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There's an old wives tale that claims, as we get older, we don't need as much sleep. Nothing could be further from the truth, as studies have shown we all function better with a seven or eight hour sleep night.

There are many causes of insomnia or disorder of sleep. Among the most common are those we cause ourselves. Contrary to popular belief, alcohol actually interferes with a good nights sleep by interrupting your body's normal sleep rhythm. Caffeine, nicotine, and other stimulants have similar effects. Vigorous exercise within four hours of bedtime can cause a very restless night due to high adrenaline levels.

One easily overlooked cause of insomnia is over the counter and prescription medications. Drugs such as prednisone, decongestants, cough syrups, blood pressure pills, stimulating anxiety medications and antidepressants, asthma pills, and thyroid medications can cause mild to severe sleep problems.

Natural changes of aging can lead to other medical problems, which interfere with a good nights sleep. For example, sleep apnea affects 10% of adults ages 30 to 60 and 60% of those over age 65. Affected persons may snore loudly and then abruptly stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds. It's possible for a person to experience apnea hundreds of times a night and never reach a state of complete sleep relaxation. The next day, that person will be very tired and may fall asleep without warning.

Another common cause of a restless night is acid reflux or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). Reflux of acid into the esophagus and throat causes partial arousal (near awaken state) and interferes with sleep since you never reach the deepest sleep levels. Reflux can also cause a chronic cough, lead to ulceration and cause cancer in the lower esophagus. Like sleep apnea, reflux or GERD is worsened by being over weight and often improves with weight loss. It can be treated with antacids and drugs, which reduce acid output such as Prilosec, Nexium, Axid, Zantac, and Pepcid.

Almost everyone over the age of thirty has jumped out of bed in the middle of the night grabbing a calf to massage terrible cramps. These cramps may be from Restless legs syndrome (RLS) or periodic limb movement syndrome (PLMS). Both disorders can cause jerking sensations of the legs and sometimes calf pain, which reduce the amount of time spent in deep sleep by awakening you or causing near arousal. Unfortunately, the cause of RLS and PLMS is not known, but drugs such as Sinequan, Sinemet, and Neurontin can be used to suppress these abnormal leg movements and help you get a good night's sleep.

Advance sleep cycle dysfunctions can also cause restless nights and usually involve disturbances in our circadian (bio) rhythm. Normally, our core body temperature drops a little and we get sleepy around 10 or 11 pm and remain sleepy for 7 or 8 hours, such that we awaken between 7 and 8 am. As we get older, our body temperature falls at an earlier time, say 8 or 9 pm and we get sleepy and go to bed. When core body temperature rises 7 or 8 hours later, we awaken at 4 or 5 am unable to return to sleep. This essentially happens when we travel east to west and cross three or more time zones in a 12-hour period (jet lag). Wearing sunglasses in late afternoon in your new time zone can delay this effect if you wish to maintain your "normal sleep times" while traveling. Likewise, it is possible to delay onset of your normal sleep cycle by prolonged exposure to bright light similar to natural sunlight.

I know most of us have well meaning friends and families who blame a "bad case of nerves" for our sleepless nights. It's true that untreated depression can cause sleep problems, but equally important, untreated insomnia can lead to depression. Diagnosis of sleep disorders can be quite complicated and requires identification of the underlying problem by a thorough medical exam. Blood testing and possibly x-rays or special diagnostic testing such as sleep studies may help your doctor make an accurate assessment. Once diagnosed, a modification in your lifestyle, such as weight loss, or getting rid of alcohol and tobacco, or a change in your current or addition of new medications may be needed.

For Further information on sleep apnea, depression, seasonal affective disorder, esophageal reflux and nocturnal leg cramps, please access the archives at drhuggiebear.com.

Have a great night's sleep!
Dr. Frank Questions? drfrank@drhuggiebear.com

Copyright Frank Barnhill 2003

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"An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure"

Beginning this month I'm going to make some simple suggestions and offer alternative remedies for common health problems. Of course, none of this is meant to replace visits to your doctor, but these simple ideas could save you money and improve your health, all at the same time.

If you have been experiencing angina, then your body is telling you that it's time to change your diet and your lifestyle. Begin with an increase in exercise, eliminate smoking, and adopt a calmer, gentler outlook on life.

You should include vitamin C and lysine in your nutritional supplement program. This combination is an excellent way of reducing arterial plaque. Also, add Coenzyme Q10 to your daily supplements. This amazing nutrient has shown an ability to improve cardiovascular functioning and performance.

Eat fish at least once per week or use fish-oil supplements. Studies have shown that EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) can reduce blood pressure and help increase circulation. The end result could be a decrease in angina attacks.

Next month we'll continue with some simple suggestions for those who suffer from chronic fatigue.

These health tips can only be found in Dr.Osgoodby's Body Transformations Newsletter. Join me next month and we'll talk about ways to get a good night's sleep. .

Live in Passion and Good Health,
James Groves

Can you tell me the best way to eat to lose weight?

The best way to eat is to have small portions of healthy foods throughout the day. These small portions should consist of protein, fats, and complex carbohydrates. Eating smaller meals allows better digestion within the body. Research was conducted in England to show the effect of eating smaller amounts more frequently. The study found that when people ate one sixth of their food six times a day rather than one third of their food three times, the participants lost weight, reduced their cholesterol, and improved their glucose tolerance pattern.

When smaller meals are eaten, there is also a decrease in appetite. Your body does not crave food as much. Eating less carbohydrates at one time, gives you more glucose and insulin control. This helps reduce the risk for diabetes.

It's important to reduce the amount of food you eat during these smaller meals. In order to lose weight and become healthier, you should not eat the same quantity in 5 or 6 meals as you did for 3 meals. In addition, the quality of the food you eat is important. Eat a whole-foods diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, and multi-grains. I recommend you exercise every day as well. This will help you keep those unwanted pounds off. Consult your physician for an exercise program that is right for you.

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If you need to lose weight, you must be in caloric deficit. This can be accomplished by cutting down your caloric intake, or increasing the amount of calories you burn by exercising. I recommend both. Even though a calorie is a calorie when it comes to weight loss, a calorie is not a calorie when it comes to your health. Make sure your daily diet includes several servings of fruit and vegetables and whenever possible, avoid foods that contain trans fat.

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