Sleep problems affect about 15 to 25 percent of American children, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Falling and staying asleep are two of the most common problems children face. An article printed in a May 2008...
Most babies and young children don't exhibit the type of regular sleeping patterns that their parents want to enjoy. They may resist going to bed, beg to sleep with their parents or refuse to sleep alone. Some children awaken during the night and...
CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. CPAP is used by people with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) during the night to help keep their airways open. CPAP can be delivered either by mask or by nasal cannula. OSAS is diagnosed...
Some people wake up refreshed in the morning. Others wake to a debilitating morning headache. Maurice M. Ohayon says in his research article on morning headaches that one in every 13 people are affected by morning headaches, and women are more...
Snoring refers to the harsh or hoarse sound occurring when breathing is obstructed while sleeping. Snoring can signal a serious medical condition, and is not only disruptive for the snorer, it can be disruptive to a sleeping partner. In addition,...
Dark circles under the eyes are an annoyance for many people. They're a result of capillaries and shadows of bones showing through the thin skin under the eyes, which only gets thinner with age. "To some degree this process is controlled by our...
As a parent with a new baby, there is nothing quite like the feeling of rocking your child to sleep in your arms. However, you may not find the experience quite as rewarding as your baby turns into a toddler who refuses to go to sleep without your...
Continuous positive airway pressure machines are the preferred treatment for sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea don't get enough air in the lungs during sleep because they have pauses in breathing or breathe too shallowly when sleeping. CPAP...
Weight loss can almost triple during the REM (rapid eye movement) cycle of sleep, according to pediatric sleep specialist, Dennis Rosen, M.D. This is due to a combination of elements including hormone production (ghrelin and leptin) during sleep...
The Better Sleep Council reports that 70 percent of Americans aren't getting enough sleep--seven and a half hours or more. The National Institutes of Health estimate that a third of adults have occasional insomnia, and 10 percent experience it on...
Millions of people have trouble sleeping due to depression and anxiety disorders. In many cases, insomnia creates a feedback circle because not getting enough sleep at night spurs on daytime restlessness, irritability and worsening anxiety....
Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep for optimum mental and physical health, according to the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke. But many people have trouble going to sleep and staying asleep, resulting in sleep...
According to the American Sleep Association, sleepwalking is much more common in kids than it is in adults, affecting anywhere between 3 and 17 percent of children. Sleepwalking peaks at 10 to 12 years of age, with most kids growing out of the...
Daytime tiredness is a common health complaint made all the more frustrating when we have spent an entire night in bed. When sleep is not restful, the cause is usually correctable with lifestyle factors that allow for quality sleep, known as...
Numerous factors contribute to sufficient, restful sleep. Insomnia, or the inability to fall or remain asleep, is the most common sleep difficulty in the United States, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Occasional and chronic insomnia...
According the American Academy of Physicians, sleep apnea is a leading cause of chronic insomnia. The snoring does not always have to be loud and unbearable to cause insomnia. A person who has trouble breathing during sleep can be at risk due to...
Depression is a debilitating, often misunderstood condition. Fortunately there are effective treatments available and, as more is understood about the condition, a cure may be forthcoming. Check with your health care provider before attempting to...
When it comes to getting a good night's sleep, vitamin supplements can be a wolf in sheep's clothing. Multivitamins and other supplements can actually lead to increased problems sleeping. If you have persistent problems with getting enough sleep,...
Kids who are used to sleeping in a crib or family bed may have a difficult time making the transition to sleeping in their own bed. This can frustrate parents who are at their wits end trying to get a good night's sleep themselves. Luckily, even...
Sleep hygiene refers essentially to the actions you take prior to going to bed at night. People with advanced sleep phase disorder may neglect certain sleep rituals because they fall asleep so much earlier in the evening. The ritual may include...
According to the Pediatric Health Care Alliance, 10 to 20 percent of all healthy children snore during sleep. Snoring is not always indicative of an underlying health concern. However, symptoms of gasping for air, restlessness and bedwetting may...
While not fully proven, some doctors do prescribe bright light therapy for treating delayed sleep phase syndrome. Bright light therapy involves having bright lights, such as halogens or even flood lights, turn on at a specific time in the morning...
Hypopnea syndrome (Greek for "underbreathing") is a form of sleep apnea disorder in which the sufferer's breathing becomes very shallow but does not cease, as it does with true sleep apnea. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) masks,...
Mornings can be a particularly challenging time for parents, since getting your entire family up and out the door is no easy task. Kids who are groggy when they wake up are more likely to have trouble concentrating in school and may be more prone...
Valerian is a medicinal herb used for centuries to treat insomnia, stress and anxiety. The root of this perennial plant is found in tea, pill, extract or tincture form. Manufacturers of valerian supplements claim that the mild sedative effects may...
Vitamins are compounds that provide the body with nutrients necessary for proper functioning. Vitamins can affect chemicals in the brain that affect the sleep and wake cycle. While low levels of certain vitamins, known has hypovitaminosis, can...
Getting enough sleep is vital for your general health and well-being but it can also be a factor in your weight loss goals. Scientists believe sleep deprivation increases the levels of certain hunger hormones and decreases those that make you feel...
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a neurological condition that creates an uncontrollable urge to move the legs. This need to move the legs may or may not be accompanied by other sensations, such as itching, tingling, crawling, pulling or burning....
If counting sheep just isn't cutting it, find some new techniques to conquer your insomnia. Identify the source of your sleeping problem. Common culprits include external noises, room temperature, anxiety and irregular sleeping schedule. Once you...
