CBS News reported a new study suggesting Ambien could be contributing to traffic accidents. Tests on blood samples of 2,300 impaired drivers in the state of Wisconsin showed that in 53 of the most extreme cases of strange driving behavior, Ambien was found in the blood. According to the forensic toxicologist examining the samples, Ambien’s presence in the blood shows Ambien had been taken in excess, or that the users were not taking Ambien before sleeping at least 7 or 8 hours. The manufacturer of Ambien, Sanofi Aventis, has responded to similar reports in the media by stating that Ambien is safe and effective when taken as prescribed.
Ambien Use may be linked to Car Accidents, new study suggests
December 29th, 2006Ambien Side Effects
December 29th, 2006According to Wikipedia:
Side effects at any dose may include:
* Anterograde amnesia
* Hallucinations, through all physical senses, of varying intensity
* Delusions
* Ataxia or poor motor coordination, difficulty maintaining balance
* Euphoria and/or dysphoria
* Increased appetite
* Increased libido
* Impaired judgment and reasoning
* Uninhibited extroversion in social or interpersonal settings
* Increased impulsivity
* When stopped rebound insomnia may occur
Some users take zolpidem recreationally for these side effects. However, it may be less common than benzodiazepine abuse. In the United States, recreational use may be less common than in countries where the drug is available as a less expensive generic. Zolpidem can become addictive if taken for extended periods of time, due to dependence on its ability to put one to sleep or to the euphoria it can sometimes produce. Like most addictive drugs, a tolerance in the zolpidem user develops and increases all the more quickly the longer she or he has been regularly taking it. Under the influence of the drug it is common to take more zolpidem than is necessary due to either forgetting that one has already taken a pill (elderly users are particularly at risk here), or knowingly taking more than the prescribed dosage. Users with a predilection for abuse are advised to keep additional zolpidem in a safe place that is unlikely to be remembered or accessed while intoxicated to avoid this risk. A trustworthy friend or relative is the best defense if such people are available; otherwise, a box or cupboard locked with a combination padlock is a good defense against this tendency, as the abovementioned side-effects can easily prevent a user from operating such a lock while under the drug’s influence.
The recent release of Ambien CR® (zolpidem tartrate extended release) in the United States renewed interest in the drug among recreational drug users.
Before a user becomes fully acclimated to these effects (or if the user does not become acclimated), these symptoms can be severe enough to be deemed as drug-induced psychosis. Incidentally, antipsychotics like ziprasidone (Geodon®) or quetiapine (Seroquel®) may be prescribed alongside zolpidem to both combat these side effects and to aid in sleep-induction, as both of them contain mild hypnotic properties. However, because some antidepressants are known for being mildly sedating (i.e., paroxetine), it may be inadvisable to use zolpidem and an antidepressant simultaneously.
Some users have reported unexplained sleepwalking while using Ambien, and a few have reported driving or binge eating while sleeping. It is unclear if the drug is responsible for the behavior, but a class-action lawsuit was filed against Sanofi-Aventis in March 2006 on behalf of those who reported symptoms.[4]
Sleep Meditation
December 27th, 2006 ==================
Many people suffer with insomnia, or have a hard time sleeping
at night. They feel that their mind is just too active to fall
asleep, and when they do sleep, it seems to be restless sleep.
There are various opinions and theories about how much sleep a
person needs to function properly, however, it can vary
depending on factors such as:
* health
* physical activity
* other circumstances
One thing everyone can agree on in regards to sleep. The more
peaceful the sleep, the better and more rested we feel in the
morning.
Sleep meditation is a form of regular meditation that can help
relax the mind before sleeping, as well as relieve stress. This
can result in more peaceful and deep sleep. There are many forms
of sleep meditation. No matter which type you choose, there are
some steps you should take before you begin the meditation
process. This will help prepare your body for deeper, more
restful sleep.
Before you begin sleep meditation, it is important for you to
slow down your activities. Do not engage in heavy mental
activity, and do not plan for the next day. If you wish, you
can write down a to-do list before sleep meditation, but leave
it in the other room. You should try to feel good about the day
that is ending. It is best to acknowledge all that has been
accomplished, and all the lessons that have been learned. Also,
learn to forgive yourself for anything that may not have gotten
done, or anything else that may be bothering you. In doing so,
you are preparing your body for sleep meditation, and are
giving yourself a better chance for restful sleep.
Next, before you begin sleep meditation, examine your eating
habits. If you tend to eat shortly before you go to bed, you
may be hindering restful sleep without even knowing it. When
you eat directly before bedtime, your body will be busy with
digestion, thus, it can be hard to sleep deeply. If you feel
you need to eat close to bedtime, try to eat foods that are
easily digested. This will help prepare your body for sleep
meditation, as well as help promote deep, restful sleep.
Finally, before you start sleep meditation, you should practice
left nostril breathing. Our two nostrils are often associated
with two different types of energy. It is said that when we
breathe through our right nostrils, we are energized and
stimulated. When we breathe through our left nostrils, we are
relaxed and calm. During most hours of the day, approximately
every two ours our dominant nostril changes. After we eat, our
dominant nostril will most often change to the left one, in
order to give our bodies the energy needed to digest food. This
is why we commonly feel sleepy after we eat. To practice left
nostril dominance before bed, we can sit quietly, blocking off
the right nostril, while breathing long and deep through our
left nostril. Doing this can actually help facilitate sleep.
About The Author: Sarah Thomas provides articles on wellness
and health http://www.zoneherbal.com. You can find more of her
work at the sites http://www.meditationteam.com and
http://www.aromatherapy-planet.com.
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==================
Is Insomnia Causing Your Depression Or Is Depression Causing Your Insomnia ?
December 27th, 2006Insomnia and depression, two very serious problems individually
can be a disaster when they occur at the same time. Depression
and insomnia together can put you in a cycle that only gets
worse if left untreated.
When the body is tired and fatigued from lack of sleep,
depression is a likely result. And when depressed it may be
difficult to get the good quality sleep your body requires.
Depression symptoms may include huge mood swings, sadness for
no apparent reason, crying for no apparent reason and
irritability for any small matter as well as insomnia. You may
be taking medication for depression that is keeping you from a
good nights sleep.
Not being able to obtain your regular rest at night for long
periods of time, you can have different types of side effects
such as irritability, fatigue, loss of appetite or increase in
appetite, lack of attention and that can be dangerous in itself
if you are driving, cooking or using dangerous tools at the
place of work. Insomnia also frequently causes extreme sadness,
anxiety and depression.
If you are experiencing both insomnia and depression you will
need to decide if you may be feeling depressed because you are
exhausted or suffering from sleepless nights because of your
depression, stress or anxiety. It may be easier to treat
insomnia than depression, so you may want to delve into
treating that first.
An herbal supplement called SerenitePlus was formulated to
induce a state of drowsiness and deep relaxation, relieve
anxiety and stress. Herbal supplements are perfect for treating
many disorders because there is no risk of addiction as with
prescription medications. You may find that once you have
gotten the proper rest your depression symptoms decrease or
even go away completely. When the body is rested you are able
to cope better with daily stress.
About The Author: For more information about thenatural
treatment of Insomnia and Depression please visit us at
http://myherbalremedy.com/insomnia.html
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How To Treat Anxiety And Insomnia Together
December 27th, 2006If you find yourself lying awake every night worrying about not
being well rested for the next day, you may have a combination
of anxiety and insomnia. Both problems are capable of causing
the other problem. Just as the two can occur together, they can
also be treated together.
Learning about Anxiety and Insomnia
Both Anxiety and insomnia are mental disorders. Insomnia is
diagnosed as a sleep disorder often brought on by stress. All
types of stress are capable of inducing insomnia. Another cause
of insomnia can be various medical conditions. This includes
both chemical imbalances and physiological problems.
What you experience with insomnia is difficulty falling asleep
or remaining asleep for a number of hours. Inability to remain
asleep can be viewed as waking up a number of times during the
night or waking up very early and being unable to fall back
asleep.
Anxiety is a feeling of continuous worry. Symptoms include
sweating, rapid heart beat, increase in body temperature,
racing thoughts, etc. Some people also experience difficulty
breathing when anxiety gets worse. Untreated anxiety can even
lead to panic attacks.
Anxiety and insomnia can cause one another: Lack of sleep can
cause you to have trouble working efficiently, causing a
feeling of being overwhelmed, thereby leading to anxiety. Then,
when someone is anxious there mind is working overtime. The
inability to get your mind to rest, leads to insomnia. Since
the two disorders cause one another, it makes sense to conclude
that treating one disorder would naturally cause the other
disorder to be treated as well.
How Can I Treat My Anxiety and Insomnia?
Before you jump into treating one of the problems, it is
important to find out what the primary problem is first. For
example: if your anxiety and insomnia are brought on by stress,
than you might want to talk with a counselor to learn how to
reduce stress. So, it is possible to get rid of your anxiety
and insomnia by taking care of stress or another problem,
rather than treating the anxiety and insomnia directly. It is
recommended that you have a doctor or counselor give you a
diagnosis before beginning any treatment.
There are several ways to treat anxiety and insomnia.
Treatments include medication, counseling, lifestyle changes,
etc. No matter which route you take, most treatments take
several weeks before you see any real improvements.
Go ahead and consult your doctor or a counselor about your
anxiety and insomnia. You may find that you are only a few
steps away from getting great rest. Don’t forget that you
should never take medication for your problems without first
consulting a professional.
About The Author: Dr. April Davall is webmaster of
http://www.bestinsomnia.com/, which goal is tell you All about
Insomnia and cure for insomnia. You can learn and print out
almost anything about Insomnia and cure for insomnia. Lots of
info. Welcome to visit.
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