in their head." In a manner of speaking, that's true: it is all in their head, but not in the way naysayers or ignorant people think. In fact, exposure to a traumatic event actually changes the chemicals in an individual’s brain. These chemicals regulate things like mood, impulsivity, contentment, happiness, fight-or-flight responses, and much, much more.

Here is a quick guide to the neurological effects of PTSD:

1.       The brain starts over producing cortisol. This is one of the most powerful stress hormones that the brain releases; it comes from the hypothalamus, a region of the brain that controls the autonomic nervous system and other functions, like thirst, hunger, sleep, and emotional responses. An excess of cortisol can slow the body's ability to heal itself, interfere with sleep, slow down the sex drive, and cause constant anxiety.

2.       The brain's "fight or flight" system goes haywire. In folks with regularly functioning brains, the "fight or flight" system is fairly well regulated. Upon seeing something potentially dangerous, the amygdala gears up to start our instinctual "fight or flight" reaction, and it does this all the time in response to any perceived danger or threat. In most people, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex then goes to work rationalizing the situation, and the hippocampus provides context, which, if the situation doesn't turn out to be dangerous, ends up overriding the panic response and just gives us a little "thrill." However, PTSD disrupts the balance of these areas of the brain, giving the amygdala free reign to respond with "fight or flight" reactions to slight or perceived, threats. This is likely at the heart of signature PTSD symptoms like night terrors and "shutting down" in the face of normal, everyday stressors.

3.       The hippocampus doesn't work as well as it should. The hippocampus is the part of the brain that provides context for a situation in the "fight or flight" response by regulating memory. However, PTSD affects the operation of the hippocampus, causing memory loss or difficulty retrieving memories in appropriate situations. The science isn't conclusive on how this works; however, chronic sufferers of PTSD definitely have smaller hypothalamuses, but researchers aren't sure why. It's possible that the overproduction of cortisol actually shrinks the hypothalamus, thus affecting memory creation and access over time, or it could be that people with genetically smaller hypothalamuses are more prone to PTSD than others.

LEARN ABOUT NEUROFEEDBACK FOR PTSD

An Overview of the History of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Looking into the history of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is complicated, and we're truly still finding and understanding a complete detox from the disease. It’s a comparatively new term for a disorder that has influenced soldiers for 1000's of years. Signs and symptoms demonstrative from the going debilitating mental results of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder happen to be recorded throughout the history of warfare.

A brief history of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder takes us back completely to reports from Ancient Greece. In documents through the Greek historian Herodotus, he writes about signs and symptoms including conversion responses along with other common mental signs and symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder which are well recorded in the current soldiers suffering from PTSD today. For instance, in one record of the Spartan commander Leonidas he mentions he needed to refuse warriors that wanted to the fight because he would often see these men were psychologically exhausted in the previous battle.

We know by searching in the annals of history for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that this condition hasn't only affected soldiers. In documents concerning the Great Fire based in London of 1666, one Englishman describes inability to be asleep or awake with no anxiety about fire consuming him. These signs and symptoms endured for several weeks and led to him falling into deep despair and anger. Many modern Post Traumatic Stress Disorder sufferers can also understand and will often present with these signs and symptoms.

Recognition of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder made large strides in 1678, when Swiss military doctors formally recognized and named the audience of signs and symptoms associated with the disorder. They called the condition “Nostalgia”. Around the same time frame, German doctors were figuring out exactly the same signs and symptoms within their troops, and created the word “heimweh”, which means homesickness. Afterwards the Spanish language modified a phrase just a little nearer to striking the emotional experience with Post traumatic stress disorder, calling it “estar roto”, meaning literally to become damaged or broken.

Regardless of the knowledge of the existence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder spanning to ancient cultures, Western doctors and leaders in modern wars happen to be unwilling to address and acknowledge the disorder. From the over 800,000 US troops that were in the actual fighting in World War 2, nearly 40% of these experienced from such severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that they were released permanently. The intense mental damage was blown off as “battle fatigue”. Following the Korean War, roughly one 4th of soldiers in combat experienced Post traumatic stress disorder. Nearly 1 out of 3 of Vietnam veterans have displayed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder signs and symptoms.

In 1980, the American Psychological Association finally created the descriptive phrase, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and recognized it as being the official mental disorder that is known today as PTSD. Scientific studies are still unclear but it's believed that approximately 25-50% from the American troops coming back in the Middle East suffer or are affected by Post traumatic stress disorder.

While it’s good to look at history for examples of Post traumatic stress disorder, we have to also take a look at its future. The signs and symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder are extremely serious, and may have a major effect on an individual's existence and quality of life in the long term.

The most typical signs and symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder include:

·         Re-experience with a distressing event

·         Depression, insufficient hope

·         Elevated anxiety, fear, and emotional reactions

·         Avoidance of memory joggers of event

·         Suicidal ideas or feeling

Should you or somebody is struggling with Post traumatic stress disorder, there's help available. Lots of people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder show an incredible reaction to treatment, but it's regrettably common for sufferers to not look for help.

You will find some good treatments available, including:

·         Psychotherapy -With psychotherapy a counselor helps the individual learn how to change how he considers the trauma and it is aftermath. By understanding how to change and prevent destructive thought designs, the individual has the capacity to react more normally to stimuli.

·         Exposure Therapy - With exposure therapy, by speaking having a counselor about ideas and feelings concerning the trauma, the individual has the capacity to stop fearing them. The individual has the capacity to securely face their fears and discover to beat them.

·         Neurofeedback Therapy - This therapy uses computer systems for brain-training exercises to redirect wayward brainwaves to a structured, healthy pattern. Using this method, the mind gets to be more stable and efficient. Research has proven so that it is good at dealing with an array of nerve conditions. See more about neurofeedback

·         Medication - A physician will sometimes prescribe antidepressants, anti-psychotics, or anti-anxiety medicines. However, such medicines ought to be carefully supervised because of serious unwanted effects and chance of dependence.

NEUROFEEDBACK THERAPY FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)