Dr. Curtis McElroy

Author: docmac

  • Migraines and Insomnia: Improving Your Sleep

    Migraines and Insomnia: Improving Your Sleep

    Getting a good night’s sleep can be tricky. Your brain’s working overtime all day long and getting it to rest down for the night is the last thing it wants to do. The problem with not getting enough sleep is that it has a negative effect on practically every aspect of your life. Lack of sleep doesn’t allow your brain to work to its maximum potential.

    You’ll find it harder to focus and concentrate and your memory will start to lag. It also affects your mood by making you react negatively and more spontaneously without thinking things through first. In addition, studies have shown that getting too little sleep leads to weight gain. To top it off, it triggers migraines, which can turn your day into one big, pounding mess.

    In addition, it’s a well-known fact that migraines and the quality of your sleep are part and parcel of the same package, a little like the chicken and the egg. They hit 50% of the time between 4 – 9 am and are more common among those who suffer from sleep disorders, such as insomnia.

    Insomnia is defined as having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep for more than 5-6 hours. It’s one of the main reasons behind migraines because it disrupts your natural sleep rhythms, and a result, you’re stuck with throbbing, pounding, sometimes debilitating, headaches.

    Insomnia is also a trigger for mood swings, depression, and anxiety, which all can be contributing factors to migraine headaches. Moreover, it decreases daily functioning and impairs your quality of life.

    Read on to find out how you to get your circadian rhythm back in order and keep it that way to enjoy migraine-free, healthier, happier days.

    Try to go to bed at the same time each day, and get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. This allows you to get a regularly scheduled sleep schedule. The scientific reason behind it is that we go through four main stages of sleep; the deepest and most beneficial are the third and fourth stages, which are at their most powerful just right before we wake up.

    These stages are crucial for the production of dopamine and serotonin; the “feel good” hormones produced by your brain, and anytime their levels decrease, sleep problems arise as well as other disorders.

    1. Eliminate factors that sabotage your sleep.

    • Exercising late in the day
    • Eating protein at night

    • Going to bed hungry can keep you awake because the hormone that’s responsible for your hunger pangs makes your brain alert to get your digestive system ready for food. If that’s the case, eating a small snack will suffice to end your hunger pangs without making you feel too full.

    • Hidden sources of caffeine, like medications or drinks, can prevent you from getting enough sleep. If you take them close to bedtime, they can interfere with your sleep cycle.

    • Too much sleep can also trigger migraines. Sleeping in on the weekends and taking long naps will wreak havoc on your night’s sleep.

    2. Increase your quality of sleep naturally without medication.

    • Put your phone on silent an hour before your bedtime. This will help put distractions at a minimum.

    • Dim the lights in your bedroom and turn off the TV. Bright lights alert your brain and make it think it’s daylight, instead of getting it to wind down and get into sleep mode.

    • Lower the temperature on your thermostat. It’s been proven that the best temperature for optimal sleep should be around 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Just make sure you keep your hands and feet warm, even if it’s with just a sheet because these areas are the most problematic for those suffering from migraines and insomnia. Also, make sure your pajamas are made from natural material, like cotton or silk, or flannel in the winter – and doesn’t stick to your body as you sleep.

    3. Hydrate adequately throughout the day. Studies show that dehydration increases the risk of migraines, and is an unavoidable trigger. A mere 1.4% of fluid loss can result in headaches and difficulty concentrating.

    4. Make it a point to exercise regularly, preferably in the morning, which can help improve your mental abilities and increase your focus. It also boosts the level of endorphins in your system, “feel good” chemical messages in the brain known to decrease stress levels as well as reduce the effects of painful headaches. Getting a good workout also, helps get your sleep cycle back in order so you can wake up and go to sleep at regular times, and increase the amount of quality sleep during the night.

     

  • The Affects Of Sleep On The Immune System

    How Sleep Affects The Immune System

    Sleep is a vital part of our lives. We need our sleep in order to recharge our energy, set down our memory, and increase the function of the immune system. Inadequate sleep can lead to sleep deprivation which can increase your risk of infection.

    While some believe that not getting enough sleep and getting sick is just an old wives’ tale and yet there have been research studies showing that this is the case. Up to 70 million US adults don’t get enough sleep and it can affect the ability of the immune system to be ready to attack pathogens.

    Understanding the Connection

    A lack of sleep has been linked by research to numerous physical and mental health conditions, including those related to a poor immune system. Lacking sleep affects the ability of the immune system to protect people from getting flu, colds, and other infectious diseases.

    The immune system is a complicated assortment of different kinds of cells and proteins that have as their goal the elimination of foreign substances, such as cold viruses and flu viruses. There have been many research studies indicating that the T cells of the immune system are reduced when we don’t get enough sleep. There is also a risk of increasing the inflammatory cytokines in our system, which results in an increased risk of getting an infectious disease.

    This means that not getting enough sleep can suppress the immune function. You become more susceptible to all kinds of bacterial and viral infections.

    Sleep Deprivation and Fever

    It turns out that a lack of sleep affects more than just our ability to fight off colds and the flu. It also influences the way the body responds to these illnesses once we get them. Normally, when we get an infectious disease, we develop a fever, which is helpful in killing off the pathogens. When we get plenty of sleep, our fever response is better. Fevers tend to be worse at night but if we don’t sleep, we can’t mount the kind of fever necessary to fight off infections and the infections can be more serious.

    Vaccines and Sleep Deprivation

    There have been research studies indicating that we don’t respond the way we are supposed to when we get a vaccine against the influenza virus. We develop fewer antibodies when we get a vaccine if we don’t get enough sleep. It also takes longer for the body to react to the immunizations we are given. This leads to an increase in susceptibility to getting the flu, even if we have been properly vaccinated.

    Is Sleep Deprivation a Life or Death Problem?

    It appears that a lack of sleep influences the way we fight off many different kinds of health problems.

    There is research to suggest that those who are sleep deprived have an increased risk of death due to heart disease. The less we sleep, the higher are the levels of C reactive protein in the body. C reactive protein is one of the body’s markers for inflammation and inflammation can lead to getting a heart attack, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease.

    Research also tells us that people who do not sleep have a greater risk of death from all different types of disease. Those who get at least seven hours of sleep per night have the greatest chance for survival while those who get six hours or less of sleep per night suffer from increased mortality.

    How much sleep is necessary?

    Some people function okay if they don’t get enough sleep while others need a full seven to nine hours of sleep at night to have an adequate immune system. If you are prone to getting infections, look into the quality and quantity of sleep you are getting, as it may be a major factor into why you are getting sick all the time.

    Getting enough sleep

    The following are some good sleep hygiene tips you should consider adopting:

    • Not exercising right before sleep
    • Going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day
    • Not eating a big meal before sleeping
    • Avoiding alcohol before sleeping
    • Keeping the room quiet and dark
    • Avoiding stimulants before bed

    The more you can do to get a good night’s sleep, the better your immune system will function, and the less likely you will be to come down with an infectious disease.

  • Overweight And Healthy

    Is It Possible To Be Overweight And Healthy?

    One of the main things that people look at when considering whether a person is healthy or not is their weight and the way they look. If a person is overweight, they will generally look overweight, by having excess fat on parts of their bodies.

    It’s more common for people to look like they are a healthy weight when in actual fact they fall into the overweight category on the BMI scale.

    Is being overweight unhealthy?

    The fact of the matter is that if you’re overweight, you are at risk of more health problems. Even if you’re only a few pounds overweight, your risks are going to be higher than a person who isn’t a few pounds overweight. This is something that none of us can really get away from, although there are many things besides weight which come into play when determine a person’s health levels.

    Gender and other factors

    While the BMI scale works to a certain degree, it doesn’t take in many different factors which help to determine whether a person is actually overweight and unhealthy.

    For example, the difference between men and women when it comes to weight can be quite huge. Women tend to have more fat on them, so they might not necessarily weigh more but will have excess fat which could be toned by exercising a little. Some people are naturally larger and appear to be overweight, when it actual fact it is the shape of their body or the way they are built.

    Ways to become healthier

    You shouldn’t stress too much about the number on the scale or the person you see when you look at yourself in the mirror. If you’ve been to the doctor and you’ve been told your BMI number and what this means, don’t worry about it too much.

    You can become a healthy person by eating a healthy balanced diet, getting regular exercise and avoiding too much stress in your life. Drink around two liters of water per day in order to stay hydrated and help your overall digestive system and internal organs.

    Some people look overweight even when they go to the gym every day and eat the best diet they can possibly find. If you’re obese and you don’t seem to be losing weight when you’re doing all the right things, speak to your doctor or see a dietician. However, if you have a few extra pounds but you’re living a healthy lifestyle, it’s possible to be healthy even though you might look overweight.

Copyright @ 2017 DrCurtisMcElroy