“Very few, if any, treatments for the sleep problems and fatigue that cancer survivors experience work well for very long, if at all,” said lead author Karen Mustian, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of radiation oncology and community and preventive medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

“The study results point to a simple, nonpharmacological therapy that clinicians can recommend to help patients with several very common cancer-related problems.” Sleep problems and fatigue are among the most prevalent side effects experienced by cancer survivors, and they can impair quality of life. Approximately 80% of patients report sleep problems during treatment, and as many as 65% experience problems after therapy ends. Few effective treatments are available.

In this randomized, multicenter, Phase II/III trial—conducted through the University of Rochester Cancer Center Community Clinical Oncology Program—the benefits of yoga were assessed in 410 survivors of early-stage cancers (96% women, 75% breast cancer patients) who reported sleeping problems between 2 and 24 months after completing adjuvant therapy for their cancer.

Participants received either usual care alone or usual care plus a 4-week, twice-weekly YOCAS (Yoga for Cancer Survivors) program, consisting of mindfulness exercises such as breathing, meditation, visualization, and poses in standing, seated, and lying-down positions.

Patients who took yoga reported greater sleep quality, less use of drugs for sleep, less fatigue, and better quality of life, while the control group reported increased use of sleeping medication.

Specifically, patients in the yoga group reported greater improvement in sleep quality (22% vs 12%), reduced incidence of clinically impaired sleep (31% vs 16%), and less daytime sleepiness (29% vs 5%), compared with patients in the control group. The yoga group showed these improvements in sleep while reducing sleep medication use by 21%. In contrast, the control group increased sleep medication use by 5%.

Additionally, researchers found that those in the yoga group reported a 42% reduction in fatigue, while the control group reported only 12% less fatigue after 4 weeks. Yoga participants reported an improved quality of life (6%) while the control group reported no change.

Source: Sleep Review

Sleep is a function in which all vertebrates and some invertebrates participate, however the physiological purpose of sleep has yet to be discovered. While sleep is necessary to be alert to optimally navigate daily tasks, research shows sleep may also be a factor in growth, regeneration, and memory. With an estimated one third of adults suffering from clinically recognizable insomnia and approximately 80 additional sleep-related disorders, there is significant concern for the health consequences that occur with the lack of quality sleep. Studies suggest that a lack of sleep is detrimental to health in ways such as the development of high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and other chronic ailments in those who consume less than 6 hours nightly.

The 10 Commandments of Sleep Hygiene listed below make common sense recommendations that are rarely complied with fully.

1. Fix a bedtime and an awakening time.
2. If you are in the habit of taking siestas do not exceed 45 minutes of daytime sleep.
3. Avoid excessive alcohol ingestion 4 hours before bedtime and do not smoke.
4. Avoid caffeine 6 hours before bedtime. This includes coffee, tea and many sodas, as well as chocolate.
5. Avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary foods 4 hours before bedtime. A light snack before bed is acceptable.
6. Exercise regularly, but not right before bed.
7. Use comfortable bedding.
8. Find a comfortable temperature setting for sleeping and keep the room well ventilated.
9. Block out all distracting noise and eliminate as much light as possible.
10. Reserve the bed for sleep and sex. Don’t use the bed as an office, workroom or recreation room.

Violation of these commandments causes poor quality of nocturnal sleep, short duration of sleep, fragmentation of sleep and serious sleep deprivation. These infringements may lead to poor alertness, lack of attention, reduced concentration, decreased work and academic productivity, and even motor vehicle accidents. Physical health problems come next.

It is due to the widespread effects of sleep disorders and increasing number of sufferers worldwide, that World Sleep Day dedicates its efforts in 2010 to educate the world on important sleep topics. The day’s events will take place online, featuring the organization of local groups promoting sleep health, presentation of educational materials, an award presentation to the best creation and exhibition of historic videos.

The third World Sleep Day is co-chaired by Antonio Culebras, MD, professor of neurology at SUNY, Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York, and Liborio Parrino, MD, of Parma, Italy, and WASM’s Executive Director Allan O’Bryan.

Source: World Association of Sleep Medicine

A good night’s sleep isn’t just about hitting the ground running in the morning. If you get the seven to nine hours experts advise, you can expect these added benefits:

Fewer sniffles

People who get less than 7 hours per night are three times likelier to catch colds, according to a Journal of the American Medical Association study. Reason: Sleep boosts immunity; too little impairs it.

A trimmer waistline

People who logged seven to nine hours a night had an average BMI of 24.8—almost 2 points lower than the average BMI of those who slept less, University of Washington researchers found. Too-little sleep may throw off hormones that regulate appetite.

Lower risk of heart disease and diabetes

Lack of sleep is associated with higher levels of stress hormones that may raise blood pressure and affect glucose metabolism. A new study found that the risk for high blood pressure among insomniacs who slept less than five hours per night was 500 times greater than those who logged more than six hours. And insomniacs who slept less than five hours were three times likelier to have diabetes, compared with those without insomnia who slept more than six hours.

4 ways to sleep more deeply

Want to hit the hay earlier?

• Gradually advance your bedtime by 15 minutes a night.
• Dim the lights in your home about an hour before bed, and start a routine that tells your body it’s time to snooze (put on pajamas, brush teeth, wash face).
• Avoid the TV and computer.
• Meditate or do light stretching. People who relax in the evening fall asleep about 30 minutes sooner than those who don’t and get an extra hour of sleep.

Source: Catherine Winters, Prevention

Plan for it

Decide when you want to wake up and count backward about seven hours. Now take about a 15-minute period before that to start your slowdown process. That means taking five minutes to finish up must-do chores, followed by five minutes of hygiene stuff (flossing, washing face and so on) and five minutes of relaxing into your sleep state through things like meditation and saying “I love you” as you lie in bed.

Use the night

Most of us do things at night that are counterproductive to actually sleeping. Instead, make slight changes in your rituals to prepare your body for rest.

• Dim your lights several hours before bed to avoid the stimulation caused by artificial light pollution-which is all around us through TV, computers and indoor lighting-and serves to stimulate us.
• Come up with a regular, rhythmic evening ritual that allows you to embrace anxieties that get released when you slow down. Meditation, prayer and deep breathing are all good methods.
• Surrender to sleep. After all, you go to the movies, you shouldn’t go to sleep. There is nothing you have to do to sleep-except let go of waking. Practice “dying” into sleep-rather than forcing yourself to sleep-and cultivate awareness of your personal twilight zone.

Attack insomnia

Tossing and turning works for salads, not sleep problems. If you can’t fall asleep within 15 minutes, the answer is not to keep trying. Don’t force yourself to stay in bed, because the wait will be interminable. Instead, get out of bed and do some light activity. Getting your mind off sleep resets and reboots your system. Try a yoga pose, meditation or a short walk. To get back to sleep, music and meditation seem to work best.

Know the nos

Generally, we don’t like telling you not to do something-unless it’s smoking, slurping trans fats or spending 16 hours in front of the tube. But for optimum sleep preparation, there are a few things you should avoid to increase your chance of falling-and staying-asleep.

• No alcohol or nicotine for 1.5 hours before bed.
• No exercise that makes you sweat for 1.5 hours before bed (doing things that make you sweat in bed are okay).
• No caffeine, caffeine in pills or caffeinated beverages or food for as long as you need to avoid them (we recommend three hours) before bed.
• No eating three hours before bed, so you can avoid reflux issues that can disturb sleep.

Find your pain

Some sleep problems don’t arise because of worry or melatonin problems. Some are caused because your back hurts like stink. Truth is, some people get through general back pain or knee pain during the day because they’re so focused on other things. But when trying to get to sleep, they feel the pain-and focus on it. A simple over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication can help-not specifically to get you to sleep, but to help alleviate the pain that’s preventing you from sleeping. Take aspirin with a glass of water at least one hour before bedtime so the acid doesn’t have as much chance of refluxing up from your stomach to your esophagus.

Treat allergies

Allergies can make sleeping trouble worse because of the congestion they cause. About 40 percent of people with allergic rhinitis have trouble sleeping. Over-the-counter nasal strips and sprays help open up everything and clear up symptoms like headaches, watery eyes, a runny nose or new-onset snoring. If you experience those symptoms and aren’t aware of any allergies, search for the source in unexpected places. Some have allergies to gluten (wheat, barley, oats), which can lead to congestion and increase insomnia, as can allergies to detergents and the cleaning products you use on your clothes or sheets. One note: Decongestant nasal sprays are addictive and raise your blood pressure. Saline or antihistamine sprays (or a prescription steroid spray) are better options.

Think opposite

You’d think the way to treat a lack of sleep is to get more of it, but one way sleep docs treat insomnia is by making their patients sleep less. For instance, they’ll take a patient getting five hours a night and force them to get only four a night and then gradually increase for 10 or 15 minutes a night once a week. The sleep deprivation approach can work as a way to force your body to reset back into a regular sleeping pattern.

Consider herbals

Several supplements have been shown to decrease sleep problems. These are the ones we recommended:

Valerian root: It contains ingredients with sedative properties and is generally considered one of the more effective herbal therapies for sleep. Our recommendation: 300 milligrams.

Ginseng: Studies have shown that the ingredients in ginseng help decrease the amount of wakefulness in a 12-hour period and increase the amount of slow-wave sleep. Try 200 to 600 milligrams of the extract.

Source: Dr. Mehmet Oz, Oprah

How well did you sleep last night? If it wasn’t as long or as restfully as you’d like, you’re in good company: Nearly half of Americans ages 50 and older get less than seven hours of shut-eye every night, and only 32 percent report sleeping soundly, according to a recent Gallup survey. Blame it on your aging brain, joint pain, and other health issues.

“Sleep is one of the most vital components of health and well-being,” says sleep researcher Sonia Ancoli-Israel, Ph.D., of the University of California, San Diego. Women ages 60 and older who rest well are about nine times more likely to feel good both mentally and physically as they age, she says. Research shows that not getting enough rest puts you at risk of a host of illnesses, from the common cold to diabetes. Here, four midlife sleep stealers, and how to get the shut-eye you need to stay happy and healthy.

Sleep thief: your age

“Just as bone and muscle change in midlife, so does the structure of the brain, which impacts our ability to sleep,” says Michael V. Vitiello, Ph.D., a professor of psychiatry and behavioral science and a sleep expert at the University of Washington. “Expecting eight hours of uninterrupted sleep as we age goes against physiology.” Researchers don’t know exactly what happens to our gray matter, but they do know that from midlife on, sleep patterns change in specific ways. For one, it takes more time to nod off. “A 20-year-old can be asleep in 5 minutes, but at 55, it can take 20 minutes,” says Vitiello. Midlifers also sleep fewer hours and less soundly. While waking up to turn over or fix a pillow is common regardless of age, older people do so more often and stay awake 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Get the best rest with 100 ways to sleep better.

Sleep relief: Establish a consistent, calming prebed ritual. For example, wash your face, put on pajamas, and read a little—in that order. “It lets your mind know it’s time to go to sleep,” says Emerson Wickwire, Ph.D., co-director of the Center for Sleep Disorders in Maryland. “Checking e-mail or paying bills before bed only revs you up.” In his research, Wickwire found that adults who followed a bedtime routine fell asleep 48 minutes faster and slept more than an hour longer. Another strategy: Exercise regularly. According to a Brazilian study, people who walked on a treadmill for one 50-minute session fell asleep in 19 minutes versus their prestudy average of 42 minutes. They also slept 1.2 hours longer. One caveat: Exercise at least 5 hours before bedtime; physical activity boosts body temperature, which needs to drop back down before you can fall asleep.

Sleep thief: Pain

Nearly 20 percent of Americans age 55-plus experience pain that disturbs their sleep at least a few nights a week, according to a National Sleep Foundation poll. Michael Smith, Ph.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, found that 88 percent of people with chronic pain (caused by back problems and osteoarthritis, for example) report trouble falling and staying asleep. Conversely, getting too little rest can cause or intensify pain, creating a vicious cycle. In the lab, Smith awakened healthy young adults for 20 minutes every hour during an 8-hour period for 3 days in a row. The result: They suddenly developed pain.

Sleep relief: Cognitive behavioral therapy can be as effective as prescription sleep meds at breaking the cycle of insomnia, and it may be especially helpful for people in pain. Recent published research found that traditional CBT methods not only help improve sleep but also ease osteoarthritis pain. The cognitive part of CBT involves changing how you think about discomforts; the behavioral part targets behaviors. Participants in the CBT and sleep study went to bed and got up at the same times every day, stayed in bed only when they were asleep, and practiced relaxation techniques. They also learned good sleep habits, such as keeping the bedroom quiet and taking a bath at night. The benefits were still evident a year later, says Vitiello, who led the study. To find a CBT therapist, contact your state psychologists association.

Have extreme head, back or arthritis aches and pains? Try these 11 natural pain relievers.

Sleep thief: sleep apnea

Among middle-aged women, an estimated 1 in 50 suffer from sleep apnea. It causes breathing to pause during sleep, with episodes occurring 5 to 30 or more times per hour and lasting seconds to minutes. When blood levels of oxygen drop as a result, the brain disrupts sleep, helping to open the airways. Two signs you may have apnea: You snore and/or gasp during sleep and suffer from insomnia. Talk to your doctor about getting tested-aside from disrupting sleep, apnea increases your risk of stroke, depression, and diabetes.

Sleep relief: To ease snoring and other apnea symptoms, avoid certain sleep meds and alcohol before bed-they make it harder for airways to stay open. And sleep on your side instead of your back to help keep airways open. If these measures don’t help, you may be a candidate for CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), a treatment that involves wearing a nose or mouth mask to bed as a machine pumps air into your throat to help you breathe easier.

Sleep thief: restless legs

Though the cause isn’t known, the risk of developing restless legs syndrome can rise with age, says Ancoli-Israel. RLS-characterized by a sensation likened to ants crawling inside your legs-most often occurs shortly after you go to bed, keeping you from falling asleep. The only way to relieve discomfort is to move your legs.

Sleep relief: There’s no known cure, but cutting back on alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine may ease symptoms in some people, as can treatments aimed at reducing stress, such as stretching and massages. Prescription medicines for RLS lower dopamine levels in the brain, reducing leg motions so that you can sleep better.

Source: By Catherine Winters, Prevention

A bit of parental wisdom known to most moms and dads: If you want to get a good night’s sleep yourself, just keep your kids running all day long. An early night and undisturbed sleep are almost guaranteed. But is it true?

New research says it is. A study in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood came to the following conclusion: Active children fall asleep faster and sleep longer than children who get less exercise.

The researchers followed nearly 600 New Zealand 7-year-olds. They had the parents answer a questionnaire on their children’s sleeping habits. They also had the kids wear monitors around their waists over one 24-hour period to measure their activity levels each minute of the day.

7 steps to better sleep

Here’s what the study found: It took an average of 26 minutes for a child to fall asleep. But for every hour a youngster was inactive during the day, it took three minutes longer. For active children, it worked the other way: The more activity, the less time it took to fall asleep.

Obviously, a child’s sleep pattern affects the parents too. A child who wakes up often during the night can wreak havoc on grown-ups’ need for rest. But there is also a significant impact on the child. Poor sleep habits have been associated with behavioral problems, low grades in school, and even an increased risk of being overweight.

According to the article, some 16% of parents of school-age children report that their kids have trouble falling asleep. The study, the authors noted, “emphasizes the importance of physical activity for children, not only for fitness, cardiovascular health, and weight control, but also for sleep.”

5 ways you can get a better night’s sleep

It seems logical that kids who run around all day are more tired and therefore sleep better. But consider: Perhaps it’s the other way around. Maybe children who get a lot of sleep have more energy to run around all the time. In fact, researchers are not sure what causes what in this chicken-egg scenario.

Still, we know exercise is good for kids, so encourage your children to be active-to run, play soccer, swim, hit a tennis ball, whatever will keep them moving. Even if it doesn’t knock them out at bedtime, they’ll be healthier, and that should let everyone in the household sleep easier.

Source: Dr. Ranit Mishori, PARADE

Professor of Mathematics Mark Holmes and his graduate student Lisa Rogers are using math to develop a new computer model that can be easily manipulated by other scientists and doctors to predict how different environmental, medical, or physical changes to a person’s body will affect their sleep. Their model will also provide clues to the most basic dynamics of the sleep-wake cycle.

“We wanted to create a very interdisciplinary tool to understand the sleep-wake cycle,” Holmes said. “We based the model on the best and most recent biological findings developed by neurobiologists on the various phases of the cycle and built our mathematical equations from that foundation. This has created a model that is both mathematically and biologically accurate and useful to a variety of scientists.

“This is also an important example of how applied mathematics can be used to solve real issues in science and medicine,” Holmes continued.

To create the model, the researchers literally rolled up their sleeves and took to the laboratory before they put pencil to paper on the mathematical equations. Rogers spent last summer with neurobiologists at Harvard Medical School to learn about the biology of the brain. She investigated the role of specific neurotransmitters within the brain at various points in the sleep-wake cycle. The work taught the budding mathematician how to read EEG (electroencephalography) and EMG (electromyography) data on the brainwaves and muscle activity that occur during the sleep cycle. This biologic data would form the foundation of their mathematic calculations.

This research foundation allowed the team to develop a massive 11-equation model of the sleep-wake cycle. They are now working to input those differential equations into an easy-to-use graphic computer model for biologists and doctors to study.

“We have developed a model that can serve other researchers as a benchmark of the ideal, healthy sleep-wake cycle,” Holmes said. “Scientists will be able to take this ideal model and predict how different disturbances such as caffeine or jet lag will impact that ideal cycle. This is a very non-invasive way to study the brain and sleep that will provide important clues on how to overcome these disturbances and allow patients to have better and more undisturbed sleep.”

Rogers will continue her work on the program after receiving her doctoral degree in applied mathematics from Rensselaer this spring. Her work on the mathematics of the sleep-wake cycle has already garnered attention within the scientific community, earning her a postdoctoral research fellowship from the National Science Foundation (NSF). With the fellowship, Rogers will continue her work at New York University and begin to incorporate other aspects of the sleep-wake cycle in the model such as the impacts of circadian rhythms.

Source: Gabrielle DeMarco, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Going from Night Owl to Early Bird

Who says bedtime is just for kids? Take extra care to maintain your sleep schedule, especially on the weekends. The body responds to routine. If your bedtime is sporadic-11 p.m. some nights, 1 a.m. others-your mind won’t be properly prepared to snooze on the weekdays.

Bringing Books to Bed

Reading before bed is a habit for many. Problem is, your body has likely adapted to that routine—it won’t go to sleep until you’ve logged a couple chapters. Retreat to a comfy couch or window nook instead for your literary fix. The bed should be off limits for anything other than sleep or sex.

Facebooking into the Wee Hours

The brightness of your computer screen stimulates the brain. Plus, it’s difficult for your mind to stop fretting about your digital to-do list, even after you’ve logged off. Avoid late-night surfing and shut down your computer. Give yourself time to wind down without any electronics.

Skimping on a Good Bed

A good mattress will cost you anywhere from $500 to more than $3,000. Consider it money well spent. A decent mattress-do your homework!-will give you a more restful sleep. The same is true for quality bedding and pillows. Opt for a soft pillow if you’re a back or stomach sleeper. Buy a firmer pillow if you sleep on your side.

Setting a Bright Alarm Clock

The looming glare of your alarm clock can be distracting when trying to sleep. The goal is to have as dark a room as possible. Block the bright numbers with a book or consider buying a small travel clock. Your cell phone alarm may also do the trick.

Counting Sheep

When you just can’t fall asleep, it’s useless to stay in bed. If you’ve been trying to fall asleep for more than 30 minutes, the National Sleep Foundation suggests doing something mundane, like balancing a checkbook, reading or watching TV. An activity that demands marginal brainpower will lull your mind. Before you know it, you’ll be crawling back into bed genuinely tired.

Exercising Late at Night

Daytime workouts will keep you invigorated for hours. That’s why you don’t want to exercise within three hours of hitting the sack. Intense physical activity raises your body temperature and pumps your energy level-both interrupt a calm transition into sleep.

Source: Danielle Schloffel, MarieClaire

Go to bed early

Students should go to bed early enough to have the opportunity for a full night of sleep. Teens need about nine hours of sleep each night. Younger students need up to 11 hours of nightly sleep.

Get out of bed

If you have trouble falling asleep, get out of bed and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy.

Stay out of bed

Don’t study, read, watch TV or talk on the phone in bed. Only use your bed for sleep.

Limit naps

If you take a nap, then keep it brief. Nap for less than an hour and before 3 p.m.

Wake up on the weekend

It is best to go to bed and wake up at the same times on the weekend as you do during the schoolweek. If you missed out on a lot of sleep during the week, then you can try to catch up on the weekend. But sleeping in later on Saturdays and Sundays will make it very hard for you to wake up for school on Monday morning.

Avoid caffeine

Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and at night. It stays in your system for hours and can make it hard for you to fall asleep.

Adjust the lights

Dim the lights in the evening and at night so your body knows it will soon be time to sleep. Let in the sunlight in the morning to boost your alertness.

Wind down

Take some time to “wind down” before going to bed. Get away from the computer, turn off the TV and the cell phone, and relax quietly for 15 to 30 minutes. Parents should keep TVs and computers out of their child’s bedroom.

Eat a little

Never eat a large meal right before bedtime. Enjoy a healthy snack or light dessert so you don’t go to bed hungry.

Source: Sleep Education

Dental hygiene can even be a part of your sleep hygiene. It is easier for you to fall asleep at night if you have bedtime “rituals.” These are things that you do every night just before going to bed. Brushing and flossing your teeth is a good example of this kind of ritual. Both your dentist and your doctor will approve if you do this every night.

Here are some tips for how you can improve your sleep hygiene:

Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy: If you are not sleepy at bedtime, then do something else. Read a book, listen to soft music or browse through a magazine. Find something relaxing, but not stimulating, to take your mind off of worries about sleep. This will relax your body and distract your mind.

If you are not asleep after 20 minutes, then get out of the bed: Find something else to do that will make you feel relaxed. If you can, do this in another room. Your bedroom should be where you go to sleep. It is not a place to go when you are bored. Once you feel sleepy again, go back to bed.

Begin rituals that help you relax each night before bed: This can include such things as a warm bath, light snack or a few minutes of reading.

Get up at the same time every morning: Do this even on weekends and holidays.

Get a full night’s sleep on a regular basis: Get enough sleep so that you feel well-rested nearly every day.

Avoid taking naps if you can: If you must take a nap, try to keep it short (less than one hour). Never take a nap after 3 p.m.

Keep a regular schedule: Regular times for meals, medications, chores, and other activities help keep the inner body clock running smoothly.

Don’t read, write, eat, watch TV, talk on the phone, or play cards in bed.

Do not have any caffeine after lunch.

Do not have a beer, a glass of wine, or any other alcohol within six hours of your bedtime.

Do not have a cigarette or any other source of nicotine before bedtime.

Do not go to bed hungry, but don’t eat a big meal near bedtime either.

Avoid any tough exercise within six hours of your bedtime: You should exercise on a regular basis, but do it earlier in the day. (Talk to your doctor before you begin an exercise program.)

Avoid sleeping pills, or use them cautiously: Most doctors do not prescribe sleeping pills for periods of more than three weeks. Do not drink alcohol while taking sleeping pills.

Try to get rid of or deal with things that make you worry: If you are unable to do this, then find a time during the day to get all of your worries out of your system. Your bed is a place to rest, not a place to worry.

Make your bedroom quiet, dark, and a little bit cool: An easy way to remember this: it should remind you of a cave. While this may not sound romantic, it seems to work for bats. Bats are champion sleepers. They get about 16 hours of sleep each day. Maybe it’s because they sleep in dark, cool caves.

Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine