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Even though many people find ways to live through it, [kw]sleep deprivation[/kw} is more damaging than you might think. Irritability, drowsiness and slow reflexes and reactions are the most common symptoms that we see, because these symptoms can occur with very small amounts of sleep deprivation. Even such a small amount of sleep deprivation as missing a few hours sleep one night can make driving, operating power tools and machinery as well as general physical activity more dangerous. Sleep deprivation for longer periods of time is even more dangerous; it can lead to hallucinations, heart and blood pressure problems and in some cases actually causes hyperactivity. To go without sleep for more than ten days can even be life threatening. Sleep deprivation causes hormone changes, and sometimes this leads to dramatic weight gain over a short amount of time. I don't have to tell you to avoid sleep deprivation, nearly everyone would do that by themselves if they had a choice. The amount of sleep we get each night is not always within our control. Our surroundings, like noise and temperature, can cause sleep deprivation. Sometimes anxiety can cause sleep deprivation as well, and this generally only makes anxiety worse. If you feel you are suffering from sleep deprivation it is important not just to get help and use a sleep aid for the sake of your health, but possibly the safety of others.

Although you may not know the name Diazepam, you have undoubtedly heard of Valium before. It is one of the most popular drugs in the world and Diazepam is considered one of the basic drugs necessary to maintaining a basic healthcare system by the World Health Organization. Despite the fact that Diazepam use is very common, it does not mean the drug is particularly safe. Overdoses of Diazepam are fairly common and the side effects of using Diazepam can be quite harsh. Hallucinations and sudden personality changes are not uncommon, as are slurred speech and loss of sex drive. In some cases Diazepam use ironically causes hyperactivity. The drug is quite damaging to the liver and kidneys, and Diazepam use should be avoided if possible. Alternatives to Diazepam have come up in the form of other benzodiazepines such as Xanax and Ativan, though these are rarely better. Instead, you should try natural alternatives to Diazepam which are quite effective and are much, much safer both for treating anxiety and getting a good night's sleep.

If you are thinking of using Ativan think again! Even by the standards of other prescription drugs it is dangerous, and people using Ativan require constant monitoring of kidney and liver function to ensure that it is not causing permanent damage to the body. Ativan is prescribed all too often, both for anxiety and sleep problems, but the prescription of a pharmaceutical drug like Ativan makes the assumption that your anxiety and sleeping problems are being caused by a chemical imbalance when there are many other factors which could be affecting you. Before resorting to the use of Ativan or another benzodiazepine you should try a combination of lifestyle changes, relaxation techniques, cognitive therapy and/or herbal remedies. All of these are obviously side effect and dependency free methods of dealing with anxiety and insomnia, whereas Ativan can lead to addiction, dependency and permanent damage to the body.

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