Most people usually find it difficult to get a restful sleep for several hours after sitting under bright lights post sunset. If you are one of those who do not get a restful night’s sleep here is good news for you all. A new LED bio-bulb will soon be allowing you to see at night without hindering body’s natural mechanisms.

A Florida inventor is testing a new LED bio-bulb that could regulate the body’s circadian rhythm by helping control the production of melatonin, the body’s sleep hormone that tells us when it’s night time, Discovery News reported.

Fred Maxik, founder and chief technology officer of Lighting Science Group Corp asserted that this can be achieved by eliminating a small segment of the blue wavelength of light (around 465 to 485 nanometers) produced by the lightbulb. Read the rest of this entry

Is your child overtired? Overscheduled?  Overstimulated? Is the home chaotic? Is your child getting enough sleep? Do they have a  routine before going to sleep at night?

It is most important to evaluate sleep problems. The ADHD symptoms could be the result of sleep  apnea or too much stimulation from electronics in general – but especially  before bed. (Electronic light exposure prior to bedtime can decrease melatonin  production, making it harder to fall asleep).

There are also a host of natural alternatives to  stimulants for ADHD. During  the day, kids showing symptoms of ADHD need extra, structured movement to help  normalize energy levels. Such activity can include a regimen of walking daily  for prolonged periods of time.

Parents should also avoid foods that rob the body of  magnesium, like soda and caffeine. It’s a good idea to plan a diet high in natural  magnesium, with at least one serving of a true dark green vegetable, like  spinach, and also a handful of nuts. (For young children, parents can consider  juicing spinach and/or slowly increasing the amount of dark greens in a soup or  introducing fruits juiced with ever increasing amounts of greens).[ Read Complete Post By Dr. Robert Tozzi At Fox News ...   ]

Physically active kids tend to be better sleepers. When New Zealand researchers monitored 7-year-olds to measure activity during the day and sleep at night, they found that for each hour of inactivity, kids took three minutes longer to fall asleep. Physical activities and exercise produces brain chemicals that promote sleep and relaxation.

Playing on the computer just before bed can also cause trouble, partly because the screen’s glow can disturb natural sleep/wake cycles. You have a big cause to worry about your kid if you spot that your child spends the first half of the day sitting at school, the second half in front of the TV or computer. Such types of life styles among children and school age kids would certainly lead to various sleep related problems. Read the rest of this entry

Scientists like their zzz’s just as much as you do – and have put their  (hopefully well-rested) brains to studying what really helps you get a good  night’s sleep.

1. Pump it Up Regular aerobic exercise – bicycling, walking at a  moderate pace, swimming laps – for 30 to 40 minutes, four times a week, improves  sleep quality. You can break it up into two 20-minute sessions if that fits  better into your life. But don’t schedule it in the evening; while exercise  helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle, the stimulation that comes from a workout  in the three hours before bedtime may cancel the benefit.

2. Combine Carbs and Proteins Carbohydrates help your brain use  tryptophan, an amino acid that causes sleepiness. And proteins help your body  build tryptophan. Get the duo in a light bedtime snack of peanut butter on toast  or low-fat cheese and crackers.

3. Choose Cherry The fruit is rich in melatonin, which helps the body  regulate its sleep-wake cycle. When study participants drank eight ounces of a  tart cherry – juice beverage twice a day for two weeks, they reported  significant improvements in insomnia. Find the juice at Whole Foods Market and  natural foods stores.

4. Try Tai Chi This meditative martial art helps you sleep more deeply  and for longer, studies have shown.Taichiproductions.com offers a selection of good, though  somewhat pricey ($25), DVDs for beginners. The site also includes lists of  certified instructors. [ Read Complete Post By Marnie Soman At San Fransisco Chronicle ... ]

With the National Sleep Foundation reporting that six out of ten Americans suffer with insomnia several nights a week and 25% of the U.S. population uses sleeping drugs (known as “hypnotics”), an increasing number people these days are looking for natural sleep remedies. In recent research studies, it was discovered that both walnuts and tart cherries contain significant levels of the natural sleep hormone melatonin, and may therefore be a natural, food-based way to get a better night’s sleep.

Russel Reiter, Ph.D., a professor of cellular biology at the University of Texas Health Science Center says, “Relatively few foods have been examined for their melatonin content.  Our studies demonstrate that walnuts contain melatonin, that it is absorbed when it is eaten, and that it improves our ability to resist oxidative stress caused by toxic molecules called free radicals.  Walnuts also contain large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to inhibit certain types of cancer and to keep the heart healthy.” Read the rest of this entry

A recent research was concluded to perform a meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of exogenous melatonin in advancing sleep-wake rhythm in patients with delayed sleep phase disorder.

When sleep doesn’t come easily, some people turn to what they think is an easy solution – sleeping pills. But according to a Baylor College of Medicine sleep expert, sleep medications – whether prescription or over-the-counter – shouldn’t be taken lightly.

“All medications have side effects that need to be weighed whenever you take them,” cautioned Dr. Phil Alapat, assistant professor of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at BCM and medical director of the BCM Sleep Center.

Some of the most common prescription sleep medications are non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, like Ambien and Lunesta. These medications are not physically addictive and will not cause withdrawal symptoms when a person stops taking them. However, many people depend on them because they believe they cannot sleep without them, Alapat said. Read the rest of this entry

By Jobee Knight

Sleeping well is a highly valued thing.  According to an article in the United Kingdom’s “Daily Telegraph”, a good night’s sleep has been voted life’s “Greatest little pleasure”.  The poll, which interviewed 3,000 people in the UK, asked them what their greatest little pleasures in life were. The British company “Bachelors” conducted the survey.  The sleep theme showed up in other places as well, with “Little pleasure” number three being “Sleeping in newly laundered bedding.“ Number six was “Cuddling up with a loved one in bed”.

Chronic insomnia contributes to sleepiness during the day, increased accidents and illness, and may have an adverse effect on concentration, interpersonal relationships and the ability to handle stress.  Because good sleep is so vital to health, scientists continue to pursue the trail of finding things that enhance its quality and quantity.  Dr. Ramakrishnan, a professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, says, “Exercise improves sleep as effectively as sleeping drugs in some studies.”  His study found that on average, exercise increases total sleep time by 42 minutes. Read the rest of this entry

Cherry juice could hold the key to a good night’s sleep, say scientists.

Volunteers who drank a glass of unsweetened cherry juice in the morning and evening enjoyed more shut-eye than when they drank the same amount of other juices, a study found.

Curing insomnia has become one of the biggest health challenges of the modern age.

About one in four adults suffer from it and a fifth regularly get fewer than five hours’ sleep a night. Read the rest of this entry

Melatonin is one among the several natural hormones. The pineal gland located within the brain of a human body secretes ‘melatonin hormone’. The “pineal gland” is almost equal to the size of a pea. To be very precise, it is exactly located just above the middle of the brain.

Pineal Gland, Light, and Melatonin

The pineal gland acts like the internal clock of the human body specifically the brains. This internal clock is responsible for commanding the brain that it is time to go to the bed or when to sleep. Read the rest of this entry