An Indica dominant hybrid could be used for pain relief and have a Sativa part that can help with a person’s energy level whereas a Sativa dominant hybrid could be used to stimulate a person’s appetite and have a Indica part that can help with pain relief.

Since relaxation, getting to sleep and easing other sleep disorders is a priority, you would most likely want an Indica dominant hybrid.

Two medical components of cannabis you want to look at are Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD). In the most basic terms, THC is the high and CBD in the medical component that relieves nausea, inflammation and anxiety.

An Indica dominant hybrid will be lower in THC but higher in CBD. The effects are a couch locking, body buzz that is a heavier, sleepy high. It is good for a late evening smoke as it induces relaxation, reduces stress and gives the user an overall calm and serenity.

Other benefits of an Indica dominant hybrid include:

• Good for easing insomnia symptoms
• Provides anxiety relief (but not for depression)
• Provides pain relief
• Relaxes the muscles
• Reduces nausea
• Relieves headaches and migraines
• Has an inflammation reduction quality
• Relieves spasms and reduces seizures.

Some of the top Indica strains are Afghani, Northern Lights, G-13, Granddaddy Purple and Hindu Kush.

A Sativa dominant hybrid will be higher in THC and lower in CBD. The effects are a more cerebral, energetic, uplifting head buzz. It is a good for daytime use as you are kept more energetic and sociable as it reduces depression, anxiety and nausea.

Other benefits of a Sativa dominant hybrid include:

• Increases feeling of well-being and optimism
• Relaxes muscles and relieves pain
• Energizes and stimulating
• Uplifting
• Promotes creativity
• Increases focus and creativity
• Stimulates the appetite
• Relieves headaches and migraines
• Reduces nausea

Some of the top Sativa strains include Sour Diesel, Jack Herer, Headband and Purple Haze.

You can basically view Sativa medication as useful during the day and Indica being better for evening use. Vaporizers are also excellent for reducing the smoke that’s inhaled.

You should talk with a knowledgeable person who can guide you to the strain that will help ease your condition. And cannabis, like all other drugs legal or not, should not be used by people with psychological problems. If you’re not right in the head, cannabis isn’t going to help you and maybe mess you up even more.

I have used cannabis for my insomnia but I do so only occasionally opting to concentrate my efforts on improving good sleep habits. One of the techniques I have been using lately with great results is to set my alarm for the morning then place a towel over the clock so I can’t see what time it is. Kind of a set it and forget it method.

What strain have you tried to ease your insomnia? Leave a comment below.

A person with DSPS has their internal sleep/wake cycle shifted around the clock by several hours and it is out of sync with their desired schedule. They find it very difficult to maintain a typical nine to five job and fit into everyone else’s “normal” sleep/wake schedule.

Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome is a problem with a person’s sleep timing and it often starts in their late childhood or early teens. Many people out grow their condition but if it doesn’t stop by the time the person is in their twenties they will probably have DSPS their entire life.

Because they fall asleep in the early hours of the morning they don’t get enough sleep by the time they have to get up in the morning. Since their sleep timing is different then other people around them they feel chronically tired.

If they have a job that allows them to get up when they want to they often feel well rested and alert the rest of their day. As such many people with DSPS seek out a career that allows them to keep their own hours like being a work from home consultant, work at a bar or be a writer or comedian.

Treatments for DSPS

DSPS may become worst in the winter months when there is less sunlight so some people find it helpful to use bright light therapy first thing in the morning and to try to avoid bright lights late in the evening.

They could also they to reset their internal biological clock by going to bed 30 minutes earlier for a few days, then turning their bedtime back another 30 minutes. They can keep doing this until they are in sync with their desired social and family schedules.

Taking melatonin can help a person get to sleep at an earlier time and some people use cannabis to help them get to sleep.

Improving sleep habits can also help. Limit caffeine late in the day, exercise and try to stick to a sleep/wake schedule.

People with DSPS are night owls who can coexist with people who have a “normal” sleep/wake schedule and are capable of feeling rested and alert if they are allowed to be creative and flexible with their timetable.

When an episodes last for only a few minutes, the person usually is still in their bed and just falls back to a into a normal sleep. But there have been cases when a person who is sleepwalking has gotten dressed, walked around, had conversations, rearranged the furniture, went for a walk outside, had sex with strangers or even drove a car.

Sleepwalking is most often seen in pre-teens and often runs in families. They may also have nightmares, night terrors or may wet the bed. Though disturbing to parents, kids usually outgrow their sleepwalking.

Some of the underlying factors for adult suffers may include:

• Too much stress
• Consumed alcohol
• Anxiety
• Epilepsy
• Side effects of some medication
• Being over-tired
• Having a fever
• Suffering from a mental disorder

Tips to Deal With Sleepwalkers

People sleepwalking have often injured themselves by falling or tripping or an object so in order to keep them safe you may want to make sure windows and doors are locked, stairways are blocked off with a gate or have the sleepwalker sleep on the ground floor of you residence.

For children it is very effective to put a lock on the top part of the door that is out of their reach.

It is not dangerous to wake a sleepwalker, though they may act confused about who you are and where they are. It’s best to gently guide them back to bed.

There may be a medication that could help, but dealing with the underlying causes and keeping your home safe for a sleepwalker is your best option.

This makes the person to wake up and it often takes several hours to get back to sleep, if at all. Then the person is tired the rest of the day, they don’t perform as well at work and the cycle often repeats itself.

Nighttime heartburn is caused when a muscle of the stomach known as the esophageal sphincter, relaxes allowing stomach contents to flow back up a person’s throat. Think of it as a one-way value that is malfunctioning. It is allowing the contents to travel both ways.

Treatments for Nighttime Heartburn

• change your diet (eat less meat and more plants)
• eat smaller meals, more often (every 3-4 hours)
• change to a healthier lifestyle
• lose weight
• eat several hours before going to bed
• reduce your level of stress
• avoid smoking
• limit alcohol
• sleep on your left side
• avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee and cola
• avoid high fat, fried foods and spicy foods
• elevate your head
• take an antacid
• eat like a farmer – your biggest meal at lunch
• surgery may be required

Many people take over-the-counter medications for their nighttime heartburn and this may be fine for the occasional discomfort, but when nighttime heartburn occurs several times a week, it may delay a person from seeing their doctor.

You should see your doctor for treatment if your heartburn is frequent or not getting any better as long-term use of OTC medications may also cause rebound heartburn to occur.

Even though esophageal cancer is more prevalent in people with nighttime heartburn,  seeking treatment is more important to improve the person’s quality of life through a reduction of events and in getting a good night’s sleep.

Do you have nighttime heartburn? Leave your comment below.

The narcoleptic may also suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness, hallucinations, cataplexy or sleep paralysis. The strong urge they have to go to sleep usually first presents itself when the person is in their teens or an young adult and it may take many years before a proper diagnosis is made.

The sleep attacks can occur several times per day and can last from several minutes to several hours. Such sleep attacks often have adverse effects on the narcoleptics work life and their social functions. During an episode they tend to quickly enter REM sleep with REM episodes sometimes occurring throughout the day.

Narcolepsy tends to run in families and seems to be the result of a brain chemical imbalance and not caused by a person’s poor sleep habits, being lazy or recreational drug use.

Narcolepsy Treatments

• stick to a consistent bedtime and nap
• diagnosis requires going to a sleep lab for evaluation
• incorporate several short, planned naps into your day
• make be given a stimulant like Provigil to help you stay awake
• exercise to reduce muscular tension o you sleep better at night
• reduce stressors that may trigger a response
• if the person has a wake/sleep cycle that is opposite to most other people (they want to sleep during the day and be awake at night) if may be better if they could find work that accommodates them
• avoid smoking and using alcohol to get to sleep as these will disrupt your REM sleep leaving you more prone for daytime REM attacks

There is no known cure for narcolepsy and it is a lifelong affliction. By taking precautions, making some lifestyle changes and trying some medication a person with narcolepsy can minimize the conditions effect on their lives.

Do you suffer from narcolepsy or know someone who does? What do they do to cope? Leave a response below.

A cataplexy episode happens suddenly and may affect a few muscles of the face or neck, there may be difficulty speaking, weakness in the arms and hands or a buckling of the knees. I rare cases a person may loose all muscle function and fall. An attack may last from a few seconds to several minutes and may occur several times a day or only a few times a year.

Cataplexy seems to involve the intrusion of a moment of REM sleep into a person’s waking state. During an attack they may drop what they are holding or may fall and suffer sprains and break bones and other injuries.

Since a person doesn’t know in advance when an episode will occur, may people with cataplexy may avoid social events and activities like driving, walking down stairs, swimming or holding a child. It can also cause embarrassment when it happens in a public place or at their place of work.

Three quarters of the people with narcolepsy also suffer from cataplexy. Some famous people with narcolepsy include:

• Jimmy Kimmel, TV host and comedian
• Nicole Jeray, golfer
• Harold Ickes, deputy White House chief of staff to Bill Clinton
• Arthur Lowe, actor
• Franck Bouyer, French cyclist
• Natassja Kinski, actress

There are currently no behaviour treatments so cataplexy can only be controlled through medication. Some people who only experience mild symptoms like a droopy eye may not take any medication.

Do you have have cataplexy? Leave a comment below.

by Bev Wagar

The medication Miraplex used to treat Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and Parkinson’s disease can also cause compulsive behaviour in some people. A Winnipeg, Manitoba woman was recently found her not guilty of impaired driving and a judge gave her a two year suspended sentence for causing a near fatal crash.

The woman claimed that a side effect of the medication caused her to suffer from an involuntary compulsion to gamble and drink alcohol. She apparently played video lottery games and drank six double rum and cokes before the crash.  The medication she was taking was found to be a contributing factor as it has been linked to various impulse control disorders.

What is Mirapex?

Mirapex mimics the effect of dopamine in a person’s brain and is meant to help people control their movements as well as increase their feelings of happiness and satisfaction. But it also tends to stimulate the reward and excitement center of the brains of some people that can lead to uncontrollable behaviour such as compulsive gambling or compulsive spending in people who previously showed no signs of such behaviour before.

Back in the 50’s scientists used electrical stimulation of a rats brain to influence behaviour. When the pleasure center of the rats brain was stimulated by pushing a button the rat would compulsively push it hundred of times per hour.

A side affect of Miraplex seems to inadvertently stimulate the part of a person’s brain that controls compulsive behaviour. The resulting impulse control problems have resulted in bankruptcies, broken marriages and depression.

Some of the other side effects of Miraplx include the following.

Gambling addiction, compulsive shopping or buying, sexual addiction, compulsive eating, suddenly falling asleep, extreme drowsiness, hallucinations (including sensations, visions and sounds), dizzy, nauseated, faint or sweaty reactions when a person sits up or stand quickly.

Constipation, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, tiredness, muscle spasms, dry mouth, insomnia, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, fever, fast or uneven heartbeat.

Fainting, confusion, trouble swallowing, unusual dreams, muscle stiffness, blurred vision, upset stomach, loss of appetite, weight loss, headache, pornography addiction, swelling in the hands or feet, excessive urination, decreased sexual drive or ability.

Heartburn, nasal congestion, indigestion, delusions, painful urination, loss of bladder control, thinking problems, runny nose, impotence, restless muscle movements in the eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck, amnesia, trouble having an orgasm, joint pain.

Double vision, paranoia, forgetfulness, tightness or pain in chest, trouble sleeping, increased sweating, acid stomach, twitching, twisting, or other unusual body movements.

Since 2005 there have been lawsuits filed from California to Australia. There are currently hundreds of lawsuits filed against Pfizer and Boehringer and there have been a number of multi-million dollar suits won by claimants.

Even if you are experiencing some relief from the pain associated with Restless Leg Syndrome, if anyone taking Miraplax experiences any of the above symptoms or if you notice a family member showing signs of any unusual, compulsive behaviours, you should contact your doctor immediately.

There is a very rare, genetically inherited disease known as Fatal Familial Insomnia where suffers actually die from a lack of sleep. But for the majority of chronic insomniacs, you may not die directly from a lack of sleep, but your health will be worse than if you got good nights sleep.

Chronic insomnia is getting less that 6 hours of sleep each night over an extended period of time.  So if you have a poor sleep now and again, that’s normal and perfectly all right.

How Insomnia Affects Your Health

The four basic types of insomnia are:

1. difficulty falling asleep
2. frequent awakening
3. difficulty getting back to sleep
4. waking up too early

Anyone suffering from any of the above types of insomnia has an increased mortality risk compared to people who do not.

My sleep last night was typical of my long term sleep pattern. I had difficulty falling asleep, I woke up a dozen of times during the night and I was unable to get back to sleep and I then got up early. According to the information in this article I’m a dead man walking.

Chronic insomnia can increases the risk of an early death as it impacts your health in a pile of different ways.

Anyone with chronic insomnia may have a greater risk of:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• High blood pressure
• Cancer
• Premature aging
• Obesity
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Diabetes
• Alcoholism
• Drug dependency (sleeping pills, amphetamines)
• Death by accidents (from driving or work related)

Stress causes your adrenal glands to release the stress hormone cortisol. That is turn can suppress the immune system, decrease thyroid function, increase blood pressure and increase abdominal fat.

This is more bad news for me as I’m so stressed that I whiz almost pure cortisol, my son calls me Fatty, I have enough thyroid nodules to make a “pearl” necklace and a goiter the size of a golf ball.

What Can You Do

Several things that I am starting to do may be helpful for you to try. Getting 30 to 60 minutes of exercise every day, I’ve changed my diet by eating 6 small, fat reduced meals instead of 3 large meals, drink yogurt smoothies one to two times a day, increased eating apples, oranges, bananas, broccoli, whole wheat pasta and a whack of foods from the anti potato chip pile.

I make a great tasting tuna casserole and I’ve replace meat balls in my spaghetti with broccoli (covered with enough tomato sauce it’s pretty good).

I also have to resolve a number of personal issues, one being somehow resolving a problem with an automobile dealer who sold me a used police vehicle without disclosing that before or on the sales agreement.

Apart from how insomnia can kill you by increasing your risk to a host of other medical problems, it is also possible that you might have an increased risk of dying even if you have no other health issues. So try to make getting a good night’s sleep as important as exercise and a balanced diet.

If you find that your sleep has been very disrupted after donating, there are two things you can do. First, you can stop donating. You’re not obligated to do yourself harm and do something, however noble, that adversely affects your health. This can be especially true if you are suffering from any other health related problems. Don’t compound your problems. Volunteer as a helper if you don’t want to donate but still want to help.

You could also time your donations to be on a Friday, giving you the weekend to take it easy and recover. Same if you have a different two days off. Just go the day before your days off.

I once found my sleep disrupted after I donated blood a pint of blood the nose after being hit by a frozen carp, but that’s another story.

Tips For Donating Blood

1. Try to get a good night’s sleep before donating. You may get a poor sleep the night before if you are nervous about donating
2. Don’t donate if you are feeling ill or are suffering from a cold or flu
3. Don’t take any medications like aspirin – call the blood bank before you go and don’t stop taking any doctor prescribed medications
4. Remember to eat a good meal and drink plenty of fluids before and after donating. If you donate on an empty stomach you may faint
5. Have a snack afterwards to help you to not feel dizzy
6. Wear comfortable clothing with short sleeves
7. Take it easy for a few days after donating blood
8. Don’t use your donated arm to lift any heavy objects for a few days or you may spring a leak

Since a possible cause of Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is an iron deficiency, donating blood may make the problem worse.

Your health comes first. If donating blood adversely affects your sleep, stop donating and help out in another way like volunteering or making a cash donation.

I have donated blood over 50 times and if everyone who is healthy did the same there would never be a shortage of the gift of life.

Would you allow your doctor to treat you if your doctor was like Dr. House from the TV show and popped narcotics in front of you? How about while swigging from a bottle of Jack Daniels?

A car driver can be as impaired by a lack of sleep as a person who is legally drunk. Being sleep deprived makes it more difficult to concentrate, harder to make decisions and you may nod off momentarily by having a micro-sleep.

Doctors and interns who are impaired by lack if sleep can show a lack of judgement and a decrease in their level of compassion toward a patient just because they are too tired. In their sleep deprived, robotic state they be called on to make quick life or death decisions and a mistake can kill a patient.

The issue of overworked, sleep deprived doctors and interns has been bandied about for decades and though there have been some changes they have been inadequate to protect patients and those who treat them.

Unfortunately, hospitals are a business often required to do more with less and are run by accountants who are more concerned with the bottom line than with patient care.

More doctors are retiring at the same time that baby boomers are settling into their golden years and the doctor shortage will get worse long before it gets any better. And that may very well mean the doctors that are on staff will be overworked.

According to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, the authors have suggested that patients should be allowed to give their consent or refuse to be operated on by a doctor who has been on call the night before and has less than 6 hours of sleep.

Patients currently being operating on by a sleep deprived doctor are two times as likely to have complications such as organ injury or massive bleeding.

Interns may work a 24 to 36 hours shifts with no sleep for a 100 hours a week work schedule. But doctors and interns working long hours make more mistakes both in diagnosing an ailment and during treatment.

Doctors have an ethical obligation to honestly inform their patients, but because of their sleep deprivation, doctors may not able to accurately gauge the depth of their sleep impairment.

Even with laws in place limiting the number of hour’s interns and doctors can work, there have been numerous violations, especially in teaching hospitals.

Hospitals need to step in and protect a patent by having another doctor perform the surgery or have the elective surgery rescheduled if need be.

The problem of sleep deprived doctors needs to be addressed. Just as airline pilots and long haul truckers are required to take time for sleep, doctors and interns have got be allowed time to get the sleep they need to perform their jobs up to the standards they and their patients expect.