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.

Then again, I have experienced for myself just how powerful thoughts can be. It is when I let my mind wander and think about whatever it wants that I find myself getting more and more stressed. I find myself spinning out of control when this happens. And, if I don’t do anything about controlling my mind and my thoughts, everything just snowballs.

The solution? It is very simple: train your mind. Just like the muscles in our bodies, the mind can easily turn to “mush” and be practically useless unless we exercise it.

One technique that I learned from my counselor is to do positive affirmation whenever I find myself stressing over something that I know I have no control over; something that I shouldn’t be thinking about because doing so will not solve anything.

What does she mean by positive affirmation? Think of a short poem, a Bible verse, a few sentences – whatever will make you feel that whatever it is that is bothering you will be taken care of one way or another. Choose lines that are most meaningful to you. Whenever your mind starts wandering, recite these lines in your mind over and over again. Just keep doing it for as long as it takes.

It sounds kooky – yes, it does; but believe me, it got me through the worst months of my life. Train your mind. You’ll find that mental stress isn’t all that unbeatable.

Think about this scenario: You toss and turn all throughout the night because you have a presentation the next day. You have prepared for this presentation for weeks, and you know the details in and out. You have anticipated possible questions that may raised. Still, you are afraid that things might become a mess. What if you forget the words? What if you overlook a detail?

This is just one scenario, but you can very well change the reason and you can still stress over things. Bottom line: you can worry all you want about something – anything!

How do you tap into the power of your thoughts? STOP thinking negatively. As I outlined, you have probably done all that you possible could given the situation. Thinking negatively will not help at all. Instead of dwelling on all the bad things that could happen, why not think about all the good things that could happen?

In the book Being Happy, the power of thinking positively is emphasized over and over again. I believe that this is for a reason: actions and events stem from what we think. The next time that you find yourself worrying yourself sick (literally and figuratively), remember this article. It just might help you.

Bottom line: stress is NOT good. Too much of it can mess up your life so bad you’d wish you were never born!

The good news is that stress can be managed – for real. Even the busiest and richest person in this world can keep his stress levels down. Here are some things which can help you get started.

Get off your butt! Yep, good old exercise can do the trick. We all know this in theory but until you actually do it, you won’t feel the effects. You don’t have to go to the gym and do hardcore routines. Even a mere 30-minute walk or swim will do the trick. Get those endorphins flowing and you’ll breeze through your work day!

Fend off negative talk. It’s simple: stop joining office bitching sessions. When something’s not right at work – and there’s always something! – people tend to make it worse by getting together and venting. Venting is good – don’t get me wrong. Getting it off your chest is a great way to de-stress. But if you do it over and over again over the same little things, you just fan the flames. And guess who’s at the losing end?

Keep it simple. When you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed, simplify things. Break huge tasks down into more manageable pieces. Take things one step at a time. You’ll get there eventually.

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.

Mozart (or classical music in general) boosts brain power.
True or false? FALSE. I am sorry to say that there is no scientific evidence that supports this idea. I do have to say that I like writing or studying with classical music in the background. It seems to me that I am more productive and receptive (whichever the case may be) when I have classical music playing in the background. Unfortunately, the benefits may all be in my head (no pun intended).

What is true, however, is that playing a musical instrument for children can help stimulate the brain. Unfortunately for us, it might be a little too late for that. For your kids, though, you can encourage them to pick up an instrument and start jamming for more brain power.

The bigger the brain, the smarter the creature.
Again, this is another myth. The perfect example would be the sperm whale. Its brain is five times larger than your (or my) brain, but its intelligence cannot even compare to that of a child’s. The truth is that it is the ratio of the brain size to the body size that matters. Now if the sperm whale had that brain with a smaller body….

Alcohol kills brain cells.
Aha! Got you stumped? On the one hand, you see beer guzzling people doing enough stupid things to have you convinced of this idea. On the other hand, studies show that alcohol consumption does not necessarily dead brain cells in the long run. Short term malfunction, yes, but not permanent damage. Good news?

Photo courtesy of http://www.informl.com

Are you paranoid? Studies show that the average person experiences paranoia on a daily basis. It’s just that some people are more prone to episodes of paranoia than others. The difference in paranoia’s effects lies in how the person deals with his thoughts and feelings. Here are some tips to help you deal with everyday paranoia and NOT let it get in the way of having a healthy life.

Do not dwell
Worrying and dwelling on one’s worries is a surefire way of building up paranoia. When you have worries, allow yourself to think about them for a limited period of time, say 20 minutes in a day. After that, brush them away and deal with reality. Deal with what you have on your plate and do not let your worries get in the way of your daily tasks.

Get feedback
Oftentimes, paranoid thoughts will build on themselves. One good way of dealing with them properly is to get feedback from trusted people around you; people who might have different perspectives and who are not as involved as you are. They can provide good input that will help you realize whether or not your thoughts are unfounded.

Look at the facts
When those thoughts crop up, make sure that you take the time to examine the facts. Look at the evidence and do not try to convince yourself of things that are not supported by facts. Thoughts are just that – thoughts and not facts. What matters is that you find out concrete evidence and stick by them.

Here’s to getting rid of paranoia!

The Reuters report states that:

Mice fed junk food for nine months showed signs of developing the abnormal brain tangles strongly associated with Alzheimer’s disease, a Swedish researcher said on Friday.

“On examining the brains of these mice, we found a chemical change not unlike that found in the Alzheimer brain,” Susanne Akterin, a researcher at the Karolinska Institutet’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, who led the study, said in a statement.

This is so not good news! Countless people around the world – Americans perhaps being at the head of the race – consume McDonald’s and other fast food meals on a regular basis. Then again, as with many other studies, the results are “not conclusive.” In fact, Susanne Akterin gave these parting words:

All in all, the results give some indication of how Alzheimer’s can be prevented, but more research in this field needs to be done before proper advice can be passed on to the general public.

Pity the general public reads Reuters.