Article: Combating Sleep Deprivation One Night at a Time


Home Page	Complete Directory	New Articles

Natural Health Newsletters	About Us	Advertising

please visit our sponsor

**Free Natural Health Newsletters, Click Here**

	Article: Combating Sleep Deprivation One Night at a Time - by Reg Furlough

	Just like a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, human beings go through a transformation during their late teens. As young adults, people decide they are no longer bound by the need for a good night's sleep. It is assumed the maturing of the body guarantees the body can withstand missed sleep --- after all, it is part of being an adult. However, medical science is telling us more and more that sleep deprivation, or feeling sleep deprived, shouldn't be a badge of honor. Medical researchers who study sleep and sleep disorders are producing volumes of evidence to prove the importance of a good night's sleep and the dangers of sacrificing sleep in the cause of adulthood. YOUR BRAIN KNOWS WHAT YOU DID LAST NIGHT Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, "speculate that the brain is adversely affected by sleep deprivation because certain patterns of electrical and chemical activity that occur during sleep are interrupted, impeding the brain's ability to function normally." http://www.newswise.com/articles/2000/2/SLEEP2.UCD.htm Richard D. Simon, Jr., MD, medical director of the Kathryn Severyns Dement Sleep Disorder Center in Walla Walla, Wash. says folks "underestimate the problems of being sleepy in the daytime and how it impairs mood and affects performance." Daniel J. DeNoon of WebMD Medical News stated "A sleepy person's brain works harder -- and accomplishes less." http://my.webmd.com/content/article/1728.54980 As we are learning, fatigue, daytime sleepiness, slow thinking, slow reaction, slurred speech, and long-term memory loss are just a few of the effects brought on by a lack of sleep. THE IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP TO GOOD HEALTH According to a recent study sponsored by The National Institutes of Health and Penn State College of Medicine, losing as little as one or two hours of sleep a night can have adverse effects on your health: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/122146.htm Jake Mossman, states in his article 'A Lack of Sleep Can Affect Your Health': "The lack of sleep results in lower production of killer T-cells that fight off viruses and may result in more illness." http://www.taospharmacy.com/archive.html Suddenly the thought of missing a couple of hours of sleep appears in a whole new light, doesn't it? SLEEP LOSS PREVENTION IS THE BEST MEDICINE The first step towards preventing sleep deprivation is understanding its causes. Late night parties are not the only reason for missed sleep. Other causes are: - All-nighter studies or late night work leading to disrupted sleep schedules - Night shift work - Traffic noise from nearby roadways - Crying babies - Barking dogs - Snoring spouses - Late night intake of caffeine or nicotine - Undiagnosed health problems Due to the potential of major health problems, any attempt to combat sleep problems should always be investigated with a doctor before attempting any form of self-treatment. If health issues have been ruled out, one should undertake the elimination of caffeine and nicotine before bed. One should also strive to avoid self-imposed sleep disruptions. COMBATING THE DISRUPTIVE SOUNDS OF THE NIGHT When all else has been eliminated, many people find themselves still at war with sleep deprivation. For those who find sleep disruptions to be caused by the sounds of the night, there does exist a simple remedy. What if you could discover a sure-fire method of minimizing the sounds that go bump in the night? What if you could cause the neighbors' dog to cease his incessant whining or barking? What if you could cure your spouse's snoring? What if you could forbid late night traffic down nearby thoroughfares? What if? What if you could create a utopian world free of the sounds that disrupt your sleep? For some folks, being rid of those sounds would be like heaven on earth. Yet, this is the real world. In the real world, you cannot stop these nocturnal noises. Fortunately, this is not the end of my story. WHITE NOISE CAN EFFECTIVELY MASK THE SOUNDS OF THE NIGHT So, what is White Noise? Without going into too much detail, white noise is a combination of sounds which can effectively mask the noises that disrupt your sleep. For more detailed information about what white noise is, please read the article "The Healing Power of Noise - White Noise, That Is": http://www.purewhitenoise.com/white-noise.html Many companies have popped up in recent years selling machines or generators that produce white noise for the benefit of their customers. While the machines can be expensive, many people swear by their effectiveness of helping them to get a good night's sleep. White Noise can in fact, be duplicated by running a fan or air conditioner. The primary downside to this cheap imitation is that you can freeze during the winter or burn out the expensive motors that power them. Fortunately, for the cost-conscious consumer, a new kind of company was born into existence. PureWhiteNoise.com has transported the white noise sound technology to the Compact Disc format. With Pure White Noise, the benefits of white noise are now available through your stereo sound system. Originally, there was Pure White Noise, Restful Rain, Wonderful Waves and Winds of White Noise. Then, after it was noted that many people have become accustomed to the machine sounds of common household equipment, new titles were added to the list. Today, PureWhiteNoise.com also offers Peaceful Air Purifier, Soothing Air Conditioner, Calming Electric Fan and Smooth Radio Static. Babies haven't been overlooked, either. It has been found that babies are soothingly comforted by the sound of a hair blow dryer or even a vacuum cleaner. To this end, Baby's Vacuum Cleaner and Baby's Blow Dryer white noise CDs were carefully developed to calm babies without hurting their sensitive ears. With a PureWhiteNoise.com CD in your CD player, you can know the benefits of White Noise for yourself. You can finally conquer the nocturnal monsters that disrupt your sleep and reap the full benefits of a great night's sleep. Not only will your boss thank you for improving your productivity, but also your body will thank you with better health and fewer illnesses.

	Reg Furlough is the head of Reg Furlough Productions, an award-winning audio research and development studio since 1985. His expertise in white noise and sound technology has successfully benefited thousands of children and adults. For more information, contact rfurlough@purewhitenoise.com or visit http://www.purewhitenoise.com.