Sleep Disorders: Controlling Night Terrors

If your child suffers from night terrors, it can be stressful and frightening for you. Here are some steps you can take to make getting through night terrors easier.

* Make the child’s room safe to try to prevent the child from being injured during an episode.

* Eliminate all sources of sleep disturbance.

* Maintain a consistent bedtime routine and wake-up time.

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to help your child during the actual episode except to make sure they are safe. Fortunately, the night terror is short-lived.

What Medical Treatment Is Available for Night Terrors?

Unfortunately, no adequate treatment exists for night terrors. Management primarily consists of educating the family about the disorder and reassuring them that the episodes are not harmful.

In severe cases in which daily activities (school performance, peer or family relations) are affected, an antidepressantmedication may be used as a temporary treatment.

Smokers, don’t take your health for granted

Anyone who has ever lived in a cold climate can appreciate the need for a tropical getaway in January. I just had mine on the sunny shores of Acapulco. It was a wonderful week of rest and relaxation, warm air, ocean breezes and tropical delights.

Unfortunately, it also concluded with an attack of some not-so-friendly bacteria thanks to a papaya.

In the hours of my not feeling so hot, I experienced a renewed sense of gratitude for my overall excellent health. It occurred to me that before I began to exhibit symptoms, my body was already becoming sick, without my awareness of it. Once the nausea set in, I found myself thinking, “That papaya was not worth it!” and wishing I could go back in time to stop myself from eating the contaminated fruit.

I thought of people who use tobacco and all the health problems that can arise from this addiction. Some smokers are aware that their health is not at 100 percent due to their smoking. Others function well and feel perfectly fine without any awareness of the disease onset that may be just around the corner.

Good health is priceless and not to be taken for granted. What we put into our bodies affects our health, and we are the only ones who can make the decisions about what goes in. Therefore, we must choose wisely. We can ignore the risks for a time, but once the physical effects begin to catch up there’s no going back.

Unlike my lack of awareness about the harm my papaya would inflict, most smokers are aware of the damage that can result from tobacco use. Ask yourself, “Is it worth the risk?” Consider what may be happening within you as you smoke, even if you don’t feel it. How might you regret your choice to smoke if you do become ill?

Harness the power of love to help yourself quit smoking

Around Valentine’s Day, love is in the air. This holiday is typically associated with romance, but love itself is universal. It’s a powerful force that, as the song says, “can move mountains.”

The most common reasons people say they want to quit smoking are for personal health and family. You want a healthy body, longevity and a good quality of life so you can be around for your children and grandchildren. The foundation for this is love.

Go a step further, beyond loving others, and develop a sense of self-love. Most people struggle with this. First of all, it can be confusing. Isn’t loving oneself egocentric or selfish? No. In fact, self-love can be the most empowering and life-giving force there is. Second, we’re socially trained to give and meet others’ needs before our own. However, unless you love and care for yourself, you won’t really have the resources to offer others.

When you love yourself, you are truly free. You aren’t dependent on anyone or anything else to fill your needs, emotional or otherwise. You don’t struggle as much with loneliness, boredom, relationship dramas or addictions.

With self-love comes self-respect; you naturally make the choice to take care of your mind and your body. Giving to your loved ones is something you have a greater capacity for when you’re happy and healthy. Smoking will no longer fit into the equation.

Over and above that, self-love will lead you to be more inclined to follow your passions, the activities that bring you great joy, and you’ll get more fun out of life! What are the hobbies you’d like to be doing rather than smoking?

Quit the comfort zone tobacco provides

Throughout our daily lives, we live in a “comfort zone.” A comfort zone is anything in life that is familiar and safe, a known commodity. You know what to expect. While a comfort zone is not always healthy or nourishing, life on the inside is predictable and “safe.”

We all have comfort zones in different areas of our lives, such as the foods we eat, the places we go, the kinds of people we engage with, how much money we spend and earn, where we live, the kind of work we do, and so on. Everyone’s comfort zone is different. Enter smoking: when and where you have your cigarettes is a part of what creates and maintains your comfort zone.

I hear a lot of people say, “With me, it’s just the habit.” The habit itself is the comfort zone. Every time you light up a cigarette you know exactly what to expect. You know where to go to smoke and who to smoke with. Your tobacco habit is reliable and predictable. To a degree, it may even create the illusion of permanence in your life. No matter what kind of change is going on in the outside world, you can count on your smoking routine for a reassuring sense of stability.

When you begin the journey to give up your cigarettes, you’re stretching outside of your comfort zone. Going through your daily routine will feel foreign for a while. You have to re-learn how to live life without the cigarette. That process is frightening and uncomfortable simply because it’s unfamiliar.

In trying to avoid the discomfort of change, a part of you will spring up to talk you into going back to tobacco. Tap into your “inner wisdom” (as mentioned in the previous blog) to bypass those parts that want to pull you back into status quo. Be clear about your reasons for quitting. In your heart of hearts, you know that leaving this unhealthy habit is the most nourishing and respectful choice you can make for yourself. With time, you will move away from the dingy cloud, the controlling urge and the worrisome perils of tobacco and into a new comfort zone of fresh air, choice and true freedom.

Let your inner wisdom say no to cigarettes

Do you ever hear yourself saying, “Well, a part of me wants to quit smoking, but there’s another part of me that really wants a cigarette?”

We’re all complex. We’ve all had various experiences that keep parts of ourselves in different developmental stages. Our inner child is trusting and creative, but when wounded becomes self-protective and manipulative to get its needs met. Our inner adolescent is idealistic and wants to explore, but when met with lack of approval will either push for perfection or choose to rebel. And then there’s our critical parent, who’s always telling us where we’re getting in wrong and how we’re not good enough.

If you explore quitting smoking in these terms, what comes up for you?

When you’re trying to quit smoking, does your inner child throw a temper tantrum until it gets what it wants? Does your inner adolescent try hard to get it right, but then eventually rebel and just light up that cigarette? Does the critical parent trigger the rebellion by saying, “You always screw it up. You’ll never be able to quit anyway!”

Are there other parts that speak for you? What would you call them? What other lines do you hear?

I believe there’s an inner wisdom that can “talk” to these other parts to soothe, reassure and encourage them. It’s the voice that says, “Keep going. You can do it! This is what you really want. It feels great to breathe more easily. You love to play with your kids and grandkids and watch them grow up. Smelling clean and fresh is a joy and a relief. Saving money and planning to do the things you really want in life is exciting. Your health, your family and your life are more important than having that cigarette!”

Harness the energy of spring to quit smoking

Spring is upon us. It’s a time of awakening and re-growth, when the earth comes back to life after the dormant winter. The fresh air is full of aliveness and rejuvenation, and the sun is shining with promise.

There’s a natural flow of life that shows up in the seasons. In the springtime, the world is full of renewal, which can be energizing and even inspiring. There’s also a patience that’s exhibited in nature, which I think is most apparent during the budding period. Flowers are in no rush to grow. Butterflies emerge from their cocoons when ready and mature enough to handle the elements. Our earth gradually colors itself green. These changes take place over a period of weeks and months. As the saying goes, “Nature knows best!”

Consider the patience of this unhurried evolution. All change happens at its own pace. As you traverse the process of quitting smoking, know that for most the change is very gradual. You might have to try quitting several times before you’re successful. It takes time to figure out which medications are best for you, which coping strategies are most effective and even to shift your mindset from being a smoker to being a non-smoker. Be patient with yourself as you work to become smoke-free.

Use the vibrant energy of spring to become inspired toward rebirth in yourself. How can you harness nature’s rejuvenating energy to aid your efforts to quit smoking?

Establish firm roots as you become an ex-smoker

In the springtime, we’re reminded that everything in life goes through stages of change. Gray turns to green, but not overnight. Likewise, when a seed is planted it doesn’t instantly become a tree or a bush or a flower.

It’s the same with making lifestyle changes. New choices begin with a thought, which is like a seed that’s planted. It requires gestation and nurturing to traverse the stages of change and finally come to fruition.

How does this show up in the process of quitting smoking? Well, the first thought is considering the idea of giving up the cigarettes. Most people are aware of the perils of tobacco use and will agree that they should quit. However, until they‘re ready to really take that step, they’re stuck in the place of contemplation.

This is like the time when the seed is inside the soil. You can’t see what’s going on under the surface, but roots that will support the emerging plant are forming. During this period of contemplation, keep thinking and talking about the benefits you think you’ll have from quitting smoking. This will help move you into a place of preparing to quit, which is comparable to the days just before the plant emerges from the soil.

The action stage of quitting smoking is like when the plant actually breaks through the surface of the earth. It has the benefit of direct sunlight and fresh air, yet it’s still fragile. Some plants need to be supported by wooden posts or protected with netting, until they grow to be strong enough to live independently. With regard to becoming smoke-free, the first days, weeks, and perhaps even months of living without tobacco is a fragile period. You need support and protection to maintain yourself in the elements of life, without relapse.

New tobacco products appeal to children

With smoking bans becoming more common, tobacco companies are creating various forms of tobacco that don’t require burning. Chewing tobacco and snuff have been available for decades, but new products hitting the market raise a number of concerns, namely risks of tobacco poisoning in children and general appeal to youth.

The latest uproar is over R.J. Reynolds’ smokeless product, Orbs, a dissolvable “mint” made of finely ground tobacco. It’s criticized as appealing to children with its Tic Tac like appearance and sweet flavors. Other products include a tobacco stick that looks like a toothpick and thin strips that resemble breath fresheners.

Introducing nicotine into developing brains before the age of 21 ignites the addiction in young consumers, gaining the tobacco companies a “client for life.” It would make sense then for them to target adolescents. However, due to legislative restrictions, tobacco advertising is limited. But the design of new products seems to have become a marketing method in and of itself.

With regard to the candy-like tobacco items, of primary concern are the thousands of cases reported where children under the age of 6 have experienced nicotine toxicity due to the ingestion of such products, as well as more traditional forms of tobacco. At high enough levels, nicotine ingestion in small children can be fatal.

Most adult smokers absorb 1.0-2.0 mg of nicotine per cigarette. Although the tobacco pellets only contain 0.83 mg of nicotine, the levels of alkalinity interact in the body in such a way that yields a delivery to the brain of up to a whopping 3.1 mg of nicotine. Imagine how that could impact an infant or toddler, especially if they ingest more than one pellet.

Did You Gain Weight in College? Natalie Portman on Gaining the Freshman 15

Did you gain weight in college? Or maybe you’re experiencing it now? Interestingly, Natalie Portman opened up recently about her 15-pound weight gain at Harvard. The reason is surprising …

She’s gorgeous, successful, and apparently … human!

“Black Swan” actress Natalie Portman (who had to shed a lot of weight for the role) opened up to Vogue recently about her college weight gain (not that we noticed!).

“I gained my freshman fifteen or 20 and had super depressed moments,” she said. “That Cambridge winter is tough. It was important to know how to go through that and how to get myself out of it. You start learning how to ask your friends or professionals for help, or go to mentors.”

It’s interesting hearing her open up about that. I definitely gained 10 or 15 pounds in college, then shed that and more before I graduated. I blame the weight fluctuations on happiness ups and downs, not necessarily depression. But, I did have the blues at various times in college–friendship drama, boyfriend problems, academic worries (you know, the typical college stuff).

And, on not being like her character in “Black Swan“: “I swear, I eat. I ate a bagel an hour ago. I consume my own weight in hummus every day. I cook a lot, and I even do vegan baking,” she said. “I like pleasure, I like joy. I’d never get to the point where I would starve or injure myself like [my character] Nina does. I’m the opposite–when I’m hungry, I eat, and I always make sure I’m eating something delicious.”

Did you gain/lose weight in college? What were the reasons for it?

Take time to relax when quitting smoking

Relaxation is frequently overlooked when making lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking. It’s an important part of the equation, however.

Many people think they have to “keep busy” when going smoke-free. They tend to pursue anything that involves continuous movement or distraction. These are certainly effective tools when navigating the quit process, but take caution that you don’t hit burnout.

Lasting changes are done both internally and externally, meaning your outward behavior and inner thoughts match up to get you new results. Once you are no longer smoking, you may be using external substitutes and changing your routines to make the lifestyle transition. However, you also need to allow your inner world to keep up.

Let yourself be in the discomfort of change. Don’t just rush past it or drive yourself so hard that you never really embody the changes you are making. Many people hit a threshold where they can’t sustain the pace they are running to keep up with avoiding smoking. This can lead to relapse, or falling back into old, familiar habits.

In many cases what’s really needed is a balance between activity and recovery. Plan activities for relaxation and rejuvenation. This occupies your time, your body and your mind just as much as “keeping busy,” but it also gives you the space you need to process change on a deeper level.

Schedule in a long, hot bath, listening to quiet music, getting a massage or sitting in nature. Let your mind find a quiet place where you feel peaceful and calm in the midst of transition. Taking time for this level of relaxation and just being in the moment will help you make the inner paradigm shift to becoming a non-smoker for good.