Smarter Sleeping 101

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This is a funny one from silentprotext:
“Here I am, irritated because my dream was ending and I was woken up. Because of that I am now left with bits and pieces of the dream. Here is from what I remember of the greatest dream EVER.

From the beginning: I recall being on Americas Next Top Model and these two other girls were fighting over each other over some stupid reason. When one of the girls grabs this plush necklace of Naruto in chibi fox mode, I get livid. I grab it and tell her to let go. She gets this look on her face and I start growling for her to give it back. She doesn’t and all mayhem ensues. Things start getting pushed over. Now at this point it was getting wierd because a cabinet kept falling down and this is what happened.

The first time the cabinet fell over, we thought we crushed the baby.
The second time, we thought we crushed the cat.
The third time, we thought we crushed Tyra! We ended up pulling out a doll from under the couch that we thought was Tyra and it was a manequin blow up doll version of Tyra.”

 Keep reading…

I stumbled upon BuzzDash, a service that allows you to create poll-based widgets, and found this poll which seemed fitting:

More than a quarter of the survey takers thus far have trouble sleeping several nights a week as of this posting. That is a staggering statistic and it will be interesting to see how the poll ends up. Cast your vote!

This story comes from The Sacramento Bee.

The Atlanta-based company Innovative Sleep Solutions has released a new sleep sensor they call the Sleeptracker PRO.

Basically an oversized watch, the Sleeptracker PRO records the times you are in the lighest, or “almost awake” periods of sleep. You can upload the readings onto your computer to analyze your sleeping habits, determining what daytime activities cause the nights with the most “almost awake” periods of sleep.

“In the short term, says the manufacturer, the device encourages you to wake up more refreshed by buzzing you out of bed at a moment – during a window of time that you set – when your body is naturally almost awake.”

The Sleeptracker clocks in at a hefty price of $179. You’d have to be pretty desperate for some good sleep to drop $179 on a watch you’ll only wear to bed, right?

“‘My sense is it’s a bit of a gimmick,’ says Dr. Lydia Wytrzes, medical director of the Sutter Sleep Disorder Program in Sacramento. ‘If you’re a bad sleeper, I’m not sure how this thing would help you.’

The watch’s internal “accelero-meter” detects restless movements that suggest when you’re in a period of light sleep, according to the company.

Wytrzes, a neurologist, says the technology sounds like actigraphy, which is used by sleep researchers to study alertness and sleep. “It’s basically a motion sensor,” she says.”

What do you think of this new product?

Health Canada is advising consumers not to use a product called Eden Herbal Formulations Serenity Pills II because it contains the undeclared drug estazolam, which can be habit-forming when used for as little as a few months. Consumers who may still have this product in their homes are advised to consult with a health care professional before they stop taking the pills, because of the risk of withdrawal symptoms. Eden Herbal Formulations Serenity Pills II is promoted as a herbal product to relieve sleeping difficulty.

Estazolam belongs in the class of drugs known as benzodiazepines, which should only be prescribed by a health care professional.  The side-effects associated with the use of products containing estazolam vary according to the individual and can include dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, depression, loss of memory and hallucinations.

Health Canada has issued three advisories on similar products since August 2006. Salt Spring Herbals Sleep Well Dietary Supplement, Sleepees and Eden Herbal Formulations Sleep Ease Dietary Supplement were also advertised as herbal health products to relieve sleeping difficulty, and were found to contain the undeclared drug estazolam.

Eden Herbal Formulations Serenity Pills II were distributed by the Evergreen Acupuncture Clinic in Calgary, Alberta.  The clinic has stopped sale of this product, however consumers may still have the product in their homes.

Consumers who have purchased the product should return it to the place of purchase.  To date, no adverse reactions suspected to be associated with the use of Eden Herbal Formulations Serenity Pills II have been reported in Canada.

This is scary stuff.  Those who may be using the Serenity Pills are probably addicted and don’t even know it.  It’s always a wise choice to use drug-free formulas when taking OTC medications.  SleepSmart is 100% drug free.

This week’s insomnia story comes from Jenny Lim of Island Packet.  Her take on the Nation Sleep Foundation’s games and quizzes created for The Great American Sleep Challenge.  Check out the excerpt below:

“My lack of sleep is frequently the result of my own choices, most of which revolve around my love of to-do lists, or more specifically, my love of checking stuff off my to-do list. I’ll stay up late for the bizarre joy of knowing I’ve finished all the laundry. I’ll get up early for the freakish satisfaction of thinking I didn’t waste over-ripe bananas because I was able to bake them into a loaf of freshly made banana bread. (Sometimes, I’ll write down tasks I’ve finished, just so I can check them off. Yes, I’m that girl.)”

Read the rest.