Sleep Deprivation

For many of us, sleep is the sweet balm that soothes and restores us after a long day of work and play.  It is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. Sleep is a heightened anabolic state, accentuating the growth and rejuvenation of the immune, nervous, skeletal and muscular systems.

A healthy adult requires 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep daily to be able to function best throughout the day.

Average Sleep Needs by Age
Newborn to 2 months old	12 – 18 hrs
3 months to 1 year old	14 – 15 hrs
1 to 3 years old	12 – 14 hrs
3 to 5 years old	11 – 13 hrs
5 to 12 years old	10 – 11 hrs
12 to 18 years old	8.5 – 10 hrs
Adults (18+)	7.5 – 9 hrs

According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night. In today’s fast-paced society, six or seven hours of sleep may sound pretty good. In reality, though, it’s a recipe for chronic sleep deprivation.

There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function optimally. Just because you’re able to operate on seven hours of sleep doesn’t mean you wouldn’t feel a lot better and get more done if you spent an extra hour or two in bed.

The best way to figure out if you’re meeting your sleep needs is to evaluate how you feel as you go about your day. If you’re logging enough hours, you’ll feel energetic and alert all day long, from the moment you wake up until your regular bedtime.

Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.

The way you feel while you’re awake depends in part on what happens while you’re sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.

The damage from sleep deficiency can occur in an instant (such as a car crash), or it can harm you over time. For example, ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for some chronic health problems. It also can affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others.

Sleep deprivation is the condition of not having enough sleep either because of reduced total sleep time or fragmentation of sleep by brief arousals, it can be either chronic or acute. A chronic sleep-restricted state can cause fatigue, daytime sleepiness, clumsiness and weight loss or weight gain. It adversely  affects the brain and cognitive function. Acute sleep deprivation refers to no sleep or a reduction in the usual total sleep time, usually lasting one or two days.

There are many causes of sleep deprivation, voluntary or involuntary;

-          The stresses of daily life may intrude upon our ability to sleep well, or perhaps we trade sleep for more work or play.

-          We may have medical or mental health conditions that disrupt our sleep, and be well aware that we are sleep deprived.

-          Most people actually think they are training their body systems by reducing the amount of hours they sleep. This is actually not true; depriving your body of optimum sleep significantly affects your health, performance and safety.

Generally sleep deprivation may result in;

• Aching muscle
• Confusion, memory lapses or loss
• Depression
• Hallucination
• Hand tremor
• Headaches
• Malaise
• Sensitivity to cold
• Bags under eyes
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased stress hormone levels
• Increased risk of diabetes
• Increased risk of fibromyalgia (Chronic widespread pain and a heightened and painful response to pressure)
• Irritability
• Rapid involuntary rhythmic eye movement
• Obesity
• Temper tantrums in children
• Constant yawning
• Symptoms similar to:
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Psychosis
• One of the possible side effects of a continued lack of sleep is death. Usually this is the result of the fact that the immune system is weakened without sleep.

Some people use the following strategies to cope, but this may provide short term benefit to reduce the effects of sleep deprivation. They are not long term solution, however and they may not restore alertness and performance to non-sleep deprived levels;

• Caffeine
• Sleep prior to deprivation
• Naps during deprivation
• Caffeine and a nap
• Other stimulants

The only sure way for an individual to overcome sleep deprivation is to increase nightly sleep time to satisfy his or her biological sleep need; there is no substitute for sufficient sleep.

It is advisable to see your healthcare professional when you realize that you are not getting enough sleep (which could be as a result of an underlying health issue) or not well rested despite the recommended hours of sleep. There are sleep aids and medications that could help relax you and they include;

 - organo gold  hot chocolates
- lecithin
- anti- stress with  zinc

Low Libido in Women

Is sex with your partner becoming a chore? Or are you as a woman having problems with getting in the mood? This could be termed as low libido. Unfortunately many women shy away from this issue either because they are in denial or because of the society we find ourselves, where women are not supposed to be as concerned about sex as men.

Fortunately, for many females this lack of libido is only temporary. Some will get over it by themselves, a few seek expert medical or psycho-sexual advice and  others do not bother to get back into the world of rampaging sexual desire and are quite happy to lead lives which are untroubled by lust.

What are the causes of lack of libido in women?

As is the case with men, lack of desire in women can be of either physical or psychological origin.

Physical causes

• Anaemia which is very common in women because of iron loss during periods.
• Alcoholism
• Drug abuse
• Major diseases such as diabetes.
• Post-baby ‘coolness’, a term coined for the loss of libido that often happens after childbirth. It is almost certainly linked to hormonal changes that occur at this time, though this has still not been proven. The general trauma of childbirth also plays a part – and after having a baby, many women are too exhausted to think about sex.
• Prescribed drugs, particularly tranquillisers.
• Hyperprolactinaemia – a rare disorder in which there is production of breast milk, when not breast feeding or pregnant.
• Other hormone abnormalities: British gynaecologist John Studd says that many women who have lost their libido lack androgenic (male) hormones. This view remains controversial.

 Psychological causes

 These causes are very common. It’s understandable that when a woman is having a bad time emotionally, she may lose interest in sex.

 Psychological causes include:

• Depression
• Stress and overwork
• Anxiety
• Hang-ups from childhood
• Past sexual abuse or rape
• Latent lesbianism
• Serious relationship problems with your partner
• Difficult living conditions, eg sharing a home with parents or parents-in-law.

 What should a woman do about lack of libido?

 Talk to your Doctor to lay your mind at rest, discuss the problem with you and do any necessary tests or see your Pharmacist.

 There are various natural supplements that can help women by enhancing arousal, desire, drive and therefore lead to an enriched and satisfying sex life. These supplements include;

 - women formula 1
- soypower
- suri coffee
- permata suri

Thyroid disease

The thyroid is a small gland located below the skin and muscles at the front of the neck, just at the spot where a bow tie would rest. It manufactures the hormones that help control metabolism and growth.
Thyroid disease occurs when the thyroid gland doesn’t supply the proper amount of hormones needed by the body.
If the thyroid is overactive, it releases too much thyroid hormone into the bloodstream, resulting in Hyperthyroidism causing the body to use up energy more quickly than it should and chemical activity (metabolism) speeds up.
An under-active thyroid produces too little thyroid hormone, resulting in Hypothyroidism causing the body to use energy more slowly and chemical activity (metabolism) in the cells slow down.
In both conditions although different the thyroid can become enlarged, and this can be felt like a lump under the skin at the front of the neck. When it is large enough to see easily, it is called a goiter.
People who don’t get enough iodine in their diets also can get an enlarged thyroid.
-          Hyperthyroidism can cause nervousness, irritability, increased perspiration, intolerance to heat, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, a fast heartbeat, irregular menstrual periods in girls and muscle weakness. People with this problem might lose weight even though they are eating more than usual. The eyes may feel irritated or look like they are staring. Sometimes the tissue around the eyes become inflamed and swollen and the eyes appear to bulge out.
Graves disease is an autoimmune disease and is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism
-          A person with mild Hypothyroidism may feel just fine — in fact, the condition might cause no symptoms at all. However, symptoms can become more obvious if hypothyroidism progresses.
People with under-active thyroids might feel depressed and sluggish. They might gain weight, even though they’re not eating more or getting less exercise than usual. Teens with hypothyroidism also might have slow growth in height, slow sexual development, irregular menstrual periods in girls, muscle weakness, dry skin, hair loss, poor memory, and difficulty concentrating.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is also an autoimmune disease and is the most common cause of the hypothyroidism in teens.

GOITERS AND THYROID NODULES
It can take months or years for a goiter to develop. In teens, goiters are usually caused by the autoimmune thyroid conditions discussed above, which might show no obvious symptoms until the goiter is visible as a swelling at the front of the neck. People with this problem might have the sensation that food is stuck in the throat, especially when they lie down or sleep on their backs.
A thyroid nodule is a lump or enlarged area in the thyroid gland. Sometimes a nodule can appear in a healthy gland. It may feel like a lump in the throat, or there may be tenderness or pain in the front of the neck. If the nodule is large enough, it may be visible at the front of the neck.
Most thyroid nodules are harmless. A nodule may simply be an overgrowth of normal thyroid tissue, a swelling caused by inflammation (such as in autoimmune thyroid diseases) or a collection of fluid called a cyst.
The doctor usually discovers nodules by touch during a physical examination. If the doctor finds a nodule, blood tests might be needed to find out how the thyroid gland is working. A doctor may also take an ultrasound image of the gland to detect whether the nodule is a cyst or a solid growth or tumor.

Thyroid Disease, Growth, and Puberty

Once puberty starts, the body goes through some very noticeable changes. Because thyroid hormones play an important role in this process, thyroid disease may slow down or interfere with a teen’s physical development. But it’s important to know that not everyone grows or develops at the same age or at the same rate. If your friend seems to grow 4 inches overnight and you haven’t had a growth spurt yet, it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you or your thyroid.
A thyroid problem also may cause a girl to have changes in her periods. Girls with thyroid problems may have a decrease or increase in menstrual flow or there may be a shorter or longer time between periods than usual. However, because girls who are just starting to menstruate often have irregular periods for the first year or so, changes in periods are usually nothing to worry about and don’t mean a girl has thyroid disease.
People who are concerned that they might have a thyroid problem should visit the doctor. Chances are, the problem is something simpler. And if someone does have thyroid disease, diagnosing and treating it properly — including bringing the blood levels of thyroid hormones back to normal — will usually prevent or correct any problems.
DIAGNOSIS

• Blood Tests: Measurement of the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), decreased levels of thyroid hormones (T4 and T3), autoantibodies, thyroglobulin (TG) and Calcitonin, TBG and transthyretin
• Ultrasound
• Radioiodine scanning and uptake
• Biopsy

TREATMENT
Medical Treatment; Levothyroxine, natural thyroid hormone from pigs, propylthiouracil, carbimazole or methimazole, lugols solution, radioactive iodine etc.
Surgery; thyroidectomy
Radioiodine therapy
SUPPLEMENTS
Some studies have shown that the isoflavones in soybeans inhibit the enzyme responsible for adding iodine to thyroid hormone, thyroid peroxidase (TPO). These and other studies also indicate that if you have low iodine in your body, the soy isoflavone could bond to what iodine you do have, leaving you with an inadequate reserve for thyroid hormone production. However, if you have sufficient iodine in your body, eating soy will most likely not be a problem

Iodine

Iodine is the classic remedy for hypothyroidism and there is a reason for that. Iodine is one of the two ingredients needed by the thyroid gland to synthesize thyroid hormones.

Most countries mandate the sale of iodized salt and other iodine-fortified food products for this reason.
Supplementing iodine in food is the single most effective and affordable means of reducing the incidence of hypothyroidism, infertility and cretinism in the population. And such supplementation is absolutely essential for people living far away from the coast.

Selenium

Besides iodine, selenium is another essential mineral needed for proper thyroid functioning.

 

Zinc and Copper

Other minerals that contribute to thyroid functions include zinc and copper. These metals fulfill smaller roles but they are also important.

 

Vitamins

Vitamin D is the most important for thyroid function. In addition, vitamin D has also been proven to protect against thyroid cancers.

Vitamins A, C and E are the antioxidant vitamins, and they can also be used in the treatment of hypothyroidism. These vitamins can help mop up harmful free radicals and eliminate reactive oxygen species. Therefore, they can reduce the oxidative stress placed on the thyroid gland. This translates to improved thyroid functions and increase in the syntheses of T3 and T4 for hypothyroid patients.
Another essential supplement for hypothyroid patients is essential fatty acids group; This includes both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The essential fatty acid supplement to take must contain more omega-3 fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are useful in the management of chronic and autoimmune diseases such as hypothyroidism

Amino Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of all proteins in the body including hormones such as T3 and T4.