Staying awake while the whole world is sleeping is one of most sickening experience in itself. If you are frequently unable to take a quick nap despite your best efforts, then this is certainly a matter of grave concern. However, the more you ponder about this issue, it will affect you all the more. If you think sleeping pills are your best friend, then you may want to remove this thought from your rusted mind. Sleeping pills are a temporary fix for a long term problem. Not to forget the lethal side effects associated with long term consumption of sleeping pills.

Below are some time tested measures which you can incorporate in your life to fall asleep quickly.

Clear the Mess

If you have been sleeping in a messy zone/area, without giving a damn thought that this might affect your sleep, then think twice. Firstly, a messy bedroom showcases a messy lifestyle. Organize your bedroom nicely, and clear out all the cluster found around your sleeping area. If possible, fix a water fountain beside your bed. The soothing sound of the flowing water will help you fall asleep very quickly.

Early Dinner

Make it a point to have your dinner few hours before the bedtime. Also, include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Alcohol consumption should be avoided as it will impact the quality of your sleep.

Practice Good Hygiene

Good bedtime habits contribute a lot towards quick sleep. Try to relax yourself before going to bed. Dri

nk a glass of warm milk or have an apple or a banana before plunging into the bed. If you add honey to a glass of milk, then it will help you fall asleep faster. Also, brush your teeth before going to bed to avoid tooth decay. Take a warm

bath with a good herbal oil to relax your mind and body completely, thereby offering you great peace of mind.

Avoid Sleeping During the D

ay Time

Don’t expect a great night sleep, if you can’t limit your habit of day time nap. If you completely avoid sleeping during the day time, then you will fall asleep faster during the night.

Bore Yourself

This strategy also works wonders. Some people indulge in reading activities before going to sleep. If you don’t have a store of books, then read newspapers.

Soundproof Room

Sound is the prime culprit which deprives most individuals from falling asleep soon. If you are amongst these individuals, then sleep inside a soundproof room. You can also consider closing all the windows or wearing earplugs before going to bed.

Adjust Lights

It’s no secret that people tend to fall asleep soon in a dark place. Switch off the lights or adjust them appropriately so that they do not turn out to be a disturbing factor for you.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing exercises can also serve as a great resource to fall asleep quickly. Breathing exercises will barely take few minutes of your time, however the resultin

g benefits would be enormous.

Difficult Behaviors After A Stroke

by: Stephanie Trelogan

Some stroke survivors behave in ways that can make life unpleasant for the people around them. A stroke survivor may be depressed, anxious, and angry, and he may not know how to express his feelings in a positive way. He may lash out at you verbally or even physically.

Difficult behaviors can also arise from personality changes. Almost half of people who care for stroke survivors describe them as being negative, impatient, and easily upset. A stroke survivor may exhibit child-like behaviors, lashing out verbally or even physically.

Here’s what you can do to deal with these behaviors:

• Recognize that it’s not about you. The person in your care is angry about his situation, and he may have lost some of the ability to control his emotions that he used to have. As impossible as it may sound, try to keep your own emotions under control. If necessary, give yourself a time-out for a while so that you both can cool down.
• Be positive and supportive — but firm. You can say things like, “I can see that you’re very angry right now, but it’s not okay for you to yell at me like that. What do you think would help us both feel better?”
• Use distraction and soothing techniques. Sometimes the best way to deal with difficult behavior is to distract him with a calming activity, like watching a favorite TV show or listening to relaxing music. You can talk about his behavior when you’ve both calmed down.
• Try positive reinforcement. A point system may help him relearn how to behave appropriately. For example, if he tells you he’s upset instead of crying or screaming at you, you can give him points that can be added up for a later reward. You can use a sticker chart so he can see his progress. (Even though this may sound like the way you’d treat a child, many stroke survivors respond well to this type of reward system.) The best rewards are those you can enjoy together, like going to the movies or some other enjoyable activity.
• Decrease distraction and stimulation. If the television is on while the stroke survivor is trying to get dressed, he may have a hard time focusing — and he may become frustrated and lash out at you. So try to eliminate such “background noise.”
• Find a support group where he can share his feelings. Talking to other people in a similar situation can be tremendously helpful, and he’ll benefit from the social interaction. It’s also a great way for you to connect with other caregivers.
• Protect yourself. If he’s physically abusive, you should take measures to prevent him from hurting himself or you. Talk to his doctor and rehabilitation team. You may need to consider a nursing facility.

Coming to terms with changes in a stroke survivor’s emotions, personality, and behavior may be even more difficult than managing his physical disability. He may seem like a completely different person from the one you knew before the stroke, and this can be very upsetting at times. You may want to get counseling or join a support group. Having someone to talk to and knowing that you’re not alone can ease a world of anxiety and fear.

Resources:

• Difficult Behavior After Stroke

About the Author

Stephanie Trelogan is Senior Editor of the Heart, Stroke, and Depression channels. Older people in Stephanie’s family have coped with a variety of stroke- and heart-related conditions, and several family membersincluding Stephaniehave struggled with depression.

Pycnogenol® lowered joint pain by 55 percent from baseline “severe” to moderately painful, improved physical function by 56 percent, joint stiffness by 53 percent and increased patients mobility almost three-fold

GENEVA-Switzerland – More than 20 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis, with half a million Americans having a total joint replacement each year. A new study to be published in the April 2008 edition (Volume 22, issue No 4) of the journal of Phytotherapy Research shows Pycnogenol® (pic-noj-en-all), an antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree, was shown to reduce all osteoarthritis symptoms by 56 percent. The study revealed a particularly high efficacy of Pycnogenol® for lowering joint pain by 55 percent. Moreover, patients required dramatically less standard pain medication (-58 percent), which greatly improved the gastrointestinal complications resulting from the pain medication by 63 percent.

“Pycnogenol® seemed a natural fit for this study,” said Dr. Gianni Belcaro, a lead researcher of the study. “There are a few main components contributing to the clinical picture of treatment management in osteoarthritis: inflammation causing a progression in the disease, alteration of fatigue resistance and muscular performance—reversing and blocking the vascular problems associated to altered mobility. Theoretically, a treatment with a compound specifically active on all those aspects could be highly effective, which is why we chose Pycnogenol®.”

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, held at Italy’s Chieti-Pescara University, sampled 156 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee (OA). Patients were administered 100 mg Pycnogenol® or placebo, daily for three months. Symptoms were evaluated by WOMAC index scores and mobility by recording their walking performance on a treadmill. Patients were permitted to continue taking their choice of pain medication provided they recorded every tablet in a diary for later evaluation.

To describe and rate osteoarthritis symptoms (joint pain, stiffness and physical function), WOMAC questionnaires were evaluated by the investigator and patient at the start and after three months of treatment. Patients were trained on a treadmill test and performance evaluation was recorded on total distance that could be covered without pain. Measuring foot volume by the water-displacement method was used to evaluate ankle/foot edema in a randomly selected subgroup of subjects within the two treatment groups.

After three months, scores for pain dropped significantly for the Pycnogenol® treatment group and no significant effects were recorded for the placebo group. Scores for stiffness were reduced by 53 percent. The scores for physical function were reduced by 57 percent in the Pycnogenol® group and improvement under placebo was not significant. The global WOMAC score decreased following Pycnogenol® treatment and very little in the placebo group, from 56 percent vs. 9.6 percent for Pycnogenol® and placebo, respectively. Overall well-being of patients (emotional function) was significantly enhanced with the Pycnogenol® group, by 64 percent and 15 percent for the placebo group.
Results of exercise tests on the treadmill demonstrated an increased performance after three months of Pycnogenol® treatment. At the start of the study, patients could only walk a mean of 74 yards without feeling pain and after three months, they could walk 216 yards, compared to the placebo group that noted 71 yards at the beginning of the study and 96 yards at the end.

osteoarthritis pain

In addition to the osteoarthritis results, 76 percent of the patients in the Pycnogenol® group and 79 percent in the placebo group showed visible ankle and foot edema at inclusion of the study. After the three months, edema decreased in 79 percent of the Pycnogenol® patients and only one percent in placebo-treated patients.

Patients were allowed to use their regular dosage of NSAIDS. Usage dropped by 58 percent during treatment with Pycnogenol® and one percent with the placebo. Evaluation of data demonstrated a decrease of gastrointestinal complications of 64 percent in the Pycnogenol® group versus three percent in placebo.

“The results of this study are significant as they clearly demonstrate the clinical action of Pycnogenol® on OA and management of symptoms. The use of Pycnogenol® many reduce costs and side effects of anti-inflammatory agents and offer a natural alternative solution to people suffering from OA” said Dr. Belcaro.

A previous study on osteoarthritis which was carried out at the University of Arizona Tucson (published in Nutrition Research) had discovered that Pycnogenol® was effective for improving pain and joint function. After three months in the Pycnogenol® group, there was a reduction of 43 percent in pain, 35 percent in stiffness, 52 percent in physical function subscales, respectively. The placebo group showed no significant scores throughout the entire study. Dr. Belcaro confirms this earlier study with a much larger number of patients and with a more detailed investigation procedure.

The benefits of Pycnogenol® for arthritic joints are suggested to result predominantly from the anti-inflammatory potency of Pycnogenol® which was demonstrated in a series of clinical investigations in the past. There are more breakthrough studies on Pycnogenol® and osteoarthritis expected to be published next year allowing for development of innovative, natural formulas for joint health. Additionally, Horphag Research, the exclusive worldwide distributor of Pycnogenol® has filed for several patents for Pycnogenol’s® application for COX-1, COX-2 and treating osteoarthritis.

“The new research in the field of osteoarthritis has been a paradigm shift for Pycnogenol®. We were able to demonstrate Pycnogenol’s® impact on all inflammatory parameters and have succeeded in providing strong clinical evidence of Pycnogenol® efficacy in this field. It is obvious that Pycnogenol® will have to be considered as an innovative ingredient of choice for the joint health market,” said Victor Ferrari, CEO of Horphag Research, the exclusive worldwide supplier of Pycnogenol®.

Isotonix OPC-3^® is an isotonic-capable food supplement that is made from a combination of bilberry, grape seed, red wine, pine bark extracts and citrus extract bioflavonoids, all found to be potent antioxidants. Oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) are bioflavonoids (complex organic plant compounds) found in fruits, vegetables and certain tree barks that provide exceptional nutritional benefits to the human body. Studies have shown OPCs to be up to 20 times more powerful than vitamin C and 50 times more powerful than vitamin E in neutralizing free radicals. Isotonix OPC-3 contains the only isotonic form of Pycnogenol^® in the world. Pycnogenol is a natural plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree, and the most clinically researched and potent bioflavonoid.

About Pycnogenol®
Pycnogenol® is a natural plant extract originating from the bark of the maritime pine that grows along the coast of southwest France and is found to contain a unique combination of procyanidins, bioflavonoids and organic acids, which offer extensive natural health benefits. The extract has been widely studied for the past 35 years and has more than 220 published studies and review articles ensuring safety and efficacy as an ingredient. Today, Pycnogenol® is available in more than 600 dietary supplements, multi-vitamins and health products worldwide. For more information, visit www.pycnogenol.com.

how-antioxidants-fight-free-radicals

A free radical is an atomic structure with an unpaired electron in its outermost shell. These unpaired electrons tend to be highly reactive, resulting in chemical reactions such as oxidation. Because they have one or more unpaired electrons, free radicals are highly unstable. They scavenge the body to grab or donate electrons, causing damage to cells, proteins and DNA. Free radicals are naturally occurring; however, air pollution, stress, smoking, heavy exercising and aging all contribute to the creation of harmful free radicals. Free radicals can cause oxidative damage to the body, potentially leading to serious health problems. Normally the body is able to protect itself from the damaging effects of free radicals, but if antioxidants are unavailable, or if free radical production becomes excessive, damage can occur.

free-radicals-formation

Antioxidants are natural cell protectors, neutralizing free radicals by pairing an electron to the outermost shell of radical oxygen molecules, rendering them harmless. Antioxidants are nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, and enzymes that are capable of counteracting the damaging, but normal, effects of the physiological process of oxidation in bodily tissues. Antioxidants work in two ways, chain breaking and prevention. A chain-breaking antioxidant such as vitamins A, C and E, stabilize free radicals or cause them to decay into harmless atomic structures. A preventative antioxidant prevents the oxidation process by scavenging free radicals.

Isotonix OPC-3 – is the only Isotonic capable Pycnogenol^® found in the market today.

Isotonix OPC-3^® is an isotonic-capable food supplement that is made from a combination of bilberry, grape seed, red wine, pine bark extracts and citrus extract bioflavonoids, all found to be potent antioxidants. Oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) are bioflavonoids (complex organic plant compounds) found in fruits, vegetables and certain tree barks that provide exceptional nutritional benefits to the human body. Studies have shown OPCs to be up to 20 times more powerful than vitamin C and 50 times more powerful than vitamin E in neutralizing free radicals. Isotonix OPC-3 contains the only isotonic form of Pycnogenol^® in the world. Pycnogenol is a natural plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree, and the most clinically researched and potent bioflavonoid.

Isotonic, which means “same pressure,” bears the same chemical resemblance of the body’s blood, plasma and tears. All fluids in the body have a certain concentration, referred to as osmotic pressure. The body’s common osmotic pressure, which is isotonic, allows a consistent maintenance of body tissues. In order for a substance to be absorbed and used in the body’s metabolism, it must be transported in an isotonic state.

Isotonix^® dietary supplements are delivered in an isotonic solution. This means that the body has less work to do to in obtaining maximum absorption. The isotonic state of the suspension allows nutrients to pass directly into the small intestine and be rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. With Isotonix products, little nutritive value is lost, making the absorption of nutrients highly efficient while delivering maximum results.