Narcolepsy is a long-term neurological disorder that disrupts the body's ability to control sleep and wakefulness. People with narcolepsy often experience overwhelming daytime sleepiness and can fall asleep suddenly, even after a whole night's rest. This can make everyday activities challenging and affect work, school, and social life. What is Narcolepsy? Narcolepsy is not just feeling tired. It is a neurological condition where the brain struggles to regulate sleep cycles. This can result in: Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS): Persistent sleepiness that doesn't improve with regular sleep. Sudden Sleep Attacks: Falling asleep unexpectedly, even in the middle of activities like eating or talking. There are two main types: Type 1 (with cataplexy): Includes sudden muscle weakness triggered by emotions like laughter or surprise. Type 2 (without cataplexy): Causes daytime sleepiness but no muscle weakness. Symptoms of Narcolepsy Symptoms can vary, but common signs include: Excessive Daytime Sleepiness: Feeling very tired despite adequate sleep, leading to unplanned naps. Cataplexy: Sudden loss of muscle strength in Type 1 narcolepsy, often triggered by strong emotions. Sleep Paralysis: Temporary inability to move or speak when falling asleep or waking. Hallucinations: Vivid dream-like experiences while falling asleep or waking. Disrupted Nighttime Sleep: Frequent awakenings, leading to fragmented and less restorative sleep.

What is a Sleep Cycle? Sleep is crucial for maintaining both your physical and mental well-being. It helps your body recover, boosts memory, supports emotional health, and improves concentration. Understanding the sleep cycle and the role of each stage can help you improve your sleep quality and overall health. A sleep cycle is the pattern your body and brain follow during sleep. Each cycle lasts around 90 minutes and repeats 4–6 times per night. Sleep has two main types: Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep: Includes three stages of light to deep sleep. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep: The stage when most dreaming occurs. Your body moves through these stages multiple times a night. Interruptions in any stage can leave you feeling tired, groggy, or unfocused.

Sleep is one of the most essential parts of staying healthy, yet millions of people struggle to get enough quality rest. Poor sleep can leave you feeling tired, stressed, and unfocused, and over time, it can take a serious toll on your overall health. While countless products and remedies claim to improve sleep, one natural option has been gaining attention: magnesium. This essential mineral supports hundreds of processes in the body, including muscle function, stress regulation, and relaxation, which makes it a vital player for sleep quality. But does magnesium really help you sleep better? Let’s explore how magnesium affects sleep, the signs of deficiency, the best food and supplement options, and how to safely use it for better rest. What Is Magnesium and Why Does It Matter for Sleep? Magnesium is a vital mineral that your body needs every day. It helps with: Muscle and nerve function Blood pressure regulation Immune system support Energy production and cell repair For sleep, magnesium is especially important because it: Regulates neurotransmitters (the brain’s chemical messengers). Supports healthy levels of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), a calming neurotransmitter that helps your brain “switch off” at night. Plays a role in the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle. Magnesium is found naturally in foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains. However, many people don’t get enough, which can impact their ability to relax and sleep well.

Quality sleep is essential for overall health and well-being, playing a crucial role in physical, cognitive, and emotional functioning. However, for millions of people worldwide, achieving restful sleep can be challenging due to sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea. In this article, we will delve into the complexities of sleep apnoea, exploring its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options.

Many people today face challenges with sleep due to their busy lives. For those seeking a solution, melatonin has emerged as a popular choice worldwide. Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the body's pineal gland and is known for regulating sleep patterns. However, understanding its availability and usage in the UK requires navigating specific regulations and considerations. Understanding Melatonin: Melatonin offers hope for those struggling with sleep disorders, providing relief for issues like insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns. In the UK, its regulated status ensures it's used safely and responsibly under healthcare professionals' guidance. By understanding melatonin's role and working closely with healthcare providers, individuals can explore effective solutions for achieving restful sleep. Melatonin, often called the "sleep hormone," is a critical player in the rhythm of our body's internal clock, which is known as the circadian rhythm. This rhythm acts as our biological timekeeper, regulating various bodily functions, including sleep-wake cycles, hormone production, and metabolism. It orchestrates when we feel sleepy and alert, helping to synchronise our sleep patterns with the day and night cycles. When evening approaches and darkness falls, a signal is sent to our brain's pineal gland, prompting it to ramp up melatonin production. This surge in melatonin levels serves as a biological cue that it's time to wind down and prepare for sleep. As melatonin levels rise, our bodies feel more relaxed, tired, and ready to transition to rest. External light cues don't just influence melatonin secretion; our internal body clock also influences it. This internal clock helps anticipate when melatonin production should increase daily, ensuring that our sleep-wake cycles remain synchronised with the 24-hour day-night cycle. In addition to its role in promoting sleep, melatonin also plays a part in other essential functions within the body. It acts as a potent antioxidant, helping to scavenge harmful free radicals and protect cells from oxidative damage. Moreover, melatonin has been implicated in regulating immune function, supporting cardiovascular health, and modulating mood and cognitive function. Disruptions to our natural melatonin production can occur due to various factors, such as exposure to artificial light at night, irregular sleep schedules, or certain medical conditions. These disruptions can interrupt our circadian rhythm, leading to sleep disturbances, fatigue, and other health issues.

Why is sleep important? Well, around 1/3 of your time is spent sleeping and it is as necessary for survival as water and food are. Optimising sleep can help you exercise better, improve your self-control and be all-around healthier. Here are our top tips for getting a great night's kip.

We have all been told sleep is important, but did you realise to what extent? Here are some shocking facts about sleep that may make you want to dive right into bed and get those recommended 7-9 hours!

What is sleep? And why is it so important? Well, around a third of your life is spent sleeping and it is as necessary for survival as water and food. We'll explain here about the cycles of sleep and why we need them.

Insomnia occurs in one-third of the UK population and can have a significant negative impact on someone’s day-to-day life. This article explores what insomnia is and what to do if you have it.

Did you know, a consistent lack of sleep can make your decision-making similar to that if you were drunk? Whether you need to perform for exams, your job, be alert for lectures or nail those meetings, we’ve got you covered here at Healthwords with tips on how to perform at your best. Read on to find out why you need at least 7 hours to perform your best and how to stay awake and alert when you need to.

Sleep is really important can have a direct impact on your health. Getting a good "night’s" sleep during the day can be challenging for anyone working night shifts. Here at Healthwords we've done a fair few night shifts ourselves, with one team member racking up more than a years worth of night shifts over the last 6 years of work in the hospital. So here are our top tips on how to give yourself the best chance of getting some good rest during the day.