Managing Your Health

People with insomnia struggle to get a good night's rest and wonder how to sleep better. They may be plagued by trouble falling asleep, unwelcome awakenings during the night, or fitful sleep - alone or in combination. They feel drowsy during the day and yet be unable to nap. Insomnia can leave a person feeling anxious and irritable or forgetful and unable to concentrate.  Finding an effective solution requires uncovering the cause. Nearly half of insomnia cases stern from psychological or emotional issues. Stressful events, mild depression, or an anxiety disorder can make falling asleep and staying asleep difficult. Ideally, once the underlying cause is treated, the insomnia improves.  First-line treatment: Behavioral changes  If you are having trouble sleeping or sleeping well, the following four technique may help you sleep better.  Sleep restriction. Fight the tendency to spend a lot of time in bed with the hope of falling asleep. In reality, less time in bed help...

It's not common for people with fibromyalgia to encounter doctors who don't understand fibromyalgia, don't know to diagnose and treat it, or simply don't believe it's a real condition. This may lead to delays in diagnosis and needless suffering. The right doctor, on the other hand, will be empathetic and will be able to help you manage your fibromyalgia symptoms and resume your normal activities. However, finding the right fibromyalgia doctor can be a challenge.  These tips on finding the right fibromyalgia doctor may help:  - Network with others who have fibromyalgia. Support groups provide a natural starting point. The National Fibromyalgia Association website at www.fmaware.org lists support groups in each state that can help you find these initial connection. The organization can also provide a list of "fibro friendly" doctors in your state.  - Seek advice from your primary care physician. Many doctors will be able to recommend a specialist who can hel...

The practice of yoga incorporates many separate breathing techniques (above and beyond the coordinated breathing you do during yoga routines) that can help relax you and release tension. And many of these techniques can be done anytime, anywhere - not just during yoga class.  If you'd like to reap the benefits of these breathing techniques, start with the abdominal breathing technique described below. Once you've mastered abdominal breathing, you can then try others based on the unique benefit that each technique offers.  Abdominal breathing  As we go about our daily lives, most of us take quick, shallow "chest breaths" that can leave us feeling tense and drained. Abdominal breathing, all called "belly breathing," is a basic yoga breath that combats the effects of chest breathing. The technique emphasizes breathing deeply to create abdominal movement. It's essential for those beginning a yoga practice, but everyone can benefit from learning it, yogi or n...