Thursday, 28 March 2019

Do you have excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)?


Are you feeling more sleepy during day time? Is it work? Or is it some kind of a sleep disorder? The average adult sleeps roughly six to nine hours a night. If you get this amount of sleep, but still feel sleepy during the day or need multiple naps that interfere with your daily activities—a medical condition could be the cause. You may be suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Excessive daytime sleepiness can be a highly frustrating condition to deal with. People with EDS have an uncontrollable impulse to sleep at inappropriate times during the day. They may fall asleep quite involuntarily very often without being aware of having slept.


 Excessive daytime sleepiness is considered its own condition, but more often it is a symptom resulting from another sleep disorder and a major detriment to quality of life.There are multiple factors that may contribute to feeling excessively sleepy during the day such as medications, sleep deprivation (short-term or chronic), other medical conditions or sometimes the cause is self-imposed or due to life factors. Not everyone with EDS has the same cause – for one individual it may be narcolepsy, while for another it may be the result of shift work. Obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, circadian rhythm disorders, and narcolepsy are frequently under diagnosed sleep disorders that can cause EDS.

Sleep is essential to health, so if you experience chronic daytime sleepiness or other sleep problems; visit a certified sleep medicine center in Chicago. There can be multiple causes of the problem, but first with the help of your sleep doctor in Chicago you need to figure out what may be the reason you are experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness. If left untreated excessive daytime sleepiness results in decreased productivity and affects the quality of life. Your physician may refer you to a sleep clinic in Chicago for a comprehensive evaluation of your problem.

If you think that you have excessive daytime sleepiness, be sure to understand the specific cause for you personally. Also be sure to get formal testing done to verify that you do in fact have EDS. If excessive sleepiness is a problem that affects your daily functioning, an evaluation with a certified sleep medicine doctor in Chicago can help to identify the factors that may be contributing to your daytime sleepiness. It is important to get proper diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause of the sleepiness.

A sleep specialists help identify the cause of daytime sleepiness and develop a personalized treatment plan, which may include certain medications,  lifestyle changes and diagnostic testing if certain sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or narcolepsy, are suspected. Since many sleep disorders have overlapping symptoms, which can be difficult to tell apart, your sleep doctor may ask you specific questions about your sleep habits and perform a sleep study in Chicago.

When to Seek Help? If you struggling with sleep and do not have an explanation as to why this is happening then you need to consult your sleep specialist. A sleep specialist will examine you by asking a few questions related to your irregular sleep patterns and other difficulties you are facing. If you are currently dealing with it, consult an expert sleep medicine doctor in Chicago who will evaluate the possible causes and advise on the appropriate management. Your Sleep Specialist inChicago will work with you to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that improves the quality of your sleep without interrupting your life.


Friday, 22 March 2019

BENEFITS OF VITAMIN C


Vitamin C is a naturally occurring antioxidant with multiple desirable effects. Vitamin C boosts up the immune system, reduces the severity of allergic reactions and helps to fight off infections.
Did you know ,Unlike plants and animals, humans are not able to synthesize vitamin C in vivo due to absence of the enzyme L-glucono-gamma lactone oxidase. So, we must acquire it from rich natural sources such as citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, papaya and broccoli.
L-ascorbic acid (LAA) is the chemically and biologically active form of Vitamin C. In natural sources, Vitamin C is found in equal parts as LAA and D-ascorbic acid. Though these isomeric molecules are mutually interchangeable, only LAA is active and useful in medical practice.
Oral vitamin C
Dietary Vitamin C is important for maintaining normal functioning of the skin during keratinocyte differentiation and collagen formation.
Vitamin C deficiency causes Scurvy which is characterised by skin fragility, bleeding gums and corkscrew hairs and impaired wound healing.
Many studies have shown an increase in skin vitamin C content following supplementation with oral vitamin C. But the absorption of Vitamin C in the gut is limited and only a mere amount of the drug reaches the skin inspite of high oral dosage. Hence the use of topical ascorbic acid is favoured for most skin conditions.
Potent antioxidant
Intake of oral vitamin C decreases lipid peroxidation and increases superoxide dismutase activity, thereby improving the Antioxidant activity.
Anti-inflammatory
It inhibits the activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-alfa, IL1, IL6 and IL8 and has a potential anti-inflammatory activity. It can be used in conditions like acne vulgaris, rosacea, wound healing and to prevent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Reduces oxidative stress
UV radiation, pollution, and smoking can accelerate damage to the skin through the generation oxidative stress. Vitamin C is one of the most potent antioxidants in the skin as it neutralizes the oxidative stress by a process of electron transfer and/or donation.
Depigmenting agent
Vitamin C interrupts the key steps of melanogenesis and inhibits the action tyrosinase, the main enzyme responsible for the conversion of tyrosine into melanin and decreases melanin formation. It also acts upon the perifollicular pigment. It is used in the treatment of melasma and dark spots.
Wound Healing
Wound healing is a complex process composed of inflammation, new tissue formation and remodelling. Vitamin C has beneficial effect on wound healing which is directly related to its co-factor activity for the synthesis of collagen, and impaired wound healing is an early indicator of hypovitaminosis C.
Anti Aging
Loss of collagen and changes to the dermal–epidermal junction may contribute to aging. Vitamin C is an important antiaging agent as it is essential for collagen synthesis.
Protection against photoaging
Free radicals released due to absorption of solar ultraviolet radiation are highly toxic molecules that can damage the cellular nucleic acids, proteins, and cell membranes. These UV-induced reactive oxygen species also trigger matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) which degrade collagen, reduce collagen production, and increase elastin accumulation. This leads to wrinkles and photoaging. Topical Vitamin C inhibits MMP production and collagen damage and thereby reduces skin wrinkling.
Protects against photocarcinogenesis
UV radiation induced reactive oxygen species cause p53 gene mutations which affect the repair of damaged deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and induce programmed cell death (apoptosis). Topical vitamin C has shown to reduce UV-induced apoptotic sunburn cell formation, erythema and thymine dimers, thereby reducing the risk of photocarcinogenesis.
Restorer of vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects the cellular contents against oxidative stress and maintains the collagen network in the skin. Vitamin E levels are rapidly depleted after UV exposure. Vitamin C is known to be the primary replenisher of vitamin E.
Vitamin C is essential for the development and maintenance of connective tissues. It protects the body from free radical damage and is used as therapeutic agent in many disorders.