Health Blog

A healthy body and a sound mind

New Treatment Options for Sleep Apnea

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Sleep apnea affects millions of people worldwide. This health issue can be bothersome as it causes a person to wake up several times during the night and can lead to snoring or pauses in breathing.

The mild form can be easily treated through changes in lifestyle and sleeping habits. Medical experts say reducing weight, avoiding alcohol, smoking and sleeping pills are some of the ways to lessen the occurrence of sleep apnea. Additionally, changing one’s sleeping positions can help improve breathing. Sleeping on the back is not recommended.

For patients with suffering from chronic sleep apnea, a common treatment is the CPAP or the continuous positive airway pressure. This method makes use of a mask worn over the nose and/or mouth while sleeping. The mask is connected to a machine that provides continuous air flow to the nose.

Other treatments for this sleeping problem are the use of breathing devices, dental devices that help maintain an open airway and surgery in worse cases. Breathing tools include the bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP) and adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV). The two basic oral tools are the mandibular repositioning and tongue retaining devices. Surgical procedures can be on the nasal area, the throat and palate and the face.
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Originally posted on December 12, 2012 @ 11:05 am

Basis Wristband: The Smart Health Monitor

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I recently wrote about the need to play it smart to make sure that you end up physically and financially healthy. With so many health gadgets coming out each year though, it’s just so easy to get carried away by all the marketing hype and succumb to your shopping impulses. What makes

it doubly hard to make smart choices is that justifying your compulsive need for health gadgets is quite easy, since they do serve a function (and a good one at that) after all.

One health-related gadget that I fully approve of if you do decide to get one is the Basis wristband. The wristband, which is not yet out in the market but is already available for reservations, looks just like an ordinary and somewhat even a bit ugly wristwatch until you look more closely. It is in fact a multi-sensor band that stands out among other heart rate monitors because it also collects other data like calories burned, physical activity, and sleep patterns. What’s even more impressive is that it does more than just gather data for you, but it actually processes this data and helps you make sense out of it to so you can adjust your daily activities to help you achieve your health goals, whether that be weight loss or improve your sleep quality. You can access all your health data on your personal online dashboard, which you can view on your PC, your tablet, or your phone. In short, this is a real all-in-one health monitor that you can use regardless of what your current lifestyle might be.

And if my rave is not good enough for you,

know that the Basis wristband has been awarded the CES 2012 Best of Innovations Award for Health and Wellness.

Image via Basis

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Originally posted on November 30, 2011 @ 12:10 am

Fall Asleep Faster

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nosleepHow long does it take you to fall asleep? I know some people who start snoring the moment they lie down. Me, I usually spend at least 20 minutes staring at the ceiling (or the pillow). There are even times when I would waste an hour or more just trying to fall asleep. This year, I am determined to fix my sleeping habits – and that starts with falling asleep faster. Here are some things that I have been trying out, and they seem to be working.

Get thick and dark curtains for the bedroom. My curtains are light and airy. They’re perfect for the morning, but at night, the moonlight or the city lights shine through. That never really bothered me, but I thought I’d try sleeping in a dark room. It helps!

Turn the air conditioning on. This is NOT going to work for those who are in winter right now. But for those in tropical countries, why don’t you try cooling the room down before you sleep? Again, I normally am not bothered by the heat that much, but I noticed that when the room is cool (temperature depends on your preference), I don’t spend hours just forcing sleep to come.

Do NOT think about your day (and issues) while in bed. I think that this is my main problem. When I lie down, I like to mull things over. This habit makes it hard for my mind to relax and shut down. Now I am trying to do the thinking while I relax in the living room. When it’s time to sleep, I think of my “happy places” – a favorite beach, this nice little mountain resort, and so on.

Try these?

Originally posted on August 10, 2011 @ 1:06 pm

More Ways To Deal With Christmas Stress

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Stressed Woman Holding Head

In the last post, we had a reality check on relationships and the money of giving gifts. In this post, let us look at some other aspects of the Christmas celebration wherein we can reduce the stress we might experience.

The Christmas meal
I wrote meal because some people eat lunch or dinner for the “main event.” It does not really matter which meal you eat with the whole family – or group of friends – the important thing is to be able to handle the preparations without overly stressing yourself out. One commonly suggested thing is to make the meal potluck. Truth be told, this has been the tradition in my family for many years now. Each family brings his own dish (or dishes) and shares it with the rest of the group. Not only will this lessen the burden on the host family in terms of preparation but also in financial aspects.

You probably won’t get away with not cooking anything. So as much possible, you should stock up on your non-perishables NOW. Plan the dishes that you will be preparing and as early as now, go get the stuff that you need. Of course, vegetables and other perishables would have to wait till the day before but canned and dry goods can be bought way ahead of time to avoid the Christmas rush.

Don’t forget to sleep and rest!
In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, you might overlook your own health – and that is the worst thing that you can do. Remember to take care of yourself and to get much needed rest in order for you to have enough energy to breeze through the holidays.

Originally posted on December 7, 2008 @ 7:51 pm