Las Vegas Review-Journal

Everyone, including moms and doctors, can agree that a good night of sleep is necessary for good health, high energy, and an individual's overall well-being. Not getting enough good sleep - or rapid eye movement sleep - can affect the mind and body's ability to react appropriately to outside factors, the National Sleep Foundation reports.

The season of sneezing has made its annual return and that can only mean one thing for homeowners: preventative cleaning measures. Especially true for allergy and asthma sufferers, there is no better time to get a head start on prepping your home against unwanted allergens than the early weeks of spring.

Health insurance is confusing - regardless of whether your employer provides your insurance, you qualify for Medicare or Medicaid, or if you are footing the bill yourself for private insurance.

Have you been hitting the snooze button on your insomnia? Or wishing you could? Waking in the middle of the night is the No. 1 sleep problem in America, according to National Sleep Foundation annual polls. You may already know what to do to get to sleep, but if you tend to wake in the night and have difficulty returning to sleep, keep these tips in mind.

If you experience a constant ringing in your ears that's bothersome at best and debilitating at worst, you are far from alone. Tinnitus affects roughly one in five Americans and about 16 million people have serious tinnitus that requires medical attention. It's also the most common disability for military veterans, since it can be caused by extended exposure to loud noise.

As spring struggles to break through in much of the country, many of us can't help being affected and feeling comfort food, sitcoms and even chocolate aren't enough to lift our mood. Relationship expert Ian Kerner, Ph.D, the author of five books on sex and relationships, including "Sex Recharge," shares how to beat the seasonal blues by getting back into bed.

Whether a patient faces a simple health problem, such as a head cold, or one as complex as Alzheimer's disease, relieving the symptoms is often as important as resolving the issue itself. Yet for the more than 5 million Americans affected by Alzheimer's, treating the symptoms is even more vital.

From custom prosthetics to minimally invasive surgery, innovations in medical devices are leading to some astonishing advances. One example: an artificial heart that uses plastic tubes instead of heart valves to move blood in and out of two plastic ventricles. It's a remarkable development - and it's just one of many in the works, often made possible by specialized plastics.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major health problem in the United States, impacting more than 25 million Americans, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Kidneys perform many important functions in the body, including regulating and controlling the production of red blood cells. When kidneys are not fully functioning, the production of red blood cells can decline and cause anemia in many CKD patients.

Understanding your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, or getting an early diagnosis, is critical to successful treatment and delaying or preventing some of its complications such as heart disease, blindness, kidney disease, stroke, amputation and death.

From dry eye to age-related eye diseases, research shows that nutrition plays a critical role in maintaining the health of our eyes. Caring for eyes includes looking carefully at what you eat.

Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions across the United States. More than 6 million Americans abuse prescription drugs and much of the abuse begins at home, according to a national survey on drug use and health. In fact, more than 70 percent of those who illegally use prescription pain relievers obtained them through friends or family, including surreptitiously raiding the home medicine cabinet. However, a recent study revealed that only 19 percent of parents are concerned about the misuse of narcotic pain medicines in their own families, showing that many do not recognize the severity of the problem.

Decongestant, check. Sunscreen, check. Antacids, check. So you're going on vacation and your bag is well-stocked with remedies for every illness that could possibly derail your good time - from sunburn to an upset stomach. While you're taking steps to preserve your good health on vacation, don't overlook the body part that will carry you through all that fun: your feet.

With spring on the horizon, airborne allergens and pollutants can cause much grief to homeowners who suffer from breathing problems such as asthma and seasonal allergies. With the potential for increased irritation, allergy sufferers typically seek long-term, consistent relief any way they can.

If you've never used an energy or alertness aid before, you may wonder how to choose one that will work best for you. While each person's needs are different, and their body's reaction to energy-enhancing products will vary, here's some basic information to keep in mind.

Health care is sure to be a hot topic throughout 2013. With existing and upcoming effects from the Affordable Care Act, many Americans face changes when it comes to their health and their insurance plans. The law is confusing and the changes are complex. It's important to understand how this law will affect your health care and what you personally need to do in the future.

The story of NBA's All-Time Leading Scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's diagnosis with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is one example of how a devastating diagnosis can be turned into advocacy and inspiration.