Light from the sun, X-rays, telecommunication devices down to CD players emit EMF. Actually, everything that uses electricity generates EMF.

Electrical pollution

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Nowadays, people encounter all sorts of pollution from the environment. Evidence of water and air pollution can easily be seen. Noise pollution is not seen, but it is heard. Compared to the other sorts of pollution, electrical pollution is not something people can see, smell, hear, touch or taste.

Electrical pollution exists more in some places than others. Anyone who lives 400 meters near a cell site suffer from it even if those same people do not really know it yet.

Effects of EMF

A cellular phone continually generates EMF. This is the reason why many people say that it is not a good idea to sleep with such items nearby. It has been found to cause insomnia, diabetes and heart problems. In a more direct way, it can cause cancer.

Be that as it may, the University of Zurich also made a study. The study shows that low levels of EMF can actually help people sleep. Just like many things, too much of it does a lot of harm. In low levels, it can even help people fall asleep.

Summertime is coming and it is not surprising that some will find it difficult to fall asleep. As opposed to people who live in tropical countries, a good number of people who do not may have a more difficult time sleeping at night.

A solution

Those who may find themselves suffering from insomnia during summer should try taking naps in the middle of the afternoon. People in Spain have siestas for a reason and that is to get some rest in the middle of the day.

Those who fail to get enough sleep at night should really take naps. By napping, one still gets the right amount of rest daily. Cool showers can also help one fall asleep much faster.

What to avoid

Nicotine, caffeine and tobacco can all affect a person’s sleep. As much as possible, it is better not to take any of these during bedtime. Eating a heavy meal before sleeping is not a good idea either.

Anyone can still practice good sleep hygiene in order to fall asleep much faster. More information on that can be found on this article: Why Can’t I Sleep: Breaking Bad Habits.

Medicines often helps people when they suffer from other medical conditions and even common aches and pains. However, if these are taken regularly, it may be the cause of one’s chronic insomnia.

Fluoroquinolone

As early as 1962, fluoroquinolone has been used to treat urinary tract infection. It is used as an antibiotic. However, it is one of the causes of chronic insomnia.

The more popular fluoroquinolones in the U.S. are ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin. The others are no longer manufactured and were pulled out of the market in some countries.

Bronchodilators and coticosteroids

Bronchodilators and coticosteroids are both used to treat asthma. Both can also cause sleepless nights. These include common medication for breathing problems like Salbutamol. Proventil or albuterol can cause insomnia.

Corticosteroids are actually a type of hormone produced by the brain. These are usually used to treat inflammatory conditions of the skin, immune system and other organs of the body. Cortisoneis an example of this medicine and it includes this sleep disorder in its side effects.

These are just some commonly used medication that can cause insomnia. Treating skin problems and asthma usually involve continuous use of these medication. If a person experiences insomnia after taking them, it is best to tell one’s doctor. Maybe a change in medication is the best cure for insomnia in these cases.

Sleeping pills should always be seen as a short-term or temporary solution. Using it longer than recommended leads to both tolerance and addiction. A few Hollywood stars who die from overdose actually died from sleeping pills. The want for sleep can get that bad and insomniacs can get really desperate.

As opposed to sleeping pills, natural remedies are a lot safer. The problem is that usually, people need a larger dose before it takes effect. By taking natural remedies, however, an insomniac does not have to fear the addiction tied to sleeping pills. This makes it generally safer.

A lot of herbs can be used as natural remedies for insomnia. Valerian, chamomile and lavender are some examples. There are other herbs as well. One just has to try them out and get some sleep!

People suffering from the sleep disorder should actually be grateful that they do not suffer from something worse like FFI. FFI belongs to the prion family of diseases. Prions accumulate in the brain of its victim. This is said to cause the sleepless nights and all the effects that sleep deprivation brings with it.

Sufferers of FFI do not actually have a choice. These people go on for weeks and even months without sleep. Its effects include dementia, hallucinations and loss of speech among many other negative effects.

Currently, this disease has no cure. Thus, it lives up to its name and ends in death. A lot of people say that it is not the lack of sleep that causes death and that prions are responsible for that. Still, a lot of research still has to be made and a cure is yet to be found.

The study was conducted by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. This study was presented in a recent sleep conference held in Minneapolis. The results were quite interesting.

The Study

Participants consisted of 12 people who suffered from primary insomnia. A soft plastic water-cooled cap was used on the participants.

Insomniacs fell asleep just as fast as regular sleepers. This took 13 to 16 minutes. In addition, they slept through the night. Sleep experts say that this just might be the big breakthrough insomniacs have been waiting for.

Get a good night’s sleep

The water-cooled cap is deemed…

“a safe, non-pharmaceutical mechanism that can be made widely available for home use,” study author Dr. Eric Nofzinger, director of the sleep neuroimaging research program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

There are definitely other cures for insomnia. Just like the wet socks treatment, this cooling cap may seem odd. Yet, if people can get some sleep through using it, they should try it.