Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, is most commonly used in sleep medicine, but has other uses as well. For sleep apnea, CPAP provides continuous ventilatory support by pushing air or an air/oxygen mixture, at a set pressure, into the...
Floppy eyelid syndrome can cause chronic eye discomfort in one or both eyes. A number of factors appear to work together to cause floppy eyelid syndrome, which can affect young children as well as adults, Doctor of Optometry Amy Joachim reports on...
The amino acid 5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP, remains available despite safety concerns. That's because this precursor of melatonin and serotonin has medical uses including a supplemental role in treating mental retardation. Yet, scientists must...
BiPAP and CPAP each generate positive airway pressure for the treatment of sleep apnea. CPAP machines provide a single constant pressure during inhalation and exhalation. BiPAP, or BiLevel, on the other hand, provides two different pressures, one...
Sleep testing is commonly used to help diagnose patients who may have sleep disorders, in particular obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep tests use different sensors to monitor the flow of air through the patient's respiratory system, the blood oxygen...
Cardiovascular training may prevent hypertension, heart disease, some cancers and type two diabetes, says University of New Mexico exercise physiologist Len Kravitz, adding that numerous peer-reviewed studies back these claims. However,...
Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, is a hormone that your body produces and secretes via your adrenal gland. Your DHEA levels start reducing after you reach the age of 30, MayoClinic.com notes. Health conditions such as end-stage kidney disease and...
A serious mood disorder, depression causes patients to feel hopeless, helpless and worthless. The disorder causes a low mood and changes in behavior, such as altered sleep and eating patterns. The National Institute of Mental Health points out the...
According to the University of Maryland Center for Weight Management and Wellness, gastric bypass (also known as "Roux-en-Y" or "RNY") is the most common weight loss surgery performed in the United States. Because the procedure reduces the size of...
Seizures that occur at night, or nocturnal seizures, are usually due to epilepsy and can significantly effect the ability to get a good night's rest. However, there are other sleep disorders that cause similar symptoms, which may be misdiagnosed...
The body converts dietary tryptophan into 5-hydroxytryptophan. This substance is then converted into serotonin. Chemists can make an identical chemical, 5-HTP, which patients take as a nutritional supplement. Daily use of this substance treats...
Some sleep disorders are the result of stress, work or simple lifestyle choices. Doctors will sometimes prescribe lifestyle changes that encourage new sleep patterns or reduced stress. If you want to help someone overcome his sleep problems,...
Passion fruit is a perennial creeping vine native to the Southeastern region of the United States. It is also called passionflower, passiflora or passion vine. The flower has a striking, unusual appearance and grows in a number of brightly colored...
A 2010 report in the "Journal of Sleep Research" followed people for a 36-year period. During that time, the proportion of women complaining of sleeping problems doubled. This result suggests that sleep degrades with age. Thus sleep disorders are...
Noise machines produce a steady sound or "white noise" that muffles outside noises. "Consumer Reports" magazine cites support for noise machines by Dr. David N. Neubauer of the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center. Neubauer suggests that these...
If you are having trouble sleeping, you will want to know about melatonin, a natural hormone present in the body made from the amino acid tryptophan, but available to take as a supplement. Melatonin is a natural regulator of the sleep cycle, and...
Everyone has trouble falling asleep now and again. However, if this occurs on a regular basis, you may have insomnia. Not getting a good night's sleep over a period of time can lead to health problems. There are many reasons why insomnia can...
Caffeine is a drug found in coffee, tea, energy drinks, sodas and some foods. Because caffeine is a stimulant, excessive caffeine consumption might cause sleep loss leading to memory problems, but there is no evidence that chronic caffeine use is...
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that can affect the quality of your sleep and may lead to the development of more serious medical conditions. While a number of treatments may help sleep apnea, limited research has shown that acupressure may...
The endocrine system produces a distinct set of hormones for each gender. In men, androgenic hormones like testosterone play a critical role in physical and mental health. Aging and disease can reduce these hormones, creating deficiency syndromes....
Weight lifting improves your muscle tone, increases bone density and may even raise your metabolic rate and promote weight loss. In some cases, it may even improve the quality of your sleep, says Dr. Miriam Nelson, author of "Strong Women Stay...
Magnesium plays several important roles in the body, such as regulating levels of other nutrients, keeping the bones and teeth healthy and activating enzymes, which allow the body to carry out its numerous functions. While many people do not get...
One in three adults in the United States suffers from insomnia. The symptoms can last from days to months, affect women more often than men, and are more common in individuals undergoing recent stress such as a divorce or death of a loved one. ...
