Health Expert Florence Cardinal shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/5954/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/5954/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/5954/index http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/131476/heart-day Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:34:00 -0500 Florence Cardinal For several years, February 14 has been designated Congenital Heart Defect Day. And what better day could there be than Valentines Day, with its ever-present abundance of hearts to remind us just how important the heart is?   What does this have to do with sleep disorders? Well, directly, not much, but indirectly sleep is involved on several fronts.   For instance, childhood sleep is often troubled by terrifying nightmares and... http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/131476/heart-day http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/126670/enjoying Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:08:20 -0500 Florence Cardinal The stores have packed away the costumes and masks. Halloween is over for another year. This end-of-October event kicked off the fall and winter holiday season. Thanksgiving with its turkey and all the trimmings, with the pioneer costumes and horns of plenty is also packed up and behind us.   Now the department store shelves are filled up with green and red decorations and blinking lights. The winter holiday season is here and will extend... http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/126670/enjoying http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/126404/perchance Sat, 11 Dec 2010 18:19:30 -0500 Florence Cardinal Some people have prophetic dreams involving more widespread disasters.  Lynn Walbeck has had many dreams of the crash of commercial planes, usually days before the crash occurred.  The dreams, however, are vague, although sometimes she knows the continent and occasionally the country.   Lynn's most disturbing dream, however, was about the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986.  The dream occurred the night... http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/126404/perchance http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/125399/texting Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:37:14 -0500 Florence Cardinal Do your children seem more moody, irritable or depressed than usual? Don't blame it all on adolescent angst. The cause may not be physical or mental, but electronic. Not so long ago, such behavior was blamed on sleep deprivation caused by violent TV shows or stimulating video games before bedtime.   Now new villains have raised there heads in the form of email and texting. Researcher Dr. Peter G. Polos at the JFK Medical Center sleep lab... http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/125399/texting http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/125038/depression Mon, 22 Nov 2010 14:46:35 -0500 Florence Cardinal Some sleep problems respond favorably to bright light therapy, especially light applied first thing in the morning. Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) causes one to have trouble waking in the morning and falling to sleep at night. This disorder responds well to early morning bright light therapy. Advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS) reverses the symptoms of DSPS and is one of the few sleep disorders that may respond better to evening bright... http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/125038/depression http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/122204/coffee Sat, 16 Oct 2010 15:34:30 -0400 Florence Cardinal This article isn't for those folks who have trouble sleeping. It's for the opposite side of the wheel - those folks who, occasionally, or frequently, have trouble staying awake.                                             ... http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/122204/coffee http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/120209/awareness Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:51:00 -0400 Florence Cardinal This is National ADHD Awareness Month. What is ADHD (attention-deficit hyper activity disorder?) According to Medicinenet.com: "ADHD refers to a chronic biobehavioral disorder that initially manifests in childhood and is characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity, and/or inattention." It begins in early childhood, but in some cases, continues into adulthood.  Children with ADHD have trouble concentrating and controlling their emotions.... http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/120209/awareness http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/119466/insomnia-2 Mon, 13 Sep 2010 11:26:00 -0400 Florence Cardinal Two new drugs, one already on the market, and a second still in the testing stage, may be the answer.   The drug, Rozerem, (Ramelteon)was approved in 2005. Rozerem claims to have two major differences to other sleep medications - it works on the brain in a whole new way, and it's not addictive.   Rozerem, manufactured by the Japanese drug company, Takeda, is said to work by stimulating the melatonin receptors in the brain.... http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/119466/insomnia-2 http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/119465/insomnia-2 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:24:41 -0400 Florence Cardinal   Two new drugs, one already on the market, and a second still in the testing stage, may be the answer.   The drug, Rozerem, (Ramelteon)was approved in 2005. Rozerem claims to have two major differences to other sleep medications - it works on the brain in a whole new way, and it's not addictive.   Rozerem, manufactured by the Japanese drug company, Takeda, is said to work by stimulating the melatonin receptors in the brain.... http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/119465/insomnia-2 http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/119346/insomnia-1 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:49:00 -0400 Florence Cardinal Over the centuries, a variety of cures for insomnia have been tried. One of the first, and, unfortunately, one that's still in use today, is alcohol.   It's true that alcohol will put you to sleep - it's called passing out in many cases - it's not a good choice for a sleeping pill. Although you do go to sleep, later in the night, sleep patterns tend to be disrupted. You may awaken or suffer from nightmares, walk in your sleep or be... http://www.healthcentral.com/sleep-disorders/c/5954/119346/insomnia-1