REM Sleep Disorder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
REM sleep disorder is when you are not getting a deep enough sleep. REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement. This is the cycle of sleep in which dreams take place. For the lucky part of the population this means a deep and restful sleep with a refreshing feeling upon waking. For the rest of us it can mean a terrible night sleep with a groggy and unhappy day.
During REM sleep your body goes through changes. You experience irregular breathing, rapid eye movement, a rise in blood pressure, paralysis of your limbs, and high brain activity. It all sounds pretty scary but it happens to all people who enjoy a good night sleep. For those with REM sleep disorder the paralysis of the limbs is non-existent. This can cause a person to act out their dreams or worse their nightmares.
Some of the signs of REM sleep disorder
• Yelling
• Talking
• Kicking
• Punching
• Sitting up
• Sleep walking
Until you can get your REM sleep disorder under control you can take a few precautions, such as
1. Removing harmful objects from the room
2. Placing your mattress nearer to the floor (in case you should fall off)
3. Sleeping alone if you are afraid of hurting someone else
These may seem a bit extreme but until you are able to get this under control you may be better off trying them.
Some people may want to try prescription or over-the-counter- drugs to overcome their REM sleep disorder, but that is not a good option. Drugs can be addictive and lose their effectiveness in a few weeks. They can also cause other unwanted side effects the day after.
Even though REM sleep disorder is a very frustrating condition there are changes you can make in your daily life that will either reduce or eliminate your problem.
• Go into your bed only when you find that you are very sleepy
• Stop all caffeine and nicotine intake at night
• Exercise daily during the day
• Avoid alcohol
If you find you are still awake after 20 minutes of trying to sleep. Leave the bedroom and come back when you feel sleepy again.
If these life style changes do not help there are herbs for insomnia that you can try. These are not addictive and have no side effects.
We all have our own best sleep aids. Don’t give up, even with REM sleep disorder you can find help falling asleep.
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