Tuesday, 23 April 2024 ------------------------ Hello. All is well. Continuing with chapter four, we cover sleep disorders. Insomnia is difficulty falling or staying asleep. It's diagnosed if experienced at least three nights per week for a month. There are many factors for why one may experience insomnia. An unfortunate self-perpetuating cycle can occur when one increases anxiety/arousal about one's inability to sleep. Parasomnias are sleep disorders that cause unwanted motor activity and disrupt sleep. Sleep walking is performance of complex behavior while asleep. The sleepwalker is usually non-responsive, even if they look awake with open eyes. Sleepwalking is commonly associated with a breathing issue that, when resolved, makes the sleepwalking stop. REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is non-paralysis of the motor system during REM sleep, causing kicking, punching, screaming, and other wild animalistic behavior. Commonly associated with a neurodegenerative disease like Parkinson's disease. Restless leg syndrome is an uncomfortable sensation in the legs during inactivity, causing one to move them around and hindering sleep. It may be associated with kidney disease or diabetes. I usually get this if I don't move enough or don't take magnesium supplements. Funny, I didn't pay too much attention to it, but at this moment, I'm smashing my two feet together constantly, like 2-3 times per second. I always use my feet as it's less noticeable when you have shoes on out in public. Tweaking. Night terrors are experiences of panic, usually during NREM sleep, causing screaming or fleeing. The experiencer generally has no recollection of the incident and goes back to sleep. I'm not sure if I had this once. I suddenly woke up and unconsciously fled a flat in the middle of Soho, London. Outside, in my underwear, my senses returned. To my fortune, the door hadn't closed on me. Sleep apnea is difficulty breathing while asleep, causing snoring and moments of gasping. There's obstructive sleep apnea, a blocking of airways, and central sleep apnea, a failure in signaling from the brain. People may wear a mask-like device to improve breathing. Sudden infant death disorder (SIDS) is an infant dying from no breathing. The highest risk of this is before 12 months of age. Common causes are premature birth, smoking in the home, and hyperthermia. Avoid this by placing the infant on its back with no choking hazards in its crib, like blankets or pillows. Don't have the infant wear a cap during sleep to avoid overheating. Don't smoke inside your home. Narcolepsy is falling asleep unwillingly. A similar paralysis of muscles occurs when a person enters REM sleep. Yesterday, I wrote about dreaming. The book mentioned it could have a function of emotional processing. This is interesting because my strongest emotions have been felt in dreams. This may sound odd, but I haven't really experienced falling in love with someone or having strong feelings for someone, except once in a dream. It was a distinct feeling I'd never experienced before (apart from one time at an early age, but not quite the same as it was a strange love-on-first-sight moment, only seeing them for a few minutes). The person in my dream was seemingly wholly made up, having no resemblance to anyone I could picture I've met in my life. Also, the first time I experienced lucid dreaming unprompted, it caused an overwhelm of emotions, making me unable to fall asleep again. It still remains deeply in me. Just thinking back to it, I sense a surge of feelings in me. As secondary book, I'm now reading "St. John Ambulance First Aid Reference Guide". My writing is not intended to be derivative work or serve as a reference. It's merely my personal notes to serve as a source for casual, entertaining reflection. In the first chapter, we learn of simple definitions. First aid is emergency help with available supplies. Casualty is the injured or ill person, requiring first aid. First aider is the person performing first aid. First aid has three priorities: 1. Preserve life. 2. Prevent further harm. 3. promote recovery. First aider is not a medical doctor. Hence, they don't diagnose or treat, only suspect and perform first aid according to their trained level. First aid includes protecting belongings, keeping unnecessary people away, reassuring family and friends, cleaning up scene, and resolving unsafe conditions. Depending on the casualty's age and size, first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are performed differently. As a guideline, we distinguish between infant (<= 1 year), child (<= 8 years), and adult. For appropriate care, when assisting with medication, we check five rights: right-person, right-medication, right-amount, right-method, right-time. There are various first aid legislations, but there are differences depending on the setting, such as workplace and jurisdiction (which state you're in). In some jurisdictions, first aid to prevent loss of life is a legal duty if it doesn't pose a risk. Some jurisdictions have good samaritan laws for liability protection when performing good faith first aid when there's no legal obligation. Generally, there are principles to follow as a first aider. Consent must be obtained to perform first aid. If the casualty is non-responsive, then implied consent is assumed. If the casualty is a child accompanied by a supervising guardian, then consent must be given from the guardian. Furthermore, the first aider must perform with reasonable skill and care according to their trained level. To not be negligent, like performing above expertise. To not abandon casualty, only leaving if handed over or care no longer necessary. I'll probably start retaking my stimulant medication tomorrow. I find it unnecessary to experiment with at the moment as I'm currently in a stable, dull environment. I'd instead invest my time in reading and writing in this peaceful time I have for now. I just consumed 700 calories worth of cinnamon rolls. Mmm.