What I Do When I'm Not Sleeping Well

Most of the time I have no trouble whatsoever falling to sleep, and I sleep like a baby the whole night through. On occasion, however, my mind will not stop moving and I struggle to get to sleep. This goes on for a couple of days until I employ some of the exercises that I use when I am not sleeping well, and then I get right back to sleeping the night through. I am not saying that these things will work for everyone who tries them, but they certainly work for me.

One of the first things that I try to do when I am not sleeping well is to get more physical activity into my daily routine. It seems that often when I am not exercising enough, I am restless at night and really struggle to get to sleep. When that happens to me, I try to go for a walk after dinner or incorporate a trip to the gym during my lunch hour and put in some work on the treadmill. This almost always does the trick, but when it does not, I have a couple of other things that I try.

I have found that one of the biggest reasons I am not sleeping well is that I have a lot of problems or stressful situations going on in my life. When this happens, I make it a point to get them resolved as quickly as possible. It usually does not take me more than a day or two, and when I get those things done, I usually crash and sleep like the dead. It is amazing how alleviating stress from my life can help me rest so much better, but sometimes, even doing that does not help me completely get over my insomnia.

Sometimes when I am not sleeping well, I will lay on my back until I get sleepy and then turn over to my side. I don't know why, and this may only be something particular to me, but for some reason, while I can only sleep on my side, it is much easier for me to fall asleep on my back. I will lay on my back and feel myself getting tired, and right as I am about to drift off, roll over onto my side and usually go right to sleep and stay asleep. This seems to get me back on track with my sleeping routine.

Obviously, everyone is different, and what may work for one person when they are not sleeping well may not work for another person. All I can say is that I have tried these things and have had great success getting the sleep that I need each night, so it might be worth trying.

A Male Fertility Test May Be The First Thing to Try When a Couple Has Trouble Getting Pregnant

Oddly enough, even in this day and age, when a woman isn't able to get pregnant, most people think that it's probably something with her health that's causing the problem. There's really no reason to think this way, because when doctors actually investigate why a woman is unable to get pregnant, half the time a problem is with the man’s health is what that is responsible. And in 30% of all these cases, a fertility test on the man reveals that he has problems with being infertile or with very low fertility.

So without a doubt, when a couple has trouble conceiving, a fertility test on the man certainly would be an important step. There are two reasons why a fertility test should be done on the man first of all, instead of in the woman. It can be easier to test a man and less expensive. When they test the woman first, it’s a longer process and the woman has to remain worried and anxious even if they should discover in the end that the problem lay with the man's health.

Most of the time, a person - be they a man or a woman - isn't exactly infertile. Most of the time, if a couple keeps trying, they will conceive in the second year or the fifth or anything.  A fertility test and other fertility assistance that hospitals provide most of the time, only help speed things up considerably. Even with no infertility treatments, most couples get pregnant one day, when they try long enough.

Most people wonder - if women go to a gynecologist for fertility problems, what kind of specialist does a man go to? Well, the answer to that perplexing question is that you go to a urologist. A urologist will usually first talk to the man, and give him a physical exam. He’ll try to learn about what his lifestyle is like, if he has health problems that might interfere with his fertility, and ask him about his way of having sex.

When nothing else seems to offer a clue fertility test. The first part of that is as sperm analysis, course. The lab tech studies sperm for sperm count seizes there's a problem. About one in 15 men with fertility problems turn out to have normal semen. Surprisingly, if they find zero sperm in there, it will be cause for celebration. Because it means the man probably has some kind of blockage and pumping. That will be pretty simple to clear up.

If there's nothing to be found in the semen analysis, the doctor will look for a hormone evaluation. 98% of the time, this is where the problem is.

Diabetes Signs and Symptoms to Watch Out For

For a span of a couple of years in my life, I was at risk for developing diabetes. I got my diet in order and started exercising regularly, and before long it was not an issue for me at all. I did start to experience some of the diabetes signs and symptoms, and that, more than anything else, scared me into turning my life around. There are a couple of things to watch for and if you begin to experience any of these things, I would go to a doctor immediately.

One of the first things that I noticed was an increased number of trips to the bathroom, and oddly enough, an increased thirst. As I would soon discover in talking with my doctor, these were fairly common diabetes signs and symptoms. I found that I had to urinate 10 or 12 times a day, and that I felt thirsty almost all of the time. At first, I thought one was responsible for the other and vice versa, but that was not the case, and my doctor informed me that I was likely in the early stages of the illness.

Then I started to notice tingling in my hands. My doctor informed me that this, too, was among the more regularly observed diabetes signs and symptoms. I remember I would be at work and just start to feel a numbness and eventual tingling, and could not explain why. At first, I thought that it was just a result of me spending so much of my day at the keyboard, but there were plenty of other people who typed just as much as I did and never experienced any of the symptoms I did. I quickly realized that it was more than just the result of overuse of my hands and wrists.

It was when I started to experience fatigue throughout the day that I went to my doctor and explained what was happening to me. I told him about everything I was experiencing and he said that everything I complained about were diabetes signs and symptoms, and than I had two choices. I could go on medication to treat the diabetes or commit myself to a diet and exercise regimen and get the problem under control that way. That was all that I had to hear.

Before long, I was working out every day and eating properly. I cut out sodas, fast food and sweets and started to eat a more balanced diet. When I returned a month later, I was down 18 pounds and all the diabetes signs and symptoms had gone away. I may have caught it right in the nick of time, but at least I took it out before it took me out!

What Exactly is a Postnasal Drip and What Can You Do About It?

Some people just feel awful when they wake up every morning - with a hacking cough, a very sore throat or at least the feeling that there's something in their throat all thime, is what greets them first thing in the morning. They keep hacking and clearing their throat but it doesn't make any difference. When you feel like that all the time, there's just one explanation - you have postnasal drip.

We all think mucus is disgusting. And yet it is only disgusting to us when we actually see it. You can't really afford to think about what is disgusting when you're dealing with living beings. We are full of disgusting stuff. Why, on any given day, your nasal tissues produce a pint of mucus. And where does it go? Don't ask - it goes right down your throat without ever entering your mouth.

Don't let that thought disturb you. It's natural for your body to do this. Without all that mucus going down your throat and cleansing your respiratory passages, you would be completely infected all the time.

What happens though, when the that mucus loses its way and ends up the back of your throat? That's when you get postnasal drip. It's a very unpleasant feeling. It happens for many reasons. If your mucus tissues produce too much stuff and if it's too thin and watery, you get that dripping sensation in you throat. That's why they call it postnasal drip.

It can either be very thin and runny so that it drips, or it can be extremely sick like the stuff you get during a cold. And it just sticks to the back of your throat.

There are a number of things that cause postnasal drip - that cause your nasal mucus tissues to go awry like this. You could have an allergy to your surroundings, there could be air pollution of a specific kind, or there could be some kind of deformity in the way your nasal passages are frmed. Or you could have an infection.

Most doctors right away write you out a regular prescription for antihistamines that have the effect of drying up your mucus. Of course, you also end up with of the dreaded dry mouth, that can be very difficult too.

When you have that, there are a number of home remedies that can help. You could gargle saltwater, you could use a nasal syringe with water mixed with baking soda. You could  alsoinhale steam.

Am I Really Getting Enough Sleep?

I regularly work more than 60 hours a week, and have wondered at times if I am getting enough sleep. I get between six and seven hours of sleep each night and had always felt that was enough. However, I had recently started to get more tired at work and became concerned that I needed to get eight hours, which is what I have usually heard was recommended. I went to my doctor one Saturday and informed him of the situation and asked for his advice. He had some very interesting things to say.

He said that if you sleep six or seven hours, you may or may not be getting enough sleep. The fact of the matter is, as he put it, the amount of sleep a person needs varies from individual to individual and is by no means set in stone. He asked me how long I had been sleeping for six or seven hours a night. I told him that it had been years. He then asked how long I had been feeling run down. I told him that it had only been for the past few months, and that there could be a couple of other factors contributing to my tired feeling.

The first thing he wanted to check on was my thyroid. He said that there is a condition called hypothyroidism that can make a person feel like they are not getting enough sleep when that is really not the case at all. He did a blood test and informed me that I did not have that condition, and said that was a good thing for me. I agreed, but I was not sure how good it really could be because if it had been that, I would at least know why I felt tired all the time! So we moved on.

He asked if I was getting enough exercise during the day. He knows that I have a rather sedentary job, and wanted to know if the fact that I was not doing enough during the day was making it more difficult for me to get restful sleep during the night, which can also lead to that run-down feeling. I told him how much I worked out, and again, he said it was probably not that. He then tried something he had done for a couple of other patients that had great results. He recommended a multivitamin.

It seems funny to say this, but the multivitamin did the trick. As it turns out, I was getting enough sleep each night, but I was deficient in some type of vitamin or nutrient. My doctor informed that did happen sometimes in otherwise healthy men, and I was able to take care of the problem relatively easily.

Some Possible Causes of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness

It is not at all uncommon to feel kind of run-down and tired during the middle of the day. It is, however, uncommon to have excessive daytime sleepiness on a regular basis, and if this type of problem is experienced it should be addressed immediately through a doctor. There are a number of possible causes of excessive daytime sleepiness, and the key is determining with issue it is that is affecting you. As someone who had this problem, that is not always the easiest thing to do!

Something that runs in our family is a condition called hypothyroidism, which can cause a feeling of excessive daytime sleepiness. My sister had it for a number of years before it was ever officially diagnosed, and everyone in our family just thought that she was remarkably lazy. It was not until we found out that she had this disorder and got it treated that we realized there was more to it than just that. She got on medication, and within the next two to three weeks her thyroid hormone level started to shoot up and she had a lot more energy.

My father had a heart condition that caused excessive daytime sleepiness that he did not know about until his early 50s. It was great that he discovered it when he did, which was through a regular doctor's check up, because he was taking so many naps that we became quite worried about him. We later learned that he was probably on the verge of having a massive heart attack if the condition had not been discovered, and the fact that it was found in all likelihood saved his life.

Now, I don't want to give the impression that it is all doom and gloom when it comes to excessive daytime sleepiness. It could be something quite benign, such as not getting enough sleep at night or not getting enough of the right vitamins and nutrients. I know that a friend of mine went to the doctor one time because he was feeling run down and worn out all throughout the day and learned he was deficient in a couple of vitamins. He started taking a multivitamin and cleared the problem right up!

There are many other possibilities, but these are definitely some of the causes of excessive daytime sleepiness. When experiencing such a problem, one should contact his or her doctor immediately. It may be nothing, or something that is not very serious, but if it is a serious medical condition, it should be dealt with swiftly. I truly believe that was the only reason my father survived the incident with his heart.

Joint Pain Causes Can Vary From Person to Person

Joint pain is one of the worst things to try to endure, because we use our joints for practically everything we do. As someone who has suffered from this problem, I have learned that joint pain causes can be attributed to a number of different factors, and just because one person might have joint pain as a result of one factor, that does not mean the next joint pain sufferer will have it for the same reason. It really boils down to going to a doctor and finding out what issue is effecting each individual.

I struggled with my weight for a long period of my life, and it took its toll. For me and a lot of other people, carrying too much weight is one of the biggest joint pain causes. I distinctly remember climbing stairs and feeling the crunching in my knees as I ascended each step. It was the same when I went down the stairs, and it was not a pleasant experience. I also had ankle pain as a result of being too heavy. Fortunately, I was able to lose weight and get rid of all of the joint pain with which I had struggled.

My father got sick near the end of his life, and had a whole host of physical ailments. One of those ailments that he suffered from was gout. Gout is one of the major joint pain causes, and there were times when my father had such a problem with his that he would cry out in pain. It was horrible, and basically it is a condition that involves inflammatory arthritis in the joints, particularly in the big toe. If  one is experiencing extremely tender joints and suspects the cause may be gout, they should see a doctor immediately.

One of the other big joint pain causes can come from overuse. I had a friend that got into a really serious workout regimen that required him to exercise four to five hours a day. He was getting into a very good shape, but started to notice that he was having a harder and harder time with his joints. The problem was that he was putting too much stress on them by working out for such long periods of time. Unfortunately, the workout program he was so proud of following had to be stopped because he was risking serious injury.

Joint pain causes can vary from person to person, and can result from a number of different circumstances. The most important thing that a person can do at the first sign of joint pain is to go to the doctor and get it checked out.

Some of the Reasons I Can't Sleep

There have been times in recent years that I cant sleep, and no matter what I do, I will lay in bed for hours before finally drifting off. There are a number of reasons for this, and I always try to do something that will help me to get to sleep to practically no avail. Some of the reasons I cant sleep are hard to put my finger on, but I have learned some techniques in the last few weeks that I have employed and have found that I am able to get to sleep faster.

When I cant sleep, the first thing that I always try to do is lay flat on my back. I am not sure if other people do this, but for some reason, when I am laying on my back, it is easier for me to fall asleep. I usually sleep on my side, so I will lay on my back until I start to get sleepy and then turn over to one side. It takes a while sometimes to fall asleep, but it has gotten easier and easier to drift off since I have started using this technique and it might be worth a try for someone who is struggling with insomnia.

Usually, I cant sleep as a result of too much information going through my brain. In other words, I have so much on my mind from work and with the family that I cannot shut it all down sufficiently to go to sleep. I have learned that I have to make it a point at least an hour before I go to bed to stop doing anything work-related and to devote that time to reading, watching television or something else that does not require me to dwell on any problems I may be having or what I need to do at work the next day.

I cant sleep sometimes when I have eaten too late in the evening, as well. It used to be that I could go out for pizza and beer at nine o'clock in the evening, and then go to bed an hour later and be just fine. That is no longer the case for me, and I will often have heartburn and find it very difficult to fall asleep. I will usually go through about five or six antacids before I am finally able to get to sleep. I have made it a point, consequently, to stop eating by six o'clock and make sure my food is digested properly before attempting to sleep.

There are a variety of reasons I cant sleep depending on the circumstances. I have found ways of coping with all of them, and I am sure I will think up more ways as new issues arise.

Lack of Energy

You have a lot to do each day and you may not have enough gumption to get it done. You know you want to do it, but you have a lack of energy that may leave some chores and even some welcomed activities undone. Not having enough energy can be a huge problem. At times, there are reasons why this happens that are perfectly normal and will go away, and then there are reasons why your energy deficit may end up being chronic. Small changes in your life can be mean huge changes in your energy levels. Figure out why you are do tired and then make the needed change to get your life back.

One time when a lack of energy is not anything you have done is after you have had surgery. At first, your body will produce adrenaline and you won't feel that let down. However, one to two weeks after your procedure you may feel a total letdown that leaves you exhausted just from walking from one room in your house to another. In most cases, this is due to your surgery and should be short term. Make yourself move even if you don't feel like it. If this does not go away, consult with your doctor.

Women may also feel a lack of energy after they have had a baby. This is just because of all that she body has just gone through. You may have trouble getting your energy back because you are getting up every two to three hours with your newborn each night. This lack of vitality will go away as long as you make time to take care of yourself. Sleep when you need to, but get out for a walk with the baby if you can, and make sure you are eating the best diet that you can. Soon enough you will start to feel a little more like your old self. Ask your spouse to take a night time feeding or to help in another way if you can and make sure you take care of yourself too.

Otherwise, your lack of energy may signal that there is something wrong with your body of which you are not yet aware. It could be something serious, like cancer, or it could just be something small and treatable. Do not freak out if a lack of energy is new and think something is terribly wrong, but if it lingers, you should talk to your doctor about how you used to feel and how you are not feeling. Discuss any change in your life that may have contributed so that they can find out what is going on with you.

Lastly, lifestyle can go a long way towards your lack of energy. If you have gained weight and are not moving around as much as you used to be, you could find that you have less and less energy each day. When you have less energy, you move less and the problem gets worse. What you should do is try to adopt a more sensible diet and to get out and move more. Even walking around the block can help invigorate you. If you keep this up, you will soon find your waistline getting smaller and your energy levels going up.

Should You Bother With a Do Not Resuscitate Order?

Many older people, do not worry as much about living very long as they do about dying in dignity. They often fear what should happen should they just get a stroke or get otherwise incapacitated in some way, they just keep driving on. Many people consider that a very undignified way in which to spend their last days. They wish there was something they could do to control the situation. Are they were able to tell doctors not to try to revive the. How do they do this? The answer, lies and what they call a DNR order - or a do not resuscitate.

When you try to draw up and have in readiness all the end-of-life documents that you need - a living trust, a living Will, and so on, a do-not-resuscitate order could really be considered a necessity.

What exactly does a do-not-resuscitate order contain? What does it say?

Basically, you will find on such documents, instructions for emergency doctors and other medical professionals on what they are allowed to do to you, should you find yourself in a near-death situation. If your heart stops beating, or should you stop breathing, whether or not you’re in hospital, a do-not-resuscitate order tells them what you d not want them to do. You can tell them not to use CPR or electric shocks or any kind of surgery. If you are slipping away, you can say in this document that you want them to let you slip away.

You have to understand that this only works when you're near death. Your heart needs to have stopped beating or something like it. The order does nothing when you're still breathing, however close to death you may be. You can't stop anyone from giving you emergency medical care when you are still barely clinging to life.

So what happens if no one knows about this document when you are in such a situation? What if this document is not even available? And even if they did find a copy in your pocket, they are going to be in the middle of a huge emergency trying to save your life. Are they really going to take the time to read it?

So basically, when you draw up a DNR, you do have to worry about how it's ever going to get used. How will anyone realize that it even exists?

Well, a hospital DNR is just a simple document that you write out. You don't need to have it authenticated by a lawyer or anything most of the time. In a very few states, you do need witnesses and a notary. If when you go to the hospital, you believe that you might find yourself in such a situation that you might need a DNR, you'll need to draw one of these up and hand it to the doctor.