Learning new skills about something you have done for years, demands a lot of concentration as you consciously have to ‘unlearn’ old bad habits and find new ways of doing it better and more efficiently. However, once acquired, there is a sense of accomplishment especially when you find that the new way of doing things does improve life a lot. In the same way, as you consciously learn a new skill, the brain can also be taught to overcome bad habits that might be the result of some trauma experienced earlier in life.
What is the relation between Upper Airways Resistance Syndrome (UARS), Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
UARS is a sleep breathing disorder that is characterised by abnormal resistance to breathing during sleep which can lead to chronic fatigue, PTSD and various other health issues.
It could have been caused by experiencing shock or trauma which changes your self-perception and how you fit into the world. This can then lead to significant stress and anxiety. The brain deals with this by ‘padding’ certain brain frequencies which then help you to cope with the trauma or stressor experienced.
Although this padding helps you cope at the time, the brain tends to keep this coping mechanism in place long after it is no longer needed and can lead to negative behaviours which may cause ongoing stress and anxiety.
Listen to the Podcast: PTSD, Insomnia, and Sleep Apnea with Dr. Barry Krakow
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Chronic Fatigue and UARS:
It is essential for our health that we get enough, uninterrupted and deep sleep as this ‘downtime’ is used by the body to heal and repair itself. Insufficient deep sleep prevents the healing and repair from taking place, causing numerous health problems such as chronic fatigue, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Fibromyalgia and PTSD.
These disruptions interrupt the normal sleep cycle, reducing the efficiency of the brain’s restorative process and therefore can lead to daytime sleepiness and fatigue, as well as impaired concentration and memory. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Upper Airways Resistance Syndrome (UARS) sleep disorders result in increased systemic inflammation which has a negative impact on one’s health in terms of insulin resistance, abnormal blood sugar levels, which increases the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and a variety of other health disorders. If the sleep disorder festers on untreated, further brain damage can be expected.
View this 4 minute video on PTSD and UARS which explains how PTSD is related to UARS. View video here!
How can brain mapping and training relieve the problem?
Brain mapping can identify the areas in the brain that are not functioning optimally and will provide an accurate map of all aberrant frequencies in the brain.
Brain training with neurofeedback may help desensitise the irritable airways causing UARS by bringing these brain frequencies back to normal to restore balanced brain function. Brain training is done by connecting electrodes applied to strategic points on the patient's scalp to a computer. These electrodes measure the brain’s response to visual and auditory stimuli from ‘games’ played on the computer. Specific, subconscious responses are needed in order to play the game and these have been designed to remove any blocks or ‘paddings’ that the brain has used as part of its coping strategy.
Normal balanced frequencies are restored and neuro-feedback training gives the brain an opportunity to deal with traumatic events without having to relive them. Stimulating the brain and repetition of this stimulus teaches the brain how to respond in a normal and balanced way which then helps the body return to health. No more brain fog, anxiety and other health problems, which means that you can enjoy life a lot more, in a healthier body.
Good health, after all, is the goal to which we all aspire!
If you suffer from Chronic Fatigue, Insomnia, Anxiety or PTSD, make an appointment with one of our Health Renewal doctors to discuss how brain training can help you.
