The most common reasons for difficulty falling asleep are stress, untreated illness or a disruption in the circadian rhythm (your natural biochemical sleep pattern). No single method will be effective for everyone. For example, supplements like...
According to a 2004 Bureau of Labor Statistics research study, about 15 million Americans work an evening or night shift, a rotating shift or some other varied schedule. Most people with hectic, varied work schedules will agree that this can take...
Energy balance is highly regulated in most people, and unless you dramatically change your diet or activity level, body weight remains stable. If you have periods when the energy from your diet is greater than the energy expended, you will gain...
Your natural sleep-wake cycle is affected by a number of factors. Certain issues, such as age and exposure to light, influence melatonin, a hormone produced by your body that acts as a signal for the sleep-wake cycle. If you have difficulty...
Caffeine is the byproduct of certain plants, naturally found in tea and coffee. It is added artificially to commercial drinks, chocolate, cocoa and some over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Caffeine is a stimulant to the central nervous...
Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced in the brain. It is manufactured in the pineal gland and regulates the body's circadian rhythm, or internal clock. It is circadian rhythm that keeps the body on its 24-hour sleep and wake cycle. Melatonin...
Sleep problems are one of the most common disorders among humans. You may have trouble sleeping because of excessive worry or anxiety, poor sleep habits or use of stimulants such as nicotine and caffeine. Insomnia and sleep apnea are medical...
Sleep is an essential process for the body to repair itself, but the excruciating pain of cluster headaches can disrupt sleep. Cluster headaches are a severe type of headache that cause significant pain, typically on one side of the head, which...
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) occurs at the same time each year. Most people experience this depression in the fall and into the winter months. They feel as if their energy is drained and become very moody. SAD also happens to people in the...
Sleep is an often-overlooked factor when it comes to wellness and weight loss. Many people are chronically sleep deprived due to travel, work schedule, stress or some other reason. It can be difficult to maintain a healthy weight or to lose weight...
Sunshine -- in moderate amounts -- is good for you. Studies suggests that sunlight stimulates the body's circulation of vitamin D, which alters levels of serotonin in the brain, thereby affecting your mood. That's why seasonal depression,...
Melatonin is a hormone produced in your brain by the pineal gland. It helps maintain your body's circadian rhythm, a natural clock that regulates the times when you go to sleep and wake up. Your body produces less melatonin during daylight hours...
Melatonin is a hormone produced naturally in your brain, often referred to as the "hormone of the dark," responsible for regulating awake and sleeping hours. Melatonin supplements can help with periodic insomnia, jet lag and as a treatment for...
With the effects of an aging American population and a growing dependency on technology in the new millennium, people are working longer and more often. Hospitals need workers for graveyard duty, and other businesses stay open later to accommodate...
If you've flown across multiple time zones or sat on a cramped and crowded airplane for more than a few hours, you know how tired you can get. A few exercises, before, during and after your flight might help reduce the severity and duration of jet...
If you have been prescribed a selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), discuss any other medications or supplements you are considering taking with your physician. Melatonin, commonly used to induce a feeling of relaxation and aid sleep, is...
Many people suffer from sleep disorders that prevent them from getting a good night's sleep. If you have a sleep disorder, you may have considered taking a sleep aid supplement to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. While they may be beneficial,...
If you feel sad and lethargic during the fall and winter months, you might have seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Vitamins B6 and B12 affect and help regulate your mood, and might help alleviate SAD. A Finnish study reports vitamin B12 helps...
Jet lag is considered to be a temporary sleep disorder. When travelers zoom across time zones, the circadian rhythm of the brain is disrupted by the new patterns of daylight, causing restless nights and sleepy days. The brain eventually adapts to...
Melatonin is a natural hormone produced in the pineal gland of mammals. When working effectively, an individual has normal circadian, or sleep, rhythms that create sleepiness at night and encourage wakefulness in the morning. However, the...
According to U.S. News & World Report, there are eight million shift workers in the United States. The National Sleep Foundation defines shift workers as anyone who works hours outside normal business hours. Shift workers are at risk for obesity,...
Three in 10 U.S. adults have trouble sleeping at least sometimes and one in every 10 experiences chronic insomnia, being unable to fall asleep at least three times a week, according to the National Institutes of Health. The most common sleep...
Thiamine, also known as vitamin B1, is required in most organisms at several stages of metabolism, such as glucose metabolism, and as a regulator of neuro-muscular communication. All organisms use thiamine, but it is only synthesized in bacteria,...
Program Description At least 40 million people in the United States alone suffer from some type of sleep disorder, according to the National Institutes of Health. Noisy neighbors, your own snoring or that of a partner, babies and outside traffic...
The University of Dayton calls caffeine America's most-used drug, noting that 75 percent of adult Americans consume a minimum of one caffeinated drink every day. Although caffeine can help you stay focused and energized, it can also carry...
Undoubtedly you have heard of the body's circadian rhythms that regulate such functions as metabolism, alertness and sleep patterns. However, physicians understand that the body has at least two circadian systems: one originating in a specific...
Depression and sleep disorders can be treated with light therapy using specially-designed bright lights. Since the 1980s these lights have proven to be successful in helping people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This type of depression...
Depression is a chronic psychiatric disease that causes people to have abnormally low mood and self-esteem and to lose pleasure in activities that they formerly enjoyed. Some people treat depression using supplements, such as melatonin. If you are...
Aerobic exercise offers a number of positive benefits for your health and well being. Not only can it improve your cardiovascular health, musculature and vitality, aerobic exercise can also improve your sleeping cycle. If you are looking to get...
