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Archive for Sleep Disorders – Page 2

Prevention is Key

Maintaining and improving your health is important in preventing your body and especially brain to encounter issues as you age. With preventive tips and care, maintaining a healthy brain is possible. The first step in giving your health the attention it needs is never avoiding symptoms. While not all symptoms should be taken too seriously, it is important to be aware of all types of symptoms. Making a consistent trip to the doctor for a check up is one way of confirming your health is where it needs to be.

Prevention refers to the maintenance and care you are putting towards your wellness and overall health. Many people don’t pay attention to their health nor do they take preventive measures to ensure the healthiest life possible. Preventive care does not always refer to just physical activity. Physical activity is only one of the many ways to regularly maintain health. Working to be proactive towards your body and brain will help you as you age.

Preventive Care Tips:

Take precaution when the flu is in season & take care of yourself when you catch it. It is inevitable that we will get sick a few times a year. Most of the time, we get sick due to lack of vitamin c or other nutrients needed to keep our body strong against infectious bacteria. An easy way to prevent yourself from catching a cold is simply by making sure you are giving your body the nutrients it needs including: vegetables, fruits, and other healthy food options. When we are sick, sometimes we don’t give our bodies the opportunity to recover. Take a day off from work, cancel your weekend plans, whatever it takes to ensure your body is going to receive the rest it needs to recover and heal. Overworking your body while it is weak during a cold make your sickness worse and could lead to your body weakening as the time passes instead of strengthening.

Change your Lifestyle Habits. When you’re young, you have more energy and think your body can withstand many things. While that is mostly true, it doesn’t happen without the help you. As you grow older, preventive measures matter more. Eating anything and sleeping however little hours and not caring about your body does not work anymore. Start making time to take care of yourself. Exercise is a naturally preventive care that helps both your physical body and your brain. Make it a priority to sleep at a reasonable time and a minimum of 7 to 8 hours. Not getting enough sleep can cause a lot of mental stress and can often lead to sleep disorders. Choose a few meals low in sugar, fats and cholesterol. This can help with preventing Alzheimer’s.

Build social networks. Having strong ties with friends and family will help in lower blood pressure and keep you happier in your life. Most people de-stress by being around people. When you keep things bottled in, it can affect your mental health and cause you to trigger migraines and even sleep disorders.

What risks can Preventive Care reduce?

Preventive care can reduce chances of stroke, heart disease, memory loss and other neurological problems. Many people fear visiting a doctor, but visiting your Las Vegas Neurologist to ensure you are healthy will give you peace of mind and if there is something wrong, you will find out and take measures to treating it. Here at Silver State Neurology, we care about all your concerns, questions and overall well-being. Contact us today to address any of your concerns!

Stress- How it can affect the Brain

Stress is one of the major health issues many Americans experience. Stress can largely affect a person’s brain in more ways than you would think. In short, stress is not entirely bad, but if it is not managed or controlled, one can have negative and harmful effects on the body and brain. Everyone feels stressed at times, but sometimes there are moments in our lives that take a huge toll and overwhelm us. This causes a lot of tension in our bodies.

Stress takes on many forms:

  • Pressure in demanding work
  • Arguments with a family member or loved one
  • Rocky home environments
  • Lack of time
  • Money issues
  • Stress is good in a way that helps you perform under intense circumstances and motivates you to learn to manage your time and work better altogether. It can improve your skills in the long run. If a high level of stress and feeling overwhelmed is ongoing every minute of each day, your body is not balanced and you could begin to have stronger signs of having chronic stress. Ultimately, it can have harmful effects altogether.

    Anyone struggling with coping and managing stress, or experiencing high levels of chronic stress, visit your Las Vegas neurologist for more information, diagnosis or treatments for what you are feeling.

    What happens to the brain when it’s stressed?


    Stress can cause the release of adrenaline which increases the amount of sugar in your blood. This leads to an increase in your heart rate and blood pressure. The brain’s hypothalamus sends signals to the pituitary gland telling it to release a stress hormone called cortisol. When your cortisol levels are too high and have been prolonged, it can affect the immune system overall resulting in decreasing the amount of brain cells.

    Overall changes to the body from prolonged stress:

  • Blood pressure rises
  • Can cause stroke
  • Memory impairment
  • Immune activity decrease
  • Sleep deprivation
  • Digestive system slows down
  • Things that can influence your stress levels:

    Your group of friends and family: Shaving a strong support system is important when feelings of stress rise. When you have people that can easily lift your spirits and lighten your mood after feeling overwhelmed, it is easier to wind down and balance your levels. A person that is alone and isolated can easily trigger the brain to feel emotional and physical stress.

    Your motto in life: The way you see your challenges can influence your manner in taking control over it. Being optimistic and positive can help you get through tougher obstacles. If you are vulnerable and sensitive, it is likely stress will control you. Living a life embracing challenges and making light of situations will make it easier for you when stressful situations arise.

    Learn how to deal with your own emotions: Sometimes all it takes to feel less stressed is for you to take a deep breath, recollect and calm yourself back down. You can increase your stress tolerance by being able to identify with your emotions and being able to control that part of yourself. Many people struggle with their emotions and can at times, let their emotions bring more stress.

    Getting enough rest: Sleep is important to keep the brain functioning properly and healthy. Chronic stress can affect your sleep, so it is important to normalize your sleeping patterns.

    Eating healthy: For your brain to stay healthy, it needs nutrients to keep it balanced, nourished and overall in control of your emotions and stresses. If your brain does not get the nutrients it needs, it is likely that your mood and ability to deal with stress mentally can be affected.

    Visit your Las Vegas neurologist to address concerns you may have regarding any negative affects on your brain that could be triggered from your stress.

    Sleep Apnea: A very common sleep disorder

    Sleep Apnea is a very common sleep disorder which affects more than 22 million people in the United States. Unfortunately, 80% of moderate to severe sleep apnea cases go undiagnosed and untreated. Las Vegas neurologist Dr. Christopher Milford knows how important it is for people to learn sleep apnea symptoms. Included are sleep apnea signs you shouldn’t ignore. If you are experiencing these symptoms of sleep apnea, please see a neurologist in Las Vegas!

    Please note that signs of sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, even children. However, there are risk factors of sleep apnea that may put you at a higher risk. These include:

    • being a male
    • being overweight
    • being over the age of 40
    • having a large neck size (above 17 inches in men, and above 16 inches in women)
    • having large tonsils
    • having a large tongue
    • having a small jaw bone,
    • having a family history of sleep apnea
    • Gastroesophageal Reflux or GERD
    • Nasal Obstruction due to deviated septum, allergies, or sinus problems

    Sleep Apnea is a very serious and life-threatening sleep disorder. Sleep Apnea is when the tissue at the back of the throat between the mouth and lungs can briefly collapse and become so restricted that breathing stops, momentarily or for longer periods.

    There are two primary types of Sleep Apnea:

    • Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – This is the most common diagnosed Sleep Apnea Disorder. This is where the throat muscles relax during sleep to such an extent that the passage of air to and from the lungs becomes blocked. When this happens the autonomic nervous system messages the brain which then wakes up briefly to reopen the airways and then usually tries to return to sleep.
    • Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) – This is a less common condition and it is the opposite from OSA. This is when the brain forgets to tell the airways to remain open during sleep. This type of Sleep Apnea can occur in 1 in 5 cases. In most cases, CSA is triggered by other medical conditions such as strokes, Parkinson’s Disease, or brain infections. It can also be brought on as a side effects from opioids or narcotic medicines.

    Some people can also suffer from Mixed Sleep Apnea (MSA). This is a combination of both Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Central Sleep Apnea in varying levels of severity and complexity.

    Common symptoms of Sleep Apnea include:

    • Irritability
    • Memory Loss
    • Loud or frequent snoring
    • Choking or gasping sounds
    • Unrefreshing sleep
    • Morning headaches
    • Silent pauses in breathing
    • Insomnia
    • Daytime fatigue
    • Decreased sexual desire
    • Difficulty Concentrating

    Sleep Apnea is more common in children than is generally recognized. It is estimated that 1 to 4 percent of children suffer from Sleep Apnea, many of them being between the age of 2 and 8. Bed- wetting, sleep-walking, retarded growth, other hormonal and metabolic problems, even failure to thrive can be related to sleep apnea.

    If left untreated, Sleep Apnea can result in a growing number of health problems including:

    • Stroke
    • Heart failure
    • Irregular Heart Beats
    • Heart Attacks
    • Diabetes
    • High Blood Pressure
    • Headaches
    • Depression
    • Worsening of ADHD

    If you suspect you may have sleep apnea the first thing to do is see your doctor. It is recommended that you bring with you a record of your sleep, fatigue levels throughout the day, and any other symptoms you might be having. Also, be sure to take with you an updated list of medications, including over the counter medications, with you any time you visit a doctor for the first time. Sleep Apnea is considered a Neurological Disorder therefore it is recommended to visit a Neurologist if you feel that you are suffering from symptoms related to Sleep Apnea. The range of sleep disorders neurologists treat is wide and includes insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy.

    American Heart Month – Heart Health Awareness

    February is American Heart Month, a time for our Las Vegas neurologist to remind people to focus on their hearts and raise awareness about cardiovascular disease. It is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. About 2,300 Americans die of cardiovascular disease every day, which averages to 1 death every 38 seconds. Globally, it remains the leading cause of death at more than 17.9 million deaths every year. With your help, our Las Vegas neurology clinic needs to change that!

    Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease

    A new study from Denmark has found that people who experience migraines may be more likely to develop heart problems. This is not the first study to suggest a link between migraines and the risk of stroke and heart attack. Although migraines are considered primarily a headache disorder, there are several reasons why migraines may be tied to cardiovascular problems. The sudden constriction of blood vessels in the brain that leads to migraines may make a person more vulnerable to stroke. If you suffer from migraines, it could be more serious than a headache. Contact our neurologist in Las Vegas during American Heart Month to see how we can help.

    Sleep disorders are common among stroke survivors. Those associated with stroke include sleep apnea, parasomnia, and restless leg syndrome. Conversely, people with sleep apnea are more likely to suffer strokes to die in their sleep. Sleep disorders should not be ignored. At our neurology clinic in Las Vegas, we can diagnose and treat your sleep disorders to improve your health even after American Heart Month.

    Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

    The good news? Heart disease is one of the most preventable causes of death. Our Las Vegas neurology practice encourages you to take charge of your health! Starting this American Heart Month, commit to a healthy lifestyle, and make these small changes for a lifetime of good heart health.

    • Make an appointment with your Las Vegas doctor to discuss your heart health. Even if you’re not sick, schedule regular check-ups. Set goals for improving your health, ask questions, and trust their advice.
    • Prepare heart-healthy meals from scratch at home at least 3 times each week. Watch your sodium! To make your favorite recipe lower sodium, replace the salt with fresh or dried herbs and spices.
    • If you are a smoker, quitting can reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. Take steps to quit smoking. You can learn more at CDC’s Smoking and Tobacco Use website.
    • Get active! Add exercise to your daily routine little by little. Even walking will help to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Start slow and increase your frequency and intensity over time.
    • Take your prescriptions as directed. Do not discount blood pressure and cholesterol medicines. Ask your doctor in Las Vegas for help if you’re having trouble taking your medication.

    Visit the Heart Health Foundation to learn more ways you can help this American Heart Month!