Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep

Lawrence Epstein, Steven Mardon0071467432, 9780071467438, 9780071487023

Put your sleep problems to rest with this proven six-step planHow many times have you heard it’s important to get a good night’s sleep? It sounds simple, but it isn’t always easy. Now one of the nation’s leading sleep experts gives you a step-by-step program for overcoming sleep problems from insomnia and snoring to restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea.Dr. Lawrence Epstein of Harvard Medical School reveals his proven six-step plan to maximize your nights and energize your days. He explains the health benefits of sleep and identifies signs of sleep problems as he gives in-depth advice on how to:Turn your bedroom into the optimal sleep environment Finally overcome insomnia Silence buzz-saw snoring Relax restless legs Deal with daytime exhaustion Determine if sleep medication is right for youImprove your sleep by improving your child’s sleepLawrence Epstein, M.D., is the regional medical director for the Harvard-affiliated Sleep HealthCenters and an instructor at Harvard Medical School and was recently president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He lives in Boston.Steven Mardon is a professional writer who specializes in health topics.

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Table of contents :
Cover Page……Page 1
Title Page……Page 4
ISBN 0071467432……Page 5
Contents (with page links)……Page 9
Preface……Page 15
Acknowledgments……Page 17
PART I – Understanding The Need for Sleep……Page 19
1 Good Sleep: An Essential Element of Health……Page 21
You Are Not Alone……Page 22
Poor Sleep Is a Serious Problem……Page 23
Diagnosis……Page 25
Setting Realistic Expectations……Page 26
Sleep and Brain Waves……Page 29
Quiet Sleep……Page 31
Why Do We Dream?……Page 34
Dreaming Sleep……Page 35
Sleep Architecture……Page 36
Circadian Rhythms and Your Internal Clock……Page 37
Zeitgebers……Page 40
The Drive for Sleep……Page 41
The Sleep Conductor at Work……Page 42
Short, Standard, and Long Sleepers……Page 45
Larks and Owls……Page 48
Complete Sleep Deprivation……Page 50
Microsleeps and Automatic Behavior……Page 51
Partial Sleep Deprivation……Page 52
Sleep as Part of a Healthy Lifestyle……Page 53
Repaying a Sleep Debt……Page 54
Benefits of Sleep……Page 55
Newborns……Page 57
Preschoolers……Page 58
Adolescents……Page 59
Adulthood……Page 60
From Sixty On……Page 63
The Big Picture……Page 64
You Need Less Sleep as You Get Older……Page 67
There’s Something Wrong If You Don’t Remember Your Dreams……Page 68
Insomniacs Barely Sleep at All……Page 69
Listening to Self-Help Recordings While You Sleep Can Help You Learn……Page 70
It’s Possible to Get Too Much Sleep……Page 71
How I Sleep Doesn’t Affect the Rest of My Health……Page 72
6 How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep: A Six-Step Plan……Page 73
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle……Page 74
Why Exercise Enhances Sleep……Page 75
Maintain Good Sleep Habits……Page 76
Create the Optimal Sleep Environment……Page 79
Watch Out for Sleep Saboteurs……Page 80
Seek Help for Persistent Sleep Problems……Page 83
PART II – Sleep Disorders and Their Treatments……Page 85
7 Signs of a Sleep Problem……Page 87
I Can’t Get to Sleep……Page 88
I Can’t Stay Asleep……Page 90
I Wake Up Early in the Morning……Page 91
I Can’t Stay Awake……Page 92
I Can’t Get Up in the Morning……Page 93
I Do Strange Things in My Sleep……Page 94
I Can’t Sleep Because of My Partner……Page 96
Defining and Classifying Insomnia……Page 97
What Is Sunday Insomnia?……Page 98
Primary Insomnia……Page 100
Behavioral Treatments for Insomnia……Page 101
Reconditioning……Page 103
Case History……Page 104
Sleep Restriction……Page 105
Relaxation Techniques……Page 106
Cognitive Therapy……Page 110
9 Medications for Treating Insomnia……Page 113
What Separates One Sleeping Pill from Another……Page 114
Over-the-Counter Medications……Page 117
Benzodiazepine Receptor Agonists……Page 119
Case History……Page 120
Ambien and Sleep Eating……Page 124
Antidepressants……Page 125
Melatonin Receptor Agonist……Page 127
My Perspective on Sleep Medication……Page 128
Dosing Instructions……Page 130
10 Alternative Insomnia Treatments……Page 133
Herbal Supplements……Page 134
Synthetic Melatonin……Page 137
Acupuncture……Page 138
Hot Baths……Page 139
11 Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders: Snoring and Sleep Apnea……Page 141
Understanding Snoring……Page 142
Case History……Page 143
Nonsurgical Treatments for Snoring……Page 144
Surgery……Page 146
Obstructive Sleep Apnea……Page 148
Understanding Apnea……Page 149
Screening for Sleep Apnea……Page 152
Noninvasive Treatments for OSA……Page 153
Surgical Treatments for OSA……Page 156
Central Sleep Apnea……Page 158
Restless Legs Syndrome……Page 161
Sleep-Related Leg Cramps……Page 162
Case History……Page 164
Treating RLS……Page 166
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder……Page 169
Treating PLMD……Page 170
Causes of Narcolepsy……Page 171
The Flip-Switch Theory of Sleep……Page 172
Symptoms of Narcolepsy……Page 173
Cataplexy……Page 174
Insomnia and Fragmented Sleep……Page 175
Other Symptoms……Page 176
Diagnosis……Page 177
Treatment……Page 179
Living with Narcolepsy……Page 182
14 Parasomnias: Sleepwalking and Other Unusual Behaviors……Page 185
Sleepwalking……Page 186
Sleep Terrors……Page 188
Confusional Arousals……Page 189
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder……Page 190
Case History……Page 192
Nightmares……Page 193
Other Parasomnias……Page 194
Talking in Your Sleep Sleep-Eating Disorders……Page 195
Bruxism……Page 196
15 Disturbances of Sleep Timing: DSP and ASP……Page 199
Symptoms of Delayed and Advanced Sleep Phase Disorders……Page 200
Free-Running Circadian Rhythms……Page 201
Case History……Page 202
Treatments for DSP and ASP……Page 203
Bright Light……Page 204
Sleeping Pills……Page 207
Jet Lag……Page 209
Minimizing the Pain: The Basics……Page 211
Additional Measures……Page 213
Shift Work……Page 214
Case History……Page 217
Coping Strategies……Page 218
Drowsy Driving……Page 222
17 My Child Doesn’t Sleep Well, So I Don’t Either……Page 227
Newborns and Infants……Page 228
Cosleeping: Should We or Shouldn’t We?……Page 229
Age Three Months to One Year……Page 230
Colic……Page 231
Trouble Falling or Staying Asleep……Page 232
Toddlers……Page 235
Early Awakenings……Page 236
Nightmares and Sleep Terrors……Page 237
Case History……Page 239
Bed-Wetting……Page 240
Advanced Treatments for Bed-Wetting……Page 241
Adolescents……Page 243
Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder……Page 244
Obstructive Sleep Apnea……Page 245
When Should I See a Doctor About My Sleep?……Page 247
Seeing a Sleep Doctor……Page 249
Home-Based Sleep Tests……Page 252
The Sleep Center……Page 254
Recording Your Sleep……Page 255
Getting Your Diagnosis……Page 258
Congestive Heart Failure……Page 261
Coronary Artery Disease……Page 262
Thyroid Disease……Page 263
Coping with Frequent Nighttime Urination……Page 264
Parkinson’s Disease……Page 265
Epilepsy……Page 266
Strokes/Tumors……Page 267
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease……Page 268
Depression……Page 269
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)……Page 270
Arthritis……Page 271
Cardiovascular Drugs……Page 272
Other Drugs……Page 273
Good Night and Good Luck……Page 275
Additional Resources……Page 277
B……Page 279
C……Page 280
F……Page 281
J,K……Page 282
N……Page 283
P……Page 284
S……Page 285
X,Y,Z……Page 288
About the Authors……Page 289