It is commonplace for several people to suffer at least an occasional night of almost non-existent sleep. The causes of insomnia differ from person to person. What made a student insomniac varies from what caused a shift worker or a traveler or an employee to acquire such sleeping disorder.

Insomnia, which is the inability to sleep satisfactorily or to have any sleep at all, is one of the most common sleep disorders. It is characterized by restlessness, sleep interruptions, decreased sleeping time than the usual, or sometimes complete wakefulness.

Aside from the annoyance that insomnia can cause to its sufferers, this sleep disorder causes those afflicted to lose enthusiasm and energy, acquire memory and concentration problems, feel lethargic, frustrated, and of course sleepy. Worse cases that may be induced by insomnia is one’s being prone to accidents, reduced work productivity and the aggravation of psychological and medical conditions.

So what exactly are the culprits that make insomnia one menacing sleeping problem?

1. Emotional Distress

More particularly when it is from internalized anxiety or anger, emotional problems can easily trigger this sleep disorder.

2. Substance Abuse

Drinking too much coffee, colas or other “energy-upper drinks” is known to cause insomnia. Caffeine from these drinks is the main reason. Chain smokers can also be easy victims of insomnia because of the nicotine that cigarettes contain. Herbal remedies, alcohol and other medications can also make one prone to becoming an insomniac. Some may think that alcohol, when consumed, can make one feel drowsy. But little did they know that in the long run, when the alcohol gets metabolized, sudden wakefulness will follow.

3. Biological Clock Disturbance.

Also known as circadian rhythm, one’s body clock, when altered, can damage the amount of sleep one can peacefully enjoy. This body clock disturbance can be caused by an irregular slumber schedule because of too much siesta or partying too late at night. It can also be jetlag or body clock disturbance due to traveling by plane to some place where there is a different time zone. Other causes may be the grave yard schedules of workers and cramming review season for students induced by exams.

4. Environmental Factors

Extreme temperatures can disrupt one’s sleeping patterns. Noise and bright lights can have the same effect too. Homesickness or when one is forced to sleep in an unfamiliar place is also one reason behind getting into the habit of not having enough sleep.

5. Health Problems

Health disorders such as diabetes, heart failure, hyperthyroidism, ulcers, and Parkinson’s disease can also induce insomnia. Asthma may also be one health problem that makes one prone to insomnia because of an asthmatic’s shortness of breath. Frequent urination, heartburn, and chronic pain from leg cramps, tooth ache and arthritis can also cause insomnia.

Psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and depression are also possible culprits for insomnia. Snoring with prolonged pauses in breathing while at sleep, also known as sleep apnea can also cause insomnia. Periodic arm and leg movements during sleep causing the muscles to twitch excessively is one underlying cause of this sleep disorder. Another cause is narcolepsy or one’s lack of control on whether to stay awake or to fall asleep, is another cause of this sleep disorder.

6. Pre-bedtime Activities

Engaging to vigorous activities such as exercise just right before bedtime can deprive one of a good night’s sleep. Consuming large meals when one is just about to sleep can also make one experience this sleeping disorder. This is because when metabolism is at its most active thus the body prompts one to stay awake.

Who are Prone to Insomnia?

Reports have it that 90% of people can acquire transient insomnia at some point in their lives. While an estimate of 30% suffers from its chronic form.

a. Women are said to be more at risk in acquiring insomnia because of the following reasons:

- Pre-menstrual syndrome with symptoms of irritability, depression and anxiety, and bloating due to menstruation disturbs a woman’s sleeping pattern.
- Menopause can also change a woman’s sleeping pattern.
- Pregnancy makes sleeplessness one common thing to happen.

b. Elderly people are also prone to getting insomnia because ageing alters one’s sleeping patterns.

c. Depressed people have lighter slumbers compared to those who don’t feel this psychological condition.

d. Students or younger ones who are conscious with their grades (because of cramming) can easily become insomniacs too.

With that vast information on what causes insomnia and who are at risk with this sleeping disorder, one can easily ward off this annoying condition.

Oatmeal. Tomorrow morning, load up on some oatmeal. If you do not normally eat breakfast, then it’s about time that you did. Your grandmother told you so. Your mom told you so. And now we’re telling you the same thing. Breakfast can give you a jumpstart and keep you going all day! By the way, stick with plain old oatmeal. Forget the instant or flavored ones for maximum benefit.

Bananas. Oatmeal and fruit, why not? I suggest getting a couple of bananas to last you through Monday as well. If you feel the munchies coming on, just grab one of the bananas and munch away. Not only will you be eating healthy, you will also be packing on some energy boosters.

Dark chocolate. Now you’ve been looking out for this on my list, haven’t you? Who doesn’t like a bit of chocolate every now and then? Just make sure it’s dark chocolate so you won’t be eating all those extra calories. Dark chocolate has been known to lift your mood and give you a burst of energy as well. You can’t really beat that combination, can you?

Here’s to a good week for all of us!

While I am not complaining – it has been the most fun period of this year – I do realize how potentially hazardous all this can be to my health; and you should realize this as well! With less than 2 weeks left before the end of the year, I am sure that you still have a lot of activities and events to engage in – do take a look at some tips that can keep you healthy and safe throughout the season.

Everyone has his limit. Know yours! Drinking and parties almost always go together. During this time of the year, you might find yourself drinking more than you normally do. Just make sure you know when to stop, and of course, don’t drink and drive.

Keep your food safe. What am I talking about? If you’re throwing a party, especially at the office, you might have the food ready hours before the event. Just to make sure it doesn’t spoil, immediately place it in the fridge. You wouldn’t want to (food) poison people, would you?

Walk as much as you can. I know, walking is tiring, but the chances are that you will not be able to exercise much during this period. In lieu of your regular exercise routine, try walking more. Walk to the store if it’s near enough. Walk up the stairs instead of using the elevator (if possible). Walk, walk, walk.

Merry Christmas!

The Telegraph reports about the findings:

Researchers asked over 40,000 people if they would prefer £45 in three days or £70 in three months. Those who wanted the smaller amount were also impulsive in other areas of their life.

They were more likely to want the immediate pleasure of a cake, an affair or a puff on a cigarette than consider the long-term effect on their health or relationship.

The study by University College London found people who are young, poorly educated and on a low income were the most financially impulsive.

It’s not all that bad, though. According to Dr. Stian Reimers, those who are impulsive can learn how to control their impulsive urges:

“Simple techniques can help reduce impulsivity, like imagining how you’d feel about your decision in a year’s time or trying to avoid making decisions in the heat of the moment.”

The next time I feel like indulging in more chocolate cake that I should eat, I will try this trick.

In the Health section of the New York Times, they featured this topic recently and presented some questions that can help you analyze the cause of your pain. Here are some of them.

Are you diabetic?
I didn’t realize this but poor blood circulation can cause feet pain due to the distance between the lower limbs and the heart. Alternatively, this can cause loss of feeling. For diabetics, this is dangerous because you might get wounds in your feet without realizing it. This can, in turn, lead to more complications such as infection or amputation.

Do you have flat feet or high arches?
Both conditions have adverse effects on the muscles on the feet. Either way, you need to wear the right kind of shoes that will help you deal with the condition and avoid pain.

Are your shoes the right size?
Some people may not realize it but their shoes may be contributing to the pain and discomfort they feet. The best way to go would be to have your feet actually measured and get the right size and type of shoes.

Needless to say, you have to see a podiatrist if you experience consistent pain in your feet.

So what is the Slow Food Movement? Their philosophy is:

Slow Food is good, clean and fair food. We believe that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work.

Their mission is:

Slow Food works to defend biodiversity in our food supply, spread taste education and connect producers of excellent foods with co-producers through events and initiatives.

As you may surmise, this movement involves organic produce a lot. And I do not need to tell you that eating organic translates to healthy eating. I have to be honest, however, and state outright that being part of this movement is not that appealing to me. Call me callous and insensitive, but I do not think that it is possible for me to consume purely organic food. I believe that I can eat healthily without going to this extreme. I do respect and even admire the people behind this movement.

What about you? What do you think of slow food?

Anyhow, this knowledge has not sunk in for so many people. Even with hard scientific facts, hard drinking seems to be prevalent in many nations. There is even this recent study about how heavy drinking is the cause in 1 out of 4 cases of dementia. MSN Health has the story:

Three UK newspapers, The Daily Mail, The Telegraph and The Guardian, reported on Monday that excessive alcohol consumption could be to blame for one in four cases of dementia.

The reporting was based on a peer-reviewed study, published in the journal Alcohol & Alcoholism, that found that heavy drinkers can begin to experience serious memory problems as early as their 40s, and that women are more susceptible to cognitive impairment because they metabolize alcohol less effectively.

Jane Marshall, M.D., one of the authors of the study, tells The Telegraph, “People think that dementia is something that happens to people over 65. But a lot of those under 65 have got cognitive problems and a large proportion of the problems in that group are related to alcohol.”

I honestly do not see any reason to question these statements. I guess it’s all a matter of personal choice. If one wants to party now and suffer tomorrow, then that’s his problem. As for me, this is a stark reminder that drinking should ALWAYS be done in moderation.

-I can quit anytime. I am not addicted.
-I don’t want to quit because I will get fat.
-I can’t quit because I am not ready.
-I can’t quit because it’s my only vice. After all, it is not that expensive of a habit.

Hold there for a second – the last reason is about to go down the drain. Tobacco taxes are going up this Wednesday, and they increase is touted to be the largest increase ever. This means that smokers are going to get hit big time. In this time of economic troubles, even a small increase is bound to affect purchasers of tobacco. The Associated Press reports:

Tobacco companies and public health advocates, longtime foes in the nicotine battles, are trying to turn the situation to their advantage. The major cigarette makers raised prices a couple of weeks ago, partly to offset any drop in profits once the per-pack tax climbs from 39 cents to $1.01.

Other tobacco products, from cigars to pipes and smokeless, will see similarly large tax increases, too. For example, the tax on chewing tobacco will go up from 19.5 cents per pound to 50 cents. The total expected to be raised over the 4 1/2 year-long health insurance expansion is nearly $33 billion.

While we are all focused on the finances, and smokers are concerned about their habits, I see one good thing here: possible cutback on smoking. And that, in my book, is good for the health. My health included.