長夜慢慢有得瞓 Softening Insomia Symptoms

我們都需要足夠和舒適睡眠。成年人平均每天約需要8小時的睡眠。
如果人體生理時計和節律遭破壞，就會出現失眠症狀。生理時計掌管體內激素生產定率，睡眠，體溫，和其他功能。

失眠症狀可能包括：
•睡醒後不會感到煥然一新
•除非太疲倦，否則難以入睡
•白天嗜睡，乏力，煩躁不安，難以集中，正常活動能力失準
•睡前感焦慮
•緊張造成的頭痛

以下提供的方法有助舒解失眠:

L-色氨酸和5-羥色氨酸（5-HTP）
醫學研究表明，睡前服用左旋色氨酸，可以幫助入睡和延遲睡醒時間。L-色氨酸能提高血清素水平，血清素屬於體內化學物質，能鬆弛神經。

研究還表示，5-羥色氨酸（5-HTP），無論是由身體製造或從補充品攝取，都可舒緩與抑鬱症有關的失眠症狀。

退黑激素
褪黑激素補充劑能促進睡眠，適合那些需輪班工作或往返時差大的工作地點，或者褪黑激素水平低的人。建議用量為每天3至5毫克，睡前30到60分鐘服用。如果你難以入睡，建議服用快速釋放形式的退黑激素;如果你難以保持熟睡狀態，建議使用緩慢釋放形式的退黑激素。

鎂
有助維持正常的肌肉和神經功能，保持心臟節律穩定，加強免疫系統健康。

茶氨酸
從綠茶中發現的氨基酸衍生物，茶氨酸很早就被發現能令腦部釋放GABA(γ-氨基丁酸)。 GABA激活神經遞質，放鬆神經和減少焦慮。專家認為茶氨酸易於被身體吸收，而且可提高GABA水平。

順勢療法
一些研究探討了具體的順勢療法有效性和安全性。服用後可有助腦部運作，緩解壓力，成份含有洋甘菊和西番蓮對鬆弛神經幫助很大。

草本
卡瓦卡瓦（卡瓦胡椒），洋甘菊（洋甘菊）和纈草（纈草屬）的標準化提取物形式可於睡前半小時服用。同時可將洋甘菊花泡茶飲用，放鬆心情。

心身平衡療法
可以使用一些自我放鬆方法例如：
•記錄睡眠日程 ~ 將睡眠時間，入睡需要的時間，睡眠質素，整個晚上醒來的次數，對白天活動造成的影響，嘗試治療的過程以及往後的工作，情緒和壓力水平。這做法有助緩解和舒緩失眠狀態。
•養成睡眠好習慣 ~ 可睡覺的地方只有臥室。感到疲累才睡，離開臥室就不會睡覺。每天醒來的時間相約，包括週末和假期，不論睡眠量是多少。
•放鬆練習 ~ 可以透過漸進式放鬆練習例如冥想，瑜伽，引導性圖像，催眠和正念減壓練習漸漸減少因為失眠造成焦慮感的惡性循環。研究表示這些療法有助縮短入睡所需的時間，增加總睡眠時間量，並減少夜間醒來的次數。

Sufficient and restful sleep is a human necessity. The average adult needs slightly more than 8 hours of sleep a day.

Insomnia may stem from a disruption of the body's circadian rhythm, an internal clock that governs the timing of hormone production, sleep, body temperature, and other functions.

Signs of insomnia may include:

• Not feeling refreshed after sleep
• Inability to sleep despite being tired
• Daytime drowsiness, fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and impaired ability to perform normal activities
• Anxiety as bedtime approaches
• Tension headaches 

The method provided below can help relieve insomnia :

L-tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)

Medical research indicates that taking L-tryptophan before bedtime can induce sleepiness and delay wake times. Researchers think L-tryptophan brings on sleep by raising levels of serotonin, a body chemical that promotes relaxation.

Studies also suggest that 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), made from tryptophan in the body or available in supplement form, may be useful in treating insomnia associated with depression.

Melatonin
Melatonin supplements help induce sleep, particularly in people who have disrupted circadian rhythms (such as from jet lag or shift work), or those with low levels of melatonin. Recommended dosage is 3 to 5 milligrams per day taken 30 to 60 minutes prior to bed time. If you have trouble falling asleep, use immediate- release form; if you have trouble staying asleep, use sustained–release form.

Magnesium
It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong.

Theanine
An amino acid derivative found in green tea, theanine has long been known to trigger the release in the brain of gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA. GABA activates the major calming neurotransmitters, promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety.  Experts recommend theanine, which the body can easily absorb and, ultimately, use to boost levels of GABA.

Homeopathy
A few studies have examined the effectiveness of specific homeopathic remedies. It's been safely in helping minds, relieving stress, & relaxing with chamomile and passiflora.

Herbs

Kava Kava (Piper methysticum), Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) and Valerian (Valeriana sp.) in standardized extract form can be taken half an hour before bedtime for more relaxation. A tea may be prepared from chamomile flowers for relaxation.

Mind-Body Medicine

A variety of behavioral techniques have proved helpful in treating insomnia. The treatment methods include:

• Sleep Diary. Keeping a daily/nightly record of sleep habits (including the amount of sleep, how long it takes to fall asleep, the quality of sleep, the number of awakenings throughout the night, any disruption of daytime behaviors, attempted treatments and how well they worked, mood, and stress level) can help a person understand and consequently overcome their insomnia.
• Stimulus Control Techniques. This approach involves learning to use the bedroom only for sleep. Individuals using this technique learn to go to bed only when they are tired and leave the bedroom when they're not sleeping. They wake up at the same time every day, including weekends and vacations, regardless of the amount of sleep they had.
• Relaxation Training Techniques. Progressive relaxation, meditation, yoga, guided imagery, hypnosis and mindfulness-based stress reduction, can break the vicious cycle of sleeplessness by decreasing feelings of anxiety about not being asleep. Studies indicate that these therapies significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, increase total sleep time, and decrease the number of nightly awakenings.

消除鼻敏感生活更開朗

春天來臨白日長，天氣溫潤，人人臉上增添一份笑意。然而春夏之季對某些人可也是煩惱的季節，我說的是花粉症（鼻敏感）患者。


什麼是花粉症？

花粉症，也稱為季節性過敏性鼻炎，是由於吸入了從樹木和花草所釋放的大量花粉而產生的過敏反應。花粉症非常普遍，它幾乎影響了五分之一人口的生活。花粉症引起的過敏反應包括導致鼻腔、喉嚨和眼睛等黏膜內膜炎症，引起的症狀諸如眼痛、鼻塞或流鼻涕、發癢以及打噴嚏。

我們的免疫系統是如何對花粉症作出反應的？
患者免疫系統通常受到過度刺激，將花粉誤作為外來入侵物者，引發炎症反應和釋放大量組胺。

我們的腸道被一層粘膜保護，稱為腸道粘膜屏障。體內大約百分之七十的免疫細胞都容納於此。這些免疫細胞受到不同微生物群所影響，自身免疫系統便會發揮相應的免疫反應。而過敏人士比較常出現的情況是腸內菌種失去平衡。因此不難想像那些過敏反應的嚴重程度或與我們的腸道健康息息相關。

益生菌為何能舒緩花粉症？
具有活性而對身體有益的細菌通過調節免疫系統和抑制致病細菌的繁茂，能有效舒緩過敏反應。

在2014年一份研究報告指出，花粉症患者給予服用益生菌乳酸菌5週後，生活質量得以顯著改善，流眼水的改善尤其明顯。服用益生菌加抗組胺的一組和單獨服用抗組胺的一組比較，同時服用益生菌功效更顯著。

在2011年的另一項研究發現，花粉症患者定時服用乳酸桿菌益生菌，其鼻塞和瘙癢症狀大大降低。調查發現其炎症標誌水平和過敏反應都得以降低。

也有研究已經表明，過敏症患者的鼻通道微生物種類更加兩極化。這可能導致病原菌優勢和保護性菌群的減少，免疫防禦能力因此受到影響。儘管我們現時還不能理解益生菌如何對鼻微生物產生作用，但一些研究已經顯示了眾多益處。一項研究關於鼻子內益生菌對潜在致病菌的影響發現，服用益生菌人士，其鼻子內潜在致病菌的數目顯著減少。

或許可以這樣說，維持腸道生態平衡，長期存有微生物多樣性，相比腸內只存在一種主要細菌更為有益。

你應該什麼時候開始服用益生菌？
以益生菌達致腸道細菌平衡和舒緩過敏反應需要一些時間，成人所需的時間就更長。活性細菌的作用在預防過敏反應的應用上更為有效。因此我們建議每日服用益生菌，或最少需要在春季來臨前便開始服用，這樣最為有效。

As longer days, lighter evenings and the warmth of spring puts a smile on most people's faces, for many the appearance of spring and summer sunshine can often mean the onset of the dreaded  hay fever season.

What is a hay fever?

Hay fever, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis,  is an allergic response to inhaled pollen released from local trees, grasses and flowers. It is a common condition affecting one in five people at some point in their life. The allergic response causes inflammation of the mucosal lining of the nasal passages,  throat and eyes,  causing symptoms such as sore eyes, blocked or runny nose, itching and sneezing.

How does the immune system react to hay fever?
In hay fever sufferers the immune system is overstimulated,  perceiving pollen as a foreign invader, causing an inflammatory response and the release of histamine.

The gut mucosal barrier houses approximately 70% of the body’s immune cells and is lined and influenced by a diverse microflora that plays an important role in the development and function of the corresponding immune system.  Imbalanced microflora has been observed in those suffering allergic diseases.  It is not surprising, therefore  that there appears to be a link between the severity of such allergies and the health of our gut.

How can probiotics help with hayfever?
Live bacteria products could benefit hay fever sufferers by moderating the immune system and controlling pathogenic overgrowth.

A Study in 2014 reported that hay fever sufferers given a lactobacilli probiotic for 5 weeks saw significant improvement in quality of life, in particular a reduction in running eyes.  Results of those taking the probiotics alongside anti-histamines were more significant than those taking an antihistamine alone.

Another study in 2011 found that subjects with hay fever,  who consumed a lactobacilli probiotic had lower  nasal congestion and itching. They also produce less inflammatory markers and a reduced immune response.

It has been shown that the microflora is more diverse in  the nasal passages of allergy sufferers.  Which could lead to predominance in pathogenic bacteria and a reduction in protective flora, therefore reducing immune defence.  Although it is not well understood how probiotics have an effect on nasal microflora, some studies have shown benefits. A study testing the effects of probiotics on potential  pathogenic bacteria in the nose find a significant reduction in nasal PPBS in those who consumed probiotics.

It could be said  that it is the balancing of the whole gut ecology with a wide mix of microbes over the long term  that is of greater benefit  than the presence of one individual strain.

When should you start taking probiotics?
It may take some time to influence the gut microflora balance and elevated immune  responses,  especially in the adult population.  It appears that live bacterial products  are more effective in preventing hay fever opposed to treating it.  It is advisable, therefore, to consume probiotics on a continual basis year round,  or at the very least in the lead up to the spring and throughout the summer, in hay fever sufferers.