Sleep

Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD) is a medical condition which as its name suggests is a sexual dysfunction which occurs after taking SSRI (selective serotonin uptake inhibitor) or SNRI (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) drugs. SSRIs (and SNRIs) are a widely used class of drug used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, …

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Inositol is referred to as “nature’s sleeping pills” by Dr. Robert Atkins, one of the fathers of functional medicine, the branch of medicine that employs food supplements in treatment and prevention of disorders. In fact, Atkins writes, inositol “virtually eliminates the need for a whole category of potentially harmful drugs: tranquilizers and sleeping pills.” Inositol …

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Ashwagandha (Radix Withaniae) is an Ayurvedic herbal medicine made from the dried roots of Withania somnifera, also known as Physalis somnifera or solanum somniferum, a plant from the nightshade family (Solancaeae). The name ashwagandha comes from Sanskrit and means “the smell and strength of a horse,” possibly alluding to the plant’s aphrodisiac/healing properties, its effects …

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If you are wondering what part of the brain controls sleep and consciousness, then you’ve come to the right place. Several areas of the brain play a role in sleep and consciousness, including: Hypothalamus The hypothalamus is a part of the brain made of different nuclei that serve a variety of functions, such as to …

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Dreams, or sleep mentation, consist of the perceptions, thoughts and emotions we experience during sleep. Dreams mostly occur during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, but they also occur during deep sleep and even when we are awake. Wait, what?! When we are awake? Oh… you must be referring to “daydreaming!” Daydreams are one type of …

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Kava kava (Piper methysticum) is a shrub of the Piperaceae Family (Pepper Family), which can be found on some South Pacific islands, where the root has been used medicinally and ceremonially for centuries to prepare a hypnotic and narcotic psychoactive beverage known as kava (the Polynesia Islanders of the Pacific referred to Piper methysticum as …

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The Common Hops (Humulus lupulus) is a hardy, twining climbing vine. When female flowers mature into fruiting heads, the pale green, cone-like female flower clusters (seed cones or strobiles) are harvested. Humulus is from the Latin word for “soil:” humus. This refers to the fact that if it doesn’t climb on anything, it grows on …

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We all know lettuce (Lactuca sativa) as a leaf vegetable used in salads and sandwiches, however other than being a culinary plant, lettuce also has religious and medicinal significance, especially its wild counterpart Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa and other species). Lettuce has mild narcotic properties, and was even known as “sleepwort.” The Yazidi people of …

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Scutellaria lateriflora (mad-dog skullcap) is a plant of the mint family native to North America. It was used for its healing properties by Native American tribes, and later adopted by European settlers. As a nervine tonic, skullcap has traditionally been used as a remedy for mental disorders. This is a Dream… In this article, I …

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