Archive for April 3rd, 2009

Getting the facts and knowing the truth about anxiety and insomnia is an important first step towards finding lasting healing for both. The problem is that they each feed the other which only serves to make the symptoms of both anxiety and insomnia so much worse. Being unable to get a good night’s sleep will impact your ability to use reason to guide you through those moments of fear, anxiety, and/or panic. As a result you aren’t ready to face the fears that set you on edge or to make it through them once they arise. In so many ways, this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy in that you can’t sleep because of your anxiety and your anxiety worsens due to your lack of sleep. It’s a vicious cycle that offers no relief in sight. So, what can you do to prevent this cycle of anxiety and insomnia from taking hold in your life?

Don’t Use Stimulants

You’d be surprised at what counts as stimulants these days. You should carefully avoid products that contain caffeine, sugar, and other ingredients that are known to keep you awake. In particular you should avoid energy drinks, energy pills, coffee, and other products that are designed to help you stay awake no matter how tired you feel in the morning. You should especially avoid stimulants before activities that may lead to anxiety attacks or in the days preceding a stressful event. Doing this will increase the possibility that you may be able to get a good night’s sleep and wake up refreshed and prepared to deal with the stress of facing your fears or dealing with your anxiety.

Mix Up Your Bedtime Routine

If all else fails make changes to what you do when preparing for bed. Something as simple as changing the time at which you go to bed each night can have an impressive impact on your ability to sleep. Other things you might want to try are including meditation before going to bed, practicing yoga, listening to soothing music or taking a long bath to unwind before turning in. Fragrances like lavender also help with relaxation and can mean a world of difference in your ability to sleep at night.

Consider Sleep Medications

Some people have little trouble going to sleep but are completely unable to remain asleep. If this is your problem you may want to consider talking with your doctor about non habit forming sleep medications or even herbal remedies that will help you get the restful night’s sleep you need in order to deal with your anxiety. SleepWell Herbal XANAX is a non-prescription herbal medication for insomnia.

When it comes to anxiety and insomnia they are a powerful combination that lead to many potential problems. By removing insomnia from the equation you are in a better situation to deal with the anxiety that you face on any given day.

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Already you know gestational diabetes is defined as glucose intolerance first recognized during pregnancy. While you are sitting there reading this, you are going to learn about gestational diabetes and the possible outcome of this condition.

Gestational diabetes: 

• is a temporary form of diabetes
• can occur in the late stages of pregnancy among some women
• insulin levels increase during pregnancy to provide enough energy for the growing baby…there is a type of competition between mother and baby for this energy
• then resistance in the mother increases as sensitivity in the baby also increases
• and the mother’s pancreas begins working overtime and becomes stressed
• will reverse itself once the baby is born

A woman with diabetes has as much chance of a healthy baby as anyone else these days.

Which women should be screened?

• all pregnant women … not just older women

When should pregnant women be screened?

• somewhere between weeks 24 and 28.

Almost all treatment for gestational diabetes is with lifestyle choices, diet and physical activity. Although due to very high blood sugar levels, some women will need to take insulin. Very high blood sugar levels can be harmful to mother and baby. If you have type 2 diabetes and you take tablets to help you manage your blood glucose levels, your health care provider will usually advise you to use insulin from early pregnancy.

You are probably wondering about your baby and blood glucose. 

• glucose passes freely from your blood to your baby via the placenta
• your baby makes his/her own insulin from about 15 weeks to help handle this glucose
• if your glucose levels are high, higher levels are then passed onto your baby
• the extra insulin will make your baby grow larger and fatter than normal
• obesity and diabetes are more common in children born to women with diabetes. If your blood glucose levels are not managed well during pregnancy there is an increased chance your baby will become overweight and develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

Following delivery your blood glucose levels will be checked for 24 hours to see whether they have returned to the normal range. Your health care provider will also organise for you to have a glucose tolerance test 12 weeks following your baby’s birth. You know you have to make a decision to focus on healthy eating and regular physical activity to control your weight to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.

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