Sleep

Research has shown that people with sleep disorders, especially insomnia, are at higher risk of dying from suicide. Moreover, symptoms of sleep disorders often overlap those of depression. In order to save lives, it is important to recognize the warning signs of suicide and what to do.

Consider these warning signs of suicide:

• Talking about wanting to die
• Looking for a way to kill oneself
• Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose
• Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
• Talking about being a burden to others
• Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
• Acting anxious, agitated or recklessly
• Sleeping too little or too much
• Withdrawing or feeling isolated
• Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
• Displaying extreme mood swings

The more of these signs a person shows, the greater the risk of suicide. Warning signs are associated with suicide but may not be what causes a suicide.

If you recognize these warning signs in someone you know, you must act to save their life. Start by immediately taking these steps:

• Do not leave the person alone
• Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt
• Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255)
• Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional

By knowing the warning signs of suicide and acting on your concerns, you may save the life of someone who needs your help. If needed, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a free, 24/7 service that can provide suicidal persons or those around them with support, information and local resources.

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In case you missed it, check out these new sleep articles for April. This month includes new content related to abnormal sleep behaviors called parasomnias. Learn how to cope with parasomnias as well as an interesting blend of medical science and law called sleep forensics. Answer the age-old questions of what bodily functions can occur during sleep, including sneezing and farting. Discover what to take when you can't sleep or, conversely, learn why you are able to sleep so easily. Finally, learn about two new alternative treatments for obstructive sleep apnea called the hypoglossal nerve stimulator and the tongue stabilizing device. There are plenty of great articles to keep you entertained and educated about sleep.

Read More:

• How to Cope with Parasomnias
• Definition of Sleep Forensics
• Can You Sneeze While Asleep
• Can You Fart While Asleep
• What to Take When You Can't Sleep
• Why Can I Sleep
• Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator Treats Sleep Apnea
• Tongue Stabilizing Device Can Treat Sleep Apnea

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I am often asked whether there might be a religious explanation for the phenomenon of sleep paralysis. It is a question that, as a person of both science and faith, deeply intrigues me. In the interest of full disclosure, aside from being a neurologist with an expertise in sleep, I am also Roman Catholic. And I have never myself experienced sleep paralysis.

I have, however, carefully reviewed the hundreds of accounts of sleep paralysis on this site. In fact, in order to gain a better understanding of people's experience of sleep paralysis, I conducted some informal research. I systematically analyzed the descriptors used in the accounts and presented my research findings at the University of Minnesota. These findings also served as the inspiration for two articles I have written on sleep paralysis, one describing the symptoms and the other regarding people's beliefs about the underlying causes.

Though some may posit a religious explanation for their experience of sleep paralysis - citing the devil, demons, spirits, and ghosts - I believe the phenomenon of sleep paralysis has a scientific explanation. As I describe elsewhere, it occurs when there is a breakdown between the states of sleep and consciousness, so that elements of the dream state (REM) can intrude upon wakefulness. In this mixed state, people will experience sleep paralysis (in fact, it can be triggered by disrupting REM in a sleep laboratory).

Parts of the brain that are often activated during REM can produce the fear and even religious experiences that people report (areas of the brain such as the amygdala and temporal lobe, respectively, are likely responsible for these symptoms). As an example, people with temporal lobe epilepsy often are highly religious (called hyperreligosity) and this part of the brain seems to be important to our experience of religion and our seeking faith.

The word hallucination is used medically to indicate an experience that does not have a basis in reality, presumably generated by the brain itself. Hallucinations may often be visual, auditory, or even tactile, all of which occur in sleep paralysis. We also understand now that parts of the brain may be in different states of consciousness at the same time. Though you may have returned to wakefulness, the region of the brain that might be driving the hallucination could persist in its state, resulting in the continued experience. (As a related example, some people have auditory hallucinations that occur in wakefulness in a condition called Exploding Head Syndrome.)

I certainly am intrigued by the phenomenon of sleep paralysis, but I am hesitant to give it a supernatural or religious explanation. Although we may not fully comprehend it, as we learn more about the brain and sleep, I believe we will be able to solidify our understanding.

What do you think? Can sleep paralysis be explained through neuroscience? Or does it represent a religious or spiritual experience? Share your thoughts below.

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If you struggle with insomnia, especially waking in the middle of the night, you may be excited to learn that a new treatment option is available starting today.

The prescription sleeping pill called Intermezzo hits pharmacy shelves in the United States today. It is designed to be safer to take in the middle of the night without causing morning drowsiness or a "hangover" effect.

The medication has similar side effects to the popular sleep aid named Ambien. This is because Intermezzo is a lower dose of the same ingredients found in the other prescription drug.

Read More About Intermezzo:

• Intermezzo Sleeping Pill Targets Middle-of-the-Night Awakenings
• Ambien: Insomnia Treatment Option
• Sleeping Pills Overview

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It can be hard to track down the newest articles in sleep medicine, so check out the summary below to see what is new on this site. There certainly is a wide breadth of topics this month. You can learn about narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnia, and African sleeping sickness. You can find support through the non-profit organizations Narcolepsy Network and the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation. Finally, you can learn about a condition affecting children called Sleep-Related Rhythmic Movement Disorder. Check out these great articles from March and learn a little about the fascinating world of sleep.

Read More:

• Narcolepsy in Children
• Definition of Hypocretin
• Definition of Orexin
• What Is Idiopathic Hypersomnia?
• What Is African Sleeping Sickness?
• What Is Sleep-related Rhythmic Movement Disorder?
• What Is the Narcolepsy Network?
• What Is the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation?

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In case you missed it, here is a breakdown of the new articles published about sleep on this site for the month of February. From sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) to sleep apnea to the causes and symptoms of sleep paralysis, hopefully you will discover something that you find interesting to peruse.

Read More:

• What is SIDS?
• What Are Risk Factors for SIDS?
• What Is the Cause of SIDS?
• Symptoms of Sleep Paralysis
• What Causes Sleep Paralysis?
• What Are Risk Factors for Sleep Apnea?
• Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
• Definition of Hypnopompic

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From a cup of coffee to a chocolate bar, there are plenty of ways to ingest caffeine, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to review whether an inhalable delivery method called AeroShot is safe.

AeroShot consists of a canister about the size of a lipstick tube. It delivers the caffeine equivalent of a large cup of coffee (100 milligrams) as well as B vitamins by aerosolizing a fine powder into the mouth. Aeroshot has been sold for $2.99 over the past month in convenience stores in Massachusetts, New York, and France.

The potential for abuse, especially among the young, has raised concerns. As such, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, from New York, met with FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg and she has agreed to review the safety and legality of the product.

AeroShot joins a burgeoning market of energy products meant to boost attention, improve concentration, and relieve excessive daytime sleepiness, common symptoms of sleep deprivation. Many of these products contain variable amounts of caffeine and vitamins of dubious benefit. They are often sold as dietary supplements and do not face the same level of scrutiny that occurs with FDA review, such as with prescription medications. Any claims made are not scientifically verified and quality control measures, especially in regard to active ingredients or even contaminants, are not enforced.

Though caffeine may be helpful in alleviating sleepiness, it might be prudent to stick with your standard cup of coffee until the FDA can further verify the safety of this product.

Read More About Caffeine:

• What is Caffeine?
• Caffeine Benefits
• Caffeine Withdrawal
• How Caffeine Treats Sleep Deprivation

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When singer Whitney Houston was found unconscious and submerged in her bathtub at The Beverly Hills Hilton the night before the Grammy awards, early reports suggested that pill bottles were found in her hotel room. Did sleeping pills claim another of Hollywood's brightest stars?

Houston was found unresponsive in the bathtub without obvious signs of foul play. The coroner in Los Angeles has not discussed whether prescription medications may have played a role in the drowning. Other sources have suggested that anti-anxiety and sleeping medications were found in her room.

These types of medications may depress consciousness and slow breathing, two factors that could have led to Houston drowning. The fact that she died late in the afternoon at 3:55 p.m. makes the use of sleeping pills somewhat less likely. The cause of her death will not be confirmed until toxicology reports are completed on blood and urine, a process that may take up to 6-8 weeks.

After establishing herself as an international success in music and movies, Houston married rapper Bobby Brown and began a turbulent history of drug abuse that often served as tabloid fodder. She recently had been working on sobriety and a comeback from her troubled past.

If her death is ultimately linked to prescription sleeping pill use, it would add to a growing list of affected celebrities, including Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, Jimi Hendrix, Heath Ledger, Judy Garland, and others. Though modern sleeping pills are relatively safe, dangers still exist when they are combined with other medications, alcohol, or illicit drug use.

For now, we will have to wait to see if sleeping pills had a role in Houston's death.

Read More About Sleeping Pills:

• Sleeping Pills Overview
• Insomnia Treatment Option: Benzodiazepine Medications
• Nonbenzodiazepine Medications for Insomnia
• Ambien for Insomnia
• How to Take Melatonin

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It always seems to sneak up on you, but this year you can be prepared for when Daylight Saving Time changes.

First, it will be important to know the precise date when Daylight Saving Time begins and ends. (You might also note that it is Daylight Saving Time and not Daylight Savings Time, with an "s".) In the United States, the prearranged dates to "spring forward" and "fall back" land in March and November. In the European Union, where the arrangement is called Summer Time, the time changes fall on different dates in March and October.

Second, you might ease yourself into the transition. It always feels great in the Fall to get that extra hour of sleep when you set your clocks back at 2 a.m., but shorting yourself an hour of sleep in the Spring makes it hard to get up. You can make this more tolerable by slowly adjusting your bedtime over the few days prior to the change each Spring. When the time change occurs, your circadian rhythm will be a little more forgiving.

Finally, take these time changes as an opportunity to really consider whether you are meeting your sleep needs. You might ask, "How much sleep do I need?" It varies on an individual basis, but the average works out to be about 8 hours. Are you getting enough? If not, take the opportunity of the twice yearly clock changes to focus on making sleep the priority that it should be year round.

Read More About Time Changes:

• When Is Daylight Savings Time?
• How Can I Treat Jet Lag?
• Using Chronotherapy to Treat Insomnia
• How to Adjust to Working Nights
• What Are Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders?

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There are three basic scenarios that might suggest you have insomnia: trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, or sufficient sleep that is not refreshing. However, how do you know if you really have insomnia?

In most situations, it is possible to diagnose insomnia by simply telling your symptoms to your doctor. However, there are times when further testing might be necessary.

As an example of when you might need further work-up, if your insomnia is not responding to standard treatments such as sleeping pills, you might question the diagnosis. Other sleep disorders can also lead to unrefreshing sleep, and these might need to be excluded as a cause of your complaints. There are tests for insomnia that can identify these other conditions.

The most common arrangement is for an overnight sleep study called a polysomnogram that is typically done at a sleep lab. It might sound foolish to pay money to prove that you cannot sleep, but these studies are very helpful in identifying the quantity and quality of the sleep that you do get. Most importantly, other causes of your difficulties can be ruled out.

In some cases, it may not be insomnia. If you have a reduced sleep need or if you don't meet your actual sleep needs by restricting the amount of time you spend in bed, your troubles may represent different conditions.

To determine whether or not you have insomnia, you might start by reading about the condition. Afterwards, you might want to discuss the matter with your physician and consider whether further testing might be necessary to rule out other sleep disorders.

Read More About Insomnia:

• Help for Insomniacs
• The Diagnosis of Insomnia
• Diagnostic Tests for Insomnia
• Testing for Insomnia
• When It's Not Insomnia

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