Insomnia is the term used for any kind of sleep disorder. A person suffering from insomnia faces severe disorder in the sleeping pattern, and does not get sufficient sleep. The cure of insomnia is very vital, because lack of sleep might lead to severe mental and physical ailments. B vitamins have a major role to play in metabolism of serotonin, a neurotransmitters which help in regulation of sleep. Therefore, deficiency of B vitamins might give rise to insomnia.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), niacin and folic acid have proved to be very effective in the treatment of sleeping disorder (insomnia). In case of deficiency of vitamins B, it is generally beneficial to increase the intake of vitamins such as pyridoxine, niacin and folic acid. Vitamin B6 helps in inducing sleep by the means of its rich constituent of amino acids. Vitamin B12 has also proved its effectiveness in treatment of insomnia. As per an observation, the injection of Vitamin B12 has given positive result on the sleep-pattern of some patients.

B vitamins are very helpful when suffering from stress, depression, or anxiety.

Insomnia can appear when a person is in a stressful state, depressed or anxious; therefore taking B vitamins relaxes the body and prevents insomnia.

Iron as a cure for Insomnia

Studies show that iron can help restless legs syndrome, which can cause insomnia. Therefore taking iron might help prevent insomnia.

Helping Insomnia with Magnesium

Magnesium deficiency causes nervousness and restlessness so makes it hard to sleep and lead to insomnia.
Taking magnesium may help to sleep better.

The best way to combat insomnia is to revise the diet chart accordingly, which emphasizes more on B vitamins.

(1) The chief sources of Vitamin B6 are egg yolk, yeast, rice polishing and germ of various grains and seeds. Deficiency of this vitamin leads to deficiency of serotonin, which in turn leads to deficiency of melatonin (sleep-triggering hormone). Therefore, the daily intake of 50 to 100 mg must be taken into consideration to prevent sleeping disorder.

(2) Vitamin B5 (niacin) is very helpful in stress and anxiety, and deficiency of this vitamin leads to disturbance in sleep pattern and weakness. The chief sources of niacin are liver, fish and milk. The daily requirement of this vitamin is approximately 100mg.

(3) Vitamin B12 is also effective in curing sleeping disorder, and deficiency may lead to loss of memory, restlessness and tiredness. The chief sources of cobalamin (B12 vitamin) are walnuts, banana, sunflower seeds, tuna, whole grains, wheat germ, and peanuts. The daily dosage of cobalamin should be approximately 25mg.

(4) Folic acid is also an important factor in inducement of sleep, and its might lead to sleeping disorder as well. The chief sources of folic acid are orange juice, leafy green vegetables, cereals, and beans. The daily dose of this vitamin should be approximately 400 micrograms.

Daily intake of these vitamins in right proportion will keep the sleep disorder under control, and in case of insomnia, increase of these vitamins can prove of great help. One should always consult the doctor to get the clear picture of dosage of these vitamins in form of medicine.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/role-of-vitamins-in-combating-insomnia-482179.html

More and more people are doing shift work. With the economy running around the clock, more people are working non-traditional hours. Unfortunately, as more people work overnight shifts at their job, more of them are experiencing shift work sleep disorder or SWSD. SWSD is a common sleep disorder that affects people who work overnight shifts or frequently rotate their shifts between day hours and overnight hours.

The sleep disorder stems from you going against your body’s internal clock, which regulates our body, allowing us to stay awake during daylight hours and sleep after sunset. When you work and stay awake at night, you go against the internal clock and force yourself to stay awake. Some people that work permanent night shifts are able to adapt to the hours by adjusting their lifestyle and training their body cope with the schedule.

Unfortunately, most shift workers try to live a regular live and never fully let their body adapt to the night schedule, resulting in shift work sleep disorders. The most common symptoms of SWSD are insomnia and excessive sleepiness. Other symptoms include difficulty concentrating, frequent headaches and lack of energy.

Here are some general guidelines to follow that may alleviate some of the symptoms of SWSD:

Set up your sleep area for sleep. Make sure your bedroom invites sleep. Make it dark and quiet to promote uninterrupted sleep. Keep out everything that will distract you from sleep, such as a TV, computer, radio, or pet.

Develop a bedtime routine. Train you body and mind for sleep and keep a regular sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day even on your days off. Limit your exposure to sun light on your way home from work. Go to sleep as soon as you come home from work.

Use sleeping aids to help you sleep. If you find it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep, see your doctor about giving you a prescription for sleeping pills as a short-term solution to help you sleep. But don’t come to depend on the sleeping pills. Your body clock needs to adjust the irregular hours

Eat healthy. As you would if you wee working normal hours, eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables. Move away from three big meals but instead eat more snacks and smaller portions of with regular meals. Avoid caffeine and other stimulants.

Begin an exercise regimen. Regular exercise will strengthen your immune system, decrease stress, boost your energy level, and maintain you weight, improve your mood, improve your sleep, and maintain your over-all health.

Most shift workers recover from shift work sleep disorder and sleep normally once their get off overnight hours. But if you can’t change your shift, then conscientiously follow these tips and see if there is any relieve fro the symptoms. If you don’t notice improvement and still can’t seem to adapt to the irregular hours of shift work, see your doctor to rule out any underlying medical problems or other sleep disorders as the cause of your SWSD.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sleep-articles/what-you-can-do-about-shift-work-sleep-disorder-1826629.html

95% of adults reported having trouble sleeping at one time or another in their life. 64 million Americans regularly suffer from insomnia each year, and 41% more common in women than men. As we increasingly become more frequent drinkers of caffeine, other factors such as anxiety, excessive use of alcohol or sedatives (sleeping pills for example) changes in sleep pattern because of shift work or travel also leads to insomnia.

All of us needs to sleep. The record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes during a rocking chair marathon. The record holder reported hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses. It is important that we get get adequate daily sleep as sleeping:

• repairs your body tissues
• helps you recover from your illness
• refreshes your mind
• clears emotional conflicts
• help you perform better at work and at play

Myths and Facts About Sleep:

You must sleep 8 hours a night to stay healthy and feel energetic.

FALSE

The amount of sleep needed varies from one person to another and from one day to the next. As you grow older, you tend to sleep less. That is why our seniors tend to be the earliest to wake up every morning. When you are sick, you need more sick. Some women sleep longer during their pre-menstrual periods.

You must make up for lost sleep.

FALSE

You don’t have to repay your sleep debt hour for hour. You can make up for lost sleep because recovery sleep following sleep deprivation is deeper and of higher quality.

Take sleeping pills to help you sleep.

FALSE

Taking sleeping pills produces poorer quality sleep. Also when you take them regularly, you become addicted to it.

In our modern culture, everyday seems to be twice as much work and half as much time to complete it in. Getting a good night’s sleep enables us to act and think at our best. Getting a good night’s sleep means:

• exercising regularly
• stop smoking
• avoiding caffeine, alcohol and other stimulants
• avoid taking naps in the afternoon
• going to bed only when you are drowsy
• eating a healthy, balanced diet
• following a bedtime routine (reading, taking a warm bath, drinking a glass of warm milk, giving yourself a warm and soothing massage)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sleep-articles/myths-and-facts-about-sleeping-uncovered-3222654.html