How To Stop Snoring
As with many other chronic sleep disorders, there are a lot of so-called cures for snoring on the market today, from fancy pillows to homeopathic remedies and throat sprays and so many more. How do you know if any of these work? And why should you spend all your money on expensive pillows and harsh pills and other medications, if you’re not sure about their effectiveness?
It’s true that many of these snoring remedies actually do seem to work quite well for many people, however, there are some natural remedies and other products you can try that will probably work just as well. You don’t need to spend a ton of money on them either, and they are not invasive or harsh, and will not interfere with other medications you’re taking or other conditions you may have. Many have reported that these natural cures for snoring work just as well as the expensive treatment options they had tried previously, and even helped them to get a better night’s sleep and feel more well-rested all the way around.
Have you ever noticed that a menthol cough drop not only helps soothe your cough but also clears your sinuses as well? The action of the menthol clears away obstructions and built-up mucus in your sinus cavities. Very often a person snores because their nasal cavities are blocked, forcing them to breathe through their mouth.
Menthol oil has been found to be one of the best cures for snoring because it clears those blocked sinuses and allows a person to breathe freely and more easily. You can find pure menthol oil in health food or vitamin stores, or buy it in different products. Eucalyptus is another product that does much the same thing - opening those blocked sinuses and allowing a person to breathe easier. These two oils are also considered not just cures for snoring but as a way to help the lungs and the respiratory system relax and breathe easier overall.
You need to keep your throat moist and maybe even coated throughout the night. Having a humidifier in the bedroom can be a great help, as can using certain sprays or drops that will add moisture to your throat. Sore throat sprays can do the same job as some stop snoring sprays, as they usually contain the same ingredients.
If you have sinus problems, chances are you’re going to snore. You should breathe through your nose when you sleep, but if your nose is plugged up, this is impossible. A good step in figuring out how to stop snoring with a plugged nose is to figure out why it’s plugged in the first place. If it’s not a simple cold or temporary condition, see your doctor. Asthma or allergies should be treated with medication, and chronic breathing problems need more serious help.
May 15, 2009
The Use Of Chinese Medicine In Curing Insomnia Naturally
Today’s use of traditional Chinese medicine brings together hundreds of years of Chinese medical practice that includes the use of Chinese medicine to cure insomnia naturally. ‘Traditional Chinese medicine’ is a relatively new term which was first used by the People’s Republic of China in the 1950s at a time when that country was attempting to build a substantial export trade for its time honored medical practices and medicines.
Nowadays, traditional Chinese medicine does not merely cover medicinal products, but also covers things like herbal preparations and several practices including acupuncture and massage. The core of Chinese medicine is that the body functions as the result of various interconnected processes which are in continuous interaction with our environment. As long as these processes remain in balance you are healthy however, if they are not running alongside one another smoothly, your health will suffer.
There are various philosophies which govern the practice of Chinese medicine including such things as the theory of Yin-Yang which examines the role of the five elements (water, earth, fire, wood and metal), energy flow along the meridians of the body and the interaction between the organs of the body which are described in the theory of Zang-Fu.
For some considerable time there has been conflict between those people who follow traditional Chinese medical practices and those people who believe in science-based Western medicine. Now however traditional Chinese medicine, as well as other forms of Oriental and Asian medicine, is increasingly being accepted in the West and we usually refer to such practices as alternative medicine.
For the many millions of sufferers herbal remedies have long proved to be effective in treating insomnia, or in relieving the symptoms of insomnia, and such things as lavender, chamomile, lemon balm and passion flower are well known for their medicinal properties. There can be very few insomnia sufferers who have not had a drink of hot lemon and honey at bedtime.
A rising number of people are also turning to acupuncture or, for those people who do not like the idea of needles, acupressure. Both of these arts have been in use for many hundreds of years and were born out of the traditional Chinese practice of adjusting the energy within the body by controlling its flow along the body’s meridian lines.
In spite of its increasing acceptance there are still a lot of people who are suspicious of Chinese medicine. But anyone who has experienced it in action, especially those of us who have been lucky enough as I have to spend time living in the Far East, will certainly attest to its effectiveness.
If you suffer from insomnia then Chinese medicine is one route which you should consider seriously and a good place to start is with a simple insomnia herbal remedy.
May 13, 2009
What is Causing Your Insomnia?
Insomnia sufferers are well aware of the huge affects on their lives. We believe that drugs are not the best cure insomnia, natural insomnia cures are better and can be a a longer lasting cure for the problem. Drugs should not be taken for longer than a few weeks and do not offer a permanent solution. Patterns of sleeplessness vary with some people failing to sleep until dawn and others falling asleep easily but then waking in the early morning hours.
A nightly re-occurrence of this problem will make you only too aware of the nature of insomnia. As well as sleepless nights you may have a serious problem with mental and physical functioning during the day. We’ve put together a list of the best insomnia remedies for you to try yourself and hopefully get rid of sleep problems for ever.
Insomnia Symptoms
- difficulty in falling asleep
- easily falling asleep only to wake after a few hours
- waking up much too early
- waking up frequently during the night
- sleeping all through the night but not deeply so that you are not refreshed in the morning
Insomnia can lead to problems during the day including tiredness, depression, mood swings, difficulty concentrating etc. To feel refreshed properly most people will need about eight hours of quality sleep.
Classification of Insomnia
Chronic - classed as difficulty sleeping for at least three nights a week that lasts for a month or more
Intermittent - insomnia that is short-term but repeats
Transient - insomnia that lasts for up to a few weeks but then disappears completely
Chronic insomnia can also be divided into two types, primary insomnia which is not associated with other health problems and secondary insomnia which results from another medical condition. This may be depression, chronic pain, arthritis, cancer, stress, asthma or other mental or physical problems. This classification includes such things as a poor environment for sleeping including snoring partners, outside noises or other distractions that may prevent good quality sleep.
Women suffer much more from insomnia than men. Women can suffer from insomnia associated with pregnancy or perimenopausal symptoms including night sweats and hot flashes. You should talk to you doctor if you think your insomnia has a physical cause. Your doctor will need detailed information on your sleeping patterns so keep a sleep diary for at least a week before going to see him. You may be referred to a sleep center if your doctor thinks this will help.
Natural Insomnia Cures
Some natural cures for insomnia include making sure your sleeping environment is adequate for good quality sleep, eating sensibly during the day and refraining from alcohol or caffeine in the evening, use of natural herbs, learning relaxation or meditation and developing good sleep hygiene.
May 9, 2009
Should You Use Sleeping Pills for Insomnia?
Everyone requires a restful sleep at night so they can perform their daily routine efficiently. Sleep is necessary for our general well being. It stops us from feeling tired during the daytime. It’s vital for our mental health and plays a part in combating disease. In an effort to get some much needed sleep insomniacs often turn to sleeping pills.
Every person has unique circumstances, and there is a variety of medications that target each particular problem. Some medications are most effective at helping you get to sleep, others make sure that you stay asleep, and some pills handle both situations. With all this choice you will most likely find an insomnia remedy that works well for you without experiencing any unwanted side effects.
The common perception of insomnia medication is that it leads to dependency and is lethal if you take an overdose. Today’s sleeping pills, however, are considerably less habit forming than the medications of old. Also, it’s much less likely that you can die from taking too many. Another typical problem with old style insomnia medication is that it led to a feeling of drowsiness during the daytime. But the newer sleeping pills on the market today are formulated to combat this.
The current array of insomnia medication, although much improved, still presents some risks to the user. These risks vary depending on the drug being taken. But you might experience symptoms like dizziness, blurred vision and problems with other pharmaceuticals you’re taking.
Sleeping pills have been cited as the cause of drivers falling asleep at the wheel of the car. Another problem is that sleeping pills tend to induce a deep sleep. This means that the person taking the medication might not wake up in the case of an emergency such as a house fire. This is clearly a danger to both the person taking the drug and to others.
As a long term solution, taking sleeping pills isn’t really effective. They may be great for occasional bouts of insomnia but they do not get to, nor treat, the root of the problem. Even though they are not habit forming by nature, it may be necessary to continue taking them to see an improvement in sleep patterns.
Sleeping pills do help us to sleep better but should only be used as a last resort. There are a variety of options that are cheap or free that you should look into first. If they work for you, not only will they save you money but they will eliminate most of the risks as well.
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