Search Results for: blog sleep disorders

Anxiety and sleeping problems

If you’re an anxious person, chances are you also experience sleeping problems from time to time. Depending on individual anxiety levels and environmental stressors in your life, the natural sleep process can be easily disturbed by stressful events which, in turn, lead to further stress and fatigue. Where stress is chronic, sleep disorders may occur. Problems with the wake-sleep cycle are common both among anxious people and those undergoing long periods of periods of stress or depression. When we are stressed, serotonin, a neurotransmitter which performs important roles in the processing of messages in the brain, can affect melatonin levels. … Continue reading →

Sleep Disorder: Jeremiah’s Story–Part 2: Tonsillectomy

! The past week and a half has been a very long one for Jeremiah. In the First part of Jeremiah’s story, I wrote about the steps we are taking to help our son overcome sleep apnea. One of the several sleeping disorders our nearly five-year-old son has suffered all of his life. The first step was to have his tonsils removed in order to open his airway. Surgery was Thursday November 9, 2006 and everything went very well. The very first thing he did after surgery is “test” to see if he could still snore! On the evening after … Continue reading →

ADHD or Sleep Apnea?

My son Jeremiah is 4 years old and has had sleeping difficulties from the day I became his adoptive mother at the age of 1 year. Last April he and I spent the night at Oregon Health and Sciences University to have a Sleep Study done. The results have been interesting and the next step will be a Tonsillectomy in order to correct obstructive sleep apnea. Our hope is to avoid a diagnosis and the treatment that goes along with ADHD. The National Sleep Foundation estimates 30-40 million Americans have sleep disorders affecting health and daily functioning. This may be … Continue reading →

Sleep Disorders

Trying to get to sleep every night? But just not getting the rest you feel you need? There may be a medical reason why you cannot get enough sleep. Most sleep disorders can be diagnosed fairly easily and treated, so the faster you get medical help the sooner you can get back to sleep! The most common sleep disorders are: Sleep Apnea. This is a disorder where people stop breathing for 10 seconds or more, many times a night. When they stop breathing they wake up, resume breathing, fall back asleep and the cycle repeats itself. By continuously waking up … Continue reading →

Catch Some Sleep!

Are you getting away with less sleep? Or are you just telling yourself you are? Whether you stay awake because you can’t get to sleep, you are a busy mom or a workaholic, getting sleep should be a top priority. Want a good reason why? This may not come as a surprise, but less sleep makes you less productive, and this cannot be remedied with extra coffee. What may come as a surprise though is that you are actually less productive even though you feel like you are getting more done Not only does sleep deprivation cut into your productivity … Continue reading →

The Birth of Attachment Disorders.

A baby starts to learn how to attach within hours following birth. A newborn infant sleeps in comfort and then becomes upset because of being hungry, too hot or too cold, or a wet diaper. The baby’s caregiver feeds the baby, adjusts the clothing, and changes the baby’s diaper all the while stroking, talking to, and making eye contact with the baby. Within a few repetitions of this routine the baby very quickly learns that he or she will be taken care of. Trust is established and the baby soon recognizes the caregiver and responds with smiles and coos causing … Continue reading →

Do You Take Medical Advice from the Internet?

When I found out I was pregnant with my daughter I made a beeline for my local book store where I proceeded to empty my wallet purchasing every parenting guide under $25. I voraciously consumed the stack of parenting advice books penned by so-called experts. Then, I gave birth and everything I read pretty much evaporated into thin air. Seven years later, I’m still learning how to raise a child. However, these days I rely more on instinct than other people’s opinions and experiences; which is not to say that I’ve stopped reading studies on what makes kids tick. Rather, … Continue reading →

The “Morning Person” Gene Has Been Discovered

Are you a “Morning Person”, or a “Night Owl”? Whatever your answer to that question happens to be, it is due to your genes. Scientists have discovered a gene that influence sleep duration. This could help explain why some people find that they are much sleepier during the day than they are at night. I am definitely not a morning person. I would much rather do my work late in the evening, (and into the wee hours of the morning). I have problems waking up earlier than noon, even if an alarm is set. Sometimes, I wonder if my chronic … Continue reading →

Special Needs Podcast Roundup – Week of September 27, 2011

Every week, the Special Needs Podcast Roundup gives parents of children that have special needs some excellent suggestions of podcasts that are relevant to your life. Instead of searching all over the internet, hoping to stumble across these types of podcasts, you could simply start with this weekly list. It will save you a lot of precious time. The Parent’s Journal has a short episode that was released on September 26, 2011. This episode is about play-group ideas for toddlers and preschoolers who have physical disabilities. Kristi Sayers Menear, who is a Certified Adapted Physical Educator, shares her expertise in … Continue reading →

Amy Winehouse Joins the 27 Club

This past weekend, singer Amy Winehouse was found dead in her house in London. While I was not surprised to hear this news, I was certainly saddened. Winehouse, for all her demons, was truly a talented singer. She released her debut album Frank in 2003 when she was just 20 years old. Her style was influence by jazz, Sinatra, and girl groups of the ‘50s and ‘60s. She would only have one more studio album before her death, but it blew up the charts. Back to Black was released in late 2006 and hit number one on every chart except … Continue reading →