Yoga for sleep

Individuals with insomnia are seeking natural remedies to improve sleep. This article is written by a yoga instructor, as she makes some interesting claims. First, she writes that "sleeplessness" is linked to all sorts of health problems. I wonder if she is confusing sleep deprivation with insomnia. Insomnia, when diagnosed by a doctor, has not been definitively linked to all of the health problems she lists. Sleep deprivation has been studied and data links it to some of the health conditions listed. Sleep deprivation is not the same as insomnia.

Then she writes about her treatment plan for insomnia, which includes yoga poses and breathing. However, no links to studies showing this helps is provided. The one aspect that may help is counting backwards, as this technique may distract individuals from their own thoughts when in bed attempting to fall asleep. The most helpful way to improve insomnia is with a form of psychotherapy, called cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).

Carrie Fisher and sleep apnea

I've seen a few articles now on the suspected cause(s) of Carrie Fisher's death (the actress who played Princess Leia). I was hesitant to blog about it, but thought I should as the articles are mentioning sleep apnea. Apparently, the autopsy report did list sleep apnea as a potential contributor. The article I am referencing does a good job explaining what sleep apnea is, the different types, the consequences of untreated sleep apnea and how certain drugs / medications can worsen sleep apnea. I agree with the bottom line that the chance of dying from sleep apnea is low, but gets higher with untreated sleep apnea and drug use.

Improving sleep in children

Normally, articles like this don't impress me. At least the ones written to help adults sleep. But this one for kids is packed full of great advice to help kids sleep better. It's not as applicable for infants...more for toddlers and older children / adolescents.

Sleep apnea and insomnia on the rise in the US Military

This article shows how both sleep apnea and insomnia diagnoses have increased from 2005 - 2014. In my clinic, both conditions make up the bulk of the diagnoses and often exist together. The article states how the rates are higher in more senior personnel. This may be because sleep apnea is more prevalent with advancing age. Also, I frequently see senior personnel who are close to retiring, and have decided to start taking care of themselves. Usually it's because they finally have time to get their medical problems addressed as they approach separating from the military. Some of them wish they had gotten evaluated years prior, as treating their sleep apnea can significantly improve their quality of life.

Float therapy?

I've never heard of float therapy until I saw this article. Apparently, some derive benefit from floating in body temperature, salty water that is inside a sound-proof vessel. The article mentions that "float therapy" may help some with insomnia. I'm not aware of any studies to that effect - the report is only anecdotal. The article states that one reason it may help people sleep could be the same reason why a warm bath is helpful. I just hope people don't fall asleep while in the float chamber.

Netflix vs sleep

This article discusses how the CEO of Netflix doesn't worry about competition from streaming services like Amazon or HBO. Instead, the CEO worries about the human need to sleep a third of our lives. Because when we sleep, we aren't able to watch Netflix. What an interesting perspective. As a sleep-deprived species, I worry about the effect of Netflix on sleep duration! I guess the relationship is bidirectional.

Shutter Island

When I see a child that is having nightmares, I explain to the parents that they shouldn't let the child watch potentially frightening shows or movies close to bedtime. I should have taken my own advice when I recently watched the movie Shutter Island, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. I watched the movie right before I went to sleep, which was a mistake. On that night, my wife and kids were out of the house, so I was home alone. I fell asleep OK, but kept waking with nightmares related to what had happened in the movie. So I guess my advice to parents should be broadened to adults as well.