Why Do People Talk in Their Sleep?

Ever wonder why people talk in their sleep? Maybe you know someone who does, or perhaps you’ve been told you do it yourself. Sleep talking, also called somniloquy, is a common type of sleep disorder, though it’s typically short-lived and rarely occurs. People who talk in their sleep often sound much different than they do when they’re awake since the brain normally relaxes or even disables speaking muscles during sleep. Due to reduced muscle strength, sleep talking can range from full conversations to mumbled gibberish.

One of the most likely reasons for sleep talking is being sleep deprived, a state which could be caused by several factors such as stress, daytime drowsiness, depression, and fever. Genetics can also play a role in sleep talking, as can consuming alcohol or using drugs before bed.

Sleep talking can be caused by parasomnias (a class of sleep disorders that involve abnormal behaviors, movements, perceptions, emotions, and dreams) such as night terrors, confusional arousals, sleepwalking, and REM behavior disorder. Sleep apnea, a condition where breathing is interrupted during sleep, can also cause it. If sleep talking starts after age 25, it’s more likely to be associated with medical or psychiatric issues.

Males and children are more likely to talk in their sleep, although anyone can experience it. Approximately 50% of children sleep talk at some point in their childhood but usually grow out of the habit by the time they are teens, and only five percent of adults are estimated to be sleep talkers.

Sleep talking isn’t physically harmful but it can be just as annoying as loud snoring is for anyone else sleeping in the room, and embarrassing for the person who talks during sleep.  

How do sleep cycles influence sleep talking?

During sleep, the body goes through several sleep cycles consisting of different stages including light sleep, deep sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Throughout the night, the order and quantity of each stage changes.

Sleep talking is more likely to occur during deep sleep and as the body transitions between sleep stages. During these transitions, the part of the brain used for speech can be more awake than the conscious and other parts of the brain that are entering a new stage of sleep.

Some scientists believe sleep talking also occurs more often during the REM stage of sleep when dreams occur, while one part of the brain is active and others remain in sleeping mode.

Are there treatments for sleep talking?

It’s important to rule out psychiatric or medical issues such as sleep apnea which could be contributing sleep talking. Mild obstructive sleep apnea often benefits from treatment using a mouthpiece such as Good Morning Snore Solution.

After ruling out medical and psychiatric issues, the primary way to deal with sleep talking is to practice good habits before going to bed, also referred to as sleep hygiene. Commit to going to bed and getting up at the same time each day and getting between seven and nine hours of sleep every night. Eat light before going to bed and don’t drink alcohol too late since it can disrupt sleep.

 

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/why-do-people-talk-in-their-sleep

5 Tips for a Better Start to Your Morning

If most of your mornings start with hitting the snooze button a few times before you drag yourself out of bed still feeling exhausted from the night before, it’s time to make some changes.

While having good sleep hygiene and getting a good sleep the night before is the best way to start your morning, sometimes it just doesn’t happen. However, there are some simple things you can do to improve your energy level and mood when you get up.

1. Follow Your Circadian Rhythm

For most people, there’s a time between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. when the circadian rhythm dips during the sleep drive. According to Harvard University researchers, it’s at this time when you are less deeply asleep and it’s easier to get up.

It’s also easier to wake up during non-REM sleep. During the night, you cycle between REM (dream sleep) and light sleep, with each cycle lasting about 90 minutes. Experiment with setting your alarm between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. for an increment of 90 minutes. For example, if you go to sleep by 11 p.m., set it for 6:30 a.m.

2. Wake With Natural Light

A dark room is ideal for good sleep, but waking up with natural light helps the body maintain its circadian rhythm. If you can, leave your blinds open just enough to allow the morning sunlight in. Another option is to use a dawn simulator alarm clock or lamp attachment that simulates the rising sun as it becomes more intense over a period of 30 minutes or more. The light wakes you naturally by stimulating your brain as it hits your closed eyelids. Waking with light is far more pleasant than waking up to hear a blaring loud alarm clock.

3. Stretch Before Getting Out of Bed

Spend a few minutes stretching before you get up to help boost your circulation, wake up your muscles, and relieve any sleep-related soreness or stiffness. Here are some easy stretches to do each morning:

Back rock: While lying on your back, pull your knees towards your chest and hug your legs against your body. Gently roll from side to side.

Long stretch: Lie on your back keeping your legs straight and place your arms by your sides. Lengthen your spine by reaching your arms behind your head while you point your toes towards the foot of the bed.

4. Make Time for Inspiration to Get In a Good Mood

In the early morning, spend some time preparing your mind for the day’s activities ahead of you. During these moments, don’t focus on all the tasks you need to accomplish during the day, but instead try to find peace and relaxation by doing things such as praying, doing a brief yoga session, or remembering the things you’re thankful for.  Starting your day with reflective and positive thoughts helps boost your mood.

5.  Drink A Large Glass of Water Upon Rising

When you wake up, your body is dehydrated from not getting water for the previous 7 to 9 hours, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Not staying hydrated can lead to mood fluctuations and tiredness. Drinking water as soon as you get up is proven to boost your metabolism by 24% for 90 minutes and helps the body get rid of toxins.  

Making a few positive changes to your morning routine can set you up for a day of productivity, energy, and positive vibes.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/5-tips-for-a-better-start-to-your-morning

Struggling to Lose Weight? This One Simple Change May Help

Are you gaining weight or having trouble losing it? Although you may feel like you’re getting enough sleep each night, there’s a chance you might be missing out on quality sleep, without which sustainable weight loss becomes difficult. In fact, research suggests that by sleeping for just 30 minutes less than recommended per day, the risk of obesity increases. Asides from feeling sluggish, depleted of energy, and unmotivated to live a healthy lifestyle, lack of sleep has been scientifically proven to promote weight gain in the following ways.

The more sleep you’re missing out on, the higher the level of the stress hormone cortisol in your body. Cortisol increases your appetite, and increases the likelihood you’ll reach for whatever is easy and what’s going to make you feel better in the short term.

Chances are if you’re overtired, you’re going to choose high-fat, high-carb foods that the body craves to produce serotonin, a hormone that calms you. To make matters worse, when you’re tired your body is less efficient at digesting and using sugar to produce energy.

Sleep deficit also interferes with hormones. It increases ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates hunger and increases appetite, and reduces the hormone leptin which signals satiety. One study showed that sleep deprived-participants consumed on average 300 additional calories in a day.

A lack of sleep can cause fat cells to be 30 percent less efficient at using insulin. This causes the sugar to stay in your blood thus increasing your blood sugar levels, which can make you ill and contribute to the development of diabetes.

Lack of sleep lowers inhibition to resist cravings and increases the tendency to overeat. A research study found that the longer you’re awake, the more likely it is that you’ll consume unnecessary calories in the form of late-night snacking.

The body holds onto weight when it’s overtired because it goes into survival mode. Sleep deprivation tricks the body into thinking it is endangered and it attempts to gain more fuel and maintain its resources by slowing down your metabolism, meaning you burn fewer calories.

A body running on insufficient sleep burns calories less efficiently at rest. Research showed that normal sleepers burned five percent more calories than those participants not getting enough sleep. Compared to sleep-deprived people, they also burned 20 percent more calories after a meal.  

There is no doubt that poor sleep habits are strongly linked to weight gain, but luckily, there are things you can do to make sure sleep doesn’t interfere with reaching or maintaining a healthy weight. Strive to get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night and get up at a consistent time each day. Keeping a regular sleep routine boosts your health and is an essential part of any plan for effective weight management.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/struggling-to-lose-weight-this-one-simple-change-may-help

Is Social Media Ruining Your Sleep?

Do you typically browse your favorite social media sites just before you hit the pillow? Or maybe you keep your phone close in case you receive a late night text?You’re not alone.

Many of us spend a significant amount of time on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or others. However, research clearly shows that social media use is negatively impacting our sleep.

New research from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine which looked at data on more than 1,700 U.S. adults ages 19 through 32 found the more time young adults spend using social media, the more problems they have getting to sleep.

Other research studies show similar effects. The more time a person uses social media, the higher their odds are of not getting enough sleep. Social media use for just one hour in a day has a negative impact in several ways including reducing sleep duration and disrupting sleep patterns.

The link between social media use and sleep problems is likely due to multiple interrelating factors including staying up late to post, using social media to pass time rather than sleeping, and being exposed to blue light.

The interactive nature of using social media promotes overstimulation and prevents the quiet relaxation conducive to falling asleep. The psychological aspects of social media use also interfere with sleep since it’s often emotionally engaging and provides a continuous stream of new things to look at. People can quickly get hooked on refreshing their news feeds over and over and easily end up going to bed much later than planned.

Phones and tablets emit blue light that contributes to overstimulation that undermines the unwinding process before sleep. Unfortunately, the special screens that claim to reduce this effect are not an effective solution to the problem.

Blue light essentially keeps you feeling awake and tricks your brain into thinking when you really should be sleeping. The blue light that LED screens give off can reduce or prevent the production of melatonin, the hormone that tells our brain it's time for sleeping.

This type of light also interferes with your circadian rhythm, the natural cycle that tells our bodies when to sleep, rise, and eat, among many other critical physiological processes. Even exposure to dim blue light at nighttime when you should be sleeping, can interfere with circadian rhythm.

Make a point of turning off your devices two hours before bedtime to help your mind and body get into sleep mode. If you have trouble putting down your technology, try dimming the backlight of your devices as you prepare to power off. An easy way to resist the temptation to look at social media on your device while you are in bed is to simply place it out of reach and not take it to bed with you in the first place.

If you feel social media use might be interfering with your sleep, mindfully consider how much time you’re spending on it. Maybe even take some time to unplug from it for a while. Your sleep cycle will thank you for it.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/is-social-media-ruining-your-sleep

How Alcohol Affects Your Snoring

There is no doubt that alcohol helps you relax and doze off easily, but it’s not quality sleep that’s taking place. Alcoholic sleep not only leaves you feeling fatigued and nauseated, but disrupts your sleep patterns and aggravates your snoring symptoms.  

How alcohol affects the stages of sleep

Drinking may make you fall asleep, but it will also activate your NERM cycle at the same time.  The NERM cycle is a temporary stage of sleep that does not allow any eye movement. During this stage, your muscles do not get paralyzed, and scientists believe that there is no dreaming taking place. As a result, you wake up feeling more tired than before you went to bed. Since your brain is unable to get quality restoration, your body remains fatigued and you may feel less focused throughout the day.

How alcohol makes you a loud snorer

As you know, alcohol works as a depressant, and has  strong sedative effects. Alcohol slows down your brain’s ability to process information and relaxes your muscles. Although this may seem like an added benefit, it is anything but. These effects of alcohol can cause the back of the throat and tongue to relax to the point that your airway becomes more obstructed than usual.  To fight this state, your body then gasps for air, thundering the room with a loud snoring sound. Learn more about what causes snoring

How to overcome loud snoring

One good habit to develop is to avoid alcohol a few hours before bed. But if you’re just dying to have that late night drink, be sure to refrain from hard liquor with higher alcohol content. Lastly, invest in a snoring mouthpiece that’s designed to keep your airway open, so that when you do indulge in the occasional late night drink, you can still enjoy a peaceful, snore-free sleep.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/how-alcohol-affects-your-snoring

The Trend of Sleep Deprivation

Sleep is vital for maintaining a healthy and happy life. However, the threatening rise in the trend of sleep deprivation has become a prevailing problem in our society. Busy schedules, family, work and other stressors have kept us from getting a peaceful sleep.

Major causes of sleep deprivation

Societal demands and busy schedules are two conspicuous facts which cannot be ignored when it comes to the major causes of sleep deprivation. These combined with medical sleep disorders such as insomnia, restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea are today’s leading causes of sleep deprivation.

Also, certain medications and excessive consumption of caffeine can be stimulants, aggravating the symptoms of sleep deprivation. Last but not the least; your sleep environment plays a great role in getting you your required hours of sleep. So if your partner snores, and he/she sleeps without any anti snoring mouthpiece, chances are you’re not getting the quality sleep you need. Hence, factors like noisy spaces, working splits, and excess lights can be some inevitable reasons encouraging the sleep deprivation trend.

The consequences

• Affects critical thinking - Sleep deprivation can affect your cognitive function and critical thinking process. Chronic sleep deprivation slows down the brain processing and interferes with decision-making capabilities, coordination and balance.
• Increases risk of disease - Research has shown that sleep deprivation increases the possible risk of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.
• A threat to mental health - Not getting enough sleep undoubtedly takes an immediate toll on on your mood and attitude throughout the day. But more importantly, research has shown a strong link between lack of sleep and increased depression.
• Causes deadly accidents - Being completely sleep deprived often results in the deadly accidents due to drowsy driving.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/the-trend-of-sleep-deprivation

5 Unconventional Ways to Boost Your Immune System

Cold and flu season has a way of sticking around a lot longer than anyone bargained for, and amidst the headaches, stinging coughs and clogged sinuses, most of us find ourselves wishing away a debilitating cold during the winter months.

We’re all aware of the usual immune system-boosting tips like drink lots of water, exercise, wash your hands, etc., but there are a few slightly unconventional methods that you may not have heard of. So how can you heal up quicker, or bet yet, not catch the bug in the first place? Here are five proven methods to boost your immune system:

Take cold showers

A research study back in 1993 revealed that people who took daily cold showers had more white blood cells to fight off viruses than those who took hot showers. As your body works to heat up after a cold shower, your metabolic rate increases, releasing more white blood cells and activating your immune system.

But let’s be real, who wants to take a cold shower? Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting you spend an hour lathering in ice water. Take your regular hot shower, and try finishing it off with a quick cold rinse.

Drink bone broth

We all know about the comforting powers of good ‘ol chicken soup, but you may or may not have heard about bone broth. Bone broth is what you get when you take animal bones and connective tissue, boil them, let them simmer for 10 - 20+ hours, and add herbs, vegetables and spices. Bones are loaded with proteins, anti-inflammatory amino acids, minerals, and other healing compounds, and the long simmering process ensures that all of that goodness is fully extracted and made available for you to consume. To learn more about bone broth, its benefits, and where you can get a hold of some.

Sleep more

Okay, so this one is pretty conventional, but we still had to squeeze it in. This probably doesn’t come as a surprise to you, but prioritizing your sleep not only helps you recover quicker, but it helps strengthen your immune system, preventing sickness in the first place. Learn more about how you can get a better sleep.

Invest in R&R

We all know that stress is bad for us. But did you know that your stress levels significantly affect your immune system? Actively managing the stress in your life can help you avoid illness and recover quickly when you do get sick. Get a massage, practice regular meditation, see a chiropractor, or go to a yoga class. Whatever it is, find something that you can do consistently throughout the week to relieve stress.

Get more sun

Vitamin D plays a huge part in strengthening your immune system, and research has proven time and time again that Americans are highly deficient in this area. As we all know, sunshine is the primary source of vitamin D, so during colder months, the body’s vitamin D deficiency becomes even greater.

On warmer days, take the time to go for a walk or just sit outside during your lunch break. And don’t forget, especially during the colder months, to take your Vitamin D.

Try these five things all year long, and you’ll be smiling all the way through next year’s cold and flu season.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/5-unconventional-ways-to-boost-your-immune-system