Breathing is the most natural thing to do, right? So why am I sitting here writing a post about breathing? Can you believe that most of us are breathing wrong? Well, we’re alive, so we must be doing something right. The thing is, if we learn to breathe a little more consciously and from the diaphragm, we can reduce our stress levels, optimize our sense of smell and taste, and even live a little longer.

There are basically two types of breathing: cleansing and energizing. Cleansing breaths detoxify the body and stress exhalation. Energizing breaths focus on inhalation and collect and store vital energy.

Sounds like basic breathing so far. But what of the spontaneous ’sighs’ and ‘yawns’ we sometimes experience? A sigh is a cleansing breath, a long, forceful exhalation preceded by a quick gulp of air. People sigh when toxins in the bloodstream reach a critical level or energy is running low. In contrast, a yawn is an energizing breath–a long, deep inhalation briefly held in the lungs, followed by a short exhalation.

Breathing is a three step process. Did you ever notice a sleeping child or puppy? The stomach moves up and down as they breathe, not the chest. Take a gradual breath in, and expand your diaphragm. Your stomach should fill up like a balloon. Next, feel the air fill your lungs without lifting your chest or expanding your rib cage. Third, you can feel the air getting up into the top of your lungs. Exhale in the same manner, only the steps are in reverse. When we breathe, as we do, into the rib cage and the clavicle, our breaths are shallow and so not enough oxygen or negative ions are getting into the lungs and subsequently the blood stream leading to lower energy. A cleansing breath helps open the blood vessels in the brain as well, and is a great aid in relieving stress. Slower, deeper breaths will help the body to heat naturally, and comes in handy on a cold February day like today.

Chee-gung has been a formal branch of Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years, and means both ‘breathing exercise’ and ‘energy control’. It was found that it was first referenced in the mid-sixth century B.C. There are many different ways to do exercises in order to learn to breathe properly. This first one is for beginners and takes only 10 minutes a day.

· Dress in loose comfortable clothes.

· Find a comfortable, quiet location.

· Lay on back or sit with back erect in a chair or on the floor

· Count “1″ and breathe in and think “relax” and breathe out.

· Focus attention on breathing and counting.

· Expand diaphragm on breathing in and keep chest still.

· Count up to 10 and then back to 1.

· Practice up to twice daily, 10 minutes each time.

· Monitor your practice.

1. Place one hand on your chest and the other one on your stomach with your little finger just a little above your naval. The movement should come from your lower hand (diaphragm, muscle in stomach) not your chest.
2. Do not try to take in too much air and don’t slow your breathing down too much. Just breathe smoothly and easily through your nose. Do not hold your breath.
3. Count “one” mentally as you breathe in, and think “relax” as you breathe out. Then “two” on the next breath in, and breathe out and think “relax.” Do these until you get to 10 then start back at 1.
4. After about 5-6 weeks of doing chee-gung, gradually begin to slow your counting day by day until you can breathe at a rate of 10 breaths per minute at rest.

-Anne

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Narcolepsy is a rare, neurological sleep disorder of the central nervous system. It is characterized by uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep at any place—driving, working, or talking) or any time—you may even experience overwhelming daytime drowsiness. A sleep attack can occur for 10 to 15 minutes where the person will feel rested, but that feeling won’t last long. The narcoleptic will return to a state of tiredness and discomfort.

Narcolepsy is a chronic condition and never completely goes away. Narcolepsy normally occurs between the ages of 15 and 25, but it can happen at any age. Oftentimes, narcolepsy goes undiagnosed and, therefore, untreated.

Common Symptoms of Narcolepsy

The signs and symptoms of narcolepsy usually begin to develop between the ages of 10 and 30. It can occur in children under the age of 10, but is less common.

The signs and symptoms of narcolepsy include:
• Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). This is the main symptom of narcolepsy and is characterized by overwhelming drowsiness and an uncontrollable need to sleep during the day. Narcoleptics can fall asleep any time, anywhere and without warning. Even if you’re at work talking to colleagues, you may suddenly nod off. You could fall asleep for just a few minutes or up to half an hour before waking.
The narcoleptic may also experience decreased energy throughout the day. EDS makes it difficult to concentrate during the day and can be associated with memory lapses, mental cloudiness and extreme exhaustion.
• Sudden loss of muscle tone (also known as cataplexy) which can contribute to weakness and loss of muscle control. Symptoms can range from slurred speech to complete loss of voluntary muscle control. Cataplexy is uncontrollable and may last anywhere from a few seconds to a couple minutes. Intense emotions (positive or negative) often trigger cataplexy—anger, fear, surprise, laughter. Cataplexy may be partial or complete and the narcoleptic may experience arm weakness, a sagging jaw, a drooping head and knee buckling.

• Sleep paralysis. This symptom is similar to the paralysis that normally happens during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is where dreaming usually occurs. The narcoleptic experiences a temporary inability to move or speak while falling asleep or when waking. These episodes can last from several seconds to several minutes.

• Hallucinations (or hypnagogia hallucinations). These delusions often occur while falling asleep or upon waking and are very vivid and sensory (auditory, visual, or tactile). The narcoleptic’s dreams can be quite frightening because he/she experiences them as reality.

Narcoleptics may flail their arms, kick and scream as they act out their nightly dreams.

Causes of Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy can be difficult to diagnose and is often mistaken for insomnia, depression, a seizure disorder, fainting, lack of sleep, or other sleep conditions.

Although the cause of narcolepsy has not yet been determined, experts believe it may be caused by a hypocretin deficiency in the brain combined with other contributing factors of neurological dysfunction.

Hypocretin is a chemical in the brain that regulates sleep. It promotes and helps stabilize wakefulness and sleep. Hypocretin levels have been found to be low in recent studies of patients with narcolepsy.

Home Remedies and Tips for Narcolepsy

There’s no cure for narcolepsy and it can lead to disturbances at work and in your personal life. However, lifestyle changes can help you cope with the symptoms.

Try to maintain a regular sleep schedule where you go to bed at the same time every day, even on weekends. Be sure to rid yourself of all distractions—turn the television off, block out light.

Short naps. Schedule short naps during the day to help you stay awake and refreshed.

Avoid alcohol and heavy meals because they can throw your sleep cycle off.

DO NOT DRIVE if you feel sleepy. Call a friend or family member to drive you home.

Get moving! Exercise 20 minutes a day around 4 to 5 hours before bedtime to keep you more awake during the day and to help you sleep better throughout the night.

B complex vitamins help to boost energy levels which can aid in the reducing stress levels.

-Nolan

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Snoring. Who would have thought a little nighttime noise to be so horrific? No one likes to sleep with someone who snores, especially if you sleep with that someone on a nightly basis… in the same bed.

It’s said that about 30% to 50% of adults snore on a regular basis. That’s a lot of noise and dulls the hope of ever finding a snore-free partner. It is also thought that the chances of snoring increases as you age.

What is snoring?

Snoring is a result of air nasal passage blockage, narrowing and the vibrations of tissue in the back of your throat, mainly the soft palate and the uvula.

When you lie down and breathe through your nose, sometimes the airway in your throat narrows. This is due to gravity; when you’re horizontal the tissues in your throat fall back a little, narrowing airways. This can hinder breathing and result in vibrations, in other words snoring.

Home remedies for snoring

Snoring occurs when you sleep on your back. By changing your sleeping position, like to your stomach or side, you can eliminate your snoring. If you’re sleeping with people who snore, try nudging them to get them to roll over into another position.

Having problems keeping off your back at night? Put a tennis ball or golf ball in a sock and attach to the back of your pajamas with some safety pins. That way when you roll on your back in the middle of the night, the discomfort you feel in your sleep from the ball will make you think twice… even while unconscious.

If your snoring is a result of nasal congestion, applying a nasal strip before bed is a good way to prevent snoring. It’s easier to breathe when your nostrils are open and nasal strips do just that.

Have a few extra pounds you’ve been wanting to get rid of? Now is a great time to think about losing some weight. Snoring is prevalent in those who are overweight. Excess of neck tissue can lead to airway constriction and then snoring while you sleep.

Try sleeping in an elevated position. Snoring occurs when lying on your back. When elevated you can virtually eliminate snoring.

Kick the habit. Smokers are usually snorers and breathe poorly while awake. Sleeping is even worse due to excess mucus in the throat.

No alcohol after 7pm. The relaxing feeling you get in your body, it also relaxes the muscles in your throat, contributing to snoring.

There are many herbal teas you can pick up at your grocer that are targeted to people who snore. Many of these teas also contain chamomile, St. Johns wart and even skullcap to help you sleep a little easier as well.

–Magdalena

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I have suffered from a lack of energy that was almost unbearable and abnormal for most of my life. My family saw my sluggish behavior as laziness. I was slow to get up most mornings and lacked that get-up-and-go needed for instant motivation, but was an extremely hard worker—diligent about finishing a task and doing it well.

I found that what I was experiencing was called lethargy due to low blood iron. All I needed was a little more spinach, liver, beans and salmon to give me that spark I needed. Add exercise and a decent night of sleep and lethargy is rarely ever a struggle anymore.

What is lethargy?

Lethargy is a medical condition represented by slowness, general indifference, tiredness and drowsiness. Other names for lethargy are listlessness, malaise, and fatigue. Stress or exertion may lead to lethargy, but it can also be the symptom of many serious problems or illnesses.

Causes of lethargy

There are many causes of lethargy. The primary cause is lack of proper nutrition such as a deficiency in the appropriate amounts of vitamins and minerals. Lack of sleep, too much sleep, and not enough exercise can all be contributing factors of lethargy.

Some diseases and disorders can also bring on lethargy. Thyroid disorder, hepatitis, jaundice and kidney failure are all medical contributors of lethargy. Psychological disorders can cause fatigue, as well as many other common disorders such as constipation. If a bout of lethargy comes on suddenly and persists, consult your physician immediately.

Home Remedies and Prevention

Get plenty of rest, at least 8 hours a night.
Exercise on a regular basis—at least three times a week for 15 minutes.

Eat a well balanced diet. The best foods to eat when experiencing a bout of listlessness are:
• Pecans which are high in Vitamin B-6. Eat 10-15 raw pecans a day as a therapeutic dose, or 20-30 pecan halves.
• Raw egg yolk is high in lecithin, a major component of the brain and nerve tissue which stimulates sluggish adrenal glands. Blend 2 egg yolks with carrot juice once daily for therapeutic purposes.
• Carrots are the overall best therapeutic food in the world. Carrot juice alkalizes, cleanses, nourishes, and stimulates almost every system in the body. It’s a natural antidote for nervous exhaustion caused by diets deficient in vital raw foods. Blend in beets and cucumbers with the carrots to improve blood quality and increase energy.

Other foods high in iron that help with fatigue are:
• Raw spinach
• Molasses
• Wheat germ
• Soy beans

Avoid processed, canned, preserved and denatured foods which will add to or bring on an episode. Make sure these make up less than 50% of your diet.

-Anne

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We’ve all had a nightmare once in our lives. They suck, to put it bluntly, and I wish I never had them, but like everything else in the world, it’s a part of life. But why do nightmares happen? No one really knows, but it’s been found that people who are overtired, have irregular sleep routines or are stressed run the risk of having more nightmares than people who sleep regularly and with low stress.

When do nightmares occur?

Dreaming occurs during REM sleep, lasting about 90 to 120 minutes about four times a night. Nightmares are most likely to occur in the middle of the night or early in the morning. Nightmares are more common in children than adults. Fevers and certain medicines can also cause nightmares. Nightmares experienced after a trauma may indicate post-traumatic stress disorder.

What to do to eliminate and treat nightmares

Try to get between 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night. Since lack of sleep may cause nightmares in some people, getting enough rest can eliminate them.

Go to bed the same time every night. Irregular sleep schedules can bring on nightmares. It’s not as bad as you think; you don’t have to go to bed at exactly the same time each night. An hour either way won’t do any harm. So, if you go to bed at 10 one night it would be safe to go to bed at either 9 or 11 the following night.

Don’t go to bed stressed, angry or filled with anxiety. Sometimes it may sound like an impossible feat, but try to go to bed calm. Stress and worry can trigger nightmares. Before going to sleep, try doing a little meditation or think about the good things that happened during your day. It’s a good way to guarantee a peaceful night’s rest.

What to do if your child has nightmares

If you child wakes from a nightmare don’t give them the third degree about what their nightmare was. Be comforting and soothing after waking and save the questions for the next day if they are still distressed.

Do a quick room check to show your child that there are no monsters under the bed or in the closet. Explain where the shadows come from when you turn out the nights. Making the unfamiliar aspects of the dark more familiar gives children a sense of security.

Leave the door to your child’s room open. This also gives your child a sense of security, knowing that you are not closed off from them, even if you’re sleeping in a different room.

Use a nightlight to make the darkness a little more tolerable.

Magdalena

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