Posts Tagged ‘sleep deprived’
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
Bedbug
The headlines across the U.S. today are screaming the resurgence of bedbugs:
In January of this year I posted an article entitled “Mattress Outlet Poker: ‘Buy In’ is Cheap, but Stakes are High!” In it I discussed the risks involved with buying used mattresses which are often labeled by unscrupulous dealers as “manufacturer’s seconds.” The hitchhikers and stowaways hiding in used mattresses and in used furniture have launched a monumental troop surge attacking primarily the Midwestern and the Eastern fronts of the U.S.. Their victims are being left sleepless, tired, and scratching. Their victims are being displaced to living rooms, family rooms, and porches as their bedrooms are being besieged by the pesticide resistant strains of the attackers. Not only are the victims of these tiny pests being forced from their bedrooms, they are left sleep deprived and scratching 24 hours a day as they attempt to find a strategy to counterattack the bedroom terrorists. Victims are being subjected to the life endangering side effects of sleep deprivation.
Bedbug Bites
Bedbugs are a ruthless and resilient species. Their life cycle inspires fear in anyone who has ever experienced their bite. A good video on how to identify bedbug bites can be found HERE. A UC Davis article describes the bed bug lifecycle as follows:
“Female bed bugs lay 200 to 500 tiny, white eggs in batches of 10 to 50 on rough surfaces such as wood or paper. Glue-like material covers the eggs, which hatch in about 10 days. After hatching occurs, the eggshells frequently remain stuck in place. There are five progressively larger nymphal stages, each requiring a single blood meal before molting to the next stage. The entire life cycle from egg to adult requires anywhere from 5 weeks to 4 months, depending on temperature and availability of food (blood). When temperatures are in the range of 70° to 82°F, development occurs most rapidly.
Nymphs and adults generally feed at night and hide in crevices during the day. Common hiding places include seams in mattresses and box springs, cracks in bed frames, under loose wallpaper, behind picture frames, and inside furniture and upholstery. Occasionally people pick up bed bugs in theaters or on buses and trains. They also can bring them into their home on clothing, bedding, luggage, or firewood.
Bed bugs can go without feeding for 80 to 140 days. Older stages of nymphs can survive longer without feeding than younger ones, and adults have survived without food for as long as 550 days. A bed bug can take six times its weight in blood, and feeding can take 3 to 10 minutes. Adults live about 10 months, and there can be up to 3 to 4 generations of bed bugs per year.”
Further reading reveals that the most effective technique for eliminating bed bugs is to hire a professional heating service that can heat the room to very high temperatures. Heating the room for two hours at 140°F, or three hours at 130°F “will kill most bed bugs and eggs.” Other techniques involve insecticides, boric acid, diatomaceous earth, fumed silica, etc. Most of them need to be combined with frequent monitoring, as they are not totally effective. Meticulous laundering of bedding, high temperature drying, and thorough vacuuming are all necessary.
In early February I posted “Update on Bed Bugs” in which I described a dry ice trap designed by a Rutgers University duo: Changlu Wang and Vincenzo Avarello. Their inexpensive alternative to professional pest control services is described here:
The dry ice trap is constructed with a 64 ounce double bowl cat feeder, a 1/3 gallon insulated container, and bottle of talc powder. The jug is used to hold the dry ice. As the dry ice warms to room temperature it, it releases carbon dioxide gas which attracts the bed bugs. The 1/3 gallon container is capable of releasing the gas for 10 to 12 hours. The cat feeder dish needs to be wrapped very tightly with a white cloth to allow a surface for the bed bugs to easily crawl up. The inside bottom surfaces of the inverted cat feeder are then coated with a thin layer of talc. The powder will prevent the bed bugs from escaping the trap. The filled dry ice container is then placed on top of the dressed and treated inverted cat feeder with the lid of the container left slightly open. Some warm water should be barely cover the bottom of the trap to kill the bed bugs that become trapped.
The trap should now be placed in or around the suspected bed or sofa. Late afternoon is best for set-up as bed bug activity begins at night. Use one trap per room, and check the traps in the morning. One trap can catch as many as a thousand bugs per night, “depending on infestation levels.”
I have yet to receive any comments as to the effectiveness of this inexpensive alternative to the high costs of professional services. If anyone has tried this trap and found it to be effective, your comments would be welcomed by all who are plagued by these unwelcome attackers. A complete construction plan can be found in an article by Barb Ogg at the University of Nebraska, Lancaster.
The bedbug attacks have prompted at least five states to call in the Department of Defense to request money to combat the bloodsucking terrorists. Ohio petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow the use of the pesticide Propoxur to defeat the enemy, but the EPA denied the request based upon concern for its effect on children. The EPA set up a meeting with representatives of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Defense to discuss the attack which is “not yet a national security issue.”
Bedbugs, nearly eradicated from the U.S. in the 40s and 50s through the use of DDT, have developed a resistance to the weaker pesticides that replaced it. Pest control companies are limited by EPA regulations and their approved substitutes. While the EPA searches for newer, more potent chemicals to kill the bloodsucking terrorists, the victims continue to scratch their arms, their faces, their backs, their breasts, their buttocks, and their legs.
Hopes for a quick solution to this war on the bedroom terrorists appear dim in light of the other wars our government is currently battling. The costs to fight this battle will, no doubt, be borne by the victims of this war. As they “scratch” around for the money to pay the exterminators, the doctors, and the retailers to salve the itching, we hope they don’t fall victim to the often fatal ravages of sleep deprivation.
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved to Ronald Czarnecki.
Click HERE for an Emmy Award winning documentary on bedbugs.
For an interesting National Geographic video on bedbugs click HERE.
Comments are welcomed below.
Tags: attack, bedbugs, bedroom terrorists, bites, bloodsucking terrorists, Department of Defense, dry ice trap, EPA, hitchhikers, mattress, mattress outlet, Proxopur, side effects, sleep deprivation, sleep deprived, sleepless and tired, stowaways, troop surge, victims
Posted in Frozen in Fear, Sleep Deprived, Sleepless and Tired, Worried and Stressed | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
Vaccine: Choice or Mandate for the Future?
Governments worldwide are anxiously awaiting further tests on a new vaccine announced yesterday by Rachel Quigley in her Mail Online article from the UK. Dr. Robert Sapolsky, a professor at Stanford University, is “on the path to a genetically engineered formula that would remove the need for relaxation therapies or prescription drugs.” His studies on glucocorticoids, the hormones chiefly responsible for our fear responses, have led him to the vaccine which works on rats. He admits that human trials are years away. Will the strong-armed governments of the world, seeking to calm the sleepless and sometimes angry public masses controlled by them, allow the tests on humans to wait that long?
Glucocorticoids are essential for life. They are present in the cells of almost all vertebrates. Cortisol is the most important human glucocorticoid. It “regulates or supports a variety of important cardiovascular, metabolic, immunologic, and homeostatic functions.” Cortisol, along with adrenalin, works to assist the brain in remembering stressful and dangerous situations. Those memories stimulate the fear and flight responses to dangerous situations that may confront us in the future. It is vital to the survival of the species.
Dr. Sapolsky thinks that the human species produces too many glucocorticoids and that man cannot turn them off after stressful situations. He claims, according to Quigley’s article, the hormone “becomes toxic both biologically, by destroying brain cells and weakening the immune system, and socially, when people continue to snap at their friends or family hours after the original cause of tension has vanished.”
The “Sapolsky shot” utilizes a herpes virus carrying genetically engineered “neuroprotective “genes to “neutralize the rogue hormones.” The shot supposedly short circuits the brain’s natural response to stress. Claims are that “It would leave you fresher and ready to deal with another threat, so you can maintain your drive, but with more focused calm.”
How will the short-circuited brain remember the stressful situation? Will a future similar threat be ignored by the chemically altered passive brain? Research in this important area must be done before human trials are initiated.
The FDA, with its quick approvals of fluoride additions to water supplies, aspartame and acesulfame potassium addition to foods, drinks, and medicines, despite studies proving their harmful effects, does not inspire confidence. Headlines across the internet already shout the “brain-eating” and “lobotomizing” effects of the “Sapolsky shot” as well as the conspiratorial applications of this vaccine as a secret additive to government required vaccinations worldwide.
Billions of dollars are being donated by the wealthy “elite” of the world in efforts to control population growth through vaccinations. Some nations refuse the donated vaccinations because of an increase in sterility among their female populations following their widespread use. It isn’t much of a stretch to suspect the ever-reaching arms of big governments everywhere to promote the “Sapolsky shot.” They are no doubt dreaming about the future populations of calm and sleepy subjects, no longer stress-filled, sleepless, and angry about the loss of their freedoms. FDA approvals for human testing will be quickly forthcoming. The “Sapolsky shot” is coming to a clinic near you. It will be provided free of charge by your friendly government sponsor. There are no harmful side effects according to the Center for Disease Control, the FDA, and the Administration. The supply will be “unlimited” according to Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius.
The stress-filled, sleep deprived masses are already lining up for their calm inducing injections. Yoga and meditation will become a relic of the past as our minds and bodies slumber into a passive stupor of paralytic responses. As our self-preserving survival responses to stress are neutralized the pandemic of sleep deprivation will probably disappear. At risk will be our doubting responses to the threats of government theft of our liberties.
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved to Ronald Czarnecki.
Tags: brain, brain eating, Cortisol, FDA, future populations, glucocorticoids, governments, hormones, liberties, lobotomizing, memory, pandemic, paralytic, passive, public, Sapolsky shot, side effects, sleep deprivation, sleep deprived, sleepless, stress reduction, strong-armed, stupor, survival, tension, theft, threat, vaccinations, vaccine
Posted in Appearances are Deceiving, Dazed and Confused, Frozen in Fear, Our Amazing Brain, Sleep Deprived | No Comments »
Thursday, July 29th, 2010
Smoking Hole in Pakistan. Courtesy of AP.
Yet another deadly “smoking hole in the ground” adds to the continuing trail of death left by sleepless and tired pilots being stretched beyond their limits by schedules designed to maximize profits for their employers.
The worst air crash in Pakistan’s history of Airblue’s flight ED-202 from Karachi to Islamabad killing all 152 aboard may be attributed to pilot fatigue according to the President of Pakistan Air Lines Pilots Association (PALPA). Captain Sohail Baloch told a private news channel “The pilot may be suffering from accumulated fatigue because they are not given adequate leaves.” He added that the pilot was not in a no-fly zone and speculated that the plane was off course due to bad weather. The pilot had to ”resort to visual queues for landing” because communication with the control tower had been lost due to the weather.
The Hindu.com reports that the pilot , Pervez Iqbal Chaudhry, “had 35 years of experience and had logged over 25,000 flying hours.” Airblue official Raheel Ahmed was quoted in the same article explaining that the Airbus A321 was ten years old, had been used by them for the past four years, and was fully serviceable with no technical faults. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that the aircraft at 2600 feet was cleared to land when it rose up to 3000 feet for no apparent reason and then disappeared from the radar. “The (control) tower did not receive any SOS message or report of a technical problem before the crash,” Malik said.
Only nine weeks ago the world was mourning the loss of 158 people in an Air India crash in the Mangalore hills. That “smoking hole” left eight survivors. The experienced British pilot of that flight misjudged his landing so badly (2000 feet) that “senior pilots, including the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (IPCA) are already blaming pilot fatigue for being responsible for the major accident,” as reported in a China Post article. Two years before that “an Air India Express flight from Mumbai to Dubai overshot its destination by 350 miles after its pilots apparently fell asleep due to fatigue.” The ICPA in response to the Mangalore crash sent a letter to the Prime Minister complaining that “up to 78 percent of crashes were caused by fatigue-related human error.” Flight and Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) in India have not been changed since 1992 when they had no scientific basis for the regulations. Attempts were made in 2005 to change the FDTL but the rule changes were withdrawn under pressure from the “private operators.”
The flight and duty time restrictions worldwide reflect the lack of response from the FAA to the plethora of data now available regarding the effects of sleep deprivation upon mental and physical performance. Our rule changes were dropped in 1995 in response the airline industry’s complaints. Even the unions, strongly supported by then President Bill Clinton, wanted to drop the duty time hours from 16 to 14 hours. Andy Pasztor, in a Wall Street Journal article titled “Dispute Over Cost Delays Pilot Rules,” blames the delay in the rule changes on a dispute between the FAA and the White House Office of Management and Budget. Budget officials have told the FAA informally that “the proposal’s projected cost to airlines wasn’t justified by the anticipated safety benefits.” Since the FAA is controlled by former air line executives and Washington is still held in the firm grip of powerful airline lobbyists like Linda Daschle we cannot expect the “change” promised by our President in the flowered oratory of his campaign.
The European Cockpit Association, a group of pilots unions with over 38,000 members, accuses the European Union (EU) of “ “endangering air safety by failing to act on the recommendations of experts who say cuts in flying hours are needed to curb pilot fatigue.” The Air Canada Pilots Association, with over 7,000 members, has been asking for changes to Transport Canada’s regulations for years. Dave Ross, of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, representing pilot unions at six regional airlines, says, “It’s money. If you can’t fly as long as you do today, then that increases your cost.”
The world continues to scream the alarms to the FAA. The FAA’s mission statement is “to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world.” The FAA’s vision statement is “ to reach the next level of safety, efficiency, environmental responsibility and global leadership. We are accountable to the American public and our stakeholders.” The world waits, awake to the ever increasing danger of sleepless and tired pilots threatening our lives. The FAA, Congress, and the Administration continue to hit the snooze button while confined to the bedroom of the airline industry’s sleep inducing lobbyists.
The “smoking holes” of death and the smells of burning flesh are permeating the atmosphere of Obama’s flowery campaign rhetoric about cleaning up the halls of Washington. In 2007 newsmax.com reported on Mr. Obama’s lamenting the fact that “the disproportionate influence of lobbyists and special interest is a problem in Washington (and) in state capitals.” He admitted then that he was “swimming in the same muddy water” and that he knows the waters are muddy. He said “I want to clean it up.” The world is waiting for Mr. Obama, Mr. Babbitt (FAA Administrator), and Mr. LaHood (Transportation Secretary) to exit the bedroom of the airline industry’s sleep inducing lobbyists and go to work on new pilot fatigue regulations. The safety of millions flying the skies continue to see the smoke and to smell the burning flesh. The time has come for you to douse the flames.
Here’s a link to a very sad slide show of crash site photos, courtesy of AP and thehindu.com: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article538554.ece
Another link to a related article from thehindu.com: http://www.thehindu.com/news/article540335.ece
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved to Ronald Czarnecki.
Tags: air crash, Air India, Airblue, Babbitt, FAA, fatigue, LaHood, lobbyists, Obama, paralysis, pilot fatigue, regulations, sleep deprivation, sleep deprived, sleepless and tired, smoking hole
Posted in Appearances are Deceiving, Dazed and Confused, Frozen in Fear, Sleep Deprived, Sleepless and Tired, Worried and Stressed | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 20th, 2010
Insomnia
Circadin® “not only improves the onset of sleep, but also improves the quality of sleep” says Nava Zisapel, company founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Neurim Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Zisapel, a Professor of Neurobiology at Tel Aviv University, reports that people who take the drug “have better daytime functioning and an improved quality of life.” The drug stimulates the body’s natural melatonin production. Her prolonged release formula of a mere 2mg dosage mimics the pineal gland’s production of the sleep inducing hormone. Melatonin production normally begins at dark, peaks at around 2am, and then gradually disappears at daylight. Dr. Zisapel began her work in 1992 and she received approval to market it in 2007. The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) at that time approved it for the short term (3 week) treatment of primary insomnia in patients over 55 years of age. The drug, unlike traditional sedatives, does not impair cognitive functions the following day, nor does it impair psychomotor skills. There are no abuse or dependency risks. Insomniacs, numbering nearly a third of the world’s population, will be cheered by the European Commission’s July, 2010 approval to expand the treatment duration from 3 weeks to 13 weeks. Circadin® is the first insomnia treatment approved for the extended length of time. It is currently marketed in Australia, Thailand, and Israel. US, Asian, and Latin American markets are in the registration process.
Insomnia, defined as the “difficulty to initiate or to maintain sleep,” affects almost all adults at one time or another. Transient (symptoms less than a week) insomnia and short term insomnia (one to three weeks) can occur as a result of jet lag, indigestion, shift work schedule changes, noisy sleep environments, stress, and recent medical situations. Long term (more than 3 weeks) or chronic insomnia is usually caused by psychological or medical conditions such as depression, pain, heart disease, acid reflux, asthma, sleep apnea, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, brain tumors and strokes. Delayed or untreated insomnia costs America $42 billion dollars a year in healthcare costs. The seriously sleep deprived insomniacs have been limited to prescription sleep aids with their risks of dependency and abuse, or to over the counter antihistamines with their residual drowsiness hazards. The FDA has consistently discouraged natural supplements since they have no jurisdiction over them. They have issued warnings against the use of the natural alternatives of valerian, melatonin, and kava.
Circadin® is now in use in over 33 countries. It is naturally preferable to prescription sleep aids and their over the counter competitors. It’s time for the FDA to approve it for the sleepless and tired insomniacs of the USA. Everyone deserves a good night’s rest!
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved to Ronald Czarnecki.
Tags: Circadin, FDA, good night's rest, insomnia, Israel, melatonin, Mother Nature, Nava Zisapel, Nerium Pharmaceuticals, prescription, sleep, sleep apnea, sleep deprived, sleepless and tired, stress
Posted in Our Amazing Brain, Sleep Deprived, Sleepless and Tired | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 29th, 2010
The bedtime cell phone calls
A recent survey found that 82% of Americans don’t leave home without their cell phones and 50% of Americans sleep with their phones nearby. 56% of Americans regularly use the alarm clock feature. Globally 67% use the alarm clock feature requiring them to have their cell phones in close proximity to their beds. Texting has become the focus of communication for teens today. 87% of the texting teens admitted to sleeping with, or next to, their phones. With a third of US teen cell phone owners texting more than a 100 texts a day, many of these are occurring at night while in bed. Cell phone use has been found to reduce sleep. Its use at bedtime, according to research detailed by Geoffrey Lean in The Independent, increases the time it takes to reach the deeper stages of sleep and decreases the time spent in those valuable stages of sleep. Deep sleep deprivation “can lead to mood and personality changes, ADHD-like symptoms, depression, lack of concentration and poor academic performance.”
The study, funded by the Mobile Manufacturer’s Forum, embarrassed themselves with the scientists’ findings that “components of sleep believed to be important for recovery from daily wear and tear are adversely affected by exposure to 884 MHz wireless signals.” The researchers believed that the radiation was activating the brain’s stress system making the subjects “more alert and more focused, and decreasing their ability to wind down and fall asleep.” Almost half of the people in the study also reported to be “electrosensitive” experiencing headaches and impaired cognitive functions.
A much larger study followed 1656 Belgian teenagers for a year. The research found that most of them used their phones after going to bed. Those that did so once a week were three times more likely to report feeling “very tired” than those who did not use them in bed. Those who used them in bed more than once were five times more likely to report feeling “very tired.” Dr. William Kohler of the Florida Sleep Institute said “Anything that disrupts the integrity of your sleep will potentially have adverse consequences in functioning during the day, such as grouchiness, difficulty concentrating, and in children hyperactivity and behavior problems.”
James Horne and his colleagues at the Loughborough University Sleep Research Center in England found that cell phone signals disrupted brain wave patterns “long after” the cell phones were turned off. The subjects in his study, as described by Douglas Field in Scientific American, also had difficulties falling asleep. They found that delta wave patterns characteristic of stage two sleep (50% of total sleep) were negatively affected for nearly an hour after the phone was shut off. His findings and those of others are stimulating additional research into electromagnetic radiation and its affect on mental behaviors. Sensitivity to such low level radiation raises concerns of mind control.
The cell phone, while exhibiting negative influences on deep sleep, is soon to become a critical tool to the sleep deprived. Dr. Phillip Low has found the way to link a single channel EEG to a SPEARS algorithm which is capable of mapping an entire night’s worth of brain activity. His company, NeuroVigil, uses an adhesive, wireless sensor or a head strap to monitor the brainwave activity. “NeuroVigil’s sleep monitoring solution streams and records the patient’s EEG data through their cell phone or smartphone.” Dr. Low, a 30-year-old neuroscientist is about to market his iBrain device (the size of two pennies) which, according to Daniel Heimpel of the Huffington Post, will “revolutionize the study of sleep, speed the diagnosis of disease, and tap into the multibillion dollar sleep and neurodiagnostics markets.” Until now, sleep tests have averaged more than $3,000. The cost has been prohibitive for the more than seventy million Americans suffering from sleep disorders. The sleep tests have previously required hook-ups to multiple electrode systems and overnight stays in uncomfortable strange laboratory environments not at all conducive to regular sleep patterns.
The data from the iBrain may unlock keys to cures and/or medications for sleep apnea, insomnia, and other sleep disorders. It will assist in the pre-market testing of pharmaceuticals of the future. The pharmaceutical companies, the Defense Departments, and the transportation industries are all knocking on Dr. Low’s door. They would all like a piece of Dr. Low’s brain as well as his company but he has decided to run his company on his own terms.
Dr. Low’s brain, the iBrain, and your cell phone may provide the keys to the gateway of your brain…and the solution to your sleep problems. A dream comes true?
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved to Ronald Czarnecki.
Tags: brain, cell phones, deep sleep, depression, electromagnetic radiation, iBrain, medications, mind control, sleep, sleep apnea, sleep deprivation, sleep deprived, sleep disorders, sleep problems, sleepless and tired
Posted in Appearances are Deceiving, Our Amazing Brain, Sleep Deprived, Sleepless and Tired | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
Blue Light Box
Yellow Goggles
Blue light therapy and yellow goggles are becoming essential equipment for sleep disorders, for depression, and for seasonal affective disorder. Advanced sleep phase syndrome, delayed sleep phase syndrome, periodic insomnia, shift work sleep disorders, and jet lag are all related to circadian rhythm interruptions. Photoreceptor cells in the retina have been discovered that are directly linked to the “circadian pacemaker” of our brain: the pineal gland. The pineal gland produces melatonin which is the hormone responsible for our sleep-wake cycle. Daylight suppresses melatonin production and darkness stimulates its production, increasing sleepiness. Kate Le Page, in a recent article, traced the birth of light box therapy to the sanatoria of Europe in the 1870s. Sunlight was found beneficial to the treatment of bacterial diseases common at the time. Scandinavian countries, where the sun is in short supply for much of the year, have taken light therapy more seriously than the rest of the world. A light “shot” can be found on the menu in Finland cafes where you can drink your coffee while receiving your light therapy at the table. Sweden has equipped many cold war bomb shelters with full spectrum lights for therapy purposes. Russia is using light therapy to reduce worker sick days and to increase productivity. Their research has found a link between light therapy and an increase in the body’s ability to cope with pollutants and to boost immunization effectiveness.
Steven Lockley, Charles Czeisler, and George Brainard have done extensive studies on the utilization of blue light to combat sleep issues. They have found that blue light contains more energy than white light and it can be more efficient utilizing less time and energy to alter the sleep-wake cycles. Lockley, in the Harvard University Gazette, suggests that blue light “may be a powerful countermeasure for the negative effects of fatigue for people who work or study at night.” Blue light proved more beneficial than green light in reducing sleepiness, speeding reaction times, and focusing attention.
Dr. Joshua Gooley, in Annals Academy of Medicine, details more specific prescriptions:
- For later sleep-wake times and phase delay shift:
- Evening bright light therapy before bed, dim light after wake time.
- For earlier sleep-wake times and phase advance shift:
- Morning bright light therapy after wake time, dim light prior to bedtime.
- For entrainment of sleep-wake cycle and phase advance shift:
- Morning bright light therapy after wake time, when sleep episode occurs during night.
- For adaptation to shift work and large phase delay shift:
- Bright light therapy in evening/night, dim light after work, strict adherence to regular sleep-wake times.
- For jet lag, eastward travel, and phase advance shift:
- Morning bright light therapy after wake time (home time), dim light prior to bedtime.
- For jet lag, westward travel, and phase delay shift:
- Evening bright light therapy before bedtime (home time), dim light after wake time.
Blue light boxes are available from many sources. The time required to affect a shift should be 15 to 30 minutes over a period of a couple of days. The light source should be placed 1 to 2 feet above the subject and not directly in line with the eye. The photoreceptors linked to your circadian pacemaker detect the light from the bottom of the retina. During dim light periods yellow goggles should be worn for 1 to 2 hours in order to filter out the blue light spectrum.
The best information I found on light therapy for treating depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) comes from psycheducation.org. Light therapy was proven to be as effective as antidepressant medication therapy with far fewer side effects. Its use, however, for depression and SAD should take place under a doctor’s supervision. Treatments were initiated at 30 minutes a day and decreased to 15 minutes for maintenance through the winter months. If you are a night owl, your treatment should occur as late as 8 or 9 am. If you are a lark, your treatment should occur as early as 5 am. The therapy works best when applied 8 to 9 hours after the onset of melatonin secretion. The time will be relative to your particular circadian rhythm. An excellent quiz to help determine your rhythm and optimum treatment times and durations can be found at cet-surveys.org.
Get ready for the blue lights and the yellow goggles. Before too long they will be mandatory equipment for our sleep deprived and depression plagued world. Until then, enjoy the sun and the natural cheer it brings!
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved to Ronald Czarnecki.
Tags: blue light, circadian rhythm, depression, fatigue, insomnia, jet lag, light box, light therapy, melatonin, pineal gland, retina, SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, sleep, sleep deprived, sleep disorders, sleep-wake cycle, sleepiness, sunlight, therapy, yellow goggles
Posted in Appearances are Deceiving, Our Amazing Brain, Shop for Sleep, Sleep Deprived, Sleepless and Tired | No Comments »
Thursday, May 13th, 2010
Worried and Stressed?
A recent NCERx poll, detailed on sleep-deprivation.com, of over 4000 people disclosed some alarming statistics relative to the vicious pandemic afflicting our stress filled and sleep deprived world. 74 per cent of the respondents said that they received less sleep than they needed. Even more alarming is the fact that 46 per cent of those “missed their requirement by 3 or more hours.” 93 per cent of them agree that driving while sleep deprived is as dangerous as driving while intoxicated and 29 per cent admit that they themselves are “driving dangerously when sleep deprived.” The majority (65%) said that stress was the most common cause of their sleep problems. A Better Sleep Council survey found the same percentage of Americans losing sleep due to stress, 32% losing sleep at least one night a week, and 16% reporting “stress-induced insomnia.”
Worry and its resulting stress unleash serious effects on our body, our feelings, and our behavior. According to the Mayo Clinic your body may experience headache, back pain, chest pain, heart disease, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, decreased immunity, upset stomach, and sleep problems. Stress can influence our thoughts and feelings moving us toward anxiety, restlessness, irritability, depression, sadness, anger, insecurity, lack of focus, burnout, and forgetfulness. Stress can alter behavior resulting in overeating, under eating, angry outbursts, drug or alcohol abuse, increased smoking, social withdrawal, crying spells, and conflict.
The biochemistry of stress takes the nervous system from a state of normal into an adrenalin pumped state of overdrive. The adrenal gland, the pituitary gland, the hypothalamus, and the brain stem are the primary participants in our response to stress. They are responsible for the production and release of cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. These three hormones are critical to our survival. They promote the proper functioning of the brain. Cortisol directly affects our sleep/awake cycle and keeps our inflammatory and immune systems under control. Norepinephrine and epinephrine work together to control the “fight or flight response,” glucose levels, cholesterol levels, increased memory, and increased blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle response. These stress responses all take place very quickly and they should last only one to two hours.
The stresses of modern society tend to last much longer than the stresses of past societies. Our schedules are packed more tightly. The recession has tightened our budgets to the breaking point. The electronic media draw more attention than ever to the problems, tragedies, and crimes occurring every day. Our stress levels are not likely to be relieved after one to two hours. The stress results in a lack of sleep. We talk to our associates and friends about how we can’t sleep. They console us and talk to us about their similar difficulties. Soon we believe that this is “normal.” One of the startling statistics in the NCERx poll was the finding that more than a third of the respondents “suffered in silence and had never sought any treatment to help them sleep.” Caffeine during the day and sleeping pills at night offer temporary relief. Our society has become addicted to caffeine and energy drinks. Unless the underlying stresses are relieved, the dangers of sleep deprivation are increased, and the pandemic spreads.
Here are some simple and effective remedies to attack the stressors:
- Dark chocolate. It helps reduce the blood pressure. Only 1 oz per day!
- Sunlight. Whenever possible, sit in the sun; or, even better, take a walk in it.
- Exercise. Schedule it at least three hours before bedtime.
- A family discussion every night after dinner. Discuss the day’s trials and solutions.
- Quiet time for reading. Reading before bedtime, instead of TV, works wonders.
- Laughter is a great stress reliever. Rent a good comedy movie or play some games.
- Music soothes the soul. Keep it calm and relaxing!
- A warm bath, shower, or massage will divert your attentions.
- Positive motivational quotes will inspire confidence, persistence, and determination.
- Time with the pets. They sometimes offer better therapy than humans.
- Hugs, love, and sex provide great stress relief.
- Napping during the day for 30 minutes is more beneficial than the extra 30 minutes in the am.
- Daydreaming of your favorite vacation spots or experiences will lift your spirits.
- A good mattress is essential to a good night’s rest.
- A healthy diet, focusing on tryptophan rich foods, high carbohydrates and low to medium proteins.
- A bedtime snack of apple pie and vanilla ice cream. Keep it high in carbohydrates and calcium and low in protein. Make it an hour before bedtime.
- A prayer before bedtime to thank God for another day of the blessings of life and the gifts He has given you.
These remedies cost virtually nothing. Implementing them will reward us with a good night’s rest and a happier life!
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved to Ronald Czarnecki.
Tags: brain, depression, good night's rest, insomnia, napping, pandemic, remedies, sleep, sleep deprivation, sleep deprived, stress, worry
Posted in Diet, Sleep Deprived, Sleepless and Tired, Worried and Stressed | No Comments »
Saturday, April 10th, 2010
- Polish air crash scene photo from the BBC
Today’s air disaster killing the Polish President, Lech Kaczynski, and all 96 people on board adds another crash to the list of recent air disasters attributed to pilot error or fatigue. More details can be found in the media reports, but it calls attention to the recent articles I have published, one in an earlier post and this one, reprinted from Articlesbase.com:
Monday marked the first day of the newly revised FAA policy allowing pilots who use antidepressant medications to legally fly the skies. Our sleepless and tired pilots are constantly stressed by their long hours and the constant interruptions of their sleep cycles due to time zone changes. Some of those pilots will now add the effects of antidepressant medications to the list of factors that can affect their abilities to react to unexpected challenges in flight. Will the new policy spell an increase in the number of human error caused disasters?
Greg Griffin in an article in the Denver Post asserts, “Human error factors were cited as the primary problem in 74 commercial aviation safety incidents reported at Denver International Airport since 2005, according to a NASA database of voluntary, anonymous reports from pilots and others.” A joint report from the FAA and the aviation industry concluded that, “loss of control accidents – in which the crew was unable to recover from an unexpected event such as engine failure or a stall – accounted for 42 percent of commercial aviation fatalities worldwide from 1999 through 2008, more than any other cause.” Human factors such as sleep deprivation, mental distractions, scheduling, and training are all contributing factors. The United Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority reported last year that “flight crews were the primary cause of two-thirds of fatal commercial and business plane crashes worldwide from 1997 through 2006.” Our own FAA found in a 2006 study that “from 1990 to 2002, 45 percent of major airline accidents in the United States and 75 percent of commuter-carrier crashes were associated with human error.”
Addendum to published article –
A report in February 2000 by the Department of Transportation/FAA studied the multiple facets of the literature’s assertions that “between 70-80% of airline accidents can be attributed, at least in part, to human error.”
The February 2009 crash of Colgan Air’s Flight 3407 in Buffalo NY, killing 50 people, was attributed to fatigue, training, and pay. The NTSB attributed most of the blame to the lack of proper simulator training. The lack of proper simulator training also was a factor in the 2001 crash of an American Airlines A300-600 that killed 265 people.
An October 2009 Delta Airlines plane with 182 passengers landed safely on a taxiway at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. The FAA is still investigating this case where fatigue from a ten hour flight and the distraction of a medical emergency on board could have caused the serious error.
The Northwest Airlines A320 overshot runway incident in October 2009 at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport has been attributed to distraction, but sleeping on board was also suggested. The pilot and copilot claimed they were busy on their laptops, but air traffic controllers were not able to contact the plane for an hour and eighteen minutes. The plane had been at risk of being shot down by fighter planes dispatched in a concern over a possible high jacking.
With all of these stats supporting the conclusion that most airline disasters are caused by human error, it seems incomprehensible that the FAA would add the side effects of antidepressants to the already growing problems of fatigue, stress, and sleep deprivation. The dangerous side effects of antidepressant prescriptions are well documented. The dangers disclosed on the labels of Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, and Lexapro are enough to stoke fears in the most confident air travelers. Randy Babbitt, FAA Administrator, responsible for the change reversing policy in effect for more than 70 years, chooses “culture change” and a new, more tolerant view of those affected by depression over and above the public safety he is charged to protect. How many lost lives in future disasters will be required before we return to time tested policy?
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/tired-sleepless-and-antidepressant-medicated-pilots-spell-human-error-disasters-2114011.html
“How many lost lives in future disasters will be required before we return to time tested policy?”
Here’s a shocking YouTube video compilation on the side effects of antidepressants: CLICK HERE . And the FAA says these drugs are safe for our pilots to use on the job???
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved to Ronald Czarnecki.
Tags: accidents, airline disasters, antidepressants, challenge, depression, FAA, fatigue, human error, medications, pilots, prescription, safety, simulator training, sleep, sleep deprivation, sleep deprived, sleepless and tired, stress
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Thursday, April 8th, 2010
Asleep at work
Two miracle drugs for narcoleptics and the sleepless and tired world are in the testing stages. Arena Pharmaceuticals announced on March 24, 2010 that they will be doing Phase 1 clinical trial testing of APD916. APD916 is an oral drug that targets the histamine H3 receptor in the brain and, as an agonist, it stimulates histamine production which increases arousal. The second drug, already in testing, is Orexin-A, which is a naturally occurring brain hormone which increases arousal and cognitive functions. Approximately one in every 2,000 Americans are narcoleptic and more than 70% of Americans get less than the recommended 8 hours of sleep a night. Until these drugs are approved the sleepless and tired will be endangering themselves as well as the millions of people on the road with them every day.
Narcolepsy, as described by Wikipedia, “is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in which a person experiences extreme fatigue and possibly falls asleep at inappropriate times, such as while at work or at school.” The narcoleptic usually has problems sleeping at night and, unlike most of us, they “generally experience the REM stage of sleep within 10 minutes; whereas most people do not experience REM sleep until after 30 minutes.” These rapid transitions into deep sleep can lead to extremely dangerous situations if they happen at work or on the road. Other symptoms that often accompany narcolepsy are cataplexy (muscle function loss), sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and “automatic behaviors” (normal waking functions performed while asleep, but not remembered when awakened).
The protein, Orexin, produced in the brain, is responsible for appetite control as well as the regulation of sleep patterns. The direct cause of narcolepsy has not been found yet, but there appear to be links to gene defects in one or more of the chromosomes responsible for the production of the hypocretins (orexins) in the brain. Orexin production peaks during the hours of wakefulness. Findings published by genome.cshlp.org have shown that dogs born without functioning hypocretin genes develop many symptoms of narcolepsy. Similar links have been found in mice.
Amphetamines are the current solution offered to sleep deprived individuals. They are often given to pilots, to truck drivers, and to military personnel on critical missions. These stimulants have many harmful side effects and they are also addicting. The more serious physical side effects are: headache, tachycardia, increased breathing rate, increased blood pressure, fever, diarrhea, blurred vision, dizziness, uncontrollable movements or shaking, insomnia, numbness, palpitations, arrhythmia, convulsions, and heart attack. The negative psychological side effects are: irritability, aggression, power and superiority feelings, obsessive behaviors, paranoia, and amphetamine psychosis. The side effects are frightening, the addiction problem is well documented, and the withdrawal problems can be even more problematical.
Modafinil (Provigil), manufactured by Cephalon, is another stimulant used to treat narcolepsy and sleep deprived individuals. It was approved by the FDA in 1998 and it has been used effectively by the US, the French, the British, and the Canadian militaries. Our Air Force refers to it as the “Go Pill,” and it is used in aircraft where there are two pilots. Modafinil stimulates histamine production and it does not have the drastic side effects of the amphetamines. Nausea, dizziness, and vertigo have been reported in much lower frequency. The long term effects are still in question. Abuse potential is minimal, as is the cardiovascular stimulation found with the amphetamines.
Neither amphetamine treatments, nor modafinil treatments attack the orexin deficiencies linked to narcolepsy. A study presented to the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in 2007 showed that histamine producing neurons and orexin producing neurons have direct roles in the control of wakefulness. The research concluded that both neurons have “synergistic and complimentary” roles. APD916, from Arena Pharmaceuticals, assists the histamine producing neurons and Orexin-A is a naturally occurring peptide in the brain. Both attack the deficiencies responsible for our sleepless and tired feelings and the symptoms of narcolepsy.
A study conducted at Wake Forest University School of Medicine found that the effects of sleep deprivation were reversed when Orexin-A was administered to monkeys in either intravenous or intranasal formats. The intranasal spray produced superior results when compared to the intravenous injections. When the monkeys were not sleep deprived the Orexin-A did not have any effect on their performance levels. The potential for the intranasally administered Orexin-A is reported in Molecular Interventions. The spray’s potential is far greater due to its ease of application and its quick results.
Jerome Siegel, professor of psychiatry at UCLA, and a co-author of the study reported in the Journal of Neuroscience, says “It reduces sleepiness without causing edginess.” “If the underlying deficit is a loss of orexin, and it clearly is, then the best treatment would be orexin,” he adds.
Orexin-A and APD916 are a long way from reaching our shelves. The testing and approval process can take years. Many people will be falling asleep waiting.
The world is waiting.
The entire sleepless and tired world may be snorting Orexin-A or taking ADP916 in the future. The prospects look “stimulating.”
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved to Ronald Czarnecki.
Tags: ADP916, amphetamines, brain, drugs, EDS, fatigue, histamine, hormone, hypocretins, insomnia, miracles, modafinil, narcolepsy, narcoleptic, Orexin-A, Provigil, REM, side effects, sleep, sleep deprived, sleepiness, stimulants
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Friday, April 2nd, 2010
Northwest Crash
In an unbelievable reversal of policies, the FAA is now allowing the already sleepless and tired pilots to take antidepressants on the job. The new policy takes effect on Monday, April 5th. The announcement in CBS News from the Associated Press today, April 2nd, had to have been delayed a day to avoid the April Fools tradition that would have had no one believing it! Our stress filled world has been plagued by many catastrophic tragedies that have been linked to sleep deprivation. Now, we can look forward to pilots, suffering from “mild to moderate depression,” under the influence of prescription medications like Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro, and their generic equivalents.
The FAA officials said that “the old rule was based on outdated versions of antidepressants that could cause drowsiness and other side effects.” The FAA Administrator, Randy Babbitt, now considers the side effects much less of a risk than they once were. The new policy is meant to encourage the pilots to report their use instead of keeping their use a secret. The threat of losing their licenses, until now, has kept the pilots from the disclosure. Babbitt says, “We need to be able to change the culture and remove the stigma associated with depression. Pilots should be able to get the medical treatment they need so they can safely perform their duties.” The stipulation of the new policy is that they have to have been treated successfully “for a year without side effects that could pose a safety hazard in the cockpit.”
The critical question here is how these pilots can be judged to be free of those side effects. All four of these drugs, and their generic equivalents, have the same dangerous side effects listed in all of their disclosures as well as on drugs.com:
- Drowsiness, dizziness, tired feeling
- Mild nausea, stomach pain
- Fast or uneven heartbeats
- Overactive reflexes, hostile, aggressive impulses
- Mood changes
- Concentration problems, confusion, hallucinations
- Insomnia
- Suicidal thoughts
All of these are also extremely dangerous when combined with alcohol, blood thinners, and secondary antidepressants.
Who is going to determine whether these side effects have ever been experienced by the pilots? Who is to say that if they have not been experienced before they will not happen in the future? Our psychiatrists and our psychologists have done a great job of keeping the criminals off our streets and the pedophiles away from our children, haven’t they? Many reports are written to affect the viewpoint desired by the responsible party, similar to our legal system today. Every major criminal trial today is muddled by opposing proof from differing psychiatrists and psychologists. Who determines the accuracy? Here there will be no judge and no jury. Mr. Babbitt and his competent staff at the FAA will be their judges. And we will become the victims?
How many of our lives will now be endangered because the FAA and Mr. Babbitt feel that our need to “change the culture” is more important than the safety of millions of Americans flying the skies. Sleep deprived pilots have been a problem in the past and they will continue to be a problem due to their grueling schedules. Now we can look forward to our pilots being sleep deprived and “under the influence.” How many new disasters and lost lives will be required before this “culture changing” and naive policy is replaced by the “common sense” approach of the past?
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved to Ronald Czarnecki
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Tags: antidepressants, depression, drugs, FAA, insomnia, medications, pilots, prescription, psychiatrists, psychologists, side effects, sleep deprived, sleepless and tired, stress
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