With features in national media outlets such as Today, Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, The New York Times, Woman's Day, Shape, Prevention and Reader's Digest, Meridian Health Director of Sleep Medicine, Carol Ash, DO, is a board-certified general internist, fellowship-trained pulmonary, critical-care and sleep-medicine specialist with more than 15 years of experience in clinical medicine. Dr. Ash recently contributed a Livestrong.com piece on "resetting" your internal clock, in which she suggested natural, cost effective alternatives to over-the-counter sleep medications, which she calls "short term solutions to recurring problems." One potential remedy Dr. Ash lists is mindful breathing, an elegant solution for alleviating stress and achieving deep rest. Read the full article here: http://www.livestrong.com/blog/reset-internal-clock-better-sleep/
He likes it cold; she likes it hot. She's a mover and a shaker; he's down for the count. Opposites may attract, but when it's time to call it a night, some differences come at a cost. It sounds extreme, but on an episode of "The Doctors," Dr. Carol Ash discussed how sleeping separately from your partner could provide a healthier night's sleep all around. Dr. Ash discussed findings from a study that found people who sleep alone tend to get a better night's sleep - as over 50% of those surveyed blamed their mates for their sleep disturbances. Researchers add that relationships and overall health can improve dramatically when couples opt to sleep separately. So what does Dr. Ash have to say? Is "divide and conquer" an option worth considering for couples not getting adequate sleep? "We think of sleeping apart as taboo and something we should never do," Ash says. "But the truth of the matter is, sleep is so important, if that is what you have to do to get a good night's sleep, then, yes, it is." Watch the full segment below and decide for yourself.
We've all had those types of dreams. Whether funny, creepy or just plain bizarre, they're the dreams we can't seem to shake, at least until we get an answer to "What did that mean??" On FOX News' "While You Were Sleeping" segment, Dr. Carol Ash took on that very question and offered insight into the body's slumber responses and how to go about "decoding the mysteries of your mind and unlocking the meaning from your dreams." "You have to remember that the brain is taking in all the old information and new information and processing it in new patterns to help you come up with solutions to the problems of the day," Ash says. "Dreaming allows you to work through all those negative emotions and solve them in a safe environment, your bedroom." Watch the full segment below to hear Dr. Ash's interpretation of dream scenarios such as losing control of a vehicle, being chased, being lost and having your teeth fall out (which is more common than you think.)
Sleep deprivation can be a symptom of numerous health issues, but it's important to remember that the causes of our sleep disruptions aren't always internal. According to Dr. Carol Ash, the following external factors can affect our sleeping patterns:
Room temperature
Jet lag
Variations in schedule
Snoring
Watch Dr. Ash's Weather Channel appearance to learn more about the effects our environment can have on our sleep habits.
The ability to control your dreams may sound like a fantasy, but it's a power that actually lies within all of us, according to Dr. Carol Ash, Director of Sleep Medicine at Meridian
Health.
"If you can recognize you are in a dream, you can control the content of
your dream," says Dr. Ash, in a July 7 article published in the Asbury Park Press. According to Dr. Ash, mastering the process of lucid dreaming is all about repetition and technique. She recommends establishing specific habits and visual
patterns throughout your day (such as looking at yourself in the mirror while reading) to help bring neurological functions utilized during daytime hours into your dream world. "The more you do it, the more you will recognize it in a dream," she says.
With features in national media outlets such as Today, Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, The New York Times, Woman's Day, Shape, Prevention and Reader's Digest, Meridian Health Director of Sleep Medicine, Carol Ash, DO, is a board-certified general internist, fellowship-trained pulmonary, critical-care and sleep-medicine specialist with more than 15 years of experience in clinical medicine.